Irish Soda Bread Scones
Irish Soda Bread Scones
If you are in the mood for the flavor of Irish Soda Bread- you can get the same wonderful experience in a scone. I made a batch of these scones this morning. I had one with a cup of hot tea. It was the perfect breakfast.
I will admit that most mornings, breakfast is a bowl of oat bran. Scones are so much more fun. They don’t take a lot of time to make, either. These would be a great addition to your St. Patrick’s Day meal.
While traditionally served for breakfast or tea time, scones are really good any time of the day. They certainly can also be served with dinner.
I used golden raisins, but you could use regular raisins, currants, or even leave them out.
Irish Soda Bread Scones
2 c. flour
3 T. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1/3 c. butter
½ c. golden raisins
1 t. caraway seeds
2/3 c. buttermilk
1 egg
Milk
Extra sugar for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl and cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. Beat together buttermilk and egg and add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until mixture just coming together. Turn onto floured surface and knead 5-6 strokes or until ball of dough holds together. Dust an 8-inch round cake with flour. Press dough into cake pan. Invert pan over onto prepared baking sheet. I find if I do this quickly the dough comes out more easily. Remove cake pan. This will give you a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. With a sharp, floured knife cut dough into 8 wedges. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with extra sugar. Bake 14-16 minutes. Makes 8.
Creamed Leeks
Creamed Leeks with Asparagus and Chicken
I needed a side dish for dinner the other night. I ended up making this leek dish and I loved how it turned out. This dish was an experiment that just worked. I love when that happens.
I had picked up some leeks at a local market the other day. They looked great, and I thought I might use them in soup. It is normally how I would use them. I am not sure where the idea to “cream” them came from, but I am glad it did.
Leeks are a member of the onion family. They look like green onions on steroids. You want to pick leeks with long, white stems.
Leeks have an onion flavor, but with lovely sweetness. I get asked all the time about how to prep them. They are full of sand and have to be prepped properly so you don’t get any grit in your food. The only edible part is the white and light green parts. The dark green leaves are tasty, but tough and can be used for making stock. Peel off the first layer of leaves. There is often a lot of sand there. Cut off the bottom about 1/2 -inch from the root. You should be able to see the rings, or layers, of the leek when you do this. Trim off any dark green parts at the top. You’ll have a trimmed leek at this point.
Now you have to clean it. Cut the leek lengthwise in half. Hold one half at a time under running water while fanning the leaves to dislodge any dirt. Take the rinsed halves and cut them into 1/2-inch slices. You could also cut them into thin strips, if you like. Place the slices in a large pan or bowl filled with cold water and agitate them to loosen any remaining sand. Use your fingers to separate the layers. Make sure the bowl is deep enough for the leeks to float several inches from the bottom. The leeks will float and the sand and dirt will sink. Let them stand a few minutes and then lift them out of the water to drain. Any grit will be at the bottom of the bowl.
If there is a lot of grit in the bottom of the bowl you might want to repeat the rinsing process one more time. It might sound like a lot of work but it really doesn’t take that much time and the leeks will be completely clean. I often buy a lot of leeks when they are on sale, then clean them all at once. I saute the cleaned leeks in oil and freeze for later use.
For the creamed leeks, I cooked the leeks in butter until soft. Then I added flour, half and half and seasonings. That was pretty much it. I will make these again soon.
Creamed Leeks
2-3 large leeks, trimmed and cleaned, cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 T. butter
5 T. flour
1 1/2 c. half and half
1 T. chopped parsley
salt, pepper, hot sauce and dill to taste
In pot, combine leeks and butter and cook, covered, over medium low heat until leeks are tender. Stir every few minutes. Add the flour and stir well. Turn heat up to medium. Slowly add the half and half, cooking until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Simmer a few more minutes to completely cook the flour. You can add a little more half and half if you like. Season to taste and serve. Serves 4.
Crab Cakes
Crab Cakes
I had a few good friends over for dinner the other night. I wanted to make something special- so I made crab cakes. I had a can of lump crab meat I was saving, just to use for crab cakes. Everyone loved them.
The secret to crab cakes it adding just enough ingredients to hold the crab meat together, without losing the beautiful texture of the crab in the process. These crab cakes did all that.
I had chives in the freezer, so I used them in my crab cakes. They added such nice flavor. I would prefer to use fresh, but we are a few weeks away from Spring. I had frozen these last fall.
