Food to Keep You Warm

Now that the weather is changing (at least it is in Pennsylvania), I enjoy making food that is warm and comforting. The first things that come to mind for me are soups and stews.

Soups and stews are convenient and wonderful for a number of reasons. First of all, they are one pot dinners. I don't have to make anything to go with them (usually) and there is minimal cleanup. Second of all, I can easily double a recipe and freeze the leftovers for another week. Soups with a cream base don't freeze well, but almost all other soups do. Third of all, they are often very well balanced and healthy meals. There's usually at least one veggie involved and, many times, the other ingredients aren't very high in fat. Finally, they make a great lunch the next day as they reheat beautifully.

I have plenty of soup and stew recipes that I've made over the past few years. Here are some new ones I've tried in the last couple of weeks.

Shrimp and Chorizo Stew
~This is absolutely filling and delicious~

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 oz. Spanish chorizo, casings removed, sliced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (hot or sweet)
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup canned whole plum tomatoes, roughly chopped, plus 1/2 cup juice from the can
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Heat the olive oil in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the chorizo, paprika, and 1 tsp salt and cook until the oil turns deep red, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes (reserve the juice), the bay leaves, thyme and oregano and cook 1 more minute.
4. Add the potatoes, 2 cups water, the tomato juice, and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Add the kale and cook until the potatoes and kale are tender, about 10 minutes more. Stir in the shrimp and simmer just until they curl and turn pink, about 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and ladle the stew into bowls.

Recipe from the October 2010 edition of Food Network Magazine

This next recipe seemed like one I wouldn't like at first glance. I don't mind coconut, but I don't love it. Once I read through the recipe, I realized that it was made with coconut milk which is a bit more subtle than coconut flakes. I also have an on again/off again kind of relationship with carrots. Sometimes they work for me and sometimes I find them disgusting. I decided to throw caution to the wind and just try this recipe. I liked it a lot, but I don't think I would have liked it as much without bread to balance out the strong flavors. I heated up some Naan bread that I bought frozen at Trader Joe's. Yum!!

Coconut Shrimp Soup
~This Thai recipe is packed with flavor~

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 lb carrots (6 to 9 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 4 oz angel hair pasta
• 1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• Coarse salt (Kosher)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Heat the oil in a large (3 quart) saucepan over medium-low heat (I used a Dutch oven). Add the ginger, garlic, and the pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant (about 1 minute).
2. Add the carrots, coconut milk, and 3 cups water. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tbsp water until smooth; add to the pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Break the pasta in half; add to the pot. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are just tender (about 3 or 4 minutes).
4. Add the shrimp; stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice; season with salt. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with the scallions. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Great Food Fast by Everday Food (A Martha Stewart Living publication)

We all know how much I love Pam Anderson (no, not that Pamela Anderson). My parents gave me one of her cookbooks for my birthday. It's called The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight & Eating Great. I'm really enjoying it because she gives great tips for eating healthy without sacrificing flavor. I needed a quick recipe that used most pantry ingredients last week and I knew Pam would have one for me. This soup was fast, easy, and delicious served with tortilla chips for dipping.

Creamy Chili-Corn Soup with Chicken and Black Beans
~Using a rotisserie chicken makes this even faster~

• 2 tsp vegetable or olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cans (14.5 oz) creamed corn
• 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 oz) black beans, drained
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I hate cilantro, so I used Italian parsley)
• Salt and pepper

1. In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, heat oil and garlic over medium-high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add chili powder and cumin and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add corn, tomatoes, broth, beans, chiles, and chicken. Bring to ta boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in cilantro, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Yes, it's really that simple. It's also only 377 calories per 2-cup serving.

I will certainly continue to try new recipes for soups and stews throughout these cold months. When I come across some good ones, I'll do my best to share them!

Something out of Nothing

Sometimes I have one of those nights where there isn't much food in the house...but I'm positive that I don't have the energy to go out to eat. Instead of dialing the local pizza place, I've been trying to be more creative with what I can find in the fridge and pantry.

Recently, I had this kind of night and decided to go on a hunt for some dinner. I looked in the fridge and saw three crowns of broccoli. I discovered a couple Yukon gold potatoes in the bottom cupboard. This was not looking promising...so I opened my freezer. Ah ha! There was that bag of frozen tilapia fillets that I had gotten on sale at Wegman's last month "just in case" I ever needed them. Surely, I could make something out of these ingredients.

I did a quick search online for simple tilapia recipes to get some inspiration. I could have just baked them in the oven with some butter or lemon juice on top...but I wanted something a little more flavorful. I happened upon this little gem on allrecipes.com.

With a can of tomato paste (which I always have in the pantry) and some spices, I could make something new! I didn't have the peppers, so I decided to roast the potatoes and broccoli instead.

The tilapia fillets are individually wrapped (which is so convenient), so I dunked 4 fillets (still in the wrapping) into cold water. By the time I made the sauce and got the potatoes and broccoli in the oven, they were thawed.

