Miniature Holiday Scones

Inspired by a favorite treat from a well known coffee house, these small pastries are easily decorated for the holiday du jour.

2 c. unbleached flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup granulated white sugar
5 Tbsp of cold butter cut into pieces
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla

Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Cut cold butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Mix cream, egg and vanilla with a wire whisk in another bowl and add to dry ingredients, forming a sticky dough. Divide dough into two equal balls and flatten each out into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut each circle into 8 wedges and place on parchment lined cookie sheet(s). Bake in pre-heated 400º oven for 15 minutes. Makes 16 mini scones.


Glaze
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp sour cream
1 Tbsp vanilla (or other flavoring)
Food coloring if desired
Decorative sprinkles or non pariels as desired

Mix powdered sugar, sour cream and vanilla, adding water if needed to make glaze easy to brush on warm scones. Decorate before glaze dries, as desired for holiday occasions.

Huckleberry Scones

A regional favorite, huckleberries are the star in this tea-time pastry. 

Adapted from The Joy of Cooking.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup fresh huckleberries
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk or cream

Brushing tops of scones:
Milk or Cream
Streusel Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the Scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the huckleberries. In a small measuring cup combine the cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead the dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches round and about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into four pie-shaped wedges. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream or milk.

For the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until crumbly. Top each scone with a teaspoon or two of the streusel mixture. Cover and refrigerate any leftover streusel mixture.

Bake the scones until nicely browned, about 18 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. These are best eaten the day they are made. Freeze leftovers within 24 hours of baking.

Makes 8 large or 24 small scones.

Orange and Dark Chocolate Cream Scones

No holds barred on the ingredients in this decadent treat! Inspired by a favorite combination of flavors and real English scones at tea, this recipe is an original creation.

Orange Cream Scones with Dark Chocolate Chips

2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 T baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup organic sugar
Zest of one large orange, grated
1 stick organic butter
Juice from orange
1 large egg
1 cup cream, light or heavy
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place all dry ingredients and zest in bowl of food processor, add cold, chunked butter, and pulse just long enough to bring mixture to consistency of cornmeal. Place mixture in large mixing bowl and mix in chocolate chips. Add enough orange juice to cream to make 1 1/4 cups, adding more cream if you're light on the amount of juice. Add egg and whisk all together, then add liquids to the dry mixture and mix with a fork just long enough to almost completely combine. Amount of liquid may need to be adjusted slightly according to weather or humidity. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and gently knead mixture 5 to 6 turns, just enough to bring together into a ball and finish incorporating dry mixture if needed. At this point, you can either pat the dough out into about a 8-9 inch circle and cut into wedges, or roll out 1 inch thick and, using a circular cutter, cut into as many circles as the dough will yield. It will make about 24- 2 inch round scones, or 6-8 wedges. Place on parchment lined or insulated cookie sheet.

Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on your oven and size of scones, until golden brown on top. Serve or freeze within a day of baking.

Sausage Cheese Bites with Honey Mustard Dip

These fairly ubiqutous appetizers become something special with the use of a secret ingredient (or two!) in the homemade baking mix, and an inspired dip recipe perfectly suited to them.

Sausage Cheese Bites
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
1/4 cup chilled rendered bacon fat (you can substitute butter, lard or shortening here, but the flavor will change accordingly)
1 pound uncooked pork sausage
12 oz (3 cups) finely shredded cheddar cheese (mild, medium or sharp, your choice)

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in bowl of food processor, add chilled bacon grease in spoonfuls, then pulse briefly to cut fat into flour mixture. Alternatively, this can be done by hand or with a pastry blender. Place into large mixing bowl, and by hand or with mixer, combine with raw sausage and grated cheese until it is well mixed and will hold it's shape when formed. Scoop and form one inch balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. If you have space, chill them in the freezer for 20 minutes prior to baking. This helps them hold their shape and not spread too much.

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven, until browned and sizzling. Makes 60 appetizers. May be served warm or at room temperature.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup Best Foods Mayonnaise

1 tbps yellow mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Whisk all together until well combined. Makes about 3/4 cup of dip, the perfect amount to go with 60 sausage bites.

Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad

A popular copycat recipe available from many sources, and for good reason; it's delicious!

Oriental dressing
3 tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sesame oil

Salad
2 to 4 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 egg
½ cup milk
½ cup flour
½ cup cornflakes
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup chopped napa cabbage
1-2 carrots, depending on size, julienned or shredded
1 green onion, sliced
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1/3 cup chow mein noodles

Using an electric mixer, blend all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Put the dressing in the refrigerator to chill.
Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or frying pan over medium heat, about 350F. If using a frying pan, the oil should be at least ½ inch so that the chicken is immersed while cooking. In a small bowl, beat the egg, add the milk, and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour and cornflakes, and salt and pepper. Cut the chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips. Dip each strip of chicken first into the egg mixture and then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely. Fry each chicken finger for 5 minutes or until the coating has darkened to brown.
Prepare the salad by tossing the romaine, napa, cabbage and carrot together. Sprinkle the green onion on top of the lettuce mix. Sprinkle the almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles. Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Place the chicken on the salad, forming a pile in the middle. Serve with the salad dressing on the side.

Yields 2 entree size salads.

Oregon Blue Cheese Potato Salad

From Cooks.com

This regional recipe is always a hit at summer BBQs here in the Pacific Northwest. Kick it up a notch by using an artisnal applewood smoked bacon instead of the regular supermarket variety. Can you say "Yum"?!

1/4  cup cider vinegar
2  Tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2  teaspoons Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2/3  cup olive oil
1/4  cup minced shallots
2  Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
4 pounds small red new potatoes (unpeeled)
1/2  cup crumbled Oregon Blue or other mild blue cheese
1/2  cup whipping cream
12  slices bacon, cooked until crisp, crumbled
3  Tablespoons minced fresh chives or green onions

Mix vinegars, mustard, salt and pepper in small bowl.  Whisk in oil in thin stream. Whisk in shallots and minced parsley.  Set dressing aside.

Steam or boil potatoes until just tender.  Cool slightly.  Cut into 1/4-inch slices.  Place in large bowl.  Gently mix 1/2 cup dressing into potatoes.

Line a large platter with lettuce leaves.  Top with potatoes.  Whisk cheese and cream into remaining dressing.  Spoon over potatoes. Top with bacon and chives.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

8 servings

The World’s Best Cookie

From: San Francisco a La Carte by the Junior League of San Francisco

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

1 cup salad oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup rolled oats, regular

1 cup crushed cornflakes

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing well, then salad oil, mixing well. Then add vanilla extract. Add oats, cornflakes, coconut and nuts, stirring well. Then add flour, soda. And salt. Mix well and form into balls the size of small walnuts, place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork dipped in water. Bake for 18 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for a few minutes before removing. Makes 8 dozen. Also tasty straight from the freezer!