Buttermilk-and-Jam Scones

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced and chilled in the freezer for 5-10 minutes

1 cup buttermilk, plus more if necessary

1 tablespoon lemon zest

¼ cup raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and position a rack in the top third of the oven. Melt the two tablespoons of butter and set aside.

In a large bowel, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut the well-chilled butter into the dry ingredients, working quickly, until the dough resembles coarse cornmeal.

Add the buttermilk and the lemon zest, using a fork, combine the ingredients. Work quickly stirring as little as possible, until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Add more buttermilk, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry.

Gather the dough into a ball and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll it into a fat circle about 7 inches across.

Spread the jam over half the dough, fold the unjammed half over the jammed half and roll the dough into a circle this is about ½ inch thick and 12 inches wide. Use a sharp knife to cut the circle into 12 wedge-shaped scones.

Place the scones an inch apart on 1 or more ungreased baking sheets. Brush the top of each with the melted butter and bake 12-15 minutes. Cool.

Yields 12 scones.

Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon shortening

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. soda

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. grated orange peel

juice form 1 orange

1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 cup cranberries, halved

½ cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Heat over to 350. Grease loaf pan, 9x5x3”. Cut shortening into flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and peel. Add water to juice to measure ¾ cup; blend in with cheese and egg. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Bake in prepared pan 60-70 minutes. Let load stand 8 hours before slicing.

Feta Spread -New York Times Magazine

Ingredients:

2 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 fresh chili pepper, seeded and minced, or ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 ½ cups crumbled soft feta cheese (1 8 oz package feta brick)

2 grilled or roasted red bell peppers, peeled, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped.

Roast red peppers in oven by broiling until pepper skins become blistered and blackened. The skins should be very easy to remove.

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add chili and cook for 1 minute. Stir in garlic and remove from heat. Let cool for about 3 minutes.

Place the feta and red peppers in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the chili-oil mixture and process until well combined. Scrape the spread into a bowl and serve.

Yield 1 ½ cups.

Ginger Pear Cake -The Junior League of San Francisco

Serves 8

Ingredients:

3 cups water

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 large, uniform pears, peeled, halved, and cored

½ cup blanched almonds

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 large eggs

¾ cup sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

(For people that like more ginger flavor include slices of fresh ginger in the poaching of the pears and crystalized ginger layer on top of pairs and below the batter in the dish.)

Directions:

In a pan large enough to hold the pear halves in a single layer, combine the water, sugar, and lemon juice (and a few slices of fresh ginger if desired.) Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the pear halves. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the pan. Place cut side down on paper towels to drain.

Preheat over to 325 degrees. Generously butter a 9-ince round glass or ceramic baking dish. Place the pears in the dish with their cut sides down and stem ends pointing toward the center. Set aside.

In a food processor, chop the almonds with flour, baking powder, and ginger until finely ground, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the processor and set aside. Put the eggs and sugar in the bowl. Mix for 1 minute. With the machine running, add the butter and process for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture. Process just until the flour disappears. (Scatter chopped bits of crystalized ginger over the pears in the pan.) Pour the batter evenly over the pears. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Whip the cream with the sugar. Serve the cake warm, accompanied by the cream.

Broccoli with Mushrooms -An Encyclopedia of Chinese Food and Cooking

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli

4 tablespoons peanut/vegetable/canola oil

8-10 mushrooms

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

(more water and cornstarch as necessary to make thicker sauce if desired)

Directions:

Cut broccoli into pieces. Blanch broccoli by putting it into boiling water, when water boils again, remove from heat. Drain, and let cold water run over. Heat oil in pan/wok. Stir-fry mushrooms and scallions for 1 minute. Add broccoli, salt, sugar, and ¼ cup of water. Continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.

Fragrant Fried Ginger and Scallion Rice -Travels With a Hot Wok, Ken Hom

Serves 4 as an accompaniment

Ingredients:

2 cups (400 ml) long grain white rice

2 ½ cups (600 ml) water

2 tablespoons oil, preferably peanut

3 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

4 oz (100 g) scallions (about 4-5 scallions,) finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground five-pepper mixture or black pepper

2 tablespoons finely shopped cilantro

Directions:

Cook the rice at least 2 hours before it is needed, or even the night before. Allow it to cool thoroughly an put it in the refrigerator.

Heat wok or large frying pan over high heat until it is hot. Add the oil, and when it is hot, add the ginger, turn down the heat and slowly stir-fry until the ginger has browned. Then add the scallions, salt, and pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the rice is thoroughly heated through. Finally, add the cilantro. Give the mixture several good stirs.