Baked Tilapia with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes
~Simple and Satisfying~

• 3/4 cup olive oil (plus more for roasting)
• 3 crowns of broccoli, cut into florets
• 2 or 3 Yukon gold potatoes (Russet would be fine, too), chopped into bite-size chunks
• a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
  
• 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 4 (4 oz.) tilapia fillets
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 tbsp butter

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Combine the potatoes with a generous drizzle of olive oil and several pinches of salt in a bowl, tossing to coat the potatoes. Spread into an even layer on half of a large sheet pan. Roast for about 10 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, combine the broccoli with a generous drizzle of olive oil and several pinches of salt in a bowl, tossing to coat the broccoli. Take the potatoes out and put the broccoli in an even layer on the other side of the sheet pan. Drizzle the potatoes and broccoli with some balsamic vinegar. Roast for another 10 minutes (but check to see how they're coming along). Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and move the pan to the bottom rack.
   
4. While the potatoes and vegetables are still roasting, coat bottom of a medium baking dish with about 1/4 cup olive oil.
5. In a small bowl, blend remaining olive oil, tomato paste, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. Arrange tilapia fillets in the prepared baking dish. With a spatula, spread the olive oil and tomato paste mixture over the tilapia, heaping the majority in the centers of the fillets. Arrange onion slices on and around the fillets.
7. Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, until fish is easily flaked with a fork. If the potatoes and broccoli are getting overcooked on the bottom rack, take them out and cover with foil to keep them warm.
8. When the tilapia is done, remove them from the oven and top each fillet with 1 tablespoon butter, and set oven to broil. Broil 5 to 7 minutes, until butter is melted and lightly brown. Serve the tilapia fillets with the roasted onions on top and the broccoli and potatoes on the side.

Even though I prefer cooking with a plan...sometimes I don't have a plan. Improvising with what you have on hand is a must sometimes and I find it to be kind of fun and quite rewarding!

Easy Meals for a Busy Week

This past week, I felt a little bit like this:

As I said in a previous post, this week was my first week of school. Teaching 2nd grade can be pretty tiring, so I needed easy and delicious meals to whip up each night.

I turned to Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2008 and found some fabulous recipes. All three recipes in this post are from that cookbook. Cooking Light continues to impress me with their easy and healthy recipes.

I made the following menu:

Monday - Spiced Salmon with Mustard Sauce and Sauteed Spinach in Butter

Tuesday - Apricot Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce, Oven Fries, and Salad
Wednesday - Left Over Burgers and Salad
Thursday - Turkey Tacos
Friday - Date Night Out

Saturday - Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce over Brown Rice

My plan was pretty simple. The salmon came together in a snap on Monday night and didn't need any prepping ahead. The turkey burger meal was also fast and easy, so I threw it together when I got home from work.

While the burgers were cooking, I cooked up the turkey meat for the tacos on Thursday and popped it in the fridge. This was also cost-effective because I bought the family pack (3 lbs) of ground turkey, which is less expensive per lb. I used 1 1/2 lbs for the burgers and 1 1/2 lbs for the tacos.

I had a girls night to go to on Wednesday, so my husband enjoyed left over burgers since the recipe yielded 7 burgers. We even had enough to each bring a burger for lunch! On Thursday night, the tacos were ready to assemble.

On Friday night we went out to a favorite local diner that is inside a small airport. As you eat, you can watch planes land and take off. It's not a very glamorous place, but I find it so romantic. We were there over sunset and got to watch the plans take off into a pink and yellow sky.

My desire is to get all sorts of things done today, so tonight I plan to quickly thaw some frozen shrimp and put the meal together fast! I think that some instant brown rice will round the meal out well. I'll have to update you to tell you what I think of the recipe. We'll head to the movies after dinner for Date #2. My husband likes to take me on dates when I have long and tiring weeks...I'm a pretty lucky girl!

**Update: The Spicy Orange Shrimp was SO delicious. It took minutes to make and my husband and I enjoyed it very much!**

Spiced Salmon with Mustard Sauce*
~This was so easy, it didn't even feel like I was cooking!~
(We were so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of this one!)

• 2 tsp whole-grain mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 (6 oz.) Salmon fillets
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat the broiler
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a fork.
3. Rub mustard mixture evenly over fillets. Place fillets, skin sides down**, on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
4. Broil 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

*I served this with one bag of baby spinach that I sauteed in 2 tbsp of butter until it was wilted. I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese on it and it went well with the salmon.

**I actually removed the skin beforehand. You can remove it afterward or eat it with the skin. I always take it off, though. I think it's a mental thing...the skin just creeps me out.

Apricot Turkey Burgers*
~These are a fresh take on the typical turkey burger~

• 3/4 cup drained canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
• cooking spray
• 6 multi-grain hamburger buns
• Tzatziki sauce (I got mine from Trader Joe's...although, you can make it yourself)

1. Prepare the grill or grill pan.
2. Place chickpeas in a food processor, pulse 3 times or until chopped. Combine chickpeas, apricots, and next 7 ingredients.
3. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions (I actually had enough to make 7), shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.
4. Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Serve burgers on hamburger buns topped with Tzatziki sauce and tomatoes (if desired).

*I serve these with oven fries. To make them, I sliced up 1 large potato into thing even pieces. I tossed them with olive oil and placed in a single layer on a sheet pan. I sprinkled them with kosher salt and some Moroccan seasoning (since I thought it would go well with this particular meal...you can season them however you wish). They take about 20-25 minutes to crisp up in a 425 degree oven.

