Old Fashioned Lemon Cream Scones

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I mentioned, a few posts ago, that I'm on a scone kick. There's just something about that crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-in-the-middle treat that I love for breakfast. A scone is the perfect pair to a cup of hot black coffee. I made these lemon scones and had a few more fans gathered around the breakfast table. My kids weren't so keen on the dried cherries in the Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones (there's no accounting for taste), but they were all over the lemon. Smeared with blackberry jam, they were heavenly. The base for the recipe came from Beth Hensperger's The Best Quick Breads, but I modified the method a little. The modifications are in italics. If you don't like using the grater method that I like to use for cutting in the butter, you can use the traditional method.

Old Fashioned Lemon Cream Scones

makes 8 scones (I cut mine into 12)

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. sugar (plus a bit for sprinkling the tops)
1 T. baking powder
grated zest of 2 lemons
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. butter, cut into pieces (leave it whole if you will use the grater method and pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes)
2 large eggs
1/2 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt. Cut in the butter with a fork or heavy duty mixer until mixture resembles coarse crumbs (or grate butter with a box grater into flour). In a measuring cup, pour in 1/2 cup cream and add eggs. Whisk. Add to dry mixture and stir until dough is formed (you may need to add another tablespoon or so of cream -- my dough was pretty dry at this point).

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Divide into two circles of dough, patting to about 1-inch thickness. With a sharp knife, or bench knife, cut each round into six triangles (or four for larger scones).

Place scones on prepared baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with table sugar.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned and crusty on the top. Serve warm or cool and freeze.

To reheat from the freezer, bake for 5 to 8 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Source: The Best Quick Breads

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Shrimp Cocktail

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I made this recipe last Sunday for my husband and his father when he stopped by to visit on Father's Day. I know his dad likes shrimp cocktail, and this recipe, which I've made a few times, is really far superior to boiled shrimp and bottled cocktail sauce. It's from Alton Brown on the Food Network, and if you've ever tried one of Alton Brown's recipes, you know he usually gets it right.

The shrimp are brined for a short period of time and then broiled with olive oil and Old Bay Seasoning. Maybe a step or two more than buying frozen cooked shrimp but so worth it. They really pop when you bite into them. The sauce is zingy and more fresh tasting than bottled sauce. After I put them out, they were gone in no time at all. The only change I made to the recipe is to peel the shrimp down to the tail. My kids just don't like messing with little shrimpy shells and legs when they're eating (and neither do I!). If you can buy deveined tiger shrimp, you can skip the first step.

Shrimp Cocktail

2 lbs. med.-large raw tiger shrimp
1/4 c. kosher salt
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. water
2 c. ice

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 c. prepared chili sauce
4 T. prepared horseradish
1 t. sugar
Few grinds fresh black pepper
1/2 t. kosher salt

1 T. olive oil
Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning



Using a pair of scissors or a serrated knife, make an incision down the backside of the shrimp, following the intestinal track. Eviscerate shrimp and rinse under cool water leaving shells intact.

Place cleaned shrimp into a bowl with brine and refrigerate mixture for 20 to 25 minutes. While shrimp are brining, place tomatoes, chili sauce, horseradish, sugar, pepper, and salt in food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate cocktail sauce until ready to serve.

Place a baking sheet or broiler pan under oven broiler and preheat for 5 minutes. Remove shrimp from brine and drain thoroughly. Rinse the shrimp under cold water and dry on paper towels. In a large bowl, toss shrimp with olive oil and sprinkle with Old Bay seasoning, if desired.

Place shrimp onto a sizzling sheet pan and return to broiler immediately. After 2 minutes, turn the shrimp with a pair of tongs. Return the shrimp to broiler for 1 minute. Transfer to a cold cookie sheet. Refrigerate immediately.

Once shrimp have chilled, arrange with cocktail sauce in a martini glass or as desired.

Source: Food Network

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Weekly Menu

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Well, just when I gave up on the farmer, we got a butt-load of produce. I really decided I wouldn't plan to get anything and we got more than we could really eat. A huge head of Napa Cabbage (probably 20 inches around huge), a huge head of leaf lettuce, a small head of Romaine and more green onions. I made a yummy Warm Chicken Salad with much of the Napa, but still have a hefty bit of lettuce left. I'm leaving some gaps in my menu this week to allow for whatever they bring. I was taken by surprise by the Napa Cabbage, and luckily had some chicken on-hand to make the salad with. I am hoping that this week we'll get some different veggies -- maybe some spinach or squash.

Saturday
Lunch: Burgers
Dinner: My mom is cooking!

