Recipe #33: Blueberry Scones

Scones are the perfect little breakfast or midday snack treat, especially when you top them with a zesty and sweet lemon glaze. While I’m not generally a blueberry person, I have been coming around to them, and finding myself looking for a quick recipe to whip up for this past Easter weekend, this recipe was exactly what I was searching for. I really liked that the sour cream mixed with a few tablespoons of sugar provided the right blend of sour and sweetness.

After picking up the few ingredients I didn’t already have in the house, I mixed up a batch on Saturday morning to enjoy fresh out of the oven. Then, while they were cooking, I melted together the ingredients for the lemon glaze, and let me tell you, you don’t want to omit this part. Drizzling the glaze atop the warm scones and digging in with a fork is my idea of a lovely afternoon snack. Plus, the glaze keeps well, as you might have some left over. And if you run out of scones, I bet this would be nice on pancakes or waffles! I might have to try that this weekend. 

You could substitute the blueberries for any other fresh berry on hand and make an equally enjoyable scone, I’m sure. 

INGREDIENTS

Scones

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

½ cup butter, softened

2 cups light sour cream

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blueberries

Lemon Glaze

3 lemons

2 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350°F. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Cut in softened butter. Gently fold in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in blueberries. Do not overwork the dough.

Scoop dough (about 1/3 cup) onto two lightly greased baking sheets. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 5 minutes.

Zest one lemon with a microplane grater. Cut all three lemons in half; juice. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, eggs and sugar. Whisk constantly; do NOT boil. Once the mixture is hot, turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue cooking on low for 6 minutes until the lemon glaze has thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

Serve warm scones with lemon glaze. Store any leftover lemon glaze in refrigerator.

Fat Friday - The Bellevue

Here’s a great little restaurant in Kensington Market that not only serves a great dinner (green bean poutine, for example), but also a really tasty brunch. Now, the dinner portion we've only heard reviews from friends who have gone there, but on their recommendation, we went for brunch one Saturday morning and were pleasantly surprised by their offerings.

The menu isn’t huge, but with daily specials, seasonal ingredients, and some creative inspirations, it’s really worth the visit. And, according to their Facebook page, a new menu is in the works, so it might be worth heading back there some time soon. 

On this particular summer day some time last year, peaches were in season, so their daily French toast creation was cinnamon bread with peach syrup and maple whipped cream. I ordered that one up without a second thought, and let me tell you, the aroma was heavenly, the taste even more so.

Matt opted for a different take and chose an item not currently on their menu. It was a braised pork belly served over cornbread with baked beans and a cranberry compote (at least, that’s what I am translating from the photo we took). This was an even more usual choice for him, as he usually likes to test out a new brunch place with the standard scrambled eggs and bacon, but I think the pork belly got the better of him.

While we don’t get to Kensington as often as we’d like these days, when we do venture back, we know there’s a great place to grab brunch. For now, we’ll explore the food in our new neighbourhood. We’ve already tried a handful of places and are looking forward to exploring more and, of course, sharing them all with you.

Crafty Find: All Things Mason Jars

I am hooked on mason jars ever since we had our first canning party last fall (that fun day I’ll share in another post). I, myself, use a large mason jar as a water glass at work; it’s funky and holds a lot of water. And when bringing in soup leftovers for lunch, I’ll put them in the medium sized jars. They are the perfect lunch portion and drip proof in my purse.

But there is so much more you can do with mason jars. If you happen to be browsing Pinterest (and who isn’t these days? If you're not, you do need to request access), a quick search will reveal what creative users across the net are doing with their very own mason jars. I’ve collected just a few of the ideas that I think are most impressive and most likely the ones that I’ll try out on my own. Hopefully they can inspire new ideas as well.

This first one I've even seen in bakeries across the city: instead of cupcakes, why not small cakes or pies in a jar?

And instead of buying yourself a Magic Bullet, why not use the existing blade from your blender and make your own by attaching it to, you guessed it, a mason jar?

Mason jars also make for some clever decoration: use them as candles, even make them into electric lights.

Or use them for more practical jobs, like mini planters or soap dispensers.

Speaking of Pintrest, I know I’m not the only one to blog about something I’ve found on there; several blogs have popped up dedicated specifically to the incredible finds on the site. There really does seem to be something for everyone. I, personally, love browsing the craft and DIY sections to see what inspiration I can gleam. The home décor section is a great way to start day-dreaming about all the things I could do with my new house. And the food and drink section has great ideas for meals and party tips. It’s quite easy to get lost on that site….

Recipe #32: Egg Fajitas

Image Courtesy of Bettycrocker.com

Matt and I still aim to eat less meat during the week, and a great alternative is eggs: high in protein and very filling, and so very versatile. Here is a quick and easy weeknight dinner that includes eggs, fajitas, and most likely whatever you have in your fridge.

Having picked up some fresh tortillas from Kensington (when we still lived in the condo), we created our own version of egg fajitas. We went through a few variations before we finally settled on scrambled eggs with sautéed onions and peppers, topped with fresh salsa and cheese. Sometimes we mix up the cheese, using either grated cheddar or goat cheese. Sometimes we added left over chicken (if on hand), and sometimes we add roasted potatoes (although that does make it really filling and increases the cooking time). It really is up to you and what you have in your fridge. Sausage and bacon would also be nice additions, for those meat lovers. 

Two per person is probably filling enough, but if you happen to have some tortilla chips on hand to dip in the salsa, why not make it a true Mexican-type dinner?

INGREDIENTS (for 2 people)

4 eggs

Splash of milk

1 red bell pepper, or ½ of each a red and green bell pepper, sliced into strips

½ red onion, sliced

Grated/Crumbled cheese (of your choice)

Fresh salsa

4 Tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in tin foil and warm in oven.

Sautee onions and peppers in a small sauce pan until tender, about 3-5 minutes.

At the same time, mix together eggs and milk, and then cook in a separate frying pan, stirring regularly until fluffy.

Assembly: place a spoonful of eggs and a spoonful of the vegetables in the warmed tortilla, top with salsa and cheese, wrap and enjoy. 

A Teddy Bear for Rowan

You probably know by now that I think a great gift for kids are knitted stuffed toys. Ever since I knit my first one, I was hooked, and knowing that the child will not outgrow it (at least in size), and that they will get some enjoyment from playing with it, the knitted toys are still my go-to for birthday gifts.

I’ve already knitted up quite a collection that have since found new homes: a giraffe, a hippo, a frog, an elephant, a penguin, and a small bear. I like to think that these toys have become favorites of the kids I’ve given them to, and I was happily delighted when my good friend Shannon told me her little girl can’t get enough of her pink hippo. So much so, she has requested a second in case the first one gets too much love. And maybe a penguin so the hippo has a friend. Since these are fun to knit, I, of course, am happy to oblige.

But first, let me share with you this teddy bear, which I knit for my friend Christine’s little boy. I knitted this stuffed bear, keeping it neutral in colour and adding a little blue scarf to finish it. I thought it was a cute little gift for a very cute little boy.

The thing I like best about knitting these toys is that you can have a lot of fun choosing the colours. They don’t have to be traditional and they don’t have to be expensive. Often I’ll find I have enough yarn in my stash to finish a project, and then it feels good to both create something and use up extra yarn. But of course, shopping for new yarn is always the most fun, as with any project. I’ll be heading to my yarn stash to see what I can find for the Hippo for Chloe, but if nothing strikes my fancy, I might just have to head to my new local yarn shop.