So Many Layers

The reason I love scones is because of the layers. Plain and simple. The delicate taste and dense dough are fun too, but I love how when you bite into a scone you can see and feel all the layers. Now, these are real scones- not the Americanized version. Americans tend to over sugar everything. Scones are supposed to compliment tea, which is delicate itself. They shouldn't overpower anything, really. I had a scone recipe I used several times, but when I bought a new book on clearance at work, I decided to try the scone recipe out. It's fantastic. They're moist but still thick, they rise so very high, and any flavor is a good compliment to them. The best part is you probably always have the ingredients on hand! Today I made blueberry with lemon zest and peach with white chocolate.

Recipe: Welsh Scones

Makes: ~ 16 scones

Recipe originated from: The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri ( http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Baker-Time-Saving-Techniques-Cookies/dp/B003R4ZIAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280418039&sr=8-1 )

Compliments: This scone is so neutral that you can add nearly anything to flavor it. Try whatever fruit is in season for a breakfast scone. You can also add cheese, nuts, or even meat. Just make sure to cut back on the milk a little if you add a fruit that has a high water content... i.e. blueberries, apples or strawberries.

Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is mealy but dry and powdery.
2. Invert the bowl of the food processor over a mixing bowl and carefully remove the blade.
3. Quickly whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla together and use a fork to toss the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Continue to toss until all the flour mixture is evenly moistened. (I use my hands to mix it all together!)
4. Gently knead the dough 3 to 4 times, until it is smooth. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a disk about 6 inches in diameter. Cut each disk into 8 slices.
5. Bake on baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 12 to 15 minutes until a very deep golden brown.

Now, if you make round scones like I did then only bake them 8 to 10 minutes. Also, if you're adding fruit or cheese or anything, add that right after you dump the flour mixture into another bowl, before you add the wet ingredients. That way it incorporates more fully. Ta-da! Fresh Welsh scones! I always dust mine with sugar right when they come out of the oven.

After talking with a friend at work this week, I've decided to talk about 'Mise en Place' (said 'mees on plaz'). It's a French term that literally means 'everything in it's place'. We use it in the kitchen to mean that you have everything ready before you start the recipe. So, for instance, I will mise out all the flour, sugar, etc etc and have it in seperate bowls so that all I have to do is dump the milk, egg, and vanilla mixture into the flour mixture. You also preheat the oven, prepare the baking sheet, and have any bowls/whisks/rolling pins out and ready. It lets you make sure you can put away all the spare ingredients, and only have out what you need. So when I made these scones, the only things on the counter were a measuring cup with 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, and 1 tsp vanilla already mixed, a Cuisinart with the dry ingredients and butter ready to go, the bowl I was mixing in, my fruit, biscuit cutter, bench flour, rolling pin, and finally my prepared pan. You work more efficiently this way. It's less clean-up in the end, and you're not rushing around grabbing ingredients as you go along. You miss less steps/ingredients with Mise en Place. That way, while you're baking off your scones, you can wash the bowls, measuring cup, etc etc and then you are pretty much done cleaning when your scones come out of the oven. Work faster, work cleaner, work more efficiently. Chefs are notorious for taking short cuts and being lazy. If there is an easier way to do something, they'll do it. This is faster and easier. So try Mise en Place. You won't be as tired or dirty when you finish cooking!

