Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are dah blueberry BOMB.  So good.  They did a disappearing act here in my kitchen.  I literally had 1 muffin. Presto, poofo! Gone.

Blueberry Muffins

3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups blueberries

topping:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
3 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon.  Mix together with fork and pastry blender until a bit like sand with little clumps.  This will be your topping, set aside.

Combine 3 cups flour, add 4 teaspoon baking powder and sugar, stir together. In a separate bowl combine eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry.  Then, finally, add the frozen blueberries. Scoop into muffin cup holders, 2/3 full.

Bake at 400° F for 20 to 25 minutes.

Tea Time Tuesday: Crumpets

I have always wanted to have tea and crumpets.  It just sounds so... English.  So proper. So dainty.  I am none of these things.  But a girl can pretend, right.  Tea time is about pretend sometimes.  Like when I was a little girl.  Or the tea parties you see on television.  Like the popular commercial of the rough and tumble guy having tea with his sweet little daughter.  I would love to share the video of that one with you but can not find it on the internet. This one is kind of cute though...

The crumpets were pretty easy.  The hardest part was standing at the skillet cooking them up.  I sprayed wide mouth jar rings with cooking spray and used those as my molds.  You could use empty clean tuna cans, with bottom cut out as well.

Crumpets are a lot like an English muffin.  Taste is kind of plain.  Its all about what you put on them. They are a vehicle to flavor.  Some butter and jam- perfect.  All those nooks and crannies soaking in the yum.

This week my book to tell you about is Dark Witch, by Nora Roberts.  It's one of three, Shadow Spell and finally, Blood Magick.  Maybe I should wait to tell you about it when I read all three.  Nah...  I will forget by then.  Book one.  I love a tale of Witches.  Maybe its the feminine power thing.  Maybe it's the magic that captivates me.  This book has it all.  It is set in County Mayo, Ireland.  Romance and mystery is woven in the story leading you on through the book.  At times it can be a bit kitschy, but I don't mind.

If you are drinking your tea alone then, pick up a book and have a relaxing moment with your tea and crumpets.  Or if you are lucky enough to have a friend like Sandy, sit down and join that person for tea.  Head on over to Quilting For The Rest Of Us to see what Sandy is pouring this week in "our tea cups" this week.

CRUMPETS
Mostly from this recipe at Serious Eats.

2 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 3/4 cups,water
3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add the water, mixing until well incorporated.  It will be a lot like pancake batter but it holds together.  Let it rest for an hour.

Coat griddle with nonstick cooking spray or oil.  Spray rings and place on griddle.  Pour batter into the ring, not filling it up- about a 1/4 cup.  Cook about 5-7 minutes on one side before turning.  It should be golden.  Push down on the crumpet to release it from the ring and flip.  Cook just long enough to make the raw go- not golden*. When pushed it should spring back.  Let cool and, of course, serve with tea, butter and jam.

*Packaged crumpets are white on one side.

Tea Time Tuesday: Blackberry Lime Scones

It's Tea Time Tuesday again.  This week I am putting Blackberry Lime scones on the virtual table with my dear friend Sandy.  Pour me a cup my friend!  What are you brewing this week Sandy? I think it is blackberry tea.  hmmmm.

I have no book review this week because I was all last minute with this post.  Nice weather kept me from doing stuff inside yesterday. Except for cooking and, ah hem, baking ... blackberry lime scones.

No words this evening as my bed is beckoning.  Night night!

BLACKBERRY LIME SCONES

2 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces or 1 stick cold butter

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

2 teaspoons lime zest

1 cup blackberries

glaze

2 tablespoons lime juice 

1/2 cup to 1 cup confectioners sugar

Blend together the dry ingredients, including the lime zest.  I like to use my processor for this but its not necessary.  You can use a bowl and a pastry blender or a fork.  Blend in the cold butter until it turns the flour kind of mealy. In a separate bowl stir together the wet ingredients.  Stir the wet into the dry just until combined.  Spoon into a scone maker or even ramekins.  You can also pat into a round and cut into 8 pieces.  Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes.