I also used a little sour cream to help hold them together and to add moisture. I know many who prefer mayo as a binder. Either works, I just like sour cream.
I have pan fried them in the past, but decided to bake these in the oven. Either method works. It just comes down to what you prefer. By baking them, I had more time to get the rest of the dinner together.
We had them with fresh asparagus, coleslaw and creamed leeks and spinach. It was a truly special meal.
Crab Cakes
2 eggs
2 T. sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 t. thyme
1 t. lemon juice
½ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. dry mustard
Salt to taste
¼ c. fresh chopped parsley
¼ c. fresh chopped green onions or chives
About ½ c. breadcrumbs
1 lb. lump crab meat
Olive oil
Mix all the ingredients together, except oil. Start with about ¼ cup of the breadcrumbs and add just enough to hold the mixture together. Mixture will be crumbly. Form into patties- you can make 4 large or 8 small.
You can cook them one of two ways.
To bake: Place the crab cakes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush the cakes with a little more oil. Bake in a preheated 450- degree oven for 15 – 18 minutes, for small cakes. Bake 20-24 minutes for large cakes. Turn them once during baking to brown both sides.
To pan fry: Heat skillet to medium hot. Add oil and gently add the cakes. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Turn once, carefully, to brown on both sides.
Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins – Vegan
Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
I had a request from a friend, for more vegan baking recipes. I came up with these muffins and thought I would share it.
The muffins came out moist and light. Baking powder and baking soda gave them plenty of “lift”. They rose beautifully.
I also have a lot of applesauce that I canned, so I am interested in recipes using applesauce. I was happy to use some of it in these muffins.
I added both raisins and walnuts for more texture and flavor. You could omit them, or add different dried fruit or nuts. You can also sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar on top of the muffins before baking, if you like.
I used olive oil in this recipe. I like the way olive oil tastes in baked goods. It almost tastes like I used butter. The secret is to use a mild flavored olive oil. A strong olive oil will over power the muffins.
I actually kept these fairly simple. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!!
Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins
2 c. applesauce- I used homemade with cinnamon in it
1/2 c. oil
1 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
2 c. flour Note: You can use all purpose, I used whole wheat pastry flour.
1 c. rolled oats
2 t. baking soda
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. dried cranberries or raisins
1 c. chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners or grease lightly. Set aside. Combine applesauce with the oil and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add flour, oats, soda, cinnamon and baking powder. Stir to mix well. Stir in fruit and nuts. Spoon batter in to muffin cups, filling just over half-full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Makes 24.
Rich Crescent Rolls
Rich Crescent Rolls
These soft rolls are a perfect addition to any dinner. They are rich, buttery and very tender. I made them last night for a dinner with friends, later today.
Homemade rolls and bread just always taste better than store bought. They are totally worth the time it takes to make them.
Another perk is the way your house smells when they are baking.
These should not be confused with croissants. Croissants are made over a period of time with the dough and butter being folded, rolled and chilled a number of times to create flaky layers.
These are a soft, slightly sweet yeast dough, shaped into crescent shapes. Of course, you can make them in different shapes, if you like. I just like the way the little crescents look.
They are brushed with melted butter before being rolled up into the crescents. I also like to brush them with melted butter when they come out of the oven.
These are great served warm, with butter. I admit to loving to dip them in gravy, too.
So here is the recipe.
Rich Crescent Rolls
¾ c. milk
½ c. each butter and sugar
1 t. salt
2 packages active dry yeast
½ c. warm water
4-5 c. flour
2 eggs
Extra melted butter for brushing on the rolls
Heat together milk and butter until warm. Stir in sugar and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to milk mixture with 2 cups of flour. Beat 3 minutes. Beat in eggs. Stir in flour until soft dough forms. Knead on floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in oiled bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead a few strokes. Divide into fourths and roll each into a circle. Divide circle into 8 pieces (in wedges like a pie) and brush with melted butter. Starting at wide end roll up loosely and place on greased baking sheet with point tucked under. Allow 2-3 inches between rolls and curve slightly into an arc, if desired. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for an hour, or until nearly doubled. Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Brush with melted butter, if you like. Serve warm. Makes 32.
Pressed Duck
Pressed Duck
Pressed duck is a bit of work, but a very fun dish to serve. It is a really nice dish for special occasions. To prepare pressed duck, cooked duck in de-boned, pressed into a pan and steamed. Then the duck is cut into squares and fried. The result is a real treat- crispy on the outside with tender duck meat in the middle.
