Orange Cranberry Scones

picture by me

This is the same similar scone recipe as the Cinnamon Raisin Scones, but a few ingredients have changed.

Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour

3 3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 c sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 stick butter

1 c buttermilk

1/2 c cranberries (or Craisins)

zest of 1 orange

Glaze
1 c powdered sugar

2-3 tbsp orange juice

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture is coarse & crumbly. Add cranberries & orange zest. Stir in buttermilk to form a soft dough. Turn out (knead just a little bit, to bring it together) on a floured surface. You can either cut in circles, or place in a big circle (leave it about 1 inch high) and cut in half, then cut 4-5 triangles on each side.



Place scones on a baking sheet. (I used parchment paper under my scones!). Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes (depending on what size they are.... I had to let mine bake for 15 minutes), or until your toothpick comes clean. Brush with glaze when they are hot!

Cinnamon Raisin Scones

picture by me

My sister in law Rachel gave me this recipe. I made this for the first time yesterday, and WOW! It was amazing!!

Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
3 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick butter
1 c buttermilk
1/2 c raisins
2 tsp cinnamon

Glaze

1 c powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp milk
couple shakes of cinnamon

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture is coarse & crumbly. Add raisins. Stir in buttermilk to form a soft dough. Turn out (knead just a little bit, to bring it together) on a floured surface. You can either cut in circles, or place in a big circle (leave it about 1 inch high) and cut in half, then cut 4-5 triangles on each side.

Place scones on a baking sheet. (I used parchment paper under my scones!). Bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes (depending on what size they are.... I had to let mine bake for 15 minutes), or until your toothpick comes clean. Brush with glaze when they are hot!

friendly french bread

This recipe is from a friend in Overland Park. She is a fantastic baker. She shared her recipe a few months ago on her blog, and I have since made this twice, and each time it was "ooh, so yummy!"

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c hot water

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp salt

1/3 c olive oil

2 tbsp SAF yeast

6 c white flour

Combine water, sugar, salt, olive oil, and 3 cups flour in mixer. Add yeast and then add the last 3 cups of flour. Lex mix until well combined, and then let rest for 10 minutes. Mix again for just 5 seconds, then let rest for another 10 minutes. Do this a total of 4 times and then put dough on floured surface. Knead to handle stage. Cut into 2 equal parts and roll each into a 9x12 rectangle. At this stage, you can put butter and garlic powder on the dough, or pesto sauce or just leave plain (whatever you like). Roll up and cinch the seam together and put both facing each other on a cookie sheet, seam side down. Slash the top with a sharp knife 3 times and brush with a beaten egg on top. Let rise for 30 minutes and then bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, in the middle of the oven. Voila! Crispy on the outside, soft & delicious on the inside!

Makes TWO big loaves!

mike's favorite banana nut cake

Mike loves his Grandma... even more when she made him his favorite cake. Traditionally it's in a jelly roll pan (big oversized cookie sheet), with sliced bananas on top with whipped cream over that. Here is Grandma's Banana Nut Cake (or otherwise known as "Mike's Favorite Banana Nut Cake").

Ingredients:

2 c mashed bananas (4-5 bananas)
1 c buttermilk
1 c margarine
2 c sugar
3 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, separated
2 1/4 c sifted flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 c chopped nuts

Sift flour 4 times, then measure. sift all other dry ingredients 4 times (except sugar). Cream sugar & margarine. Add egg yolk then sifted flour. Mix, add milk, mix, add bananas & nuts. Add rest of dry ingredients. Fold in stiffly beatened egg whites. Bake in greased & floured deep cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Put in refrigerator after cool. When ready to eat, slice bananas and place on top. Whip real cream w/ 1/2 c sugar & place on top.

Amy's Note:
The first time I made this recipe, it took me FOREVER! So, I decided that the next time I made it, I wasn't going to sift my flour, and it still turned out great. I'm going to make it today in a bundt pan, but I'm not going to stiffen my egg whites either. I'll let you know if it turns out or not. :)

ETA: OK, Mike refused to touch it in a bundt pan. ::GRR:: I guess he wanted to put his sliced bananas & whipped cream on top, and doing it in a bundt pan didn't allow him that freedom. However, it was very delisious. I kept it in the fridge!

{amy's chocolate chip cookie}

This is actually the recipe from the back of Nestle's Tollhouse cookie recipe. This is literally the ONLY recipe that I can make a darn good chocolate chip cookie. I don't know why, but it's the only one. My trick is to use half shortening, and half butter (that is left at room temperature!). Oh, and I watch the timer, and pull the cookie sheet out when the cookies are just starting to turn a little bit brown, but not quite. They still remain very movable after they cool when I do that. Love these cookies!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 c butter (1/2 c shortening 1/2 c butter)

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 pkg chocolate chips

Combine flour, soda & salt. Put aside. Beat butter that is at room temperature (DO NOT MELT!!) & shortening with sugars, eggs & vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake for 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees. Let cool and eat!

Amy's Notes:

**My mom introduced me to parchment paper. Now I never do any baking without this. My cookies literally slide off my cookie sheet and are baked PERFECTLY with this stuff!

**I never combine my flour, soda & salt and set aside. I do it all in one pan, but just start w/ the butter/eggs/sugar first, then add the flour, soda & salt. I'm too lazy to dirty up more dishes, I guess...

{red beans & rice}

I've made this a couple times in my married life. It's a huge dish, but it's very delicious!! It's a little spicy, but not too bad.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 c brown or white rice

1 c canned tomatoes (1 can)

1 c grated cheese

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 c cooked red beans (1 can), drained

2 1/2 c water

Heat oil, add onion & garlic, cook over medium heat until soft. Add rice and stir to coat. Add tomatoes, break them up with a spoon. Add chili powder, sugar, salt & cayenne pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add beans & water. (use liquid from tomatoes, if they were canned!). Add cheese. Transfer to an 8 cup casserole and bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour.

{black beans & corn salsa}

My mom gave me this recipe. I love it. You can make it as mild as you like, to as hot & spicy as you'd like. I like mild. I want to be able to eat. :)

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 can corn, drained

1 red pepper, diced

1/2 c diced red onion

Dressing:

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt & pepper, each

4-6 tbsp lime juice

**can add 1/4 c cilantro

**can add pickled jalapeno slices

Mix & let flavors mingle overnight, if possible. At least 4 hours if you can't let it sit overnight. You can also add green peppers, tomatoes, chopped parsley, garlic, etc... if you want to add some different types of veggies, flavors, colors, etc. Just remember to keep the proportions the same as above.

Serve with tortilla chips, or on salads!

Amy's Notes:

**I always start with 4 tbsp of the lime juice and adjust my taste to the dressing.