A New Beginning

It's been years since I have posted on this blog.  I guess I got busy, or maybe just needed something different in my life.  I'm not really sure, but I'm back.   I love to bake.  And when I bake, I like to eat.  So, I try not to bake too much and I fail miserably.  When Mike and I returned from our mission, I started watching The Great British Bakeoff (thanks to a couple of my friends who love that show).  As I watched, I started to have a desire to try my had at new, and maybe a little complicated, baked goods. And so, here I am, starting again!  This blog will contain some fun recipes I've been eyeing.  Some are easy! Some are hard!  And some, I may have to try more than once.  There are other recipes, besides baked goods, that I will post-favorites of ours that you might like to try.  Stay with me!  Bear with me! And here we go!

Have you ever heard of Clotted Cream?  Who doesn't love that name? Well, it's a little bit of heaven on a scone.  The Brits love it and I think people who have visited Great Britain love it.  I've always wondered what it was so I did some searching on Pinterest and found that clotted cream is not hard to make, it just takes time - a lot of time.  Basically, it's cream that has been cooked all night at a low temperature, then refrigerated for 12 hours, and then separated from the whey that is left behind.  It's supposed to have a butter like consistency.  Mine didn't turn out quite like that and I almost tried it again, but then, I decided it was good enough and went with it.

Start by preheating your oven to 180* and then measure out 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.  Add to a glass pan that is large enough that the cream is 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. 

The recipe I used said to cover with foil.  When mine didn't work the way I thought it would, I looked at other recipes and they did not cover their cream.  So you can decide what to do. Put the pan in the oven and let it stay for 12 hours.  DO NOT open the door.  Now this is tricky.  Some ovens shut themselves off if left on too long.  You do not want that to happen.  Mine did.  Mike checked it at 4:30 in the am (who is up at that hour???) and the oven was on, when I went out to pull it from the oven-the oven was off.  It was still warm, and I still needed hot pads to remove it but maybe that's why it didn't work right. Your guess is as good as mine.

This is the way it is supposed to look.  Once you remove it from the oven, let it sit to cool to room temperature.  Then put it in the refrigerator for 12 hours.  

At the end of 12 hours you can remove the clotted cream from the whey left at the bottom of the pan.  Simply start lifting it from one corner to expose the liquid below and then tip the pan up and let the whey run into a bowl.  Hold onto that whey because you can use it in other baking.  In fact, I used a bit in the scones. YUM!  And that's story about clotted cream.  It is not sweetened but with strawberry jam, oh my.

Bring on the scones.  When I started thinking about the recipes I wanted to try, I kept coming back to scones.  They look a little like the baking powder biscuits that I make but they are not the same.  Scones in America are much different than scones in Great Britain and I was anxious to try them.  I looked at recipe after recipe but I wanted to follow Paul Hollywood's recipe.  Do you know Paul Hollywood?  Well, he is one of the judges on the show and he is quite the baker himself.  I had a recipe but wanted to watch him in action.  So, I went to YouTube and there he was in good form.  He mixed the dough with his hands and

so that is what I did.  Here are the steps. First, preheat your oven to 425*

First of all, weigh your ingredients instead of measuring them.  The recipe below is measured in grams and milliliters.

Measure out the flour, using strong flour, or bread flour to us Americans.  Add cold butter cut into cubes.

Begin mixing with your fingers.  You want to break up the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs!

Keeping breaking up the butter.  You don't want any big pieces.

Next, add the sugar and the baking powder.  Mix with your hands to incorporate it.

Crack the eggs into the flour and mix with your hands.  It gets really messy but feels so good.

Add the milk and continue to mix with your hands.  It will be sticky and that's how you want it.

Dump it onto a floured board!

You don't want to knead the dough, but you do want to fold it over itself about 6-7 times.

Pat into a circle!

Roll to about 1 or 1 1/2 inches thick.

