Apple Buttermilk Scones

Sigh! my photos are traveling, lost somewhere in the blogosphere, so here's a placeholder; a post with a not-so-wonderful scone from Tim Hortons. Updates to come whenever I track down those pesky traveling photos.

It's HOT outside, the air conditioner has been going full blast... and I'm baking scones?! What's up with that? Typically we don't love scones, often finding them too dry and crumbly, not as tasty as sweet or savory drop biscuits. But the second week of August is unofficially International Scone Week, a tradition begun by Celia in 2011 (link), now hosted by Tandy at Lavender and Lime, and I couldn't resist an early morning bake. Good decision, since this small batch of Apple Buttermilk Scones was a winner.

The scones sported a toothsome crispy crust and a meltingly tender interior, more reminiscent of an apple cake or quickbread rather than my (obviously incorrect) memories of dry, disappointing scones. While the glaze was a tasty addition, it wasn't necessary... especially since RL added butter and jam to each split half. Half-batch baking provided breakfast and a shared snack later in the morning, with no pesky leftover scones to dry out on counters or fridge. Thanks, Tandy, for nudging me into baking this delicious taste treat.

The base recipe came from Jen at bakedbyanintrovert, click here for her original full-batch recipe. Below is my slightly adjusted, half-batch version for #ISW2018.

Apple Buttermilk Scones

yields 4 fat scones

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Penzey's Apple Pie Spice
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
• 1/4 cup chilled or frozen butter, grated
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh apple, unpeeled 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar

For the glaze (optional)

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons apple juice

Directions 

1. Whisk or sift the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, Apple Pie Spice and buttermilk powder together. Add the chilled, grated butter into the flour mix and combine using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. 
2. Gently fold in the apples. Whisk the vanilla and the milk together and gradually add half of it to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together. Add more milk as needed. a little at a time until the mixture is moist but not too wet. Do not over mix the dough. Place the bowl of dough in the freezer while you place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 F.
3. When the oven reaches 400 F, transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough four or five times. Pat the dough into a square and cut from corner to corner into four triangles.  Arrange the scones 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. 
4. Lightly brush the top of each scone with heavy cream. Sprinkle lightly with vanilla sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and drizzle with glaze. 

   
   

   Optional Glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a small bowl; whisk or stir in apple juice in small amounts until desired consistency. 

   
   

   Note: One scone is very filling so next time I will use the half-batch recipe to create 8 smaller scones.(and then eat 2 of them, no doubt).

Zucchini Lemon Muffins with Ginger & Nuts

Zucchini is in season somewhere this month, so why wait for summer to stock up on new zucchini recipes. It's barely time to set out plants so, yes, I know I know, I'm rushing our local season by several months. The payoff will come later when facing an overabundance of zucchini, I'll be ready. 

During the past several weeks I've been playing with stuffed zucchini recipes, changing up ingredients and seasonings in pursuit of optimum flavor in addition to scads of health benefits. (posts may or may not follow) All good... until suddenly I couldn't face one more healthy zucchini entree. Okay then, how about a dessert? Zucchini quickbread is an old standby, zucchini-pineapple cake is another tasty treat, but savory zucchini muffins have become our latest favorite. Moist and tangy, lemony and not overly sweet, these little gems are delicious! A bonus feature is they freeze well if we grow tired of them after a few days.

A standard recipe from King Arthur Flour provided the base zucchini muffin recipe, but I didn't stop there. Oh no: swap currants for the required raisins, add some powdered ginger and crystallized ginger, double the lemon impact with more fresh zest and a teaspoon of powdered lemon zest, and then bake in different sizes of muffin tins. All good - so good that the mini muffins disappeared before their photo op. The "regular" size muffins were popular at breakfast and during mid-morning breaks. The larger muffins, baked in a cast iron cornbread pan, were strangely less popular. Commitment issues, perhaps? Evidently it was easier to enjoy several small muffins rather than commit to finishing one larger one. Go figure.

Zucchini Lemon Muffins with Ginger & Nuts

adapted from a classic recipe at King Arthur Flour

Makes 12+ muffins, depending on size of muffin tin used

Dry Ingredients:
2 cups All-Purpose flour
scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
grated peel of 1 medium lemon
1 tsp powdered lemon peel
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1 generous cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried currants
1/4 cup sweet crystallized ginger bits

Wet Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/3 cup canola oil


Plus:
1 cup (packed) shredded zucchini (not drained or squeezed dry)
optional granulated sugar to sprinkle on top before baking

To Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Grease or spray a 12-muffin tin (or equivalent). Assemble the ingredients.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients.

