Apricot Walnut Sour Cream Scones

Are you setting your alarm for three o’clock Friday morning?

Me neither.

That’s what DVR is for.

I admit, I am kind of caught up in the royal wedding frenzy.  Who doesn’t love a wedding?  Actually… my brother.  He hates weddings.  But that’s because he is a party pooper who doesn’t like to dance and he isn’t a fan of cake (scary, I know).  Which is why my Mom and I are not inviting him to our Wedding High Tea.

Yep, we’re going to hang out in front of the television, watch our recording of William and Kate, and eat scones.  You should too.  Eat scones, I mean.

I might be tempted to go all out for Wedding High Tea… scones with clotted cream, tiny tea sandwiches filled with cucumber, salmon and watercress, little lemon tarts and chocolate truffles. But I’ll probably just make these apricot walnut sour cream scones because with apricots and walnuts, who needs more? They may be more New England than Ye Olde England, but they are certainly tasty.

I love the softness of sour cream scones.  The texture is luxurious, and the recipe is forgiving.  These scones are fantastic with a good cup of tea, which is convenient since tea is, of course, the whole point here.

I’m a huge fan of Harney & Sons loose leaf teas.  I just discovered their Paris tea, which truly does taste like the teas houses of Paris.  Years ago, I spent many lazy afternoons in a tiny Parisian teahouse near Rue Mouffetard writing letters, real letters, on real paper.  When was the last time you wrote a letter? This fruity black tea makes me want to write letters. And it will be wonderful with my apricot walnut sour cream scones.

What is your favorite tea?  Any other recommendations for what to drink at our Wedding High Tea?

Apricot Walnut Sour Cream Scones

Makes 8

For the scones:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

2/3 cup full fat sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

For the topping:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons salted butter

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.  Cut the butter in small pieces and add to the flour mixture.  Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers until no butter pieces are larger than a pea. Stir in the sour cream, vanilla, apricots, and walnuts.  Using your hands, form the wet, ragged dough into a ball.  On a floured surface, knead the dough about a dozen turns and then flatten the ball into a disk and cut into eight wedges. Place the wedges on a greased baking dish (or use a fancy-dancy scone pan like I did). In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, flour and brown sugar.  Cut the butter in small bits and rub in with your fingers.  Sprinkle the crumble topping over the scones, pressing in a bit to make sure it sticks.  Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Serve warm with butter and jam.

Golden Onion Dip

Years ago, when I had just graduated from college, I lived with my friend Nancy.  Nancy was a fantastic roommate, and she had just one quirk: her food jags.  Like  a little kid she would often go for weeks eating only one food.  First it was lobster ravioli, then orange glazed salmon, then blueberry oatmeal.  Always delicious, usually nutritious, but monotonous. And once a food jag was over, Nancy would declare herself tired of the food of the month, and move on.  To this day, she has not eaten another lobster ravioli.

If I were ever to go on a food jag, onion dip would be it.  For as long as I can remember I have adored the simple Lipton’s onion soup and sour cream standby.  It was on my grandmother’s coffee table, along with a big bowl of Ruffles potato chips, at every family function.  It was the prelude to every BBQ at my parent’s beach house. I never believed that anything could be better than the salty, creamy deliciousness.

Which is why I hadn’t bothered to make my own onion dip from scratch.  Until today.  And I’m never going back.  As much as I thought I loved the simple mixture of Lipton’s and sour cream, this is twice as good.  Rich and buttery, deeply flavorful and still so creamy, this dip is perfect with the salty crunch of a potato chip.  It’s onion dip – but better.  And while it takes a few more minutes to make than the packaged dump and stir, it’s really so simple.  Just cook the onions until wonderfully golden, and then whip them into a creamy base of mayonnaise, cream cheese and sour cream. 

I made this dip two days ago expecting to enjoy just a few bites as a snack, but we ate the whole bowl for dinner. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how delicious it was… which lead me to make it again today.  I feel my first food jag coming on, but I’m fighting it.  While a month of sweet and savory golden onion dip sounds divine, I don’t want to get tired of this dip.  I want to savor it, swoon over it, and enjoy.

This dip would make a great addition to your Oscar-watching spread tomorrow night, but it’s pretty much fantastic anytime.  And if you happen to have any leftover (unlikely), this dip is actually great as a sandwich spread, and is particularly awesome with roast beef.