Remove from pan after cooling for 5 minutes.  Drizzle glaze over top.

TEA TIME AND MATCHA COCONUT AND LIME SCONES

It's tea time again with my good friend Sandy of Quilting For The Rest Of Us!  Yeah.  I wish I could have real tea time with her weekly.  But alas, busy schedules prevent such luxuries.  In honor of it being tea time, of course I made scones.

I loved this book!  If I could judge a book by its cover, this was totally right on for me.  The apple and all the tiny lights, magical.  It's a beautiful story of a family of women who all have something very unique about them.  This story is fun and captivating.  The characters are rich.  I love Sarah Addison Allen's characters. (I just finished another one of her books).  She weaves beautiful stories. Very talented.  I am quite sure I will read all of her books.  Here is a link to a blog post that someone wrote about her with a little interview.

MATCHA COCONUT AND LIME SCONES

1/2 cup butter, cold, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons matcha powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
zest of one lime

Lime Glaze:
juice of one or two limes
1 to 2 cups confectioners sugar
lime zest for garnish

Blend together the dry ingredients, including the lime zest.  I like to use my processor for this but its no necessary.  You can use a bowl and a pastry blender or a fork.  Blend in the cold butter until it turns the flour kind of mealy. In a separate bowl stir together the wet ingredients.  Stir the wet into the dry just until combined.  Spoon into a scone maker or even ramekins.  You can also pat into a round and cut into 8 pieces.  Bake at 350° for about 20 to 30 minutes.

It's Tea Time With Pumpkin Chai Scones

Me and my friend Sandy of Quilting For The Rest Of Us have teamed up together to do a Tea Time Tuesday Event.  Each Tuesday, Sandy will review a tea from Plum Deluxe Teas and will pair it with one of my scone recipes.  I am crazy over scones!

Check out Sandy's picks for tea this week and check out her BEAUTiful header!

I am going to do a book review with mine.  Well, I am going to try and do a book review every time. Today, I want to tell you about Ladies Night , by Mary Kay Andrews.  First, let me tell you what kind of reader I am.  Since I have had children I can't sit still to read a book.  It just isn't happening.  So, if I "read" a book, it's more like I listened to a book on tape riding back and forth to work.  The kind of books I read are light.  Not too heavy.  No serious issues.  The rest of my life is filled with enough serious issues.  Being a social worker does that.  But personally too, I have enough going on.  So when I read... or listen, as the case may be, I like it light.

Ladies Night was right up my alley.  There was a lot going on in the story but the overall flavor of the book was pretty light.  The Ladies Night group, is a group of divorced women who are thrown together in a support group type of setting.  The story is woven together pretty well with a few twists and turns leading you through the tangled mess of divorce/break up.

This is the second Mary Kay Andrews book I have enjoyed.  I am looking forward to listening to the rest of her books.  They are a pleasure to listen to.  I am always so sad when the book ends.  I miss the characters.  They keep me company on my commute to and from work.

Pumpkin Chai Scones

2 cups flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
3 tablespoons cream

Glaze
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons cream or milk
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Mix dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger.

Add in butter in small pieces, blend with pastry blender or in a food processor. Flour should become kinda mealy.

In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients, add to dry all at once. Mix just until blended.  Remove from bowl onto a floured surface and pat into a round.  Divide into 8 "pie" wedges.  Place on baking sheet and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.  They should be just lightly golden around the edges.


Disclaimer:  I received no compensation from Plum Deluxe.  

Cinnamon Apple Scones

I love King Arthur.  Great site, great recipes, great products.  These scones were inspired by this recipe from King Arthur Flour.  Even though they are brown in appearance they are super moist.  All that applesauce and apples help with that.

