Pumpkin Scones & Pumpkin Butter

Hello, hello! It has been a very long time since my last post. Today I'm
here with a quick one that I just had to share. I don't know about you, but this
time of year I crave all things pumpkin.

 I LOVE pumpkin anything!

Pumpkin Scones
(recipe adapted from several Starbucks copycat recipes)
makes 1 dozen

For the scones:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/4 ground cloves 
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling) 
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 milk 
• 1 egg

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 - 2 tbs milk 

For the cinnamon drizzle:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
• 1 - 2 tbs milk 

Instructions-
  For the scones:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly flour. 
2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a large bowl. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no large chunks of butter are obvious. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the pumpkin, milk, sugar and egg. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a fork, and form the dough into a ball.
4. 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. 
5. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14–16 minutes. Scones should begin to turn light brown. Place on wire rack to cool.

For the glaze:

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

For the cinnamon drizzle:

1. 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. If you can wait that long! 

Tips: 

• For the 1/3 cup of sugar I filled the measuring cup about 2/3 full with brown sugar and topped it off with white. I find brown sugar gives a softer texture than white sugar. 
• The original recipes call for heavy cream which I substituted with milk. 
• While mixing the cinnamon drizzle don't add all the milk at once. Mix until you get a firmer consistency than you got for the glaze. You want it to sit on top of the glaze, not run all over. 
• For easy clean up use a baggie and snip off the corner for easy drizzling. 

Now for the pumpkin butter. This is by no means an 'exact' recipe. I really didn't measure anything. My best advice when making this is - taste as you go. If you like it a bit sweeter, add more sugar. If you like it spicier (like me) add more spice. It is super easy to make!

Pumpkin Butter

• 1 - 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 - 2 cups apple juice, apple cider or water
• 1/2 - 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp pumpkin spice  

1. Add all ingredients to a pot. Bring to a gentle boil, turn heat down to low and simmer for an hour, give or take.
2. Stir every ten minutes or so. 
3. Once the 'butter' has reduced to a jam like consistency it's done. 

Tips:

• Make sure to put a splatter guard over your pot or your stove will be covered in pumpkin polka dots when you're done!
• Store butter in a jar or container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
•  Pumpkin butter is delicious on lots of things - toast, muffins, pancakes, etc. Or for a cooler treat try added a couple heaping tablespoons to your favorite vanilla yogurt and top with crushed graham crackers. Pumpkin pie yogurt! Soo good! 

Thank you soo much for joining me today! I know I've been MIA forever, but I'm getting back to blogging so come back soon!

 ~ Catie 

You can also check out my other pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin Muffins w/ Spiced Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Spice Cake

Sharing with:
A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
Serenity Now

Organized Lunch Containers Drawer

Do you have a drawer or cabinet dedicated to lunch containers? I had a drawer and 

 it was not functioning as well as it could've been. Have a look.

There was too much crammed in there!

The first thing I did was take everything out. I found a new home for, not two but three, lunch bags on top of the fridge. They now live in a pretty shiny chrome basket. Then I got to reorganizing. One of my favorite things to do! Really, it is.

And here is the beautifully organized after!

Much better, huh?

Let's take a closer look.

 Side note: How the heck do you pluralize the word thermos???

Don't you love it? I sure do! Now that I can finally see everything, it'll make finding what I need in the morning soo much easier.

Here's a little before & after shot for your viewing pleasure. 

Have you done a post on your lunch container drawer or cabinet? If so, I would love to see it! Please leave the link to your post in the comments. 

Thanks for joining me today!

**Sorry for the terrible nighttime pictures!

Sharing With:

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Easy Peasy Quiche

Do you love quiche as much as I do? Have you tried to make it yourself, only to find that its one of the easiest things on earth to make? If your answer is no and you've always thought it must be hard to make, you are sadly mistaken. Although quiche tastes soo delectable, it's as easy to throw together as scrambled eggs. Really! No lie.

Today I'm going to share a recipe I stumbled across a few years ago on All Recipes. This recipe is different from any other quiche recipe I've tried. There's a "secret" ingredient that seems kind of strange but makes the fluffiest, tastiest quiche ever! Mayonnaise. Yep, mayo is the secret ingredient. And trust me, you're gonna love it!

I made up a ham, broccoli and cheddar quiche. But you can play around and add whatever ingredients you like best. And are you thinking your husband won't like it? That it's not really "man food"? My hubby ate half of one last night! Half! Served with a salad this makes for a great dinner, lunch or brunch. Quiche is really perfect for any meal of the day.

Easy Peasy Quiche
adapted from All Recipes

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4-5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped ham
• 1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheese (Use more or less depending on how cheesy you like it.)
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• 1 deep dish pie shell
• pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Saute chopped onion. 
3. While onion is cooking; beat together mayo, milk and eggs. Set aside.  
4. Toss the ham, broccoli, cheese and sauteed onion into the pie shell. Add pepper if desired. 
5. Slowly pour in egg mixture. 
6. Put on a baking sheet and cover with foil. 
7. Bake 45 minutes and then remove foil. Continue to bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the quiche is set. 
8. Serve and enjoy! 

Tidbits

• I always use light mayo. 
• I used four slices of off the bone ham from the deli.
• I used a frozen pie shell from Safeway.
• My baking sheets are insulated so when I remove the foil cover I also take the quiche off the baking sheet to let the bottom of the crust brown up. 
• This recipe is easily doubled. Why not use both pie shells that come in the box? 
• Add whatever ingredients you like.

I hope you and your family enjoy this as much as mine does. We all love it! 

Thanks for joining me today.  =) 

Sharing with:

Chef In Training
Hungry Little Girl 
Serenity Now 
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia