June, 2015 | Not Just Sunday Dinner

Blueberry Scones

I have tried my hand at sweet scones for years. Through the years, I have never produced a scone this tender and delicious. I’m so excited that I finally have a recipe that I want to keep forever! I already have a list of different flavors that I’m dying to try.
I found this recipe on babble.com. The first time I followed the recipe to a tee. Although it was good, it still wasn’t what I wanted. So I made a few changes and came up with the most delicious, tender scone I’ve ever had. I love the fold method they used and will use it from now on when making scones. Be sure to comment if you decide to try this recipe with anything other than blueberries!

Blueberry Scones

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 stick unsalted butter
1 lg. egg
½ c. whipping cream + extra to brush on top of scones
1½ c. blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 to 3 tbsp. Demerara Washed Raw Cane Sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
If you are using fresh berries place them in the freezer for a little while.
Place the butter in the freezer for about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from freezer and shred, using a cheese grater. Return the shredded butter to the freezer until you are ready to use.
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest, set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the egg, whipping cream, and vanilla extract, refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the frozen shredded butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers to coat with flour.
Stir in the cream mixture just to combine. Transfer dough to a well-floured board and dust top with additional flour. Working quickly, knead the dough a few times. Flatten, using your fingers and knead a few times. Flatten the dough into a 12" x 12" square. Sprinkle with blueberries and lightly press them into the dough.
Fold ⅓ of the dough over, then the other ⅓ over the top of that piece (fold like you would a letter). Press the ends together and shape, if needed into, a 12" x 4" rectangle.
Cut crosswise in the middle, then again in the middle of each piece. You should have four even squares. Cut each square diagonally into two triangles. Place on prepared pan. Brush tops with whipping cream and sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar.
Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks for about 10 minutes.

Notes

These are best the day they are baked. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container. To reheat, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place scone on prepared pan and heat in a 250°F oven until heated through.

Summertime Ice Cream

Nothing screams summertime to me more than homemade ice cream. Growing up, I lived on the same dirt road as my grandparents and many of my aunt, uncles, and cousins. We met at my grandparents house almost every weekend during the summer for ice cream gatherings. We would have four or five churns of ice cream, and it brings back such wonderful memories of time spent with my family. My cousins and I would run around, barefoot, catching lightening bugs while the men were in one circle talking and the ladies in another. There was always laughter, and I don’t think I understood just how blessed I was to grow up in that environment until many years later.

Our old six-quart freezer had been on its last leg for a few years until last summer when I finally threw it away. I decided to try something different this year. Instead of purchasing another large ice cream churn I bought a 1 1/2 quart Cuisinart Commercial Quality Ice Cream and Gelato Maker. I have eyed it for several years and finally bit the bullet a few weeks ago.

This ice cream maker is so simple to use. There is no ice, you don’t have to pre-freeze the bowl, and most of the ice cream recipes that I have tried freezes in about 30 to 45 minutes. I am having a blast making new and delicious ice cream flavors! Here are a few of our favorites.

The cinnamon ice cream is great with chocolate sauce or bananas foster. Try serving the coconut ice cream with chocolate sauce and toasted sliced almonds. You may substitute lower fat ingredients in these recipes but keep in mind this will result in a less creamy dessert and may also change the flavor somewhat. Substituting artificial sweeteners is also a way to cut down on the calories. These recipes are for 1 1/2 quart ice cream makers, but you may be able to adjust the ingredients for a bigger freezer.

Ice Cream for 1½ qt. ice cream makers

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

Ice Cream Base:
2 c, heavy whipping cream
1 c. whole milk
¾ c. sugar
pinch salt
Cinnamon Ice Cream:
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Coconut Ice Cream:
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 (6-oz.) pkg. fresh frozen coconut
Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
¾ c. Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice
1 to 2 drops green food coloring, if desired
1 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ to 1 tsp. peppermint extract, to taste
3 drops green food coloring, if desired
2 oz. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate bar, finely chopped

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk cream, milk, sugar, and salt together until sugar dissolves completely.
For Cinnamon Ice Cream:
Add vanilla and ground cinnamon to ice cream base and whisk until mixed well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.
For Coconut Ice Cream:
Add extracts and coconut to ice cream base and mix well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.
For Key Lime Pie Ice Cream:
Add lime juice and food coloring to ice cream base, mix well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Five to ten minutes before mixing has completed add in the crushed graham crackers and allow the crackers to mix in completely. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.
For Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream:
Add extracts and food coloring to ice cream base and mix well. Pour into the container of ice cream freezer and follow manufacturers directions for freezing. Five to ten minutes before mixing has completed add the chopped chocolate and allow the chocolate to mix in completely. Serve or store in an airtight container in freezer.