I made a little salad for the side by combining mixed greens, sliced English cucumber, dried cranberries, chickpeas, and Tzatziki sauce.

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce*
~This was easy and delicious!~

• 1 1/2 lbs peeled and deveined large shrimp
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (I will use Simply Orange juice because I don't have fresh)
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp chile paste with garlic
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions (scallions)

1. Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, toss well to coat and then set aside.
2. Combine juice and the next 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry 15 seconds or until fragrant.
4. Add shrimp mixture and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add juice mixture and onions; cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thick and shrimp are done, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.

*I plan to serve this up over brown rice.

If I didn't come up with an easy and attainable plan to get meals on the table, I would've been tempted to grab pizza or fast food this week. The first week of school is always grueling, so cooking with a plan was a must!

Friday Night Feast - Leftovers Edition

I made an unexpected Friday Night Feast last night. I helped out during a kid's camp class at The Kitchen Workshop on Thursday. After the class was done, my cooking teacher told me he had to cancel a class and had some extra food to get rid of. Free food? Count me in!

He sent me home with a grocery bag of bone-in chicken breast halves, seasoning, tons of portobello mushroom caps, buttermilk mashed potatoes (leftover from class that day), some home made ketchup, a container of homemade marinara sauce, and a package of Oreos.

We talked through a couple of ideas on how to use the food and I was on my way.

So last night I made seasoned chicken breast halves, grilled portobello mushrooms, and potato cakes. We munched on Oreos with milk for dessert. These hardly qualify as "recipes", but I'll write them out so you know what I did.

Simple Seasoned Chicken Breast Halves

• 1 package bone-in, skin on chicken breast halves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Your favorite rub or seasoning (I have a variety from Pampered Chef and Mrs. Dash, but for this recipe my cooking teacher gave me a sample of a special seasoning he orders from Penzeys Spices*...I can't remember what it was called)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Arrange chicken breasts on a large baking sheet. Gently remove the skin on each breast, allowing one part of it to stay attached to the breast.
3. Drizzle olive oil over each chicken breast and spread with fingers or a brush. Apply the seasoning by sprinkling the amount desired over each chicken breast.
   
4. Carefully place the skin back over each chicken breast. Put in the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes (all ovens differ...so check on yours and take it out when the juices run clear and chicken is cooked through). Remove and discard the skin from each chicken breast (it may taste good, but it's bad for you!).
   
5. Remove chicken from the oven and cover with foil to allow to rest for 10 minutes. You can serve it on the bone or carefully remove the chicken breasts from the bones.

I found this to be an excellent way to make chicken. Yes, using boneless skinless chicken breasts is convenient and often works quite well. But cooking chicken on the bone and with the skin gives it such great flavor. I was surprised at how moist and tender the chicken was. I am going to start using bone-in, skin on chicken more often, especially when I plan to shred it or cut it up anyway.

*Penzeys is an herb and spice distributor that has very good quality spices at a reasonable price and a variety of quantities. They also have lots of seasoning mixes that are delicious. They are mainly what we use in cooking class because of their high quality.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Caps

• 1 or 2 packages of large portobello mushroom caps (depending on how many you are serving)
• Olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (optional interchangeable with other fresh herbs)

1. Heat grill or grill pan to medium high.
2. Use a damp towel to wipe down the top of each cap. Use a spoon to gently remove the "fins" underneath the cap.
3. Combine the olive oil, garlic clove, and rosemary in a small bowl.
4. Using a brush, apply oil mixture to each side of each mushroom cap.
5. Grill mushrooms about 4-5 minutes on each side (or until they are "floppy" and release their juices a bit).
   

We love mushrooms, so this was a big hit for us. We had tons, so we stored the leftovers and plan to chop them up to add to the marinara sauce I have. We'll boil up some whole wheat pasta and have another meal made from leftovers!

Potato Cakes

• Leftover mashed potatoes
• flour
• canola or vegetable oil

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.
2. Remove left over mashed potatoes from the fridge and form into little patties (about 3 inches in diameter).
3. Put some flour in a bowl or on a plate and lightly coat each pattie in the flour.
4. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook on a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
5. Serve immediately

I've made potatos cakes using flour, egg and bread crumbs before and they turn out quite tasty. But, honestly, cutting out the egg and bread crumbs lightens them up a bit and they still turn out fine.

This meal may not have been the "prettiest" as it was lacking in color, but it was really filling. I would have liked a fresh vegetable with it, but we were using what we had! I even used the left over chicken to top a salad for lunch today. I read in a magazine recently that a huge percentage of people will not eat leftovers and often through them away. If you are creative with leftovers, there is no need to waste them!

Feel free to share any creative ways that you use leftovers. You can leave a comment or email me at cookingwithaplan@gmail.com.

Friday Night Feast

We had an out of the ordinary week. My husband got into a car accident which, for the record, was not his fault (he's fine, thank goodness...the car is not so fine). I got suddenly sick and had to take the morning off of work on Thursday (I'm fine now, too).

By the time we both got home and settled tonight, we were worn out. We watched our DVR'd shows from Thursday (The Office and 30 Rock) and then I figured I might as well attempt dinner since we didn't have the money or energy to eat out. My meal plan from earlier in the week got pushed back a day due to the craziness that was the car accident and illness, so I still hadn't made the pork tenderloin I had thawed. I'm glad I got off my butt, because dinner couldn't have been simpler and we enjoyed a nice Friday night feast.

