by jphilo | Feb 5, 2010 | Recipes
Last week’s post with the recipe for Maple Oatmeal Scones received oodles of positive feedback. So this week I’m posting my basic scone recipe which is tasty just the way it is. But, you can also embellish the recipe to create all sorts of variations. A few of my favs are listed below the basic recipe.
Basic Scones
1 3/4 cups flour 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons softened butter 1 egg, beaten
4 – 5 tablespoons half & half or buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add egg and just enough 1/2 & 1/2 or buttermilk for the dough to form a ball. (Less liquid is better than more.) Shape dough into a circle about 1 inch thick on a greased cookie sheet. Cut circle into 12 wedges. Pull every other wedge a few inches out of the circle. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Lemon Scones: Add two teaspoons lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, cutting down other liquid accordingly. (Lemon scones are pictured above.)
Blueberry Scones: Add 1/4 cup dried blueberries to dry ingredients before adding the egg.
Cranberry-Orange Scones: Add 1/4 cup dried cranberries and 2 teaspoons orange zest before adding egg. You could also add a little orange juice.
If you’ve developed other ways to dress ‘em up, please leave a comment.
by jphilo | Jan 29, 2010 | Recipes
One of my favorite hobbies is sampling foo-foo baked goods or gourmet main dishes and then trying to recreate them at home. So a few years ago I was a woman on a mission after tasting maple oatmeal scones at a fancy coffee chain. (For those of you who want to guess, it wasn’t Caribou Coffee or Dunn Brothers and it’s name began with “s.”)
After perfecting and the recipe and enjoying the scones a few times, they slipped my mind – like so many things do the older I get – until last weekend when a hankering for scones crept up on me. Alongside bean soup, it was a yummy winter meal. My husband commented more than once on how tasty the scones were, and giving them the coveted Hiram Seal of Approval.
They’re easy to make so give them a try and leave a comment about whether or not they receive your family’s seal of approval, too.
Maple-Oatmeal Scones
1 3/4 cup flour 3/4 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, softened 1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup maple syrup 2 – 3 tablespoons 1/2 & 1/2 or buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Add egg, maple syrup and just enough 1/2 & 1/2 or buttermilk for the dough to form a ball. (Less liquid is better than more.) Shape dough into a circle about 1 inch thick on a greased cookie sheet. Cut circle into 12 wedges. Pull every other wedge a few inches out of the circle. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10 minutes. Serve hot.
by jphilo | Jan 21, 2010 | Recipes
The day before Anne went back to college, I asked her what she’d like for dinner. Her answer was spaghetti carbonara. Since she wants to master some of her favorite recipes before getting married and moving away next summer, we made it together.
The recipe comes from my sister-in-law who is an amazing cook. When we visit her family in Washington state, she always serves more adventurous fare than is common in our part of the world. We are all grateful for her recipe recognizance which give a cosmopolitan flavor to our meals.
One word of warning: if you have high cholesterol, don’t try this dish. If you don’t high cholesterol, make it infrequently or you’ll develop it. But, if you serve it with fresh fruit and a lightly dressed green salad, you might be able to convince yourself it’s healthy.
You won’t have to convince yourself that it’s delicious. One bite and you’ll be know it is. Enjoy!
Skillet Spaghetti Carbonara
Yolks of 4 large eggs 1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup heavy cream 16 ounces spaghetti noodles
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed 3 tablespoons butter
Cook spaghetti in a large pot, according to package directions. Fry bacon over medium high heat in a deep skillet. Drain off half the grease and add garlic. When garlic is brown, add butter. While bacon cooks, mix egg yolks, cheese, salt, pepper, parsley and cream in a small bowl. Drain spaghetti noodles and add them to the bacon mixture in the frying pan. Toss to coat well. Remove skillet from heat and add egg yoke mixture. Toss again to mix well. Cover pan and let sit for a few minutes before serving.
by jphilo | Jan 6, 2010 | Recipes
I consider myself a make-it-from-scratch kind of cook. But in truth, a few of our favorite family meals come from boxes or cans. Nothing beats crockpot roast beef sprinkled with Lipton French Onion soup. In my family’s collective opinion, homemade spaghetti sauce doesn’t hold a candle to Hunt’s Garlic and Herb sauce from the can.
One of Hiram’s all time favorite meals uses Uncle Ben’s Rice, which makes us both happy since this recipe takes barely 45 minutes from start to finish. If you’re looking for an easy throw together meal this winter, it’s a good one.
Uncle Ben’s Rice and Sausage Skillet Meal
1 pound sausage 1 box Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice
2 cups celery, chopped 1 cup onion, chopped
Brown sausage in frying pan. Drain off grease. Add chopped vegetables. Add water, rice and seasoning packet, according to directions on the box. Bring to boil, turn down heat and put lid on pan. Cook for 25 minutes and serve.
You can add more or fewer onions or substitute any other vegetables your family likes. This recipe is very forgiving!
by jphilo | Dec 30, 2009 | Recipes
If you need an impressive appetizer for New Year’s Eve, but don’t have time to make something fancy, this cheese ball could be what you’re looking for. Every time I serve it, eyes go wide and people ask for the recipe.
The recipe came from a friend over thirty years ago, and I think of her whenever I pass it on to new friends and acquaintances. My husband asks for it every Christmas season, which means it’s a winner. Of course, you won’t be impressed with my cooking skills once you see how easy the recipe is. But who cares? Just enjoy it and have a happy new year!
Parmesan Cheese Ball
8 ounces softened cream cheese 1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Put cheeses and garlic in a bowl. Mix together by hand and form into a ball. Roll in chopped walnuts. Wrap cheese ball in plastic rap and chill for a few hours. Serve with crackers.
Hint: Put the Parmesan in the bowl first and drop the cream cheese and garlic on top. Flip the block of cream cheese over so it’s coated with Parmesan. This will keep the cream cheese from sticking to your fingers.
Disclaimer: Obviously, today’s picture isn’t the cheese ball. We ate it before I thought to photograph it. So enjoy this winter shot instead!
by jphilo | Dec 16, 2009 | Recipes
The combination of Christmas, a bunch of book-loving women, wine, great food and cheesecake for dessert adds up to a whole bunch of fun. At least that’s what my group of book buddies decided at our annual Christmas meal Monday night. It was so enjoyable, we’re bummed about waiting twelve whole months for another party.
To lift everyone’s spirits, I’m divulging the recipe for Killer Cheesecake. I can only take credit for the name. The recipe came from my sister-in-law Susan Philo who is a magnificent cook.
Susan’s Killer Cheesecake
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Crust: Combine 2 cups crushed graham crackers and 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Press mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan or 2 pie pans.
Filling: With an electric mixer, combine 2 pounds of softened cream cheese (4 eight ounce packages), two eggs, 3/4 cups sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Spread filling over crust. Bake for 45 minutes if using a spring form pan, 30 minutes if using two pie pans.
Topping: Combine 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Pour topping onto hot cheesecake and bake for 10 minutes if using a spring form pan, 8 minutes if using pie pans.
Chill at least 4 hours before serving.
