Chocolate Chip - Peppermint Scones

This recipe is from my daughter, Madelines', Pink Princess Cookbook by Barbara Berry. We made these a few years ago only once (not sure why). Then decided it was Christmas and would be a good gift (or just a good thing to eat). We actually quadrupled the recipe. (had to make a lot as the whipping creme only came in 34oz container - I'm pretty sure we could have made the scone recipe with a substitution for the creme, as it was darn expensive.. but..)

Variation - we made one batch as it says in the recipe, then we pulverized the StarBrite peppermints we had and added the "peppermint powder" to the dough (not to much). We also still sprinkled a few on the top. We used Christmas Tree and Christmas bell cookie cutters to cut them out. Made 50 plus cookies..

Makes 12 scones

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup whipping cream plus 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

3. Add 1 cup whipping cream to the mixture, stirring just until ingredients are moistened. Turn mixture out onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently until soft dough forms (about 2 minutes). Pat dough out to about 1 inch thickness. Cut out into assorted shapes.

4. Place scones 1 inch apart on foil-lined baking sheets that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

5. Brush each scone with the remaining 2 tablespoons whipping cream and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy.

6. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until very lightly browned. Really good served warm.. Try dusting with powdered sugar.

Camp Kaizen Maple Granola

May daughter went to Camp Kaisen this summer, in Lyndonville, Vermont. had a great time, lost some weight, got some great excersize and did really well.. and.. came home with some great recipes.. Here is one.

Ingredients:

7 cups rolled oats, uncooked
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup almonds, sliced or broken up
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped or broken up
1 cup sunflower seads, raw or toasted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup maple syrup (real not the fake stuff)
t tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 250F

In a very large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, nuts and seeds. Mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, salt, maple syrup and vanilla. Pour over the dry mixture in the bowl, stiring and tossing till everything is very well combined.

Spread granola on a couple of large, lightly greased baking sheets (this makes two 1/2 sheet pans). Bake for about 90 minutes, stirring the mixture with a heatproof spatula every 15min or so. You want to bring the granola at the edge in towards the middle, so it all browns evenly. And reverse the baking sheets in the oven (top to bottom, bottom to top) each time you stir. When the granola is light to medium golden brown, remove it from the oven and cool completely on the pans. Transfer the granola to a large bowl and mix in the dried fruit.
Store in a tightly closed container at room temperature: Freeze for extended storage

Yield: about 18 cups.
takes time but well worth it. I put some in a bowl with vanilla yogurt and it's great. My daughter takes it in small bags to school.

The Annual St. Gabriel's School Fair 2008

Lavender Bath Salts

For my children, it is only now the end of the school year. While all the parents usually get together and give a class give, I like to give something a little more personal Over the years it's been things like cookies, picture frames, homemade earrings, and Bath Salts. My favorite (and one a friend of mine likes as well) is the Lavender Bath Salts. You have to figure the teachers have worked hard for your child all year, you could at least give them something to relax. So here is it..

Lavender Bath Salts

2 Cups Epsom Salts
1 Cup Baking Soda
4-5 drops Lavender Oil

combine the salts and soda. Put in the drops of oil and mix.

Add a 2 or 3 table spoons of the mix to your hot/warm bath water and relax.

Quantities above will depend on how much you want to make. I usually make several medium sized jars at a time, so my quantities are in multiples of usually 4 or 5.

To Give as gifts, get some fancy (or not so fancy) jars to put them in. preferably ones that have good lids. I also decorate the jars with fake lavender berries, or pretty leaves made in a lavender colour. I also put tags on the jars that tell how to use the salts.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut and Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

I found this on a website (which I have directed you to in the title) as I was looking for Lunch Box Ideas for my 3 children. I read the ingrediants list, realized I had everything on it, got it all together and took less than about 20min to do it all. Now we wait. The Mixture tastes good warm, and they are now sitting in the oven to cool down (I know, sounds strange, but I have little sparrows that like to come into my house, so the safest place is the oven). I'll report back when they are cooled and ready to eat.

I will say this.. My husband, who doesn't have a sweet tooth at all, came upstairs from watching golf and said "what are you doing?" I said, found these on the net and am trying them out. He too a finger full of the mix.. then brought me a small bowl and asked if he could have some in the bowl, just like that, not cooled or nothing.. So I'm guessing they are really good.

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3-1/2 cups uncooked oats
1 cup shredded coconut

1. In a large saucepan combine sugar, butter, cocoa and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Add oats and coconut; mix well.

3. Drop by tablespoonfulls onto wax paper. Allow to cool and set.

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies.


Steph's Country Kitchen Goodness (thanks Steph)

Good Morning Cocktail - Ti' Punch

Decided we need a little cocktail with all this food. I think this works better as more a morning, sipping in the sunshine after a good feeling (and filling) brunch kind of drink. Enjoy.


Ti Punch (sounds like Tea Pounch) it's French.

2 oz white rum (Martiniquan white rum is the best for this)
1 oz sugar syrup (or you can use regular brown sugar)
1 fresh lime

Wash a lime, remove top and bottom, and thinly slice into half rings. Add lime pieces to glass and crush with the flat end of a barspoon. Add rum and sugar syrup, top with broken ice, and muddle together. Add a short straw, and serve.

You don't have to be that fancy.. just add some cracked ice to a class, add some spoonfuls of brown sugar, and fill with rum to cover the ice. Squeeze some lime and stir.

Ti in french means petite.. so it's a little punch.

You drink it in the morning .. sip it. the water will dilute a little.. when done you say "décollage" as in to take off or get your morning started.

Sunnie's salsa

OK.. this is my own recipe.. well sort of.. borrowed from pieces and parts of other recipes. We got a call Saturday from my hubby's brother. "I'm doing steaks on the grill. Come for lunch". My hubby said.. "What should be take". So.. brain goes 50mph and spinning trying to think of what we had. Nothing heavy, appetizer type item. I remembers a black bean salsa that a friend had made once.. But I didn't have a can of Black Beans. (not something I keep around everyday). So here is my non bean version (sort of). No set measurements.. use your judgement and make how you want.

Onion - large (I used a red and a white medium to give it colour and taste
Tomato _ 3/4 med/large
1 can Medium size Pitted Olives (drained)
1 small can Corn - used about half of that can)
Cilantro - couple of small handfuls (use to taste) - I grow it in a front door garden.
Garlic - used about 3 tsp of the minced in olive oil kind, but you can use fresh
Lime - squeezed a half small lime
Salt - not much but to taste
chips for dipping

In my small food processor I minced up, but not to fine, the onions, then tomatoes, then olives and cilantro and garlic. Combined in a bowl. Added the corn. mixed together gently. added the lime juice and salt. Served with Tortilla White Corn Chips. Hit was a hit including with my oldest daughter who doesn't normally eat stuff like this.

Suggestions - decrease the amount of olives and increase the tomato if you want.

The mix and match of items is entirely up to you.

Enjoy.