I must be some sort of idiot. I kind of thought that the pork tenderloin seemed a bit on the huge side and thought twice about buying it because it was pricey due to its weight. I decided to get it anyway because it was on sale and stuck it in the freezer. Meanwhile, I open the package today after thawing it and out pops two pork tenderloins. I didn't know they packaged them in pairs. I've been avoiding buying them at Giant all this time because I thought they were tenderloins from some mutant pigs because they were so big. Now I know...

Herb Pesto Pork Tenderloin

• 1 pork tenderloin (or 2*)
• 1 bunch fresh sage leaves (about a cup)
  
• 1 small bunch of Italian parsley (about a cup)
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  
• 1/2 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted in a dry pan)
• Salt and Pepper
• Red potatoes, washed and cut into even sized pieces
  

1. Combine sage leaves, parsley, olive oil, garlic cloves, pine nuts, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender until smooth (creating a pesto).
   
2. Clean the pork tenderloin and remove the silver skin. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown each side of the tenderloin for a minute or two. (you can skip this step, if you want...but I like to brown meat before roasting it to lock in the juices).
   
3. Transfer pork tenderloin to a roasting pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spread the pesto all over the top of the tenderloin.
   
4. Toss the potatoes in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, and pepper** Scatter around the pork tenderloin in the roasting pan.
5. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes until cooked through (some like it a little rosy in the center, some like it completely done). Let it rest for 10 minutes and then slice and serve.

*Because I ended up having two pork tenderloins, I went ahead and cooked both. We are going to chop up the other one and add to salad or rice tomorrow. This is a great strategy...use left overs to your advantage!
**I added some Mrs. Dash Italian seasoning for extra flavor

Recipe loosely based on one from Robin Miller...I modified it by adding parsley, instead of using only sage, and using pork tenderloin instead of turkey tenderloin.

Catch Up

Sorry...I took a brief hiatus from blogging this week.

I was on Spring Break (I'm a teacher) and had all sorts of plans for blogging and reading and cleaning and projects. And I would have done all those things if I hadn't been watching lots of TV, hanging out with friends and family, eating Easter cookies, and playing Scrabble with Sonny. And you know what? I have chosen to embrace the laziness and not have guilt over all the things I didn't get done this week.

I did do some cooking and tried a few new recipes. Here's a sampling of what I've been cookin' up in my kitchen these days...

Pineapple Teriyaki Salmon
~This can be filed under "Quick and Easy"~

• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 (6 oz.) can pineapple juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 4 salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
• pepper
• Additional orange zest for optional garnish

1. Combine first 4 ingredients and 1/4 tsp of the salt in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to the pan and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over and place in the oven.
5. Cook in oven for a minute or two until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with orange zest if you desire.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Garlicky Roasted Potatoes with Herbs
~These went very nicely with the Salmon~

• 2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds quartered Yukon gold or red potatoes (about 4 cups)
• Cooking spray
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian parsley)
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees (because I made these with the salmon, I lowered the temperature so that the salmon wouldn't get overcooked...it worked just fine at 400).
2. Combine garlic and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.
3. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Drizzle remaining olive oil evenly over potatoes in a large bowl and toss to coat (I actually just toss them in oil directly on the baking sheet).
5. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet (coated with cooking spray) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
   
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are golden. Combine reserved garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle garlic mixture over potatoes.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Apricot, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Panini*
~This is delicious and beautiful..I wish I had taken a picture~

• Loaf of Italian Bread
• Butter for spreading on bread
  
• Thinly sliced Prosciutto
• Apricot Preserves
• Goat cheese

1. Heat up a panini press or a skillet over medium high heat
2. Spread butter onto two slices of bread. On the other side of one slice, spread apricot preserves. On the other side of the second slice, spread goat cheese.
3. Put a few slices of prosciutto onto one slice and put together to make a sandwich (buttered sides on the outside, obviously).
4. Place sandwich on panini press or skillet and let cook until golden brown and crispy. Then flip to cook the other side.
5. Let cool for a minute so that the preserves don't burn your tongue! (I learned this the hard way)

*My friend, Jill, made this sandwich for me when I went over to her house for lunch. I liked it so much I made it for my sister when she came over a few days later. Prosciutto and goat cheese can be a little pricey, but a little goes a long way and they both keep in the fridge for a while.

Chicken with Lime Sauce
~I served this with Cumin Roasted Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans~

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth*
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp lime juice, divided**
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Pound chicken breasts so that they are 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 4 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.
3. Add broth, sugar, 2 tbsp lime juice, and mustard to pan. Cook over medium heat, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
4. Combine 2 tbsp water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to pan and stir well with a whisk.
5. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute or until slightly thick. Whisk in 1 tbsp lime juice and butter, stirring until butter melts.
6. Return chicken to the pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 5 minutes).

*I buy little jars of chicken broth paste called Better than Bouillon. You just scoop out 1 tsp for every cup of broth you need. The paste will dissolve in the water and tastes great! This product keeps you from wasting leftover broth from cans or boxes. It's sold near the broths and comes in lots of varieties
**I got limes at Produce Junction for very cheap

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

Cumin Roasted Potatoes
~A great way to "turn up the volume" on roasted potatoes~

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Cut 2 large unpeeled baking potatoes (I used Yukon gold) into chunks or 1/2 inch slices.
• Combine 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 minced garlic cloves, and a bit of salt and crushed red pepper into a bowl.
• Spoon mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2007

My very good friend, Mary Beth, came to visit on Friday. She and I were roomies in college and she was a bridesmaid in my wedding. I served up some Island Chicken with fresh pineapple, Roasted Vegetables, and Couscous. When dessert rolled around, I enjoyed making her uncomfortable by forcing her to pose for a picture.

Butter Cake with Seasonal Berries
~Doesn't Mary Beth look happy?~

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Scant 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 whole large egg and 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 whole milk
• Mixed berries mixed with a bit of sugar to serve alongside (I did strawberries and blackberries)
  

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter a 9 inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter parchment. Lightly dust with flour. (You don't have to do the parchment paper, but it ensures that it will not stick).
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add whole egg, yolk, zest, and vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
5. At low speed, mix in flour mixture and milk alternately in batches (by thirds)
6. Spread batter in cake pan and bake until golden brown and a wooden toothpick comes out clean (35-40 minutes). Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack.
7. Serve with mixed berries.
   

I also did some serious research (i.e. checking out books from the library and reading them while watching episodes of Friends on DVD) on freezer friendly foods and will devise some sort of post on that topic in the future.

Happy Easter!

Thankful

The first year we were married, I asked my husband what he wanted for his birthday. His reply was, "Thanksgiving".

So now I prepare a thanksgiving feast for him every March the 6th (this is only our second year, but I'm sure he will continue to request this for years to come).

Last year I prepared what, in my mind, was the perfect thanksgiving menu. It turned out very well and everyone enjoyed it...including Sonny. However, when I sat down to plan the menu this year I thought, "I should really ask Sonny what his idea of the perfect Thanksgiving menu would be, since it's his birthday after all". His menu was different from mine and I was happy to honor his requests. (I'll likely post my favorite Thanksgiving recipes in November)

Sonny's Thanksgiving Feast

Very large roasted Turkey and Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Macaroni and Cheese
Broccoli Casserole (I added this because he did not mention a vegetable in his perfect menu...imagine that, haha)
Rolls
Cranberry Sauce (the jellied kind that comes out of a can)
Brownie Bottom Cheesecake (his cousin actually made a chocolate cake instead, which he loved just as well)
Apple Pie (I added this, too, because I can't make Thanksgiving without an Apple Pie)

Roast Turkey

~I hate to brag...but it was one fine lookin' turkey~

Don't be afraid of the massive amount of instructions...I just wanted to be really detailed because that's what I needed when I first started making roast turkey.

• Fresh or thawed Turkey (I usually make 18-20 lb turkeys...but this would work for smaller ones)
• Salt and Pepper
• Head of garlic
• Large onion
• Lemon
• Orange
• Bunch of Fresh Thyme
• Bunch of Fresh Rosemary
• Bunch of Fresh Sage (sometimes I don't use this)
• Butter (1 or 2 sticks)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove all the bags of gross stuff from inside the turkey. You can use these to make gravy, but I don't really get how to do that yet...I'll have to ask my mother-in-law (she does it for me).
   
2. Rinse turkey with water and pat dry. Place the turkey in a roasting pan and tuck it's little wings under the body (this feels kind of violent...but it keeps them from drying out). Generously salt and pepper the inside of the turkey.
3. Cut the head of garlic in half. Cut the onion, lemon, and orange into quarters (or slices...whatever fits best). Grab several sprigs from each bunch of herbs and remove the leaves. Chop the herbs leaves and put aside.
   
4. Stuff the inside of the turkey with both halves of garlic, slices of onion, lemon, and orange (if it doesn't all fit, that's OK...just shove as much up there as you can). Stuff the bunches of herbs in there as well (not the leaves you chopped up...you'll use them later).
   
5. So here is where I have two suggestions. I've done the butter part in two different ways, and they've both been successful.
   
6. One way is to use softened butter and mix the chopped herbs into it. Massage the butter into the skin of the turkey (even lifting up the skin a bit near the opening of the cavity and putting the herb butter in between the meat and the skin)
7. Another way is to melt the butter completely and pour it over the turkey. Then sprinkle the turkey with the chopped herbs. Salt and pepper the turkey. Tie the legs together with butcher's string. Put in the oven, covered in tin foil. I let it roast for an hour and then baste it with some of the pan juices. Continue to do this every 45 minutes or so until about 3 1/2 or 4 hours. Then take the tinfoil off to let the skin get brown and wonderful.
   
8. I'm being vague because the timing depends on the size of the turkey. This time, it was done in about 4 1/2 hours for a 17 lb turkey. The way to test for done-ness is to cut between the thigh and the breast to see if the juices run clear. You can also use an instant read thermometer inserted in the breast. It should read 165 degrees or higher (try not to overcook it...it's so awesome when it's moist). Sometimes I get scared of poisoning my guests and will actually cut into one side a bit to see if it's done)

Creamy Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
~My neighbor gave me this tip on how to make these the night before~

• Yukon Gold Potatoes (I used about 8 lbs for 13 people)
• Whole Milk (you can use lowfat...but this makes it sooo creamy)
• 2 sticks of butter
• Buttermilk (not as fattening as you think)
• Salt and Pepper
  
• Low fat or regular Mayonnaise (I can explain...)

