Blueberry scones

Apparently I'm the only one who is probably going to post things on here, haha.

So I made some lemon-glazed blueberry scones a week ago, and I'm craving some more!  I used this VERY simple recipe by Tyler Florence, and it was surprisingly easy and delicious.  I did adapt it a bit to my own taste, but I followed it pretty closely.

 It says to only add 2 TBSP of sugar to the dry mix, but I probably added 3.  Scones are not supposed to be too sweet, but come on, it can't be flavorless!

This picture has the heavy cream in the center.  The butter + flour mixture did NOT look crumbly after putting it through my food processor.  If your butter + flour mixture comes out like this, don't worry, it'll bake fine.

To give the scones a little more flavor, I mixed a tsp. of vanilla extract with the heavy cream before mixing it with the butter+flour mixture.

After "gently" folding the blueberries into the wet mix, I cut the dough into triangular pieces and placed them on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Before.....

After!

The lemon glaze was a bit too lemony for my taste, and there was a TON of it left.  I think if you use less lemon juice (1/4 cup?), no lemon zest, and less sugar, you'll be good to go.

Next on the list are savory scones.  Bacon + cheddar or cheddar + dill?  I think bacon + cheddar is more fatty, and fatty = delicious, so we'll probably go with that  :)

There's nothing a good meal can't cure!

Okay, so a good meal doesn't cure everything, but when I'm stressed, cooking and shopping are my saviors.

Since shopping isn't happening any time soon, my boyfriend Darryl and I decided to make a hearty stew!

 This isn't a recipe from the culinary expert Mama Ito, it's actually from Darryl's mom.  We're getting everyone and their mother involved!  Applications to be a part of the magic are always accepted :)

Beef Stew:
2-3 lbs. lean stew meat (1-inch cubes)
1.5 cups of flour (we used whole wheat flour and it surprisingly wasn't a disaster)
Add 1 tsp of both SEASONED salt (Lawry's) and pepper to the flour
1 medium onion (1/2 inch slices)
1 stalk of celery (1/2 inch slices - we used 3 stalks)
1 can (14.5 oz) tomatoes (we use diced tomatoes)
1 bay leaf
6-8 cups of water
6-8 beef bouillon cubes
2-3 red skin potatoes (peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes -- we used 1/2 inch cubes)
5 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
4 TBSP oil (add more if meat starts to stick while browning)

1. Add oil to a large pot, turn burner on low.

2. Put flour, seasoned salt, and pepper into a big Ziploc bag.  Put meat in and shake until coated.  Don't throw bag of flour away!

3. Add meat to the pot, making sure to shake excess flour off. Add onions and brown with the meat, stirring frequently.
4. When meat is browned, add 6 cups of water.  It the water doesn't cover the meat, add 1/2 cup more at a time.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, stirring every so often.
6. Add celery, tomatoes (with juice), and the bay leaf.  Add 5 beef bouillon cubes.  Continue simmering and stirring for 15 minutes.
7. Taste the gravy.  Add more bouillon if it needs more flavor, add more water if it's too salty.  It might also need some pepper.
8. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, and once the 30 minutes are up, test how tender the meat is.  Simmer longer if it isn't tender.
9. Once the meat is tender, thicken the stew by putting leftover flour into a cup with an equal amount of water (1/2 cup flour + 1/2 cup water, etc.) and adding to the stew.  Keep adding until you reach your desired thickness.  Bring to a boil.

10.  Throw the potatoes and carrots in and cook 20 minutes.  I usually throw them in earlier than this step since I like mine really soft (probably add them around step 6!)
11. Serve with rice, bread, or whatever you prefer.

Eat!

" It's not done until you see smoke "

This all started earlier this evening as I was working out with a couple of my friends. For some strange reason we always end our workouts by talking about all the amazing-dietbreaking-heartattacking-arteryplugging-greasepacked-beautiful delicacies that we should not eat after we head to our respective homes.

In-N-Out, Sonic Burger, McDonald's, and last but not least Baker's. How can you end a workout on that note? Guhh...

I was definitely craving a burger by the time I hopped into my car... On the drive home not only am I taunted and teased by a billboard advertising Jack in the Box, but to add insult to injury my exit off of the freeway has a Jack in the Box AND McDonald's right off of the exit.... Double Guhh...

So I fought past the temptation, triumphantly park my car, and walk up to my front door.

*sniff**sniff*

Oh no.... Either my fat boy fantasies are finally manifesting themselves and attacking my olfactory bulb or my parents are making burgers.... Triple Guhhhh......

As the key turns in the lock and the door swings open I am greeted by my pleasantly plump father asking me, "How was your workout?" Quadruple Guhhh....

And the first thing I say in response is, "I smell burgers..."

In response my father says, "Well, Mom burnt mine... "

Burnt or not, that smell was killing me....

I need a burger....

I give in and scream out to my mom, "Can you make me a burger too, Mom?"

She very happily responds, "Yes of course!" Did I mention how much I love my mother?

Fast forward a few minutes.... It smells great in my house. I open up my laptop and check some emails, and as I look up from behind my computer I notice that my mom is no longer in the kitchen, but that beautiful burger smell is getting strong and stronger.

As I get up to check on the food I yell out to my mom, "Mom did you leave the burger on the stove??? Is it burning?!?! "

She very casually comes into the kitchen at the same time as I do and looks at the stove...

She sees the sesame hamburger buns sitting in the pan and calmly goes back to watching HGTV in the other room.

Astonished I ask her, "What?! Why are you watching TV? The buns are going to burn, Mom!!"

And she looks over to me with the most honest and sincere look on her face and responds, "It's not done until you see smoke."

This blog is a place for my sister and I to share our cooking stories, most of which have and will be inspired by our mother's very unorthodox yet scrumptious cooking methods.

We love you Mom.

Bon appetit.

P.S. It's 2 a.m. and it still smells of beautifully burnt burgers.