Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

*Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine - 50 Things to make with Canned Pumpkin

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter
2/3 cup pumpkin
3/4 cup half and half

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice together.  Using a pastry blender, blend the butter with the the flour mixture.  Whisk pumpkin and cream; stir into flour mixture.  On a floured surface, pat into an 8-inch square.  Cut into 16 triangles.  Transfer to baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Maple Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar (powdered)
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or 1 tsp maple flavoring and 1-2 tablespoons milk

Drizzle over scones once they have cooled for a couple of minutes.

"Chunky Cinnamon Bread" French Toast

We received an awesome gift basket from Kneaders (local in UT) last week!  The basket included a loaf of Chunky Cinnamon Bread.  If you haven't ever had this bread... you need to go get some!
We love to make french toast with this bread... Here's the recipe:

Cinnamon Bread French Toast
1 loaf Kneaders Chunky Cinnamon Bread, sliced about 1/2" thick slices
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl brown sugar
Powdered sugar
Maple Syrup

Heat griddle and either spray with non-stick spray or use butter.  Whisk eggs, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and brown sugar.  Dip both sides of sliced bread into egg mixture.  Cook on both sides about 2-3 minutes each side.  Top with powdered sugar.

Loaded Hashbrowns

I am a breakfast person....in fact, I'm good with breakfast foods anytime of the day!  Here's a quick and simple one for you to try...  Remember, it's ok to get creative - substitute, add, make it yours!  The quantities below made enough for 3 of us (that's Crow quantities - not based on nutritional standard quantities).

Loaded Hashbrowns
2 cups of frozen hashbrowns
3 eggs
3 slices ham lunch meat (a tad bit thicker than your standard lunch meat slice)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
2 Tbl oil - I used grapeseed oil, but you can use butter or olive oil too
Salt/Pepper to taste

Toppings:
Salsa
Diced tomatoes
Guacamole
Diced Avocado

1.  Heat 1 Tbl of oil in skillet.  Add hashbrowns and cook until golden brown.

 2.  Dice up ham (or you could use leftover bacon or sausage).

 3.   Add last tablespoon of oil.  Scramble your eggs in a separate bowl, add to skillet along with ham.  Stir while eggs are cooking.  Once eggs are to soft scrambled consistency add half of the cheddar cheese and stir to combine.  Then top with remaining cheddar and pepper jack cheese.  Let it sit for about 1-2 minutes.  Turn heat off and sit for additional minute.

 4.  Serve up and add any additional toppings.

ENJOY!!

Sour Cream Scones

I love breakfast!  I think it's probably my favorite meal of the day!  I'm always looking for new and different recipes.  I stumbled upon this one (yes, on Pinterest) and thought we'd give it a try.  It's so light and tasty.  I love that you can smother the scones in whatever you're craving - butter & honey, jam, you name it!  I think you could definitely add fruit to it too! 

Sour Cream Scones

2 cups  flour

3 TBS sugar

2 TBS baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 TBS butter, cubed

1 cup sour cream

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup sanding sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender.  Add egg yolk and sour cream until just combined.  Turn out dough on lightly floured surface and knead until the dough comes together.  Gently pat dough into a 3/4 inch square shape.  Cut dough into 4 smaller squares, then cut smaller squares into triangles.  Brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar.  Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes.  Remove from oven, cool slightly.  Eat warm with butter, jam, lemon curd or honey. 

So Tasty!

Recipe taken from StoneGable.

Banana Blueberry Muffins

I'm always in search of a quick/healthy breakfast!  I happened upon this recipe just the other day, modified it just a tad and viola!   The problem - I don't remember what website I found the recipe on???    I changed it up a little any, so here's my version:

Banana Blueberry Muffins

2 bananas, mashed
1 - 6 oz cup vanilla yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)
1/4 cup canola oil or applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup blueberries

Mix all the ingredients but the blueberries together well.  Then fold in the blueberries.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for about 12-15 minutes.

Yield: 12-15 muffins

One-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

We were hungry and needed breakfast!!  Arin wanted Cinnamon Rolls so bad she couldn't see straight!  I said, no way - they'll take forever!  Pinterest saved the day!!!  So, you have Valley Ridge Recipes to thank for this fabulous breakfast!  We decided to make them into Orange-Cinnamon Rolls.  A fabulous decision, I might add!  Please note, I made only a half recipe and it made 12 enormous rolls.


One-Hour Cinnamon Rolls

Mix and let sit for 15 minutes:
3-1/2 cups warm water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
6 Tablespoons yeast

Then add:
1 Tablespoon salt
3 eggs
10-1/2 cups flour (all-purpose)
**I added the zest of 1 orange.

