Mom's Scones (A.K.A. Utah Scones) with Honey Butter

recipe from Make It Do via Pinterest

These scones are so delicious. I almost can't find the words to tell you. They are just the perfect amount of crunchy on the outside and warm and tender on the inside.  I remember eating scones similar to these when I was little, but haven't made them since I've been doing the cooking. Why?  I don't know. It's crazy!  They are so good.  This recipe is definitely a keeper. 

For those of you who are thinking that these don't look anything like the English scones you are used to seeing when hearing "scones," you are right. Where English scones are baked and more like a sweet biscuit, these scones are fried and made with yeast dough. Try them. They are wonderful!  You can top them with honey butter, honey, syrup, jam, powdered sugar, use them as a fry bread for Navajo tacos. The possibilities are seemingly endless!  Can you tell I am a fan!?

Okay, here's the recipe!

1 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

1 Tablespoon dry active yeast

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup melted butter, cooled

1 Tablespoon salt

5-6 cups bread flour

Canola oil for deep frying

Combine warm water and warm milk.  Stir in the sugar.  Add dry active yeast and stir lightly.  Allow yeast to activate, about 10 minutes.  In a stand mixer, fitted with a bread hook, add milk mixture and cooled melted butter.  Add the salt.  Start the mixer and add the flour one cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be slightly sticky but workable. Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel.  Set in a warm place and allow it to rise until double.

Pour your oil in a large saucepan (with sides deep enough to fully immerse the scones) or a deep fryer and heat slowly over medium to medium high heat.  While the oil is heating, roll the dough out onto the counter, without flour, into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. You may choose to butter the counter lightly.  Using a pizza cutter, cut into squares or triangles.  Heat oil to between 350-400 degrees and cook scones until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Honey butter (recipe from the Lion House Classics cookbook (25th anniversary edition):

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup honey

Whip softened butter.  Add vanilla and honey gradually.  Beat for 20 minutes.  Makes 1 cup.

Orange Rolls

recipe from my Mom

This was always a favorite roll recipe that my Mom made when I was growing up. I haven't made these forever and my sister recently brought them to a family gathering.  I was reminded of how much I love them and had to make them again.

Does anyone have an aunt like my Aunt Boni? Everything she makes is delicious and her recipes get passed throughout the entire family.  Such is the case with her basic roll recipe. So for these rolls, we start with Aunt Boni's basic roll dough.

First is the basic mix:

In the largest bowl or container you can find sift together:

 20 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups powdered milk

This mix can be stored in an airtight container and stored for about 8 months. It makes about 22 cups of basic mix.

Aunt Boni's Basic Roll Recipe

1 Tablespoon instant yeast

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup oil

5-6 cups mix

Sprinkle of sugar

Place warm water in mixer. Add a sprinkle of sugar and then mix in 1 Tablespoon of yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes.  Add oil and eggs and mix.  Slowly add 5-6 cups of basic mix one cup at a time and continue to mix until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl slightly. (You may not need to add the entire 6 cups) Try not to add too much flour mixture or your rolls will end up dense instead of light and fluffy. Continue to knead for about 5 minutes in stand mixer. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray, place dough in the bowl and turn over once. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray and allow to rise in a warm place until double (about 1 hour).  After dough has risen, punch down and roll dough into desired shapes.

Orange Rolls

Boni's basic roll recipe

Mix together:

1/2 square butter

1/2 cup sugar

grated rind from 1 orange (set aside 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for glaze)

Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.  Spread orange mixture on dough and roll up. Cut with a sharp knife or circle with dental floss and cut into slices 1 inch thick.  Place rolls on greased cookie sheet and let rise for 10-15 minutes.  While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake rolls for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Orange Glaze

Mix together:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbsp water combined with 1/4 teaspoon orange extract or 3 Tbsp of orange juice

1/2 tsp grated orange rind

After taking rolls out of oven, spread glaze over warm rolls.

*In the rolls pictured, I went a little lighter on the glaze trying to keep these rolls a little bit healthier, but for use it generously for the delicious, sticky, lick-your-fingers good, original orange rolls.

Bean Curry with Naan (Indian Flatbread)

recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

We love curry at our house and I stumbled across this recipe one day and thought I would try it. It did not disappoint. Besides being delicious, it fills your house with wonderful aromas from the different spices used. It is a great ethnic dish and is a great vegetarian option.

