Gingerbread Scones

2 c. flour
1/3 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. ground cloves
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1/3 c. butter, chilled
1 large egg
3 T. molasses
3 T. milk
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 10" diameter circle in the center of a baking sheet.

Stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2" cubes and cut in with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the egg, molasses, milk and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky.

With lightly floured hands, pat the dough into an 8" circle in the center of the prepared baking sheet. With a serrated knife, cut into 8 wedges. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Transfer scones with a spatula to the wire rack to cool. Recut into wedges, if necessary.

Serve with Maple Butter:

1/4 c. butter, softened
2 t. maple syrup
2 drops maple extract (optional)

Stir together the butter, maple syrup, and maple extract, if desired, until combined. Serve the butter immediately or cover and refrigerate. To serve, let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature to soften.

Orange Poppy Seed Scones

2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. poppy seeds
1 t. cream of tartar
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. butter, chilled
1/4 c. orange juice
1 large egg
1/4 t. grated orange zest
1 egg white mixed with 1/2 t. water for glaze (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 10" diameter circle in center of a baking sheet.

Stir together the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2" cubes and cut in with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the juice, egg, and orange zest. Add the juice mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be sticky.

With lightly floured hands, pat the dough into a 9" diameter circle in the center of prepared baking sheet. If desired, brush the egg mixture over the top of the dough. With a serrated knife, cut into 8 wedges. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of scone comes out clean.

Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the scones to the wire rack to cool. Recut into wedges, if necessary. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Serve with citrus curd and whipped cream.

Apricot, White Chocolate, and Walnut Scones

Years ago, Marc bought me a little cookbook called Simply Scones that has provided lovely fare for many a tea party and shower. These are traditional English scones and they are delicious and easy to make!

2 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. butter, chilled
1/2 c. heavy (whipping) cream
1 large egg
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
6 oz. white chocolate chips
1 c. toasted coarsely broken walnuts
1 c. chopped dried apricots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2" cubes and distribute them over the flour mixture. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, stir together the cream, egg, and vanilla. Add the cream mixture to the flour mixture and knead until combined. Knead in the white chocolate, walnuts, and apricots.

Pat the dough into a 9" circle in the center of an ungreased baking sheet. With a serrated knife, cut circle into 8 wedges. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.

Remove the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the scones to the wire rack to cool. Recut into wedges, if necessary. Serve warm, or cool completely and store in an airtight container.

For the ultimate decadence, serve with whipped cream and lemon or citrus curd.

Stuffed French Toast

This is a fancy French toast that I have made a few times for Father's Day. (because I don't actually like French toast, but Marc loves it)

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. peach preserves
1 t. vanilla
1/4 c. chopped walnuts (I use pecans)
2 T. Bailey's Irish cream, optional
8 slices Texas-style thick bread
1/2 c. apple juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. puréed and strained frozen raspberries
1/4 c. light corn syrup
2 T. water
1 T. cornstarch
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 c. half and half
1 T. vanilla
1 T. Frangelico liqueur, optional
1/4 c. vegetable oil
fresh fruit, such as apple slices or grapes
powdered sugar
mint leaves for garnish

Make filling by combining cream cheese, peach preserves, a teaspoon of vanilla, nuts, and Irish cream. Beat until smooth.

To make sauce, place apple and orange juices and raspberries in a pan. Add corn syrup and simmer gently. Combine water and cornstarch; add to saue and cook until slightly thickened. Set aside.

Spread filling on half of bread slices and top with remaining slices.

Combine eggs, half and half, vanilla and liqueur. Dip bread in egg mixture, completely covering, but do not soak.

Heat oil in a nonstick sauté pan, and cook bread until brown. Keep warm while browning remaining slices.

To serve, cut French toast diagonally in quarters. Pour a little sauce on each plate and stand toast wedges upright around the sauce. Arrange fruit on plate. Lightly sprinkle toast with powdered sugar, and garnish with mint leaves.

German Chocolate Cake

Otherwise known as: my birthday cake, every year. Luckily, Marc has become a master at making it.

from the German's Sweet Chocolate box
(makes 16 servings)

1 pkg. German's sweet chocolate (4 oz.)
1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. water
4 eggs, separated
1 t. vanilla
2 c. sugar
2 c. cake flour
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk

Line bottoms of 3 9" cake pans with wax paper; grease sides of pans.

