Barefoot Bloggers – Cranberry Orange Pecan Scones

I don’t usually participate in the Barefoot Bloggers bonus recipes. After doing Tuesdays with Dorie, Craving Ellie in My Belly (both weekly) and Barefoot Bloggers (twice a month), I generally want to focus on recipes I want to make from other bloggers. But when Em of The Repressed Pastry Chef picked the bonus recipe for this month, I had to do it. See, I love scones but I’ve never made them, and I knew Ina’s recipe had to be easy enough for a scone-making newbie like me.

I’ve seen Ina make scones on the show a couple of times (maybe it’s the same episode and I’ve watched it more than once!), and that was good because some of the lessons she taught made this an easy recipe. Some of the Food Network feedback said the scones were too salty, and some said they needed more orange zest or extract, and some said more sugar. I thought the salt level was fine, but I agree they could have been a little sweeter and had more orange flavor. Perhaps if I had used Dorie Greenspan’s technique of rubbing the zest with the sugar before adding it to the bowl, it would have brought out more of the orange flavor.

Ina’s technique of letting your mixer do the work was wonderful. I was extra careful not to over mix the dough. I wanted to add pecans for some crunch, and I mixed them together with the dried cranberries in the empty cranberry bag, before adding the flour and shaking it up. In hindsight, my dried cranberries were a little too dried, and I should have rehydrated them (which you can do by putting them in a steamer basket over boiling water).

When I turned this out to shape the dough and cut it out, it was very shaggy, which I expected. I rolled it only to get it to the 3/4″ thickness, and floured a 2″ biscuit cutter before cutting each scone. I baked off a few immediately (the dough was absolutely incredible!), then put a few in the freezer for another day, and the rest went into the refrigerator to bake and take to work.

My 2″ guys baked for about 20 minutes, and I think that was a bit too long. Since they were smaller than the 3″ Ina recommends, you may want to check them at 18 minutes. Even so, they were fluffy, tender and delicious, in short, nothing like the “scones” you can get at national chain coffee houses.

Next time (and there will be a lot of next times) I will up the orange zest, use Dorie’s zest/sugar rubbing technique, increase the pecans, decrease the dried cranberries (or use fresh!) and add slightly more sugar. But before I make these again, I want to see if I can replicate (and improve) the lemon curd scone served at my favorite coffee house. With Ina’s tender scone as a base, you can go in many directions with this recipe. Check it out here or here. And my thanks go out to Em for choosing this wonderful recipe. Now I know how to bake scones!

Ina Garten’s Curried Couscous, Ellie Krieger’s Double Chocolate Pudding Pie AND My 100th Post!

Talk about a mega post!

This week’s Barefoot Bloggers recipe is Ina’s Curried Couscous, selected by Ellyn of Recipe Collector & Tester. We love couscous and I’m always trying to think of new ways to make it exciting. Trust Ina to come up with a tasty twist on this go-to side dish.

I changed up the recipe somewhat, substituting whole wheat couscous, nixxing the red onion (figuring the spring onions have enough onion flavor), substituting cilantro for parsley (sorry cilantro haters!) and slivered almonds for sliced. I also tossed in a can of drained and rinsed garbanzo beans for some added protein and called it dinner! What can I say, I was going to make tandoori chicken to serve along side but that requires taking the chicken out of the freezer. Maybe next time!

This was soooo tasty and it made (in typical Ina fashion) a ton of couscous. We’ll be eating it for a while, and I’ll have plenty of chances to dress it up with different proteins and make it seem new. It had a great curry flavor without being overbearing, and the almonds and carrot gave it a nice crunch. Definitely another great recipe from Ina. Thanks, Ellyn for a wonderful pick!

For Craving Ellie in My Belly, we made Double Chocolate Pudding Pie, selected by Tessa of Handle the Heat. This recipe was so easy, I made it at 6 AM before work, with time left over for 20 minutes of cardio (I MUST counteract all of these!) and a shower before leaving for work. Hearts make me happy, so I used these mini tart pans I got while we were in Paris. I also wanted to break in my new mini pie pan, and two of the heart shaped ramekins I bought about 10 years ago at Williams-Sonoma and have never used. Truly. I made Ellie’s graham cracker crust almost as written (no water, extra tablespoon of butter and one additional graham cracker sheet). I didn’t mess with the filling, using 70% bittersweet for the chocolate. I did follow one Food Network reviewer’s suggestion to sprinkle the gelatin over cold water rather than hot, and I didn’t have any clumping at all. It took ten minutes of constant whisking before the chocolate mixture thickened. Once it did, I actually LISTENED to the voice in my head that said to use a ladle to fill the various tins, ramekins, molds, etc. No spills to clean up, though we won’t talk about what happened to the traces clinging to the side of the pan.

