Almond Scones
Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
2 cups self-rising flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt)
2 tablespoons sugar
One 7 oz tube almond paste
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup half-and-half (cream and milk)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
½ cup slivered almonds
Sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. With a pastry cutter, cut the almond paste and the butter into the dry ingredients until a few pea-sized lumps remain. Stir in the almonds.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg and almond extract and add to the flour mixture. With a fork gradually stir the dough until the mixture comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and very gently pat into an 8-inch round about 1 1/2 inches high. Sprinkle the top of the dough with sugar.
Using a chef’s knife or bench scraper, cut the dough round into 8 wedges. Transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, spacing the scones at least 1 inch apart.
Bake in the top third of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.
Cranberry Sweet Potato Muffins
12-15 muffins
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes (without added butter or milk)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Chopped pecans
Cinnamon-sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In a small bowl, combine the egg, milk, sweet potatoes and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the cranberries.
Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full. Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.
Bake at 375°F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in muffins comes out clean.
Cool in the pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Serve war
Since I am still on vacation, meals are not complicated. A chef’s salad is a hearty dinner salad yet easy to pull together. You can also fix the plates early in the day, cover them , and refrigerate them until dinner. Add bread if you like.
Chef’s Salad
Ingredients
Any combination of vegetables and deli meats that you like can be used for this salad. Attractive arrangement of the salad ingredients make it eye pleasing.
I used the following to make two salad plates.
2 hat boiled eggs, quaretered
10 olives
1/4of an onion, sliced thin
1/4 of a red bell pepper, sliced thin
1’3 of a cucumber , sliced thin
1 celery stalk, chopped
12 grape tomatoes
1/2 an avocado, sliced
2 slices deli turkey, cut into thin strips
2 slices deli ham, cut into thin strips
2 slicrs Swiss orCheddar cheese
Lettuce
Ranch dtessing
Directions
Arrange lettuce leaves over the bottoms of two dinner plates. Add the remaking ingredients in small groups around the plates. See photo. Drizzle each plate with dressing and serve.
I
I am on a winter vacation with my family and not doing very much cooking. I do cook a dish or two each week and when I was reading the New York Times last week I saw an easy recipe for chili. I made it even easier by using canned refrigerator biscuits. The recipe turned out quite well and it comes to get her very quickly. Great for a weeknight.
ONE POT TURKEY CHILI
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
26-28 oz whole canned tomatoes
2 -15 oz cans low sodium pinto beans, drained
1 can -8 refrigerated biscuits-I used Pillsbury Grands
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
Add the oil to a deep 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet and heat until sizzling. Add the ground turkey. Cook stirring frequently until no longer pink.Add the chopped onion and until tender, about 5 minutes, Add the garlic, jalapeño pepper and spices. Stir for about a minute, Add the tomatoes and their juices.Break up the whole tomatoes. Stir well. Add the beans and stir. Turn off the heat and place the biscuits evenly on top.
Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake the chili for 25-39 minutes until the biscuits are brown and the chili is bubbling.
Adapted from the NYT -One Pot Turkey Chili And Biscuits
Beef Burgundy
Like other stews, Beef Burgundy, tastes best when made ahead so the flavors have time to mingle. Serve with noodles, rice, mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.
Roasted carrots make a nice side dish.
Ingredients
1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt and black pepper
5 slices bacon, cut into thirds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour or arrowroot powder
1 (750-ml) bottle good dry red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 lb mushrooms, trimmed and halved
1-2 cups beef broth
2 cloves garlic head, crushed
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
Directions
Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Heat a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat until the bacon is lightly browned on both sides.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate. Break into smaller pieces.
Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the pan and melt.
In batches, in single layers, sear the beef in the hot pan for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.
Remove the seared cubes with a slotted spoon to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
Add onions the garlic to the pan and saute for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour or arrowroot over the onions and stir until no dry flour remains. Whisk in the wine, tomato paste and anchovy paste until combined.
Add the bay leaves, mushrooms and thyme to the pan.
Add the beef and bacon and enough beef broth to come almost to the top of the beef.
Place the pan, uncovered, into the oven and cook until the meat is tender, 3 ½-4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding broth, if needed, to keep the meat half-submerged in liquid.
Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Stew can be made up to 3 days in advance.
Serve with Focaccia Bread and a Winter Salad. Recipes below.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
2 cups seafood stock or clam juice
1 teaspoon seafood (Old Bay) seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (chili)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 lb firm boneless fish fillets (such as halibut, cod, red snapper, sea bass, grouper), cut into small cubes
8 oz medium shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed and cut in half
8 oz sea scallops, halved
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion, celery, carrot and bell pepper. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir into the vegetables. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook the vegetables until tender. Remove the cover and the salt, pepper, chili flakes, seafood seasoning, thyme, and tomatoes. Sir well.
Add the fish cubes, Cook stirring the mixture gently for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops and cook for 2 minutes more or until the seafood is cooked. Add the cream, parsley, and remaining tablespoon butter, heating gently until the butter is incorporated. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve in large individual pasta bowls.