Golden Onion Dip

Serves 4-6

1 medium yellow onion

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon paprika

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

Peel the onion and slice in half.  Slice the onion into thin half-moon slices.  Warm the butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the onion.  Stir in the paprika and salt and pepper.  Saute over medium for 8-10 minutes and then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes more, until the onion is soft and brown. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer.  Whip in the mayonnaise and sour cream.  Stir in the onions and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Chill at least 30 minutes, or overnight.  Serve with potato chips or fresh cut up vegetables.

Last Minute Super Bowl Snacks (and a Bad Omen)

After making Mac ‘N Beer Cheese Soup last week, I told you all that I had a Steelers-inspired recipe up my sleeve as well.  And I did.  Did you know that Klondike Bars were invented in Pittsburgh?  I figured that after a hearty soup, a Super Bowl dessert was in order, and I set out to make my own Klondike Bars.

But this was one of those weeks when my kitchen was just crawling with bad juju!  The grocery store was out of my favorite brand of ice cream.  My first batch of chocolate seized up when a water droplet invaded the bowl (water and chocolate do NOT mix).  After buying a second batch of chocolate chips, I stupidly turned my back on the double boiler, and the chocolate burned.  After a third trek to the market, I attempted to coat squares of ice cream with what I had envisioned to be a fool-proof method.  Wrong!  Melted ice cream and drippy chocolate flowed over my counters and into the sink. 

Not one to waste good sugary ingredients, I spread the remaining melted chocolate and bricks of vanilla ice cream in layers in a loaf pan, topped it with gold sprinkles in a sad little Steelers gesture, stuck it in the freezer, and gave up on the Klondike Bars.  I have to admit, the frozen Klondike Loaf is really tasty, but even so, it all seems like  a bad omen for Pittsburgh tomorrow.  I’m sorry to all of you Steelers fans, but the juju doesn’t lie. 

But bad omen or not, tomorrow is still the Super Bowl, and you need some snacks.  I’m sure you’ll all be making the oh-so gourmet Klondike Loaf, but in addition, a few quick and easy suggestions for tomorrow’s spread:

Pimento Cheese Toasts are so simple, and such a huge crowd pleaser!

Popcorn balls are so easy and quick to make, and so fun and sticky to eat!

The Cubano Piggies I told you about a couple weeks ago are fantastic, unexpected bundles of yumminess!

Nobody has ever turned down a chocolate malt!

Gourmet Piggies for the Super Bowl

I really want to say something profound here.  I do.  But we’re talking about pigs in a blanket.  Bits of tubular meat wrapped in pastry from a can.  Not profound, not fancy, and certainly not healthy, but very delicious.

Have you ever been to a party where there were leftover pigs in a blanket?  Of course not. They fly off the tray. You may have half eaten bowls of crab dip, a mangled wedge of brie, or a bag of soggy chips, but never a forgotten pastry-wrapped hot dog.  No way.  Seriously retro and still as tasty as ever, they are a hit from Bar Mitzvahs to weddings to super bowl parties.

So I’m making a plea on behalf of your super-bowl guests this year: make pigs in a blanket.  Please.

Better yet, dress up your pigs in a blanket and make one of our favorite creations. You put fun toppings on your hot dogs, don’t you? Why not on piggies?

Try Cubano Piggies, which taste like a warm and crusty Cuban Sandwich. These are my favorites, but that’s probably because I have a thing for pickles.

Or go for Piggies Parmesan, a pastry wrapped bite of chicken parm.

Of course, there are Piggies from the City of Angels, filled with jalapeno and bacon and a bit of brown sugar.  Sweet and smoky and spicy and wonderful, these are like Jeff’s catnip.

And we can’t forget the ultimate piggy: The Super Chili Piggy.  Life is not complete without a chili cheese dog.  Yeah, that’s my philosophy and I’m sticking to it.  Serve ’em with sour cream. 

Or try your own combos.  I’m thinking kielbasa with sauerkraut wrapped in pastry would be yummy served with spicy mustard.  Perhaps a piggy with cumin sautéed onions served with a cucumber raita would be tasty.  The possibilities are endless! 

Cubano Piggies

Makes 24

1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough

6 pork hot dogs

2 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced into strips

1/4 pound deli sliced ham, cut in strips

1/8 cup thinly sliced dill pickles

horseradish mustard, for serving (or 1 cup mustard mixed with 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish)

Slice the dough in 24 strips. They won’t be even, but it doesn’t matter. Cut each hot dog in 4 pieces.  Make a small slit in each hot dog and stuff with a piece of cheese.  Top each hot dog piece with a slice or two of pickle, and wrap with a piece of ham.  Wrap with dough and pinch to secure. Arrange the piggies on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve with the mustard.