Mix together for 10 minutes, then sit for 10 minutes.  Oil cupboard, dump out dough. (I doubted this step - you ALWAYS flour the counter, but didn't this time and the oil worked great!!)  Divide in halt.  Roll on half out into rectangle.  Spread with 1/4 cup melted butter and then with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Roll up tight, but not too tight.  Divide into 12 rolls and place on greased cookie sheet  Repeat with other half of dough.  Let rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Cinn-Sugar mix:
1 cup sugar
1 Tbl. cinnamon

Icing:
1 cube butter
2 dashes salt
2 tsp. vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar
milk (use to bring to desired consistency)

**Note:  I made an orange glaze.  Instead of vanilla I added the zest of 1 orange (2nd orange, see note above) and instead of milk I used the juice from the zested orange.  You could also use orange juice concentrate.  Another option would be to add cream cheese to the icing.

Berry Vanilla Pecan Oatmeal

It's been a chilly spring so far... I woke up the other morning and just wanted something warm.  As I was going through my memory banks trying to think of something good for breakfast, it hit me - oatmeal!  It couldn't be just plain oatmeal though, it had to be exciting or I'd get the eye roll from Taylor for sure!  I started to dig through my pantry and fridge...moldy strawberries (bummer), pecans, almonds, dried apricots, craisins, frozen berries.  Hmmm...I've got it!  So here's my version of oatmeal:

Berry Vanilla Pecan Oatmeal
1-3/4 cup water
1-3/4 cup milk
dash of salt
2 cups quick oats
1 cup Kirkland frozen berry mix
1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 tsp vanilla
brown sugar

Boil water, milk and salt.  Add berries and bring back to a boil.  Add oats and pecans, cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Dish into bowls and top with brown sugar.  This was enough for 4 good size servings.

Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes (taken from The Pioneer Woman)

This recipe was taken from The Pioneer Woman.  I made these for breakfast one weekday morning.  I specify weekday because they were so simple and delicious that it wasn't a "chore" to make breakfast.  It made enough that me and each of the girls had 3 pancakes each - it was the perfect amount!  I highly recommend trying these!  One thing I might do next time I make them is add some ground flax seed.  Enjoy!!

Edna Mae’s Sour Cream Pancakes

Prep Time:  10 Minutes

Cook Time:  10 Minutes

Difficulty:  Easy

Servings:  2

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 7 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 whole Large Eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Butter, For Frying And Serving
• Warm Syrup, For Serving

Preparation Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
In a separate small bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream with the dry ingredients until just barely combined (don't overmix.) Whisk in the egg mixture until just combined.
Heat a griddle over medium-low heat and melt some butter in the pan. Drop batter by 1/4 cup servings onto the griddle. Cook on the first side until bubbles start to form on the surface and edges are starting to brown. Flip to the other side and cook for another minute. (Pancakes will be a little on the soft side.)
Serve with softened butter and syrup.

 

Please note:  Taking pictures of food is NOT as easy as it may seem.

Banana, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Muffins

We love, Love, LOVE muffins for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack at our house!  This is a recipe I found through Pinterest originally, but I have modified it just a bit from the original:

Banana, Coconut and Chocolate Chip Muffins
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 overripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, divided
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray muffin pay with cooking spray or line.  In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy.  Add the eggs, bananas and vanilla then continue beating until well combined.  Add baking soda and salt to egg mixture, then add flours until just combined.  Add 3/4 cup of coconut and most of the chocolate chips, mix gently.  Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups.  Sprinkle remaining coconut and chocolate chips on the tops of each muffin. This recipe usually makes 18 muffins.
Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.

**My picture is very blurry, but it'll give you an idea at least.

Breakfast Tacos

Who doesn't like breakfast tacos??  They come in all mixes, makes and models... You can use sausage, bacon, brisket, hashbrown, eggs - you name it!  The simplest process, warm a tortilla, add some eggs, bacon and/or sausage, hashbrown, some salsa and/or guacamole and voila!  They are definitely one of our family favorites!!  John decided to make some for breakfast and we had no eggs (yes, we've been out of eggs for a week, I guess it's time to go to the store).  He used sausage, bell peppers, mushrooms and hashbrown, topped with cheese, salsa and some impromptu guacamole!  It was a superb breakfast!

 

 

The only problem we had with the tacos this morning...John fills them a little too full, but whether the filling was in the tortilla or on the plate it was very tasty!