Abby xx

Everybody Knows A Little Place Like Kokomo

Growing up the Beach Boys were my favorite band. Period. We have numerous recordings of me singing 'Surfin' Safari' and 'California Girls' (with an 'i', rather then Katy Perry's version that uses a 'u'). My mom worked for a local radio station as an auditor when I was about 6 and I still remember getting to go into the giant room that held all the tapes (yes, that long ago). The radio guy would let me pick out the next song to play, and I always chose the Beach Boys. However, I don't think I ever fully appreciated their song 'Kokomo' until I traveled with my family to the Florida Keys several Decembers ago. The HGTV Dream Home was located in Islamorada, which is about half way between Key Largo and Key West. Since missing out on touring the Dream Home in Tyler, TX several years before, we promised we would tour the next one located anywhere near where we were living. In a spur of the moment idea, we decided to drive down for a weekend. Only a few weeks before Christmas, we headed down South on a Friday after work. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, and it was one of the best family trips I can remember. Staying Friday in Key Largo, and Saturday in Key West we ate at several restaurants that claimed to serve 'The Keys best Key Lime Pie'. Of course we had to try them all! However, it wasn't until we got home and I was telling my coworkers about all these great pies that I actually learned of the best Key Lime Pie recipe. Theresa, one of my coworkers, passed along a really simple recipe that blew all of the others out of the water. The secret? Ginger Snaps. It's as if the steel drums and saxophone from the famous song start playing as soon as you take a bite.

Recipe: Key Lime Pie

Makes: 1 pie

Recipe originated from: Theresa Murley

Compliments: A tropical drink and palm tree.

Ingredients:
crust
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs (about 6 crackers)
- ½ cup coconut
- ½ cup dried ginger snap cookie crumbs
- 1/3 cup melted butter
filling
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup key lime juice(about 12 key limes)


Directions:
to make the crust:
1. Combine together dry ingredients.
2. Pour butter over dry ingredients, and press into pie pan.
to make the filling:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients.
2. Pour filling into the crumb crust.
3. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool for several hours in refrigerator.

So there you have it! The crust is what puts it up and above. It's simply amazing. So use fresh limes if you can find them, but be aware that it's a bitch to squeeze them all. I usually use bottled Key lime juice, and it's just as good. You can find it in almost every grocery store, usually on the aisle with the juices. I also always use the ginger snaps that come in the brown paper bag.. I can't remember the brand, but they are on the cookie aisle. A funny story about Key limes, actually. One afternoon my best friend calls me and tells me she is craving Key Lime Pie, but not the frozen kind. She wants to make it, but can't find Key limes. Can she just use regular limes? I had to explain that the flavor of Key Lime Pie comes from the limes. Good times.

So I have about 4 cookbooks on my radar right now. Hello, Cupcake!, What's New, Cupcake?, Classic Southern Desserts, and The Flavor Bible. Obviously I can't buy them all at once, but I am going to try and get them all in the next couple of months. Even with my employee discount at work trying to buy all four would be outrageous. The Flavor Bible is around $40 on its own!

I'm currently on the hunt for a good pimento cheese recipe. I'll let you guys know how that one goes.

Abby xx

Pep Pep Cheerio!

Since the last post was so American, I think this will be a nice change of pace. I made tea flavored cupcakes to honor those sexy Brits... which are delightful. I made these today for a Mystery Basket in class (which also included Chayote squash, Lychee fruit, tarragon, and chili pepper), so the photo isn't of the cupcakes, but rather the table at school. You can see the cupcakes that I just pulled out of the oven, as well as the Chayote and blueberry bread I made. (In case anyone else is interested, I also made dried cherry and tarragon scones, topped with honey and chili whip cream and then a roasted Lychee and Melba dessert soup). On to the recipe!

Recipe: Earl Grey Cupcakes

Makes: ~ 12 cupcakes

Recipe originated from: Bon Appetit website ( http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2010/05/the-winner-earl-grey-cupcakes.html )

Compliments: These are so light, so maybe a heavier black tea, or lemonade.

Ingredients:
for the cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, at room temperature
- 4 Earl Grey teabags
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 large eggs, free-range or organic
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

for the frosting:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- Few drops of food coloring (optional)


Directions:
to make the cupcakes:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from the heat and add the teabags. Cover and leave to infuse for about 30 minutes, then discard the teabags.
3. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. Add the almond extract, if using, and the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
4. Sift the two flours together into a separate bowl. Add one-third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one-third of the infused milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
5. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cups, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown. To check they are cooked, insert a wooden skewer in the center of one of the cupcakes - it should come out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and leave the cupcakes in the pan for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool.
to make frosting:
1. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract, and half the confectioners' sugar until smooth - this can take several minutes with an electric hand mixer. Gradually add the remainder of the confectioners' sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT make this icing. I made an Italian Meringue buttercreme with lemon zest and lemon extract that I dyed yellow. Then I piped the icing on and used yellow dusting sugar to top it all off. I think next time I would make the icing lilac colored. But make sure whatever you do, add a little lemon zest to the icing. It makes it it seem that much more tea-like. I think next time I'll do a crème fraiche filling to imitate the milk the Brit's put in their tea. Not much, but just a little dollop in the middle, so when you bite into the cupcake it's nice and creamy. I'll figure out how to do that and post the updated recipe later. So now we have a good American and British recipe!