Use a small bowl and whisk together the wet ingredients. 

Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl of dry ingredients. Use a large spoon and stir to just combine (don't overmix!). Gently fold in the shredded zucchini.

Using a cookie scoop or ladle, add the batter to the prepared muffin tin, filling each opening about 3/4 full. If desired, light sprinkle the top of each muffin with sugar.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until lightly browned, or the muffins spring back to the touch. (note: times can vary by 5 minutes or more with different size muffins) Remove muffin tins from the oven and rest for 5 minutes on a baking rack. Gently remove from baking tin and serve warm or cool completely before storing, covered or well-wrapped, for up to 3 days at room temperature. Freeze for longer storage.

Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Walnuts

This is not your old school, sweet and soft-textured raisin bread. As a kid I loved an occasional raisin bread treat, a toasted thin slice swirled with barely a hint of sweet cinnamon and raisins. That loaf was fluffy, a close cousin to Wonder bread in taste and texture, and rare enough in our household to be a special treat. This sourdough version isn't even remotely relately to that insipid bread of my childhood. Ahhhh, this raisin bread from Emilie Raffa's book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple offers texture and crunch along with a distinct cinnamon flavor in every bite.

Raisin bread is not a new idea, 

Wikipedia notes "there have been published recipes for bread with raisins since 1671. Since the 15th century, breads made with raisins were made in Europe. In Germany stollen was a Christmas bread. Kulich was an Easter bread made in Russia and panettone was made in Italy. The earliest citation for "raisin bread" in the Oxford English Dictionary is dated to an 1845 article in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine."

Raffa's sourdough version changed my view of what raisin bread could be. I took a few liberties with her recipe on my first attempt and still ended up with good results. We are already anticipating the next loaves for breakfast slices and snacks.

Results from the first bake:

Crust: I'll admit that first crunchy bite was a bit of a shock when my food memory anticipated the squishy-soft bread of childhood. RL and I quickly adjusted our expectations and reveled in this altogether new slice. Yes, the crust was crackling hard on day one, but thin enough so no tooth was endangered. After overnighting in a plastic bag, the crust softened somewhat, but remained fairly firm on day two. There was no bread left for further comment, we ate it all quite happily.

Crumb: the interior was soft but not sandwich-bread soft. My first loaves were not as airy as those pictured in Raffa's photo; an issue for this cook to work on. Now that my sourdough Old Faithful is back in active form any missteps are definitely mine.

Filling: the ratio of cinnamon mix, raisins and walnuts was ample, providing a treat to savor in each bite.   

Taste: cool or toasted and spread with just a slather of butter, the bread seemed undersalted. A sprinkle of sea salt on top made a difference. Spread with cream cheese or berry preserves, salt was not an issue. 

Baker's Notes: 

• I do not own the long rectangular proofing basket or baking pot specified so formed two smaller loaves instead. One loaf baked in a round cast-iron dutch oven with lid, preheated at 400 F, and the second loaf baked uncovered in a glass loaf pan that was not preheated. The results were remarkably similar.
• When/if the cinnamon and sugar mix leaks out it will caramelize in spots on the bottom crust to form a rock-hard lava-like blob. Cut that mess away and toss - burnt sugar adds nothing to the bread experience!

• Soaking the raisins and walnuts did not keep the exposed bits from scorching on my loaves. Next time I will carefully poke them back in before baking. This round I just popped those few bits off before slicing.

With only two of us to indulge in a freshly baked loaf I'll put off a second round of baking for another week or two, but there will be more sourdough cinnamon raisin bread with walnuts in my kitchen soon. Sooner if I decide to share more loaves - anyone nearby want to share?