I think when you are making scones or baking in general, technique is as key to the success as the the recipe itself.  A few things to remember when making scones.

1. Do not over mix (and this is really true with any flour recipe when baked- except for bread).

2. Butter should be cold.

3. Take the time to cut them into triangles or rounds, separated. If you bake as a big round (as some recipes actually suggest), they run the risk of being goey in the center or over done around the edges and perfect in the middle. Its just too thick.

4. Er on the underdone side.  Its better to have the scones a little underdone then overdone and dry. 

CINNAMON APPLE SCONES

2 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) cold butter
3/4 cup chopped fresh apple, in 1/2" pieces (about half a medium apple); leave the skin on, if you like
1 cup cinnamon chips
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened preferred

In a food processor or large bowl, blend together dry ingredients. Add butter in pieces until mostly blended.  In a separate bowl combine, apple sauce, eggs and vanilla.  Add wet ingredients and mix until just combined.  Turn out onto flat surface and gently knead in cinnamon chips and cut apples.

Divide dough into 10 or 12 equal pieces.  I used my scone baking pan which is very handy and worth it if you make a lot of scones. Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes

Blueberry Cornbread

I was listening to a book on tape and heard about blueberry cornbread.  It totally piqued my curiosity. What a great breakfast treat idea.

Do you listen to books on tape? I love it.  Every day my commute to work, that 80 minutes round trip is made better by listening to some book teaching me something or a story that I can escape into.  So precious!

I am struggling to figure out a rhythm of being a working Mom.  Maybe its futile.  So many things I still want to do and am trying to cram it into small spaces.  Sounds familiar, right?  I guess we all are in that same boat no matter what's on your plate.

Thankfully I have been able to make dinner every night.  I did not want to give that up.  My husband said he would pitch in.  I considered it.  Nahhhhh.  Me!  I want to continue cooking because I do enjoy it.  The other day though, I came in to find him making pancakes and eggs for dinner.  That was a nice surprise and I was very grateful.

BLUEBERRY CORNBREAD

2 cups (10 oz) all purpose flour
1 cup (5 oz) yellow cornmeal
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup white sugar
½ cup whole milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 (11 oz) can whole corn kernels, drained
1 cup blueberries

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 10” cast iron skillet or a 9" square baking pan.
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the greek yogurt, sugar, milk, melted butter, and eggs together until smooth. Gently fold the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the corn kernels and blueberries.
Pour the batter into the skillet and smooth the top. Bake until cornbread is golden yellow, about 17-20 minutes. Don’t over bake - you don’t want your cornbread to be dry! Remove from the oven and cool completely.
For the cinnamon honey butter, stir together all of the ingredients until fully combined. Serve with cornbread.

Banana Bread

I know this is like my millionth banana bread recipe.  I dont know what it is, chocolate cakes, brownies, banana bread and zucchini bread, I keep trying new recipes.

I will tell you that I have never met a banana bread I didnt like.  There was one recipe I tried that was hard to bake, the top kept browning while the inside was still raw.  I never made that recipe again.  I suspect though if I had baked it in a bigger loaf pan of muffin cups it would have been better. Probably the only fault with that recipe was the size of the pan or the amount of pans.

What I like about this particular recipe is that there is a higher banana to flour ratio.  That really works for me because usually if I am making banana bread it is because there is a large amount of bananas wanting to be used up.

This recipe is SUPER moist.  I made some with walnuts and some without.  My one daughter is not interested in walnuts by any means.  I tasted one with and one without, definitely I prefer the ones with walnuts.

Banana Bread
Adapted slightly from this recipe at Epicurious.


1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 medium very ripe bananas (about 13 ounces), peeled and mashed
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan or one of these above) fancy, shmancy loaf pans.

Cream butter and brown sugar together for about four minutes.  Add in eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl combine sour cream, vanilla and mashed bananas.  

In another bowl combine dry ingredients.

Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.  Then all the liquid ingredients.  Then the rest of the dry.

Fold in walnuts.

Bake for about an hour.  If using said, fancy shmancy loaf pan, about 45 minutes.  But please check on whatever receptacle you are using because baking times vary.

Breakfast Pizza

I liked mine sprinkled with Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

This was a Sunday morning breakfast that really should have been a Sunday brunch.  Packed with protein and deliciousness, it also packs a bacon fat punch.  But hey, I had to give it a try. It was a treat.

My daughter had her friend J over.  Love giving her treats because she is such a full of gratitude kind of girl.  I love that about her.  Everyone loves seeing gratitude in people don't they?  Entitlement is such a turn off.  At least for me.  Seeing J enjoy a meal and smiling about it gives me such joy.  Isn't that what being a cook is all about.  At least for me, when I make a meal for someone and they really enjoy it, it makes me feel good.  I accomplished something.

BREAKFAST PIZZA
If your bacon and dough is already made then this pizza is a snap.  I will write it as if you don't. Pizza dough recipe underneath.  It is a make ahead pizza dough but if you want to make it the same day then you could use this recipe instead.

6-8 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
dash of Tabasco (optional)
1 pound bacon
1 pound mozzarella

Preheat your oven to 450F.  Make sure there is a rack on the bottom of the oven.

While the oven is heating, roll out your dough.  Either put cornmeal on your pan or nonstick cooking spray.

Top with mozzarella.

In a bowl, combine eggs with milk and beat with a fork or whisk.  Warm frying pan and put a little butter or oil in it, coating the bottom.  Pour eggs in.  Keep pulling the cooked egg on bottom to the top.  Don't over cook them, undercook!  The eggs will continue baking in the oven when they are on the pizza.  Season eggs with salt and pepper.  Even better with a dash of Tabasco.

Break up eggs into small pieces, scatter all over pizza.

Top with bacon all around.

Bake on bottom shelf of oven.

OVERNIGHT BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

Original recipe taken from “The Bread Baker’s Apprentice” by Peter Reinhart.

Makes 6 pizza crusts (about 9-12 inches/23-30 cm in diameter).

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups (20 1/4 ounces/607.5 g) Unbleached high-gluten (%14) bread flour
1 3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup (2 ounces/60g) olive oil
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces/420g or 420ml) Water, ice cold (40° F/4.5° C)
1 tablespoon sugar
Semolina/durum flour or cornmeal for dusting


Method:
1. Mix together the flour, salt and instant yeast in a big bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer).

2. Add the oil, sugar and cold water and mix well (with the help of a large wooden spoon or with the paddle attachment, on low speed) in order to form a sticky ball of dough. On a clean surface, knead for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and the ingredients are homogeneously distributed. If it is too wet, add a little flour (not too much, though) and if it is too dry add 1 or 2 teaspoons extra water.

3. Flour a work surface or counter. Line a jelly pan with baking paper/parchment. Lightly oil the paper.

4. With the help of a metal or plastic dough scraper, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger if you want to make larger pizzas).

5. Sprinkle some flour over the dough. Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Gently round each piece into a ball.

6. Transfer the dough balls to the lined jelly pan and mist them generously with spray oil. Slip the pan into plastic bag or enclose in plastic food wrap.

7. Put the pan into the refrigerator and let the dough rest overnight or for up to thee days.

On the second day:
8. On the day you plan to eat pizza, exactly 2 hours before you make it, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator. Dust the counter with flour and spray lightly with oil. Place the dough balls on a floured surface and sprinkle them with flour. Dust your hands with flour and delicately press the dough into disks about 1/2 inch/1.3 cm thick and 5 inches/12.7 cm in diameter. Sprinkle with flour and mist with oil. Loosely cover the dough rounds with plastic wrap and then allow to rest for 2 hours.

9. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone on the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven as hot as possible (500° F/260° C).

