Category: Food
Mint to be-Frango Brownies

Mint to be-Frango Brownies

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The other morning I met a friend I hadn’t seen in a while for coffee. Thanksgiving had us talking about the holidays.  We caught up on the kids’ comings and goings, where everyone was spending the holidays, and which kids would be home.

Of course, the conversation ultimately drifted to food. She mentioned ordering boxes of Frango Mints from Macy’s. FRANGO MINTS?! My eyes automatically glazed over.  Frango Mints, ooohhhh, love Frango Mints.  Back in the day whenever I was in Chicago, my to-do list included a stop at Marshall Field’s explicitly to buy Frango Chocolates.  Delightful bites of satiny smooth chocolate flavored with mint, raspberry, or caramel.

Much to the chagrin of Chicagoans, Marshall Field’s was sold to The Federated Group, but for the rest of us, it meant those luscious chocolate morsels can now be found at Macy’s everywhere.  I know, it is not the same as Marshall Field’s on State Street, sigh.  But time marches on.

Doing the Frango Tango

Frango Mints straight out of the box are delectable, but those little bad boys elevate your standard brownie to a new level. Years ago, the Chicago Tribune printed a recipe for a Frango Mint Brownie. They are easy to make, and delicious with that minty twist that sets them apart.  It does help to have a mixer since the recipe calls for whipping the eggs to a nice thick, foamy batter.  There are no leaveners, so the egg mixture accounts for any lift in the batter.  Add the melted chocolate, and fold in the flour, nuts, and chopped Frango mints. Bake. The brownies are ready when a toothpick stuck halfway between the edge and the center comes out fairly clean or just a few crumbs.  Somewhere between fudgy and cakey, these brownies are just right.

With a promise to send my friend the recipe, I hustled home to make a batch of these long-forgotten gems.  Well, I did have to make a stop before heading home. Lucky for me Macy’s is just a few minutes away. Had to get my signature green box of Frango Mints. (Yikes-Cyber Monday deal 9.99/box!)

Shhhh…I shouldn’t be writing this, but in a pinch, if you don’t have Frango Mints, you could use Andes Mints.

Frango Mint Brownies

Frango Mints + Brownies + Cold Glass of Milk = Perfect Treat

You’re welcome.

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FRANGO MINT BROWNIES

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces baking chocolate chopped
  • 1/2 cup (1 cube of butter) cut into pieces
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1/2 cup Field`s Frango Mints chopped

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.
  • Melt butter in medium saucepan or in microwave. Add chocolate and stir to melt until chocolate is completely melted.
  • Beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored (~2 min)
  • Gradually add the sugar to the eggs, beating thoroughly (additional 1 min) until the batter is smooth and light.
  • Stir in the chocolate mixture and vanilla.
  • Fold in flour and salt into the batter with rubber spatula.
  • Fold in the pecans and chopped Frangos.
  • Pour brownie mixture into a well-greased, 8-inch-square pan.
  • Bake until the top is shiny and a crust has formed, 20 to 25 minutes. Avoid overbaking.
  • Bake until wooden toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with on a moist crumb.
  • Cool on wire rack. Cut into 16 2x2 pieces.
  • Store in an airtight container.
  • Allow to cool completely, then cut into 2-inch squares.
bulgogi
Seoul Satisfying: Bulgogi-Korean Grilled Beef

Seoul Satisfying: Bulgogi-Korean Grilled Beef

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Maybe it’s a way to stay connected to my kid who is living in South Korea and teaching English.  My current obsessions are K-Dramas and Korean food.  I absolutely adore both.  My gateway to K-dramas was Amazon (damn you-Jeff Bezos, just kidding).  Suffice to say the rom-com genre is alive and well in South Korea. My favorite show is about an immortal who has been searching for his “bride”, the only person who can actually put him out of misery-I know, ironic. It’s called Goblin or Guardian.

My other obsession is Korean food.  Korean cuisine is right up my alley-spicy, flavorful tofu soups, pickled vegetables-Kimchi, Korean barbecue, noodles (Japchae), dumplings (mandu), and bap (rice), the cornerstone.  When I was a kid I would always unceremoniously dump my bowl of rice into my soup.  I’d swish the rice around to let it absorb the flavors of the soup before eating.  Now I find myself enjoying Korean Tofu Soups in the same fashion.

