Mini Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

 

A few weeks ago I made the Starbucks Copycat Double Glazed Pumpkin Scones.  They were amazing!!  The girls and I love to have a tea party on gloomy days so I knew that we would like scones for a special treat.  I decided to use the scone base recipe and just make them mini and then do a double Maple Glaze.  Maple in the fall is wonderful!

These would be perfect for a brunch or fall party.  We eat them just because, I never need a reason to make a new treat.

 

Mini Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

2 cups flour

1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

6 Tbsp cold butter cubed

1/2 cup pumpkin puree ( I use canned)

3 Tbsp half and half

1 large egg

Maple Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp maple extract

2 Tbsp half and half

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray two baking sheets with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together first 6 ingredients.  Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. In a small mixing bowl, stir together pumpkin, egg, and half and half.  Stir in to flour mixture and stir until ball forms.  No need to over mix.

4. On a floured surface, divide dough in to 4 balls.  Flatten each ball with your hand in to a small disk and cut with knife or pizza cutter in to 6 mini scones.

5. Place scones on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  They will get dry to the touch but don’t let them brown much.

6. Let scones cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.  I do a double glaze, so I double the glaze recipe. 

7. Mix the powdered sugar, maple, and half and half in a small measuring cup.  Brush on scones when cool.  If doing a double glaze, let first glaze dry before brushing on second glaze.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!!

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup {Slow Cooker}

 

Soup season is here!!  It’s really here!  We have had two dustings of snow on the mountains in the last week and the cool mornings are so beautiful.

This soup is absolutely comfort food.  My husband and girls loved it and I was more than happy to eat it two nights in a row.  Pair it with warms rolls and you have yourself a belly full of love.

If you follow me on Instagram @Joyfulmomma or on Facebook @JoyfulMommasKitchen, you saw the little cheat that I use when making quick soups and casseroles.  We all have those days where even a slow cooker meal needs to come together quicker than you can chop vegetables.  I found frozen chopped carrots, onions, and celery at Walmart for $1.26.  Um….Yes Please!!  I tossed that bag of frozen veggies in the sauté pan with some butter to sizzle away while I got everything else in the slow cooker. Seriously…perfect!

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup {Slow Cooker}

10 cups chicken stock (I used 2 boxes and 1 can and called it good)

1 cup uncooked wild rice

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

1/2 tsp pepper

2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

2 Tbsp chicken soup base (better than bouillon is wonderful)

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half and half

1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1. Sauté veggies in 2 Tbsp butter for 10 minutes.

2. Add 8 cups (two boxes) chicken broth, uncooked wild rice, 1/2 tsp pepper and chicken soup base to slow cooker.  Stir in sautéed veggies and cooked turkey.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.

3. 30 minutes before serving melt 4 Tbsp butter in a medium sauce pan and slowly stir in flour.  Whisk in cream, half and half, 2 cups broth (1 can), and seasonings (parsley, salt, pepper)  Stir until thick and bubbly.  Add to crock pot and stir well.  Let heat for 30 minutes.

Serve with warm bread.  ENJOY!

*When you reheat this to have leftover it will be nice and thick.  My husband likes this but to stretch it just further, I add more broth and heat.  Perfection!

Fettuccine Alfredo with Prosciutto and Peas

 

When I was making this dinner my aunt walked in the door and exclaimed “Oh YUM!  It smells like Olive Garden in here!”

That’s a good thing if you like pasta, garlic, and cream sauce.  This recipe is fabulous and came together so quickly.  It will for sure be on the menu for busy nights. 

My toddlers like ham and peas.  And if I tell them we are having noodles for dinner they rank me at super mom status.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Prosciutto and Peas

*recipe inspired by Mel’s Kitchen Café*

1 lb dry fettuccine noodles

2 cups frozen peas

2 tbsp butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups milk

8oz regular cream cheese, cubed

3 oz prosciutto, sliced thin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot, cook the noodles according to the package directions.  Add the frozen peas in the last 3 minutes of cooking.  Drain the peas and pasta and set aside.

2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute while stirring.  Add in the cubed cream chesses and whisk or stir until it is well combined and smooth.  Slowly add the milk and continue to stir until the mixture is bubbly and hot.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese and prosciutto. 

3. Return the pasta and peas to the large pot and pour over the sauce.  Toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cookies N Cream Ice Cream Cake

 

My twin sister worked at Dairy Queen when we were in high school.  She later worked at Baskin Robins.  Needless to say, she knows how to make a really great ice cream cake.  I had never tried making one….I always left the job to her.  Then I found this recipe.  I knew I had to make this cake ASAP.  Oreos.  Chocolate pound cake.  Ice Cream.  What’s not to love?!

This desert is not time or labor intensive at all.  You do need to plan ahead a bit just so that it can freeze and set up a few hours before you are ready to serve it.  I made the pound cake in the morning before my girls woke up, assembled the cake at naptime, and we indulged after dinner.

Look at that beautiful dark chocolate pound cake.

Ice cream.  Oreos.  And the secret ingredient, Smuckers Magic Shell. 

Cookies N Cream Ice Cream Cake

(Recipe inspired by shewearsmanyhats.com)

*recipe for Chocolate Pound Cake at bottom*

*read through instructions before starting for tips*

1 9X4 loaf chocolate pound cake

5 cups vanilla ice cream (just under 1.5 quart container)

24 Oreos, crushed

Smuckers Chocolate Magic Shell Topping

1. Line a loaf pan that is the same size or bigger than the pound cake you are using with wax paper and let the long edges drape over to fold on the top of the cake for freezing.

2. Slice your pound cake length wise in to 3 equal layers.  If the cake is cold from the fridge, this task is easier.

3. Place a layer of cake in the bottom of the lined loaf pan.  Drizzle and slather the cake with magic shell topping.

4. Spread about 1 1/2 cup ice cream over the cake.  Let the ice cream soften while you assemble your supplies.

5. Sprinkle a layer of crushed Oreos over the ice cream and gently press them in.

6. Repeat this twice until you have built the 3 layers. 

7. Fold over the long edges of the wax paper and then double wrap in cling wrap.  Freeze for several hours before serving. 

When ready to serve, let set out for about 5 minutes to soften so that you can easily slice it.

Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Pound Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup cocoa (I like Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter, room temp

3 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

5 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans (use 9X5 or larger)

2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. In a stand mixer or separate bowl with electric beater, cream together butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add one egg at a time and mix enough just to blend.  Add vanilla and mix.

4. Alternate adding flour mixture and the buttermilk until combined.  Mix for about 30 seconds until smooth.

5. Fill loaf pans about 1/2 full each and bake for 60-70 minutes until done in the middle when tested with a toothpick.

6. Let cool before removing from pan.