Bean Curry

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 large tomato, chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

pinch cayenne, to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon Garam Masala*

3/4 cup half and half

1 cup vegetable stock or chicken broth

1 can black-eyed peas, lightly drained (I used black beans because that is what I had on hand)

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

*Garam Masala is an Indian spice mixture.  I found my bottle at Whole Foods market.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion; saute 5 minutes or until translucent and slightly browned. Stir in garlic and grated ginger root; stir constantly for 30 seconds.  Add tomato; cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in turmeric, cayenne, salt, paprika, and garam masala; stir constantly for 30 seconds. Add half and half, stock, and black-eyed peas. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro.  Serve immediately with rice, chapati, or naan. 

Naan (Indian Flatbread) 

recipe slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Makes about 12 pieces of naan

3-4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon instant yeast

1 1/2 cups milk

1 teaspoon sugar

3-4 tablespoons butter, melted

Pour milk into a liquid measure and heat in microwave until warm to the touch. (about 110 degrees F with an instant-read thermometer).  Pour milk into a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer.  Add the sugar, yeast, salt and 2 1/2 cups flour.  Mix well to combine.  Continue adding flour gradually in small amounts until a soft dough is formed the cleans the sides of the bowl.  Knead the dough by mixer or hand until it is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rest at room temperature, covered lightly with greased plastic wrap, for about 2 hours.

After the dough has rested, turn it onto a lightly floured surface or roul'pat and divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Cover the pieces with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes.  While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 475 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.  (If you don't have a pizza stone, try grilling the dough on a lightly oiled outdoor grill or use a hot griddle to bake the naan - you'll have to experiment with cooking times but either of those methods would work as well.)

Once the dough has rested for 30 minutes, one by one, roll each piece into a circle about 6-8 inches wide, depending on how thick you want your naan.  Lay the circle of dough on the hot pizza stone and spritz lightly with water.  Close the oven and bake the naan for 2-4 minutes, until it is lightly puffed (some pieces will puff more than others) and brown spots begin to appear on the top. Remove the naan from the baking stone and place on a cooling rack. Brush lightly with melted butter. Stack the hot naan on top of each other as it comes out of the oven. Cover with towel and let the naan cool completely or serve warm.

Braided Sandwich Loaf

 recipe adapted from Jamie Cooks it Up and Mel's Kitchen Cafe

There are several variations you can experiment with when making this sandwich loaf.  We have tried barbeque chicken, ham and cheese, and the latest (pictured below) is a pepperoni and cheese combination.  It turned out great and is a lot like a calzone.  

I used the recipe and instructions from Jamie Cooks it Up, but as far as getting the whole idea of the braiding technique, I really like the tutorial on Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  So, here's the recipe!

*Recipe makes 2 large sandwich loaves

Dough:

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt (I used a little bit less)

1 cup boiling water

1 cup cold water

1/3 cup lukewarm water

1 Tbsp yeast

5-6 cups flour

1 egg

Filling:

You can choose what variation you would like.  For the sandwich braid pictured above, I used pepperoni slices, this pizza sauce, and shredded mozzarella cheese. 

You could also use slices of deli meat (about 16 slices) and your choice of cheese (about 8 slices).

Barbeque sauce, shredded or sliced cooked chicken, sliced red onion, and mozzarella cheese would make a delicious loaf.

Be creative!

1. To make the dough, dissolve 1 Tbsp yeast in 1/3 cup lukewarm water.

2.  In the bottom of a stand mixer, mix the sugar, salt and butter together with a fork until well combined.

3.  Pour the boiling water over the sugar mixture.

4.  Pour the cold water over the sugar mixture.

5. Pour the yeast/water mixture over the sugar mixture.

6.  Add the flour 1 cup at a time while mixing.  You know you have enough flour with the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

7.  Once you have enough flour, knead the dough on high for 7-8 minutes.

8.  Let the dough rest for 2 minutes in the bowl.

9.  Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and let them rest on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray for about 5 minutes.

10.  Sprinkle your surface with a small amount of flour and roll the dough out into a large rectangle.  Using a pizza cutter, cut 11-12 one inch wide strips along both longs sides of the rectangle. Be sure to leave about 5 inches down the center uncut. You want to leave room for your fillings.
11.  Place pepperoni down the center of the dough and then spread enough pizza sauce over the top to cover the pepperoni.  Sprinkle cheese over the sauce.  (If you are using a sauce, try to put a "drier" ingredient on the bottom layer and then cover with sauce.  I have found that if you put the sauce on the bottom layer, the bottom of your loaf tends to be a little soggy.)