Then there is Korean barbecue. Beef, pork, chicken marinated in soy sauce, garlic, sesame, and onions-grilled over charcoal giving the meat that lovely smokiness, so good.

Like Chinese meals, Korean meals are very communal. Dishes are placed in the center of the table to be shared by all. Parents select choice tidbits to place in each child’s bowl.  Teens serve their grandparents.  Everyone feeds the babies. Chopsticks constantly moving food from plates and bowls and finally to mouths.  Eating is such a connection.  For Koreans and Chinese we often greet family and friends not with hello but with “have you eaten yet?”.

Bulgogi is thin strips of beef, marinaded, grilled quickly and wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Nestled in the lettuce along with the beef, is a bite of rice, kimchi, and a dab of ssamjang (bean-chili sauce).  Think tacos.  So delicious.  I adapted a recipe for bulgogi I found in Seoul Food Korean Cookbook (Kindle version for 4.99 right now) by Naomi Imatome-Yun.

The marinade starts with the trifecta of Korean seasonings, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame and builds on this with honey, Asian pear and scallions. So much flavor. Most Asian markets generally have pre-cut thin slices of short rib, pork, or chicken, which makes life easy. If you start with a whole piece of meat, toss it in the freezer for a couple of minutes.  Makes cutting thin slices a walk in the park.

It’s not always easy to find Asian pears.  Use a combination of finely grated apple (Fuji or Honeycrisp are nice) and pineapple juice in place of the Asian pear.  Don’t let it marinate in pineapple juice too long as it will break down the meat.  Add pineapple juice no more than a couple of hours before cooking.

Red leaf, Boston, or Gem lettuce, are the perfect shape, size, and texture for a bulgogi wrap.  Winner winner, bulgogi dinner-sweet, salty, garlicky, and smokey wraps and you can use your hands, just like tacos!  Broke da mouth good.

Don’t forget the kimchi!

bulgogi
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Bulgogi

Bulgogi, beef thinly and marinated in soy, garlic, and onions. Served with rice and saamjang, wrapped in lettuce. This classic Korean dish is a sure fire hit with its bold flavors.
Course Main Course, Meat
Cuisine Asian, Korean
Keyword beef, Bulgogi, Grilled
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Marinade time 3 hours
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons chopped garlic CHOPPED, not minced, which would be too much
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons grated Asian pear include juice substitute any apple, fuji or honerycrisp, grated 1/2 and 1/2 pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon mirin substitute sake which is not sweet
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 3 scallions finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound sirloin steak ribeye or short rib, thinly sliced

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, soy sauce, sugar, honey, pear juice, mirin, sesame oil, scallions, and pepper and stir until the sugar and honey are dissolved.
  • Add the meat and toss to coat thoroughly with the sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. For tougher cuts of meat, marinate the meat longer.
  • Grill the beef until well done and caramelized on the outside, about 3 minutes per side. You can also fry the beef in a cast iron pan.
  • Serve with rice, ssamjang and lettuce leaf. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot

Notes

TIP: Top sirloin or tenderloin work best, but almost any steak cut will do. The best quality meat will be more tender and will taste the best. Trader Joe's has thinly sliced ribeye that works well.
Adapted from Imatome-Yun, Naomi. Seoul Food Korean Cookbook: Korean Cooking from Kimchi and Bibimbap to Fried Chicken and Bingsoo
Butterscotch Potato Chip Cookies
Double Chipping (Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls)

Double Chipping (Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls)

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The classic potato chip cookie, updated in The Vintage Baker by Jessie Sheehan.  Add butterscotch chips and triple the amount of potato chips, for the new and improved, Version 2.0 of Potato Chip Cookie.  I found these cookies by way of Ipso Fatto a favorite blog I follow.  How could I pass up a cookie described as chewy, crunchy, buttery, rolled in Kettle potato chips and studded with butterscotch chips?  I couldn’t and I didn’t.

These are a snap to put together.  You start with melted butter, no waiting for butter to soften and you can bake off a batch without chilling the dough.  That’s almost like instant cookies in my book.

Chips Matter

For my first batch, I purchased the only Kettle chips I could find at Whole Foods, their house brand,  I like Whole Foods, and shop there often, do not buy their Kettle Chips…bleah, flat and tasteless.  For my second batch, I used Cape Cod’s Kettle Chips.  Did it make a difference in the cookies?  I think so. Saltier and crunchier.  It made a difference with the extra chips left in each bag.  Much to my chagrin, I polished off the rest of the Cape Cod Chips in a New York minute.  The moral of the story is to use your favorite Kettle chips.

