March 17, 2019

Irish Soda Scones

Posted by HI Cookery under 03 March
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Irish Soda Scones

March 17: Feast Day of St. Patrick

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day (much like Cinco de Mayo) is often an excuse for some people to party and drink alcohol excessively. For us, we see it as a reason to try Irish-inspired recipes from Highlander’s heritage (he is Scots-Irish, according to genealogical records) and honor the patron saint of the Emerald Isle.

For the Feast Day of St. Patrick, we modified an Irish soda bread recipe and made Irish soda scones. The currants in this recipe lend a subtle sweetness to these scones (without the dried fruit, they would really taste like biscuits, which are close to mini Irish soda bread).

Have a terrific “top o’ the mornin’” or teatime treat with some Irish soda scones on St. Patrick’s Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Tea Time Magazine)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teablespoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup dried currants
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • ¾ cup+ buttermilk, whole

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, sugar and salt.

Add small pieces of cold butter and mix with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in the currants and caraway seeds.

Stir in the buttermilk until a sticky dough is formed. On a clean, floured surface, pat the dough to 1-inch thick circle. Cut out shapes with a 2-inch round cutter (or use a 3-tablespoon scoop to make drop-style scones). Place scones onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little buttermilk (optional). Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm with Irish butter, clotted cream and/or jam.

Notes

  • Since we like currants, we added ¼ cup more than stated in the original recipe. We also reduced the caraway seeds to ½ teaspoon because we are not too fond of the flavor.
  • Feel free to substitute the currants for raisins (black or golden).
  • Search our blog for more Irish-inspired recipes. Or see the St. Patrick’s Day recipe list under the Theme Menus option.

 

March 13, 2019

Fruit-Nut Toaster Cakes

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Fruit-Nut Toaster Cakes

March 13:National Breakfast Day

Whenever Islander and her friend Karen B. have a long day ahead of them doing baking and decorating projects, Karen would prepare a quick, healthy and convenient breakfast snack called toaster cakes. She would pre-make them, freeze and reheat so they could eat them before and while they spent the rest of the day decorating cakes or cookies to give to family and friends on special occasions.

Toaster cakes taste a little like cornbread because of the cornmeal in them. They can be reheated in a pop-up toaster (without the fruit and nuts on top), or they can be reheated in a toaster oven (with the fruit and nuts and top). Either way, toaster cakes are great to grab for breakfast on the go—or even for a more leisurely morning meal on National Breakfast Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from King Arthur Flour)

Ingredients

  • ½ cup flour
  • 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup milk
  • ½ cup raisins, cranberries or other dried fruit
  • ¼ cup chopped nuts

Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, oats and brown sugar, baking powder and salt.

Melt and cool the butter. Beat the egg with vanilla. Stir in the milk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until smooth. Option 1: Sprinkle dried fruit and nuts on top after spreading the batter in six baking cups (tart-size liners or cupcake-size papers) or greased muffin tins.

Option 2: Stir the dried fruit and nuts into the batter and scoop into the baking cups. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and eat warm. Reheat leftovers in a toaster (remove paper) or toaster oven (see Notes).

Notes

  • If reheating in a pop-up toaster, do stir in the dried fruits and nuts in the batter before baking or the pieces will fall into the toaster. Remove the paper before inserting the cakes into to toaster.
  • If reheating in a toaster oven (not pop-up toaster), do not stir in the dried fruits and nuts in the batter. Sprinkle them on top and bake as usual.
  • Toaster tongs are pictured in the final food photo above.

 

February 18, 2019

Bush Family Mushroom Quiche

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Bush Family Mushroom Quiche

February: Presidents’ Day (third Monday in February)

Behind every good man is an equally good woman! Barbara Pierce Bush (June 8, 1925-April 17, 2018) was the wife of the 41st U.S. president, George H.W. Bush (June 12, 1924-November 30, 2018), and mother of the 43rd U.S. president, George W. Bush. A woman of her time, she devoted her life to care for her family and household as best as she can. That included cooking and making sure they were well fed and nourished. Mushroom quiche was a Bush family favorite so we have made it for our blog post in observance of Presidents’ Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from the Houston Chronicle)

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ pounds mushrooms, washed and sliced
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons oregano
  • 1 ¾ teaspoons basil
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • ¾ teaspoon marjoram
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dry mustard
  • 3 stalks green onions, chopped (green part only)
  • 3 shallots, minced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 eggs
  • ¾ cup whole milk or half and half
  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Directions

Wash, dry and slice the mushrooms. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, basil, salt, marjoram, black pepper, thyme and dry mustard.

Chop the green onions and mince the shallots. In a large skillet, melt the butter on medium low heat.

Sauté the mushrooms until they are soft. Stir in the minced garlic, green onions and shallots.

Add the spice mixture and stir until liquid has evaporated. Remove from the stove top and let cool. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk.

Mix in the mushrooms. Pour into the pie crust. Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 35-45 minutes or until the filling has puffed up and is starting to set and turn brown. Remove from the oven. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • The sautéed mushroom mixture must be cool enough before adding to the eggs or the heat will cook the eggs prematurely.
  • Complete the Presidents’ Day theme meal with dessert. See the recipe for Barbara Bush cookies here.
  • The final food photo above was styled with a red carnation, white pearls (the late First Lady’s signature accessory) and blue checkered cloth.
  • Search our blog for other presidential and patriotic recipes.

 

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