Winter Tomato Soup
If you don’t like peeling tomatoes as much as I do, here is a technique I use to get around it. I usually purchase fresh Roma tomatoes for cooking and put them in the freezer when I get home from shopping. One day before I am going to cook with them, I place the amount I need in the refrigerator to defrost. The next day, the skins slip right off and are ready for the pot.
Ingredients
6 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
Two 26 oz containers finely chopped Italian tomatoes (Pomi)
1 teaspoon honey
4 cups organic broth (chicken or vegetable)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional: add ½ cup half & half to make a creamy version
Basil for garnish
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add the onions, cover and cook until they are soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the the fresh and canned tomatoes, honey, salt and pepper to taste and the broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes with the cover ajar. Remove the pot from the heat.
With an immersion blender or in a processor, puree the soup. If adding cream, add it here and warm the soup. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve hot garnished with basil
This pie makes use of leftovers. I used chicken in this recipe but this could easily be a beef pot pie using leftover roasted beef or steak, beef gravy, and leftover vegetables.
If you are on a low carb or gluten-free diet, I have included recipes for both regular pastry and a low carb/gluten-free pastry.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups leftover cooked chicken, cubed
½ cup frozen peas
2 cups chopped leftover vegetables or a combination of carrots, onions, green beans, or peas
1 cup leftover chicken gravy
Pie Crust Dough for a double crust (store-bought or homemade recipes below)
Melted butter
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, vegetables, and gravy. Mix well and set aside.
Place one rolled-out pastry crust in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Add the chicken filling and cover with a second crust. Crimp the edges and seal the crust all around the pie. Cut 4 slits in the top crust and brush the top with melted butter. (Pie can be refrigerated until ready to bake.)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower oven heat to 375 degrees F and continue to bake the pie until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly about 30 minutes.
All-Purpose Flour Pastry
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks (16 oz) COLD unsalted butter diced into 1/4″ pieces
6 tablespoons of ice water
Directions
Place flour, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
Add cold diced butter and pulse the mixture until coarse crumbs form.
Add ice water and pulse just until moist clumps or small balls form and the dough sticks together when pinched. If the dough is too dry, add more water a teaspoon full at a time. Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will be sticky and difficult to roll out.
Transfer dough to a floured work surface, and gather dough together into a ball. Divide dough in half and flatten to form 2 disks.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour before using in the recipes.
Place each disk between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper and roll each into 13 inch round circles.
Easy Overnight Pizza Dough
Makes one 16 inch round pizza. Prepare the dough one day ahead. This process makes the best pizza dough.
Ingredients
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup lukewarm water
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sausage and Peppers Topping
8 oz spicy Italian Sausage, cut into thin slices
1 lb small bell peppers, sliced thin
1 large onion sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
Olive oil
Pizza Sauce
26 oz container strained Italian tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
One day before making the pizza:
Combine all the ingredients for the dough in the large bowl of an electric mixer and with the paddle attachment mix until the ingredients come together around the paddle. Attach the dough hook and knead the dough for 5-6 minutes.
Spray a large ziplock plastic bag with olive oil cooking spray. Place the dough in the bag and close the top. Place the bag in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to make the pizza, remove the bag from the refrigerator 30 minutes before making the pizza. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F and let the oven heat for 30 minutes.
Combine all the ingredients for the pizza sauce in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
Preheat a large sauté pan on medium-high and place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the pan, then add sausage and cook until browned about 6 minutes, stirring until no pink remains. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, peppers, and onions and saute until the vegetables are tender.
Let stand 5 minutes to cool.
Prepare the crust: flour your hands lightly and pat the dough evenly into a lightly oiled 16″ pizza pan. Top the crust with slices of mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, peppers, onions, and sausage.
Bake the pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the crust is golden, the cheese is melted, and the toppings are thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons SAF (instant) yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 cups warm water (100-110 degrees)
4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions
Place the warm water in an electric mixing bowl. Add honey. Mix until the honey is dissolved.
Add the 4 cups of flour and salt and mix. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour.
Using the paddle attachment on number 2 speed, mix the dough until a dough forms that holds together and cleans the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook and continue kneading for 7-8 minutes, until the dough is soft but supple.
Shape the dough into a ball. Spray the mixer bowl with olive oil cooking spray and place the ball of dough back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double, about 60 minutes.
Place a sheet of parchment paper in a 9 or 10-inch pan or shallow dish. Turn the dough out onto the parchment pan or dish. Gently shape the dough into a round and cover with greased plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes or more.
At the same time put a covered Cloche pan or Dutch Oven in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Do not grease or spray the Cloche pan or Dutch Oven.
After the dough has risen for 30 minutes and the oven temperature is at 500 degrees F, open the oven and take the lid off the cloche pan.
USE A THICK POTHOLDER BECAUSE THE LID IS VERY HOT!
Transfer the dough while on the parchment to the bottom of the hot cloche pan. Cover with the cloche lid.
Bake for 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and remove the cloche li Continue reading
