Pumpkin Spice Scones

This was my first try at making scones.  It was a success!  Samantha helped me and we made two batches for our ladies' fellowship at church.  This will be a keeper!  This is supposed to be the copy cat recipe for a famous coffee place's scones.  I made a few small changes on the spices for the glaze, and am going to use just Pumpkin Spice sometime, too. 

Ingredients for the Scones:
2 cups all purpose flour
7 TBSPs  sugar
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 TBSPs cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 TBSPs half and half
1 large egg

Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBSP powdered sugar
2 TBSPs milk

Spiced Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 TBSPs powdered sugar
2 TBSPs milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
just a pinch of ground nutmeg
just a pinch of ginger
just a teeny pinch of ground cloves
Adjust the spices to your taste...that's what I did because the original recipe was too strong on the nutmeg for me. :)

Mixture of Cinnamon and Sugar

Directions:
TO MAKE SCONES:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife, fork or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1 inch think rectangle (about 9" x 3").  Use a large knife or pizza cutter and slice the dough into 3 equal pieces.Cut those 3 slices diagonally, so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Then, cut those in half again.  Place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 14-16 minutes. Scones shoud begin to turn light brown.  Don't over bake, though.
Place on wire rack to cool.
TO MAKE THE PLAIN & SPICE GLAZE:
Mix the powdered sugar and 2 TBSPs milk together until smooth.  When the scones are cool, use a brush to paint plain glaze over the top of each scone.  As that white glaze firms up, make the spice glaze.
Combine the ingredients for the spiced icing together. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (at least an hour).  I used a fork to drizzle it and they turned out real pretty.  Before the 2nd glaze dries, sprinkle an even mixture of cinnamon and sugar over the scones.

Enjoy!!

Grape Salad

This is from another friend, and is very yummy!


2 pounds seedless green grapes

2 pounds seedless red grapes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces chopped pecans (optional)

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions

1.Wash and dry grapes. In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Add grapes and mix until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle with brown sugar and pecans, mix again and refrigerate until serving.

Orange Brownies

This is from Paula Deen.  They are always a hit!
1.5 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp salt
2 sticks of softened butter
4 eggs
2 tsp pure orange extract
1 tsp grated orange zest
Once thoroughly cooled, top with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (see below).

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 9 x 13 pan.

Sitr together flour, sugar, and salt.  Add butter, eggs, orange extract and orange zest.  Using electric mixer, beat until well blended.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 min or until light golden brown and set.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Pierce entire cake with a fork.  Spread Orange Cream Cheese Frosting over brownies once they are completely cooled.  Store in fridge.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 eight ounce package cream cheese (softened)
4 TBS softened butter
1 one pound box of powdered sugar
2 TBS orange zest
2 TBS Orange Juice

In large mixing bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together.  Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until all is combined and smooth.  Beat in the orange zest and  OJ.  Spread over the brownies.  Enjoy, no, savor!!  :)

Ann's Brownies

These are delicious and very rich!  Yum!

1 brownie mix for a 9x13 pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 small jar of marshmallow cream
1 bag chocolate chips
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Make brownies according to directions on box.  Cool completely.  Spread marshmallow cream over brownies.  Melt peanut butter and chocolate chips together until smooth..  Stir in Rice Krispies.  Spread over brownies/marshmallow cream.  Put in fridge for at least an hour before cutting.  Store in fridge.

Dog Food For Humans!

1  six ounce package of chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
6 cups Chex Mix cereal
1 cup powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in microwa.ve, stir in peanut butter.  Pour over cereal.  Gently stir until cereal is coated.  Put cereal into a ziplock bag and add powdered sugar.  Gently toss mixture until thoroughly coated.  Store in airtight container in fridge.
We usually double this recipe.  Enjoy!

Quick Hot Yummy! Oatmeal

My sister, Jo, made this for me and now I make it a lot for my family.


1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup milk
handful of cranberries
1 heaping tablespoon of brown sugar
handful of chopped walnuts

You can put in any fruit, but so far, I like the cranberries the most.
Mix together and put in microwave for approx. 2.5 minutes on high. Enjoy!

Meatloaf Cupcakes

This is an idea I got off the net, but I am using a recipe for meatloaf I got from my friend, Karen Blakemore. I call it Karen's Meatloaf. :) Anyway, here is the recipe! It really does make a great April Fool's Day dinner, by the way.

Ingredients:
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped onions (optional...TJ doesn't like onions, so I have to leave these out)
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey

Sauce:
2/3 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Topping:
Mashed Potatoes
Food Coloring

Directions:
Mix together the first 7 ingredients. Press into tin muffin cups & fill 3/4 full with the mixture.
In a small bowl mix together the sauce ingredients. Spoon over "cupcakes". Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx. 45 minutes.

While those are baking, make your mashed potatoes...or do like me and heat up Bob Evans store bought Mashed Potatoes! Add desired food coloring.
When the meatloaf is finished, put colored Mashed Potatoes on top. Serve!!
This made 12 cupcakes and one small dish of meatloaf, so could have made about 18, I think.
I have to say, I don't usually like meatloaf, but this is SO good!! Even TJ and Sam love it!!
Thanks, Karen!!