Butterscotch chips are not commonplace in my kitchen.  The few times I used them, I wasn’t thrilled with the texture or taste, they always seemed a bit artificial.  After an exhaustive search (King Arthur Flour website), I got Guittard’s Butterscotch chips.  They are surprisingly flavorful.  It would have been nice if they were “meltier” like chocolate chips.  Ipso Fatto used caramelized white chocolate or “blond chocolate” for the butterscotch but it is both hard to find and pretty pricey.  By all means, use the chips you like the most, that’s what counts. This recipe doesn’t use the entire bag of butterscotch chips, lucky for you I have another tasty cookie recipe that calls for melted butterscotch chips-Butterscotch Cookies, from The Perfect Cookie.

The recipe calls for putting the potato chips into the dough and crushing them as you mix the dough.  That leaves some big chips in the dough.  rushed the chips before adding them to the batter.

Chill the dough for a bit so the cookies don’t spread a lot.  Use a 1.5 tablespoon scoop which makes a 2-1/2 inch diameter cookie.  As soon as they come out of the oven flatten them with a spatula and push in the sides to make them round (optional).  Y’all probably know this but ice cream/cookie scoops are PERFECT for making uniform cookies.  I have had mine for ages (made in Italy, not China-that’s how old they are).  If you have a baker in your family, scoops would make great stocking stuffers.

Chip Off the Old Cookie

These cookies are delicious.  I took a batch to my professional testers (my co-workers), and they gobbled them up.  The potato chips add a nice crunch and saltiness, the butterscotch chips add sweetness, the touch of flaked salt at the end accentuates the sweet-salty “thang” and butter is butter, say no more.  The over-the-top factor-potato chips mixed in the dough and the dough then rolled in more chips, that’s what I call the “double-chip hit”.   Run, don’t walk to your kitchen, and make a batch now.

Butterscotch Potato Chip Cookies
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Butterscotch–Potato Chip Balls Potato Chip Balls

Course cookies
Cuisine American
Keyword Butterscotch Potato Chip Balls
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 36 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups [325 g] all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp table salt
  • 1 cup [180 g] butterscotch chips
  • 1 cup [220 g] unsalted butter melted
  • 1 cup [200 g] packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup [100 g] granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 5 cups [175 g] kettle-style potato chips Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C]. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and whisk together. Add the butterscotch chips and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the melted butter and sugars on medium-high speed until thick, light, and glossy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  • Decrease the mixer speed to medium-low and add the egg and yolk, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl aer each addition with a rubber spatula. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients all at once, mixing just to combine. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add 3 cups [105 g] of the potato chips to the dough, combining and crushing the chips with a rubber spatula.
  • In a small bowl, crush the remaining 2 cups [70 g] potato chips. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls with a cookie scoop or measuring spoon, rolling each ball in the leover crushed chips, and evenly place 12 on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating at the halfway point, until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and press down on each cookie with a spatula to slightly flatten.
  • Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
  • Let cool briefly and serve warm, because who doesn't love a cookie warm from the oven? The cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

The recipe can be found on Epicurious.com
Instant Pot Easy Kheema Pulao (Spicy Indian Rice Dish)

Instant Pot Easy Kheema Pulao (Spicy Indian Rice Dish)

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Sometimes other events dominate your life for a bit…but I’m back!

After weeks of knocking on doors to get out the vote, I was ready for some downtime.  I drove home from Bakersfield (four hours each way, ugh) and wanted to chill and enjoy some home cooked food.  As yummy as it is, (Wo)”Man”(me) cannot live on taqueria fare alone. I arrived home right around the dinner hour so I needed something quick and easy to make, but still comforting and delicious. I pulled out my Instant Pot, clicked on Ministry of Curry “Kheema Pulao” (think Indian version of a mixed rice dish) in my saved links, and voila’ 40 minutes later I was curled up on the couch, watching my favorite K-drama (Goblin), spooning hot, spicy pulao into my mouth.  Ahhh, my reward for doing my part to save Democracy…and that’s all I will say about that (thanks, Forrest).