The process does take two days. The duck is cooked, shredded and steamed on the first day. Then it is refrigerated overnight, before frying. That’s not really a bad thing. All the messy stuff is out of the way the day before. When you want to prep the duck, just slice and fry. I pan fried the duck squares, but you could deep fry it, if you prefer.
I had a couple of friends over for dinner and decided to make pressed duck. I hadn’t made it in ages. The dish came out quite well, but there is one thing I might change for the next time I make it. I used an 8×8 inch square pan. It was tricky to fit the pan in my stock pot for the steaming. Next time, I would a 9×5-inch loaf pan or two, which would make the steaming easier. My pan ended up a little tilted during the steaming process. Or, I could have used a bigger stock pot.
Except for the steaming issues, it was not a difficult dish to prepare. It was kind of fun. Another bonus is that I had a pot of duck stock, from cooking the duck. I strained it, cooled it down and removed the fat on top. The next day, I used to stock to cook my rice in. The rice was so flavorful.
So here is the recipe. I kept in the directions using square pans, but feel free to use a loaf pans instead.
Pressed Duck
1 (4-5 lb.) duck
Water to cover
2 green onions
1 ( 1-inch) piece ginger root
2 T. fennel seeds- or two star anise
2 T. dark soy sauce
1 t. hoisen sauce
1 t. salt
2-3 T. cornstarch
Oil for frying
Sweet and sour sauce- recipe follows
The day before you want to serve pressed duck, in soup pot, combine duck with just enough water to cover. Add green onions, fennel seeds, soy sauces and salt. Cover and simmer until duck in very tender, at least a couple of hours. Remove duck and allow to cool down. Remove skin and meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Shred the meat. You can add a little of the skin, if you like. I actually removed most of the skin from the duck before I cooked it. Then I rendered down the skin to have duck fat for cooking. In baking pan, sprinkle half the cornstarch to cover the bottom of the pans. Be generous with the cornstarch. If you use an 8×8-inch pan, you will need a little less cornstarch than if you use a 9×9-inch pan. Press the shredded duck meat firmly into the pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the cornstarch. Set up a pot to steam the duck mixture. I used a large stockpot with a steamer rack in it. Place the pan in the steamer, cover and steam for 30 minutes. Remove duck from steamer, cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove the duck from pan and cut into squares. Pat off extra moisture to reduce splattering. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry duck pieces for about 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden on the outside. Drain and serve with sweet and sour sauce- or a dipping sauce you like. Serves 4.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 c. vinegar- I like apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. pineapple juice
3 T. catsup
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. cornstarch
1 t. dried minced garlic
1-t. fresh grated ginger
Hot pepper flakes to taste
In saucepan combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring as mixture gets hot, until sauce begins to bubble. It will also get much clearer. Boil gently 1 minute, stirring constantly before removing from heat. Makes 1 1/2 c. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Jambalaya
Creole Jambalaya
There are so many variations for Jambalaya. I don’t think I ever had a Jambalaya I didn’t like.
This Creole dish varies a little with each person who makes it. The assortment of ingredients adds so many layers of flavor.
Traditionally, Jambalaya would include smoked sausage or ham, chicken, shellfish, rice, tomatoes and assorted veggies and seasonings.You can see why there are so many variations. For me, it just isn’t Jambalaya without mussels. Lots and lots of mussels.
It is definitely a great dish for a party. It is impossible to make a small batch of Jambalaya!!!
This recipe is a tweaked version I got from a boss of mine a long time ago. I must say, every time I make this for friends or family it gets rave reviews.
The heat level in this dish is really about personal preference and for the people who are going to be eating it. I like it a bit spicier, so I add more cayenne. If I am making it for friends who like their food less spicy, I use less. Of course, you can always serve it with hot sauce on the side, so people can spice it up a little more.
Creole Jambalaya
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. oil
2 c. cubed uncooked chicken
3 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 16 oz. can tomatoes
2-3 t. paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, uncooked
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1-2 lb. mussels, scrubbed
In Dutch oven cook sausage, onion, celery and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients, except shrimp, peas, sweet red peppers and mussels. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, and peppers, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in peas and stick in mussels. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Discard any mussels which have not opened in 5 minutes. Serves 8.