Cut your scones.  I don't have a round cutter so I used a glass.  The round cutters are better if you have one.

Lay the scones on parchment paper and put in the oven for 15 minutes.  

15 minutes is about perfect.  I pulled mine out about 30 seconds early.

Move them to a rack to cool.  Look at the height of those babies.  

Let the scones cool a bit.  I was in such a hurry that my clotted cream ran down the sides.  Maybe that is because it is on the runny side but it may have done better if the scone was cooled more.  Can you believe how pretty that is?  

And if you could just reach through the screen for a bite-oh my goodness- you would think you were in heaven.  Such a fun and really easy recipe.  Hopefully, when you feel adventurous, you will give it a try.

Until next time, Keep on baking!

 

Clotted Cream

2 cups heavy cream

Preheat oven to 180 *

Place 2 cups heavy cream into a glass pan. Place in oven and leave for 12 hours.  Remove from the oven and let sit until cooled to room temperature.  Cover with plastic wrap and carefully move to the refrigerator.  Leave for 12 hours.  Separate the clotted cream from the whey in the bottom of the pan.  You can lift one corner back and then tip the pan and let the whey drain into a bowl. Save the whey for use in other recipes (can be used instead of milk) The brownish layer on top is normal and you just mix it into your clotted cream.  It gives great flavor. The clotted cream should be the consistency of butter.

Store the clotted cream in a jar for up to a week. 

Paul Hollywood's Scones

500 grams strong white flour or bread flour
80 grams unsalted butter - cold and cut into small squares

80 grams sugar

5 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

250 ml milk

For the egg wash

1 egg mixed well

Preheat oven to 425*

Put flour in a bowl and add the cold butter cubes.  With clean hands, mix the butter into the flour breaking up the large pieces of butter until the flour and butter resembles bread crumbs.  Add in the sugar and the baking powder and mix with your hand until incorporated.  Add the eggs right into the bowl and mix with your hands and then add the milk mixing until all the flour is mixed in.  Dump out onto a floured board and fold the dough over itself about 6-7 times.  Do not work too much or the scone will be dense.  Clean off your hands as best as you can before you fold the dough.  Pat into a circle. Wash your hands and then roll into a circle about 1- 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into scones and place on parchment paper.  Bake for 15 minutes.  (should be perfect timing)

Remove from oven and move to a cooling rack.  Cool.  Eat while still warm.  Serve with clotted cream and strawberry jam. Delish

 

 

 

Frosted Lemon Sour Cream Lemon Cookies

Three lemons, sitting on my counter top just begging me to make some of those yummy lemon bars we all love!  But, I figured if I was going to bake something with them, I should probably try something new and make a post.

So, I looked through my almost million Pinterest saves and came up with these little morsels of tangy lemoney goodness.  

They are soft and delicious and maybe they satisfied my lemon craving! But then, again, I might still need some lemon bars!

Lemon zest always add such deep lemon flavor!

The dough is sticky but the consistency of think cake batter!

Drop by the spoonful onto the cookie sheet.  

Bake until the center no longer glistens.  Do not overbake!

The frosting is full of lemon flavor.  The recipe calls for the juice of two lemons but I only did the juice of one lemon and then added about a tsp of milk to make it more of the consistency I liked. Of course I added yellow sugar sprinkles because sprinkles make everything taste better, right?

I couldn't wait to give them a try.  I really love this recipe.  It was quick and easy and you can make them any size you want just by the amount of dough you drop onto the cookie sheet. 

Give them a try if you might be craving lemon! 

FROSTED LEMON SOUR CREAM COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

zest of 2 lemons

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tsp baking powder

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

FROSTING

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

juice of 2 lemons

yellow food coloring, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add sour cream, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix well. 

Add flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix just until combined.  Dough will be sticky and the consistency of thick cake batter.

Drop dough by spoon onto a greased baking sheet. (Use any size spoon for desired size of cookie) I baked a dozen on a large cookie sheet.  Make the drops as round as possible.  Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the center in no longer glistening.  Do not over bake!  Cool Completely!

