Sorta Scones {Recipe}

The urge to make scones hit me in early January. I wanted a perfect-for-me scone: not greasy, not overly sweet, full of whole ingredients, and easy to pull together in the morning before breakfast. I made many batches of scones and finally came up with this recipe.

Alas, Alex doesn't think they are scones. He says they are more like muffins without the shape or biscuits without the fluff. Out the other side of his scone-crumbed mouth he admits that it doesn't matter what I call them so long as I keep making them. Done and done!

These scones are a breakfast or tea time treat. Lil likes them with chocolate, so I use fair trade dark chips, the healthiest chocolate choice. With whole wheat flour, buttermilk, and less fat than most recipes, enjoy my real food interpretation of scones.

Sorta Scones

Makes: 6 Time: 30 minutes 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 5 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup cultured buttermilk 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips or a combination thereof

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Mix flours, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl. 3. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until mix resembles fine meal. 4. In a liquid measuring cup, measure buttermilk. Add egg and beat lightly with a fork. Pour vanilla into this liquid measure. 5. Mix together liquids into flours, stirring just until mixed. Add dried fruit, nuts, or chips and stir to distribute evenly. Do not over mix. 6. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Dough will be sticky but use floured hands to gently form into a round. 7. Cut round into six equal triangles. Place each on a silicone- or parchment-lined baking sheet. 8. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until browned on top. Serve warm.

Added to Simple Lives Thursday.

Baked Egg Cups & Saucy Mama Giveaway

I like a good cooking challenge. When I heard about Saucy Mama's Fabulous with Five contest for food bloggers, I had to give it a shot. The competition required creating a recipe with a Saucy Mama condiment and only five additional ingredients. Having an abundance of backyard chicken eggs, I devised a simple and healthy breakfast or lunch dish. Each individual serving includes plenty of protein and, thanks to wilted spinach, a good dose of vitamins and minerals.

The recipe is perfect for a family on the go: make a triple batch and keep in the fridge for quick breakfasts or healthy packed lunch protein. It can easily be adapted to include the type of optional cheese and vegetables your family likes best.

To make Saucy Mama baked eggs, butter two dishes. Swirl in cornmeal for a crunchy crust. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard, salt, pepper, and wilted spinach. Don't like spinach? Try steamed broccoli, wilted kale, cooked carrots, or boiled potatoes.

Pour the egg mixture into the prepared bowls and top with your favorite kind of cheese if you like. The pictured dish includes a cheddar cheese topping.

Bake for 25 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature. Store in the fridge for up to four days.

In addition to providing me with a sampler of mustards and sauces, Saucy Mama wants to give away a condiment package of Saucy Mama Sweet Heat Marinade, Saucy Mama Tarragon Lemon Mustard, and Saucy Mama Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing to one of you!

{Update 5/20: Giveaway has now closed.} To enter the giveaway, comment below with your favorite way to use mustard. Comments must be received with a valid email by midnight on Thursday, May 19. A winner will be chosen by random.org and announced on the Hounds in the Kitchen facebook page and via email on May 20. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

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Saucy Mama Breakfast Egg Cups makes 2 meal sized servings

1 teaspoon butter 2 tablespoons cornmeal 4 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup wilted fresh spinach (about two large handfuls) or thawed frozen spinach or your favorite vegetable 1 teaspoon Saucy Mama dijon mustard 1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)

1. Butter two one-cup sized oven safe dishes. 2. Place 1 tablespoon cornmeal into each dish and turn to coat the butter with cornmeal. 3. In a small bowl, whisk eggs, salt, pepper and mustard. Stir in wilted spinach. 4. Pour egg mixture between two dishes. Top with shredded cheese, if using. 5. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through and browned on top. 6. Eat in the cup or turn out of cup to serve.

NB: You can bake these cups ahead and store in the fridge for up to four days. Eat chilled or reheat for 30 seconds in a microwave.[/print_this]

Fruity Dutch Baby Recipe

The lovely Catherine of Photo Kitchen came over last week to take photographs for Hounds in the Kitchen Egg Week 2011. On Monday and Tuesday I shared how to blow out eggshells and decorate eggs with natural dyes. Stay tuned for tomorrow's eggshell seedlings and Friday's tips and tricks.

Today I am sharing a recipe that is not only delicious and simple, but has a name that will delight kids and garner odd stares from unsuspecting adults.

A dutch baby is a popover-like breakfast baked good, often sweetened. Useful for using up excess backyard fresh eggs, we add fruit for a hearty and nutritious meal.