Kheema Pulao

I love Biryani, a spicy Indian Rice dish that is both complex in flavor and in preparation. That means going to a restaurant and letting them make it for me. My job is to enjoy every bite. On the other hand, pulao is a simple version of a biryani, easily made at home and delicious.  Vegetables, ground meat, aromatics, and spices are sauteed, then rice is added along with water or stock. A touch of sweetness from the cinnamon and onions, spicy from the ginger, garlic, and chili, then finished with cilantro and lime.  Welcome to Flavortown.  So good.

Kheema means minced or ground, in this recipe, ground chicken is used but you could use turkey or beef.  The flavors are infused into the meat and the ground chicken cooks quickly, win-win.  The rate-limiting step would be the time it takes for the rice to cook which, ta-da, is shortened by using your Instant Pot, PLUS the entire dish is done in one pot…no muss, no fuss, I’m doing the happy dance now.

Saute’ ingredients in the pot.

 

Add liquid and rice, cover, seal, set for 5 minutes, wait 5 minutes then quick release and done.  How easy is that?

Kheema Pulao finish

Garnish with cilantro and lime to make it pretty.

Add this to your things to make in my Instant Pot.  Really.

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Kheema Pulao

A one pot meal made with long grain basmati rice cooked with ground chicken and a host of aromatics ginger, garlic, onions, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin seeds and cinnamon.  A flavor explosion. Adapted from Ministry of Curry
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Kheema Pulao
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 422kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 teaspoon shah jeera or cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon garlic grated
  • 1 pound ground chicken can use , beef or turkey
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • Handful of mint leaves chopped
  • 2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup long grain Basmati rice
  • 1 ½ cups water

Garnish

  • 1 lime
  • ½ cup cilantro chopped
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to sauté(more) mode and heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon and bay leaves. Saute for 30 seconds.
  • Add onions and sauté for 5-8 minutes or until the onions start to brown. Add ginger, garlic and chicken. Sauté, breaking the chicken and browning it for a minute. Add tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric, mint leaves, and salt. Mix well.
  • Add rice and water. Gently mix making sure all the rice is under the liquids. Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual /Pressure cook (Hi) 5 mins with 5 min NPR.
  • Open the Instant Pot and gently fluff the top rice (Note, if the rice looks uncooked on the top, just mix it with the rice under and close the Instant Pot for 5 minutes)
  • If rice seems a little wet, let it sit for a couple of minutes, top open.
  • Add lime juice, cilantro and black pepper. Turn the Instant Pot off and take the insert out so the rice does not overcook or get mushy. Enjoy hot.
A Chip Off the Old Butterscotch Block (Butterscotch Cookies)

A Chip Off the Old Butterscotch Block (Butterscotch Cookies)

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A second recipe from The Perfect Cookie by America’s Test Kitchen caught my eye for a different reason. I had just made a batch of Potato Chip Butterscotch Cookies from The Vintage Baker and now had a partial bag of butterscotch chips sitting on my counter. I have to admit, I am not the biggest fan of butterscotch chips so I don’t have a bunch of recipes with butterscotch. Here was an opportunity to use the rest of the bag.
Glad I did. This is another super simple slice and bake dough. Instead of chips the butterscotch is melted and creamed with cold butter.  No chips just butterscotch flavor infused through the entire cookie, yummy. The trickiest part was melting the chips to create a smooth creamy mixture that could be blended with the butter. I used the microwave at half power to melt the chips and butter.  Stir the melted mixture and add the vanilla.  My mixture did not blend very well until I added the vanilla, so don’t worry.  After chilling the dough, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, place an inch apart and bake.  As your kitchen fills with the aroma of these butterscotch gems, get your glass of milk or cup of joe ready.

These were a definite hit with the work peeps. Rich, deep caramel overtones in a light, crisp cookie. Big bold flavor in a plain jane package. Like they say, never judge a book by its cover.

I found an adaptation of this cookie on A Baker’s House, instead of the slice and bake method, the dough is scooped up and formed into balls and baked.  This yields a chewier in the center with a crispy edge cookie.  I love both versions.

Bake a batch of these Butterscotch Cookies and watch them disappear.