10. Generously sprinkle the back of a jelly pan with semolina/durum flour or cornmeal. Flour your hands (palms, backs and knuckles). Take 1 piece of dough by lifting it with a pastry scraper. Lay the dough across your fists in a very delicate way and carefully stretch it by bouncing it in a circular motion on your hands, and by giving it a little stretch with each bounce. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss.

11. When the dough has the shape you want (about 9-12 inches/23-30 cm in diameter - for a 6 ounces/180g piece of dough), place it on the back of the jelly pan, making sure there is enough semolina/durum flour or cornmeal to allow it to slide and not stick to the pan.

12. Lightly top it with sweet or savory toppings of your choice.

13. Slide the garnished pizza onto the stone in the oven or bake directly on the jelly pan. Close the door and bake for about 5-8 minutes.

14. Take the pizza out of the oven and transfer it to a cutting board or your plate. In order to allow the cheese to set a little, wait 3-5 minutes before slicing or serving.

BLUEBERRY SYRUP

 

I try to buy all natural Maple Syrup whenever possible.  It is a bit out of my budget and the way my girls go through it is insane.  It makes me kind of crazy to find pools of it on their plates.  Kind of... okay, a lot crazy.  But instead of crazy I just buy some name brand maple syrup and call it a day.  But then my internal nutritional monitor says, what?  artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, fillers?  The blueberry syrup is my answer.  Yes, blueberries are not to be wasted either but I feel much better about this that artificial maple syrup.

So, maybe pancakes aren't your thing but you love blueberries and want to preserve them.  Just add water to this canned blueberry syrup in a large pitcher and you have blueberry juice to drink in the winter.  Bam!  Love it.  Or maybe blueberry mojito's... Oh, yeah!  

Blueberry Syrup

Ball Canning Recipe here.

8 cups blueberries, crushed (about 3-1/2 lb)
6 cups water, divided
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Place blueberries, 2 cups of the water and lemon zest in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and boil gently for 5 minutes.

Pour into a strainer lined with several layers of cheesecloth set over a deep bowl. Let drip, undisturbed, for at least 2 hours.

When ready, heat water canner to boiling. Heat jars in warm water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.

Mix sugar and remaining 4 cups water in a clean large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, and cook until temperature reaches 230°F, adjusting for altitude. Add blueberry juice. Increase heat to high, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

Using a large measuring cup pour hot blueberry syrup into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes*, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

*Please remember to not time your canner until it is boiling.

Poached Rhubarb With Pancakes

Do you know who Donal Skehan is?  I love that guy!  He is so vibrant and full of energy. He really is intoxicating.  If you are in a blah mood, listen to Donal and you will be rejuvenated.  At least I am. He has tons of amazing food videos.  He did live in Ireland but recently moved to LA to be on Food Network.

Here is one of his recipes.  The flavors are unique in this one.  Star anise, pistachio, mint...

His recipes cover everything from the every day, comfort food to ethnic food ( a man after my own heart, because that is exactly how I cook).  The recipes he fixed here is a takeoff from a restaurant in Ireland.  I decided to give it a go.  I did not have semolina so I made my normal pancakes. My recipe for the pancakes below.

Poached Rhubarb
Adapted from this recipe by Donal Skehan

about 10 stalks of rhubarb, small to normal size
juice of two oranges
skin of 1 orange without the pith
2 star anise
1/4 cup candied ginger

In a 9 x 13 pan mix together juice of two oranges and honey until honey is dissolved.   Wash and clean stalks and cut into 3 inch pieces.  Lay down in the pan.   Place orange skins, ginger and star anise into pan.

Serve with pancakes.  I place some candied ginger, chopped mint leaves and pistachios over top along with some of the juice.  Spoon some rhubarb next to the pancakes.

Pancakes

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
3 to 4 cups buttermilk, depending on the thickness
1 egg

Stir the dry ingredients together and then pour in the buttermilk and the egg.  You want the pancake batter to be about the consistency of ketchup- a thicker style ketchup.  Pourable but not runny.

