Feta and Chive Sour Cream Scones

It's actually a perfect day to be posting this recipe, even if it's a little late.  I made these scones (really I think they are biscuits, but I will call them what Joy the Baker does) June 4th.  On June 4th, I should have been packing; we were closing on our new house at 10:00 the next morning.  But I was stressed and overwhelmed, so I stress-baked.  I made a nice big batch of the amazing and always wonderful caramel pecan rolls, along with a coffee cake (my next post) and these scones.  The baking definitely helped calm my nerves, but I ended up with a cake, 24 pecan rolls, and 12 scones.  I decided to bring all my baked goods with me to the closing the next morning.

So, armed with a basket of pecan rolls and a tupperware of scones, off to the closing we went.  I won't say I wasn't still overwhelmed and nervous (I think I almost threw up at the bank when I got my down payment), but I felt good that I was bringing breakfast.  I tried to bring a box of coffee too, but in my stress, left it in my car.

Anyway, the rolls and the scones were both big hits.  The lawyer told me that I was the first person in all his years practicing law to bring food to a closing.  I was really glad that I did though.  Everyone loved them; the sellers said they had been starving and hadn't had time for breakfast, and I left lost of leftover baked goods with the secretary :) but I have to say that I loved these scones the most.  They were so amazing.  Soft, buttery and flaky, studded with feta cheese and chopped chives, topped with smoked paprika and a sprinkle of sea salt... can you imagine a better baked good in all your life?!  Because I cannot.  Why haven't I thought of savory scones before?  It's truly ingenious.

Back to why I said it was a perfect day to post about these salty, smoky, flaky little gems: they will forever remind me of the closing, the day that we officially bought this house.  This wonderful, beautiful, truly perfect house (okay, perfect except for the lack of garbage disposal but we are adding that this week).  Today the house became a bit more of a home with the addition of outdoor furniture including a grill and a fire pit!  Plus, my aunt Tracy gave me a dining room table and 2 chairs, so we don't have to eat our dinners on the floor anymore :) But the point is, today was really the first day I got to just relax here; no beach vacation, no work (summer time!!!), no parties - just being home.  I took my book outside to read, dangled my feet in the pool, and watched a little bird bringing insects to its babies in the little birdhouse nearby.  I was so incredibly content.  I love this house.  I love these scones.  See the connection? :)

Recipe:

feta and chive sour cream scones
from Joy the Baker
makes about 12 small scones

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons cold water
3/4 cup sour cream, cold
1/3 cup chopped chives
3/4 cup big crumbles of feta cheese
1 egg beaten for egg wash
coarse sea salt, cracked black pepper, and smoked paprika for topping

Instructions:

1) Place rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

3) In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and black pepper.  Cut in butter (using your fingers or a pastry cutter) until mixture resembles a coarse meal.  In another bowl, combine egg, sour cream, and water.  Beat lightly with a fork.  Add to flour mixture all at once, stirring enough to make a soft and shaggy dough.  Add the chives and feta and dump mixture on a clean counter to knead the dough together.  The mixture will come together in about 10 to 15 kneads.

4) Roll or pat out into a 1-inch thickness.  Cut into 2-inch rounds using a biscuit cutter or cut into 2x2-inch squares.  Reshape and roll rough to create more biscuits with excess scraps.  Place on prepared baking sheet, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.  Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.  Serve warm.  These biscuits are best eaten the day they're made, but will last up to 2 days.

Pre-baking!

Skinny Queso Dip

You are never going to believe this, but it's true: there is a queso dip out there in the world that is not just one giant heart attack waiting to happen.  I know that low fat queso sounds impossible, or at least tasteless and pasty.  And let me tell you, while I was cooking this, I definitely had my doubts.  There are a few steps where this recipe looks pretty gross (the secret is in the corn starch, but it makes for a pretty weird-looking queso in the beginning).  But honestly?  This dip is amazing.  Hot, cheesy, and full of tomatoes, garlic, onions, lime juice, fresh cilantro, and spices like cumin to chili powder... I am craving it just thinking about it.  I should probably also say that it has two types of hot peppers in there too, but clearly I left them out of mine!

So you are probably wondering, how on earth can queso be skinny?!  As I said, the secret is in the corn starch.  It thickens everything up without the use of tons of cheese.  In fact, there were less than 2 cups of (reduced fat) cheese in this queso dip!  And only a teaspoon of oil used to cook up the vegetables.  Using skim milk to make the corn starch slurry helps too :)  Lots of special little tricks to make a ridiculously delicious and bizarrely low fat (less than 93 calories in 1/4 cup, not including chips) queso dip!  Kenzie and I are proud to admit that we chowed down on this pot of cheesy goodness by ourselves.... and perhaps I started eating it while she napped until I knew I was going to need help stopping myself!