12.  Over lap the dough strips in the center over the top of your fillings.  (Again, see Mel's Kitchen Cafe for a great tutorial on how to do this.)

13.  Place the sandwich loaf on a large cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a silpat.

14.  Beat the egg with a fork until frothy. Brush the egg all over the loaf.  Sprinkle with desired seasonings on top.  I used freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Depending on the type of loaf you have made, you could also top with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, Montreal Steak Seasoning, dried onions, or cheese.

15.  Repeat these steps with the other piece of dough.

16.  Let the dough rise in a warm oven (about 170 degrees) for about 20 minutes.

17.  While loaves are still in the oven, turn oven up to 400 degrees and bake for about 15 minutes.  

18.  When the loaves are golden brown on top, turn the oven down to 350 degrees, and switch the pan on the bottom rack to the top. Bake for another 5-7 minutes.

19.  Let the loaves rest for about 5 minutes, then cut and serve.

Bread Sticks

from my sister-in-law Brenda

Use Basic Roll Dough recipe.  1 x recipe makes one pan of breadsticks.  Follow recipe until it says to roll into desired shapes.

Basic Roll Dough 

3 1/2 c flour
1 Tbsp instant dry yeast

1 1/4 c milk

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c butter or margarine

1 tsp salt

1 egg

(1/4-1/2 c melted butter for pouring over breadsticks before baking)

In a large saucepan on stove, melt butter over medium low heat. Then, stir in sugar and milk.  Continue to stir until milk mixture is warm, but not so hot that it kills your yeast.  In a bread mixer, combine 1 1/2 c flour and yeast.  Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and mix.  Add egg and salt.  Slowly add remaining flour until sides wipe clean. (You may need a little more or a little less.) Mix for 3-4 minutes.  Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let raise for 45 min to an hour.  Punch down and roll into desired shapes.  Let raise on greased or silpat lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes or until golden brown.  This recipe can be used for cinnamon rolls, rolls, bread sticks, or pigs in a blanket.

For bread sticks:

After the dough rises, punch down and roll into rectangular shape.  Grease the bottom of a large baking sheet.  Dough should fit into bottom of sheet.  Spread dough evenly into sheet by pushing into the corners with your fingers.  Score dough into strips.  Melt 1/4-1/2 c butter and pour over strips. Use your fingers or pastry brush to spread evenly over all bread sticks.  **Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and a little garlic salt. Let raise 5 minutes.  Bake 12-16 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on rack to prevent sweating.

**I also like to use this Garlic Bread Seasoning recipe from Our Best Bites

Garlic Bread Seasoning:

recipe from Our Best Bites

Combine the following ingredients:

1/2 c powdered Parmesan cheese

2 tsp Kosher salt

2 Tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

2 tsp marjoram

2 tsp parsley

Sprinkle over bread sticks or combine 1 1/2 Tbsp seasoning with 1/2 c melted real butter and pour over bread sticks.  This is also the seasoning that goes in this amazing pizza sauce!

Homemade Pizza

Recipe from Our Best Bites

1.  Begin preparing your dough (See pizza dough recipe)  Complete steps through the first rise.

Breadsticks & Pizza Dough

1 1/2 c warm (105-115 degrees) water

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

3-4 1/2 c flour

In a large bowl (the bowl of your mixer, if you have one), combine water, sugar, and yeast.  Let stand for 10 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

Add salt and stir.  Add 1 1/2 c flour and mix well.  Gradually add more flour (usually between 3-4 cups, depending on your elevation and humidity) until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl and it barely sticks to your finger.

Spray a glass or metal bowl with cooking spray and place dough in the bowl.  Cover and allow to rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

2.  While your dough is rising, prepare your sauce.

Pizza Sauce

1 6 oz can tomato paste

6 oz water (just use the empty tomato paste can)

3 Tbsp garlic bread seasoning*

1 Tbsp sugar or honey

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Empty tomato paste into a bowl and add water a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly until combined.  Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine and allow to stand until ready to use.  Covers two average-sized pizzas;   Freezes extremely well.