Vanilla Donuts

June 3rd is National Donut Day.  I have some sweet little donuts to share with you.

I had them glazed for my children and added some of these cute little flowers sprinkled all over top.  However, as morning progressed the glaze was absorbed but I have to say they were just as delicious.  I had mine with tea in the afternoon.  Morning and sugar do not go together for me, save for a little in my coffee.

For the glaze, I added some strawberry flavoring.  You can flavor it any way you see fit though.  The nutmeg that is in the recipe really helps out.  I think it boosts vanilla flavor.  A 1/4 teaspoon is just enough to give you a hint rather than overpowering it with nutmeg flavor.

I have to tell you that every time I look at the picture above I want to glaze those donuts.

Vanilla Mini Donuts
These donuts are not real sweet.  Which is good but if you want to amp up the sweetness, then glaze them.  See recipe below.

2 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup buttermilk*
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup oil
glaze (optional)

Mix dry ingredients: flour , baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, salt, sugar.  Set aside.

Mix wet ingredients:  melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and eggs.  Mix the wet into the dry and stir just until combined.

Spoon into greased donut sheet and bake.  I made mine in a Baby Cakes machine.  I spooned heaping tablespoons into the little wells.

Glaze while warm.  To make glaze combined confectioners sugar, about 2 cups, a tablespoon of milk and whatever flavoring you desire.  Add more confectioners sugar or liquid to make a runny mixture that you can drizzle over top of donuts.

*You can substitute the buttermilk with a 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup sour cream or a 3/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup yogurt.

STRAWBERRY SCONES

We have a local creamery called Pittsford Dairy.  I have not been there before and finally made my way over.  What was I waiting for?  I bought some heavy cream around Mothers Day because I wanted to make some tiramisu.  Its not ultra pasteurized so it does not keep as well.  But I would rather it that way anyhow.  I decided to use it up to make some scones. I had bought these dried strawberries at the Amish store I go to and thought- PERFECT!

STRAWBERRY SCONES
Recipe adapted from this recipe at Food Network by Ina Garten

4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
4 ex large eggs
3/4 pound unsalted butter, cold
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup chopped dried cherries

glaze:

1 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon plus more as needed of water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400F.

Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter.  Do this until the flour seems "mealy".  Mix together eggs and cream and add into dry ingredients all at once.  Stir as minimally as possible.  You just want it mixed and that is it.  Make into biscuit like rounds or spoon into scone pan.  This recipe makes about 16 scones.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Don't over bake.  It should just be golden around the edges.  With scones it always better to air on the side of under baked rather than over.

Buttermilk Waffles

  
Sometimes I wonder if I should give up blogging just because I have so many pictures of food clogging up my computer memory.  Then there are a ton of other reasons that anyone who blogs knows.  The time factor and the scheduling of that time.  I do my best to keep up.  For the most part blogging has become my habit.  I started in January of 2008.  Eight years!  I can hardly believe it sometimes.

I have been away in Paducah KY for a Quilt Show.  If you are into quilting, you know this is a pretty big show.  You can read all about it on my blog, Craftication, as soon as I write it...

Anyway, after a week of nothing, I am here to tell you about these amazing waffles.

I found this recipe on Serious Eats, one of my favorite sites.  Such a diversity of food, well written, easy to find recipes, clean looking and good recipes that come out like they say they are going to. This recipe is no exception to the good recipes I find there.  It delivered a great waffle.  I am pretty sure it will be my go to waffle from now on.

I am not a syrup girl, too sweet for the morning in my opinion.  I love a waffle covered in an over easy egg or two with a little bit of butter.  Heavenly.