FROSTING

With electric mixer, beat sugar until creamy.  Add powdered sugar and lemon juice and beat until smooth.  Color with yellow food coloring if desired.

Frost cooled cookies.  Sprinkle with yellow sugar sprinkles if desired.

ENJOY!

Easy S'Mores Cups

So sometimes I just want a S'More.  Have you ever felt that way and have no campfire to make some?  I have even been known to stick a big old marshmallow on a fork and toast it over my electric stove element.  (Hey it actually works light a charm).  

I had an urge that I should post on this blog today.  It's been a long time since I have so I thought I would make these S'Mores Cups that I had saved on my Pinterest page. 

Thanks to Beth on "The First Year".

They are super easy and pretty darn yummy to eat.  You just make them in a cupcake pan and voila! They are ready to eat in no time at all.  

Start with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.

Press them into the cupcake pan that has been sprayed so they don't stick!

Press the crumbs down into the pan and bake for 5 minutes

Add marshamallows and chocolate chips to your liking.  I used milk chocolate chips because when I make s'mores, I use a milk chocolate bar.  Add more crumbs and press down and back another 4 minutes.

Add more marshmallows and chocolate chips and put under broiler.  Let the marshmallows get toasted.  Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before you remove from the pan.

These things are rich and yummy.  Just right for a summer evening when you are craving S'Mores.  Give them a try!

S’More’s Cups

Ingredients:

·         2 cups graham cracker crumbs

·         1 stick butter, melted

·         1/2 cup sugar

·         chocolate chips

·         mini marshmallows

Directions:

1.       Preheat the oven to 350º F. Lightly spray a regular sized muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Stir until well mixed and crumbs resemble wet sand. Place 1 & 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs in each muffin well. Press them down firmly into the pan. I like to use a 1/2 cup or something similar to help me compact the crumbs. Bake that first layer for 5 minutes.

2.       Remove the pan from the oven and add add mini marshmallows and chocolate chips to each muffin well. Measuring is not crucial! Add as many or as few as you’d like. Then add another layer of graham cracker crumbs (1 & 1/2 to 2 tablespoons again) on top of the marshmallows and chocolate chips. Use a cup to press the crumbs down firmly. Bake for 4 minutes.

3.       Remove the pan from the oven and add more mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. Place them pan back in the oven, turn the oven to broil to toast the marshmallows until golden, 2-3 minutes. Leave the oven door open partially so you can see how toasty the marshmallows are getting.

4.       Remove the pan from the oven and allow the s’mores cups to cool for 15 minutes before removing them from the pan. I found it easiest to use a small metal offset spatula around the outside of each s’mores cup to loosen any melted on marshmallow. I then used a spoon to remove the cups from the pan. Once you have the s’mores cups removed from the muffin pan you could heat them up in the oven on a baking sheet before serving or serve them at room temperature. Warning! They are messy and crumbly but delicious!

Lemony Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes with Lemon Cream Syrup

So I was looking through Pinterest for something yummy for breakfast for a girl's getaway to a cozy cabin at Bear Lake.  I love anything lemon!  And poppy seeds, well, that just adds to it, right?  This recipe is topped with a lemon cream syrup that just makes it delish!  It's easy and makes quite a few pancakes. I topped it with the syrup, a little whipped cream and of course, a lemon twist!

We are going to top these with fresh blueberries when we eat them this weekend.  I didn't have any blueberries, though,so I grabbed some of my frozen raspberries and put them on top and oh my goodness!!!  You really need to try these. If you love lemon and you love breakfast, you will not be disappointed!

NOTE: I have also used my Buttermilk Syrup and it's yummy too!