This was delicious! The crust wasn’t as sturdy as my usual butter-laden graham cracker crust, but this was outrageously chocolaty and the perfect portion size. Truth be told, I preferred the ones I made sans crust, as the graham cracker crust interfered with my enjoyment of the chocolate pudding. If you prefer a less assertive chocolate flavor, you could substitute milk chocolate and the flavor would mellow out.

And finally, this is my 100th post. I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks and can’t get my head around it. When I started this blog last fall, it was to be a part of Tuesdays with Dorie. I’ve since joined Craving Ellie in My Belly and Barefoot Bloggers, and have gotten more out of blogging than I could have ever imagined. I love to cook, and I love to share my cooking, and this is just another way to share. Most of all, I love visiting your blogs to see what YOU’RE cooking, to be inspired by you, to learn from you, and to share in your story. You have elevated my cooking by your words and your sharing, and I am a better cook and baker because of you. Thank you.

Barefoot Bloggers – Chinese Chicken Salad

This week’s Barefoot Blogger recipe was chosen by McKenzie at Kenzie’s Kitchen. I LOVE Chinese chicken salad, but this one was definitely with an Ina twist. Instead of the chicken being served on a bed of Savoy cabbage, it was combined with asparagus and red bell pepper strips in a peanuty dressing.

I have been preoccupied of late with preparing for a small party I’m throwing this Saturday and so I missed Tuesdays with Dorie this week and Craving Ellie in My Belly last week. I’m throwing my new kitchen a party. So many of my friends and co-workers wanted to see it that it seemed like a fun idea.

With all my planning, I didn’t plan to get a cold. Yes indeed. So all my food prep will involve wearing a mask and even more hand washing than normal.

But I digress. Given I’m busy and was just starting to get sick last night, I took a shortcut with this recipe. I bought a rotisserie chicken instead of roasting the breasts. I cut the oil in half, and added crushed red peppers. I cut out the salt entirely.

It was…OK. I hate saying that about an Ina recipe because every other one I’ve tried has been knock me over good. I think it needs more vinegar and ginger, or perhaps I shouldn’t have reduced the oil so much. Sorry, McKenzie, it was a great pick but I think the peanut butter was a bit overwhelming, maybe because I used natural peanut butter.  

Check out what the other Barefoot Bloggers did here.

Barefoot Bloggers – Tomato and Goat Cheese Tarts

Anne Strawberry picked this week’s recipe, and although I already loved Anne and her lovely blog plenty, I have yet another reason to appreciate her. Tomato and goat cheese tarts rule!

Ina Garten is teaching me to appreciate frozen puff pastry. First it was these ridiculously easy sticky buns. Now, tomato and goat cheese tarts for dinner on a weeknight? I am so there.

This recipe calls for sauteing thinly sliced onions and garlic until caramelized, and layering the cooled onions with goat cheese, sliced tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, topped with a chiffonade of basil.

I almost let the voices in my head take over again, but I resisted. I stuck with Ina’s recipe as written, except I added the basil after the tarts came out of the oven, and I cut them square rather than round so there wouldn’t be any puff pastry waste. One sheet of puff pastry yielded four tarts, and it felt really decadent to eat two of them for dinner. They were very filling! And amazingly tasty. M., who eschews butter because of his cholesterol, didn’t once ask how I prepared them. I think it was “don’t ask, don’t tell” night.

Next time (which could be tonight!), I plan to substitute sun dried tomatoes for the fresh, and mozzarella cheese for the goat cheese. Or maybe tapenade under the onions with capers and pine nuts. Or pesto under sun dried tomatoes with goat cheese and fresh basil. Or walnut oil with sauteed wild mushrooms and a garnish of arugula salad lightly dressed with vinaigrette. Or… Stop it, Leslie!

I may even shrink these delightful tarts to party size, serving them with any or all of the above toppings, making the perfect two or three bite appetizer. They have excellent do-ahead potential for impressing your guests with how seemingly effortless it is to pull an awesome hors d’oeuvre out of the oven and serve it to stunned guests. Heck, if I did that, I’d be stunned!

You’ll find the recipe for this delicious and versatile tart in Back to Basics, or here, or on Anne’s site. If you’d like to join us, we’re having a blast cooking, baking and blogging our way through Ina Garten’s recipes. You can find out how to join us here.

Barefoot Bloggers – Chicken Picatta

This week’s Barefoot Bloggers recipe is Chicken Picatta, chosen for us by Lindsey of Noodle Nights and Muffin Mornings. I was excited about this one as it is easy and inexpensive.

