Blueberry Cream Scones

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup heavy cream plus additional; for brushing scones
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar plus additional; for sprinkling scones
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon double acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons unsalted butter; cold, cut into bits
3/4 cup blueberries; picked over
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the cream, the egg, and the vanilla. Into a bowl sift together the flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the butter and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Gently stir in the blueberries and add the cream mixture with a fork until the mixture forms a sticky but manageable dough. Knead the dough gently on a lightly floured surface for 30 seconds, pat it into a 3/4-inch-thick round, and cut out 12 wedges or, using a 3-inch cutter, cut out rounds. Transfer the wedges to a lightly greased baking sheet, brush them with the additional cream, and sprinkle them with the additional sugar. Bake the scones in the middle of a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are golden.

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/288/Blueberry_Cream_Scones47201.shtml

Frozen Peanut Butter, Chocolate, and Banana Loaf

from Martha Stewart (Everyday Food 2005)
Ingredients:
-1 (12 oz) bag semisweet chocolate chips
-3/4 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)
-2 ripe bananas
-1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
-1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

Directions:
1. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and line with wax paper, leaving an overhang on both sides. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Set aside to cool to room temperature. While chocolate is cooling, puree bananas in food processor. Stir peanut butter and bananas into cooled chocolate mixture. Fold in whipped cream, mixing to combine.
3. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Top with peanuts. Fold wax paper over the top before wrapping in plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

Layered Island Dip

time prep:
15 min total:

serving
4 cups or 32 servings, 2 Tbsp. each
what you need:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened, divided
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. lime zest
2 tsp. rum
1/2 cup chopped PLANTERS Macadamias
1/2 cup BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted
1 kiwi, chopped
2 or 3 mint leaves
make it
BEAT 4 oz. cream cheese, pineapple and 1 cup COOL WHIP with whisk until well blended; spread onto bottom of pie plate. Mix remaining cream cheese, powdered sugar and lime zest; spread over pineapple layer.
MIX remaining COOL WHIP and rum; spread over lime layer. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
TOP with nuts, coconut, kiwi and mint. Serve with NILLA Wafers.
kraft kitchens tips
SUBSTITUTE
Substitute 1 tsp. rum extract for the rum.
MAKE AHEAD
Refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving. Top with nuts, coconut, kiwi and mint just before serving.
servings
total:
4 cups or 32 servings, 2 Tbsp. each

Kraft Recipes

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Yield: 20 to 24 cookies
For cookie dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups plus 1 teaspoon unbleached flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
For filling:
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
For glaze:
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, scraped
Grated zest of 1/2 orange (colored portion of peel), optional
3 tablespoons milk
1. Make the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together 1 cup softened butter, granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined, then beat in vanilla.
2. In another large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer running, slowly beat in the flour mixture just until combined, being careful not to overmix. Remove the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.
3. Shortly before assembling the cookies, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, melted butter and 1 tablespoon cinnamon, mixing until well-combined.
4. Flour a cutting board or work surface. Turn the dough out onto the work surface and, using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 10-inch square.
5. Spread the filling gently but evenly over the dough. Gently roll the dough into a tight log. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (12-cup) muffin tins. Remove the dough log from the refrigerator; cut the log into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place a slice in each greased muffin cup.
7. Bake the cookies until the tops are slightly browned, about 15 minutes, rotating halfway for even baking. Let cookies cool, still in the muffin tins, on a rack.
8. While cookies bake, prepare the glaze. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whisk together cream cheese and 2 tablespoons softened butter. Slowly beat in sifted powdered sugar, then the vanilla bean seeds and orange zest (if using). Whisk in the milk until the glaze is smooth and thick.
9. Using a fork, generously drizzle the glaze over the baked cookies before serving.
Per cookie: 311 calories; 15g fat; 8g saturated fat; 54mg cholesterol; 3g protein; 41g carbohydrate; 27g sugar; 1g fiber; 119mg sodium.
Adapted from the Cravory bakery in San Diego.

Spiced Cantaloupe Butter

Ingredients:
cantaloupes (1 cantaloupe will yield approximately 2 cups of purée/pulp)
sugar
lemon juice
cinnamon
allspice
Preparation:


Remove rind and seeds from melons. Cut melon into small pieces. Put cantaloupe in a large, heavy kettle; add just enough water to prevent sticking (about 1/4 cup). Boil until soft, then process with a food processor or a food mill. Measure cantaloupe pulp; add 1 1/4 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon allspice to each quart of pulp. Boil gently, stirring often to prevent sticking, until thick. Pour hot, thickened mixture into hot, sterilized jars. (Also read your jar manufacturer's instructions.) Wipe away any spills on jar rims with paper towels moistened with sterilized water. (A wide-mouth funnel is very useful for filling jars.) Apply lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes in boiling water bath, then tighten rings and check for proper sealing . Store in a cool, dark place.

This recipe will make about 2 half-pints of cantaloupe butter for each quart of cantaloupe pulp


By Diana Rattray, About.com Guide

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Grape Sauce

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/pork_tenderloin_with_roasted_grape_sauce.html
From EatingWell: November/December 2008
Here, we roast grapes to bring out their succulent sweetness, then combine them with thyme, mustard and Madeira in an easy, savory sauce for pork tenderloin. Serve with barley and steamed green beans.
4 servings | Active Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups red and/or green grapes
1-1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup Madeira, (see Shopping Tip) or white wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Preparation
1. Position racks in the middle and lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.
2. Place grapes on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast on the lower rack, shaking the pan occasionally to turn the
grapes, until they are shriveled, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, rub pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the pork over and transfer the pan to the top oven rack. Roast the pork until just barely pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F, 12 to 14minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest before slicing.
4. Place the pan over medium heat (use caution, the handle will be hot), add shallots and cook, stirring, until
softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add Madeira (or wine) and cook until reduced by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, thyme and mustard; bring to a simmer. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl and stir into the pan sauce. Cook until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the grapes. Serve the sliced pork with the grape sauce.

Nutrition Per serving : 299 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 74 mg Cholesterol; 31 g Carbohydrates; 26 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 407 mg Sodium; 799 mg Potassium 2 Carbohydrate Serving Exchanges: 2 fruit, 3 lean meat, 1 fat
Review suggestions: Use less grapes and slice/chop grapes.

Butterfly's and Cake

I hardly ever go riding on our gravel roads without my camera.  Last weekend I spotted this beauty and got an added gift.. Butterfly's.  I just knew there would be a recipe or two out there that would be a tasty compliment to my photos.  Here you go..

Butterfly Light Cakes by Exclusively Food!