Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

 

Growing up in the west, scones were a fried bread affair, but as an adult, I've found several English type scones that I love as well. These are a scrumptious way to start any day! Orange and chocolate are a yummy pairing, but you could also substitute dried cranberries for the chocolate chips to enjoy a different experience. 

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

3 c. flour (you can use part white, part wheat)

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. orange zest

1/2 c. cold butter or margarine, cut into pieces

3/4 c. chocolate chips

3/4 c. buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl.  Add pieces of butter and cut in with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in chocolate chips, add buttermilk; stir until evenly moistened.  Turn dough onto lightly floured board and knead about 10 turns. Divide in 1/2, and form 2 6-inch rounds, placing them on a greased baking sheet. Using a knife, cut through the dough forming 6 wedges. Do not separate them. Bake in preheated oven for 20 min. until golden brown. Remove from oven and glaze while warm. Dust with additional powdered sugar if desired.

Glaze:

1 c. powdered sugar

2-3 Tbsp. orange juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together until smooth, adding orange juice to desired consistency. Drizzle over scones.

Notes: These puff up quite a bit, so make sure they have space to do that on your baking sheet. 

Some of my favorite fried scone recipes are also on this blog, you can find them at these links: Ever-ready Scones; Quick Scones and Sour Dough Quick Scones.

Jenny

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

I want to post a few Fall recipes before I play with the Christmas ones. These golden beauties will help celebrate Autumn! Delicious!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

3 c. flour (+ more for kneading, about 7-8 c. total)
2 Tbsp. yeast
1 c. solid pack pumpkin
1 1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour and yeast. In a microwave safe bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, sugar and oil and heat  until very warm (this can also be done on the stove top.) Add warm ingredients to flour and yeast along with the egg and mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough and knead for about 8 min. until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise until doubled (about an hour, or less if using rapid rise yeast). Punch down and roll dough into a rectangle. Spread with butter and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over butter. Roll starting on the long side. Cut into 1 inch slices (I used dental floss: slide it under an inch, cross the ends of the string on top and pull together to slice through). Place rolls in a greased 12x17 sheet pan. Cover and let rise until doubled. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake 20 - 25 min. or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Caramel Frosting

4 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
2/3 c. powdered sugar

Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir in vanilla, salt and 1/2 c. powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Add more sugar to desired spreading consistency. Drizzle or spread over rolls.

Jenny

Sourdough Quick Scones

I grew up with the word scone meaning dough stretched or rolled and fried in oil. Now I live further East, and I see that I have to explain myself, because these are not like their English baked cousins of the same name. Whatever you like to call them, these are delicious! Years ago the basic recipe came from my Aunt, which you can find here: Quick Scones.  I have since modified the recipe to use with a Sourdough Start. These are fluffier with the start added, and I prefer them this way now. We love them for breakfast.

Sourdough Quick Scones

2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sourdough start
4 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 c. water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl to make a dough. Let it rest 5 min. while you heat  about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Turn dough out onto floured surface and pat or roll to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a pizza cutter into 2 1/2 inch squares or pieces. Stretch each piece of dough a little before you place into hot oil. Fry until golden, drain on paper towel. Serve rolled in sugar or with butter and jam or honey butter. 

Notes: If you want to try my regular yeast scones, the recipe is here: Ever-ready Scones.

Jenny

Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles

These golden waffles have a little crunch from the cornmeal. They are nice for breakfast, but they would be fun to top with taco meat and toppings or chili and cheese and sour cream for a quick weeknight meal too. The recipe came from a cookbook called Retro Breakfast.

Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles
1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. cornmeal
pinch of salt
1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. melted butter or oil

Mix all and cook in hot iron.
Notes: The thickness of the buttermilk varies a little. You can add a little water to the batter if it is too thick.
Jenny

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins

These are deluxe yummy perfection! The cake is tender and rich and the tart cranberries make a nice contrast. I think the batter would lend itself to some experimenting with other berries, especially tart ones like raspberries or black berries.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Muffins
1 c. butter, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
2 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 c. chopped pecans

Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened. Fold in cranberries and pecans. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min. Cool 5 minutes in pan before removing to wire rack. Yield 2 dozen muffins.

Notes: Frozen cranberries go into the batter straight from the freezer, don't thaw them, just stir them in. Also, to freeze cranberries when they are in season, just take the bag of cranberries out of your grocery bag and place it right in the freezer. Use within a year. This recipe is from Taste of Home 2008.
Jenny

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread

This was inspired by the Grape Nuts Bread recipe when the author said she likes cream cheese on her bread.  I tried this for my Winter Squash Sourdough Bread and it was great.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-4 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. milk (opt.)

