Things I cooked while I was without a computer...
Just uploading a couple of pictures and recipes that I made when I wasn't able to upload the photos...
Lavender Blueberry Scones
2 c. flour (I found I needed a little more to stiffen the dough)
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tbsp. dried lavender buds/flowers
4 tbsp. cold cubed unsalted butter
3/4 c. blueberries
3/4 c. plain yogurt
Icing: confectioners' sugar and milk
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Stir together dry ingredients and lavender. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in blueberries. Stir in enough yogurt to be able to form dough into a ball (up to 3/4 cup). Turn dough onto floured surface and with floured hands, knead a few times. Press dough into a rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Fold rectangle into thirds, like a letter. Press dough into 9-inch round. Cut into 8 equal triangles. Place scones into scone pan or on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes (keep checking after 15 minutes--mine actually went for almost half an hour). Remove to rack to cool for 10 minutes. Add enough milk to confectioners' sugar to achieve desired amount and consistency. The best way is to start with about a cup of sugar and add the milk by tablespoons, stirring between additions, until you get a glazing consistency. Drizzle over scones while warm.
One of the things my husband really doesn't like about scones is that they tend to be sort of dry and biscuit-like. This recipe ends up more muffin-like. So if you don't think you like scones, try this one--you might like it.
Oh, and the lavender in this? WONDERFUL.
The next is the Cassoulet Style Chicken Thighs...
This was my variation of the original recipe:
Cassoulet Style Chicken Thighs
2 cans white beans (15 ounce) rinsed
3/4 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into thirds
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic (or more), roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more if needed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound kielbasa or other spicy smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Kosher salt, to taste.
Put 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the remaining beans and set aside.
Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside (I kept mine in the oven, set on 170F and it kept them crispy and warm).
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until browned, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary, thyme and pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine, increase heat to high and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits, until the wine has reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth, kielbasa, the reserved beans and chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs and parsley.
To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor into coarse crumbs. One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup crumbs.
This dish is one that I'll haul out again on a cold, snowy day, or that I'll pull out for a fall evening. It's garlicky, hearty and very good. I did let it cook a bit longer than they called for in the recipe--just slammed the lid on and let it bubble away a bit, to get the flavors to meld--and I think it helped.
As you can see, I served mine with baguette, sliced and slathered with garlic oil and sprinkled with parmesan, browned in the oven.
I have no idea what I'm doing for dinner, but I've definitely decided on the pavlova, because who knows when the humidity might be this low again?
Maybe something for the grill...
We'll see if Paul will let me give it a whirl!
Lavender Blueberry Scones
2 c. flour (I found I needed a little more to stiffen the dough)
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tbsp. dried lavender buds/flowers
4 tbsp. cold cubed unsalted butter
3/4 c. blueberries
3/4 c. plain yogurt
Icing: confectioners' sugar and milk
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Stir together dry ingredients and lavender. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in blueberries. Stir in enough yogurt to be able to form dough into a ball (up to 3/4 cup). Turn dough onto floured surface and with floured hands, knead a few times. Press dough into a rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches thick. Fold rectangle into thirds, like a letter. Press dough into 9-inch round. Cut into 8 equal triangles. Place scones into scone pan or on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes (keep checking after 15 minutes--mine actually went for almost half an hour). Remove to rack to cool for 10 minutes. Add enough milk to confectioners' sugar to achieve desired amount and consistency. The best way is to start with about a cup of sugar and add the milk by tablespoons, stirring between additions, until you get a glazing consistency. Drizzle over scones while warm.
One of the things my husband really doesn't like about scones is that they tend to be sort of dry and biscuit-like. This recipe ends up more muffin-like. So if you don't think you like scones, try this one--you might like it.
Oh, and the lavender in this? WONDERFUL.
The next is the Cassoulet Style Chicken Thighs...
This was my variation of the original recipe:
Cassoulet Style Chicken Thighs
2 cans white beans (15 ounce) rinsed
3/4 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into thirds
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic (or more), roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or more if needed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound kielbasa or other spicy smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Kosher salt, to taste.
Put 1/2 cup beans in a small bowl and mash with a fork. Add the remaining beans and set aside.
Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside (I kept mine in the oven, set on 170F and it kept them crispy and warm).
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add chicken in a single layer and cook until browned, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary, thyme and pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine, increase heat to high and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits, until the wine has reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth, kielbasa, the reserved beans and chicken; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with the toasted breadcrumbs and parsley.
To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor into coarse crumbs. One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup crumbs.
This dish is one that I'll haul out again on a cold, snowy day, or that I'll pull out for a fall evening. It's garlicky, hearty and very good. I did let it cook a bit longer than they called for in the recipe--just slammed the lid on and let it bubble away a bit, to get the flavors to meld--and I think it helped.
As you can see, I served mine with baguette, sliced and slathered with garlic oil and sprinkled with parmesan, browned in the oven.
I have no idea what I'm doing for dinner, but I've definitely decided on the pavlova, because who knows when the humidity might be this low again?
Maybe something for the grill...
We'll see if Paul will let me give it a whirl!