Blueberry Scones

I had always wanted to make scones.  I love them.  I buy them all of the time at coffee shops, but I had not yet attempted them at home.  We had an abundance of blueberries the other day (they were on sale, ya know?), and I found a recipe that seemed pretty simple.  I learned a few things while baking them:

1.  If you bake immediately after waking up, you will inevitably make at least one mistake.

2.  The little metal thingy on the parchment paper box that you use to tear the parchment paper is quite sharp.  It WILL cut you.

3.  You will worry about getting salmonella in your bloodstream while working with raw dough after you cut yourself on said parchment paper box.

4.  Summer vacation might almost make up for everything else teachers have to deal with during the school year :-)

These scones were so good, especially right out of the oven.  I would recommend sprinkling some extra sugar on top of the scones right before you bake them.  Mmmm, yummy.

Blueberry Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cold butter

1 egg

3/8 cup (Half of 3/4 cup) milk plus 1 Tablespoon milk, divided

3/4 cup fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In a bowl, whisk egg and 3/8 cup milk; add to dry ingredients just until moistened.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; gently knead in the blueberries.

2.  Pat dough into an 8-inch circle; cut into eight wedges.  Place on greased baking sheets.  Brush with remaining milk.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.  Serve warm.

Source:  Taste of Home, www.tasteofhome.com

Better Than Frozen Pizza

One of my newest obsessions is BBQ chicken pizza.  It is so delicious, but the frozen ones I have tried recently haven't been living up to my expectations.  I decided to make one myself after seeing the recipe on multiple websites and blogs.  

Most of the recipes were pretty similar, so instead of following a specific recipe, I just based my pizza on the Pioneer Woman's version of California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Pizza.  I didn't follow the recipe exactly though, as I preferred to buy a pre-baked crust and use shredded mozzarella cheese.

The final product was AMAZING!  I absolutely loved it, and it was so easy to make.  If you're not a cilantro lover, leave it off.  I thought it added a little "freshness" and color to the pizza though.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

1 pre-baked pizza crust

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

BBQ sauce

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Chopped cilantro, as much as desired

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover with BBQ sauce.  Turn chicken in sauce to coat the chicken.  Bake chicken for 25 minutes.  Cool chicken and then dice into small pieces.  

2.  Place pizza crust on a pan.  Spread a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce on crust.  Sprinkle with 1/2 of mozzarella.  Distribute as much diced chicken as desired evenly over crust.  Top with red onion slices and rest of mozzarella.  Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.  

3.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro. 

Source:  Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks, http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking 

Chicken Stroganoff

I contemplated not posting this recipe just because the pictures of it are not appetizing.  I tried a few different shots, but there is clearly no way to make this dish look beautiful.  Fortunately, it was a delicious meal!  I was actually really surprised with how much I liked it.  The recipe came from a Cooking Light cookbook, but I did not think that it tasted like a "light" recipe at all.  It was a quick and easy meal, and I would definitely make it again.  

  

Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients:

4 turkey-bacon slices

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1-1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (8-ounce) carton reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles

Directions:

1.  Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan; crumble.  Add onion and chicken to drippings in pan, sauté 6 minutes.  Add bacon, broth, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic; bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

2.  Combine sour cream and flour, stirring until smooth.  Add sour cream mixture to pan, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Serve over egg noodles.

Source:  Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004

Daughter of the Year

I am an amazing daughter.  My dad is so lucky to have me.  Haha!  He has been saying for a couple of months that he wanted rhubarb custard pie.  He was so excited that it was on the menu when we went to Key's Cafe in White Bear Lake, and then they were sold out of it.  He was bummed.  I found this recipe for Rhubarb Custard Tart on the Pillsbury website the other day and decided to surprise my dad.  

I am not a fan of custard pie, and strawberry-rhubarb pie has never been my favorite either, but I thought this pie was delicious!  My dad was a big fan as well.

Look at the beautiful edges on that crust!  Man, I am good!