Sunday
Lunch: Sierra Turkey Sandwiches, chips
Dinner: Pork Tenderloin with Korean Barbecue Wet Rub, BLT salad (No C), bread, green beans

Monday
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: Walking Tacos, fresh fruit

Tuesday
Lunch: Bagels and cream cheese
Dinner: Grilled Italian Sausage sandwiches, Tortellini Pepperonici Salad

Wednesday -- Feast of Blessed Junipero Serra
Lunch: Turkey and Cheese Panini, fruit
Dinner: Teriyaki Burgers, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Scallions, fruit
Cinnamon Ice Cream (traditional Spanish dessert)

Thursday
Lunch: Nachos
Dinner: Chili Dogs, oven fries, fruit

Friday -- Feast of St. Thomas
St. Thomas fingers -- maybe for breakfast
Lunch: Grilled Cheese

* Tried and true
* New to me

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Birthday Cake

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Is it very pathetic to have to bake one's own birthday cake? I think not. It's the only way to get the one you like best! By Internet fate, I came across a cake the other day that sounded like heaven. It only took a microsecond for me to decide it was what I wanted on my birthday. Fortunately my husband doesn't really plan ahead too much, so I knew that I could bake it and it wouldn't have to compete with any other dessert!

It was everything I thought it would be -- the perfect cake for me. You know that I am a cake snob. I do like my scratch cakes. Fortunately I'm not a snob about how they look -- the taste is all that matters. As you can see, this cake was not a beauty by any stretch, but it was delicious. Sweet and tangy, paired with homemade vanilla ice cream, it was sublime. If I had not just "pigged out" on barbecue for dinner, I would have eaten two pieces!

Now, the recipe called for baking this cake in a 9 by 12 pan, which I do not have. I used a 13 x 9, and by all logic it should have baked less time. It wasn't even close to done in 40 minutes. There's a lot of batter there, so I think the time must be wrong. Mine cooked closer to 50 or 55 minutes. I say set the time for 40 minutes and then keep an eye on it. You can see my cake fell in the middle a little. Scratch cakes often do that, but I could have made it worse by all the opening of the oven door to check on it. I am altering the recipe to use a 13 x 9 pan, as well as a longer baking time.

You can click on the picture for a close-up, but I'm sorry, you still can't taste it.

Buttermilk Cake with Caramel Icing

4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. butter, softened
3 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. buttermilk
6 egg whites

Grease and flour a 13 x 9 pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk. Beat in egg whites (no need to whip the egg whites – it’s not that kind of cake). Pour into a prepared 13 x 9 cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 50-60 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back if lightly touched with a finger (I used a cake tester).

Icing

1 c. sugar
½ c. buttermilk
½ t. baking soda
1 T. white corn syrup
¼ c. butter
½ t. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a slow boil. Boil without stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until icing starts to turn dark. Do NOT allow icing to reach soft ball stage; icing should be caramel in color, but not sticky like caramel. Icing should be easily pourable.

Remove cake from oven and pour on icing immediately.

Allow to rest on the counter. Serve warm or room temperature.

UPDATED: I halved the cake and icing recipes for a 9 x 9 cake pan and it turned out perfect. I baked it for 45 minutes at the same temp.

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Roasted Corn on the Cob

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With the abundance of fresh corn on the cob at the market (can't beat 10 for $2), we've been enjoying fresh corn a couple times a week. The kids beg me to roast it every time and Doug said he doesn't think we'll ever boil corn again. Probably not.

This is not really a recipe as much as a method. It's simple, keeps the kitchen cool, and is really delicious. We love the flavor grilling imparts to the corn, and it's fun to eat while holding the "husk handle." The only stipulation I make at our house is the corn must be eaten outdoors. The husks get charred and little flecks fly when you are peeling the corn. So, if you're not eating outdoors, make sure you peel the corn outdoors and remove the husks before bringing it indoors.

We use plain butter, salt and pepper, but you can jazz it up with chili powder, sour cream, lime juice --- whatever sounds good.

Roasted Corn

Directions: With a kitchen shears, trim hanging silks and extra long husk ends from the ends of each corn (do not peel them back -- the inside silks come off easily after it is cooked). Fill the sink with water and immerse the corns. Soak them for 30 minutes. During the last five minutes, preheat the grill. Remove the corn from the water and drain briefly over the sink. Transfer, in a large bowl, to the grill. Place corns on the grill over medium heat. Grill for 20 to 30 minutes, turning every five minutes or so to cook them all the way around (just grab a cold beverage and park yourself outside!). When time is up remove corns from the grill. Peel and eat. Yum! (And thank that farmer when you say your Grace!)



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Double Chocolate Chippers

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Yesterday afternoon I put some Chocolate Banana Bread in the oven, and then I asked the kids what kind of cookies they wanted. One said Chocolate Chip and the other said Chocolate. We compromised by combining. These are really chocolaty. I used milk chocolate chips, but you can use semi-sweet for an extra chocolaty taste, or white for something different altogether. This recipe has lots of cocoa in it so you can get your daily supply of antioxidants today. You can also make this recipe without the chips for a brownie-style cookie.

Double Chocolate Chippers

1/2 cup butter, softened *
1/2 cup shortening (or butter-flavored shortening)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
¾ c. cocoa
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 cup chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In bowl of mixer, cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend until batter is soft and fluffy. Add cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt.
Stir the dough until it is thick and well formed (if dough is too thick you may add a tablespoon or so of water until it is the right consistency). Add chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cook for one minute and cool on a rack.