1. Fill a large pot with water. Peel potatoes and cut into pieces (I usually quarter them).
2. Put the potatoes into the water and allow it to come to a boil. Let it boil for 10 minutes or so and then check to see if the potatoes are fork tender.
3. Drain the water and put potatoes into a large bowl.
4. Melt the butter and add to the potatoes. Pour some milk into the potatoes (it's hard to say how much...maybe 3/4 cup). Use a hand mixer to begin whipping the potatoes. Add buttermilk until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spread potatoes into a casserole dish (I use a glass 9x13). They can sit overnight in the fridge. When your ready to serve them, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
6. Here's were the mayo comes in. Spread a thin layer of mayo over the potatoes. It makes them moist and allows them to brown a bit in the oven...which looks great.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or so...until they are hot. You can sprinkle fresh chives over them, if you'd like. These taste just as good as if you just made them!

Broccoli Casserole
~My mom makes this every year at Thanksgiving...I just love it~

• 2 packages chopped broccoli
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1/2 cup buttered Ritz crackers
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Mix broccoli and cream of celery soup. Spread into oven safe dish.
2. After buttering 10-12 Ritz crackers, smash them up. Sprinkle them onto the broccoli mixture. Then sprinkle chedder cheese.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
4. Yeah, it's really that simple. It can be made ahead and it tastes awesome.

I would love to share my Macaroni and Cheese, Brownie Bottom Cheesecake, and Apple Pie recipes...but I'm afraid that if I write any more you will tire of scrolling down. I'll share them another day.

So, in conclusion, Happy Thanksgiving Happy Birthday, Sonny!!

Recovering

Last week was a doozy, I'll tell ya...
(I actually had to look up the spelling of "doozy"...you can spell it "doozie", too...I'm sure you don't care and are tired of reading this parenthetical comment)

Things have been hectic, stressful, busy...people have been sick....there has been sadness at the loss of a life...there have been endless papers to grade and endless papers to write for my class...I'm worn out.

My husband is still on a "let's not eat anything exciting" diet and I tried to plan food that wouldn't upset his recovery too much.

Monday: Tri-colored spiral pasta with turkey meatballs

I cooked a double batch of pasta. I took 12 fully cooked turkey meatballs out of the freezer and put them into a saucepan with a jar of marinara sauce. They thaw as the sauce heats up. I combined half the pasta with the meatballs and sauce. The other half of the pasta went into a container in the fridge.

Tuesday: Parma Rosa ShrimpThis is very tasty and very simple. My sister used the sauce at a family dinner years ago and I thought it would go so well with shrimp.

1. I buy a small envelope of a sauce mix called Parma Rosa (it's made by Knorr).
2. Follow the directions on the package to make the sauce (it takes less than 10 minutes).
   
3. I pull some raw shrimp from the freezer (I always buy raw instead of cooked because it's much tastier if you cook it yourself). I heated up some olive oil in a frying pan and put the shrimp in a single layer into the pan. I let it cook for a minute or two and then turn each one...don't overcook them, they will turn rubbery. I promise they will be done after only 3 to 4 minutes total.
   
4. I heat up the pasta in the microwave, then combine it with the shrimp and parma rosa sauce. I've even thown a handful of peas from the freezer into the mix. This could not be more quick and delicious.

Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner

I made omelettes and homefies...the recipes can be found here.

Thursday: Random snacks

I planned to make dinner and then collapsed from exhaustion after school. Sonny ate leftovers and I ate cheese melted onto tortilla chips...very gourmet.

Friday: Date Night!

Sonny surprised me with an "Italian" date to Fiorello's for dinner and Wegman's gelato for dessert! Gelato makes my heart happy.

Saturday (today): Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

I am going to try a new recipe using my crock pot. I got the recipe from one of the blogs I follow. It's called Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole. Check out Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom for other tips and recipes.

*Update: We had this slower cooker chicken casserole for dinner and it turned out great! I will certainly be using this simple recipe again*

I got my new edition of Everyday Food Magazine and see tons of recipes I'm eager to try. I'm searching through the circulars this weeks for deals (and see quite a few deals to be had) and then I'm going to plan my meals. I'll post as soon as I'm done my two papers for my graduate class...which will be never, it seems.

Plan B

I had some motivation issues this week. I didn't really feel like lesson planning. I didn't really feel like grading papers. I didn't really feel like doing much of anything.

I'm not going to say for a minute that snow days aren't the most wonderful part of being a teacher. However, they kind of mess with my schedule and I get all off track.

I came up with a plan for the week based on the odds and ends of ground turkey, turkey sausage, soup, and chicken in my freezer. I kind of stuck to my plan and kind of didn't.

