Strawberry Buttermilk Scones. (It's still snowing but I need to feel like Spring and this helps)

I am tired of cold weather and snow.  Very tired.  After our recent trip to Florida I'm hankering for warmer weather and sandals.   Since I can't do much about that I made some Strawberry scones today.  Something about fresh fruit just makes it feel more springlike.  I can imagine the warm breezes even if I can't feel them.

The trick to successful scones is very cold butter and not overworking the dough.  A little easier said than done when adding fruit but it worked out well.  This is the first time I've added fresh fruit to my traditional buttermilk Scone recipe found HERE.

For this recipe follow the above recipe for the dough.  I will repost the ingredients here.  Note.  I always double this recipe for my family.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbl sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbl cold butter (3/4 of a stick) cut into small pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbl sweet milk

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add butter pieces to dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or two dinner knives, cut butter into flour until the mixture takes on the size of small peas. Make a well in the center of mixture. Pour buttermilk into the well. Using a fork, pull the mixture into the buttermilk to form a soft dough. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Knead gently. Cut into shapes using biscuit cutter or heart-shaped cookie cutter. Brush tops with sweet milk and bake at 425 for 12 min or until lightly browned. Yield: 8 scones, approx. 2 1/2" in diameter Recipe can be doubled.

Simply cut up about 8 fresh strawberries and work them into the dough prior to cutting in the final knead stage.

Also note:  This dough can be easily made in a kitchenaid mixer (my preferred method).  Simply add the butter first, then all the dry ingredients and mix with paddle mixer until it's cornmealish.  Add the buttermilk and mix on low until just combined.  Knead final together on a floured surface and follow as above for cutting.

Here is how they look prior to heading into the oven.  Baking time did not change.  425 degrees F for 11-12 minutes.

They taste delicious and have given me a little spring in my step today so to speak.

Creamy Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

This one has turned into my 14 year olds favorite "comfort" food dinner. It is scrumptiously yummy, and is a good way to use up vegetables in the refrigerator.

I use this as a base and adjust the veggies to whatever I have sitting in the fridge. You can do this recipe two different ways. One with biscuits on top in a casserole, or you can use deep dish prepared frozen pie shells and make them as a pie. Either way they are fantastic.

Ingredients:
500 grams of chopped cooked chicken breast (cut them fairly small)
1/2 cup chopped onion (I use shallots)
2 tbsp shredded carrots
2 tbsp diced celery
1 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom soup)
1/2 cup grated old cheddar
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan

For biscuit topping:
1 egg
1 cup bisquick
1/2 cup skimmed milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil

I'm going to type the instructions exactly as originally given but I have made substantial changes to it over time.

Put a dab of oil into a large pan. Saute the onions and celery until soft. When that is done add 2 cups of soup plus one cup of milk to the pan and mix well until heated. Add the cheeses over low heat until it's all melted and mix well. Stir in the remaining vegetables and pour into a casserole dish.

Set Aside.

In a large measuring cup combine egg, oil and milk. Give it a little scramble and add to the Bisquick mix in a seperate bowl, until smooth and well combined.

Spoon batter over the chicken mixture in the casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes in oven at 375 degrees.

If using pie shells, pour the chicken mixture into the pie shell (you may need two shells depending on the size). Cover mixture with second shell by inverting the frozen shell over the mixture and leaving it there for a second. The heat from the chicken mixture will defrost the pie shell and it should slip right out of the foil. Fit it to the underside and pinch the edges closed. Be sure to poke some holes in the top to release moisture. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.

So, how does my creation differ? Not much actually. The soup, cheeses and milk remain constant but I tend to use two full cans of soup and adjust the milk accordingly. I use wayyyy more veggies and chicken than called for. I have lots of kids so it must be done. I use a minimum of two chicken breasts, and whatever veggies I have kicking around (plus the onion...the onion is a must). I have tossed cauliflour in, peas, carrots, corn, broccoli into it. Sometimes a couple, sometimes all of them. Experiment with different concoctions to see what you can come up with. I have to admit, the cream chicken soup works better than the cream of mushroom but in a pinch cream of mushroom will do.

