Date Scones

Most definitely my favorite scones I've made.

Date Scones
from Food and Wine

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, plus more for brushing
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Jam, for serving

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, sift the 2 1/4 cups of flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the dates and toss to coat in flour. Drizzle in the 1 1/2 cups of cream and stir until a dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.


Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently until it comes together. Pat the dough into a 5-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut into 8 equal squares and arrange on the prepared sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 


Preheat the oven to 375°. Brush the tops of the scones with cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden. Transfer the scones to a rack to cool completely. Serve with salted whipped butter and jam.


Easy Teriyaki Chicken

I liked this recipe because the teriyaki sauce only has three pantry ingredients: soy sauce, honey, and ginger.

Easy Teriyaki Chicken
from Chow

3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 teaspoons peeled, grated fresh ginger (from about a 1-1/2-inch piece), grated on the small holes of a box grater
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced

Bring the soy sauce and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until the honey has completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, stir to combine, remove from the heat, and set aside.

If using chicken breasts, place them on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or a frying pan to gently pound them to a 1/2-inch thickness. Cut each in half so you have 4 pieces roughly the same size. (If using chicken thighs, no need to pound or cut.) Season both sides of the chicken with pepper.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without disturbing until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the second side until browned, about 3 minutes more.

Reduce the heat to medium, slowly pour in the reserved sauce, and cook, flipping the chicken occasionally to coat in the sauce, until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the chicken from the pan, letting the excess sauce drip off, to a clean cutting board. Reduce the sauce in the pan over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes more. Slice the chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place on a serving dish, top with the sauce, and sprinkle with the scallions.

Scones

This scone recipe is from my friend who spent some time in London. These are best served with jam and whipped cream.

Scones
from Rachel J

3/4 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1 c. golden raisins (sultanas)

Mix together butter and sugar, then add vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Then add dry ingredients while alternating adding the milk. Finally stir in raisins. Roll out on lightly floured surface about 1 inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter to cut in circles. Bake at 425 for about 10 minutes.

You can also omit the raisins and use the plain scones for strawberry shortcakes.

Hot Artichoke Cheese Dip

I've been making this dip for years, but usually only for gatherings. I served it recently and it was the most popular dish of the night.

Hot Artichoke Cheese Dip

14 oz. canned artichoke hearts in water, drained and rinsed
8 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/3 c. mayonnaise
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. slivered fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
freshly ground pepper
dash cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Coarsely chop drained artichoke hearts. Mix with remaining ingredients. Transfer to a lightly oiled oven-proof casserole or 9-inch pie pan and bake about 20 minutes, until hot and bubble. Serve with raw veggies or bread.