The only drawback of this recipe is that not everyone has a vanilla bean laying around.  You can substitute vanilla extract though.  This time I did mine with the bean. Next time it will be with the extract because when my children cover it in maple syrup anyhow the vanilla gets a little lost.  A big expense for them not to even notice.  If you eat them plain though, I would totally make them with a the vanilla bean pod.

Buttermilk Vanilla Waffles
From this recipe at Serious Eats.

1 1/3 cup (185 grams) flour
1/4 cup (45 grams) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cup (395 grams) buttermilk
3 tablespoons (40 grams)  butter
2 large egg whites
1 vanilla bean scraped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients, set aside.  Mix wet ingredients.  Pour the wet into the dry and whisk all together. No need to beat the egg white prior to their addition.

Make sure your waffle iron is hot and ready to go.

I found they took about five minutes on my waffle machine.

Chewy Granola Bars

              
I have my favorite granola bars, the ones I like making and eating, those are the ones that disappear around here.  They are the ones I make very regularly.  Mainly because I cant stand paying those high prices for granola bars.  If you buy them all the time and then make your own, you can save A LOT of money.  I mean a lot.

These are quite delicious and quite versatile.  You can change up the add ins as you like.  I list what the kids like to put in them but you can certainly change it up.  So, say, instead of sunflower seeds, you could add peanuts.  Instead of chocolate chips, maybe cinnamon chips.  The coconut really gives it chew so I would not substitute that.  If you don't like coconut then maybe try this granola recipe instead.

Chewy Granola Bars

2 1/2 rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup nuts
1 cup chips (chocolate butterscotch, peanut butter, white...)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix the oats, coconut and the wheat germ together.  Add in condensed milk and butter.  It will be hard to mix but keep at it, it will come together.  Finally, add in the in the nuts and chips.

Press the dough into a greased 9 x 13 baking pan.  Use the back of a rubber spatula to flatten the top. You can wet it a little if it begins to stick.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, just until golden around the edges.  Score bars after it cools for ten minutes.

Passionfruit Curd

I love passion-fruit.  It doesn't grow around here.  I usually buy the puree from the frozen section, Goya sells it.  It works great.  This here passion-fruit puree was painstakingly and lovingly picked by my brother and brought from TN to NY.  How lucky am I?

I used half the juice when he arrived that summer and the other half I froze.  I just made the curd after finding it in my freezer.  Was in perfect condition saved there int he little Mason jar!

I realized I had not ever blogged about passion-fruit curd so I had to share it with you.

Passion-fruit Curd

4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup passion-fruit puree
12 tablespoons of butter, cut into 6 pats (6 ounces)

In a double boiler*  combine yolks, sugar and juice.  Whisk together and then switch to a wooden spoon.  Keep stirring until it coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until completely melted.  Refrigerate.  Once it is set, it is ready for slathering on toast and  biscuits and whatever your little heart desires.

*If you dont have one then place a metal bowl or a glass bowl over a saucepan.  You just dont want the bottom of the bowl to touch the water.  So choose with that in mind.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Waffles

These are the most amazing waffles I have ever eaten. I have made them three times before but sadly was unable to take a decent picture.  They were consumed so fast and so completely.  But alas, these were made early enough to take a picture.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Waffles

4 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 eggs plus 1 yolk
2 cups Swiss Cheese or cheddar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Fluff up mashed potatoes with a fork to loosen it all up if it has been in your refrigerator.  If you freshly cooked it, then no worries.  Once you have fluffed a little, add in the eggs. In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda, salt and pepper.  Combine with mashed potato mix.  Finally add in cheese.

Scoop by 1/3 cup heaps onto waffle iron.

Note:  I found five minutes in the waffle iron was the perfect amount of time for a slightly browned waffle. All the more tastier when it is a little browned.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Buns

Did anyone ever tell you that raising kids is the hardest job in the world?  No one told me that.  I wonder if it would have made a difference if they did.  No, I know, it would not have made one damn bit of difference in deciding to have children.  I still would have had them.  Matter of fact, knowing what I know now, I would do it over again.  But that doesn't make it any easier.