The World's BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Hands down, this one is perfection!! We mix it up a little bit sometimes and add skor bits in with pecans, or, white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts but any incarnation of this cookie will be one to pass on to generations.

Yes, it is that good!! It's basically not too different than any other standard chocolate chip cookie recipe but I added a little cream to it one day and Voila!!! Chewy melt in your mouth heaven

Chocolate chip cookies

Chewy and just friggen Awesome!!!
Chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe

1 1/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar packed
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cream (coffee cream, or whipping cream)

Cream butter and sugars together then add remaining liquid ingrediants. Mix them up well.

Add...

1 tsp soda
2/3 tsp salt
3 cups flour

1 cup nuts (optional)
1 pkg chocolate chips (or whatever).

Lightly grease cookie sheet, bake at 375 degrees. 1st batch approx 8 minutes following batches approx 6-7 minutes (depends how big you make the cookie). The centers will be chewy. Drop the cookie dough onto the pan with a spoon so the dough is approx. 1 1/2 inches in diameter. This yields approximately 36 cookies. (I use a cookie scoop to shape the cookies. It's like an ice cream scooper but smaller)

These are Totally melt in your mouth cookies!!!

Traditional Devon Cream. Homemade Buttermilk Scones. A little bit of heaven on Earth

Whilst some of you know, many do not, I temporarily lived in England before my oldest was born. I had visited several times in my teens as well. Everytime I step off the plane in London I feel like I'm home. I feel so connected to Wales courtesy of stories from my beloved Grandfather of his youth.

One of my most favorite things in the world is teatime. Wafer thin cucumber sandwiches, tea and scones with cream and jam. Oh be still my heart.

The last time I had a traditional tea time snack was one evening staying at the Four Seasons hotel. I pampered myself, ordered traditional teatime fair, and a fabulous bottle of french wine. I indulged in the luxury of the room and savoured the flavours of my memories. I have yet to have found imported devon cream anywhere except one shop very very far away.

Saturday???? I FOUND IT!!! Our local grocer has started to import it. Bless his heart. Here I was calculating how much I could save if I bought no name vs brand name, penny pinching my normal modus operandi in the grocery store and there it was!!!! SCREW the budget...I was getting my real, Devon Double Cream....:heart: I have been making "mock" devon cream for several years now...it just doesn't compare.

Today I made some scrumptous buttermilk scones, put a little dollop of cream on and some strawberry jam. I went out to my backyard in the shining sun and pretended I was in my favorite park in Bath and just enjoyed both the flavours and the memories as they came through me. Silly sometimes what makes us feel good. It's been 6 years since I've been back to England and am now yearning to return.

I have an excellent Scone Recipe that I will share. They are fabulous. I am indulging in my lovely Devon Double Cream at the moment but there is also a recipe for Mock Devonshire Cream included. (although it pales in comparison to the real thing it's not bad)

BUTTERMILK SCONES

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbl sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbl cold butter (3/4 of a stick) cut into small pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 Tbl sweet milk

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add butter pieces to dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or two dinner knives, cut butter into flour until the mixture takes on the size of small peas. Make a well in the center of mixture. Pour buttermilk into the well. Using a fork, pull the mixture into the buttermilk to form a soft dough. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. Knead gently. Cut into shapes using biscuit cutter or heart-shaped cookie cutter. Brush tops with sweet milk and bake at 425 for 12 min or until lightly browned. Yield: 8 scones, approx. 2 1/2" in diameter Recipe can be doubled.

Variations:
1) Sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar after brusing with milk
2) Add 1/2 tsp grated orange peel to dry ingredients.
3) Add 6 Tbl currants to dry ingredients.

I like my Mock Devonshire Cream made with less granulated sugar for the same reason. I also make my Mock Devonshire Cream with less cream so it will have more of a spreading consistency rather than being so much like plain ol' whipped cream. I have also found that making it this way eliminates the need to whip the cream again just before serving.

Here's my recipe for Mock Devonshire Cream:
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 Tbl sugar
dash salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup whipping cream

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese on high speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and salt. Gradually add the whipping cream and continue beating until mixture is stiff. Store in refrigerator.You could also try adding 1/4 tsp vanilla extract to that recipe for Mock Devonshire Cream.