Saturday, May 22, 2010

Old-Fashioned Scones

It's a cool and rainy Saturday. Seems like a good day for baking. Following is a delicious, versatile recipe for scones. They're easy to mix up, then pop in the oven, or save for the next morning. They'll keep in the refrigerator overnight. Or bake them, but take them out of the oven 5-10 minutes early and freeze. Then remove, thaw and bake 5-10 minutes when you're ready to serve them.

Old-Fashioned Scones
The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book pg. 325

2 C Whole Wheat (or Kamut) pastry flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cream of Tartar*
1/2 tsp Salt
1 or 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar or Honey
2 Tbsp cold Butter
1 Cup plus 2 Tbsp Buttermilk at room temperature
1/2 C Currants (or other fruit, dry or fresh)

*If you don't have cream of tartar, use 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 1/2 Tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dust a cookie sheet with flour.

Sift flour, soda, cream of tartar, salt and sugar (if you use honey instead, stir it thoroughly into the buttermilk). Grate the cold butter into the mixture and blend with a pastry cutter or with your fingertips until the mixture is like oatmeal flakes. Stir in the buttermilk and currants, and mix gently and quickly, until barely blended together. Immediately turn out onto the floured cookie sheet and pat into a circle about 3/4 inch think, 8 or 9 inches across. Cut the circle into wedges, 4 or 6 as you see fit, and place immediately in the hot oven..

Bake about 20 minutes. Serve at once.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Bacalao-Fish (or Chicken) Soup

It's damp and cold outside today and if I had the time or the ingredients on hand, the following is the recipe I'd fix tonight. It has rich Mediterranean flavors (it's actually a Puerto Rican recipe). It's full of nutrients and is so delicious even children will clamor for more. No kidding, mine have.

Bacalao
"Eating Well" October 2007 page 83




Tip: Opt for firmer hook-and-line-caught haddock or U.S. farm-raised tilapia. Pacific cod also works, but will be more flakey.




2 Tbsp extra-virgin Olive Oil
1 medium Onion, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 lb flaky white fish, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
1 Anaheim or Poblano chili pepper, chopped
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh Cilantro
2 Tbsp sliced pimento-stuffed Olives
1 Tbsp Capers, rinsed
1 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Water, as needed
1 Avacado, chopped (optional)

Heat oil in a large high-sided skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add fish, tomatoes and their juices, chile pepper, cilantro, olives, capers, oregano and salt; stir to combine. Add up to 1/2 cup water if the mixture seems dry. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with avocado.

Makes 4 servings, about 1 cup each.

Friday, May 7, 2010

A Chili Cast Party

We're hosting the cast party for Columbia Heights High School's Little Shop of Horrors tomorrow night. I must be crazy knowing how late they'll probably be here. But it should be fun. Now to plan the menu.

It's been cool this week so I'm going to fix a large pot of chili, my own recipe. I'll make two batches because at least one or two of the cast are vegetarian and the rest are meat-eaters. I normally make a three-bean chili without meat, but it's delicious either way. Of course we can't forget the peppers to add a little kick and a punch of nutrients.

Beans carry their own weight when it comes to nutrition. High in fiber, low in fat, chocked full of B vitamins and Iron, beans offer lasting energy and help reduce cholesterol.

Add some peppers to spice it up and you have a heavy-weight champion in the arena of health. Peppers contain two times more Vitamins E and C than citrus fruit. They offer Beta-Carotene, Potassium and Folic Acid. The Capsaicin which comes from their vibrant color and heat boosts metabolism. It also reduces cholestrol absorption and increases fat metabolism. Just think--a weight-loss program in themselves!

The students may not need to be concerned with their weight, but it's a great benefit for those of us over 40. So here's my simple, health-boosting recipe. Try it or create your own.

Three Bean Chili

1 lb dry Beans (combination of Pinto, Black and Red or Kidney beans)
1 12-oz can chopped or stewed Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Sea Salt, or to taste
1 Tbsp Chili Powder, or to taste
1+ tsp ground Cumin, or to taste
chopped Jalepeno, Serrano or Green peppers to taste
Can add crushed red pepper for more kick

Toppings:
chopped Green Chili's
chopped Jalapeno or Serrano peppers
chopped Onions
shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Tabasco Sauce
Saltine Crackers
Fritos brand chips

Place all ingredients from the top list in a crock pot with water to cover--about 3-4 inches above the beans. Let this cook all day. Add water if necessary. Stir and serve, allowing guests to choose their own toppings.