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BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

An easy and delicious slice and bake cookie for butterscotch lovers!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 9 tablespoons cut into 9 pieces chilled
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Place the butterscotch chips and the first 3 tablespoons of butter into a glass bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Stir every 30 seconds. This should take one minute to one and a half minutes. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth; let cool for 15 minutes.
  • Beat the second amount of measured butter (9 tablespoons) with the sugar and salt.  Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the cooled butterscotch mixture and continue to mix until combined. Add egg yolk then reduce to a lower speed to add the dry ingredients of flour and baking powder. A dough will come together and that is your signal to stop mixing.
  • Form dough into a log approximately 2 inches in diameter and 9-10 inches in length.  Chill until firm (min 30-60minutes).  Slice 1/4 inch thickness and place on parchment lined baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart. 
  • Alternate method:  Pinch off enough dough to make approximately one inch balls ( or use a 1-inch ice cream scoop to measure out dough). Place on a parchment lined baking tray approximately 2 inches apart. 
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Cool on wire racks.
Coco-Nuts for Washboard Cookies

Coco-Nuts for Washboard Cookies

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My grandma had a washboard she kept next to the bathtub in a round, white tin basin.  For those of you thinking “washboard?”, picture a rectangular wooden frame holding a corrugated metal sheet about the size of a full sheet pan.  As a kid, I watched my grandma rub wet soapy garments along the metal ridges to clean them.  All I can say is…THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE WASHING MACHINES NOW.

So much for nostalgic moments.  These delicious coconut cookies derive their name from that very same washboard that has gone the way of manual typewriters, record players, and cassette tapes.  Luckily this cookie hasn’t followed suit.

Cuckoo for Coconuts

I spent most of my life hating coconut. Shredded, flaked, milk, you name it, my immediate reaction was “yuck”.  But somewhere along the line, I did a 180 and now I am making up for lost time.  Coconut recipes now seem to jump out at me. I imagine those little white shreds, waving like a kindergartener with his hand up in the air telegraphing “pick me, pick me”.  As I was perusing America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cookie book-I came to a screeching halt at yep, these Coconut Washboard Cookies.

These cookies remind me of Pepperidge Farms Bordeaux Cookies. Crisp, light, buttery with the added bonus of coconut.  I might try replacing the milk in the recipe with coconut milk to see if this heightens the coconut flavor but they’re still pretty darn good without this tweak.  The dough is shaped into a rectangular roll and chilled until firm enough to cut.  Press the tines of a fork, well floured, into the dough slices to create the ridges grooved into the top of each cookie.  The perfect imitation of that old washboard.

These delectable bites are perfect with a steaming cup of coffee or tea.  Tasty and easy to make they deserve a spot on your cookie list.

This recipe is from America’s Test Kitchen’s The Perfect Cookie.  Get the Kindle edition right now!  Besides this recipe gem, the book is filled with info, tips, advice and a wonderful photos.

Coconuts

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Washboards Cookies

Coconutty, crispy, buttery cookies that look like Grandma's washboard!
Course cookies, desserts, sweets
Cuisine American
Keyword buttery, coconut, Coconut cookies, Crispy, washboard cookies
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 30

Ingredients

The Dry Mix-Combine and set aside

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 10 oz
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The Wet Stuff

  • 8 tablespoons 1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar 7 oz
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons milk sub coconut milk

The Add-In Star

  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 3 oz
  • 1/4 cup finely diced dried pineapple optional to pump up the island factor!

Instructions

  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and milk and beat until well combined. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and coconut, and mix until just incorporated.
  • Transfer dough to a counter and, using your floured hands, roll dough into 15-inch log, then flatten top and sides to measure 3 inches by 1 inch. Wrap log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes or up to 3 days.
  • Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch-thick rectangles and space them 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Using floured fork, make crosswise indentations in dough slices. Bake until toasty brown, 15 to 18 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cook on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving.
“Bacon Up” Some Savory Scones

“Bacon Up” Some Savory Scones

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It is not surprising that I love scones.  Scones are the British version of biscuits and as you all know, I am obsessed with biscuits.  I will go in search of two things on my travels, BISCUITS and PIE. Yep, I have been known to detour far and wide for either.  I may not go out of my way for a scone (who am I kidding, yes I will), but if I happen on a bakery and they have scones, that’s what will be sitting next to my cup of joe.  At home, my favorite scone recipe is from Dorie Greenspan.  Tender, crumbly, buttery, a touch of sweetness-downright delicious.  Make it with currants for a classic cream scone, or change it up and add orange zest and dried cranberries or my personal favorite, lemon and wild blueberries.