Here was the original plan for this week:

Monday: Prosciutto and Pesto Panini with Soup
Tuesday: Spinach-Cheese Casserole with Sausage
Wednesday: Humble Shepherd's Pie
Thursday: Chicken bites with Apricot Mustard Sauce
Friday: Kung Pao Chicken over couscous
Saturday: Eat out
Sunday: Family Dinner (Mexican dishes)

I started off fine because I pre-made the Spinach-Cheese Casserole and Humble Shepherd's Pie mixture on Sunday. But the end of the week got a bit mixed up. Here's what actually happened this week:

Monday: Prosciutto and Pesto Panini with Soup
Tuesday: Spinach-Cheese Casserole with Sausage
Wednesday: Humble Shepherd's Pie
Thursday: Prosciutto and Pesto Panini with Soup again
Friday: Wegman's Bake at Home Pizza
Saturday: Kung Pao Chicken
Sunday: Family dinner canceled due to my poor sister's bad cold. Made an assortment of food items instead.

My point is that I almost always have a plan, but I don't always stick to the plan. And that's OK. I sometimes need to just make something that works with my schedule and how I'm feeling.

Prosciutto and Pesto Panini*
~I serve this delicious sandwich with Roasted Red Pepper soup that I have in the freezer~

1 loaf ciabatta (I buy individual rolls and then freeze them...they are perfect for this)
1/3 cup pesto (I buy Classico)
1/3 lb Prosciutto, thinly sliced
1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips (from a jar)
1/4 lb fontina cheese, thinly sliced
1/2 cup baby arugula or basil
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat. Or heat a panini press if you have one.
2. Slice the ciabatta horizontally and remove a bit of the soft interior.
3. Spread one cut side of ciabatta with the pesto and the other side with olive oil.
   
4. Layer one side of the ciabatta with prosciutto, red pepper, and basil (or arugula). Top with cheese.
5. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with remaining bread.
6. Brush the top and bottom of the sandwich with olive oil and place on the grill pan or panini press. If using a grill pan, use the weight of a heavy skillet or pan to press the panini. Grill 3 or 4 minutes on each side until golden and cheese is melted.
7. Cut into quarters and serve with soup for dipping

*I had plenty of the ingredients left over to make these again later in the week. They are yummy enough to have twice in a week!

Recipe taken from Everyday Food Magazine

Spinach-Cheese Pasta Casserole with Turkey Sausage*

8 oz. uncooked pasta shells
4 links of sweet turkey sausage
2 eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 jar (26 oz.) marinara sauce
1 tsp salt
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray small casserole with nonstick cooking spray (I use a 1 1/2 quart round corningware dish).
2. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain.
3. Heat some olive oil in a skillet and cook the turkey sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook it until it's no longer pink.
   
4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl until blended. Add ricotta and spinach to eggs and stir until combined.
5. Stir in pasta, marinara sauce, sausage, and salt until pasta is well coated. Pour into prepared dish.
6. Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan evenly over casserole. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more or until hot and bubbly.

*I usually make this several days ahead of time by assembling the entire casserole and keeping it in the fridge until I'm ready to bake it.

Humble Shepherd's Pie*

I found this recipe online last year around St. Patrick's Day. I was trying to make an Irish themed meal without using beef. I wish I could remember where I found it so that I could give credit where credit is due, but I have no idea.

I also wanted to mention a couple of things about this recipe. You can use instant mashed potatoes instead of making them from scratch. I often do that to save time. Also, the spices used to flavor the turkey are totally up to you. I have played around with a couple different things and found I like the ones below the best.

2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 1/2 inches thick
6 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
1 cup milk
salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic, paprika, Italian seasoning (Mrs. Dash is great)
2 (1 oz.) packages instand chicken gravy mix
1 cup water
1 (16 oz.) package frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 cups shredded cheese (chedder is good)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. Cover potatoes with water in a saucepan and boil for 20 to 30 minutes, or until fork tender.
3. Drain and beat potatoes until smooth with a mixer. Add butter, milk, salt, and pepper.
4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir turkey and onion unitl turkey is fully cooked. Add garlic and seasonings.
5. Add gravy mix and water, stirring often until gravy is thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Add turkey mixture to bottom of baking dish. Next, layer peas and carrots on top. Cover with mashed potatoes and then a layer of cheese on the top.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and dish is heated through.

*I often prepare the turkey mixture ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. To finish it off, I layer the turkey mixture, then frozen veggies, then instant mashed potatoes. Because the turkey is already cooked and seasoned, the dish comes together in minutes on a busy weeknight.

Kung Pao Chicken
~This is one of my all time favorite recipes; I serve it over couscous~

1 tbsp canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets (I prefer fresh over frozen for this recipe)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, divided
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp coarsely chopped peanuts

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add broccoli and 2 tsp ginger to pan; saute 1 minute.
2. Add water. Cover; cook 2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp tender. Remove broccoli from pan and keep warm.
3. Heat remaining 2 tsp oil in pan. Add remaining 1 tsp ginger, crushed red pepper, and chicken. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned, stirring frequently.
4. Combine broth and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan and cook 1 minute or until mixture thickens. Stir constantly.
   
5. Return broccoli mixture to pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts and pour over couscous.
   

Recipe learned at The Kitchen Workshop

Breakfast for Breakfast, Breakfast for Dinner

My husband, Sonny, loves breakfast food. We usually eat breakfast food for breakfast...but sometimes we eat it for dinner, too! Either way. Breakfast is a quick and easy meal to get on the table.

