Afternoon Tea Scones with Strawberry Jam and Cream Recipe

While rummaging through books at our new library (which is absolutely wonderful!) for an education project I’m working on, I came across this gem, The Redwall Cookbook. As a child, I was completely enamored with these books — tales of customs long-past mixed with the excitement of wartime conflict, all played by adorable woodland creatures. Does it get much better than that for any fantasy-lover?

You can guess what happened next: I checked it out, of course! This was the first recipe to really catch my eye, and I’m hoping to make a few others before I have to return it. Check out my exciting find:

Afternoon Tea Scones with Strawberry Jam and Cream

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. of baking powder
• 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spiece
• 1/2 tsp. of salt
• 2 tbsp. of unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 2 tbsp. of sugar
• 2/3 cup of skim milk
• Strawberry jam and whipped cream, for serving

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF with baking sheet inside.
2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
3. Add butter and mix with fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Stir in the sugar, and add milk to form soft dough.
5. On floured surface, shape dough into thick 7” round. Cut into 8 wedges.
6. Place separated wedges on heated baking sheet and bake 12-14 minutes, or until browned.
7. Cool on wire rack and serve with strawberry jam and/or whipped cream.

These scones are wonderful breakfast or lunch-time treats. The pumpkin spice adds a hint of flavor that makes them yummy on their own, but is also subtle enough to enjoy with a cup of your favorite tea! Try them out on a lazy weekend morning, or share them with a friend while catching up. The little creatures of Redwall have done again what they do best: leave my heart full of happiness, and appreciation for the small things in life.

Have you ever read the Redwall series? Would you try these tea scones? Let me know what you think!

Nutella Banana Smoothie Recipe

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Europe, and one of the things I missed most was American breakfasts! While I really enjoyed having the French croissants and trying the German sausage, I missed pancakes and smoothies and fruit! I’m not sure if it’s possible to combine all three of those things into one, but my sweet new friend Emily shared her recipe for Nutella Banana Smoothies with me and goodness, they are so yummy! Check out her healthy and filling recipe below:

Nutella Banana Smoothie

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• One cup of ice cubes
• 1/2 cup of skim milk
• 1/4 cup of old fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp. of nonfat greek yogurt
• One tbsp. of nutella
• One banana

Preparation

1. Add the ingredients into your blender in any order you want.
2. Blend, pour, and enjoy your yummy treat!

Many of the smoothies I’ve tried with old fashioned oats in them end up tasting very chalky to me, but this one is perfect. The oats thicken the mixture up and the greek yogurt adds the perfect tangy to the otherwise super-sweet recipe. Plus, if you really love some chocolate in the morning, you can definitely add a little more nutella without adding many calories! You probably already have half of these things in your fridge, so give it a try this week and let me know what you think! I know that this smoothie will definitely be getting a lot of use from me in the near future!

Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

Today I’m posting my latest and greatest recipe that’s perfect for friendly get-togethers — buffalo chicken dip! I love that it’s so easy and takes no time at all to make. I’ve made various versions of this dip before, but here’s the recipe for this particular one:

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Sorry for no image, I was rushing out the door and completely forgot! I’ll add one in next time I make it.

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup of blue cheese or ranch salad dressing
• 1/2 cup of Frank’s Redhot buffalo wing sauce
• 1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella
• Two 10 ounce cans of chunk chicken in water, drained

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
2. Place the cream cheese into a deep baking dish, stirring until smooth
3. Add the dressing, hot sauce, cheese and chicken, mixing well
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through

I usually choose to stick with the ranch dressing and shredded mozzarella, just because I usually already have those items at home. However, I’m sure the blue cheese substitute would add that tangy taste a lot of people like with their buffalo chicken. This goes great with veggies, crackers, chips, whatever! If you find that it’s a little too hot for you, simply add more blue cheese/ranch dressing until you find it acceptable. Whichever set of ingredients you choose, definitely try out this recipe – it’s a huge fan favorite at group get-togethers and sporting events!

