Small Town Summer: Strawberry Cherry Basil Scones

Ever since my first experience baking scones for an eighth grade tea party, I ;oved how creative you can be with this breakfast delight. When I saw this recipe for Double Strawberry Scones in Better Homes and Gardens, I was on board. I liked the idea of using basil for the sweet treat. I think the strawberry-basil trend can produce some delicious results.

If you have ever gone looking for dried strawberries in a standard grocery store, it can definitely prove difficult. Wanting to add a dried fruit to the mix I decided on cherries instead. They added a burst of flavor that worked well with the strawberry-basil combination. Looking back, pistachios would have been a good addition as well.

The recipe called for serving warm out of the oven, but the scones tasted a lot better once they sat for a little. I also think these leftover scones would be good warmed up with vanilla ice cream. But then again, what wouldn’t be good with ice cream. Yes, anchovies, but really when would that come up?

So here is my adaption version ready to go for tea-time, breakfast, or just a snack.

Strawberry Cherry and Basil Scones:

Makes 12 scones (Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens: April 2011)

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

½ Tsp. Salt

½ cup of butter, cut into chunks (1 stick)

¾ cup chopped fresh strawberries

½ cup dried Cherries

2 Tbsp. snipped basil

½ cup half-and-half

1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

For top:

Extra Half-and-half or milk

Sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together flour, 2 Tbsp. Sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Using two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Gently toss in strawberries, cherries, and basil.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

 In a medium bowl stir together eggs, vanilla, and half-and-half.

Add egg mixture to flour mixture all at once.

Using a large spoon gently stir together until just moistened.

Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface.

Knead dough by folding and gently pressing in 5 to 7 times, turning dough a quarter turn after each fold.

Transfer to a lightly floured parchment-lined baking sheet.

Pat or lightly roll dough into a ¾ inch-thick circle.

Cut circle into wedges and brush with additional half-and-half and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 16 minutes or until golden.

 Serve warm. Refrigerate leftover scones. Reheat for 15 seconds in the microwave.

Variations:

·         Add chopped pistachios

·         Use dried strawberries instead of cherries

·         Serve with honey butter

Whatever you add, make it fun! Scones have a simple flavor that doesn’t over power and goes great with a cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Small Town Summer: Peach Milkshakes

Between my 40 + hour a week internship, cooking, blogging, and living, I also held a part time job this summer at a local orchard and farm stand. I have worked at this orchard on and off since I was sixteen.

Over the years this farm stand has evolved into an attraction complete with a corn maze, apple, blueberry, and pumpkin picking, etc. With that, the owners soon built a kitchen for their customers who wanted the full experience. And in comes today's recipe.

Peach Milkshakes.

Pretty much everything from the kitchen is delicious including Barbeque Pork and Chicken Sandwiches with Homemade Apple Barbeque Sauce, homemade pickles, and freshly made Blueberry Donuts and Apple Cider Donuts.

Every time I have worked there this summer, I have gotten a peach milkshake. It is delicious and refreshing and is perfect for hot summer days.

And while this might not require a recipe, the sweet summer treat definitely requires a try.

For a healthier version, try low fat vanilla frozen yogurt, but please for your own sake, only use fresh peaches, canned peaches are a crime against nature. I’m talking to you, college students.

Peach Milkshakes: makes two milkshakes

Ingredients:

3 Ripe Peaches

4-5 scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream

Fat Free Milk to taste

Directions:

Peel and chop peaches and put in a bowl (or blender.)

Scoop ice cream and add to the peaches.

Blend the mixture until smooth without any chunks.

If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of milk and stir.

Serve and relax!

This is definitely what I refer to as a “college friendly” recipe. If you don’t have a blender, don’t worry, just find the guy on your floor that serves the margaritas and ask to borrow it. Clean thoroughly first. Or better yet, borrow one from your RA or get them to make some for you as a program. As a former Resident Assistant, we are just happy you are not mixing up daiquiris!

This is a good one for the rest of you too, and kids love them!

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

p.s. Here's a picture with my nephew at his 1st birthday party yesterday (We have the same birthday!)

Small Town Summer: Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

What is the one thing you would want to do on a beautiful summer afternoon? How about a picnic?

Check.

Of course, as soon as we leave to go sit by the lake and have a picnic, it begins to rain for the next hour and a half.

Oh well, at least the meal was delicious.

I had a craving for chicken salad and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to use up the extra grilled chicken left in the fridge. It was also a great way to use the tomatoes we had from our green thumbed neighbor.