There are lots of opinions out there on how to make a proper omelet. I personally learned how to make one by watching Julia Child's The French Chef. She felt very strongly about eggs and how they should be made. I've always done it her way and it's always worked.

At this point, I feel that I need to prepare you for a future post on my love and admiration for Julia Child. I watch her show and pretend we are friends. I also do this with Ina Garten. I like to pretend that Julia, Ina, and I hang out and cook together (which would be impossible because Julia died several years ago). But that's for another day, another post.

Julia's Omelet Technique
(I'll take pictures next time I make one)

Don't be afraid of the amount of steps listed...it's not that complicated. I just wanted to be really detailed.

2 or 3 eggs per omelet
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Endless option for filling (more on that below)

1. Determine the amount of eggs you will need and crack them into a bowl.
2. Whisk vigorously with a fork until the eggs are beaten. Add a bit of salt and a bit of pepper.
3. Use a small pan (I use a an 8 inch...when I try to use bigger, it doesn't work as well). Turn your burner up to high and let the pan sit on it to get hot.
4. Once the pan is hot (a couple minutes) drop roughly a tbsp of butter into the hot pan. Immediately pick up the pan and rotate it so that the butter coats the whole thing (including the sides).
5. You'll know the butter is hot enough when its bubbling dies down. Don't let it sit there too long or it will turn brown and not taste right.
6. Pour just enough of the egg mixture into the pan to thinly cover the bottom.
7. This part is important. Immediately begin to shuffle the pan forward and back over the heat (which is still on high). This allows the eggs to cook but keeps them from sticking to the bottom or becoming overdone. Rotate the pan around to allow the uncooked egg to flow to the sides to cook.
8. This is the point where you add filling such as cheese, vegetables, meats, etc.
9. Allow the filling to melt or heat up for just a moment and then take off the heat. Julia is a stickler about not overcooking the eggs.
10. To un-mold the omelet onto a plate, begin to shuffle one edge out of the pan. Once you get about a third of the omelet onto the plate, bring the pan upward and flip the rest of the omelet over-top of the part that's already on the plate. It sounds complicated, but it's really easy. Once you do it a few times, it's as simple as can be.

Fillings: There is no end to the things you can put in an omelet. I usually just find odds and ends that didn't get used throughout the week. Here are couple ideas/pointers:

• Any meat that you put in cannot be raw...cook it first.
• Unless you like your vegetables really crunchy, saute them beforehand.
• It's best to heat the meats or vegetables before adding them to the omelet because sometimes there isn't enough time for them to get warm while the eggs are cooking.
• Sonny and I love to put mushrooms, chedder cheese, and red peppers in our omelets.
• Other options are spinach, swiss cheese, broccoli, any kind of pepper, sausage, prochiutto, mozzarella cheese...really anything that sounds good to you.

Sometimes, for a treat, I'll make homefries to go with our omelets. They are also very easy. Begin the homefries before the omelets because the potatoes take longer to cook and the omelets are done within minutes.

Simple Homefries

1 all purpose potato per person (for a smaller servings, 1 potato could serve two)
Olive Oil
Butter
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Fresh parsley, rosemary, or thyme (if you have any...I don't always add them)

1. Cut up the potatoes into little cubes. I try to get them to be around 1/2 inch. They are not going to be perfect at all, they just need to be about the same size so they will cook evenly.
2. Heat up a tbsp (or more if you are making lots of potatoes) in a large frying pan. Throw a slap (tbsp) of butter in there too. Oil has a high burning temperature so you can get it really hot. Butter has lots of flavor...so you get the best of both worlds.
3. Add the potatoes in an even layer to the hot oil and butter. Let them cook a bit and then toss them around to get the other sides cooked. The time this takes relates to how many potatoes you are making...it typically take me about 10 minutes when I make two potatoes. Do it by feel...if they are golden brown and crispy, they are ready
   
4. Add salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs to the hot potatoes and toss with a wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Serve hot beside a yummy omelet.

If you want something sweet with your breakfast meal, you can make Healthy Banana-Blueberry Muffins or you could make scones. Here's my favorite recipe that I learned at The Kitchen Workshop. You can use the basic recipe (without the orange zest and cranberries) and add anything you'd like to it (lemon zest, cinnamon, raisins, etc.)

Cranberry Orange Scones

3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 sugar (sometimes I put a smidge more in for kicks)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 baking soda
1 tbsp orange zest
1 1/2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 pieces
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a large bowl.
3. Mix in orange zest
4. Add butter and rub in with fingertips or pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal (the size of peas)
5. Mix in dried cranberries.
6. Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with fork until moist clumps form.
7. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface.* Knead briefly to bind dough, about 4 turns.
8. Form dough into a 1 inch round and cut into 8 wedges. Transfer wedges to a scone pan** or greased cookie sheet.
9. Brush one egg mixed with a tbsp of water onto scones and bake until tops are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

* Sometimes I just knead it in the bowl to save time and mess. I just form it into a flattened ball and cut it into wedges right in the bowl. This really only works when you are pressing the dough into a scone pan.
** A scone pan is a really neat thing to have if you are in to making scones. It's super easy to use because you can just press the dough into the pan.