In a small, microwave safe bowl, place cream cheese and microwave on high 20 seconds and then in 10 second intervals until just soft enough to stir.  Add cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar and stir until mixed and sugar dissolves.  Refrigerate.  Spread on bread or bagels, or muffins.  You can add the milk to change the spreading consistency if desired.

Notes: Now I can't wait to try this on some other quick breads! I think it might be lovely on Carrot Bread, Bag End Brown Bread and A.M. Delight Muffins.

Jenny

Grape Nuts Bread

This recipe is easy to make, and though it is a quick bread, the texture is like a yeast bread. It is from a cookbook called When Meals Were Meals.  The bread is a little sweet and full of the malty flavor of the cereal.  The author suggests to serve this with cream cheese.  I liked it best warm with butter or toasted.

Grape-Nuts Bread
1 c. Grape-Nuts
2 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. honey
3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder

Combine Grape-Nuts and milk and let the cereal soak for 30 min.  Stir in egg, sugar and honey.  Combine and sift flour, salt and baking powder together.  Stir into Grape-Nut mixture and blend until smooth.  Spoon into greased loaf pan and bake at 375 degrees for 45 min.

Notes:  If you want to hurry the soaking process, combine the cereal and milk and microwave for 1-2 min. then allow it to cool to lukewarm.

Jenny

Pumpkin Pancakes

A fall breakfast treat! This recipe came from a Martha Stewart magazine and I have doubled the ingredients.  These are excellent with some Buttermilk Syrup or I recently used a Milk Syrup that I added molasses to. Yum!

 Pumpkin Pancakes
2 1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
2 c. milk
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
1/4 c. melted butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients.  In another bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, melted butter, eggs and vanilla and whisk together.  Cook on a hot griddle greased with a little melted butter.

I thought I would have to coax some of my children into trying these, so I made some of them have smiley faces with cinnamon chips.  If you want to try this, pour your batter onto the griddle, when they are almost ready to turn, add the chips and turn to finish cooking.

Jenny

How to Boil an Egg

I know.  I did a mental eye-roll too when they said they were going to teach us to boil an egg in college.  How hard can it be?  You put in the egg and boil it, right?  But just like most cooking, there are specific ways to get the best results, and if you do it this way, you avoid that weird green layer that forms around the yolk when it is cooked too long...nobody likes Frankenstein eggs.

How to Boil an Egg
In a saucepan (that has a lid) place cold eggs and fill with enough cold water to cover the eggs. (Avoid eggs that are visibly cracked.)
Cook over high heat until water boils.
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 7-8 min.
Immediately drain eggs and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process.
Peel and eat!  or chop for use in a potato salad or egg sandwich.

Note:  I am at high altitude, if you live at sea level, you may want to reduce cooking time, you can also reduce the cooking time to produce a soft yolk.

Jenny

Strawberry Danish Dessert (Homemade)

This is such a handy recipe!  I like to use it for waffle topping or for shortcake, or to top Mock Strawberry Shortcake.

Strawberry Danish Dessert
1 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
4 Tbsp. dry jello mix (strawberry or raspberry flavor)
1 1/2 c. water

2 c. sliced strawberries (or fresh whole raspberries)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, corn syrup, jello and water.  Stir and heat over medium heat until ingredients come to a boil.  Stir and boil for a few minutes (3-4 min.)  Take off heat.  Stir in lemon juice and berries.  Serve warm (over waffles) or cooled.

Jenny

Sourdough Cinnamon Pull Apart

I've been playing with a sourdough starter for a while now.  So far, this is the biggest hit at my house, so I thought I'd share.  If you need a recipe to make your own start, try this one.

Sourdough Cinnamon Pull Apart
recipe for Sourdough Biscuits
1/2 c. melted butter
1 c. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Make biscuit dough as directed.  Combine cinnamon and sugar. Roll small balls of dough in melted butter, then in the cinnamon sugar mix and crowd them into a pan. Let rise 20 min. and preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Bake for 15 min.  Mix glaze ingredients with a whisk until smooth and drizzle over warm bread.  Serve immediately.

Jenny

Date Picnic Cake

Picnic cakes are usually topped with something other than frosting for ease in transport.  This is a dense cake, with a great topping. My mother shared the recipe, but it came to her from Birdie Hunter--a lovely grandma lady from my childhood memories, who had a way with food.  I think it would be a good one for potlucks at any season or nice served as a breakfast/coffee cake.

