Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Scones, a la Starbucks
For the Scones
2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
6 tbsp cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tbsp half-and-half
1 large egg

Powdered Sugar Glaze
1 cup plus 1 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp skim milk

Spiced Glaze
1 cup plus 3 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves

Prepare the Scones:
Preheat the oven to 425F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Use a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and form the dough into a ball.
Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 3 times as long as wide. Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal portions. Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14–16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

Make the powdered sugar glaze:
Mix the powdered sugar and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone.

Make the spiced icing:
While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced icing. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour). Attempt not to devour all the scones at once.

12 scones

Pumpkin Nut Cookies with White Chocolate

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ounces white chocolate chips
  
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then stir in the pumpkin puree until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Fold in the white chocolate and pecans. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be at least 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets before removing to cool on wire racks.

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats, uncooked

1-3/4 cups (11-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Butterscotch Chips

Heat oven to 375°F.

Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips; mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Homestyle Potato Soup

from Cooking Light "Slow Cooker"

4 cups cubed peeled baking potato

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup thinly sliced celery

3/4 cup thinly sliced carrot

3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

14 oz. vegetable broth

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

7 tablespoons shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese

1. Place first 9 ingredients in a slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours or until vegetables are tender. Increase heat to high.

2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a bowl; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Stir into soup. Cook, uncovered, 25 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Ladle soup into individual bowls, and sprinkle with cheese and additional pepper, if desired. Yield: 7 servings.

Calories: 194, Fat: 7.6 g, Fiber: 2.2 g.

Pork with Dried Fruit and Squash

From Cooking Light "Slow Cooker"

1 (3 pound) lean boneless pork loin roast, trimmed

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup dried apricots (or golden raisins)

1/2 cup chopped pitted dried plums

1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)

Rosemary sprigs for optional garnish

1. Cut pork roast in half crosswise

2. Combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl; rub pork evenly with sugar mixture. Place pork in a 4 1/2 quart electric slow cooker. Arrange apricots, dried plums, and squash around pork.

3. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW, and cook 6 to 7 hours or until pork, fruit, and squash are tender. Cut pork into thin slices, and serve with fruit and squash. Garnish with rosemary, if desired.

Yields 9 servings.

Cal: 320, FAt: 7.7 g, Fiber: 2.3 g

Pumpkin Bread

1 cup pumpkin 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups sugar 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil 1 tsp. grated orange peel 1/2 cup pecans 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. cloves 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. allspice 1/4 tsp. salt Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat together sugar, oil, eggs and orange peel. Stir in pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Turn batter into an oiled loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Brush top of loaf with melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar, maple sugar, turbinado sugar or white sugar.

Chicken with Spicy Marmalade Glaze

Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Spray the rack of a broiler pan, preheat the broiler.

2. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper on each side. Place in oven for 4 minutes on one side until lightly browned. Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Remove chicken from oven and turn over to other side. Spoon or brush glaze onto each breast and return to oven for another 4 minutes, or until chicken is done.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

These are from Martha Stewart.
Makes about 8 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves, (from about 8 bags)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounce) sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Directions
Whisk together flour, tea, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Put butter, sugar, and zest in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; slowly mix in flour mixture until just combined.
Divide dough in half. Transfer each half to a piece of parchment paper; shape into logs. Roll in parchment to 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log and force out air. Transfer in parchment to paper-towel tubes; freeze 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Space 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake until edges turn golden, 13 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

Dutch Baby

Thanks to Ruth Daly for the recipe.

4 T butter
4 eggs
3/4-1 c. milk or 1/2 & 1/2
3/4-1 c. flour
2 T sugar (or so -- not necessary at all)
1 t. vanilla (also optional)
salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F, and put the butter into a glass or clay pie pan or cake pan and into the oven. The butter will melt in the pan, and the pan will get hot and form a nice crust on the pancake. Meanwhile, in the blender, combine the eggs and milk until frothy (30 seconds or so). Add the flour in two or three batches, otherwise it will stick to the walls of the blender. Add the sugar and vanilla and salt, if you like. Blend until frothy, then pour immediately into the pie pan (make sure the butter is melted already). Bake for 20-25 minutes. It will puff up and turn all golden brown, but will fall shortly after removing, so eat it immediately!

Serve with:
lemon juice and powdered sugar or honey or jam
maple syrup
jam
honey
fresh fruit and whipped cream
etc.

Some people also combine fruit with the pancake in the oven. If you decide to do this, I think you can add apples with the butter in the beginning and then pour the batter over them. You can also put in sausage or ham or whatever -- in this case, omit the sugar and vanilla, but possibly add salt and pepper and rosemary or whatever spices you enjoy.