Maple Oatmeal Scones

I love these on a snowy day (like today) with hot tea.


2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/3 cup currants (optional)1/3 cup raisins(I personally use cranberries)
1/3 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Combine dry ingredients (except nuts, raisins, and currants) in mixer bowl and mix thoroughly. Cut in butter until walnut sized chunks remain.
Add buttermilk, maple syrup and egg and mix briefly until dough comes together.
Add pecans, currants and raisins and mix a few seconds more.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured board and pat into a circle 3/4 inch thick.
Cut into wedge pie-shaped pieces.

Bake on pre-greased cookie sheet at 375°F degrees until light golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from sheet, glaze with confectioner's icing (flavored with orange juice is nice) if desired or sprinkle with dots of butter and cinnamon sugar.

NOTE: if you have no buttermilk, you can substitute yogurt or sour cream one to one, or 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar.

Soy Chorizo Chili

Batten down the hatches.
I have "invented" a new recipe with SOY. No meat here, kids. Nope. You can always throw in something from a cloven hoof if you feel the need, but I don't think it's necessary here.

29oz can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 package of Soyrizo (look for it in the produce section with the tofu, egg roll wrappers, etc.)

1 cup salsa - I used Newman's own.

1 cup Sofrito (made by Goya - a mixture of tomatoes, onions, green peppers, garlic, and cilantro)

Directions:

1. Remove the Soyrizo from the plastic casing and saute until heated through, browned, and slightly crispy.

2. Add the Sofrito and salsa and mix thoroughly.

3. Add the humongous amount of beans.

4. Allow to heat through completely.

Serve over rice or in warmed flour tortillas with shredded sharp cheddar or monterey jack, low-fat sour cream, and fresh cilantro. I know there are some of you out there who can't stomach the "soapy" taste you get when eating cilantro. If that's you, chop up some fresh parsley. Nothing says loving like fresh herbs.

I ate this in the tortilla and folded it up burrito style.

I fed this to my husband who states that a meal is not a meal unless there is something that's come from a cloven hoof. He had NO IDEA the chorizo was actually soy and will NEVER find out!

Cherry Upside Down Cake

CHERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Serves 6-8
2 cups cherries (stoned)

2/3 cup soft brown sugar

6 TBSP butter

3 large eggs lightly beaten together

1 1/2 cup self-rising flour

½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pre-heat oven to 350 F

Butter and flour a cake tin, and line the base with baking parchment.Arrange the cherries over the bottom of the tin, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of the sugar over them. Beat the butter and remaining sugar together until pale and fluffy then add some of the egg, beating it in well before adding some of the flour and more egg and continue beating. Add the remaining flour and egg alternately beating each addition in well before adding the next; add the vanilla essence with the last addition of egg.Pour the cake mixture over the cherries and sugar, and smooth it level with a spatula if necessary.Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden and just beginning to come away from the sides of the tin. It may not need quite as long if it is in a fan oven.Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.Place a large serving plate over the tin, and carefully invert it.
Serve warm or at room temperature with crème fraiche or with whipped cream.

Cheese Slaw

1 lb. Swiss cheese, grated
1 onion, finely grated 1 small sweet red pepper and/or green pepper, chopped (I shred mine)
Mayonnaise, enough to moisten
Jalapeno pepper, without salmonella, chopped (Optional, this makes it "hot")



Mix cheese, onion and mayonnaise well. Add enough red and green pepper for color. Add Jalapeno peppers if desired. Serve in scooped out head of cabbage, as a spread with crackers.

This is a hit at parties and summer shin-digs.

Peach Glazed Pork Chops

Nothing says lovin' like me standing over a grill. Got that?

Here's your list:

4 boneless center-cut pork chops

1 C peach preserves (preferably homemade...by me or someone else)

Spice Rub (see below)

Spice Rub
1/2 C brown sugar
3 tsp sea salt
3 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
3 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1. Mix rub ingredients together and massage into all sides of the chops. Let sit for about 30 minutes. You don't want to grill super-cold meat. That's a no-no.


2. Put preserves into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir with a non-stick spatula. Once the preserves are sauce-like, turn the heat on as low as possible. Ignore the sweet stuff for the moment.


3. Preheat your outdoor grill (or indoor if you're in grill hell and can't have an outdoor grill for whatever reason) on LOW.


4. If you grill these suckers on anything but low, you will end up with BLACK chops. Black chops = shit on a shingle.


5. Grill the chops until done - remember a teeny bit of pink won't kill you. Too many people kill pork and end up eating what looks, tastes, and feels like damn bark. You don't want bark. Got that?


6. During the last 5-7 minutes of grilling, baste all sides of the chops with the peach glaze. Don't walk away. Don't close the lid. The sugars will caramelize - that's good times. Walk away? They will burn. See above for Damn Bark.


7. Serve the remaining peach glaze. My kid referred to it as dippy. He lives for dippy of any kind.

I served the chops with homemade Asian slaw, steamed corn on the cob, and grilled semolina bread. Grilling it alongside the chops turned out to be a great idea.

If you made it through this post, you may just be a lucky wench! The first person to email me will be the lucky recipient of a large jar of my peach jam. G'head. I know you want it.

Steak something-or-other

A concoction I made up because it's easier than stuffed zucchini! Added bonus is that my kids all love it too.

Preheat large electric skillet.

Cut one large round steak into strips about 2" x 1/4". Cook in hot pan until browned, stirring occasionally. Season as desired (I like to use Tastefully Simple Seasoned Salt).

Add 12-16 oz sliced mushrooms, 1 large red onion quartered & sliced, and 4 small zucchini, halved and sliced. Stir together, cover and cook until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes.

Serve with warmed, whole wheat tortillas.

Serves 4-6

Oatmeal Griddle Cakes

These are one of my all time favorites, especially for snowy days! All natural too!

Oatmeal Griddle Cakes

1/2 c. whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 beaten egg
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp honey
3/4 c water
3/4 cup milk

Sift together dry ingredients, add rolled oats, combine oil, egg, honet, water and milk. Add to the dry ingredients and beat until smooth. Bake like pancakes.