Whole Grain Cranberry Apple Scones

One of the things I'm learning as a mom is that kids think they are very clever.  When C helps me bake, she is always finding some way to get her fingers in something sweet.  I let her wipe up "drips" of muffins and cupcakes, clean up "spills" of sugar or honey, and of course lick the beaters and spatulas.  Coincidentally, there are a LOT of drips, spills, and a careful count of each and every utensil used.  In this recipe, we sprinkle sugar onto the tops of the scones before baking, and she has discovered that if she "accidentally" sprinkles sugar on the baking mat, or the counter, or anywhere other than the scones, she gets to eat it.  As a result, we use a lot more sugar than you might otherwise.  She truly believes I don't know what she's up to.  Makes one wonder how much we actually got away with as kids. 

So, scones.  We absolutely adore scones.  They are so simple and so good.  I generally make them once per week, for a weekend breakfast, and I've tried dozens, maybe hundreds of different recipes over the last several years.  This is our current favorite, featuring oat flour and whole wheat flour for a healthy twist (well, as healthy as a whole stick of butter can be).  I'm not into buying specialty ingredients, so I simply whir rolled oats in a food processor to make oat flour.  In fact, this entire recipe is made in a food processor, which this dishwasher in the house (oh, wait, that's me) loves.  In addition to sprinkling sugar at the end, the kiddos can cut butter into cubes, add butter to the processor, pat the dough, and brush the tops.  

Whole Grain Cranberry Apple Scones

Makes approximately 12 round scones.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for board
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 t baking powder (non-aluminum)
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled (tip: cut it and then place in the freezer while you mix the dry ingredients)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, yogurt, or cream
• 2 large eggs
• 2 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup apple juice (or for more flavor, use 1/4 cup frozen concentrate)
• 1/2 cup chopped apple (about 1/2 apple)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• cream
• turbinado sugar

Method

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Whir oats in food processor fitted with steel blade until finely ground.  Add remaining dry ingredients and whir until well mixed.

3) Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse sand (this is quick).

4) Mix all wet ingredients together in separate bowl.

5) Add wet ingredients to food processor and whir until mixed.  Don't overmix.  Mixture will be wet.

6) Dump out onto floured board and sprinkle top with additional flour.  If the mixture is too wet to handle, fold in some additional flour, up to 1/2 cup.

7) Fold in apples and cranberries and just enough additional flour to make the dough stay together.

8) Press or roll into large disc, approximately 1 inch thick.  Cut into rounds with biscuit cutter and arrange on baking sheet.  If you prefer wedge-shaped scones, move dough to baking sheet, press into a round, and then cut into wedges.

8) Brush the tops with cream and sprinkle lightly with turbinado sugar.

9) Bake at 375 or approximately 20 minutes. Don't overbake.  You want the bottoms to be just brown, the tops just dry.

10) Serve warm with butter, clotted cream, jam, etc.

Jamie Oliver's Tomato Sauce

Jamie Oliver has been doing guest spots in Parenting Magazine, which I've been getting for 4 years and have never paid for (maybe if you have more kids than hands you get a free lifetime subscription?).  Last month he featured his veggie-filled tomato sauce, which looked wonderful.  Now, I'm not a fan of hiding veggies in food (Black bean brownies?  No thanks!  Just give the kids beans, for Pete's sake!), but this seemed like a delicious and decidedly non-sneaky way to get some extra veg in.  I immediately made up a batch but, unfortunately, we didn't like it.  At all.  Far too much red pepper flavor and not enough tomato for us.  The dog, however, loved it, after it was flung from the table with great force by the twins, at the same time, too quickly for me to catch their plates.  A second batch was much better received.  The original recipe calls for 2 bell peppers, which I've eliminated, and I've made a few other variations noted below.  In addition to spaghetti, we've used it on pizza, Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Spinach and Goat Cheese, and in a baked pasta-cheese-deliciousness I concocted the other night.  I think I'll also try it as a tomato soup (thinned with broth), and with ground meat for a lasagna.  In other words, it's versatile.  Final verdict?  I'll be making a batch every couple of weeks!

Ingredients

• 2 small onions, peeled and diced
• 1 leek, thoroughly washed and sliced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 carrots, grated (I use a food processor for all this grating)
• 2 zucchini, grated (or use broccoli stems!)
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and grated
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 t dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 14.5 oz cans plum tomatoes, with juice
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 cup water
• 1 t sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method

1) In very large saucepan, heat olive oil and add veggies, oregano, and bay leaves.  Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes with the lid on, or until veggies are soft but not starting to brown.

2) Add tomatoes with juice, water, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

4) Spoon out bay leaves and blitz with stick blender until smooth.

Makes approximately 13 cups.  You can freeze the extra in quart-sized freezer bags (lay flat so they store well), or can the extra in hot, sterilized jars (tomatoes are acidic so you can just do hot sauce + hot jars).

