Sunday, February 28, 2010

pumpkin scones

A few months ago, my coworker & friend Angie went & bought some Starbucks at work. She came back holding a bag, and split a scone with me. She said "these are always gone by the time I get one, but they had one left, so let's try it!". Oh.My.GOODNESS! I was in LOVE. Starbuck's Pumpkin Scones are so delicious... but are only available for a few months.

So, I scoured the internet in hopes of finding a recipe, and I found one!!
It was a little time consuming, but it was SO worth it!!

Ingredients for Scones
2 c flour
7 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 c canned pumpkin
3 tbsp half & half
1 large egg
6 tbsp cold butter

Ingredients for Plain Glaze
1 c plus 1 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp whole milk

Ingredients for Spiced Icing
1 c + 3 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp whole milk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cloves

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, 1/2 tsp each cinnamon & nutmeg; 1/4 tsp each cloves & ginger in a bowl... combine.
3) In a separate medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half & half, & egg.
3) Cut butter into cubes, then add it to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry knife or fork to combine. Texture will be like cornmeal when you are done.
4) warning... messy! Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then form the dough into a ball. You might have to eventually use your hands (I did). Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1 inch thick circle and use a pizza cutter & cut however you like (I do circle, cut in half, and just start making triangles from there). I get between 6-8 pieces.
5) Place parchment paper (not necessary, but I love it!) on a cookie sheet, and place your pieces a little apart from each other. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until scones are light brown.
6) While scones bake, prepare plain glaze by combining ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth.
7) As scones cool, use a brush to paint a coating of the glaze over the top & sides of the scones.
8) As the white glaze firms up, prepare the spiced icing ... and drizzle this thicker icing over each scone.
9) Let dry for 1 hour before serving.


Amy's Notes: I doubled this recipe b/c I wanted to take some to work. Now, since I doubled everything, I realized I probably didn't need to double the glazes.... there was quite a bit of it left over. The texture of this scone is absolutely out of this world.... so yummy!


Saturday, February 20, 2010

....no cook fudge frosting

In our family, we have a traditional birthday cake. I always make a two layer cake.... french vanilla for some, & some sort of chocolate cake for others. The topping is always the same: Better Homes & Garden's No-Cook Fudge Frosting. Every birthday my girls always request this cake & icing. One year I added canned strawberry frosting and piped big circles for Maddie's birthday cake. I remember when I was a teenager, and I wanted to make a chocolate cake. I added way too much hot water, and thought "oh, it's OK". Well, when I went to spread (OK, poured it on) my two layer cake... it went over my cake. Down the side. On the counter. Then on the floor. It.was.a.mess!! My mom came in laughing after shrieking my name a few times! Apparently, I have to add more sugar if I add too much water!

Ingredients
(taken from the Better Homes & Garden cookbook)
4 3/4 c sifted powdered sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c margarine or butter, softened
1/3 c boiling water
1 tsp vanilla


Mix powdered sugar & cocoa. Add margarine, boiling water, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed till combined. Cool for 20-30 minutes or till of spreading consistency. Frosts tops & sides of two 8 or 9 inch cake layers.

Amy's Notes: OK, I don't sift my powdered sugar. And I didn't know there was "sweetened cocoa powder!" I always use butter... and I now make sure my frosting is the right consistency before I frost. Sometimes that means adding more water b/c it's just too thick for me to spread. Don't want to get crumbs on my frosting! AND.. most importantly! Put your bowl in the sink when you mix this up w/ your electric mixer. Otherwise the fudge frosting will fly EVERYWHERE! Better to trap it in the sink than wiping if off the walls.

Warning! Warning! Warning! This recipe is VERY rich! But very delicious! Have milk on hand!

Sunday, February 7, 2010

.... crock pot pinto beans

I think I did it!! I found THE recipe for our pinto beans!! I always add too little water (which result in dry beans, or burnt if you are like me...), or not enough flavoring (which turn out to be BLAND beans), or the WRONG flavors....

However, I've been playing around for 13 years people... 13 years trying to find the right combination. I think I found it. So easy, and SO few ingredients!! My husband LOVES pinto beans, so we stock up on pinto beans from the cannery. It's a great CHEAP dinner... and lots of possibilities you can do with beans. Make a "build your own dinner w/ pinto beans", or beans with fried potatoes & cornbread... or... well, that's all that I do, really. Just those two type of dinners.

Anyways, here is what I use:

Ingredients
2 cups dried pinto beans
6 cups of water
1 can of Rotel (you determine spicy level)
3 cut up pieces of bacon
salt


First, measure out your beans, and put it in a colander. Take out all the halved pieces.. and rocks. I would like to know how rocks get in here! Rinse it. Put a liner in your crockpot (it's a MUST for me nowadays!), and dump the rinsed beans inside. Place the water (you can add 8 cups if you want....). Dump the can of rotel, or any off brand of tomatoes with chile's (I also like Aldi's brand!). Cut up the bacon (leave it raw), and dump it inside the crockpot.

Turn it on high and let it cook all day. When it's near the time to eat, taste it, and add salt. I typically have to salt, then taste, then salt some more, and taste again. The bacon & the Rotel gives it a great taste! Now, I did try the HOT Rotel once, and let me tell you, my husband LOVED it, but it was WAY too hot for me & the girls!! So, we stick with the regular Rotel. We're creampuffs......

Maddie & I love our beans over Frito's with sour cream & cheese. Mike & Katie eat the beans as a burrito. We also make "Big Daddies", which are fried flour tortillas and you basically build it up as a tostada. Make sure to add diced pickles at the end for that dinner! Yumm!

Friday, February 5, 2010

cast iron green beans

This recipe is hands down, my most favorite side vegetable. It's probably not THE healthiest for you, but man oh man, is it my favorite!! This works best in a cast iron skillet.

Cut up in small piece, 3 slices of bacon. Chop up about 1/3 of an onion. Saute it in the skillet until the bacon is almost done cooking. When this is done, add 3 cans drained green beans (the cut kind, not the french style green beans).

Sprinkle salt & pepper over the green beans, and let it cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes, stirring every now & then.

Take a few bites here & there until it has reached PERFECTION!!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

cream of anything soup

**disclaimer: I have NOT made this soup, but every woman in my family has made this over & over & over again.... using different vegetables. I subscribed YEARS ago to this "receive a new recipe every day" via email, and this was one of the recipes. My aunt & my grandma both say this is THE best recipe they have ever tried, and have thanked me over & over & over again for this recipe.

I have yet to try it, but if these awesome ladies who are amazing cooks love this recipe, chances are, it's a winner!

In a soup pot melt & brown: 4 tbsp butter & 4 tbsp flour

Add: 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, dash cayenne pepper

Add: 1 1/2 c milk, 2 c chicken broth, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash, 1 tsp onion powder or chopped onion

Choose & add one of the following vegetables (pureed or chopped) & the corresponding seasonings:

*2 c asparagus + 1 tsp lemon juice, dash of ground nutmeg or mace

*1 1/2 c green beans + 1/2 tsp thyme, dash garlic powder, 1 bay leaf

* 1 c carrots + 1 Tbsp parsley, 1/2 tsp basil

*2 c cauliflower + 1/2 tsp curry powder

*1 1/2 c zucchini + dash nutmeg

*1 1/2 c mushroom + dash nutmeg

If you try this recipe out, let me know which vegetable you tried, and what tastes the best!!
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