I did take a short cut. I bought sliced chicken breasts, so I didn’t have to pound them. This is such an easy recipe that dinner was ready early…that never happens! I served it with brown rice and steamed broccoli. The pan sauce was delicious with the chicken (and the broccoli). The sauce tasted a little too lemony on its own, but with the chicken it was spot on flavor wise.

There are one or two things I will do differently next time. After sautéing, the chicken bakes on a sheet pan with parchment paper. That made the bottom of the chicken soggy. I think I’ll bake it on a rack over the sheet pan so the bottom gets heat and stays crisp. I would also double the sauce since it was so good and such a natural to put over your veggies. I might also saute some spinach in that pan sauce and pour the whole thing over the chicken.

Give this one a try! It’s awesome and easy, a perfect Tuesday night dinner.

You can find the recipe here. If you’d like to join us in cooking and blogging about Barefoot Contessa recipes, here’s how you do it.

Barefoot Bloggers – Meringues Chantilly

Appearances can be deceiving.

As I looked at this Barefoot Bloggers recipe, chosen for us by BMK of Reservations Not Required, I thought it was complicated and I couldn’t quite imagine how it would all taste. That, plus whipped cream isn’t one of the healthier foods I’ve been coaxing myself to in order to lose some weight. I figured I would make it and take it to work, and that would be that.

The meringues were actually quite easy (the hardest part of a meringue is separating all the eggs and without getting even a speck of egg yolk in the whites).  Let’s just say an almost-egg white omelette is on the menu for today. The meringues baked as I was watching the finale of Top Chef (anyone else disappointed that Carla followed Casey’s suggestions, which ultimately caused her to sacrifice the authenticity that has been her strength?) and rested in the oven all night. When I woke up this morning, I had an idea to make the recipe more diet-friendly…

Fat free Greek yogurt. Yes, I made one of these babies with fat free Greek yogurt in place of the whipped cream. I added a touch of sugar and vanilla to it (I don’t do alcohol, so it needed a bit more flavor). I liked the idea of the meringue and the freshness of the berries with the tangy yogurt. In fact, I liked the yogurt substitute so much I think it would be hard to beat it with whipped cream! I loved the sweet crispness of the meringue with the hint of orange in the berries and the creaminess of the yogurt. (excuse me while I get another bite). 

A note about meringues. If your only experience with them is eating those big white things that resemble styrofoam from your local bakery, you really haven’t experienced meringues. They are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. My first meringue experience was when I did the pastry boot camp at the CIA, and my second was last week with these cupcakes. It’s an easy technique and one that is very versatile. 

I urge you to make this recipe…it’s very easy and so impressive on a plate. Check out what the other Barefoot Bloggers did here. If you’d like the recipe, you can find it here.

Barefoot Bloggers – Real Spaghetti and Meatballs, Sort of

I’m so excited. This is only my second time cooking along with the Barefoot Bloggers, so you would think I’d throw myself into it and follow every nuance of the recipe.

Not so much.

The meatballs call for veal, pork and beef. I don’t touch the first two, and I’m not huge on beef either. The sauce requires wine (another no go) and parsley (I’m the only person on earth who hates parsley). I didn’t have spaghetti. But I was determined to press on, so I made turkey meatballs instead. I cooked the sauce for a long time to build the flavor, then pureed it in the food processor to make it look classier. It turned out a little chunkier than I would have liked, but the flavor was spot on with the addition of my secret weapon, balsamic vinegar. I served the meatballs and sauce over a bed of fettucine, with a sprinkle of parmesan.

How was it? Fantastic! I slurped up much more of the large serving than I had planned, but it was so good! I think the meatballs and sauce would freeze well (in separate containers) for an easy weeknight dinner. If you’d like the real recipe, you’ll find it here. Check out what the other Barefoot Bloggers did here.

Barefoot Bloggers – Easy Sticky Buns

I’m in! And what a great recipe to start cooking along with the other Barefoot Bloggers! This talented group is cooking through the recipes of Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa fame.

These cinnamon rolls looked so ridiculously easy that I made them this morning before work. Yes, truly. If you want to induce rapture in your coworkers, bring in these cinnamon rolls. You start with frozen puff pastry and end with rolls that aren’t soft and pillowy but delightfully crisp and chewy. I wish I had captured their stunning beauty when they came out of the oven, but I was trying really hard not to be more than a half hour late for work. I did get a quick photo with my phone before everyone devoured them.

My deepest thanks to Melissa at Made By Melissa for this wonderful pick! (Yes, that is the top of my Tupperware cereal bowl, I know, my styling is pathetic!) If you’d like the recipe, stop by and visit Melissa.