This meal is a great way to impress your friends and family. Especially if they are on a low carb diet. Still, they are delicious for everyone else.

Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes:

Ingredients:

3 Grilled Chicken Breasts

3 Celery Stalks, finely chopped

1 Small Onion

1/2 cup of Light Mayonnaise

1 tblsp. Garlic Powder

1 tblsp. Cracked Pepper

5-6 Medium Tomatoes

Lettuce or Arugula

Directions:

Chop chicken breasts into chunks and put in a medium bowl.

Chop up celery and onions and mix with the chicken.

Mix with the mayonnaise, garlic powder, and pepper.

Cut the tops off tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and insides to make tomato shells.

Fill tomatoes with chicken salad and serve with arugula.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Small Town Summer: Birthday Bash

On Thursday night, I was lucky enough to have a wonderful birthday with my mother, sister, Aaron, and his parents. We spent a relaxing day and a fantastic dinner at Bricco in Harrisburg.

After a day of some light back-to-school shopping we came home and had a great treat. 21 years ago in 1990 (my birth year) my father bought a bottle of 1990 Dom Perignon champagne. We finally decided to open it for my birthday and made a toast in his honor.

After the toast I was given some amazingly thoughtful gifts by everyone in attendance.

An amazing French antique desk from Aaron’s mom.

A collection of liquors to my own cabinet from my mom. (My iphone given to me two months prior was my real gift and everything she buys me.)

From my sister, Mackenzie:

A scarf she knit for me. I'm so excited for Fall!

A vintage “History on a Meter” from our favorite vintage store in Fish Town. So cool!

A Temperaux set: Watch, flask, ball point pen, LED Reading light, and key chain.

As well as a Cork Stopper and a local wine from Bucks County.


An incredibly beautiful 1920’s platinum and diamond pendant necklace from Aaron.

He knows me so well.

Dinner was incredible and so was the company. We came home for cake and finished a great night.

I should have photographed the incredible food but alas I did not. You will have to take my word for it, the food was out of this world and we had a fantastic time.

Enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner

Small Town Summer: Cherry Lemonade Cocktails

Birthdays are a big deal in my family. Celebrations for one person’s birthday usually lasts a week, meaning the traditional, “don’t tease her, it’s her birthday,” works for 5 days after the fact. Yesterday was mine and it was a great day. We had a very relaxed day and then we went for an amazing dinner at Bricco in Harrisburg. It was one of my best birthdays and boy did I make out! My sister and Aaron's parents came up for the day and the six of us (my mom, Aaron, and myself included) had a wonderful day.

Look for my birthday post tomorrow!

The day before I had a different experience, but made a tasty treat out of it.

Have you ever experienced one of those days where you find yourself running errands from 9 to 5 rather than in the office. Today was that kind of day. Running around sure makes a girl thirsty.

So I decided to put my cherry infused vodka to good use, and make lemonade. So I thought, Cherry Vodka, fresh lemonade…what could be better? I must say, it was delightful. But just with just the two, the mixture was flat and too sweet without any complexity. So we began experimenting with sodas: ginger ale, tonic, seltzer. For me, tonic won out, for the more subtle drinker, try seltzer. Add a lime wedge and stir.

Right now you are probably asking yourself, what about the lemonade? I’m glad you asked, in fact that is the best part. Make a double recipe and the younger kin can have a sip too!

Homemade lemonade is as easy as can be, and it is worth it.

Homemade Lemonade: 5 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar (reduces to ¾ cup)

1 cup water (for simple syrup)

1 cup lemon juice (4-6 lemons)

3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Directions:

Make the simple syrup by heating the cup of sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely, stirring frequently.

While the heating the sugar, juice 4-6 lemons to make one cup of juice.

Add the lemon juice and the sugar syrup into a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, to make a stronger or weaker lemonade. Refrigerate the lemonade for about half an hour. To make the lemonade stronger, add more lemon juice.

For the Cherry Lemonade Cocktail:

Ingredients:

1 part Cherry Infused Vodka

 2 parts Fresh Lemonade

1-2 parts tonic water or seltzer water

In a glass full of ice, stir the mixture and serve with a lime wedge.

Step by Step:

Add a shot of cherry vodka.

Add two parts lemonade.

Top with tonic or seltzer water.


In honor of my birthday, mix one of these up and enjoy!

Love,

The College Cuisiner