I love this scone recipe that my relative Elaine in Australia sent to me! I did tweak the original recipe a bit to wrangle it into how I make scones overall. These are light, airy and so wonderful as a brunch table item. I've always referred to Savory Scones as "fancy biscuits" and they are - you can definitely use a biscuit cutter on this dough for a more 'down-home American biscuit' look... I prefer traditional triangle cuts. ~Enjoy! Diane
Savory Rosemary & Cheddar Scones Dry: 2 cups A/P Flour 3 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Salt Pinch of Cayenne 4.25 Tbs cold Butter, diced 1 Tbs fresh Rosemary, chopped Wet: 1/2 cup Sour Cream 1 Large Egg 1 Cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese 2-3 Tbs Milk, divided Directions: Preheat oven to 425F In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne until well incorporated. Cut the cold diced butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork. Sprinkle in the fresh Rosemary. In a bowl, whisk together the sour cream and egg. Add that mixture to the dry ingredients. Sprinkle in shredded cheese and fold all ingredients together until a dough forms, if your dough is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of milk until all ingredients come together. *this is a slightly sticky dough. Flour your hands and sprinkle flour on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using your hands, knead the dough in your large bowl until a dough ball forms - break ball into two and pat into 3/4" rounds on your baking sheet - use a bench scraper to cut scones into triangles (or rounds if using a biscuit cutter) lightly brush scones with milk and bake 18-20 mins. Serve warm with butter My recipe Inspired by an Original Recipe in shown in photo below from: "The Australian Women's Weekly" Best Recipes from The Weekly
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Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese *guest post Ingredients: 1 gallon milk 1/2 packet direct set mesophilic culture 1/4 tsp liquid rennet, or 1/4 rennet tablet, diluted in 1/4 cup cold, unchlorinated water 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt 1/5 tsp Calcium Chloride (Pickle Crisp Granules) dissolved in 1/4 cup cold, unchlorinated water I used store bought Vitamin D milk. I use a stockpot, set inside a larger stockpot, filled with water up to the level of the milk, for better temperature control. Add calcium chloride water solution to milk and stir well. Heat milk to 90F, sprinkle mesophilic culture over top of milk and let sit 3 minutes to hydrate. Using a large whisk or perforated spatula, gently stir in an up and down motion, being sure to get all culture mixed in, for 3 minutes. Cover and let sit for 45 minutes, be sure to keep milk at steady temperature, and as still as possible during this time. Add the rennet solution and again, gently stir, in an up and down motion, for 1 minute. Cover and let sit, keeping the pot at 90F for 45 minutes, or until you can get a clean break with the curds. You should be able to cut into the top about 1/2" and fold the cut over, and it stay, without the cut filling back in. Using a long knife, cut the curds in 1/2" slices, back and forth across the pot. (If you're not sure the curds are ready, slice some, then lift with a ladle and see if they retain their shape, if they do, they're ready.) Gradually bring the temperature up to 100F, over a period of about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, very gently to prevent the curds from sticking together. Once you reach 100F, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Line a colander with cheese cloth, and using a perforated dipper or spatula, gently lift the curds out and place into the lined colander. After you get most of the curds out, you can dip out most of the whey, then pour the remaining curds and whey into the colander. Tie up the ends of the cheesecloth, hang, and let drain for about an hour. Place the curds in a large bowl, remove the cheesecloth and break up the pieces, while gradually mixing in the salt. If you don't have a mold and press, place back in 2 or 3 layers of cheese cloth, bring the ends together and twist, to form a ball. The pressing process: You apply 10 pounds of pressure for 10 minutes, remove from mold, unwrap, turn over, replace cheese cloth, apply 20 pounds of pressure for 30 minutes, unwrap, replace flip over, replace cheese cloth, then apply 50 pounds of pressure for 12 hours. Then remove the cheese cloth, let air dry for 2 or 3 days, until a crust-like rind forms. Then wax or vac-seal and let age at least 1 month. I used a 2 pound plastic cheese mold and a big C-clamp. A better press can be made from 2 long threaded bolts and a couple of boards... Recipe and Photos by: JD Provence for Canning and Cooking at Home This