Pasta with tomato sauce, spinach and goat cheese

This is a recipe I adapted from Jamie Oliver's fabulous book, Jamie's Dinners.  Love the format of it - he takes one staple thing, say, a roast chicken, and tells you how to do several things with it.  I also adore the way he writes his recipes, with a "glug" of this and a "knob" of that.  That's my kind of cooking.  I also love that the food is "real" family food - nothing fancy here - although my kids, being decidedly non-British, won't touch curries, so that takes about half of the recipes out of play.   This creamy, gooey, tangy pasta dish has become one of my go-to weeknight dishes.  Fast, easy, and the kids eat it without fail (which is saying a lot in this house).  I generally use a jar of TJ's marinara sauce and tagliatelle pasta, but I've also made it several times with my homemade tomato sauce and a short, semolina pasta such as Cellentani. 

Pasta with tomato sauce, spinach and goat cheese


Ingredients

• 1 lb pasta
• 25 oz Marinara or other basic tomato sauce
• Approximately 1/8 cup each olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• 3 T butter
• 2 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Salt
• Pepper
• About 2 cups spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• large handful basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 5.5 oz Goat Cheese

Instructions


1) Boil pasta in heavily salted water per package instructions.

2) Meanwhile, combine tomato sauce and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a saucepan and stir until heated through and cheese is melted.   As you can see, I don't actually measure the oil and vinegar - a few turns around the pan are about right!

3) Add spinach and basil to sauce and stir until wilted.

4) Drain pasta and toss with sauce/spinach/basil.

5) Crumble half of the goat cheese and stir gently.  Pour into serving dish (or leave it in the pan if that's how you roll - I serve at the stove most nights) and crumble remaining goat cheese over the top.

Banana Bread

A classic, with some nutritious adjustments.  It's also super easy, and comes out delicious even if you aren't exactly precise with your measurements (like, for example, when you have that extra banana turning black in the fruit bowl, or when the interrupters insist on stirring the dry ingredients and get what seems like about half of the flour out of the bowl and onto the counter).  And this is a great starter recipe for the kids.  Let them squish the bananas with their (thoroughly washed) little hands!  I usually double it and make two loaves or one loaf plus 16 muffins to freeze.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 2 large, very ripe bananas
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 t vanilla
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup All Purpose flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 c toasted wheat germ
• 1/4 c ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, or add more or less to your family's taste)

Method

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease one loaf pan or 16 muffin tins.

2) In large bowl, mash bananas with a fork, potato masher, or clean hands.  Add other liquid ingredients and brown sugar and stir to combine completely.

3) In separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients including nuts, if using.

4) Add dry to wet and mix thoroughly.  Don't over-mix.

5) Our into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour for loaf, about 20 minutes for muffins, or until top is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Salmon with Tomato Basil Quinoa

We love quinoa!  Sometimes.  Almost mostly.  Well, it's really more like I feel that we're supposed to love it.  It's everywhere these days.  But actually, despite its trendy-ness, we don't really like it all that much unless it's flavored up.  If it is, though, it's great.  Sticks to a spoon better than rice and couscous, so the little ones don't have too much trouble, and of course it is so good for you.  This is a great combo for when you have good, fresh tomatoes in season.  

Salmon with Tomato Basil Quinoa

Ingredients

• 4-5 shallots, finely diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups chicken stock (or veg. stock, or water)
• 2 salmon fillets, with skin
• 2 lemons, zested
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 cups small tomatoes, halved or quartered
• large bunch fresh basil, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)

 Method


1) Rinse quinoa and drain in fine mesh strainer (you definitely don't want to skip this step).

2) In large saucepan, saute shallots in olive oil, salt and pepper, until soft and translucent.

3) Add quinoa and stir to coat with oil.

4) Add liquid, salt, pepper, and bring to boil.

5) Meanwhile, salt and pepper salmon on both sides.

6) Place salmon, skin side up, on top of quinoa, and top with lemon zest.

7) Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed liquid.

8) Remove salmon, stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese, and serve.

Asian Cucumber Salad

This is such a simple, refreshing side dish or starter or snack.  It is tangy and crunchy and addicting, perfect for a hot late summer day.  Trader Joe's always sells a package of Japanese Cucumbers that are perfect, and we grow cucumbers in our garden too, which of course never make it to full size.  My kids love this - but they also love pickles, and it is in a similar taste family.  Serve it next time you bring sushi home or alongside grilled fish, soba noodles, or ramen.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

• 4-5 Japanese Cucumbers (or very thin, small cucumbers - maybe fresh from the garden)
• 1 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• Handful fresh basil, julienned
• 1/2 t salt
• black sesame seeds

Method

Slice cucumbers thinly (I use a mandoline - so easy) and toss in bowl with remaining ingredients.  Chill in refrigerator for an hour, or up to several days.  