Piggies Parmesan

Makes about 21

1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough

3 fully cooked Italian chicken sausage links

1/4 cup marinara sauce

2 ounces mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced into strips

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese

1 tablespoons bread crumbs

Slice the dough in wide strips. They won’t be even, but it doesn’t matter. Cut each sausage on the diagonal in 1/2 inch thick coins. Place a dollop of sauce and a slice of cheese on each sausage coin.  Wrap with pastry and pinch to secure, taking care not to drip sauce.  Arrange the piggies on an uncreased baking sheet. Brush the pastry with melted butter and then sprinkle the piggies with the cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve with additional sauce if desired.

Piggies from the City of Angels

Makes 24

4 ounces bacon, chopped

1/2 cup minced jalapeno (about 3 peppers)

1/4 cup minced onion

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

6 all-beef hot dogs

1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough

In a skillet, saute the chopped bacon over medium-low heat until it starts to brown.  Add the jalapeno and onion and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the sugar and water and stir well, cooking 1 minute more.  Remove from the heat and set aside.  Cut each hot dog in 4 pieces.  Slice the dough into 24 strips, they won’t be even but it doesn’t matter.  Spoon a bit of the bacon mixture onto each strip of dough, top with a hot dog piece and roll to wrap, pinching the dough to secure. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes until golden brown.

Super Chili Piggies

Makes 24

1/4 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup canned tomato sauce

salt and pepper

1 package refrigerated crescent roll dough

6 all-beef hot dogs

3 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced into strips

1 cup sour cream, for serving

In a saucepan, brown the beef over medium heat, breaking up with a spoon. Once the meat is cooked, add the onion, garlic and chili powder and cook until the onion softens, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce and reduce heat to low.  Simmer at least 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside the chili to cool slightly.  Meanwhile, slice the dough into 24 strips. They won’t be even but it doesn’t matter. Cut each hot dog into 4 equal pieces.  Cut a slit in each hot dog piece and stuff with a piece of cheese.  Spoon a bit of chili onto each piece of dough.  Top with a hot dog and wrap, pinching to secure.  Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with sour cream.

Fruit and Nut Popcorn Balls

My husband has a knack for gift-giving, but I’m not talking about flowers or diamonds. He knows that, to me, the popcorn popper he bought for Christmas is so much more exciting than any trinket. Thoughtful and sweet, his presents are enough to make up for the fact that he shrunk all of my delicates this week! My own fault, of course, for suggesting he take a stab at the laundry.

After I discovered that all of my underthings had taken a trip through the hot dryer, and was reasonably cranky, he made up for it with marshmallows.  Yeah, I’m easy to please.  But he knows how much I adore cocoa during a snow storm, and a mug of cocoa is not complete without a handful of mini marshmallows. 

Appeased and armed with pounds of popcorn and mountains of marshmallows, I dove into a sticky, gooey mess. Popcorn balls are fantastic fun. Playing around with tacky marshmallow drizzle would make for a great diversion for little hands.  And since you’ve got to work quickly to make the popcorn balls before the marshmallow hardens, I suggest a little help anyway.

You could certainly use any kind of dried fruit you like here, although the raisins and dried cranberries I had in the cabinet added just the right amount of chewy sweetness to the popcorn balls.  And if honey roasted peanuts aren’t your thing, cashews might be fun.  You could even go for almond or cashew butter instead of the peanut butter.  Basically, all of these ingredients are just suggestions, so get creative. Next time I think I’ll add a few chocolate chips.

Although perfect for snacking as is, if you make smaller popcorn balls you might enjoy them as part of a football Sunday spread.  When was the last time you had a popcorn ball?  Decades, I’d guess. Your friends will get a kick out of the nostalgia! Popcorn balls might also be a fun hostess gift all wrapped up with a bit of ribbon. 

Fruit and Nut Popcorn Balls

Makes about 12 2-inch balls

8 cups popcorn (popped without salt or butter)

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1/4 cup honey roasted peanuts

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tbsp butter

4 cups mini marshmallows

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Nonstick cooking spray

In a large bowl toss together the popcorn, dried fruit, peanuts, and salt.  In a large pot melt the butter over low heat.  Add the marshmallows and cook, stirring, until melted.  Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn mixture and incorporate quickly.  Spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.  Working very quickly, form the mixture into 2-inch balls.  Place popcorn balls on parchment paper to harden for at least 30 minutes.