But this post takes a walk on the savory side.  Recommended by my friend Mary, baker extraordinaire-Bacon, Cheddar, Chive Scones from King Arthur Flour are seriously addicting.  That first bite fills your mouth with buttery crumbs, chunks of golden cheese, flecks of green chives, and then…wait for it..sweet, salty, crispy, bits of BACON.  Hello?  Are you smacking your lips right now?  You should be.

bacon cheddar chive scone

These are quick and easy to make and you can freeze the unbaked scones, take them out in the morning, throw them in the oven and voila, 30 minutes later, you are enjoying freshly baked warm scones.

After cutting the butter into the flour mixture, add your flavor bombs.

Add cream and fold, smoosh the dough together and form a disc approximately 1 inch thick, cut into wedges.  Do not overmix, but the dough should come together when pinched.  Add cream in tablespoon increments if necessary.

Confession.  The first time I made these was on a whim.  I opened the door to my fridge, hmmm, no chives, scallions will have to do.  What? No heavy cream, you’re kidding… well, I do have half & half, why not?  The trifecta of substitutions, I had a medley of cheese, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and Mozzarella no cheddar.

Last minute bakers cannot be choosy.

The scones turned out fine. Light, great bacon flavor, definitely a keeper and I saved all those calories using half-half. Not bad!

The next time I was prepared-heavy cream, pastry flour, chives, sharp cheddar cheese…you betcha’.  This scone was a bit denser and moister, I could taste the sharp cheddar and overall the scone seemed richer.

Both scones were delicious.  So I leave it to you.  For a richer scone use heavy cream, for a lighter scone use half & half but definitely use sharp cheddar cheese for flavor.  I might even add some chopped jalapeno next time to spice it up a bit.  Woohoo!

**Alert** If you are a purist do not read the next paragraph.  The recipe calls for approximately a cup of chopped bacon.  That’s a lot of bacon.  You COULD oven-bake or pan-fry (all that splatter, ugh) the half pound of bacon and crumble it into bits, OR you could go to Costco and buy ready to use REAL bacon bits.  We are not talking imitation Bacobits but real bacon.  Snap, So EASY.

 

 

 

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Bacon-Cheddar-Chive Scones

Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American, British
Keyword scone
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Pastry Flour Blend either works fine
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter
  • 1 cup very coarsely grated or diced cheddar cheese grated works well
  • 1/3 cup snipped fresh chives or finely diced scallion tops the green part
  • 1/2 pound bacon cooked, cooled, and crumbled (about 1 cup)* see text above
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream or enough to make the dough cohesive

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle to upper third. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.
  • Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly, with some of the butter remaining in larger pieces.
  • Mix in the cheese, chives, and bacon until evenly distributed.
  • Add 3/4 cup of the cream, stirring to combine. Try squeezing the dough together; if it's crumbly and won't hang together, or if there are crumbs remaining in the bottom of the bowl, add cream until the dough comes together. Transfer the shaggy dough to a well-floured work surface.
  • Pat the dough into a smooth 7" disk about 3/4" thick. Transfer the disk to the prepared baking sheet. Use a knife or bench knife to cut the disk into 8 wedges, spreading the wedges apart a bit on the pan.
  • Brush the scones with a bit of cream; this will help their crust brown.
  • Bake the scones in the middle or upper third of the oven for 22 to 24 minutes, until they're golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan.If they brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.   Serve warm, or at room temperature.
  • Refrigerate any leftover scones, well wrapped, for several days; reheat before serving. Freeze for longer storage.

Notes

Want to make scones now, freeze and bake later?
Make scones up to the point they're on the baking sheet, cut and ready to bake; don't brush them with cream. Freeze, then remove from the sheet, and wrap airtight in a plastic bag. When you're ready to bake, remove however many you want to bake from the freezer, place on a baking sheet, brush with cream, and bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
Make mini-scones: Divide the dough in half, and roll each half into a 5" round. Cut each round into 8 wedges. Bake in a preheated 425°F oven till golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes; or for about 25 minutes if frozen.
Keep Calm and Salmon On

Keep Calm and Salmon On

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Growing up, most meals included at least one seafood dish.  Steamed rock cod with ginger and scallions, flounder with brown bean sauce sitting on a bed of tofu or stir-fried prawns with tomato and garlic (SOUL FOOD).  My dad would finish work and then head out to the shops in Chinatown to find the fresh catch of the day.  The markets carried locally caught cod, bass, or flounder kept cold on a bed of ice. My dad checked the freshness by looking at the clarity of the eyes. Sometimes he opted for live fish, crab, or shrimp from the tanks that lined the wall.  He peered into each tank before selecting the one he wanted. Once satisfied with his choice he would barter with the fishmonger for a good price.

