Pumpkin Scones

It's that time of year again! What time is that, you may ask? Well, how about we just call it pumpkin baking season! There are so many delicious pumpkin recipes I am just dying to try this fall. Some of the ones on the list are pumpkin maple cream cheese, double chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, mini pumpkin cheesecakes, and a savory pot pie of sorts with pumpkin, squash, and cheeses. Yum! I'm so happy to get started.

The first one I chose to make is Pumpkin Scones. They were just perfect for a sunny, slightly cool fall morning.

Pumpkin Scones

for the scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 Tablespoons of cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash of nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves

2 Tablespoons of milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.

Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk to combine, then add the butter pieces. Fold them in with a pastry knife until they are no larger than the size of peas, and the batter resembles large crumbs. Add the butterscotch chips and stir in.

In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir well. Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just to combine. Divide into about 1/3 cup rough balls and place on a parchment-lined baking pan. Place in oven and immediately turn it down to 375. Bake for about 18-20 minutes. Set on a wire rack to cool.

Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves in a small bowl. Add milk, and whisk until smooth and combined. Drizzle over scones. Enjoy!

Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

So far, I'm following my menu for the week well! I always try to get at least one vegetarian meal on menu and last night was Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables. Now this one certainly wasn't the prettiest dinner I've ever made. I actually debated on whether or not I should even include the picture in this post, but then I figured, what's a food blog without the pictures? So I did. But what it lacked in looks, it more than made up for in taste. It was hearty and filling, even healthy, but not too heavy. Delicious!

 
Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 6-8

2 zucchinis
2 yellow squash
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
1 (8oz) package of sliced mushrooms

5 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of Italian herbs (thyme, basil, oregano)
dash of salt and black pepper

1 (16 oz.) box of penne pasta
3 cups tomato sauce
2 cups ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, grated
2 Tablespoons of butter, cut into small chunks
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425.

Chop zucchini, squash, onion, and peppers into chunks. Place the veggies, along with the mushrooms, into a large Ziploc bag. Add the olive oil, garlic, spices, salt and pepper and shake to combine. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 12 minutes. Remove, and flip/stir the veggies and place back in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, bring large pot of water to a boil and cook penne pasta to al dente. When finished, mix with tomato sauce and set aside. When veggies are done, use a slotted spoon (to avoid getting extra liquid) to take them off the baking sheet and place into pot with pasta. Mix with ricotta cheese and stir to combine.

Spread pasta and veggies into a 9X13 baking pan. (I was actually able spread them out a bit more and use one 9X13 and one 8X8 pan. You can either pack them into one or spread them out into two). Top with grated mozzarella, Parmesan, and small cubes of butter. Bake for 10 minutes at 425, and then turn oven down to 375. Bake until cheese on top is golden brown, about 18-25 minutes.

Adapted from Ezra Poundcake, original recipe here.

Meal Plan Monday

Meal-planning in the beginning of the week is something I usually do. It helps me keep a good variety in our dinners, and helps grocery shopping go a lot smoother. It also keeps me organized and saves time and money by eliminating the scavenging through the cupboards and last minute trips to the grocery store when I don't know what to make. In the past couple of hectic weeks though, I fell off the meal-planning wagon. I felt too busy to sit down and actually make a list. Which is ironic, as far as I'm concerned, since they save so much time and effort.

But anyway, I'm back in the habit and I decided to write it out here, to keep even further organized! Here is what's on the menu for this week:


Monday: Philly Cheesesteaks with Oven Fries and Salad

Tuesday: Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables
 
Wednesday: Chipotle Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

Thursday: Dinner at my parents' house

Friday: Asian Chicken and Mandarin Orange Salad

Saturday: Leftovers or out to dinner

Welcome Fall!

I've been MIA a bit again lately- things have been pretty hectic around here. We just spent last weekend in lovely Las Vegas. We barely had time to recuperate from our camping trip before we were on the road again. Oh well, I'm not complaining- I love it! But I have to admit, the remainder of the week was a bit rough- we were definitely still on Pacific time, and was difficult to drag ourselves out of bed at what felt like 4 AM.

However, this weekend was the type I live for. After some well needed rest, the gorgeous fall weather was absolutely perfect. I love the lack of humidity and the cool breeze and being able to open the windows. I was only too happy to start decorating.

This wreath began as a plain branch wreath, some berry garland, and an ugly fake flower arrangement (and of course a little clip on bird with googly eyes!)

I couldn't decide what to do with this garland of leaves that I had. It was part of a centerpiece on our coffee table before, but we no longer have that set-up so I decided to put them around the light fixture in the dining room. I love how it looks from sitting at the table below.

This is the jar I got last winter to fill with pinecones and mini red glittery ornaments. I don't have pictures, but in the summer I filled it with a sea-scented seashell and potpourri mix. And apples and cinnamon sticks are perfect for the fall (and smell so good)!