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes with Lemon Cream Syrup

Yield: About 14 pancakes

Ingredients

·         2 cups all-purpose flour

·         3 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds

·         2 tsp baking powder

·         1/2 tsp baking soda

·         1/2 tsp salt

·         1/4 cup granulated sugar

·         1 Tbsp lemon zest

·         2 cups buttermilk

·         2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

·         2 large eggs

·         1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

·         1/2 tsp vanilla extract

·         3 Tbsp butter, melted

·         Diced fresh strawberries, for serving (optional)

Lemon Cream Syrup

·         1/2 cup heavy cream

·         1/4 cup butter (I recommend salted butter)

·         1 cup granulated sugar

·         1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

·         1/2 tsp baking soda

·         1 tsp lemon extract

·          

·          

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Directions

·         For the pancakes:

·         Preheat an electric griddle to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Create a well in dry mixture and set aside. In a seperate mixing bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar with lemon zest, then blend in buttermilk, lemon juice, eggs, lemon extract, vanilla extract and melted butter. Pour buttermilk mixture into well in flour mixture and whisk just until nearly combined (batter should be lumpy, don't over-mix). Butter griddle if necessary and pour batter onto griddle into rounds about 1/4 - 1/3 cup at a time. Cook until bottom is golden then flip and cook opposite side until golden. Serve immediately with Lemon Cream Syrup and fresh strawberries if desired.

·         For the syrup:

·         In a medium saucepan combine heavy cream, butter, sugar and lemon juice. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to boil. Allow to boil for 1 without stirring, then remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Whisk for about 10 seconds until mixture becomes foamy and frothy then return to low heat and cook about 30 seconds longer (until baking soda flavor has cooked out), then remove from heat and stir in lemon extract. Serve warm.

Note: Syrup can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week and reheated before serving

French Bread, Chicken Pockets and Cinnamon Rolls

I got this wonderful bread recipe when I married into the Jolley Family.  It is called 2 Hour French Bread and it is super easy. I always made French bread out of it and then one day I decided to make cinnamon rolls out of it.  I used the dough for scones and breadsticks as well.  One day, I had a bright idea. I loved though chicken pockets made with pop and fresh croissants but with a big family and on a limited budget I thought maybe I could make the same recipe with my French bread.  Wow did they turn out so much better than with the store bought rolls. 

This recipe is just stirred together.  In the picture above, it looks kind of a mess.  I promise you, if you will follow the recipe exactly it will turn out every time.  And you can use it for anything you would like!

Can you believe that is even the same bread as in the first picture.  It makes the most wonderful dough to work with. Anyway, make it into bread or rolls, or fill it with anything you can imagine. I will share some ideas with the recipe.  It's long so take a minute to look through all the ideas.

 Roll out for cinnamon rolls or orange rolls or even add raspberry jam to make sweet rolls.

 I spread butter over the dough and then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Then I roll them up!

 Place on a sprayed pan.  I usually put them a little closer together than I did tonight!

 Let raise until double.  Bake at 400* for about 14 minutes!

Cool the rolls and then frost with your favorite frosting.

CHICKEN POCKETS:

 Mix together the cream cheese, onion, salt, pepper, melted butter and milk with a mixer

It will be very creamy and yummy!

 Add in the cubed chicken and mix it well

 Roll the dough out like for the cinnamon rolls and cut into about 3-4 inch squares.  Put a big spoonful of the chicken cream cheese mixture in the center.

Bring opposite corners of the dough up and pinch them together into little pockets. Roll them in melted butter and then in a mixture of Italian Style bread crumbs and Parmesan Cheese.

Bake at 400* until golden brown and hollow sounding when you thump on them.  (Around 16-20 minutes)

 

I make a gravy out of the chicken broth from when I baked the chicken but you can make your own gravy or use a can of Cream of Chicken soup. Anyway, these are little pillows of heaven that can bring comfort on a stormy winter night.  I hope you enjoy!

