A bit of fragrance always clings

to the hand that gives roses.

~Chinese Proverb

I am glad I was not born before tea.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Scones

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup chocolate-covered English toffee baking bits
2 cups cold whipping cream

For Topping:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
granulated sugar

Preheat oven 375 degrees and lightly butter two large baking sheets. In large bowl,combine the flour,1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and toffee. Beat the cream in separate large bowl until stiff peaks form, fold into dry ingredients. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, knead lightly until a soft dough forms. Gently shape into a circle and with serrated knife cut into wedges. Place on baking sheets a few inches apart. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Winter is not a season, it's an occupation. ~Sinclair Lewis

• 1 medium onion • 1 rib celery • 1/4 head cabbage • 2 tablespoons butter • 1 pound frozen hash brown potatoes • 4 cups chicken broth • 2 cups water • 1/3 cup sour cream • 1 tablespoon flour • 1/4 cup milk • 1 large smoked sausage link, cut into 1/4-inch slices • Parmigiano-Reggiano, for grating • freshly chopped chives, optional 1. Chop the onion and the celery. Shred enough cabbage to make one cup. 2. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion looks transparent, about 10 minutes. 3. Stir in the cabbage and potatoes, then add the chicken broth and the water. Cook over high heat until the mixture boils then simmer for 30 minutes. 4. Mix together sour cream and flour; add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stir the sour cream mixture and the sausage into the soup; heat. 5. Serve the soup with a generous grating of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a sprinkling of chives, if desired.

• Beans Baked Boston Style
• 
  
• 1 pound dried pinto beans (2 1/4 cups)

• 12 bacon slices (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 
  

• Place beans in large bowl. Add enough water to cover by 3 inches. Let stand overnight. Drain beans; set aside.

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook bacon in heavy large pot until crisp, about 8 minutes. Add beans and all remaining ingredients to pot. Bring to boil.

  Transfer pot to oven. Bake uncovered until beans are tender and liquid thickens, stirring occasionally, about 4 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring beans to simmer before serving.)

Albert Anker, Still Life: Two Glass of Red Wine, a bottle of Wine; a Corkscrew and a Plate of Biscuits on a Tray, oil on canvas, 43 x 40cm, Private collection

Baked Brie with Dried Cherries & Thyme

1/2-lb. wheel of Brie (about 4-inch diameter), at room temperature
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/3 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

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Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Slice off the top rind of the Brie and discard. On a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, roll the pastry out to a 12-inch square and cut two 6-inch rounds from it. Put one of the rounds on a small rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with half of the dried cherries and thyme, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge, and gently press so they adhere.

Set the Brie, rind side down, on top of the pastry, sprinkle with the remaining cherries and thyme, and cover with the other pastry. Crimp the edges together to seal in the cheese. Brush the top of the dough with the butter. Bake until the pastry browns, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes and then serve.

Another fresh new year is here . . .

The perfect Christmas tree?

All Christmas trees are perfect!

~Charles N. Barnard

So often in life, we feel things that have little to do with what’s actually happening and everything to do with the stories we’re telling ourselves in our head—stories that involve assumption, blame, and defensiveness.

But we don’t have to fall victim to our instinctive emotional reactions. At any time, we can stop, assess what’s going on in our heads, and decide to respond a little more wisely based on what we know about ourselves.

Today if you feel yourself getting all worked up over something that isn’t a big deal, ask yourself, “What can I learn about myself that will help me going forward?”

Starbucks Spiced Holiday Coffee

2/3 cup ground Starbucks Christmas Blend or other dark roast coffee, 4 cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into small pieces, 6 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 2/3 cup honey, half-and-half or milk. Mix together the coffee and cinnamon sticks. Using the coffee-cinnamon mixture and the water, brew coffee by your customary brewing method. Add the cardamom and honey to the hot coffee and stir until the honey dissolves. Serve warm. Pour about 2/3 cup coffee into each glass. Pass the half-and-half or milk.

OLD FASHIONED ANGEL BISCUITS

1 pkg. active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water 2 cups buttermilk 5 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup lard or shortening, chilled 1 tablespoon melted butter Have all ingredients at room temperature. In choosing lard or shortening, be sure to use non-hydrogenated products. Butter may be substituted. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. Set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in the buttermilk, making sure it has first been warmed to room temperature so as not to shock the yeast. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir all ingredients together to mix well. Using your fingers, two knives or a pastry blender, work 1/2 the chilled shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Work in the remaining shortening until it resembles large peas. Stir buttermilk and yeast mixture into the dry ingredients until just blended; do not overmix. On a clean surface dusted lightly with flour, turn out dough and knead 6 to 8 times, patting together lightly into a flattened circle. Roll circle out 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick and cut using a floured glass or a 3 inch biscuit cutter. Dip in flour between each cut. Arrange biscuits on a lightly greased baking sheet; leave 1/3 inch between for softer sided biscuits or 1 inch for more crisp sided biscuits. Cover with a damp towel or lightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, or about 45 minutes. Bake in a preheated 450°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter before serving. This dough can be refrigerated for 3-5 days, or frozen for up to a month.

Back from a relaxing holiday.

I was an explorer.

The universe is filled with wonder and magical things.

Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.

"A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air."
- Eric Sloane

Happy Sunday morning!

Ye Olde Tavern's fresh fruit salad with

Lime, Honey and Mint Syrup

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup chopped mint

The Urban Grape’s Infamous Sangria
Serves twelve to fourteen

Ingredients
3-4 apples
1 pineapple (fresh or canned)
1 carton strawberries
4 bottles house red wine
½ bottle OJ (pasteurized, no pulp)
4 oz. canned pineapple juice
1 c. brandy
1 l ginger ale
2 lemons, juiced
2 limes, juiced

1. Cut fruit into bite-size pieces.

2. Combine all liquids and juiced fruits in a pitcher. Mix well.

3. Place fruit in a tall glass. Top with mixture and a splash of ginger ale.

Lincoln’s words are enshrined among the best of Veterans Day quotes. He said in the famous Gettysburg Address about the soldiers who died: “But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground.

“The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.”

Remember our soldiers who have served or are serving our country.

Every leaf speaks bliss to me,

fluttering from the autumn tree.
~ Emily Bronte quotes on the fall

A long weekend get away to Secrets, Maroma Beach, Cancun. The spa is fabulous! Loved the beach, walked for miles and rarely saw anyone. We sure picked the right time of the year to go, quiet and no hurricanes.

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun

Vermouth Cassis

It may seem like a small thing, but one of the happiest consequences of the renewed interest in cocktails and the ingredients that go into them is the resurgence in the vermouth category. Noilly Prat used to make a dry vermouth for the North American market; it recently discontinued that version and began exporting the European formula. And Dolin, one of the best French vermouths, was reintroduced in December 2008. There are several excellent brands of crème de cassis. Most come from Dijon, France.

Place 2 cubes of ice in a highball glass. Over these pour 3 ounces dry French vermouth and 4 dashes crème de cassis. Add a twist of lemon peel and fill the glass with seltzer or vichy.