* 1 cup of margarine can be substituted for the butter and shortening.

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A Greek Repast

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I saw some Chicken Gyros at Annie's Eats a couple weeks ago and I've been patiently waiting to try them. My kids were actually very anxious to try them also (a good anxious, not nervous anxious). So I put them on the menu last week and they were a huge hit. My kids all enjoyed them, I enjoyed them, and my husband positively enjoyed them, declaring the dinner to be in the "Top Ten" ever.

This was a very easy recipe also, especially since I subbed the strained yogurt with 2 % fat Greek yogurt. I've told you how much I love Greek yogurt, and it was a beautiful thing in the tzatziki sauce -- it was rich and creamy, but melted over the hot chicken and became part of the meat and bread. Yum! I made only one change to Annie's recipe. I sliced the chicken into strips (my chicken breasts were very large and I sliced each into about 8 slices) and marinated them that way. I think more surface area for the marinade made them super tasty and they were easy to serve because I didn't have to slice the breasts at the last minute. I grilled them, which made for easy clean-up.

I also had this Greek Salad from the Mennonite Girls on my list of recipes to try, and so I made it with the gyros. It was a good match. I modified it just a tad.

Chicken Gyros

For the tzatziki sauce:
16 oz. low fat plain yogurt (or use Greek yogurt and skip the straining steps)
1/2 hothouse cucumber or 1 regular cucumber, peeled and seeded
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press (or finely minced)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Pita bread
Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
Red onion, sliced thin

To make the tzatziki sauce, strain the yogurt using cheesecloth over a bowl. Let strain for several hours or overnight, if possible, to remove as much moisture as possible.

Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.

To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. (If desired, slice chicken breasts into 1-inch strips). Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet or with the broiler (or on the grill). Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. If using whole breasts, cut into strips.

Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

Greek Salad

1 bunch romaine or loose leaf lettuce, chopped
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
1/4 c chopped green onions
12 pitted ripe olives
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1/3 English cucumber, sliced
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1/4 c fresh chopped basil

Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

zest of one lemon

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Shake dressing ingredients in tightly covered container. Toss salad ingredients.
Pour dressing over top and toss to coat.

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Weekly Menu

As weeks go, this past one was a good one, for meals. Everyone was pretty happy until last night when most of my children went without supper because they didn't want to eat Cowboy Beans. The beans were good, they were fairly kid friendly (mildly spicy), but they just weren't, apparently, what they wanted. I ranted (of course I did) and made threats about never cooking again, but this morning I woke up and decided that I just don't care if my kids love every meal. I'm not cooking kid food, this isn't McDonald's, and if they don't like it, tough. So I'm planning my menu with me in mind (me, me, me) and my husband. I'll cook what sounds good to me and if any one else likes it, they can eat. I'm cranky, can you tell?

I'm also tired of planning around the farm. This week I got one stinkin' bulb of kohlrabi. Hunh.

I did, however, plan this week's menu around the meat that is on sale, Father's Day and the feast of St. Josemaria Escriva (not exactly Spanish food, but the Flan is authentic).



Saturday
Lunch: Burgers
Dinner: Grad party

Sunday -- Dad's Day
Breakfast: Lemon scones
Dinner: Marinated Steak, Roasted Corn on the Cob, Wilted Spinach Salad, bread, Creme Brulee

Monday
Lunch: Bagels and cream cheese
Dinner: BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad, bread

Tuesday
Lunch: ham and cheese roll-ups, crackers
Dinner: Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken, black beans and rice, cabbage salad with lime dressing

Wednesday -- Nativity of St. John the Baptist (anyone for some wild honey and locusts?)
Lunch: Grilled Cheese sandwiches
Dinner: Burgers, Bacon and Onion Potato Salad, fruit salad, Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie

Thursday
Lunch: meat and cheese cubes, bread, fruit
Dinner: BBQ Pork Sandwiches,baked potatoes,

Friday -- Feast of St. Josemaria Escriva
Lunch: pancakes with sunbutter
Dinner: Tortilla and Black Bean Pie, fresh salsa and sour cream, fresh fruit, Flan

* Tried and true
* New to me

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Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones

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I've been trying so many yummy recipes lately, and have had so much success, that I have loads of pictures on my computer, all waiting their turn. Are you tired of seeing new posts here? I hope not, because for at least another couple days I have lots to share.

I realize I've been sharing lots of chicken lately, so this evening I'm sharing baked goods. If you could stop over, I'd brew a pot of decaf and we could share in real life.

But, if you can't stop by for real, then you'll have to make your own.

This recipe is modified from Beth Hensperger's The Best Quick Breads. I picked it up at the library and had a good time just browsing through it one night in front of the TV. The book is not too glamorous to look through (no pictures) but has a great store of yummy-looking, not-too-complex bread recipes. There's a whole section on scones and soda breads, which is why I picked it from the shelves and shelves of great cookbooks at my library -- I'm in the mood for scones.