Date Picnic Cake
1 1/4 c. dates, chopped
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. boiling water

Place dates in a small bowl.  Sprinkle baking soda over the dates and pour boiling water over all.  Let cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine:
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs

Cream together.  Then add:
2 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together, then stir in date mixture.  Spread into a greased 9x13 pan.

Top with:
1 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. brown sugar

Sprinkle on chips, nuts, and finally sugar over all.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 min. Test doneness with a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake, until it comes out clean.

Notes:  I had to bake mine a bit longer.

Jenny

Mashed Potato Patties

This is really a how-to more than a recipe, as leftovers always vary in their content and amount.  These are fun to make with left over mashed potatoes, and my family always welcomes them as a simple week night supper with  biscuits and a veggie. I start with mashed potatoes that I have made with good old Idaho Russets.  I think you can use mashed potatoes made from flakes, but you may have to experiment with the amount of flour to get them stiff enough to hold together when you fry them. Let me know how that goes.

Mashed Potato Patties

about 4 cups cold mashed potatoes

1 cup chopped ham (or bacon, or pepperoni)

2 Tbsp. onion, chopped fine, or use onion powder to taste

1 clove garlic, minced, or use garlic powder to taste

herbs of your choice (opt.)

salt and pepper

1 egg

1/2 c. flour

oil for frying

Stir ham, onions, garlic and any other seasonings you like into mashed potatoes.  Salt and pepper to taste.  (And do taste them. Potatoes are bland and can take quite a bit of seasoning, the amounts given are approximate.)  When the potatoes are well seasoned, add the flour and egg and mix well.  

Heat a puddle of oil in a skillet on medium heat, when hot, scoop a dollop of potatoes into the skillet and flatten out a bit with the back of a spoon. Cook for a minute or two, then turn to brown on both sides.  Fry a few patties at time, replenishing the oil as needed.  Drain on paper towels.  You can serve them with sour cream if you like.

Notes:  If your first batch of patties fall apart in the skillet, you need to add more flour.  They should be tender, but manageable.  You can use any leftover meat in these, or you can make them without, as more of a side dish.   These would also make a nice warm breakfast.

Jenny

Pasta Frittata

A frittata is an Italian omelette.  The first recipe I encountered for one contained pasta, so I always make it that way. Anytime I have leftover spaghetti noodles, I cover them with plastic wrap in the fridge for a day or two (so we are in the mood for pasta again), and make them into this yummy stuff.  It is an easy week night meal or breakfast.

Pasta Frittata 
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
3-4 c. cooked spaghetti noodles
1-2 c. cubed ham (or other meat)
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
12 eggs
1/4 c. water
3/4 c. cheese

In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter.  Add garlic and onions and cook for a minute, then add pasta and toss in oil to season.  Add ham, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning. Warm through.  In a bowl, whisk eggs and water together until it is all yellow.  Pour eggs over noodles and meat.  Tilt skillet so egg coats all ingredients.  Reduce heat to simmer and cover.  Cook for about 10-15 min, or until eggs are set.  Sprinkle with cheese, cover again until cheese melts.  Cut into wedges and serve with salsa or chili sauce if desired.

Notes:  You can also finish this in the oven under a broiler. Just when the eggs are set on the bottom, but not on the top, add the cheese and place the skillet under a hot broiler until eggs are set and cheese is bubbly.  You can use any thing in this, diced veggies, bacon, green pepper, cut up sausage--it is an omelette, add what you like, but I like the garlic-y noodles, so I always do that part.

Jenny

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

This is a blast from my past.  All the cookbooks from my mom's era had a handful of entries of this particular muffin and I remember my mother making them.  The recipe is nice because it makes a big batch, but the batter can sit in your fridge for a week.  Makes mornings so easy, and this is a good-for-you muffin as far as they go.  I like them with jam or jelly.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins
2 c. boiling water
5 tsp. baking soda
In a bowl, stir baking soda into water until dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, cream together:
1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
4 eggs

Combine:
5 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
and add to shortening mixture alternately with
1 qt. buttermilk
Mix well.  Beat in the baking soda/water mixture.

Fold in:
6 c. bran flakes cereal
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min. Yield: about 5 dozen

Notes:  You can add raisins to this, or it even works to make this with raisin bran cereal.  Last time I made it, I used 5 c. bran flakes and 1 c. wheat germ.  Next time I make it, I think I'm going to try using brown sugar instead of white.  I make 2 dozen for my family at a time, and usually I get about 4 dozen total.  I grease my muffin cups, and the yield may be higher with paper-lined cups, as they tend to hold a bit less.

