Chocolate Chunk Scones with Berry Variations

My favorite bakery, Truffles and Tortes in Anoka, MN has the best scones I've ever had and I've been trying to recreate their chocolate chip variety. After much trial and error I think mine are just as good! This makes 16 to 20 scones, depending on how big you make them. Directions for making fruit filled scones follow the recipe.

Ingredients:

Scones:
3 1/4 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Cup sugar
4 t Baking Powder
1/2 heaping t salt
2 Cup chopped chocolate (I use 1 bar each of semi sweet and milk chocolate ~ the best you can afford. We like Aldi's, it's good and cheap.)
2 Cup Heavy Cream (Milk will NOT work ~ wine and baking don't mix ;-)
2 t Vanilla
2 T Butter melted

Topping:
4 T Butter, melted
4 T Heavy Cream
Crystallized Sugar for sprinkling (I use regular if that's all I have)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or butter them generously.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips until well combined. Create a well in the center and pour in heavy cream, butter and vanilla. Stir by hand until combined.

Using flour on the counter I press the dough into a rectangle and fold it in threes. Pictured below, if you are not using berries omit them from the steps below.

Brush with butter, then heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size or until slightly golden brown on the edges. If you can't bake both pans at the same time place the second pan in the refrigerator until ready to bake.  Let cool nearly to completion on a wire rack before enjoying!

They freeze very well after they are baked or before. For freezing before baking, freeze on a cookie sheet and then bag them when they are frozen. Let them thaw and brush with toppings before baking. I wouldn't freeze the berry varieties, they will get mushy and watery. The berry varieties freeze better after they are baked.

Directions for Berry Scones:
I used strawberries, but blueberries and raspberries are on my list to try real soon!

Slice the strawberries and pat them dry. (Do not slice blueberries or raspberries.)

Pat out your dough to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. 

Place the fruit of your choice in the middle of your dough. 

Bring up the bottom portion to cover the berries and sprinkle of few more on top of this first fold.

Pat the folds together so they stick and cut into scones and place on lined baking sheet.

Continue with topping and baking instructions. 

Quinoa Chicken Chili

Dump the following ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours. Length of time will be determined by your chicken; cooked or uncooked.

3 Cups Chicken Broth
3 Cups Chicken, cooked or uncooked
1 Cup quinoa, rinsed
1 quart of stewed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can corn, drained
2 cans black beans, drained
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp garlic
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder

Serve with Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese and Sour Cream

Italian Frittata

This is great for any meal, not just breakfast! You can substitute ham for the sausage or use any veggies you have on hand.

Ingredients:

Coconut oil
1 green bell pepper
1 red onion
4 medium yellow or red potatoes
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
12 eggs
3 C chicken broth
1/2 C milk
Salt
2 T parsley
1 t tarragon
Black pepper
Red pepper
1 C cheddar cheese
3 tomatoes

Directions:

1. Chop pepper and onion fine to medium, saute in coconut oil until firm, but tender. Add chicken broth as needed, using about 1 C.
2. Oil a 9x13 pan and cover bottom with veggies.
3. Slice potatoes thin, layer on top of veggies. Sprinkle with salt and black and red pepper.
4. Saute sausage adding chicken broth as needed. Squeeze out grease with paper towel. Layer on top of potatoes.
5.In a bowl whisk 12 eggs,  milk, left over chicken broth, parsley, tarragon and 1/2 t salt. Pour on top of other ingredients.
6.Grate cheese and sprinkle on top.
7. Bake 350 for 50 minutes,  top with sliced tomatoes. Bake 10 minutes more or until golden and toothpick comes out clean.
You may also bake this on the grill. My favorite way to do it.

Tuna and Roasted Peppers Wrap

You say you don't like tuna? Try this, it's a great source of protein, especially if you are pregnant! I was surprised at how the peppers masked the tuna flavor and I like tuna!

Ingredients:

Tuna
Roasted red and yellow peppers
Ranch dressing
Caesar dressing
Tortillas


Directions:

Mix equal parts of the dressings and spread down the center of a tortilla.
Top with tuna (drained) and peppers.

Enjoy this super easy meal.  If you don't want to roast the peppers yourself you can buy them canned.

Chicken with Roasted Veggies Pasta

You can substitute any veggies that you have on hand. The peppers give it a nice sweet flavor.

Ingredients:

Chicken breasts
Kicken Chicken seasoning from Webber.
Onions
Red pepper
Yellow pepper
Asparagus
Whole wheat spaghetti or angelhair pasta.
Mushroom alfredo sauce
Salt everything as you go for best results, including pasta water.

Directions:

Cut up veggies in bite size pieces, drizzle with coconut oil and roast on 450 degrees until tender, oven or grill.

Season chicken with seasoning and grill.

Cook pasta, drain.
Heat alfredo sauce and add to the pasta.

Plate pasta, veggies and sliced chicken breast, in this order.

Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Soup

"A good hearty soup", a friend of mine said, and that it is.

1 pound hamburger scrambled slightly crispy [set aside and in the same pot saute the following with 1T butter and some oil if needed:
1 white or yellow onion chopped
6 carrots shredded
3 stalks celery chopped
1.5t each parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary
Add the following to the above mixture:
4C beef broth
hamburger
4 medium to large potatoes diced
1t salt (I like to salt as I go, so everything has maximum flavor.)
1t pepper
In another small pot melt 3T butter and whisk in 1/4C flour, cook for 1 minute whisking, adding broth if needed. Add to soup when potatoes are tender. Bring soup to a boil stirring constantly while it thickens.
Add the following to the soup:
1C milk, cream or half and half, depending on how rich you like it.
2 cheddar cheese shredded
Salt to taste if needed.

Italian Potato Soup

I grew up on mashed potato soup...it's really good, but I'm kind of sick of it and love the pesto in this one and chunks of potatoes.

6 Slices Bacon cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 Pound Sweet Italian Sausage
4 Large Potatoes peeled and diced into 1/4 inch chunks
4 Onions chopped
5 Cups Chicken Broth (I use home-made)
2 Cups Milk, half and half or cream, to your tasting.
4 T butter
4 T Basil or Parsley Pesto
Parmesan Cheese

Fry Bacon and remove from fat and set aside. Add Sausage and Onions and fry, adding the Potatoes and Butter when it's almost done.

Add the Chicken Broth, bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Add the milk and Pesto and heat through.

Top with Parmesan Cheese and Fried Bacon. (I don't like soggy fried bacon so I add it to each bowl instead of the entire pot.)


Basil or Parsley Pesto
2 Cups fresh Basil or parsley leaves, packed then blanched so they don't turn brown.
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 Cup olive oil
3 Tbls pine nuts (can substitute walnuts)
3 Garlic cloves, finely minced. (I do this in the food processor before I mix up the pesto) you can get the minced in a jar, way easier!

Place parsley leaves in small batches in food processor and whip until well chopped. Add about 1/3 the nuts and garlic and blend again. Add 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese; blend while slowly adding about 1/3 of the olive oil, stopping to crape down the sides.
Process until it forms a thick smooth paste. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.

I freeze in small Dixie cups.