Recipe:

skinny queso dip
from Skinny Taste
makes 11 1/4-cup servings

Ingredients:
1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup minced onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 poblano pepper, diced (I skipped that)
1 - 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced (skipped)
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes with chiles, diced and drained
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt and black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 3/4 cups shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar

Instructions:

1) In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the milk with 3 tablespoons cornstarch to create a slurry; set aside.

2) Heat a large saucepan on medium heat; when hot, add oil.  Add the onions, garlic, poblano, and jalapeño and cook until soft, about 5 - 7 minutes.  Season with salt, to taste.

3) Add the chicken broth and the rest of the milk.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes to reduce slightly.

4) Add the slurry to the pan and stir; simmer a minute until it bubbles and thickens, then reduce heat to low.

5) Add the drained tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and add the cheese.  Stir until it melts completely.  Serve immediately.

Realizing I was about to eat the entire pot of queso alone....

Strawberry, Mango and Avocado Salad

This was a surprisingly delicious salad that I made on my wedding invitation party night! I invited Anne and Caitlin over to help my sisters, Mom and I write out the hundreds of addresses and return addresses - not to mention all the stamping and envelope-licking.  They were HUGE helps and we got the job done in a short and minimally painful 3 hours.  They needed their energy before all that work, so I made dinner.  I decided to make beans and rice for dinner (just in case Dani came, I wanted to stay gluten free!) and I tried this salad out with it.

Even I had to admit that this salad sounds weird.  Avocado with strawberries?  And mango with balsamic vinegar?  And honey with cayenne pepper?  The answer to all these questions is yes.  Yes, put smooth, creamy avocado with bright, sweet strawberries.  Temper the super sweetness of mango with tangy balsamic vinegar.  Spice up honey with cayenne pepper.  And throw it all together with cilantro, lime and orange juices, and salt, and you have just the most bizarrely wonderful salad.

I think I was not alone in being shocked how great this salad was.  Even I, who love weird foods, had my doubts, but I thought it was great.  Sweet, cold, bright, and clean-tasting, it was a great addition to a beans-and-rice meal.  More shocking, though, was that everyone else loved it too.  Even my mom, and she hates weird food.  We all devoured it, even eating it on top of the rice and beans.  It's a perfect summery salad.  I know: it sounds really weird, but just go with it.

Recipe:

strawberry, mango and avocado salad
from Pink Parsley

Ingredients:
1 mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
juice of 1/2 lime
pinch cayenne
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 avocado, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes
kosher salt

Instructions:

1) In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, cayenne, salt, and cilantro.  Toss with strawberries and mango, and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.

2) When ready to serve, gently mix in the avocado.  Season with salt to taste and serve immediately.

Microwave Coffee Cup Scramble

I have to tell you: this is an excellent recipe. I have told you before that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, but I very rarely get the chance to sit down and enjoy breakfast.  Mornings are rushed and crazy (even more so in the new house now that we have to bring Daisy to my mom's before work!) and I usually end up eating nothing or eating something like a yogurt or a Solo cup of dry cereal (that has been Mark's go to breakfast).  But not having time is not an excuse not to enjoy this ridiculously simple recipe.  It became part of my morning routine during math and science MCAS, when I knew I would need energy and wouldn't be eating until 1:00.  It is so easy, and so good!

Literally all you do is spray a mug with cooking spray, then whisk in an egg and some milk.  Microwave for 45 seconds, then stir and microwave it again for 30 more seconds.  After the first cooking, it is starting to set, but by the end of the second go, it has magically turned into perfect fluffy scrambled eggs.  Add salt, pepper and shredded cheese, and voila: you have breakfast.  Sometimes I ate it straight out of the mug; other times, I toasted some multigrain bread and ate the eggs on top of it.  Once I even made myself an egg sandwich out of it with an English muffin.  In summary, you can basically eat it however you want, and you won't be disappointed.

One last note: some days I wasn't hungry enough for 2 eggs.  One egg works just fine; it just needed a bit less cooking time.

With all the insanity of the past few weeks, I had sort of forgotten about this recipe.  I am pretty glad I just remembered about it, because I think there is a a very good chance that I will be having coffee cup scramble for breakfast tomorrow... on my last Monday of work!  Wahoo!

Recipe:

microwave coffee cup scramble
from The Incredible Edible Egg
makes 1 serving

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons shredded cheese
salt and pepper

Instructions:

1) Coat a 12-ounce microwave-safe coffee mug with cooking spray.  Add eggs and milk, beat until blended,

2) Microwave on high 45 seconds; stir.  Microwave until eggs are almost set, 30 to 45 seconds longer.

3) Top with cheese; season with salt and pepper.

