Ham and Cheese Scones

These were just too good.  I don't even know what else to say.  These scones literally melt in your mouth, and remind  me of my Cheddar Parmesan Biscuits (found here) but these have more Cheddar than Parmesan and have ham and no garlic.  I wouldn't change anything about these scones, though. They are so darn good!  I think using heavy cream instead of milk/buttermilk makes a big difference...it makes these scones so much richer...just the way I like it.  The cream is definitely the cause of the melt-in-your-mouth effect.  But the ham is probably the star of this savory scone.  I insisted on getting fresh Virginia Ham from the deli in our grocery store because I had been wanting to make this ham and cheddar scone recipe. One thing I love about ham is how versatile it is.  They can jazz up omelets, be built into sandwiches, mix in a casserole, or star in this soft and buttery scone. Scones are generally sweet, not salty, but these savory scones are now my favorite. They are little triangles of buttery bread goodness, packed with the salty flavor of ham and cheddar cheese and the mild flavor of green onion. They're easy to prepare and work as either a side dish or a breakfast.  These seriously lasted minutes in my house.  I was actually really angry at my parents because they ate them all when I wasn't looking before I could grab a third.  My new rule: the cook gets the last one!

Yield: about 8 scones

Ingredients:

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons white sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick, 2 ounces) cold  butter
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan chese
1/3 cup (about 1/2 ounce) snipped fresh chives, or finely diced scallion tops (the green part, 3/4 ounce)
1 cup cooked ham pieces - about 1 inch, torn from the slices
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whipping cream, or enough to make the dough stick together

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

1) Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.
2) Work the butter into the flour until the mixture is unevenly crumbly.
3) Mix in the cheese, chives, and ham till evenly distributed.
4) Add ¾ cup of the cream, stirring to combine. Try squeezing the dough together; if it’s crumbly and won’t hang together, or if there are crumbs remaining in the bottom of the bowl, add cream until the dough comes together. Transfer the shaggy dough to a well-floured work surface.
5) Pat the dough into a smooth 7" disk about ¾" thick. Transfer the disk to the prepared baking sheet.
6) Use a knife or bench knife to cut the disk into 8 wedges, spreading the wedges apart a bit on the pan.
7) Brush the scones with a bit of cream; this will help their crust brown.
8) Bake the scones for 15-17 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool right on the pan. Serve warm, or at room temperature. 

adapted from Heat Oven to 350

Ham and Potato Soup

     My parents went crazy for this.  Seriously...they couldn't stop eating it.  We all agree: this ham and potato soup+ my herb bread = the ultimate comfort food.  Especially on a chilly winter night.  It's surprisingly much more healthy than you'd think, because it doesn't use any cream-just some butter.  To make it more low fat, you can use skim milk (I used 2%).  I am definitely making this dinner again.  It was so incredibly easy too!!  I can't wait to try it with other variations...chicken and broccoli, italian sausage and mushrooms, and just adding more veggies like green beans, carrots, and corn.  I don't even know why this soup tastes so good...but my family and I believe it's because of the yukon gold potatoes.  Seriously, those things are so flavorful.  I will NEVER go back to boring baked potatoes ever again.  If you have never had yukon gold, try them. I can promise you, you won't regret it.

Yield: About 8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups peeled and diced yukon gold potatoes
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup diced cooked ham
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
• chives (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.  Sprinkle with cheese and chives if desired.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

You may have read in my "about" section how I'm definitely more of a baker than a cook.  I've tried multiple times to make my parents dinner, and it usually doesn't go well. There was the time I made a stir fry (out of my childrens cook-book) and it was wayyy too salty... I made a sweet and sour chicken but it had absolutely no flavor...and I made a vegetable lasagna a few month ago for them, but my mom refused to eat it...she hated it that much.  I honestly didn't think it tasted that bad..so I pretty much had to eat the entire thing myself throughout the week.  My parents have made it pretty darn clear that I'm not very good at preparing dinners.  "Stick to desserts." ---> that's what they tell me.  So this past weekend, I asked them for a chance to redeem myself.  I could tell they were kind of nervous (I probably would be too..if I was in their shoes, based on my past failures), but I looked up the top recipes on allrecipes.com, and the 10th place, 5 star, 2985 reviewed recipe was Chicken Cordon Bleu.  And let me tell you: it was so easy. It seemed too easy actually.  Especially since it had so many good comments.  It only took me about 45 minutes tops to make. Place a piece of ham and cheese on a chicken breast, roll it up, fry it, pour in the sauce ingredients, and simmer for 15 mintues.  That's it. 

I did alter it slightly:

•  I used half olive oil and half butter, instead of all butter, because it prevents the butter from burning.  And it makes it healthier! :) 
• I cooked it less than it stated (15 minutes instead of 30) because overcooking chicken will ruin any recipe...and it turned out perfectly moist, so I'm very glad I did. 
• The last thing I changed was adding fresh parsley to the sauce and sprinkling it on top of the chicken, just to add a little more flavor.

The result? I'm not lying when I tell you: it was deeeelish.  Definitely one of the best dinner recipes I've ever made.  I served it with steamed broccoli and mushrooms.  The only thing I would do different next time is serve it over rice.  The sauce was incredibly delicious with the veggies, and I know it would taste very good with the rice as well. I guess you can conclude that I have redeemed myself and am now proud to say that I will be cooking my parents dinner every Sunday :D  I'll keep you posted on them.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham  (good quality please!)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (fresh is best)

Directions:

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges (it's a good idea to fold the ham over the edges of the cheese. This prevents the cheese from melting when frying). Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Stir in the parsley.  Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve warm.