Kitchen Ranch

Potato Scones

Corn chowder  and potato scones seemed like a perfect way to round up a cold and rainy day.

Potato Scones from Martha Stewart

• 2 Large potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
• Salt and Pepper
• 3/4 stick butter (6 tablespoons) Room Temp plus more for skillet
• 1 Cup Flr
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 pound cheddar diced small

1. Bring potatoes to a boil in a pot of lightly salted water. Reduce heat, and simmer until fork tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well.

2. While still warm, push potatoes through the large holes of a ricer, or use a potato masher to mash them until smooth (you should have 2 1/2 cups). Stir butter into warm potatoes until combined well. Stir together flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then stir into potatoes with a wooden spoon until just combined. Form dough into a ball on a lightly floured work surface. Cover with a dish towel, and let cool for 20 minutes.

3. Dust rolling pin and work surface with flour, and roll out dough to an 8-by-10-inch rectangle. Sprinkle half with cheese, and fold to create a 4-by-10-inch rectangle. Gently roll out. With a floured knife, cut dough into four 2 1/2-by-4-inch rectangles, then cut each in half diagonally.

4. Heat a griddle or a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat, and add 1 teaspoon butter. When it has completely melted and is sizzling, cook 4 scones until golden brown and cheese melts, 3 to 4 minutes per side. 

Jalapeno Salsa

I needed a jalapeno recently and lucky for me, the husband was about to pop out to the shop for a 6 pack of our favorite local brew.

He returned with about 20 jalapenos.....just in case 1 wasn't enough. Remember the great garlic clove crisis of 2008? If you don't recall... that is when the husband thought a clove of garlic = a bulb of garlic and nearly made a sauce with 3 bulbs of garlic.

So, enter jalapeno salsa. 

So, I have researched and pondered the foamy salsa phenomena. I photographed this salsa right after it was made so I am dubious about the theory of the foam signifying breakdown/salsa going off. If anyone has a theory, let me know. 

Jalapeno Salsa recipe from All Recipes

• 10 fresh jalapeno peppers
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or more to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place jalapenos in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Simmer until jalapenos soften and begin to lose their shine, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the jalapenos with a slotted spoon, chop off the stem, and place them in a blender. Add the tomatoes and boil for 2 to 3 minutes to loosen the skin. Peel the skin from the tomatoes and add tomatoes to the blender.
2. Place the onion, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, salt, and black pepper in the blender or food processor with the jalapenos and tomatoes. 

 

French Fries with Salt and Rosemary

This is such a crowd pleas-er.... it never fails. I served these fries as a side at Saturday brunch. I fry the fries right from freshly peeled and cut potatoes in grape seed oil. Then I douse the pile of fries with rosemary from the garden and some salt.

And by the way, the Spinach Quiche recipe is the best ever... I cannot wait to make this again. Note: You must adore spinach.

Cheese Straws

This is a recipe that I am asked to make time and time again. I can never photograph them fast enough- they disappear quickly.

Link to recipe, Thanks Ina.... here

Summer Vegetable Cassarole

Delicious and simple...tastes like sunshine.

Potatoes sliced, zucchini, yellow bell,onion, tomatoes, thyme and drizzled with olive oil. Bake at 425 covered for 40 minutes then uncover and continue to bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Top with Parmesan or don't.

Vegetables...... As Is

Summer loot.... vegetables: Perfect as is.

 

Roasted Bell with Leeks....

 

Potatoes and green beans.....

I can eat them all day....

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Delicious! We can't stop making these and dipping them into hummus or salsa.......

• Four tortillas.....cut them into chips

• Place on a cookie sheet and drizzle vegetable oil and salt onto

• Bake at 350 for 10 minutes until golden brown

• Serve warm

Tomato and Onion Salad

To round up the wedding week festivities, the ladies that traveled from across the pond fixed all of us dinner.

The menu was a squash curry that was so good we all devoured it before a photo was shot, a delicious salad on the side, Cucumber Mint Yogurt Dressing, Naan (store purchased) and plenty of wine.

Here is a sneak at the girls prepping the ingredients:

Tomato and Onion Salad

• Cherry tomatoes halved
• Chopped white onions
• Chopped cilantro
• Lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

This salad goes perfectly alongside a curry.

Thank you ladies-this was one of my favorite dinners of the summer!

Lentil Salad

Amazing lentil salad (see below) and I cannot wait until I have the pleasure of eating this again!

Mix this:

One Pound of Cooked Brown Lentils
6 Chopped Scallions
2 Garlic Cloves Chopped
1/2 Pound Feta Cheese
3 Red Bell Roasted and Chopped
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1/4 Cup Fresh dill
4 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Olive Oil

and enjoy this lentil salad...

Simple Salads

Well, no problem posting that last post so here is round two of this post:

Despite my need to dust off the keyboards and just plain post I have been eating. Summer-ish weather ushers in great simple fresh salads such as:

Mix tomato, red onion, basil and feta...

Or summer bean mixes with lemon, pepper and salt (why is this underlined? I am not underlining this???)



NEVERMIND, I'll post more tomorrow.