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

    These meatless spinach lasagna noodle roll ups are perfectly paired with Homemade Alfredo Sauce.  It was a hit at our most recent dinner party.  I love Alfredo Sauce that is not from a jar!  This sauce never fails me, always so rich and flavor-filled.  The roll ups I've done many different ways, from the fillings to the sauces, its always tasty working off the basic lasagna idea.  ~Enjoy! Diane 

Roll Up Ingredients:
Homemade Alfredo Sauce (see recipe below) 
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed & well-drained 
1 pint ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided 
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
8 lasagna noodles, prepared according to package directions

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Homemade Alfredo Sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temp
2 cups heavy whipping cream, warmed 
4 ounces cream cheese, room temp
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp garlic powder, see note below**
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

Sauce Directions:
In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan cheese.
Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Leave this on low, stir often and Continue on with making Roll Ups 
​
**garlic note: if you love garlic, add 1 tsp powder and the minced garlic. if you just "kind of like" garlic, add in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. if you prefer no garlic, then omit garlic entirely.
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Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
Lightly coat a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil (I use a paper towel just to smear around inside and on bottom of dish) 
Pour 1/4 cup Alfredo sauce over the bottom of the baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, beaten egg and salt until well blended.
Spoon cheese mixture along one side of cooked lasagna noodles, distributing evenly, and roll up.  Place roll-ups seam-side down in prepared baking dish; top with a little Alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Loosely cover with foil, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until heated through.  Once out of the oven, pour remaining Alfredo sauce over the lasagna rolls, sprinkle with parsley and serve. 

Diane's Kitchen Tip: 
Keep Alfredo Sauce warm on your stove-top and spoon finished sauce over entire dish when its fresh out of the oven.  The reason not to place all the Alfredo in the baking dish, is that this sauce is easy to "break."  Meaning, the butter & oils separate from the cheeses in the sauce, to help prevent this - use only a little sauce to coat the bottom of baking dish and a little atop the roll ups.  
Side Note: starting with warmed cream, and room temp butter and cream cheese will help to keep your sauce from 'breaking' later on.

     Scones!  I love any scone - be it my savory scones, or in this case, a new addition to my sweet scone line-up, chocolate! My Decadent Chocolate Scones are the perfect compliment to your day.  You'll love the rich taste that this chocolate scone offers,  mixed with its light and airy traditional scone texture. This scone pairs perfectly with your morning coffee without leaving you feeling 'overstuffed' or 'weighed down.'  As Brand Ambassador for Rodelle, they provided me with their Vanilla Paste and Chocolate Extract, which enhances the depth and richness of these scones, and the Gourmet Dutch Processed Cocoa is a true "must have" for your baking pantry.   I hope you bake some of these for yourself!  ~Enjoy! Diane 

Decadent Chocolate Scones
Ingredients: 
2 2/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Rodelle Gourmet Dutch Processed Baking Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso granules
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small dice
1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon Rodelle Vanilla Paste
1/2 teaspoon Rodelle Chocolate Extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup + more as needed, Milk
powdered sugar, for dusting *optional

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl blend together the flour, cocoa, instant espresso granules, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Cut the cold butter into small dice, and using a pastry blender, or fork, work in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• In a cup, whisk together the vanilla paste, chocolate extract, egg, and 3/4 cup milk.
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until the mixture is evenly moist. If needed, add in additional milk, just enough to make the dough come together.
• Divide the dough in half, and place the two halves onto your prepared baking sheet. **See Baking Tip below!!  Pat them gently into two 6" circles, each about 3/4" thick.
• Cut each circle into 6 wedge-shaped pieces with a bench scraper or sharp knife. It's easier with this dough to dip your cutter in flour after EACH cut. Make sure you press it into the dough quickly, without sawing. A clean cut will allow the scones to rise higher. Separate the scones a bit, but leave them in their circle. Leave about 1" between them at the top outer edge of the circle.  Place the tray of scones in your freezer for 10 mins - if your freezer space allows it - this will firm the butter back up - making for a lighter, more moist scone. 
• Bake the scones for approx 20 minutes, until they lose their moist/wet look, and a cake tester inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.  Remove the scones from the oven, and transfer to a rack to cool.
• Dust with powdered sugar before serving, optional.

**BAKING TIP:  Mix 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar with 1 teaspoon cocoa powder, sprinkle on your parchment-lined (or lightly greased) baking sheet.  Use this sugar mixture in place of the usual flour, to keep the scones from sticking to the pan/parchment as you shape scones.  
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Kitchen Note: Want to switch it up a bit? Add some heat to your chocolate scones with a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flake.  

Special thank you to Rodelle for providing me with their fabulous baking products.  For more information, or for ordering their kitchen baking essentials, please visit their website at www.rodellekitchen.com ​

     We love this baked pasta casserole, and this dish is even better the next day!!  The longer the pasta sits in the sauce, the more it absorbs all that yumminess!   You can use shredded rotisserie chicken, leftover ham, deli ham, deli chicken, anything works in this dish.  Want to add in a vegetable? Try adding in some peas!  We like having more sauce then noodle which is why I only call for 3/4 lbs of pasta - instead of a full pound.  
Enjoy! Diane

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. cooked campanelle, penne or similar 
5 Tbs butter, divided 
1/2 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbs flour
3 cup chicken broth, warmed
1 cup heavy cream, warmed 
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus salt for pasta cooking water
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard 
1-2 tsp dried parsley 
2 cups cubed or shredded chicken
1 cup thick-cut deli ham, chopped/cubed
2 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss 
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°.

• In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente.
• Drain pasta and place in a prepared (lightly greased) 9x13 baking pan, mix pasta with 1 Tbs butter and 1/2 Tbs olive oil to prevent sticking.  Toss in the chicken, ham & half the shredded Gruyere/Swiss.  Set aside.
• In a dutch oven over medium heat, melt 4 Tbs butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle in flour and cook until slightly golden and lightly nutty smelling, 2 minutes more.
• Whisk in warmed chicken broth and heavy cream, bringing to a boil.  Reduce heat to a medium-low, season with salt and pepper, Dijon mustard and parsley. Simmer until liquid has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 10-12 minutes. Stir in the remaining Gruyere/Swiss until melted. 
• Remove pot from heat and gently combine sauce mixture with pasta.
• Bake, uncovered until warmed through, 15-18 minutes. 
• Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the top, and broil for a final 2-3 minutes. 
• Garnish with more dried or fresh parsley before serving.  

Diane's Kitchen Note/s:  if your sauce is too thick, add a bit more cream or chicken broth until you reach your desired consistency.