Grandma's Recipe Treats and Cheese Crusted Potato Scones

As promised, here I am today with the companion volume to yesterday's cookery book, entitled, Grandma's Recipe Treats, packed with Tasty and Traditional Dishes. Now, if that isn't a title that will tempt you, I don't know what will!



Perhaps I can tempt you with it's beautiful cover, easily wipeable (a plus where cookery books are concerned) and so very pretty with it's flower trellis border and beautiful blooms.



Or maybe you can be tempted with it's fine table of contents . . . 47 pages of taste tempting breads, soups, main dishes and teatime treats, with a variety of crafts, hints and tips interspersed here and there.



Yes, it has crafts and tips! Want to make a pretty apron using a teatowel as a gift for a friend? It's here! Want to know how bake perfect cookies? Grandma's wisdom tells you how. Beauty tips??? Look no further, Grandma knows all!



Each recipe is written with three measurements . . . including metric, weight and North American measures . . . so there need be no confusion, and of course each is accompanied with a delicious looking photograph.



As well there are quaint and beautiful photos scattered throughout, very nostalgic and as comfy as a grannies lap.



I wanted to cook one of the main dishes, as there are some really tasty ones to choose from such as Chicken Pie with a Sweet Potato Topping and Pan Fried Beef with Creamy Mushrooms, but we were going out for supper today so I settled on a teatime treat of Cheese Crusted Potato Scones.



I ran into just a smidgen of trouble . . . the cup size of the mash was either wrong, or the amount of milk was wrong . . . I couldn't really tell which, and so I chose to increase the milk, and they turned out lovely.



Oh so moist with a moreishly crisp crust on the outside, enhanced with scrummy cheddar cheese. These were delicious!



They would be the perfect side to serve with a hot pot of soup, or a plate of delicious stew.



Or even on their own for the teatime table along with plenty of butter for spreading and preserves for dolloping.



Altogether I am delighted with this book and I just can't wait to cook something else from it. It would make the perfect gift for any cook on your Christmas list this year.



*Cheese Crusted Potato Scones*
Makes 6
Printable Recipe

These are delicious, with a moist crumb and crunchy cheese topping, as well as the goodness of whole wheat.

200g/ 7 oz/ 1 3/4 cups self raising flour
3 TBS whole meal/whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
25g/ 1 oz/ 2 TBS cold butter, cubed
7 to 8 TBS milk
65g/ 2.5 oz/ 1/4 cup cold mashed potatoes
freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS milk for brushing
40g/ 1 1/2 ounce/ 6 TBS finely grated cheddar cheese
Paprika to dust

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Lightly butter a baking sheet. Set aside.

Measure the flours, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.

Whisk together the mashed potatoes and 4 TBS of milk, seasoning with some black pepper. Add all at once to the dry mixture, adding the remainder of the milk as needed. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly for a few seconds until smooth. Pat into a 6 inch round. Transfer to the buttered baking sheet. Mark the scone into 6 wedges, cutting about halfway down with a sharp knife, but not all the way through. Brush with some milk, sprinkle with the cheese and a faint dusting of paprika.

Bake on the middle shefl of the preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 5 minutes, before breaking into wedges to serve.

Serve warm with butter for spreading, or allow to cool completely. Once cool, store in an airtight tin. Serve split and buttered.

Available at Amazon.co.uk for £8.99
ISBN - 13: 978-0-85775-256-7
Published by Flame Tree Publishing, and also available through the same.

Many thanks to Eleanor and FTP for sending me this delightful book. I give this book a rating of 8 out of 10!! (I took a few points off for the discrepancy in the amount of milk or potatoes in this recipe. As an experienced cook I knew how to correct it, but someone else who has little cooking knowledge might be stumped by this.)



Over in The Cottage today there is a delicious Roasted Lemon Chicken with Croutons.

Gingerbread Scones with a Lemon Glaze

I'm always on the lookout for a new scone recipe. We do love our scones in this house, to say the least.



They make a nice snack for supper in the evening with a hot drink whilst watching a bit of something on the telly . . . I always keep some done up in the freezer, just waiting for that unexpected company to drop in . . .