Chocolate Sauce

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

½ c. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
pinch salt
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
¼ c. hot water
¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. Whisk in hot water and place over medium-high heat. Add butter and bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract. Serve warm.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

Banana bread has always been one of my favorite snacks around the house. Mama made it often when I was a child. Years ago, I took it into the office and often sent it to Greg’s office. And when we moved to Augusta years ago, it was in the neighborhood welcome package.

There are thousands of different recipes for it. Everyone likes it, and it’s so versatile. You can send it in lunch boxes, have it for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, pop it in the toaster or air-fryer, or even make French toast.

This Brown Sugar Banana Bread is one of my favorites. The brown sugar topping is quite tasty! Darker bananas produce the best bread, so this is always a great recipe for those last bananas in the bunch that you bought last week. Resist temptation and allow your banana bread to cool completely before cutting into it.

Banana bread can keep for up to four days on your counter. If keeping it longer than that, store it in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze it.

To freeze banana bread, double wrap it in foil, pop it into a ziplock bag, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to four months.

I found a bag full of bananas for 99¢. I used some in banana bread and I will peel and freeze the rest for smoothies.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

Course Breads

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
3/4 cup packed brown sugar light or dark
2 large eggs beaten
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmet, set aside.
In another bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, bananas and vanilla.
Spray 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with Baker's Joy. Spoon batter into pan and sprinkle top with 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting.

Fresh Peach Pound Cake with Peach Glaze

Have you visited your local farmers’ market lately? You can find wonderful, fresh produce, fresh eggs, freshly baked bread, plants and locally made cheeses at many farmers’ markets today. The farmer’s market is a great place to find fresh food while supporting local farmers in your community. Buying local only strengthens the local economy, but is also good for our planet. Food raised regionally is fresher, has more nutritional value, and tastes better. Sometimes food is in cold storage for days or even weeks. Did you know that studies show that while food is in transit from harvest to table that sugars turn into starches, plant cells shrink and produce loses its vitality?

This moist and delicious cake is a wonderful treat, with fresh peaches in the cake and the glaze. I have to buy these locally because I can’t seem to keep the deer from eating the peaches from the tree here at the farm. Luckily there are several farms nearby that grow many varieties of peaches.
Visit your local farmers’ market on Saturday morning to pick up fresh peaches. Make it a family affair, get the kids involved and let them help pick out their food. It’s fun, and there’s no comparison when it comes to taste.

Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

4 c. all-purpose flour
3 c. sugar
2 c. butter, softened
½ c. milk
½ c. peach schnapps
6 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2½ c. diced fresh peaches

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour a 10-inch (16-cup) tube pan.
Place flour, sugar, butter, milk, peach schnapps, eggs, and vanilla (in that order) in a 4-qt. bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Beat at low-speed for 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in peaches. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack or 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Peach Glaze

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

1 peach
1¼ c. powdered sugar
½ tsp. almond extract

Instructions

Peel and pit the peach. Chop and add to a blender. Puree until smooth. Blend 3 tbsp. peach puree and almond extract into the powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. Spoon over cooled cake, allowing to run down sides of cake.

Salmon Patties (Croquettes)

Do you have a meal that you serve exactly the way your mother or your grandmother did? Every time I cook salmon patties, they are served with mashed potatoes and English peas. That is the winning combination that I grew up eating, and it’s still one of my favorites.

This salmon patty recipe is very versatile. I prefer to use one can of pink salmon and one can of red salmon. You can add chopped bell pepper or minced onion if you like. Breadcrumbs may be substituted for the cracker crumbs. My mother adds a small amount or cornmeal, and that’s also delicious. They are great leftover, and you can even put a salmon patty on a bun with a little tartar sauce for a delicious sandwich.

Salmon Patties (Croquettes)

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

2 (14¾-oz.) cans salmon, drained, boned, and flaked
½ c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. Chef Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Magic seasoning
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. crushed saltine crackers
Vegetable oil

Instructions

Drain salmon, remove bones and skin, and flake into a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, Seafood Magic, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and eggs. Stir to combine. Add the cracker crumbs and mix until blended.
Form salmon mixture into patties.
Pour oil into a large skillet until the bottom of the pan is covered. Heat over medium-high heat. Add salmon patties and cook on both sides until golden brown. You will probably have to cook in batches. Remove cooked patty to paper towel lined plate to drain. Serve warm.