Orange Cranberry Scones*

by

Morwen

The book from which this recipe comes, is the most delightful book ever!  And I will never be able to thank my friend enough for giving it to me!  It has everything from regular bread and quick breads to crumpets, scones, biscuits and even calzone and pizza!  Today I bring you these scrumptious scones filled with tart cranberries and the sweet taste of orange.  I did alter the recipe slightly, so those are the measurements I am listing, for example, these scones call for Sugar, but as usual, I used Honey instead.  I also discovered that I added a 1/4 cup more Orange Juice then was called for.  Guess that would be why the dough was super sticky and I had to add more Flour!

3 cups All-Purpose Flour

3 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

6 TBSP Butter, cut into small pieces

1 TBSP finely grated Orange Zest

1 cup dried Cranberries (the recipe originally calls for 1 cup fresh Cranberries, coarsely chopped)

2 medium Eggs

1/4 cup Honey

1/4 cup freshly squeezed Orange Juice

3/4 cup Milk

  1. Preheat the oven to 415°F.  Lightly grease a baking sheet without sides.  Combine the Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.  Whisk to blend thoroughly.  Add the Butter and cut in with a knife (I used my hands) until the mixture is crumbly.  Add the Orange Zest and Cranberries, and toss to combine.

  2. Ina  separate bowl, whisk together the Eggs, Honey and Orange Juice.  Stir in the Milk.  Make a well in dry ingredients.  Pour in Egg mixture and stir gently til combined.  Gather the dough together and turn onto a light floured surface.  Knead 25 times, sprinkling flour if necessary to prevent sticking.  

  3. Pat the dough into a 10x10 in. square.  Cut into 5 equal strips, then cut each strip into 5 pieces.  Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Serve immediately or cool on a rack.  

*this recipe is a variation of the Orange Cranberry Scone recipe from Judy Gorman's Breads of New England.

Black Bean & Cheese Enchiladas

by

Morwen

Though this meal is scrummilicious, it can be exhausting to make...or at least I find it exhausting sometimes.  But I make my own tortillas, enchilada sauce and re-fried beans, so that is why it's so labor intensive.  This meal goes well with Spanish Rice and Lettuce.

  Enchiladas

22 Tortillas (see HERE)

16 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Black Bean Re-fried Beans - 4 cans or homemade (see recipe below)

Red Enchilada Sauce (see recipe below)

Sour Cream

2 9x13 Glass Casserole Pans

  Pour a 1/2 cup of Sauce in the bottom of each pan.  On each tortilla, spread approx. 3 TBSP of Beans down the center.  Sprinkle with a little Cheese and roll.  Place in pan (11 in each) and cover with the rest of the Sauce.  Sprinkle  with Cheese and bake on 350° on for 30 minutes.  Serve with Sour Cream. 

  Black Bean Re-fried Beans

6 cups cooked Black Beans

1/2 cup Hot Water

1 TBSP Coconut Oil

1 tsp Salt

1 TBSP Chili Powder

  Into a blender, put 3 cups of Black Beans, Water, 1/2 TBSP Coconut Oil, 1/2 tsp of Salt  and blend until smooth.  Dump into a medium sized bowl.  To the bowl add the other 3 cups of Beans and mash well with a potato masher.  Add the other 1/2 TBSP of Coconut Oil, 1/2 tsp Salt and the Chili Powder.  Mix well and use.

  Red Enchilada Sauce

6 oz. Tomato Paste

6 cups Water

1/4 cup Oil

1/4 cup Flour

2 TBSP Chili Powder

  In a measuring pitcher, measure out the 6 cups of Water.  Add the Tomato Paste and mix thoroughly.  In a large saucepan, heat the Oil for 3 minutes on medium heat.  Add the Flour and Chili Powder, whisk thoroughly.  Gradually add the Water/Tomato Paste mixture and whisking all the while 'til it is all incorporated.  Cook until it begins to boil, whisking every few minutes.  Use and Enjoy.

And I think that covers everything.  Please do not hesitate to ask questions!!

See ya!

Rhubarb Roundup ~ Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars*

by

Morwen

  We all love cheesecake, and these chilled, cheesy bars are so good on a hot summer afternoon.  They are also our traditional 4th of July dessert.

  Crust

 1 cup Flour

  ¼ cup Honey

  ¼ tsp Salt

  ¼ cup Cold Butter

  ½ cup Walnuts, chopped

    In a bowl combine Flour, Honey and Salt; cut in Butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in Walnuts.  Pressed into a greased 9x13" baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 10 min.  Cool slightly.

  Filling

  2 (8 oz.) packages Cream Cheese, softened

  3 Eggs

  1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  ¼ cup Honey

    In a mixing bowl, beat Cream Cheese and Honey until fluffy.  Add Eggs and Vanilla; mix well, pour over the crust.  Bake for 20-25 min. at 350° or until center is set and edges are light brown.  Cool.

  Topping**

  3 cups Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb, thawed and drained

  ½ cup Honey

  ¼ cup Water

  1 TBSP Cornstarch

  ½ tsp Cinnamon

    In  a saucepan, combine the Rhubarb, Honey, Water, Cornstarch and Cinnamon; bring to boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 5 min.  Remove from heat: cool.  Spread over filling.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

* This is a Taste of Home recipe.  I don't recall which issue it's from.

