Cranberry Scones

  When I started to write this post, I stopped to look at what a scone really is. We here on the South Shore of Nova Scotia have a varied and intermixed history with the French, British, Scottish, German and Aboriginal backgrounds that we share and are a mixture of. When I first had a scone, I thought this is just a fancy Tea Biscuit. It is similar to a Tea Biscuit and I guess similar to Bannock from the Scottish Background. Once I looked it up on-line I was satisfied that what we make is in actuality a scone.

  We love the Cranberry Scones and find them fairly quick to make if you are in a hurry and they are soooooo good hot from the oven slathered with butter.

Ingredients

3/4 cup Craisins(dried cranberries)
1/4 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp chilled butter
2 Tbsp shortening
1/3 cup plain Low Fat yogourt
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg white
2 tsp sugar

Directions
  Combine craisins and boiling water in a bowl and cover, let stand 10 min or until softened. Drain and set aside.
  Preheat oven to 400F
  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup, level with a knife.
  Add flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in a large bowl
  Cut in butter and shortening until it resembles coarse meal.
  Combine craisins, yogourt, milk and vanilla.
  Add wet ingredients to dry mixture, mixing just until moistened
  Turn out on a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 4 times. DO NOT OVER HANDLE THE DOUGH OR THEY WILL NOT RISE UP AND BE FLAKY
  Pat dough into a 4"x8" rectangle and cut into 2"x2" squares (8 scones)
  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
  Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar
  Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes

The scones can be eaten hot from the oven lathered in butter, my favourite way.  They also make a great treat to pack and take on a picnic if you are travelling.

We often have sliced cheese and fruit on the side to have a balanced meal. However you have them they are delicious and fairly quick. When we are running on a hectic schedule we find that these can be whipped up in nearly the same amount of time as a fast food meal can take at rush hour. And it is real food.

We hope you enjoy the recipe.

Taco Tuesday

  Now that we are far enough into January that all of our New Years Resolutions have died a cruel and horrible death, it is time to talk about food.  Today we had one of our favorite meals, Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and an order of Sweet Potato Fries on the side. This is one truly tasty meal that is not a huge time drain and won't bust the diet of any of you out there who still have some willpower left.
  It pays to start early to marinate the fish. We use haddock, but I see no reason why another white fish wouldn't work as well. Please let us know if you try any others how it turned out.

Fish Taco

Marinade

        4 TBSP olive oil

        4 TBSP fresh lime juice(2 limes)

        4 TBSP fresh orange juice(1 large orange)

        4 garlic cloves finely minced

        1 large onion finely sliced

        2 TSP oregano

1 lb haddock or other white fish.

2 TBSP canola oil

8 corn tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar

Fresh salsa( recipe to follow)

  Chop onion and garlic and place in glass pan. Add other ingredients  and mix well. Add fish of choice, toss well to coat, cover pan and refrigerate.

  When ready to cook fish, heat your frying pan and oil then add just the fish to the pan and fry until cooked.  Remove the fish from the pan and add the ingredients remaining from the marinade and cook until the liquid is reduced and the onions are tender. Remove from the pan and put in a serving bowl.

  Heat your tortillas in the microwave or oven covered in a damp cloth to soften them. Keep them covered until use so they remain soft.

  Place some fish in the middle of a taco, then some of the cooked onions. Top with cheddar, sour cream and salsa. Roll the tortilla and eat.

  This recipe is easily doubled and the remainder will keep for a day or two in the fridge and reheats well for a no muss, no fuss lunch or supper.

Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango finely diced

1 ripe avocado finely diced

1 ripe tomato with seeds removed,  finely diced

2 jalapenos finely diced

1/2 green pepper finely diced

juice of 1/2 lime

pinch of salt

Combine all the ingredients in a glass bowl. This salsa will keep for a day in the fridge and is great on nachos if you have too much.

Curry Dip

1/2 cup Miracle Whip

1/2 tsp or more of curry to taste

1 tsp sugar

lime zest grated

1/4 tsp ginger

For the Sweet Potato Fries, we slice our sweet potatoes and toss them in olive oil and rosemary and bake them in the oven on 425F for 20-25 minutes.  Add on a nice Curry Dip and you have a meal that can't be beat.

  This meal is great for a retired couple any day of the week but you may want to do this on a weekend to have the time to enjoy the cooking.  Enjoy!!