Abby xx

Nothin' More American...

... than pink lemonade in the summer. Well, actually, I can think of several things that are 'more American', but I think pink lemonade is pretty American. These cupcakes are sweet too, but not as sweet as the french toast cupcakes. No better timing for these than right before the hottest month of the year- August. And no bad mouthing August! It is my birth month, afterall. Oh, and same goes for this picture- taken before my cool new program on my phone.

Recipe: Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

Makes: ~ 8 cupcakes- DOUBLE THIS RECIPE!!

Recipe originated from: Cast Sugar Blog ( http://castsugar.blogspot.com/2007/10/pink-lemonade-cupcakes.html )

Compliments: Well... I think these are pretty good stand alone.

Ingredients:
for the cupcakes:
- 1 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 2 egg whites
- 1/3 c. thawed frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate
- 1/4 c. buttermilk
- 2 or more drops red food coloring
for the frosting:
- 3 c. + 3 Tbsp. confectioner’s sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. pink lemonade concentrate
- Red food coloring

Directions:
to make the cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with liners.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg whites and lemonade concentrate. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until just smooth. Add just enough food coloring to turn the batter a light shade of pink.
4. Scoop batter into liners (fill about three-fourths full). Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack.
to make the frosting:
1. Add the butter, confectioner’s sugar, salt, lemon juice, and a few drops of food coloring to the stand mixer and mix on low using the paddle attachment until combined. Turn the speed to med-high until the buttercream is fluffy and uniformly pink. Pipe or spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Now, I'll admit- the icing is kind of a funny flavor on its own. But it's better when it is on the cupcakes! I piped mine on, and then added pink sanding sugar. I think they turned out quite cute! Plus they are very pink. How can you go wrong when pink is involved?

Abby xx

How to Toast a Frenchmen's Cup of Cake

That title comes from my very creative sister, who also happens to adore french toast. Also, the picture was taken before I started using my new program, so it looks a little different. Sorry!

So these cupcakes are SWEEEEEEET, but delicious. They actually taste like french toast. It's bananas. I'm not crazy about french toast myself, but people who like it tell me these are wonderful. There are 3 parts to the cupcake (the cupcake itself, the maple 'icing', and then the actual frosting). They seem intimidating, but try them! Once you get started you'll see they just look like so much to do, but it's just because there's more parts than normal.

Recipe: French Toast Cupcakes

Makes: ~ 16 cupcakes

Recipe originated from: cupcakerehab.com ( http://cupcakerehab.com/2010/06/thank-you-2/ )

Compliments: This is not necessarily a compliment, but an advisory. THESE ARE EXTREMELY SWEET! Plan on eating it over a period of time. Try and shove one of these babies down in 5 minutes may lead to diabetes.

Ingredients:
for the cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 cup milk

for the maple icing:
- 2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon maple extract

for the cream cheese frosting:
- 4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- a pinch of salt
- 2 & 1/4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

Directions:
to make cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking pan with paper liners.
2. Mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Make sure the butter is cool or you’ll have scrambled eggs.
4. Whisk in maple extract and then alternate between whisking in flour mixture and milk. Make three additions of flour mix and two of milk. Beat until smooth.
5. Scoop batter into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and tops spring back when lightly touched.
6. Cool the cupcakes on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.
to make maple icing:
1. In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar and 3 tablespoons milk; stir well.
2. Add additional milk to reach desired consistency. Stir in maple extract.
to make cream cheese frosting:
1. In a bowl, with your electric mixer on medium high speed, beat together cream cheese, butter and salt until creamy. With mixer on low speed, make 1/2 cup additions of sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Increase the speed of your mixer between each addition.