Like so many simply delicious foods, a dutch baby requires proper preparation, or mise en place. I usually start with the fruit. Core and slice apples, pears, or plums thinly. Washed and halved cranberries or cherries are welcome additions. Have flour, egg, milk, and salt on standby.

The other key to this recipe is the proper pan, in this case a cast iron skillet.  A properly seasoned skillet discourages sticking and the pan holds heat to cook the pancake quickly.

Preheat the oven with a cast iron skillet inside. When the oven comes to temperature, add in the butter to melt but not burn.

Meanwhile, whisk up the batter of eggs, flour, and milk, flavored with vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg if you like. The batter is measured with the simple the popover ratio below. I also listed the exact measurements to fill a 12 inch cast iron skillet and feed four.

Just as the butter is melted, layer brown sugar and fruit on the bottom of the skillet. Top with batter and return to the oven.

20-30 minutes later, a golden puffy pancake is ready to emerge. Turn it out of the pan, slice, and serve as is or with powdered sugar and/or lemon juice. Crisp on the outside, warm and soft on the inside, a fruity dutch baby is a textural treat.

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Fruity Dutch Baby

Popover Ratio

1 egg : 1/2 cup milk : 1/2 cup flour : 1/4 teaspoon salt

Recipe to fill a 12 inch skillet serves four

3 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional dash, nutmeg, optional 1 large apple, peeled and sliced, or 1 cup of other fruit 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. with skillet in the oven on middle rack. 2. When warm, place butter in the skillet to melt. 3. Whisk eggs, milk, flour, salt and optional vanilla and nutmeg. 4. When butter is melted, carefully sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the bottom. Arrange apple sliced on top of that. Pour batter over the apples and return to the oven. 5. Remove the dutch baby from the oven in 20-30 minutes, when top is browned. Turn out from pan and serve warm with powdered sugar and lemon juice, if desired.

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All photos with the Photo Kitchen watermark belong to Catherine and were generously shared with me. You may purchase copies and view the whole set of photographs in the online gallery with password lileaster. Use the coupon code houndscrossover to receive 25% off prices until May 15.

Cinnamon Rolls

When I was leading spring break camps at Franklin Park Conservatory last week, both groups of children opted to make cinnamon rolls on grains day. While not a great example of healthy grains, cinnamon rolls involve many useful cooking processes and are very doable for children with adult assistance. This recipe is one I have honed over the years, including some whole wheat flour and lower sugar for a healthier morning treat. I include no frosting suggestions because I find these delectable without a high-calorie topping.

Cinnamon rolls take approximately four hours from start to finish but the second rise can be completed in the fridge overnight. If risen overnight, the dough needs to come to room temperature before baking. I usually accomplish this by pulling them out of the icebox as soon as I wake up and putting them near the oven. In about an hour, during which I make coffee and preheat the stove, they are ready to put in the oven and bake.

When I'm feeling particularly industrious, I will make a double batch of dough and filling. I will complete the first rise and roll and cut all the dough. Then, I will divide into groups of six rolls (two each for the three members of my family) and wrap them tightly in plastic. Whatever we don't cook for that day goes into the freezer for future use. When I want to use them, I pull out the frozen dough to thaw and rise, a process that takes six-eight hours. Then I bake as directed. They aren't quite as light and fluffy after freezing as when baked from fresh, but are still satisfying.

[print_this] Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 12 large or 24 two bite size rolls

3 1/2 cups bread flour 1-1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) active dry yeast 1 cup milk 1/3 cup butter 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup light raisins, optional 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour and yeast.

2. In a small pot, cook milk over low heat until warm, 120-130 deg F. Turn off heat. Add in butter, sugar, and salt and stir until butter is melted.

3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and add eggs. Beat until combined.

4. Continue stirring, adding flour in half cup increments, until no more flour will be mixed in.

5. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and elastic, about five minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to cover, and allow to rise until double, 1-2 hours.

6. Meanwhile, mix filling of 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and cinnamon. Cut 1/2 cup butter into this mixture. Stir in optional raisins and nuts.

7. Punch dough down and let rest for 10 minutes. Then shape into 12 inch square. Sprinkle filling over top and roll from one end to another.

8. Slice into 1 inch pieces. Arrange cut side up in a greased large skillet. Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.

9. Bake at 375 deg F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and frost as desired. [/print_this]

Added to Hearth and Soul Volume 42.