If I could wake up to these scones and hot black coffee every morning of my life, I would never complain about anything ever again.

O.k. Maybe not ever again, but I would be very happy, I tell ya.


They are a basic scone -- light, mildly crumbly, slightly sweet, and with two of my favorite flavors, cherries and chocolate. Heaven.

P.S. That's not my Buckeye mug!

Chocolate Chip Cherry Scones

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. oats
1/4 c. light brown sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
5 T. cold butter (place in the freezer for about 10 minutes)
1 egg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 1/4 t. vanilla
1/2 c. dried tart cherries (halve or quarter with kitchen shears)
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips



Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with baking spray.

Place flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a medium-large bowl. With a hand grater, grate butter into the flour mixture on the large holes. Stop periodically to remove butter from the back of the grater and toss into the flour. Toss flour and butter with a fork.

Add cherries and chocolate chips. In a 2-cup measuring cup, add egg to buttermilk and break up with a fork. Add vanilla. Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir gently until dough holds together. You may find it necessary to add another tablespoon or two of buttermilk, if dough is too dry.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead just a few times until dough holds together. Cut dough in half and form two circles, about 1-inch thick. Place circles on baking sheet and using a knife (bench knife or sharp knife) cut each round into 6 triangular wedges. Push each wedge apart from the others so they don't touch. Sprinkle with table sugar, if desired.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve immediately or cool and freeze in freezer bags.

(To reheat from the freezer, bake for 5 to 8 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.)

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God's Color Palette

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If you have ever seen the film Girl with a Pearl Earring you probably remember the opening scene where Scartlet Johansson's character, Griet, is chopping the food and arranging it in a colorful palette, foreshadowing her work with painter Vermeer. The other day when I was chopping vegetables for our Mediterranean Veggie Pitas, I was reminded of that scene.

I am often perplexed at how people can eat greasy meat and French fries day after day when beautiful, tasty foods are available that are so good for us. How can food fried in fat taste as good as the beautiful food God has provided, freshly cleaned and eaten in its most natural form?





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Sweet Peach Tea

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My Louisiana girlfriend Cheryl recently turned me on to her version of iced tea. If there's anything a Southern girl can do well, it's iced tea, so when she shared her recipe, I paid attention (Cheryl, however, does a lot of things well).

Right after she told me her secret (which isn't a secret any longer), I spotted the Celestial Seasons summer tea display in my grocery. I picked up a box of peach to try, and I am hooked for the summer. Though the box says its cold brew, I threw the bags right into the pot of just-boiled water with my other bags. It has a great fruity flavor, but not too fruity. Cheryl used the Country Peach herbal tea, but my store only had the new summer flavors. The Cold Brew is black tea, so if you want decaffeinated, look for the herbal.

I sweetened with sugar (though Cheryl used stevia powder), however, you could use honey to sweeten if you want just a hint of sweet.

Sweet Peach Tea

2 Peach tea bags
2 black tea bags
4 cups water
1/3 c. sugar
1 quart ice cubes
lemon wedges or mint leaves to garnish

Bring 4 cups water to boil. Turn off heat and add tea bags and sugar. Steep for 4 minutes. Remove tea bags and stir. Place ice cubes in a two-quart pitcher and pour tea over the ice. Serve with lemon wedges or mint leaves.


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Walking Tacos

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You can't see the meat for the lettuce, but there is a taco down there some where.

This has been a good week, so far, for meals. I've been a rock star with my kids four nights in a row. Pretty good, I'd say. I have several recipes to share, but today I'm sharing Walking Tacos. This is really not so much a recipe as a concept -- one I was completely unfamiliar with until I saw it at Mennonite Girls. Once I read about it, however, I though "Sure, why didn't we think of that sooner." I mean bags of chips have been around since, forever, and taco meat, forever. What a great idea. Of course, you've probably been eating these for forever and are now wondering what rock I crawled out from under. Well, Columbus, Ohio, folks. Cow town. It may be the test market capital of the world for chain restaurants, but we don't think outside the box too much. Taco meat in a bag of Doritos is too far outside the box (or maybe it's just that I don't frequent concession stands where these babies are apparently pretty popular).

Anyway, my kids thought these were the best thing since sliced bread. Or maybe better than sliced bread, since they involve Doritos! I made my recipe for taco meat, fresh salsa, chopped lettuce, spooned some sour cream and shredded cheese into bowls, and voila. Dinner.

Just open the bag of chips and fold down the top (we tried Fritos and Doritos, but Doritos were clearly preferred since we ran out of bags), spoon on the meat, sour cream, cheese, salsa, lettuce -- whatever you desire. Grab a fork and eat right out of the bag -- hence the name Walking Tacos. Peach walked back and forth across the deck just to prove she could walk and eat tacos at the same time.

Add a little fruit, like sliced watermelon, and you have just about the easiest summer supper you could make. A bottle of IBC root beer for everyone even made it slightly festive.