Easy Pumpkin Pie

I decided to make my first pie this month, so I went for an easy pumpkin pie to be festive! Let me tell you, this stuff is great! It’s one of those recipes that doesn’t take a lot of time to make and you just leave it in the oven for about an hour while you go about with the rest of your life. It would also be a great recipe to bring to a Thanksgiving get-together, and you can put it in the oven and get ready while it’s baking!

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• One 30 ounce can of pumpkin pie mix
• 2/3 cup of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 unbaked 9″ pie shell

Preparation

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a large bowl & mix together
2. Add mixture to the pie shell & bake at 425°F for 15 minutes
3. Then, reduce to 350°F & continue to bake for 50-60 mins, or until a knife can slide into the center of the pie & come out clean
4. Let cool ~ 2 hours
5. Refrigerate if not eaten immediately.

I like to add some whipped cream on the top as a special treat! Just remember to put it back in the refrigerator after you’ve had your fill so you can enjoy it another day! This was so easy to make, now I’m thinking about what type of pie I will make next… hmm…

Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad Recipe

Let me start off by saying that I pretty much avoid any type of salad that is not the actual green leaf & veggie variety if at all possible. As a child growing up I remember going to family get-togethers and being appalled by the egg salads, pasta salads, potato salads, etc. However, as I’ve made a point this semester to open my mind (and mouth) up to different types of foods, I decided to give potato salad another chance. However, this is not your ordinary potato salad — this stuff is awesome, and I even went for seconds! Also, it is super quick and a great side dish for family dinners or friendly get-togethers.

Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup of buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. of cider vinegar
• 1 minced garlic clove (or 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic in a jar)
• 1/2 cup of chopped celery
• 1/2 cup of green onions
• 1 tsp. of sugar
• 2 lbs. of red potatoes
• 6 slices of crumbled, cooked bacon
• Pinch of salt & pepper

Preparation

1. Wash the potatoes & cut them into bite-sized pieces
2. Place the potatoes in a large pot & add water until it’s about an inch over the top of the potatoes and add salt accordingly (1 quart of water = 1 tsp. of salt)
3. Boil them for 15-20 mins — they’re done when you can slide a fork into them easily
4. While the potatoes are boiling, fry 6 slices of bacon and set aside to cool
5. In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, buttermilk, cider vinegar, garlic, celery, green onions, sugar, salt, and pepper
6. Add the red potatoes and bacon to the bowl, mixing everything together
7. Eat!

This recipe is very easy and very filling, so it’s perfect for fall dinners. It makes a lot of food (remember, you used 2 pounds of potatoes!), so be sure to share and refrigerate any leftovers to enjoy later!

Lemon Frappe Recipe

Lemon Frappe

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• One 6 oz. can of frozen lemonade concentrate, undiluted
• 1/2 cup of cold water
• One pint of lemon sherbert/vanilla ice cream
• One 12 oz. can of ginger ale

Preparation

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a blender until smooth
2. Pour mixture into a pitcher and add ginger ale – yields 4 cups
3. Enjoy as a sweet treat!

This drink is super yummy and very rich, so treat it like a dessert. If you’re expecting company, you can certainly double or triple the recipe if needed — just be aware of how much liquid your blender can hold. Also, if you want a creamier texture then use the ice cream; the sherbert adds a fruitier flavor but creates a thinner drink. Let me know what you think!

Spicy Chicken Chili Recipe

This recipe is perfect for cold fall and winter days, and who doesn’t love chili? My best friend, Taylor, has an amazing mom who makes some of the best food ever, and this is one of her recipes that she shared with me. I hope that if you have a crock pot and a love of chili that you’ll try this out because it’s super easy and incredibly delicious!

Spicy Chicken Chili

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• 2 jars of salsa (1 large jar of black bean & corn salsa from Walmart / 1 full jar of medium salsa)
• 1.5 – 2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken
• 2 cans of whole corn (1 drained & 1 not)
• 3 cans of beans (black beans, catalina white kidney beans, light red kidney beans)
• 1 tbsp. of chili powder

Preparation

1. Put the salsa in the crock pot
2. Add the cleaned chicken, corn, beans, & chili powder
3. Cook 6-8 hrs. on low, or 4 hrs. on high
4. Enjoy!