S'mores Cookies

First of all, I would like to mention that this is my 100th post!! WOW! I have to say I've had a lot of fun with this blog so far, and I'm extremely happy to have reached that milestone. I know the blog has evolved a bit (OK, a lot!) from it's original direction, but I'm pleased with that. I really feel that it's an accurate portrayal of our life, food, decorating, and family. And of course I would like to thank anyone who reads, comments, or follows my blog. I really appreciate it- and a big thank you!!

But anyway... I was looking for the perfect dessert to bring along on a camping trip with friends this past weekend, and I immediately thought of something s'mores inspired, of course. I've seen s'mores inspired cupcakes before, but decided against them because I figured they would be too much of a pain to transport. I debated doing s'mores whoopie pies for a bit, but I deemed them too delicate. Cookies would be perfect!

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups graham flour (this was found in the organic section of my supermarket)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
3 large Hershey’s chocolate bars, broken up

8 large Marshmallows cut into pieces

Directions
: Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter and sugars in mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until combined.

Mix dry ingredients- flours, salt, and baking soda- together in a bowl. Slowly add to wet mixture, followed by chocolate chips, and beat until just combined. Place dough in refrigerator  for about 15-20 minutes to allow to firm up.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form cookies with roughly 2 Tablespoons of dough each, and flatten slightly on the sheet. Press marshmallow and chocolate bar pieces into the top of each cookie. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. Remove from oven, let sit for about 5 minutes, and then move cookies to cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Adapted from My Baking Addiction, original recipe here.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese

I think that chili in the previous post put a spell on me. 

As warm as it still is (although the humidity is starting to fade somewhat!), I'm suddenly getting into my "fall" state of mind. I was craving some serious comfort food the other night, yet I still wanted to keep it somewhat light and full of veggies. When I found these two recipes for grown-up versions of the classic tomato soup and grilled cheese, I was sold. They were exactly what I was looking for!

Chunky Tomato Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

For the soup:

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup carrots (diced)
1 cup celery (diced)
2 cups yellow onion (diced)
8 cloves of garlic (minced or pushed through a press)

3 cups of Italian bread, torn into 1" chunks

1/2 cup dry red wine
4 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
2 28 oz. cans of diced, fire-roasted tomatoes with juice

2 Tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon of black pepper

For the topping:

small handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups of Italian bread, cut into 1" cubes
2 slices of prosciutto, torn into pieces (optional)
black pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions: Pour olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a large stockpot. Saute over medium heat until vegetables are slightly soft- about 10 minutes. Toss in chunks of bread, stir and continue to cook for about 5 more minutes.

Pour in chicken stock, tomatoes (with juices), and red wine. Mix in the basil and black pepper, stir everything up, and bring to a light simmer. Cover partially and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375. Toss fresh basil leaves with olive oil in large ziploc bag. Add cubes of bread, prosciutto, and a touch of black pepper, and shake to combine (bread won't be fully coated- that's fine). Spread out bread mixture on a single layer on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, until croutons are golden brown and crunchy.

When soup is done, top with crouton mixture and fresh Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Serves about 8-10. Adapted from Annie's Eats, original recipe here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Spinach, Tomato, and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 large slices of Italian bread

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced

4 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, sliced
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 large ripe tomato, sliced

2 Tablespoons of spreadable butter (regular butter at room temperature, or a spread)

Directions: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan, add onion slices, and allow them to slowly caramelize- about 15 minutes. Heat up panini press, grill pan, or Foreman grill to medium-high.

Top two slices of bread with one half of the cheddar cheese. Layer spinach leaves, prosciutto, tomato slices, onions when they're done, and finally, the rest of the cheese. Top with other two slices of bread, and butter the outsides of the sandwiches. Place on the cooking surface (you'll want to weigh them down if you're using a grill pan), and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until cheese is melty and outside is crisp and golden brown.

Serves 2-4, depending on how large your bread is. Half a sandwich each was plenty for H and I with the soup. Adapted from Cooking Light, original recipe here.

These were both amazingly delicious! I definitely felt like they were perfect "transition into fall foods." Very hearty and filling, but not too heavy and rich.

Nightstand Makeover- Done!

I finally found the time this weekend to finish up (well, almost anyway!) the makeover of the nightstands in the guest room.  

Once upon a time, they looked like this:

Eek! I know. And what a terrible picture...

I decided they would look a lot better in a lighter color, so we sanded them down and chose a super-pale spring green paint. We got new hardware from Lowes, and they're looking so much better now!

The only snag in the plan was the back of the nightstands. Since they were cheapo Ikea ones, the back was a particle board that I'm sure wouldn't take well to being painted. So instead, I decided to find a fabric to cover them in before I nail them back on. I think it would create some great visual interest and make them truly unique. However, I'm having some problems finding the fabric that apparently only exists in my head. Not a big deal though, they work without it for now, and it gives me time to find exactly what I want.

Here they are in the room now- much better picture! And they give it a great feel- more the French country I was going for, and less American country.