Just getting them to wash, dress appropriately, wear deodorant can be a chore.  Why?  I really just don't get it.  I love taking a shower.  It makes me feel refreshed and renewed.  It is one of my pleasures of the day.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to take a shower ever day.

In the morning the battles to get my youngest moving... Or how to get my oldest to complete jobs or put things away...  But really.  I should not complain.  These really are minor things.  Annoyances yes, but problems, well, not really.  I need to switch into gratitude mode. Rant over,

Now. this dessert.  My kids really do not have any idea how spoiled they are when it comes to homemade food.

This night that we had this.  Everyone inhaled their piece (or pieces),  It was such a treat.  The last time I made cinnamon buns was almost three years ago.  Wow.

Sweet Potato Cinnamon Buns

2 (1/4-oz.) envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

Filling

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

a little milk- about a tablespoon


Place ingredients in the bowl of a mixer. Place all the dry ingredients in bowl. Mix for a moment. Add water, buttermilk, butter and sweet potato puree and mix until dough ball is formed. Add in more water one tablespoon at a time if too dry. Add flour one tablespoon at a time if too wet. Place in lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size.

After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into a 16 x 21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400F.

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Apple Cake

I had surgery this past week, so not too much baking and cooking going on here.  It is hard to chop things with one hand, especially round things, like onions.  My surgery was pretty simple, carpal tunnel and ulnar release.  All went well.  I was in good hands.  It was very fascinating experience. 

The nerve block they gave me- totally amazing.  Have you heard of that?  I never had. Essentially they block the area that will be operated on.  Totally dead, lifeless arm.  Very bizarre to have it flailing about.  My daughter repositioned me through the night.  What a good girl. 

I learned what it was like to have the other members of my family be caregivers to Mama...  I think they may need some more training.  I will just leave it at that.

While not having an arm, I thought many times what life would be like to not have a limb, with no hope of it returning.  I have always been impressed by that.  These are some of the true heroes.  Mind you I have many more heroes like that.... caregivers who deal with a loved ones illness day in and day out.  People who face life debilitating illness themselves day in and day out.  The list goes on.  Some pretty amazing people out there who fight the fight every day.

Now, how about some cake? This is seriously moist and flavorful.  It does not disappoint.

Apple Cake

1 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 baking apples such as Granny Smith peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4” dice
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 


Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

In a large bowl, stir by hand the oil, melted butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the apple and pecans. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon to the bowl, and then stir until combined. This is a very thick batter, in fact it’s more like a cookie batter.

Spoon the batter into the baking pan or skillet, patting down the top so it’s even. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is lightly browned and an inserted knife comes out clean.

Crumb Topped Zucchini Muffins

I am still going nuts over zucchini.  Seems every summer I can not get enough of the stuff.  But the season is drawing to a close.  Had to get in some desserts before the zucchini is finished.  Only a few more days left of summer...

I am ready for Fall though.  I really like Fall.  It is my favorite season.  I am looking forward to all the butternut squash, spaghetti squash and pumpkin! Yahoo!  Seems I can never get enough of that.  By the time I use all that I store in my freezer, it is time for strawberries again!

Crumb Topped Zucchini Muffins

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Muffins:
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons caramel extract
2 1/2 cups unpeeled shredded zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (4 serving size) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Crumb Topping:  Stir together the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until well combined.  Whisk in melted butter.  Mix in flour just until combined.  Spread out on cookie sheet.  Let dry.

Muffins:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease muffin pans or line muffin pans with paper towels.

Shred zucchini and set aside in a colander.

Mix dry ingredients: vanilla pudding mix, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.

Squeeze out zucchini and add the eggs.  Mix dry ingredients into tthe bowl and stir just until combined.

Spoon into muffin cups evenly.  Sprinkle with crumb mixture.  Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes.  Cool for ten minutes and remove from pan.