Microwave chocolate and water on high 1 1/2-2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after each minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Mix flour, baking soda, and salt set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla.

Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

Beat egg whites in another large bowl on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into cake batter. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean. (Grandma taught me to check it as soon as it becomes fragrant.) Immediately run spatula between cakes and sides of pans. Cool 15 minutes; remove cake layers form pans and remove wax paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling between layers and on top of cake.

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting

1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 1/2 t. vanilla
7 oz. shredded coconut
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Mix milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla in a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 12 minutes or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add coconut and pecans; mix well. Cool to room temperature and of desired spreading consistency. Makes about 4 1/2 c. or enough to fill and frost top of a 3-layer cake (or 24 cupcakes).

Jill's spinach dip

1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayonnaise
3/4 c. sliced green onions
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
2 t. dried parsley
1 t. lemon juice
1/2 t. seasoned salt

Squeeze spinach dry. Mix all together and chill.

Serve with chunks of bread.

Denise's Rustic Italian Bruschetta

This is one of those recipes that Grandma would say costs a bucket of money to make, but man oh man, is it good!

5 med. tomatoes, diced
2 red onions, diced
4 oz. fresh basil, chiffonade
8 cloves garlic
2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
baguette(s)
1/2 c. fresh parsley, chopped


Heat oil over medium heat and add garlic. Cook until golden brown and remove from heat.

Combine tomatoes and onions. Wrap cooled garlic in plastic wrap and crush. Remove, lightly chop and add to tomato mixture. Pour 1/2 of the oil, balsamic vinegar, and basil into mixture and fold gently. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with crostini.

crostini:

Slice bread on diagonal into ~1/3" thick slices. Brush with remaining garlic oil and bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 4-8 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

Jenn's Cheese Fondue

1/2 c. chicken broth
2-3 c. grated cheese
(cheddar with swiss, jack, or mozzarella -- I use whatever I had on hand, most recently sharp white cheddar, jarlsberg, colby jack, and a little blue)
a few tablespoons of flour
dash of garlic salt or tobasco
a little finely-chopped artichoke

Toss grated cheeses with flour.
Heat the chicken broth in fondue pot.
Gradually stir in cheese until melted.

Serve with chunks of hearty bread, apples, and vegetables for dipping.

Mom's Barbecued Beef Brisket

Marinate a beef brisket in 2 oz. Liquid Smoke, a few dashes of worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and onion, garlic and celery salts. Marinate overnight.

Place marinated brisket in a covered roasting pan in a 275 oven. Cook 5 hours. Uncover and pour 6 oz. barbecue sauce over and baste every 15 minutes. Cook one hour longer.

This crowd-pleasing meat will make wonderful sandwiches or will make a great main dish for picnics or potlucks.

Amie's Gooey Chex Mix

Ingredients:
Box of Rice Chex
Half box of Golden Grahams (secret ingredient)
2 c. coconut
8 oz. slivered almonds
Small bag of mini marshmallows

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. light Karo syrup
2 sticks of butter

Directions:
Spray 2 large bowls with PAM then add all the dry ingredients together in the two bowls (2 for easier mixing later)

On the stove--melt the sticks of butter, karo syrup and sugar all together. When it comes to a boil, boil for 2 minutes then pour over the dry mixture and toss until completely incorporated.
**Spread mixture onto wax paper or onto the counter sprayed with PAM.

Baked Brie in Puff Pastry

{recipe from Martha Stewart -- photo from Amy S.}

one sheet of frozen puff pastry dough
one round of brie (I got it at Costco)
1/2 - 1 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 - 1 cup of brown sugar
egg yolk

Thaw puff pastry sheet. Roll it out to a larger, thinner rectangle. Cut out two circles that are bigger than your brie. Place the cheese on one circle of dough and pull up around the sides of the cheese. Top with as much brown sugar and pecans as you can manage to pile on. Cover the entire thing with the other circle of pastry, pinching the two circles of dough together. Use the scraps of dough, if desired, to decorate the top -- adhere with an egg wash and brush top of pastry as well. (In the past I have done leaves. This time I used my new teeny tiny alphabet cookie cutters -- thanks, Mom! -- to spell out Happy New Year.)

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 20 minutes more. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with crusty bread and tart apples.