If you want your chili to be a little bit spicier then you can substitute a hotter variety of salsa or add a little more chili powder. When I made this most recently I used a “hot” salsa instead of the large jar of black bean & corn salsa, and it definitely added some kick. You could also add some crackers and/or sour cream to your chili after serving. You really can’t go wrong with this, just pile it in, go about your business, and enjoy hours later! It’s perfect to come home to after a long day at school or work, and it’s definitely a hit with the guys!

30 Calorie Mocha Frappuccino Recipe

In my time as a college student, I’ve learned to appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of coffee fairly quickly while writing many last minute papers. Although I still don’t really like the taste of black coffee, I will drink a frappuccino any day! Here’s an easy and low calorie recipe for a yummy mocha frappuccino at home:

30 Calorie Mocha Frappuccino

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• One serving sugar-free mocha
• One cup water
• One packet Truvia
• 9 large ice cubes
• Whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Place your ice cubes and water in a large glass
2. Add the mocha and Truvia, stirring well
3. When it’s fully mixed, add some whipped cream on the top (optional)
4. Enjoy your yummy treat!

The original poster used fat free whipped cream, but you can splurge if you want. If you’re not really concerned about the calorie count, then you can substitute the Truvia for sugar, or use mocha mix with sugar, it’s all up to you. I drank mine with a silly straw to make it more fun! Try it out this weekend as a cheaper alternative to Starbucks — plus you don’t have to change out of your bunny slippers to enjoy it!

Dunkaroo Dip Recipe

I made this as a special weekend treat for my roommate and myself — Dunkaroo Dip! I remember eating Dunkaroos when I was younger and they were just the best thing ever, but it was really the frosting that everyone was after. Once again, I found this on Pinterest, but the recipe I used is below:

Dunkaroo Dip

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• One box Funfetti cake mix
• 1/2 of a 32 oz. container plain yogurt
• 3/4 of a 8 oz. container of cool whip
• One bag of animal crackers/graham crackers/teddy grahams to eat with it

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, add your cake mix
2. Add the yogurt and cool whip, mixing thoroughly
3. Add more yogurt and/or cool whip to alter the taste if necessary
4. Enjoy with your favorite graham cracker-y treat!
5. Refrigerate if you don’t eat it all in one sitting

I ended up adding more cool whip to make it a bit sweeter. I love the mix between the sugary sweet of the cool whip and the slight tang of the plain yogurt! This would be great as a dish for a birthday party, or just for celebrating the end of the week! Hope you guys enjoy this super yummy, easy recipe — I know we are!

Boyfriend Cookies Recipe

I find that I have fewer and fewer chances to bake now that I’m a full time student and working part-time at a restaurant, so on my night off this week I decided to make a batch of possibly the best cookies I have ever tasted — besides Caramel Delights, of course! I found them on Pinterest, but here is the recipe I followed:

Boyfriend Cookies

(printable recipe card)

Ingredients

• One softened cup of butter (2 sticks)
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3 1/2 ounces of instant vanilla pudding mix (1 small package)
• 2 eggs
• One teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups of flour
• One teaspoon of baking soda
• One cup of milk chocolate chips
• One cup of semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup of M&M’s (any kind)
• 1/2 cup of Reese’s Pieces

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the butter and sugars
3. Add the pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla into the mix and stir well
4. Next, add the flour and baking soda to the mixture and continue to stir
5. Finally, mix in the chips and the rest of the candy
6. Drop a spoonful of the dough onto regular ungreased baking sheets
7. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown
8. Remove and cool before eating

I used an ice cream scoop to place the dough on the baking sheets so the cookies would be a fairly regulated size. I also LOVE butterscotch, so I threw a few of those in the dough, too, for a sweet surprise. Try this out when you want to make a treat for someone special, or maybe just reward yourself for being awesome!