Cheddar Dill Scones

I'm back with another recipe from Ina Garten of the Food Network.  

This is one of the original recipes from her early days slaving

over the ovens in her shop, The Barefoot Contessa.

It was interesting to hear the stories of her beginnings,

  like starting work at 3AM  in the morning . . .  OMG!

It brought back memories of having a retail store

 . . . sometimes more like a nightmare, except that

following your dream gives you the determination

 to do whatever it takes.

In the beginning, she only made one type of scone.

That is, until asked what other types she made.

She rattled off a list of different flavored scones that

 she had yet to even make . . . the Cheddar Dill Scone

 was one of them.  She promptly experimented with

the recipe and this is what she  came up with.  

I'm glad she did!

Ingredients

• 4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
• 1 cup minced fresh dill
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked. 

Makes 16 large scones

Click here for more recipes from this episode.

I've discovered a new show on the Food Network Channel featuring Ann Thornton. Here's a part of the website's bio about Ann and the show . . . 

"As an expert pastry chef, Anne Thornton shares indulgent recipes for tantalizing treats on her “In the Kitchen” Food Network cooking series, Dessert First With Anne Thornton. Anne demystifies and simplifies the world of pastry and dessert by showing viewers the ins and outs to no-fear baking. From flaky pastries to ice cream cake, Anne’s approachable techniques prove that any home cook can create impressive desserts."

I've been searching for sweets and comfort foods lately since that funky mood has struck me that calls for this kind of food.  The television has been stuck on the Food Network lately since I have really been bored with food.  If you are a sweet-o-holic like me, you will love this program.  I love her style of cooking . . . easy . . . using convenience foods.  I could not believe how easy these awesome croissants came together and the possibilities for fillings are endless.  My thoughts have turned to using cannoli filling with chocolate chips for something delicious and different . . . can't wait to try it.

Milk Chocolate and Almond Croissants

Ingredients

• 1 (17.3-ounce) package or 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• Flour, for dusting, if needed
• 4 (1/2-ounce) mini milk chocolate bars, each broken into 4 equal pieces (recommended: Hershey's)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Sugar, for sprinkling
• 1/2 (7-ounce) package almond paste, divided into 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pieces, shaped like a log or rolled into a ball
• Almond slices, for garnish

Directions

Special equipment: pizza cutter or kitchen shears, ruler

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place 1 sheet thawed puff pastry on the work surface like a sheet of paper or portrait (not horizontal or landscape). If the puff pastry is very sticky, very lightly flour the work surface. Using a pizza cutter or kitchen shears, cut the puff pastry in half, widthwise. Using a ruler as a guide, make an indentation at 2-inch intervals (for the base) across the bottom of each puff pastry half. Cut each half into 8 triangles, with the base of each triangle measuring 2 inches. (They will be very long isosceles triangles.) You'll end up discarding the 2 end pieces to get the most out of your puff pastry piece. This sheet of triangles will be reserved for the chocolate croissants. Repeat the cutting for the second puff pastry sheet that will be used for the almond croissants.

For the chocolate croissants: Place 1 chocolate piece just above the 2-inch edge of 1 pastry triangle, folding the dough over the chocolate as you tightly roll up the dough, enclosing the chocolate. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and chocolate. Place the pastry rolls on the baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover the croissants with plastic wrap and place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until the dough firms up. (You can make these croissants 1 day ahead up to this point.)

Just before baking, remove the croissants from the refrigerator, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with sugar.

For the almond croissants: Place 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond paste, shaped like a small log, just above the 2-inch edge of 1 pastry triangle, folding the dough over the almond paste as you tightly roll up the dough, enclosing the almond paste. Repeat with remaining puff pastry triangles and almond paste. Place the pastry rolls on a baking sheet, seam-side down. Cover the croissants with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the dough firms up. (You can make these croissants 1 day ahead up to this point.)

Just before baking, remove the croissants from the refrigerator, brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake until the pastries are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cook's Note: These croissants are so easy and so good you'll want to stuff them with practically everything. They are perfect as is-chocolate croissants and almond croissants, but if you're feeling a little adventurous combine the chocolate and almond paste (scale back just a touch on the almond paste) in one croissant for a decadent treat. But don't stop there, you can stuff these mouthwatering minis with savory fillings too. Ham and cheese croissants are crazy good!

For more recipes from this episode, click here.

Crab Hush Puppies

You can't beat Paula Deen for the best southern recipes. 

Hush puppies are one of my favorite things to go with seafood . . . I love them plain, but have never tried anything like this before . . . and I can't wait to try them with the addition of crab meat.  These would make great appetizers. 

She made these awesome crab hush puppies on a recent episode of Paula's Home Cooking on the Food Network . . . I had to look it up and share it.

