Ministry of Food Monday

Hey everyone,

Hope you had a nice weekend.  We did.  Sometimes a gloomy, cloudy Saturday can convince a busy teenager that she needs to stay home and rest.  I'm grateful for lots of time for just the three of us.  It also provides the opportunity for me to spend some time in the kitchen.

This soup is one of my favorites.  The recipe came to me last year and my son Drew especially loved it.  Too bad he wasn't home this weekend.  His loss.

Country Fish Chowder

1 c. chopped onion
4 bacon strips (or more)
3 T. butter
3 cans (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (6 1/2 oz) chopped clams, undrained (I didn't use these because Scott doesn't like many kinds of fish)
3 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. white fish cooked and broken into pieces
Optional toppings:
green onions
more bacon
avocado

In large saucepan (like a red cast iron pot), cook onion and bacon in butter until onion is tender.  Add milk, corn, clams, potatoes, salt and pepper.  Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir in fish and heat through.  Ladle into bowls and add additional toppings.  You may be thinking, "avocado"?  I know, right!  It's just so good on everything.  Why not?

The unnamed child (see last week's post) again made a remark upon hearing what was for dinner - "I don't like fish".  I did not accept this and told her to set the table.  This is the "oops, it really is good" look after she finished her first bowl.

Now for dessert....
The cool weather has put me in the mood for scones.  I found this recipe on pinterest and it's a winner.  I've even  been known to send these via person to Austria to someone else who loves them.  It will look a little involved, but YOU CAN DO IT.

Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

This recipe says it makes 6 scones.  I think they are too big, so I cut twice as many triangles when I get to that step.  It works just as well.

SCONES:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup canned pure (unsweetened) pumpkin
3 tablespoons half and half cream
1 large egg
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

PLAIN GLAZE:
1/2 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1 tablespoon milk (any kind)

SPICED ICING:
3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
1 to 2 tablespoons milk (any kind)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Give it a light dusting of flour on top of that.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (through ginger).
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin, half and half and egg.
4. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut butter into the dry ingredients. Continue cutting until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (You may also use a food processor for this step. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs).
5. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients, then form the dough into a ball. The dough will be wet, but if it seems super sticky... just go ahead and sprinkle a little more flour into the dough until it's easier to handle. Remember, you want it to be somewhat sticky, and that's okay- but you also don't want it to stick to the baking sheet. Pat out dough onto the lightly floured baking sheet and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle that is about 9-inches long and 3-inches wide. Use a large knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough twice through the width, making three equal squares. Cut through the three squares diagonally so that you have 6 triangular slices of dough. Gently pull the triangles apart, leaving about 1/2-inch space between each one.

Here they are before baking and after

6. Bake 14 to 16 minutes on prepared baking sheet. Scones should begin to turn light brown.
7. While scones are cooling, prepare plain glaze by whisking ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth.
8. When scones are cool, use a knife to cut them apart and then pull them apart so that they are ready for glazing. Use a brush to paint a coating of the glaze over the top of each scone.
9. As the white glaze firms up, prepare spiced icing by whisking the ingredients in another medium bowl until smooth. Drizzle this thicker icing over each scone (or brush it on) and allow the icing to dry before serving.
 

Your house is going to smell great.
Heat up some cider or brew some coffee and enjoy your labor.
Then give a few away.

These little cellophane bags are a must to keep on hand for this very purpose (ACMoore or Michael's)