Here's another one so you can see the filling.  Yummy.

Rhubarb Custard Tart

Ingredients:

1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons apricot preserves

1 egg yolk

3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb

Directions:

1.  Place pie crust in 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom or 9-inch glass pie pan as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.  Trim edge if necessary.

2.  Place cookie sheet on middle oven rack in oven to preheat; heat oven to 375 degrees.  In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, the brown sugar and oats.  With fork or pastry blender, but in butter until mixture is crumbly; set aside.

3.  In large bowl, mix granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons flour.  Stir in whipping cream, apricot preserves and egg yolk until well blended.  Stir in rhubarb.  Pour filling into crust-lined pan.  Sprinkle topping evenly over filling.

4.  Place tart on preheated cookie sheet in oven; bake 40-50 minutes or until filling bubbles around edge and topping is deep golden brown.  Let stand 30 minutes before serving.

Source:  Pillsbury, http://www.pillsbury.com

Cashew Chicken

I love Chinese food, but I was always too intimidated to make it at home.  Plus, my parents always wrinkled their noses whenever I would mention Chinese food.  I finally got up the nerve to try this recipe for Cashew Chicken that I found on the blog Let's Dish.  Turns out, it was easy to make and pretty delicious!

The recipe calls for salt and pepper to season the dish, but I recommend adding a few dashes of soy sauce to the finished cashew chicken.  It seemed to bring out the other flavors without overpowering them with the flavor of soy sauce.

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cloves garlic, minced

8 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup raw cashews, toasted

Salt and pepper, to taste

White rice, for serving (optional)

Directions:

1.  In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Cook the chicken, tossing often, for 3-5 minutes.

2.  Add garlic and white parts of scallions to the skillet.  Continue cooking until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes more.  Add vinegar and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.  Stir in hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water.  Cook and stir until chicken is cooked through.  

3.  Remove from heat.  Stir in scallion greens and toasted cashews.  Serve immediately over white rice, if desired.  

Source:  Let's Dish, http://www.letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com

Party Food!

Last weekend, I was blessed to be able to spend some quality time with my sister, Jill.  She recently moved to the big city of Minneapolis, and I have missed her!  She and her new roommate had a little housewarming party in their beautiful apartment, and a good time was had by all.  

Here they are enjoying some beergaritas (which are delicious, by the way)!

    

They were kind enough to let me make this delicious Hawaiian Cheese Bread.  Although we couldn't find the loaf of Hawaiian bread that the recipe called for, one package of Hawaiian rolls was a decent substitute.  It turned out really cheesy and wonderful!

Hawaiian Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

1 loaf (1 pound) Hawaiian sweet bread

1 block (8 ounces) Swiss cheese

3 slices red onion, chopped

1/2 cup butter, melted

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Cut bread diagonally into 1-inch slices to within 1 inch of bottom.  Repeat cuts in opposite direction.  Cut swiss cheese into 1/4-inch slices; cut slices into small pieces.  Insert into bread.  Combine the onion, butter, garlic and salt; spoon over bread.  

Wrap loaf in foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve warm.

Source:  Taste of Home: Simple and Delicious, April/May 2011

¡Sopa! (That would be "soup" to all you non-Spanish speakers)

Since Mother Nature was being unkind on Monday (Winter?! On the second day of May?!), I decided to make some warm and comforting soup.

I am slightly obsessed with Panera.  That's what happens when you work there for three years.  I adore their broccoli cheddar soup.  Although this Cheesy Floret Soup is not exactly the same as the Panera version, I think it is a decent, homemade substitute.  It's full of veggies and very rich.  It's perfect with some French bread.

Cheesy Floret Soup

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh broccoli florets

3 cups fresh cauliflowerets

3 celery ribs, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2-1/3 cups milk

1 pound process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

Directions:

1.  In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

2.  In a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually stir in milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Reduce heat; add cheese.  Cook and stir until cheese is melted.

3.  Drain vegetables; add cheese sauce and heat through.