December 01, 2010

Scones

These are souft, doughy scones, not dry crumbly scones.

3 cups flour (can use 1/2 flour & 1/2 spelt)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup turbinado sugar (large grain sugar)

Sift together in a large bowl.

In a large measuring glass, add

1/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 1/4 cups non dairy milk (you can use dairy if you want)
1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 orange
fresh ginger
3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks
more turbinado surgar

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ones in.  Slowly mix the dough just until it comes together.  At this point I separateed 1/2 the dough into separate bowls.  In one bowl I added 1 inch of freshly grated ginger, 1/2 teaspoon of dried ginger and about 3/4 cup dark chocolate and mixed only until incorporated.  In the other bowl I added the zest of one orange, the juice of the orange and 3/4 cup dried cranberries.

Spray ice cream scoop with non stick spray and scoop out one level scoop onto greased cookie sheet.  I used silpat so there was no need for additional grease.  Sprinkle with extra sugar.  Bake 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Should make 16 scones. 
Calories:  163
Fat calories: 26; 3 grams fat
Carbs:  30 grams
Fiber:  2 grams
Protein: 4 grams
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If I had to do this over, I'd just make a batch of each instead of trying to manipulate 1/2 the dough.  I don't think that all the spices got mixed in well and I didn't want to overmix and make them tough.  I think you could add all kinds of combinations and have great scones.

I also think that you could cut the sugar to 1/3 cup without altering the outcome much.  I think next time I'm going to make smaller scones so that the recipe yeilds 32.  Sometimes they're big and a little more than what I want to eat. 

November 29, 2010

Follow Up

Those little pecan tartlets?  They were a hit and so easy to make.  I think they'd do well with pumpkin filling or any pie filling that you can think of.  I'd definately use them again.

The trifle was just too much with all the other desserts.  It tasted wonderful, but was a lot and I cut it in half.

November 18, 2010

Cranberry Orange Sauce

From Smitten Kitchen Recipe website

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 (12-ounce) package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed, drained and sorted through, removing any stems or deflated ones
Zest from one orange
Juice from one orange

Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries and zest, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10-14 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add orange juice and stir. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

Silky Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from Smitten Kitch recipe site who adapted from Cooks Illustrated.


2 cups half & half
3 large egs plus 2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt

1 pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan. Chill. Blind bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove weights and bake additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven

While shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks and vanilla. Combine pumpkin, sugar, syrup, ginger, spices and salt in saucepan. Bring to a sputtering simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk in cream mixture. Strain and press solids through strainer. Re-shick and transfer to the still warm, pre-baked shell. Return to the overn and bak for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 minutes and bake 30 minutes longer or until set. Cool on counter 2-3 hours. Then chill.

Jalapeno & Bacon Poppers

14 jalapenos
7 slices of thick bacon
7 ounces monterey jack cheese

Wash jalapenos.  Slice in half and de-seed them.  Place 1 ounce of cheese in teh cavity of the pepper.  Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around the pepper to cover most of it.  Put toothpick through to hold bacon on.

Bake on a rack on a cookie sheet at 350 for 10 minutes or until bacon is crisp and cheese is melted.

Gingerbread & Pumpkin Trifle

Gingerbread
from Gramercy Tavern/Claudia Fleming

1 cup Guinnus Stout
1 cup dark molasses
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tespoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil

Heat oven to 350 and butter/floud bundt pan.

Bring beer and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat.  whisk in baking soda then cool.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl.  Whisk eggs and sugars.  Whisk in oil then molasses mixture.  Add to flour mixture and whisk just until combined.

Pour into pan & rap on counter to eliminate air.  Bake about 50 minutees or until tests done.  Cook completely.
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2 boxes of intant vanilla pudding
3 1/3 cups eggnog
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Whisk togehter & set aside.

Whip 1 pint of heavy cream and gently fold into the pudding.  Set aside.
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Whip 1 1/2 pints of heavy cream sweetened with 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.  Set aside.
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1 Jar pumpkin butter.
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In a trifle bowl layer gingerbread, 1/4 cup pumpkin butter, 1/3 pudding mixture and 1/3 whipped cream.  Continue until there are 3 layers in the bowl.  The top layer should be whipped cream.  Garnish with crystalized whipped cream, drizzled pumpkin butter and cake crumbs (you can even toast these until they're browned and crispy).

Chococlate Pudding Pie

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unseetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups whole milk
4 ounces bittersweet chococlate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Prepare and bake a pie crusk using the blind baking method.  Cool.

Whisk cornstarch, 1/3 cup sugar, cocoa powder and sale in a 2 qt saucepan.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, wishking constantly.  Then boil, whisking constantly for 2 minutes until thick.  Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate and vanilla until smooth.

Pour filling into shell and chill.  Sover the surface with plastic wrap directly on the top.

Beat whipped cream with the sugar and serve with pie.

Adapted from recipe from Smitten Kitchen recipe site who took it from Gormet Magazine

Pecan Tarts

6 ounces cream cheese
1 cup butter
2 cups flour

Mix together and shape into a ball.  Chill.  Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut circles to fit into muffin tins.  Place tins into fridge to chill.

2 eggs
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
whole & chopped pecans

Mix all but the pecans well and set aside.  Put 2 tabelspoons chopped pecans into each lined muffin tin.  Distribute filling mixture into all 24 tins.  Add 1 whole pecan on top of each tin. 

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe at Tasty Kitchen recipe site  by Mollylouise

November 04, 2010

Italian Beef Sandwiches

3 lb top round roast

1 envelope dry onion soup
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1 crushed galic clove
1 t crushed red pepper
3/4 cup dark beer

Add the roast to a crockpot small enough that it fits snugly in with not a lot of room around it. Mix the rest of the ingredients together and pour over the roast. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Remove the roast frm the pot. Turn the pot up to high so the sauce will thicken and reduce. Shred the beef and add back to the juices.

Serve on italian rolls with cheese, hot peppers or BBQ sauce.
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This was a keeper for both Pete and I. He's not much for shredded meat, but loves the flavor of this.
Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

1 lb chicken cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup pea pods
1 cup sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup soy sauce
2T honey
1T lime juice
1t crushed garlic
1T peanutbutter
1 1/2t curry powder
1T sircha (asian hot pepper sauce)

Combine the group of ingredients and marinate the chicken for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade and set aside.

In a large skillet on medium high heat, bown the chicken on each side for 1 minute in 1 tablespoon oil. Add the pea pods, peppers and the reserved marinade. Cook uncovered for 7=8 minutes. Serve with rice.
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This was a keeper for me and a so so for Pete. I think that if I made it again I'd double the amount of soy. I'd also cut the cicken into thin strips instead od chunks. It seemed to be too much chicken versus the amount of sauce.

November 03, 2010

I figured out that I search for recipes and make them and never really track the successful ones. This is as good a place as any, right?