Fun stuff.

Three slaws -- One Dressing

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Last week when the farm delivered three heads of kohlrabi came I was staring at them wondering what I would do with them. I should have taken a picture, but I didn't. Here's one from a farming co-op. Mine came with just bulbs. They look pretty much like turnips, but greenish. They were about 4 inches in diameter, firm, and dirty. I looked at them and looked at them and decided they were definitely going to be slaw.

I prefer slaw to salad almost any day. I think it's a texture thing -- a firm crunch as opposed to a soft, leafy crunch. I think I also like a mayo dressing more than a vinaigrette. Fortunately I have found many veggies with which to turn into slaw, and now I have added kohlrabi to the list. This slaw was delish with our Buttermilk Brined Chicken Legs and the Roasted Sweet Potatoes. It was just a little spicy from the jalapeno, but deliciously crunchy and creamy. I had read that kohlrabi tastes like the stalk of broccoli and I think that's a pretty accurate description. I put it through the matchstick disc (3mm x 3mm) on my food processor and it sliced beautifully. You could add carrot to it and it would be a great addition. I liked the simplicity, though of just the kohlrabi, jalapeno, red onion and dressing.

The dressing I used for the Kohlrabi Slaw, I use with cabbage slaw, and broccoli salad. It's sweet and tangy and provides the perfect backdrop for the ingredients in each salad.

Creamy, Crunchy Kohlrabi Slaw

2 (4-inch) bulbs Kohlrabi, cleaned
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. sugar
1 T. cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Trim any hard, dry parts off outside of kohlrabi bulb.
Cut off ends.
Using 3mm x 3mm disc on food processor, process bulbs into matchsticks (this makes about 2 cups kohlrabi).
(Alternately, you can hand chop into matchsticks.)
Place kohlrabi, jalapeno and red onion in bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until creamy and smooth.
Add dressing to vegetables and toss.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or chill until serving time.
(The longer the slaw sits, the runnier it gets, so it's better not to let it sit too long.)

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Cabbage Slaw

4 cups shredded cabbage (I like to use both red and green)
1 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 c. mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine cabbage, carrots and onions.
In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until creamy and smooth.
Add dressing to vegetables and toss.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or chill until serving time.
(The longer the slaw sits, the runnier it gets, so it's better not to let it sit too long.)

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Broccoli Salad

4 to 5 cups broccoli (or a combination of broccoli and cauliflower can be used)
1/3 cup diced red onion (green onion could also be used)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 c. mayonnaise
2 T. sugar
2 T. cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine broccoli and onion with raisins.
In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until creamy and smooth.
Add dressing to vegetables and toss.
Sprinkle on sunflower seeds and bacon and toss gently.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or chill until serving time.



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Summertime Supper Homerun No. 2 -- Buttermilk Brined Chicken Legs

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I mentioned before that I love having a summertime supper line-up which I can use to make my menu. It's especially helpful when I check my grocery store flier (do you know many stores have their fliers online?) to see what's on sale. I just choose from my lineup to match the sale meat. Last week I tried a new recipe -- another buttermilk brined meat. This meal got a six thumbs up at the dinner table, and we especially enjoyed the new chicken recipe. It would be great cooked ahead of time and cooled to room temperature, or even chilled and eaten much later (think picnic or summer potluck). The chicken had so much flavor, and though it looks like it was overcooked, the color was just on the skin. Every piece was eaten -- no leftovers that night.

I served with it my Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Scallions, and a Creamy Spicy Kohlrabi Slaw -- recipe to come.

Buttermilk Brined Chicken Drumsticks

1 quart buttermilk
1/2 c. chopped shallots
5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 1/2 T. kosher salt
2 T. sugar
2 t. ground cumin
1 t. pepper
10 to 12 chicken drumsticks

In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, and pepper.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 day.

Lift chicken from brine; discard brine.

Lay chicken pieces on a barbecue grill over medium coals or medium heat on a gas grill; close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning frequently, until browned on both sides and no longer pink at the bone, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Source: modified from Sunset

St. Anthony Feast Day Dessert

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Celebrate the most called upon saint in heaven -- the poor man never gets any rest as the patron of lost things. Tonight we are celebrating with some Spumoni and pizzelles. Stop and pick up some ice cream before dinnertime and if you need a recipe for pizzelles, go here.

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Strawberry Shortcake...revisited

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It's time again for lovely fresh strawberries. If you've been picking, your reward should be a cool and creamy plate of strawberry shortcake. I'm reposting my favorite recipe just for you.

Strawberry Shortcake

3 to 5 cups sliced strawberries (depending on how many servings you want, 3 cups for about 6 servings and 5 cups for about 10 servings)
1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar (depending upon how sweet berries are)
Shortcakes (recipe below)
Vanilla Pudding (recipe below)
1 pint whipping cream
1 T. sugar

Place sliced strawberries in a large bowl, sprinkle with sugar. Stir; cover and let sit at room temperature for several hours.

