There is a huge lapse in food blogging over the last month or so. And no, I haven't just given up cooking. I've just been dealing with a crazy preschooler who doesn't have school again until September (whose bright idea was it for preschool to end at the end of May?!) and a toddler who can't be trusted anymore (as in, will climb the furniture and start scribbling on whatever is available with whatever is available). So I'm taking a moment while the kiddos are watching Blue's Clues to update.
I made two tasty Ina Garten creations and one Cooking Light creation for Father's Day. For lunch, we had my in-laws over and had California BLTs and cheese danish (Jonathan's favorite). Then, for dinner, we had a very interesting and tasty concoction called Green-Chile Ravioli. It was from a Cooking Light Pasta cookbook that my mother-in-law had but didn't think she'd use. I feel like I won the lottery with this one. Not only do I love pasta dishes, but Cooking Light has recently become one of my favorite resources for recipes.
We had had the California BLTs before, so they were a known entity, but the cheese danish was a new recipe. But since it was called "Easy Cheese Danish", I figured I couldn't really go wrong. And I was right. It was simple and delicious! Jonathan was very pleased.
I was very pleased with dinner. I figured it couldn't be bad, given the ingredients, but I had never tried using won ton wrappers before, so I was a little nervous. But it came out great! And the flavors were not only great but nice and light too. Oh, and it makes much more than the recipe says it does. Which meant that I used one pan for sautéing and another for finishing the cooking in the chicken broth. A bit labor-intensive and a bit more dishes than my preferred one-pot meals, but really worth it.
Overall, I think Father's Day was a success. I wish a happy one to the best daddy out there -- my husband.
California BLTs
A variation on this recipe by Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)
6 thick-cut slices smoked bacon
4 slices good bread
4 tablespoons good mayonnaise
4 to 8 tender green lettuce leaves, washed and spun very dry
1 ripe Hass avocado
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 large ripe tomato, sliced 1/2-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Place a baking wire rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon on the rack in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Place 2 slices of bread on a cutting board. Spread each slice with about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Cover the slices with a layer of lettuce. Peel the avocado and slice it 1/2-inch thick. Toss the avocado slices gently with the lemon juice, and arrange on top of the lettuce leaves. Place 3 slices of bacon on top of each sandwich and then add a layer of tomato slices on top of the bacon. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Spread each of the remaining 2 slices of bread with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and place, mayonnaise side down, on the sandwiches. Cut in half and serve.
**********************************************************
Easy Cheese Danish
A variation on this recipe by Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and cream them together on low speed until smooth. With the mixer still on low, add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest and mix until just combined. Don't whip!
Unfold 1 sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured board and roll it slightly with a floured rolling pin until it's a 10 by 10-inch square. Cut the sheet into quarters with a sharp knife. Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese filling into the middle of each of the 4 squares. Brush the border of each pastry with egg wash and fold 2 opposite corners to the center, brushing and overlapping the corners of each pastry so they firmly stick together. Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Place the pastries on the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry and refrigerate the filled Danish for 15 minutes.
Bake the pastries for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once during baking, until puffed and brown. Serve warm.
**********************************************************
Green-Chile Ravioli
Courtesy of Cooking Light
Ravioli:
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup minced green onions
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 large egg white
1 package won ton wrappers
Cornstarch
Cooking spray
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Sauce:
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
To prepare ravioli, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Working with 1 won ton wrapper at a time (cover the remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon about 1 tablespoon green chile mixture into the center of each wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water, and bring 2 opposite corners together. Press the edges together firmly with fingers, forming a triangle. Place the ravioli on a large baking sheet sprinkled with cornstarch. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add ravioli, and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Add broth; cook, covered, 1 minute. Remove ravioli with a slotted spoon. Keep warm.
To prepare the sauce, combine cilantro, vinegar, tomatoes, and black beans in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Spoon sauce over ravioli.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Spring Veggie and Rice Bowl
I decided to tweak/vegetarianize a Rachael Ray recipe (#122 of her 365: No Repeats book). It came out pretty well. It's not terribly fancy, but it's simple and tastes very fresh and healthy.
Spring Veggie and Rice Bowl
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, trimmed of tough tops and roots
1 bay leaf
1 cup shredded carrots
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5 or 6 sprigs), chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1 cup frozen peas
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds
Place almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until fragrant and starting to brown. Set aside.
Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2-inch half-moons. Place the leeks in a colander and wash under cold running water, separating the layers and releasing all the grit. You can also place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and swish them around like a washing machine. The grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Drain the leeks well.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the leeks, bay leaf, carrots, celery, and thyme. Cook until leeks wilt and other vegetables start to soften a bit. Add chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is just tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in peas, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat through. Serve in bowls and top with toasted almonds.
Spring Veggie and Rice Bowl
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, trimmed of tough tops and roots
1 bay leaf
1 cup shredded carrots
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (5 or 6 sprigs), chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1 cup frozen peas
A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup slivered almonds
Place almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast until fragrant and starting to brown. Set aside.
Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2-inch half-moons. Place the leeks in a colander and wash under cold running water, separating the layers and releasing all the grit. You can also place the sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water and swish them around like a washing machine. The grit will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Drain the leeks well.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the leeks, bay leaf, carrots, celery, and thyme. Cook until leeks wilt and other vegetables start to soften a bit. Add chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is just tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in peas, parsley, salt and pepper. Heat through. Serve in bowls and top with toasted almonds.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Renaissance of Tuna Casserole
Yes, that is really what this recipe is called. And it may have a "fancy" name, but it's a simple and really tasty meal. Definitely not your typical tuna casserole with the layer of breadcrumbs on top. And at least according to Jonathan, so much better. Though I do occasionally want that crunchy-topped casserole, I think I agree.
Renaissance of Tuna Casserole
Courtesy of Rachael Ray
Salt
1 pound fettuccine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 (6-ounce) cans Italian tuna in water or oil, drained
1/2 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine (try not to substitute with broth, it really makes a difference)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
Couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup fresh basil, about 20 leaves, shredded
Place pasta water on to boil. Salt water then add pasta and cook to al dente.
While pasta cooks, heat a deep skillet over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Sauté garlic and onions until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tuna and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to heat through, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and cook it down a minute then add cream and season sauce with salt and pepper. Toss hot pasta and peas with sauce and cheese. Serve on dinner plates and top with shredded basil.
Renaissance of Tuna Casserole
Courtesy of Rachael Ray
Salt
1 pound fettuccine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 (6-ounce) cans Italian tuna in water or oil, drained
1/2 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine (try not to substitute with broth, it really makes a difference)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas, a couple of handfuls
Couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup fresh basil, about 20 leaves, shredded
Place pasta water on to boil. Salt water then add pasta and cook to al dente.
While pasta cooks, heat a deep skillet over medium heat with extra-virgin olive oil. Sauté garlic and onions until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tuna and sun-dried tomatoes and stir to heat through, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and cook it down a minute then add cream and season sauce with salt and pepper. Toss hot pasta and peas with sauce and cheese. Serve on dinner plates and top with shredded basil.
Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
We have a family friend who is like an aunt to me and another grandmother to my children. She is particularly fond of the scones I've made in the past, so for Mother's Day, I thought I would show her my appreciation for how generous she's always been to my family and make her a new variety of scones.
I fiddled a bit with the lemon zest ratio in the original recipe since I had found that my previous citrus scone experience had definitely needed that extra kick. But I'm not sure it was better with more. So I'm just putting what I think would work best here. You'll have even tastier scones than we did.
I also noticed that this dough was a lot dryer and didn't need to be refrigerated before I could work with it.
I'm including a variation of the glaze I've used before since the original recipe's glaze is more complicated and, I think, not as tasty.
Edited to add: I just tried the Ina Garten Cranberry Orange scone recipe with modifications to make them Blueberry Lemon scones. And we liked them SO much better than the recipe below. You can find recipe variation on the Cranberry Orange entry. And here they are in all their glory:
Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
A variation on this recipe by Tyler Florence
Scones:
2 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon, zest finely grated
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
1 cup fresh blueberries
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, more if it's too thick
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Sift together the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir in lemon zest. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough. Toss together blueberries and remaining 1/4 cup flour, then fold into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and carefully form dough into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. And try to keep the blueberries as intact as possible. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice, and drizzle over the scones.
I fiddled a bit with the lemon zest ratio in the original recipe since I had found that my previous citrus scone experience had definitely needed that extra kick. But I'm not sure it was better with more. So I'm just putting what I think would work best here. You'll have even tastier scones than we did.
I also noticed that this dough was a lot dryer and didn't need to be refrigerated before I could work with it.
I'm including a variation of the glaze I've used before since the original recipe's glaze is more complicated and, I think, not as tasty.
Edited to add: I just tried the Ina Garten Cranberry Orange scone recipe with modifications to make them Blueberry Lemon scones. And we liked them SO much better than the recipe below. You can find recipe variation on the Cranberry Orange entry. And here they are in all their glory:
Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
A variation on this recipe by Tyler Florence
Scones:
2 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 lemon, zest finely grated
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut in chunks
1 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing the scones
1 cup fresh blueberries
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, more if it's too thick
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Sift together the dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir in lemon zest. Using 2 forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter to coat the pieces with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate; do not overwork the dough. Toss together blueberries and remaining 1/4 cup flour, then fold into the batter. Take care not to mash or bruise the blueberries because their strong color will bleed into the dough.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and carefully form dough into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. And try to keep the blueberries as intact as possible. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with a little heavy cream. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until beautiful and brown. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice, and drizzle over the scones.
Cupcakes for Benjamin
It was my son's 4th birthday on May 6th. And it was quite a fun week of celebrations. One of the celebrations was at preschool, and, of course, I sent in cupcakes. Benjamin requested blue icing and sprinkles, and that's what he got. And all it took was an entire small bottle of blue food coloring to get there.