Coffee Cinnamon Scones
Coffee Cinnamon Scones
Scones should be tender, a little crumbly, and still moist in the middle. These scones are delicate, full of coffee flavor, and not too sweet. Simple to make, as with any scone, the secret is not to over work the dough. You can eat these plain or with a bit of butter. I’m having mine with a cup of coffee. They really make a wonderful start to the day.
When someone tells me they don’t like scones I am sure it is because they haven’t had good scones. The other night in cooking class, one of the ladies said she only had scones once, and they were heavy and dry. I encouraged her to seek out better scones.
Coffee Cinnamon Scones
2/3 c. half and half
2 T. instant coffee powder or espresso powder
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 c. cold butter
1 T. half and half, for brushing the scones
2 T. cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling on the scones
Coffee Cinnamon Glaze- recipe follows
In microwave safe container combine half and half with the coffee powder and heat 30 seconds or so. Stir to dissolve coffee and cool down before using. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Add vanilla and egg to cooled coffee mixture and beat until smooth. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Some small pieces of butter can still be visible. Stir in coffee mixture and mix gently until a soft dough forms. At this point you are supposed to press the dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet. To get a really neat circle use an 8-inch cake pan. Sprinkle the pan with a little flour and put the dough in the pan. Press the dough into the pan. Turn the cake pan over onto an ungreased baking sheet. Do this part fast. Slam it down and then remove the cake pan. You will have a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half. If the dough is too sticky sprinkle the top with a little more flour. Cut in half again and then 2 more times. You will have eight wedges of dough forming 8 scones. Pull dough apart slightly using a spatula. They grow a lot when baking and this will give them more room to expand. Brush with the extra half and half and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched lightly. Make glaze and drizzle over the warm scones. Makes 8.
Coffee Cinnamon Glaze
2 T. half and half
2 t. instant coffee powder or espresso powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. powdered sugar
Heat half and half and coffee powder together in microwave safe container for 10 seconds. Stir until smooth. Stir in cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth and drizzle over the scones.
Oatmeal Bread
Oatmeal Bread
This oatmeal bread is one of my favorites. With the addition of molasses, the bread has an earthy sweetness that works well with the oatmeal. It makes a great sandwich bread and I love it for French toast.
This is a very versatile recipe. You can make 2 round loaves, or bake it in 2 loaf pans (9×5) or even make dinner rolls out of it. I sometimes make hamburger buns out of it.
When making dinner rolls, instead of loaves, reduce baking time to about 15 minutes- but check on rolls at 12 minutes. Baking temperature remains the same.
There is something about the smell of baking bread that always makes me remember my childhood and going to the movies. I know that sounds odd, but there is an explanation. When I was a kid there was a neighborhood movie theater. It was close by, and we would walk there to see movies. On the walk home we walked past a local bakery. Late at night they would be baking bread and other goodies for the next day. The air would be filled with the aroma of baking bread.
Oatmeal Bread
5-5 ½ c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 ½ t. salt
1 1/3 c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ c. molasses
¼ c. butter
1 egg
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
In large bowl mix 1 cup of the flour with yeast and salt. In small pan heat together next 4 ingredients until warm. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup additional flour and egg and beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in oatmeal and 1 cup more flour and stir, adding enough flour to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover, allowing to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on prepared sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.
This versatile dough can also be shaped into loaves and places in 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Baking time will remain the same. Dough can also be divided into 24 equal pieces and shaped into dinner rolls. Bake rolls at 375 for 15 minutes.
Assorted Oatmeal Bread Rolls
Maple-Glazed Apple Bacon Fritters
Maple-Glazed Apple and Bacon Fritters
I did a class on cooking with maple syrup yesterday. One of the dishes I made was maple glazed fritters. The batter contains diced, fresh apples and crispy bacon. Everyone loved them.
Fritters aren’t difficult to make. They really don’t take that long to make, either. I think people were surprised at how easy they were to make.
I prefer to make fritters close to when I am serving them- so my guests can enjoy them warm.
They make a wonderful dessert, or a fun addition to a breakfast or brunch menu. I dipped them in the maple glaze, which also went well with the apples and bacon.
I must warn you, they are addictive.
Apple and Bacon Fritters
2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. melted butter
1 c. diced apples
1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon
oil for frying- I used coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and add the apples and bacon. Heat oil to 375. If using gluten free flour, heat oil to 350. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about 4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Dip in maple glaze (recipe follows) while warm. Makes about 32.
Maple Glaze
1 c. Powdered sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
a little water if mixture gets too thick
Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