** See Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade recipe.

Rhubarb Roundup ~ Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade*

by

Morwen

  This is seriously the most amazing Lemonade I've ever tasted.

  8 cups Rhubarb, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thaw and drain)

  1½ cups Honey OR 3 cups Sugar

  10 cups Water

  3 lbs Strawberries, stemmed and crushed

  2 cup freshly squeezed Lemon Juice (about 10 large Lemons)

  Bring Rhubarb, Honey/Sugar and Water to a boil.  Remove from heat and stir in Strawberries.  Let steep for 30 minutes.

  Strain mixture through a fine sieve, discarding solids**, and refrigerate to chill.  Stir in Lemon Juice.  Serve Rhubarb Lemonade over ice.

  * Based on the Rhubarb Lemonade recipe from the May 2010 issue of Country Living Magazine.

** We like to save the solids and use them in place of the Rhubarb and Honey in the Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars.  It makes them taste even better.  Just take the Lemonade solids, add the Water, Cornstarch and Cinnamon, and follow the Bars Topping instructions.

Rhubarb Roundup ~ Rhubarb Berry Crunch*

by

Morwen

  It's rhubarb harvesting time, well I harvested the first crop of it anyway, and when I mentioned it to a friend, she said she'd never eaten rhubarb.  Every year I learn of one more person I know that hasn't tasted it.  I offered to give her some recipes and decided to post my favorite rhubarb recipes here.  Why the 'roundup'?  It's also time to move the cattle up to spring pasture and they are driven right past our house.  Plus, since I'm posting multiple recipes, "Rhubarb Roundup" just fit!

  This first recipes is the one I make most often.  While a sweet, dessert-ish recipe, it also makes an excellent and wholesome breakfast alongside eggs and bacon.

  Crust and Crumb

  1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

  ½ cup Honey OR 1 cup Brown Sugar, packed

  ¾ cup Quick Oats (I use Rolled Oats)

  1 tsp Cinnamon

  ½ cup Butter

  In a bowl, combine Flour, Honey/Sugar, Oats and Cinnamon; cut in the Butter until crumbly.  Press half of the mixture into a 9" square baking pan.  

  Filling

  4 cups Rhubarb, fresh or frozen, sliced

  2 cups Berries (I've used many different kids, strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)

  Combine Berries; spoon over crust.

  Sauce

  ½ cup Honey OR 1 cup Sugar

  2 TBSP Cornstarch

  1 cup Water

  1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  In a saucepan, combine Honey/Sugar and Cornstarch.  Stir in Water and Vanilla; bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until thickened.  Pour over Fruit.  Sprinkle with remaining Crumb mixture.  Bake on 350° for 1 hour.  Revel in the deliciousness!!

  * Taken from the Countryside & Small Stock Journal Sept/Oct '07 issue.

Savory Chicken

by

Morwen

  This is a meal we have quite frequently, so frequently that I used to detest it.  However, I have begun to like it lately.  I unfortunately don't have a picture for this either.

  #8 Chicken Breasts

   Wash, trim and place in slow cooker.

  1 medium Onion, thinly sliced

  2 cloves Garlic, minced

  Sprinkle over meat.  

  1 cup Oil

  1/2 cup Vinegar or Lemon Juice *

  2 tsp Honey

  1 TBSP each Oregano, Basil and Paprika

  2 ½ tsp each Dry Mustard and Black Pepper

  1 TBSP Salt

  Mix thoroughly in a bowl and pour over meat and onions.  Cover and cook on low: 8-9 hours.  Serve as a sandwich spread with Mayo, or over rice.  Both ways taste scrummy!

  *It has been many years since I have used Lemon Juice, so I don't remember how it tastes, but Apple Cider Vinegar is my normal choice and for something a little more special tasting, I used Balsamic Vinegar.

 

Nacho Casserole

by

Morwen

  My humblest apologies all!  *bows so low my nose touches my knees*  Mairwen and I have been crazy busy and we just haven't had time to post.  Even my personal blog has suffered.  

  Today I will be sharing a family favorite.  I don't have a picture, but this is a delicious casserole.  It was originally a layered dish, but that became too much hassle, so we just mix everything together!

  3# Ground Turkey (you can use any meat you'd like.  I prefer Gr. Beef.)

  1 ¼ cups Chopped Onion

  2 cloves Garlic, minced

  1 cup Sour Cream

  8 oz. Tomato Sauce

  7 oz. Chopped Gr. Chilies

  6 oz. Tomato Paste

  4 oz. Black Olives, sliced

  20 oz. Tortilla Chips, coarsely crumbled

  12 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

  Brown the Gr. Meat, Onion and Garlic together, drain.  

  Mix together Sour Cream, Tomato Sauce, Gr. Chilies, Tomato Paste, Black Olives and Tortilla Chips.  Add drained Meat mixture.  Spread in a greased 9x13x2" glass baking dish.  Cover with Aluminum foil and bake on 350° for 20 minutes.  Remove Aluminum foil, sprinkle cheese on top and pop back in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Enjoy!!

Note: This is also a great freezer meal.  In that case, put the cheese on before freezing and bake for 1 ½ hours.