Fish Fillets with Lemon Caper Sauce

An easy, healthy weeknight supper - 15 minutes start to finish!  I usually serve it as pictured, alongside couscous with tomatoes and basil (cook couscous in chicken broth, add fresh tomatoes, finely chopped basil, and grated parm while hot and before serving).  WARNING: DO NOT FEED COUSCOUS TO TODDLERS IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLEANING YOUR FLOORS.

With regard to fish choices, I follow the Monterrey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Guide and use Cod, Rockfish, Halibut, or Tilapia.  Any will work, although we prefer fresh-caught rockfish or Halibut.


Fish Fillets with Lemon Caper Sauce


Ingredients

• 1-2 T olive oil
• White fish fillets, approximately 4 oz per person
• Salt and pepper
• 2 whole lemons, zested and juiced
• 3 T butter
• 1/4 cup capers

Method


1) In non-stick or well-seasoned pan over medium-high heat, add oil and heat.  (Get your couscous in the boiling water now)

2) Salt and pepper fish fillets on both sides.

3) Add fish fillets and cook approximately 3 minutes or until a good crust forms.  DO NOT TURN until your three minutes is up, to avoid sticking.

4) Turn and cook on the other side for another 3 minutes.

5) Remove fish from pan and set aside, covered in foil to stay warm.

6) Pour lemon juice into pan and scrape up any browned bits.  Add butter and stir until melted.  Add capers and stir.  Pour sauce over fish and serve immediately.

Breakfast Idea: Brown Rice "Pudding"

This is something I made up one morning when C was on an oatmeal strike but we wanted something warm and quick.  To be honest, I have no idea what rice pudding is.  It sounds very British.  And I imagine it takes a long time and a lot of effort.  So I'll stick with this.   All three kids love it and will eat it in shocking quantities.  It's great for letting the kids help - they can measure, pour (who knew there could be such pleasure in successfully pouring something into a pan?), crack eggs, cut butter, and learn how things change when we add heat to them.  It also has a wonderful texture with sufficient "stickiness" for the littlest ones learning how to use a spoon.

Brown Rice "Pudding"

Ingredients

• 2 Cups cooked brown rice (I often freeze my extra but also love TJ's frozen brown rice)
• 2 cups milk (I use whole because that's what I have on hand for my little ones)
• 1/2 inch piece of vanilla bean or 2t good vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick or 1 t ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2T butter (optional)
• 2T brown sugar (optional)
• 2 eggs

Method

1. In medium saucepan, combine rice, milk, vanilla bean pod and seeds scraped from inside, cinnamon stick, and salt, and bring to low boil.  Don't bother defrosting rice if it's frozen. 
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer until hot.
3. In separate bowl, beat eggs lightly and temper by slowly adding spoonfuls of hot rice/milk combination and beating with a fork - add one spoonful, beat, another spoonful, beat, etc.  I usually use 4-5 spoonfuls.  The idea is to warm up the eggs so that they don't scramble when you add them to the rice pan.  You don't want chunks of scrambled eggs.  
4. Add tempered eggs to rice pan and stir.  If it is not thick enough for you after a few minutes on very low heat, you can repeat the process with another egg.
5. Add butter and brown sugar, stir to combine.
6. Serve warm.

Pea Pesto Crostini

This is the freshest crostini. It blends some of my favorite ingredients and then liberally spreads them upon tiny toast. Not much could better or more satisfying.

As with most bruschetta and crostini the ingredients are few so it is of utmost importance that they are of the best quality since you can really taste each flavor--none are concealed.

I love frozen organic green peas. They are harvested at peak season and frozen promptly after harvest. You really can't get much fresher than that.

In Seattle I haven't been able to find really tasty little tomatoes until at least May. I found these lovely and delicious heirloom cherry tomatoes at my co-op. The kids eat them like candy.

This is a great recipe to whip up on short notice since the ingredients are staples you are likely to have on hand. And it really, really is beautiful, bright and ever so delicious.

Pea Pesto Crostini

very slightly adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

• 1 (10-oz) package frozen peas, thawed
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1/2 inch thick slices of whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread (day-old works best)
• 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

For the pea pesto: Pulse together in a food processor the peas, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. While running the processor, slowly add the olive oil (this could take more or less than the 1/4 cup--so blend until a nice spreading consistency is formed--use your good judgement). Mix until well combined but not pureed.

For the crostini: Brush both sides of crostini with more olive oil and grill bread on griddle, grill pan or even an outdoor grill until golden (about 1 to 2 minutes per side). Transfer the bread to a platter and spread 1 to 2 Tbl of the pesto on each crostini slice. Top with tomatoes and eat!

Inspiration: Jim's Pancakes!

I just stumbled upon Jim's Pancakes today.  Jim is a dad who applies his unbelievable creativity to pancakes!  And I thought I was good because I use cookie cutters on the griddle to make shapes.  WOW.