When ready to serve, whip cream and 1 T. sugar until soft peaks form. Take one shortcake and split horizontally and place in a bowl. Spoon several spoonfuls of strawberries and juice on top of bottom half of biscuit. Top with several spoonfuls of vanilla pudding. Top with other biscuit half. Top with several spoonfuls of whipping cream. Yum!

Shortcake

2 c. all-purpose flour
½ t salt
1 T. baking powder
5 T. sugar, divided
½ c. butter, frozen (or really cold)
1 egg, beaten
half-and-half or milk (or a mixture) added to egg to make 1 cup

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 425 degrees. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and 3 Tbs. sugar in a medium bowl. Grate 2 Tbs. of the butter on the coarse holes of a box grater into dry ingredients; toss to coat. Repeat grating and tossing with remaining butter. Combine egg and half-and-half; pour into flour mixture. Stir until you have a soft, moist dough. Scoop with ice cream scoop onto greased baking sheet (makes 10 to 12 shortcakes). Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 Tbs. sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool.



Vanilla Pudding

2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
3 c. whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1 t. pure vanilla extract


Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in milk, mixing until ingredients are dissolved. Whisk in egg yolks.
Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble sputters. Reduce heat to low; continue to whisk, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and immediately pour through sieve into bowl; stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled.

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Sauteed Summer Squash

This cheap and easy side is one of my favorites in the summer. It uses fresh, seasonal vegetables (and later in the summer they'll hopefully be from my own garden), it's quick, tasty, and makes the kitchen smell very appetizing. I love to prepare it with some grilled meat and a salad -- not heating up the oven keeps the kitchen nice and cool at dinner time. It's not much to look at once it's cooked, but it sure is tasty. You can add Italian seasoning and/ or Parmesan cheese, but I like it with just salt and pepper.

Sauteed Summer Squash
serves 6

5 medium summer squash -- green, yellow or a mix
half yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Wash squash and peel any bad parts off the skin.
Cut ends off and slice crosswise into 1/8-inch slices.
Heat heavy skillet over med-high heat
(I use my cast iron, but a heavy non-stick works).
Add oil and when the pan is hot, add squash, onions, and garlic.
Cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until squash and onions are golden brown and softened.
Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste.

Just starting to cook.

Weekly Menu

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The second week of the co-op ended up being only marginally more productive than the first. We got strawberries again, but this was the second and last week for them. We got a (very dirty) head of romaine, but it was good, more green onions and a couple smallish heads of kohlrabi. I was a little disappointed that the kohlrabi came without the greens. The farmer made it sound like they did us a favor by removing them, but the greens are edible, so I'm not sure what they did with them. My sister-in-law and I are both hoping it gets better as we get more into summer. So far I'm not terribly impressed. We did enjoy the kohlrabi (slaw dressing recipe to come) and I guess we would not have tried it were it not for the co-op (I'm wondering now why we don't ever see it in the grocery store).


Saturday
Lunch: Skyline chili
Dinner: Steak burgers, Saturday Night Vidalia Onions, Roasted Corn on the Cob, chips and fresh salsa

Sunday
Lunch: Ham and Egg Cups (scrambled with cheese on top), Cinnamon Raisin toast
Dinner: Chicken Parmesan, pasta, salad, garlic bread

Monday
Lunch: Hot dogs
Dinner: Walking Tacos, sliced watermelon

Tuesday
Lunch: Mediterranean Veggie Pitas
Dinner: Grilled Lemon and Oregano Chicken Quarters, Carrot and Squash Bake, vegetable (depending on what the co-op delivers)

Wednesday
Lunch: Ham Cubans
Dinner: Cowboy Beans, Cornbread

Thursday
Lunch: Asiago Roast Beef Sandwiches
Dinner: Chicken Gyros, Greek Salad

Friday
Lunch: Tuna salad sandwiches
Dinner: Shrimp Tacos with Margarita Slaw, yellow rice

* Tried and true
* New to me

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Oh My Leftovers!

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I just took inventory of what is in my refrigerator in little plastic containers from this week. I have two fried chicken legs, three barbecued country ribs, a quart of mustard potato salad, six turkey meatballs, one blue cheese burger, a cup of red sauce and a cup of Fontina cheese sauce, and some garlic Ciabatta. Sounds like leftover night doesn't it?

Nope. Not in my house. My troops, under the lead of their father, do not eat leftovers. There is only so much I can eat for lunch. And this happens every week. I put it in little plastic containers and at the end of the week I throw it away. Anyone want to stop by and pick up dinner?

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Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

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I recently saw a recipe I wanted to try for Cinnamon Raisin Bagels. I made a note of the site and when I went back to get the recipe and make them, I realized it was far more complicated than I wanted to get into. Which is a pity, because bagels are not complicated things. I looked for a bit, came across the same complicated recipe several times, and finally came across one that was simple, yet yummy. It was a European site, so I had to do some conversions, but with no trouble at all, in a few hours, and with very little work, I had hot, delicious Cinnamon Raisin Bagels for lunch.