As for the cupcakes, I found a highly-rated vanilla cupcake recipe on FoodNetwork.com. I already had a good vanilla cream cheese icing recipe that I had used before, so I went with that instead of the icing recipe that accompanies the cupcake recipe. The combination was quite delicious. And the kids all seemed to like it at school. We also had a ton leftover since the recipe actually made 36 rather than 24 cupcakes. It's no wonder my jeans are a bit tight these days...
Happy birthday to my sweet boy! I can't believe it's been 4 years since you entered my life. Thank you for teaching me so much about myself and about life. I love you so much.
Old-Fashioned Cupcakes
Courtesy of Cheryl Day
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
Combine in a bowl both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until combined for about 3 minutes. Add in cubed butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
Add eggs 1 at a time until combined. Slowly add milk and vanilla to batter until completely mixed scraping down the bowl as you mix.
Scoop batter into baking cups filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool and then decorate.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Courtesy of McCormick®
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar
Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread on cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
As for the cupcakes, I found a highly-rated vanilla cupcake recipe on FoodNetwork.com. I already had a good vanilla cream cheese icing recipe that I had used before, so I went with that instead of the icing recipe that accompanies the cupcake recipe. The combination was quite delicious. And the kids all seemed to like it at school. We also had a ton leftover since the recipe actually made 36 rather than 24 cupcakes. It's no wonder my jeans are a bit tight these days...
Happy birthday to my sweet boy! I can't believe it's been 4 years since you entered my life. Thank you for teaching me so much about myself and about life. I love you so much.
Old-Fashioned Cupcakes
Courtesy of Cheryl Day
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
Combine in a bowl both flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until combined for about 3 minutes. Add in cubed butter, mixing until just coated with flour.
Add eggs 1 at a time until combined. Slowly add milk and vanilla to batter until completely mixed scraping down the bowl as you mix.
Scoop batter into baking cups filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool and then decorate.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Courtesy of McCormick®
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar
Beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread on cooled cupcakes and enjoy!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Cranberry Orange Scones
I had my doubts about this flavor combination, but when I tried them for the first time sometime last year, my doubts disappeared. They have since been made for Christmas brunch and then late last week as a birthday present for a friend of mine. They will continue to be made in this house... And disappear quickly. Hence, no picture. Benjamin told me he wanted just one more "because they're soooo deliiiiiicious." A compliment will get you far, my sweet, smart boy.
When I first made these scones, I noticed that they didn't have as intense a cranberry or orange flavor as I would have liked, so I tweaked the recipe a bit, doubling the amount of dried cranberries and orange zest. I also noticed that I needed double the icing to have a good drizzly coating.
Also, to make sure that you're able to actually roll out the dough and properly cut out the scones, I recommend not only using really cold butter and eggs, but I also found that it's easier if I make the dough, cover it in plastic wrap, and then stick it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. I then halve the dough and stick the half I'm not working with back in the refrigerator. The more you work with the dough, the warmer it gets, the harder it is to work with.
Edited to add: I tried a variation of this recipe to make Blueberry Lemon scones, and it came out great! Here are the substitutions I used:
Remove:
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
2 cups dried cranberries
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Substitute:
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 dry pint blueberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cranberry Orange Scones
A variation on this recipe by Ina Garten
4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 cups dried cranberries
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, more if it's too thick
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.
When I first made these scones, I noticed that they didn't have as intense a cranberry or orange flavor as I would have liked, so I tweaked the recipe a bit, doubling the amount of dried cranberries and orange zest. I also noticed that I needed double the icing to have a good drizzly coating.
Also, to make sure that you're able to actually roll out the dough and properly cut out the scones, I recommend not only using really cold butter and eggs, but I also found that it's easier if I make the dough, cover it in plastic wrap, and then stick it in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. I then halve the dough and stick the half I'm not working with back in the refrigerator. The more you work with the dough, the warmer it gets, the harder it is to work with.
Edited to add: I tried a variation of this recipe to make Blueberry Lemon scones, and it came out great! Here are the substitutions I used:
Remove:
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
2 cups dried cranberries
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Substitute:
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 dry pint blueberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cranberry Orange Scones
A variation on this recipe by Ina Garten
4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 cups dried cranberries
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 4 tablespoons
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, more if it's too thick
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
I meant to put chickpeas in a salad I was making for company the other night, and I forgot. So I decided, since I was having some other people over another night, I would make some hummus instead. I found a recipe online and used it as a loose guide. I think I used maybe a bit too much garlic, but other than that, it's super tasty. And very easy. My recipe recommendations are based on how much you like of each ingredient. Besides the chickpeas, of course.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3-4 roasted red peppers
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Put all the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until the smoothness you prefer. Add more olive oil if the mixture is having trouble coming together. Serve with pita, pita chips, bagel chips, whatever you want.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3-4 roasted red peppers
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Put all the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until the smoothness you prefer. Add more olive oil if the mixture is having trouble coming together. Serve with pita, pita chips, bagel chips, whatever you want.
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