You can also bake all the muffins at once and freeze them.  This is great for on-the-go mornings, as a frozen muffin takes only about a minute in the microwave to be hot.  True fast food. :)

Jenny

Apple Ring Pancakes

These are fun to serve in the fall, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a drizzle of syrup.

Apple Ring Pancakes
apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into rings  (We used a slicer that turns the apple and peels at the same time.)
your favorite pancake batter, I use this one

Place apple rings on a hot, greased griddle

Pour pancake batter over and around the rings.  Cook just as you would normal pancakes.

Serve warm with syrup and powdered sugar.

Jenny

Fried Apples

I have been reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's book, Farmer Boy with my daughter.  We just read that Almonzo's favorite food was fried apples 'n onions so we decided to try frying some apples.  I think I would like the onions too, but wasn't supported by the kids in the kitchen at the time.  My son Ethan is in cub scouts and he needed to help with a meal as part of a requirement for scouts, so he made this side dish, basically by himself.  We served them as a side to French Toast. I think they would be a nice side for pork chops too.

Fried Apples
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
6 apples, cored and thickly sliced (we used an apple slicer-the kind you push down over the apple)
dash of salt
cinnamon sugar

Melt the butter in a skillet, when it is hot, stir in the apples.  Turn them and let them cook until they begin to nicely brown.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt and more liberally with cinnamon sugar.  Stir to coat and serve warm.

Jenny

Amish Baked Oatmeal

As the mornings cool off, I love a hot breakfast and this delicious baked oatmeal is my latest favorite.  It takes only about 5 minutes to mix this up at night, then you put it in the fridge.  In the morning, you can pop it in the oven to bake while you are in the shower. I especially like it because it can be served now or later (breakfast is often  served in shifts at our house). It is equally yummy cold or even leftover the next day--just crumble it into a bowl, and pour cold milk over the top, eat it just like any other cold cereal.

Amish Baked Oatmeal
1 1/2 c. quick oats
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 egg
1/4 c. melted butter or margarine
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together.  Pour into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan.  Refrigerate overnight.  Place cold pan in a cold oven, set temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 min. Scoop into bowls.  Serve warm with warm half and half and berries.  4-5 servings.

Notes:  I haven't tried this with cream and berries yet.  I love it hot from the oven with milk poured over it.   I'm sure it is even better with fruit. Store any leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. My pan is 9x9, so but the baking time still seems right.

I have a rolled 9 Grain cereal that I have used this with too.  Increase the milk to 1 cup.  It is great with the other grains for variety.

Update 8/13: I tried this recipe using the quick oats, but baking it right away instead of letting it rest in the fridge.  It worked just fine, a bit of texture difference and reduce baking time to 22 min.

Jenny

Hot Cocoa Mix

We have snow! Really, it is almost the first time this whole winter!  The cold reminded me that I intended to share all my favorite warm drinks here.  These are the things the kids go for when they come in from playing in the snow. This post is followed by Cinnamon Milk Mix and Russian Refresher Mix. I try to keep them on hand all winter, they are so nice to have!

My mother made cocoa mix when I was a kid, my kids just think this is how cocoa is done.  The original recipe for this came from Make a Mix, but this is my own version, tweaked to my taste. 

Hot Cocoa Mix
10 2/3 c. instant  nonfat dry milk (a 25.6 oz. package)
2 1/2 c. powdered non-dairy creamer
2 c. powdered sugar
1 (20 oz.) container Nestle Quik or other instant chocolate drink mix

Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl and whisk together until it is uniform in color.  Store in an airtight, labeled container and use within 6 months.

To Make Hot Cocoa: Place 1/3 c. cocoa mix in an 8 oz. cup and fill with hot water.  Stir.

Notes:  We have gone through 4 batches of this since Halloween!  I have used all kinds of chocolate drink mixes for this, and although they all work, I really prefer Nestle. 

Jenny

Cinnamon Milk Mix

This is my favorite warm drink.  This picture is the dry mix.

Cinnamon Milk Mix
2 c. powdered milk
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 c. powdered non-dairy creamer
1 1/4 c. sugar

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until mix is uniform in color.  Store in an airtight container, labeled with contents.  Use within six months.

To Make Cinnamon Milk: Place 1/3 c. mix in an 8 oz. cup,  fill with hot water and stir.  You may add a drop of vanilla if you like. (I do.)

Notes: Use instant non-fat dry milk.  I double the recipe.

Jenny