* Garlic Bread Seasoning

Combine the following ingredients:

1/2 c powdered Parmesan cheese

2 tsp Kosher salt

2 Tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp basil

2 tsp marjoram

2 tsp parsley

3. Preheat your oven (and your pizza stone, if you want) to 425 degrees.  (I don't have a pizza stone, I just use round pizza pan and this recipe still works great!)  While oven is heating, punch down dough and shape into a disc.  Spray your work surface, rolling pin, and pizza stone (or pan) with non-stick cooking spray.  Place dough disc onto work surface.  Roll and shape into a circle.  Very gently transfer the dough onto your pizza stone (or pan) and continue to shape up to the edges of the stone.  

4.  Using a fork, prick several holes in the crust.  Drizzle crust with a little olive oil... and brush all the way up to the edges.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.  Both oiling and salting the crust help crisp it up, give it a great flavor, and keep it from getting soggy in the middle.  

5.  Bake crust in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.

6.  Spread layer of sauce over the surface of the crust.  Top with whatever toppings you like.  Add layer of cheese and then sprinkle with oregano.

7.  Return crust to oven and bake 10-12 minutes more or until cheese is melty and crust is golden brown.

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten by Our Best Bites

2 C flour, plus more as needed

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

3/4 C real butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1/2 C buttermilk

1 large or extra large egg

1 C grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Egg Wash:  1 egg, beaten with 1 Tbsp water or milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Measure out 2 cups of flour and then remove a spoonful of it and mix it with your grated cheese.  Set floured cheese aside.

Place the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.  Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork.  With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. Ad the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.  

Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly 3-4 times.  Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 10 x 5 inches.  With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles.  If preferred, cut to make 12 smaller biscuits.  Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Brush the tops with egg wash and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are cooked through.  Serve hot or warm.

Brenda's Whole Wheat Bread

                             Recipe from my sister-in-law Brenda 
*makes 3 loaves


3 1/2 c hot water (115 degrees)
1 egg
2 tsp salt
1/4 c canola oil
1/2 c honey*
1 Tbsp instant yeast


Place all ingredients in mixer with 4 c whole wheat flour (hard white wheat is best).  Set timer for 5 minutes and add up to about 6 c more flour or until the sides of the mixer wipe clean.  The amount of flour will depend on humidity, type of flour you use etc, so go more off the appearance of your dough than the actual amount of flour called for in recipe.  May I again recommend this website for excellent tutorials on working with yeast and making yeast breads.


Let dough rise to double and punch down.  Divide dough into thirds and shape into loaves.  Place into greased bread pans and cover loosely with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.  Let dough rise again.  Bake for 32 minutes at 350 degrees.  Internal temperature of loaves should be 180 degrees.  


*Brenda said you could substitute 1/2 c of agave, pure maple syrup, brown sugar, or molasses for the honey if you wish.

French Bread Rolls

recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

*Makes about one dozen rolls.  You may want to double or triple this recipe because these rolls are yummy and will get gobbled up quickly.

1 1/2 c warm water
3/4 Tbsp instant yeast (or 1 Tbsp active dry yeast)
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour, give or take a few tablespoons

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl by hand, combine the warm water, yeast, sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups of flour (if you are using active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, let the yeast proof in the warm water and sugar for about 3-5 minutes until it is foamy and bubbly before adding the oil, salt and flour).  Begin mixing and continue to add the rest of the flour gradually until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Judge the dough not by the amount of flour called for in the recipe, but in how the dough feels.  The dough should be soft and smooth, but still slightly tacky to the touch.  On Mel's website, she gives an awesome tutorial on working with yeast doughs.  If you are new to yeast doughs, I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand until it is very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand.  Lightly spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl. Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until it has doubled (this usually takes about an hour).

Lightly punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly greased counter top.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and form the dough into round balls.  Place the rolls on a lightly greased or silpat lined baking sheet about an inch or two apart. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap taking care not to pin the plastic wrap under the baking sheet or else the rolls will flatten while rising. Let the plastic wrap gently hang over the sides of the pan to fully cover the rolls but not press them down. Let the rolls rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.

*Freezable option:  Once these rolls are baked and cooled, you can place them in a Ziplock bag and put them in the freezer. When ready to use, take them out a few hours before you need them, or take them out frozen and microwave them for about 2-3 minutes on 70% power.

*Note:  These rolls would be great buns for pulled pork sandwiches, sloppy joes, hamburgers etc.