is so easy - it's a crime and the taste - even more illegally awesome! LOL some say they taste like "Red Lobsters" biscuits...all I know is you can change up the cheeses and herbs/spices and really have fun with these. Enjoy! ~ Diane CHEDDAR BAY BISCUITS FROM SCRATCH Ingredients: Biscuit: 2 Cups Buttermilk Biscuit Mix 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese 2/3 Cups of Milk Topping: 2 Tbs Butter, Melted 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp garlic salt Directions: For "Biscuits": Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and spray a cooking sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. Place into a large bowl: buttermilk biscuit mix (like Bisquick), garlic powder, and shredded cheddar cheese. mix everything together Add in about 2/3 cups of milk. Stir until combined. *it gets pretty thick, and you can add a little more milk if you need to. But don’t add too much, otherwise it will get even stickier. I use a lightly oiled 1/4 cup measuring spoon to drop the dough onto your cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in oven approx. 10 minutes. For "Topping": melt 2 Tablespoons of butter, stirring in oregano, parsley and garlic salt. . When biscuits have cooked 10 minutes - brush some of the butter mixture over each biscuit. Then, pop them back into the oven for another 5-6 minutes.Or until they’re lightly browned. If you like, you can brush with the garlic-herb butter again and let it soak in before you serve them. Since I made these ahead of time - I didn't brush on melted topping until 10 mins before serving...I cooked my biscuits a few hours ahead and then brushed topping on and set in warm oven to 'reheat' - they came out great. Recipe Note: Want a 'kick" to them - try pepper jack and cheddar cheese mix! Recipe Adapted from: joyful abode Photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home There is nothing better then this soup to take the chill off a cool Fall day! I admit, I am a soup junkie - I can't get enough and love to make all different kinds but, this soup truly is my favorite one! I hope you'll take the time to make some and Enjoy! Diane Cream of Broccoli-Cheddar Soup Ingredients: 6 Tbs unsalted butter 1 small onion, chopped 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups half-and-half 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head) 1 large carrot, diced 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar. plus, more for garnish. Directions: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.) Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. *Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into bowls, or even bread bowls and garnish with cheese. Adapted from: Food Soup photos by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home I think some of you know, I am not the 'talky bloggy' sort - I can't just write some magical story about food unless it evokes a memory. I sincerely post the recipes that I have made and truly enjoy. That being said, I remember making a trip a few times a year growing up with my sisters and Mom to a little town in Illinois called Long Grove (I still go any chance I get) They have amazing little quaint shops, bakeries & restaurants - like the AppleHaus, the Irish Store and every store sells beautiful baked good or fresh ice cream and produce along with pretty antiques and such... Long Grove holds a strawberry festival every year too - the little town with covered bridges, adorable taverns and a nice little restaurant overlooking a small pond.... love that little town and this bread reminds me the same bread we bought from their bakeries and of all the great times with my family there - Enjoy! Diane Bacon Cheddar Beer Bread 3 cups all purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used Cheddar) 1 12 ounce bottle of beer (can is fine too) 4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped (1/4 c real bacon bits) 2 tablespoons butter, melted **try adding a 1/3c diced jalapenos for a "kick" and some sharp cheddar for a "pow"! Diane Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare bread pan by greasing with butter. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar with a whisk. Make a well in the center. Add bacon, about 3/4 of cheese and full beer into the well. Stir mixture with a spoon until combined. Pour mixture into prepared bread pan. Add remaining cheese. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle remaining butter over the top. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until browned on top and loaf thumps when you tap the top. Remove to a wire rack and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on wire rack. You can brush with more butter if you choose. Recipe Adapted from: Southern Food Photo by: Diane Baker for Canning and Cooking at Home |