I took pictures as I went, so if you've never made bagels before, you can see there's really nothing to it. I used my Kitchen Aid with the dough attachment, but there's no reason not to make these by hand. Just stir with a spoon to mix the dough and knead by hand.

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels

3 1/2 c. white flour
1 1/2 c. lukewarm water (baby bottle warm)
1 package dry yeast
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. of cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 c. raisins
1 beaten egg

Soak the raisins in a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Place 2 c. flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center with the back of a spoon.


Pour the water, yeast and sugar into the well
and allow to sit for 6-8 minutes or until it becomes thick and frothy.




Add the cinnamon and salt and, using the dough hook (or a spoon),
slowly incorporate the rest of the flour into the yeast
and water mix until you form a dough
(adding a couple tablespoons flour at a time).
Knead for a minute and then add the raisins.
Continue kneading for 4-5 minutes
until the dough becomes smooth and elastic
(add more flour or water if necessary depending on the room humidity).


Grease the mixing bowl, place the dough in and cover with a damp cloth.


Leave in a warm place for 30-60 minutes
or until the dough has doubled in size.



Punch the dough down and turnout onto a floured surface.
Cut into 12 equal size pieces.
Roll into a ball and poke your finger through the middle
and with your fingers form the bagel shape.
(I put my finger in the hole and swing the bagel around the hole
until it is large enough.)

Don't worry if they're not perfect -- bagels are better with imperfections.

Place on floured surface and let rest for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil,
lower the heat to simmer and drop 4 bagels in at a time.
Cook the bagels for approximately 1 minute either side,
turning with a slotted spoon.


Drain the bagels and place on a greased baking sheet.
Brush with a little beaten egg and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes
until they are golden.


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Spicy Citrus Tuna Salad

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I'm always looking for something new to do with canned tuna. Feeding my family meatless at least once a week, the standbys tend to get old quickly. And since canned fish packs a powerful punch nutritionally, I frequently try to get it on the menu. That's why when I saw this recipe at myrecipes.com, I put it on my list of dishes to try. I altered it for my family, but the end result was one I'll use over and over. It was especially good for a warm early summer supper, and we enjoyed it on the deck, which made it even yummier. I sliced an avocado and put a few pieces on each servings, and heated a loaf of grocery store French bread in the oven for just a few minutes. The whole dinner came together in about 10 minutes. Can't beat that with a breadstick. It was yummy leftover, also, with some Stacy's Simply Naked pita chips.

This was a very inexpensive dish, and you could stretch it even farther with a can of rinsed and drained white beans.

Spicy Citrus Tuna Salad
serves four

2 cans (6 oz.) solid white tuna packed in water
2 Roma tomatoes, rinsed, seeded, and chopped
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
juice of one fresh lime
1/3 cup minced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Drain tuna well;
flake into a bowl with a fork.
Stir in tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, onion, chilies, and salt.
Drizzle with olive oil.

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Strawberry Margarita Pie

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I almost didn't blog about this one, but I haven't stopped thinking about the last few pieces that are left in my freezer, and I think that's a sign that I should share. The reason that I wasn't going to blog about it was that I didn't make it "perfectly right." I was making it on Friday afternoon when I realized (halfway through) that I didn't have a lime -- I used them all for our Mexican fiesta last weekend. But, I'm trying to be a little less rigid about ingredients, so I subbed with a lemon. I really, really wanted to run to the store to buy a lime, but I knew that to run to the store for a lime was to waste gas and energy (mine), all to achieve some level of perfection, unnecessary in a pie.

And even without that lime, it turned out yummy. Very yummy. And because I can't stop thinking about that last little bit left in the freezer, I thought I'd tell you about it, flaws and all. Now you know that if you discover halfway into the recipe that you don't have a lime, you can sub a lemon. I made a few modifications in my preparation, which I put in parenthesis.

Strawberry Margarita Pie
serves 12 to 16

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 tbsp. tequila*
1/4 cup triple sec*
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Zest of one lime
2 cups heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Butter the parchment, as well as the sides of the springform.
(I did not use parchment and I did not grease the pan
and it came out of the pan just fine.)
In a medium bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
Add the melted butter and toss with a fork until well combined
(or use the food processor to crush the crumbs
and then add the sugar and butter in the bowl).
Transfer the mixture to the springform pan
and evenly cover the sides and bottom of the pan with crumbs;
use the bottom of a ramekin to even the bottom crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, combine the strawberries, sugar,
condensed milk, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and lime zest
in the bowl of a food processor.
Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Transfer to a large bowl.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment,
whip the heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Add one third of the whipped cream to the puree
and gently fold in with a rubber spatula.
Fold in the remaining cream.

Pour the filling into the crust, cover, and freeze until firm at least overnight.
To remove the springform sides,
wrap a towel soaked in hot water around the outside of the pan for 10-15 seconds
(or run a thin sharp knife between the pan and crust).
Carefully remove the sides of the pan.
To serve, slice with a hot, dry sharp knife, wiping the blade between slices
(a big sharp knife was all I needed,
but I think the texture of mine was more frozen due to the lesser quantity of alcohol).