So my exposure to seafood was two extremes

Freshly caught fish steamed and flavored with ginger, green onions, and cilantro. The sauce was pure heaven, an amalgamation of liquid created from the fish juices, soy sauce, and aromatics.  My brother and I fought over who could ladle the most sauce over their rice, a tradition my kids have continued.

On the flip side was Friday night frozen FISHSTICKS with catsup!  Date night for the folks meant dinner in front of the TV for my brother, my cousins and me.  I hate to admit it, but from the ages of 4-10, I probably liked the fish sticks more. Silly girl.

One fish not typically part of Asian cuisine is Salmon. I discovered salmon late in the game and ironically it’s the fish we prepare at home now more often than any other fish. I am always on the lookout for new and different recipes for salmon.  Whaddya know…from Everyday Korean Cookbook, one of my current favs (check out her site to preview a couple of recipes), I found the recipe, Roasted Salmon with Gochujang Mayo. The sauce, sweet from the mayonnaise, spicy from the Gochujang, and citrusy (is that a word?) from a squeeze of lime is pretty darn tasty.  The mayo comes together in a snap.  Slather it on the fish, pop it in the oven and finish it under the broiler.  So easy and so delicious.  It’s a keeper.  The recipe calls for the Japanese mayo, Kewpie, but you can make your own with Best Foods mayo.

From the Japanese cookbook, Just One Cookbook. Kewpie imposter recipe!

For 1 cup of American mayonnaise (like Best Foods), add 2 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 Tbsp sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. For 1 Tbsp of American mayonnaise, add 1/2 tsp rice vinegar and 1/8 tsp sugar.

That’s a WRAP

What is my favorite way to serve this salmon? Classic Korean style-bibb lettuce used as a wrap.  It’s the Asian version of a taco. I put a bite of rice or noodle, bit of kimchi, morsel of salmon and dab of chili sauce in the lettuce, wrap it, and eat the whole thing in one bite.  Hmmm…. Crispy cool lettuce, warm soft kernels of rice, spicy sweet salmon, salty, briny umami-packed kimchi topped with scallions, cilantro and lime.  A party in my mouth, sooooo good!

Next time you need a delicious marinade for your salmon, give this one a go!

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Roasted Salmon with Gochujang Mayo adapted from Everyday Korean

Quick and tasty roasted salmon with spicy, sweet Gochujang Mayo. Perfect meal at the end of a long day.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1 1/2-to-2-pound wild salmon fillet (skin on is fine), pin bones removed
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise preferably Kewpie.
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce Lee Kum Kee-please
  • 1-2 teaspoons gochujang Korean red pepper paste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced (~2 teaspoons)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon lime, or tangerine
  • 1 Garnish scallions, cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, lime wedges,

For serving: Steamed rice, kimchi or sliced cucumbers and bibb lettuce leaves

Instructions

  • Place 1 oven rack on the highest level of oven and a second rack below. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Line sheet pan (shallow baking sheet) with aluminum foil; lightly grease foil with cooking spray.
  • Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Place fillets (skin-side down) on foil-lined baking sheets; set aside.
  • Mix together mayonnaise, oyster sauce, gochujang, ginger or garlic, lime juice in a small bowl. Brush or spoon sauce evenly over salmon.
  • Place baking sheet on second rack in oven, and roast 8 minutes, until sauce sizzles and begins to brown. Heat oven to broil. Place salmon on top rack of oven, and broil on high another 3 to 5 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet and desired doneness. 
  • Serve with bibb lettuce, rice and garnish, if desired, with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onion, cilantro, lime wedges, kimchi, and/or cucumber slices.

Notes

Serve with bibb lettuce, rice and garnish, if desired, with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onion, cilanto, lime wedges, kimchi, and/or cucumber slices.