My variation . . . add some kind of hot pepper!

Ingredients

• Oil, for frying
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup very fine bacon crumbles
• 1 pound fresh picked blue crabmeat

Directions

In a Dutch oven, heat oil to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, thyme, baking powder, salt, garlic pepper, baking soda and cayenne pepper.

In a small bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream. Add to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in onions, bacon, and crabmeat.

Dip spoon into water and then a spoonful of the hushpuppy mixture. This will allow mixture to easily fall off the spoon. Drop by tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Ina's Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Ina Garten of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa is one of my favorite chefs.  I was watching her show where she prepared a 30th wedding anniversary meal for Jeffrey.  She made the most awesome little chocolate wedding cake, it was so cute!  The buttercream frosting she made included many ingredients that I have not used in a chocolate frosting, so I wanted to make sure that I didn't lose the recipe.

For the complete meal from this episode, click here.  It is all good!

Ingredients

• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup egg whites (4 to 5 extra-large eggs), at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 pounds unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 teaspoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 1/2 teaspoons water
• 3 tablespoons dark rum, optional

Directions

Chop the chocolates and place them in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan simmering water. Stir until melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

Mix the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the bowl of egg whites over the pan of simmering water and heat the egg whites until they are warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Return the bowl to the electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak.

Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, vanilla, espresso, and rum, if using, and mix for 1 minute or until the chocolate is completely blended in. If the buttercream seems very soft, allow it to cool, and beat it again.

Crab Spread

This spread/dip would be a welcome addition to any gathering.  Seafood spreads are among my favorite appetizer choices.  

My imagination is going wild with the possibilities for this recipe.  After the recipe, you will find some serving suggestions from Mr. Food, however, I have a few of my own.  How about finger sandwiches made with this crab spread?  The thought of using this spread in a fried grouper sandwich instead of tartar sauce is making my mouth water.  I must try that!

Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 pound imitation crabmeat, flaked

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well.

Spoon mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. 

Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestion

Serve this up with crackers, or with homemade pita chips that you can make simply by cutting medium pitas into 8 wedges each; separate the halves, and bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven until golden and crisp.

Recipe and photo source:  Mr. Food

Jiffy Corn Fritters

• 1 pkg. "JIFFY" Corn Muffin Mix
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup whole kernel corn, drained
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• frying oil

Preheat oil in deep fryer oil or on griddle to 400°.

Combine all ingredients (except oil).  Blend well.

Drop by tablespoon into hot oil or on prepared griddle.  

Cook until lightly browned on both sides.  

Drain on paper towel and serve.

Makes 10-12 pieces

I love anything associated with corn.  In my opinion, corn is one of the perfect foods and my pantry almost always stocked with cans of corn or my freezer has more than one bag of frozen corn.  Of course I prefer fresh corn, but it is not always available.

Many years ago my husband and I would go to the local fields and buy a truckload of just picked corn.  Not only was it a tremendous bargain, but there is no other form of corn that compares to just picked corn.  The fresh corn you buy at the grocery store has already been picked for days and there is a difference.  If you are near farms that grow corn, do yourself a favor and check out just picked corn.

Usually we would have a corn shucking party in those times and prepare the corn for freezing.  Of course we made every type of corn dish and appetizer you could think of.  When I ran across this recipe for corn fritters in my personal recipe collection, I immediately went back to those corn shucking party days, where corn fritters were one of the most popular items we made.

The compost pile was very happy to have all those corn cobs!  One of the first things we did was start a pot of salted water to enjoy some corn on the cob.  That is what would get the party started!  We would laugh at the thought of looking like the gluttons back in medieval times eating like savages.  Have you ever observed a table full of people eating corn on the cob?  The sight and sounds are hilarious!

Everyone went home with loads of corn and we had a fridge full of corn, ready to eat.  Those were fun times!  Cooking in bulk doesn't have to be a dreaded job . . . just make it a party!  I must introduce The Captain to a corn shucking party :)

Isn't it wonderful how a simple recipe can bring back so many good memories?

Homemade Pimento Cheese Sandwiches

This recipe comes from the Food Network, one of my favorite television channels.  I was watching Sunny Anderson's show the other day and she featured this recipe that is so simple to make and looks so delicious.

These sandwiches would make awesome appetizers for a party!

The only thing I would change . . . omit the onions and substitute cayenne pepper for the black pepper.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded (recommended: Colby)
• 1/2 pound Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, plus 2 tablespoons juice
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 loaf white sandwich bread, sliced into diagonal pieces

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, pimentos and pimento juice, onion, mayonnaise, garlic, paprika, and celery seed. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer the cheese spread to a serving bowl and serve with the bread.