* Because I was serving to my children, I halved the alcohol amounts.
I think that may have resulted in a more firm freeze,
and obviously less of an alcohol flavor, but it was still very good.

Source: Annie's Eats

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Chicken Cilantro Enchiladas

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This is one of my children's (and husband's) favorite recipes. I had it posted at Praying for Grace, but I took a picture last week when I made it, so I am posting it again here. This is a fairly easy recipe, though mildly time-consuming. The filling is flexible -- if you have leftover chicken from another dish, I'm sure you could use it and sub some canned stock or even water for the cooking liquid. If I have a jalapeno or two, I halve them and add those to the cooking liquid -- just a smidge of spicy.

I always serve it with shredded cabbage, though, and tomatoes and sour cream. This time I served some leftover yellow rice, but beans, or Mexican rice, or even fresh salsa and chips are good along side.

Chicken Cilantro Enchiladas
6 to 8 servings

2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
2 cups water
1 onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic, halved

2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce
4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
8 green onions, chopped
2 T. ciltantro leaves
½ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
Tabasco sauce, to taste
20 corn tortillas

Bring chicken breasts to boil in water with onion and garlic.
Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is done.
Remove chicken from broth and cool; shred meat;
strain broth and reserve 1 1/3 cups.

Add 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
to enchilada sauce in a large bowl; set aside.

For filling, combine chicken, 2 cups cheese,
green onions and chopped cilantro leaves
with salt, pepper and Tabasco.
Add 1 cup enchilada sauce/broth to moisten filling.
To assemble, warm tortillas over a hot skillet
until flexible, flipping once.
Dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce mixture and lay flat.
Fill with 2 T. chicken (and small palmful) and roll tortilla.
Place tortillas, seam side down in 9 x 13 baking dish
(you'll need two dishes).
Spoon remaining sauce on top
and split shredded cheese over both pans of enchiladas.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F., until bubbly.

Top with desired toppings -- I use shredded cabbage,
tomatoes, sour cream and sometimes red onion and more cilantro.
You can also squeeze with a lime for a little jazz.

To stretch your filling ingredients,
you could sub some chicken for canned, drained black beans.


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Weekly Menu

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Our co-op started this week, as I mentioned in my last menu post. Unfortunately we only received 3 cups of sugar snap peas, 2 scallions (yes, two) and a small container of strawberries. I was a little disappointed. The co-op said that there will be more this week, specifically kohlrabi and lettuce. I am holding my breath.


Saturday
Lunch: Skyline chili
Dinner: pizza

Sunday
Lunch: Cinnamon Bun Bread, scrambled eggs, fruit
Dinner: Grilled Country Ribs, Mustard Potato Salad, Garbanzo Bean Salad, bread, Milky Way Ice Cream

Monday
Lunch: leftover pizza
Dinner: Fried Chicken Legs, mashed potatoes, buttered corn

Tuesday
Lunch: Turkey Meatballs with BBQ sauce to dip, veggies and ranch dip
Dinner: Blue Cheese burgers, sauteed summer squash

Wednesday
Lunch: Chicken snack wraps
Dinner: Orecchiette with Fontina Cheese Sauce and Marinara, grilled chicken sausage, salad

Thursday
Lunch: Tuna salad sandwiches
Dinner: Buttermilk Brined Chicken Legs, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Scallions, kohlrabi slaw

Friday
Lunch: bread, cheese, fruit
Dinner: Girl's night out/boys are on their own

* Tried and true
* New to me
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One Bowl Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies

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I'm a nut for coconut. So much so, that I'm not even going to apologize for that awful play on words. I can remember loving coconut even farther back than I have a memory (which isn't all that far -- I have an awful memory). I know when I was a little girl that Mounds candy bars were in my Top Five Favorites. And my brothers always passed off their coconut nests to me at Easter. I always seem to be the only one in the family who loves it. Which is why I almost didn't make these blondies. My kids are very lukewarm on coconut, and I just don't get it. It's not really a texture thing, and how could it possibly be a flavor thing? I'm stumped. They were definitely not lukewarm on these blondies, however. They were all over them.

Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/8 t. salt
1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 c. light brown sugar
1 large egg
11⁄2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. flaked coconut
1 c. chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 350° degrees F.
Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with baking spray.
In a medium bowl,
stir together the melted butter
and brown sugar until smooth;
beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
Slowly add flour and salt until blended,
then stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan
and smooth even with a rubber spatula.




Bake blondies for 25-30 minutes,
or until set in the center but still soft.
Do not overbake.
Cool completely before cutting into squares.


Use a bench knife for cutting --
straight down and straight up --
you'll get much better edges.

Source: Brown-Eyed Baker

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What's Up?

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You guys are being so quiet out there. If it weren't for stats, I'd think you all disappeared. No time for comments, or no time for cooking?

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