 
Banana Pecan Shortbread (You Butter Believe They’re Vegan)

Banana Pecan Shortbread (You Butter Believe They’re Vegan)

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Every now and then my political leanings sneak into a post. Nothing overt, a line, a sigh, a one-liner although I’m pretty sure my feelings are pretty obvious, oh well.  After the election I found myself feeling like that chicken running around screaming “the sky is falling, the sky is falling!  In order to not drive myself crazy, I decided I had to somehow channel that energy.  I had to stop lamenting over my latte’ and do something.

March for Science
March for Science

I went to marches and rallies, dressed Sammy up, and took him to marches.  Attended lectures, started reading books that didn’t have recipes, and subscribed to a bunch of podcasts.  Finally, I took the leap and joined a political action group organized by 3 amazing women in my community.  From there, I have met so many AMAZING people that I would not have met otherwise if not for the outcome of THAT election.

See, there is a silver lining to everything

One of which is meeting T&H. I adore them.  They are genuine, smart, funny, a little quirky (love that), compassionate, passionate…I could go on and on.

Wait, what the heck, they’re VEGAN? Dealbreaker

Just kidding.  The other night it was my turn to host our advocacy dinner meeting.  Most of the meal was pretty easy, spicy sesame noodles, a nice toss green salad, fresh berries.  Roasted salmon on the side for non-vegan, meat-eating folks (ME).  Easy peasy until…DESSERT.

What is a no-holds-bar, butter-obsessed, whipped cream-eating, dessert lover (ME again) to do?

So, being a “Big Tent” person, I went on the hunt for vegan desserts.  The first Vegan recipe I tried was an Olive Oil Shortbread with Rosemary & Chocolate Chunks from Smitten Kitchen. Pretty good…for a vegan cookie (ahhh, the qualifier). This time around I found a recipe for a Banana Pecan Shortbread on Minimalist Baker.  This looked promising.

Guess what, they are yummylicious (no qualifier).

Vegan Banana Pecan Shortbread

The secret ingredient? Coconut oil.  The cookie has a nice fine crumb and a bit of crispiness at the edges. These definitely give traditional shortbread a run for its money.  The pecans and banana add both sweetness and a buttery finish, you really don’t miss the butter.

I used refined organic expeller pressed coconut oil from Whole Foods.  Refined coconut oil has very little flavor and is a great substitute.  I threw it in the fridge for a couple of minutes to make sure it was completely solid and creamed the coconut oil with the sugar, just like butter.  I saw a couple of comments with regard to using coconut oil in the liquid state, but nope.  I’ll leave it to others to experiment.  I molded it into a cylinder, slipped it into my trusty PVC pipe (the secret to perfectly round cookies), and chilled it for a couple of hours. The cookies took closer to 15-18 minutes to bake in my oven, so start checking a little earlier than the stated baking time.

You could probably substitute a gluten-free flour mix to make this not only vegan but gluten-free.  Next time I might try substituting almond flour for part of the flour to see if it makes it a touch more tender cookie.  But honestly, it’s pretty darn good the way it is!

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VEGAN BANANA PECAN SHORTBREAD

Vegan and gluten-free banana pecan shortbread cookies. Crisp with a slight tenderness, nutty and sweet. You won't miss the butter
Course cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword banana, coconut oil, cookies, Shortbread, vegan
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

Creamed Ingredients

  • 1 cup refined coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana 1 small banana yields ~1/3 cup
  • 3/4 cup organic cane sugar or granulated sugar

Flavor Bumps

  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Dry Mix

  • 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup pecans finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon optional but I do add it

Instructions

  • Cream oil, sugar and banana. Add vanilla, and salt, blend until incorporated.
  • Add flour and blend. (If you are adding cinnamon, add it to the flour). Add pecans and mix once more. Do not overmix.
  • Transfer to a large piece of parchment paper and roll into a tight log, ~ 2 inches wide. Freeze for 15 minutes to harden. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Unroll paper and slice cookies into slightly less than 1/2 inch rounds. Use a sharp or serrated bread knife. If it’s too soft, freeze it a little longer. If the dough has become too hard, let it rest for a few minutes at room temp to soften.
  • Place on an un-greased baking sheet approximately 1/2 inch apart. They won’t spread much. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until light golden brown.

Notes

With all the wonderful gluten-free flours now.  You could probably sub for the all-purpose flour to make this not only vegan but gluten-free!
Enhance the pecans by toasting them first.  Place pecans on a small baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.  When you notice the aroma of the pecans they are done!