Nutty Meatless Loaf

Okay so WOW I haven't posted in over a week.  I am very sorry but life does continue to be crazy.  It has definitely calmed down now that Mark and I are homeowners living in our new house!  But still... we haven't unpacked boxes, there are shower gift duplicates that need to be returned, thank you cards that need writing, the floor needs cleaning... so even when we are at home, there is no relaxing or blogging.  However, today is Friday the 13th.  It's 10:45 AM, and my students are in a rehearsal for Tuesday's spring concert.  It's a full moon, it's raining, and I am a walking zombie after this long, crazy week.  So instead of working, here is a recipe for nutty meatless loaf.  Don't knock it till you've tried it.

I know it sounds gross to have a meatless meatloaf, but this one is pretty awesome.  It was a great mix of salty and sweet, and crunchy and soft.  It is mostly made from lentils and brown rice, but flavored with everything from apricots and fresh mango to garam masala (see recipe below) and pecans.  Aren't you intrigued yet?  It all gets baked together and comes out looking more like a pie that a meatloaf, but after all, it's not a meatloaf anyway.  There are so many flavors in this dish that I was content to eat it for lunch day after day.  My mom said she liked it and it was "almost like a dessert."  There is fresh mango on top, so it is sweet, but there is also onion and celery, so it is not actually a dessert at all :)  I think you should try it out.  Give meatless loaves a chance!

Recipe:
nutty meatless loaf
from Better Homes and Gardens
makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups dry red or yellow lentils
2 medium carrots, shredded
3/4 cup snipped dried apricots and/or golden raisins
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala (see below)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup mango chutney
1/4 cup chopped red sweet pepper
1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh mango
cilantro leaves (optional)

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 deegrees.  In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and lentils to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.  Drain and set aside.

2) In a 10-inch skillet, cook carrots, apricots, onion, celery, garam masala, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

3) In  a large bowl, combine eggs, cooked lentils, carrot mixture, brown rice, 2/3 cup of the nuts, half the chutney, and 1 teaspoon salt.

4) Firmly press lentil mixture into a greased 9- or 9-1/2-inch deep dish pie plate.  Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine remaining chutney with sweet pepper, mango, and remaining nuts.

5) Evenly spoon chutney mixture on loaf.  Bake 10 minutes or more until chutney mixture is heated through.  Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.  let stand 15 minutes.  Cut into wedges to serve.


garam masala
from All Recipes

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

No Chicken Vegan Pad Thai

I am not so very good at updating the blog these days.  I'm sorry!  Things are insane - but mostly good insane.  I mean, my bachelorette weekend was last weekend, and Mark and I close on our new house in 2 days, and my shower is this weekend!  Add to that the fact that I (obviously) have a cold, and the blog has unfortunately been the last thing on my mind.

However, since I have about 15 minutes before I run off for an eye appointment, it was time to get back in business.  And I was super excited to share this recipe with the whole world.  It was a delicious pad thai, absolutely flavorful and healthy and yes, it was vegan but yet it had chicken.  What?!  How can this be!?  The answer, my friends, is called grain meat chicken.  AKA fake chicken.  AKA ficken (I totally made up this word but my family has been using it).

I wish I took notice of the type of ficken that I picked up at Wegman's, but I didn't.  I just know that it came in an orange-ish bag and they are in the freezer section (and in fact have to remain frozen).  I also know that this ficken was so darn realistic that it made me almost not like it (the texture of chicken freaks me out).  I sort of neglected to mention that it wasn't real chicken; Nick was smart enough to know that I didn't suddenly start feeding them all real meat, and called me out on it right away - but that didn't stop him from eating three helpings of pad thai, ficken and all!!!  And my mom didn't know it was fake chicken until I told her.  Then she claimed she knew it wasn't "very flavorful chicken" but I have a feeling she had no idea whatsoever :)  Unfortunately, Mark refused to even try it.  Sometimes he is oh so good about trying new things, and other times he just puts the brakes right on.  So I have no comment from Mark.  But everyone else was very surprised at just how realistic this grain meat chicken was.  It had the texture of cooked chicken - how, I have no idea.  When it's defrosting, it is pretty slimy, but as soon as you heat it up, it transforms into ficken.  I can't explain how, but it's magical.

I haven't been able to find this fake chicken in regular grocery stores, but I really hope I do, because I think this is a pretty exciting way to make everyone (minus Mark) excited for dinner!

Now, the bad news..... the recipe that I used to make this delicious no chicken pad thai has disappeared.  It used to be on a website called produceonparade.com.  I have searched and searched for this vegan blog, but it's gone.  And no amateur bloggers took it upon themselves to post the recipe, unfortunately.  So I don't have it for you.  But I am going to try to find it to update this post, because everyone has to try this recipe.  For now, just consider the post to be a review of grain-meat chicken :)