Cheese Scones

I found this recipe through Kraft's site. These are delectable - I can't even explain how much I adore a good cheese scone.  I will never look for another one now that I tried this one.

It's a good recipe for halving, as I can make 4 large scones with a half-recipe.

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup cold butter/margarine, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese (I usually add a few small chunks of cheese too to get some nice cheese pockets in the scones)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk

Mix the first four ingredients well, then cut in the butter. Fork in the cheese and make a well in the middle.  Whisk together milk and eggs and add to the centre of the well, then mix gently and briefly with a fork until somewhat together. Knead gently with hands just to make dough gather together. Divide into flattened circular shapes messily or go to the hassle of rolling 1/2 inch thick and cutting out circular shapes with a biscuit cutter.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-17 minutes.  My larger biscuits (8 to a batch) take 17 minutes.  They are a little slice of heaven, and are a perfect accompaniment for soup on a colder day. 

Pierogi Pizza

If you've ever had "pierogi pizza" at Boston Pizza, you have experienced a wonderful thing.  One day I decided to make it myself.  I found someone else here who first tried, and I am thankful for their efforts!  I have adjusted the amounts to what I found worked best for me.

Original recipe for the pizza dough here. It is super easy - no-rise, not thin-crust. I have adjusted mine to be partially whole wheat and it still gets devoured.

Dough:

• 1 packet of yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 c warm water
• 2 1/2 c flour (I use 1 whole wheat and 1.5 all-purpose)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (optional; I have not tried this)
• Cornmeal for pizza stone

Topping for 1 large pizza:

• 1-2 large russet potatoes (sliced thinly, peeled if you like but I don't mind a bit of potato peel strings on my pizza)
• 2-3 tsp Cayenne Pepper (I increased this way up from the original because it needs to be spicy!)
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 1/2 cup Medium Cheddar Cheese (grated)
• 4 Bacon Slices (cooked and cut into pieces)
• Sour Cream

Cook the potato slices in about 1-2 cups of water with the spices. This won't take nearly as long as cooking chunks of potatoes, so be careful not to overcook!  Cook with lid on maybe 10 minutes, then remove the lid to let the water burn off. Add a bit of vegetable oil if desired so the potatoes do not stick together and to the pan.  Be careful not to burn or cook the slices to mush! Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl.

Spread a thin layer of sour cream on your pizza dough, and distribute the potato slices evenly (get close to the edge because when the dough rises you do end up with an empty crust around the edge, which I hate).  Sprinkle the pieces of bacon on top and then add cheese.  Simple.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes until crust and cheese is golden.  Best to do this on parchment paper (on a pizza stone) spread with cornmeal. Garnish with dollops of sour cream and chopped green onions. Serve hot, or if you have to serve my husband, refrigerate and serve cold!

Entrees

I don't cook.  My husband likes to, and he has made some amazing meals in the past. Unfortunately, sometimes we forgot how many options we have for dinners.  This post is just for when we need inspiration (or to make our mouths water).

Saffron risotto with shrimp and mussels



California and chicken teriyaki rolls

Seafood linguini with clams

Tuna nicoise salad (inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine we experienced in Barcelona)

Flank steak with bean sprout stir-fry

BBQ chicken pizza (or roasted corn and chicken, or basil and tomato, or roasted garlic, or pierogi pizza... the list is endless)

I am one lucky lady!

Apple Crumble

Topping:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg
• 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Fruit filling just requires a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and a bit of sugar to lightly coat the fruit.  Standard recipe would be granny smith apples but nectarines (as above) or blackberries make an excellent summer treat!

375 for 30 min or until apples are soft when poked with a fork.  Best when served with ice cream.  

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Original recipe found here (Home is where the Holmans are), and many thanks!  This worked really well in my dutch oven. Again, my reason for re-posting is to ensure the recipe is never lost to me.

Photo of the finished soup found with my biscuit recipe here.  This is a wonderful spicy soup that doesn't really need a recipe unless you're like me and you can't cook worth anything.  Even I was able to modify based on what I had in my pantry and voila - tasty and cozy goodness!

• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 skinless chicken breasts (I used equivalent in tenderloin strips)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ancho chili powder (I used regular chili powder)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine above and cook over medium heat (likely 20-25 minutes) until chicken is cooked through - then remove chicken, shred it, and set it aside. Add the following ingredients to the stock:

• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 4-6 jalapeno peppers, minced (yes you'll probably want at least 4!)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced

Simmer about half an hour until tomatoes are starting to fall apart. Add:

• 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 8 oz cotija cheese and 8 oz pepperjack cheese (I only had mozzarella and a bit of asiago, so make do with whatever you may have for cheese)

Put shredded chicken back into soup and cook 20 more minutes or until desired consistency.  If using a crock pot after the chicken is cooked, add everything but the chicken and cook on low at least 3 hours. Add the chicken back in a half hour before serving, and add:

• 1 cup chopped cilantro

Enjoy with a bit of shredded cheese on top and baked biscuits on the side!