So there you have it! So after the cupcakes cool, use a spoon and artfully (or in my case, goop-fully) place a glob of the maple icing- which should be runny!!- on the cupcake and let it slowly spread. I then piped my icing on, after dyeing it yellow. I thought it was a nice sunny touch. You can just spread it on if you can't/don't have the time to pipe.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe! I was told I was a 'genius' and it was 'the best cupcake I've ever eaten' when I made these to take up to work. I'd say thats a job well done!

Abby xx

The Mushier the Better

So as I pad into the kitchen this morning to make my toast- what do I spy? Over-ripe bananas! I mean, these things are pretty much mush at this point. Perfect! I go look over some of my favorite recipes, and decide to go for banana bread. I've made so many muffins/cupcakes recently that I thought a loaf would be a nice change of pace. This recipe that I use is great because it's so basic. You nearly always have the ingredients on hand (the bananas being the thing you probably won't have), and it's so simple it's really fun to play with. You can add nearly anything and it's delicious.

Recipe: Banana Banana Bread

Makes: 1 loaf

Recipe originated from: Allrecipes.com ( http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Banana-Banana-Bread/Detail.aspx )

Compliments: When you cut a piece stick it in the microwave for a few seconds to get it warm. Honestly it doesn't need any butter or honey on it because it's so moist as is, but if you want to make it dessert then try that.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

So this time I added grated chocolate (probably about 8 oz), a handful of raisins, and made a streusel topping (1/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chopped nuts, 2 tbsp butter cut in). It's really yummy. Oh, and I used 6 bananas. I usually don't measure out the mush, but just use what I have. It's not necessarily how many bananas you have, but how ripe they are. Sometime you can buy a bag of brown bananas at the store for a discounted price. Get them! They have tons of flavor and can be frozen to store! That way when you want to make banana bread or banana turnovers or banana ice cream or bananas foster you can just pull out how many you need and let them defrost for 15-20 minutes. Then you're set to go!

Abby xx

He's Popeye the Sailor Man

I used to watch Popeye all the time when I was little. I never understood why Olive stayed with a one eyed man, especially since he seemed so much older than her. I digress.

Since last time I decided to be selfish and post a Martha recipe that I doubt many would like, I decided to post a recipe that was requested this time. Artichoke and Spinach Dip. Hence the title of the post. It's warm and gooey and perfect on any kind of chip or cracker. It's great to throw together the night before and just stick in the oven right before you need it.

Recipe: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Makes: 12 servings

Recipe originated from: Allrecipes.com ( http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Artichoke-and-Spinach-Dip-II/Detail.aspx )

Compliments: I love bagel chips with this dip. You can put a huge scoop of it on the thick, bread like chip and sufficiently stuff your face.

Ingredients:
- 1 (8 oz) cream cheese
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated Romano cheese
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoons dried basil
- ½ teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 (14 oz) canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- ½ cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly grease small baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayo, all three cheeses, garlic, basil, garlic salt, and sour cream.
3. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
4. Transfer the mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

So I usually make this in a glass pie dish. It works beautifully. You can't go wrong with this recipe if you need something quick and easy to take to a party. TRY IT! Even if you don't like artichokes. I promise it's so delicious that you won't even notice them.

Now I will tell you guys a few things you probably don't really care about but that I'm excited about so I feel the need to post them on the internet.
1. I bought a new baking book today. For $4. Yes. I have connections. They're called 'employee discount'. Hopefully I can give a few of the recipes a whirl soon.
2. I'm listening to Christmas music. This makes me very happy. But then I get a little sad because I think of how far away the Christmas season is. The only thing I can do is plan what recipes I'll make this year and listen to Christmas music to cheer myself up. It's a vicious cycle.
3. This is really more of a question than something I need to tell you. Ok, are you telling your friends about my blog? Now it's my turn. TELL THEM. There. I filled my quota of telling you something.

Now go eat your Spinach and Artichoke dip like good little sailors.

Abby xx