We quite often have them on Sunday afternoons. I don't really do a big Sunday Lunch these days, not with church and all . . . we just have what I can rustle up when we get in from church and then I bake us a treat for later on . . . like scones.



This recipe comes from the Australian Women's Weekly Afternoon Tea book. I love the Australian Women's weekly books. They always have nice recipes in them.



I have been wanting to make these for a while now and finally got around to it today. The raisins are my own addition, as is the candied ginger on top. In truth, I don't think I would go to the trouble of adding the raisins again . . . they didn't really add much. The ginger on top though is great! The scones are light and crumbly and that lemon glaze is just the ticket!



They went down a real treat with some hot lemon and ginger tea. A real treat! So good in fact that I might have another one when I get off of here.



Don't they say feed a fever, starve a cold? Or is it the other way around. Me? I'm not taking any chances. I'm not starving anything! (just in case.)



*Gingerbread Scones with a Lemon Glaze*
Makes about 16
Printable Recipe

Delicious scones, with a tender crumb, and a bit of a snap! The raisins are optional. So is the chopped candied ginger on top. Fabulous!

1 ounce butter, softened
55g of soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup, firmly packed)
1 large free range egg yolk
375g self raising flour (2 1/2 cups)
3 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
250ml of buttermilk (1 cup)
2 TBS treacle or golden syrup (can use molasses)
a handful of raisins (optional)
Additional buttermilk for tops

For the Lemon Glaze:
160g icing sugar, sifted (1 cup)
1/2 ounce of butter, melted
1 TBS fresh lemon juice (more if needed)
To decorate some chopped candied ginger or lemon zest(optional)

Preheat the oven to 220*C.425*F/ gas mark 7. Butter a 9 inch square cake tin. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and egg yolk until light and fluffy, in a large bowl. Sift the dry ingredients together. Mix together the buttermilk and the syrup. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ,mixture along with the buttermilk mixture. Use a knife to cut the buttermilk mixture through the flour to make a soft and sticky dough. (If using raisins add them now.) Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Pat out into a 3/4 inch thick round. Cut with a sharp round 2 inch cutter, tapping straight down and up. Place the rounds into the baking pan, just barely touching. Gently knead the scraps and repeat until all are used. Brush the scones with some additonal buttermilk.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Whisk together the ingredients for the lemon glaze until you have a smooth drizzable icing. You may need more lemon juice to give you the right consistency. Spoon this glaze over the warm scones and decorate the tops with some candied ginger or lemon zest.

These scones are best made on the day of serving, although they can be rozen for up to 3 months, unglazed. Thaw in an oven, wrapped in foil, before glazing.



Cooking in The Cottage today, some delicious Stuffed French Toast.

Brown Scones

I think sometimes that we try to complicate things too much . . . tis the simple things that often seem to bring us the most pleasure.



Things like these scones . . . simple ingredients, easy to make . . . and even easier to eat.



Not much to look at . . . but simple things seldom are . . . there is a beauty in their simplicity that is somewhat mystical . . . and hard to put your finger on.



You only know they work in the most magical way, and bring joy to all those lucky enough to partake of them . . . no matter what or who they be.



These are lovely served warm from the oven . . . split and spread with lots of cold butter and honey . . . or with a nice slab of cold Cranberry Wensleydale Cheese.

Yummo! This is bliss. Just perfect in the late afternoon with a nice hot drink of whatever plucks your heart strings!



*Brown Scones*
makes 12
Printable Recipe

Sometimes the simple things are the best things of all.

6 1/2 ounces flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 ounce bran cereal, ground fine (1/2 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 TBS caster sugar
4 TBS butter, cold and cut into bits
1 large free range egg
4 fluid ounces milk (1/2 cup)

Glaze:
2 TBS milk
2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed

Preheat the oven to 220*C/450*F/ gas mark 7. Line a baking sheet with some baking parchment. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, bran, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Beat together the milk and egg. Add all at once to the crumb mixture, stirring it together with a fork. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead about a dozen times. Pat out into a 9 inch circle, about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 12 equal wedges. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Stir the milk and sugar for the glaze together until the sugar is melted. Brush over the tops of the scones, without letting any drip down the sides. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until well risen and nicely browned. Serve warm.