2 Hour French Bread

 

 

6 Cups Flour                                                                           1 Tbls. Salt

1 Pkg (or 1 tbls) Yeast                                                            1/3 cup Oil

3 Tbls. Sugar                                                                           2 1/2 Cups Hot Water

 

Mix the 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt.  Add the water and the oil.  Mix together with a spoon and then add 3 more cups flour. Leave spoon in the bowl and stir down every 10 minutes for a total of 50 minutes.  Dough is ready to use.  Roll into bread loaves and let raise until double.  Can brush with whipped egg white for a crustier crust.  Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.   Makes 2 loaves French bread.

Chicken Cream Cheese Pockets

1 8-oz. pkg Cream Cheese                                                    4 Tbls. melted butter

4 Tbls. Milk                                                                              2 Tbls. grated onion

1/2 tsp. salt                                                                              1/4 tsp. pepper

4 cups cubed cooked chicken                                                Melted butter or margarine

Italian seasoned breadcrumbs.

 

Mix with a mixer all of the ingredients except the chicken, bread crumbs and butter to roll the rolls in.  Add the chicken and stir together.  Roll the dough like for cinnamon roll except thinner.  Cut into 4-inch squares.  Put a spoonful of filling in the center of each square.  Pull up opposite corners and seal well.  Dip in melted butter and then in breadcrumbs.  Put seam side down on a cookie sheet.  Do not let rise.  Bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes.  Serve with chicken gravy over the top.

 

 

Pizza in a Loaf

1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef or sausage                      1 minced onion

1 can or jar of your favorite pizza sauce                    grated cheese

Any other pizza toppings

Brown meat & onion until done.  Drain.  Add pizza sauce and mix together.  Roll bread dough to fit into a greased jelly roll size cookie sheet.  Put meat mixture down the middle 1/3 of the dough.  Add any other pizza toppings you like and cheese.  Make 1 inch slits diagonally about 1 inch from the filling to the edge.  Fold over edges left side then right side and repeat until completed.  Do not let rise.  Bake immediately at 400° for 16-20 minutes.  Serve hot.

Stroganoff Pockets

1 lb. lean ground beef                                                             diced onion

1 can cream of mushroom                                                     1/2 cup sour cream

Italian seasoned bread crumbs                                               melted butter

Brown beef and onion.  Drain.  Add soup and sour cream. Cool.  Roll out bread and cut into 4-inch squares.  Put a spoonful of mixture in the center of each square (can use grated cheese too).  Pull up opposite corners and seal.  Dip in melted butter and bread crumbs.  Do not let rise. Bake at 400° 16-20 minutes.

 

Breakfast Pockets

Scrambled eggs                                                                      ham or bacon

Grated cheese                                                                        any other toppings

Roll bread out and cut into 4-inch squares.  Layer with egg, meat, cheese, etc.  Pull up opposite corners and seal.  Place seam side down.  Do not let rise.  Bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes.

Sloppy Joe Pockets

Roll out bread and cut into 4-inch squares.  Fill with your favorite sloppy joe mixture.  Pull up corners and seal.  Bake, seem side down, 400° 16-20 minute.

 

Taco Pockets

 

Taco filling                                                                               grated cheese

 

Roll out bread dough and cut into 4-inch squares.  Fill and seal.  Bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes.  Can serve with an enchilada sauce over the top.

 

 

 

 

Parmesan Rolls

Melt butter or margarine and mix in grated Parmesan cheese.  (Consistency should be like pancake batter).  Make rolls about the size of a large walnut.  Roll in the cheese mixture so it is completely covered.  Put on pan and let rise until doubled.  Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Orange Rolls

1 Cube Butter or Margarine, softened

1 Cup Sugar

Grated Orange Rind (Fresh)

 

Mix butter and sugar (Do not melt butter).  Add the grated orange peel and mix. Make rolls the size of large walnuts.  Put a dab of mixture on the top of each roll.  Let rise until double.  Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.  NOTE:  Sugar will burn if you are not careful.  It is helpful to use a coated baking sheet.