 Sourdough Cinnamon Raisin Bread with Walnuts

slightly adapted from Emilie Raffa's Artisan Sourdough Made Simple.

makes 2 standard loaves

1/4 cup active sourdough starter
1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast (optional, added for insurance only)
generous 12 oz warm water
rounded 4+ 1/4 cups bread flour (Raffa used bread flour & whole wheat flour)
1+ 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1/3 cup raisins, soaked to plump
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped large & soaked to soften

1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 rounded tsp cinnamon

Day 1:
Whisk the starter and water together in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt; stir to incorporate. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and rest for an hour. While the dough is resting soak the raisins and walnuts in warm water. Note: drain well before using!

Add drained raisins and nuts to the rested dough; knead briefly & gently to incorporate. Add a sprinkle or two of flour to adjust the consistency, as needed. Note: avoid adding too much flour.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let rise overnight until doubled in size (or 8 to 10 hours).

Day 2:
Place the dough on a lightly floured board & let rest for 15 minutes or more. Line proofing vessels with flour-dusted towels or sprayed parchment paper. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl & set aside.

Flour your hands and stretch half of the dough into a long rectangle. Brush the surface with water & sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mix evenly over the top. Leave a clean border around the rim for a better seal after rolling. Begin with a short side and roll the dough into a log. Pinch the ends to seal. Move to the proofing vessel with seam side up. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Cover the dough logs and let them rest and rise again, 30 to 60 minutes. They will not double in size. Preheat the oven to 425 while the dough rests. Cut parchment paper to generously fit the baking pots if you used proofing baskets. Put the paper over the baskets, invert and remove baskets. Otherwise gently roll your loaves over, seam side down on their parchment bases. Gently poke any exposed nuts and raisins back under the surface to prevent scorching.

Dust the surface with flour; make 2 or 3 shallow diagonal slashes (shallow to avoid exposing the filling). Use the paper & lift the loaves into their baking pots.

Bake covered 20 minutes on the center oven rack. Remove lid and bake uncovered for an additional 30 to 40 minutes (aim for 190 to 200 degrees F at the center). Remove to a wire baking rack and cool for at least one hour before slicing.
   

Lemon Ginger Cookies

...think snickerdoodles, with an attitude.

Continuing on this week with some lemon and gingery things, these cookies were delicious, exceeding all expectations. Slightly chewy golden brown edges... light puffy centers... and a subtle tangyness of lemon and ginger that almost made my tongue tingle. Mmmm, yes! The first dozen disappeared quickly as my favorite taste tester helped me assess the results. We both awarded top honors with two thumbs up.

The recipe should have tipped me off that these little puffs were close to the classic snickerdoodle cookie, but I don't remember ever eating one. Nope, not ever; snickerdoodles were not present in my childhood. I've heard of them since, but never sought them out. A traditional snickerdoodle relies on cream of tartar for additional lift and lightness, and typically calls for chilling the dough before baking for maximum height and minimum spread. I might adjust my approach for the next batch, or not. These little cuties were winners as is.

Random thought: where did that strange name come from? "Snickerdoodle;" it sounds like it might have a Deutsch history... schnecken and knodel? Mmmm, no, not when a schnecken is a snail or rolled bun. I'll stick with calling them Lemon Ginger Cookies.

Lemon Ginger Cookies

adapted from a recipe in Cookie Classics Made Easy

makes approx 4 dozen

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with a silicone baking pad or parchment paper. Have wire baking racks available. Use a small bowl and mix the optional topping to roll each cookie before baking.

1 TBS ground ginger

1 TBS lemon powder

1 TBS granulated sugar

Step 2. Use a stand mixer, combine the following and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary:

1 cup (2 sticks) softened, unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs at room temperature

2 TBS Greek yogurt (not low fat) 

2 tsp lemon extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tsp ground ginger

1-1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 TBS lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

Step 3. Add and mix thoroughly to incorporate:

3 cups all-purpose flour

Step 4. Scoop out 1-inch balls of the dough and roll between your fingers to shape and firm. Optional step: roll each dough ball in the flavored sugar topping mix listed in Step 1. Place on cookie sheet with an inch or two between cookies.

Step 5. Bake for approx 15 minutes in preheated 355 F oven until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit undisturbed for a few minutes. Move to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a covered container.

Note: Unnecessary but tasty finish: drizzle cooled cookies with thin ribbons of a loose 3:1 or 4:1 mix of powdered sugar and lemon juice. 

Apple Pie with a Pecan Cinnamon Crust

Messy but tasty, a bit like life

What's your favorite apple dessert? RL loves Crispy Apple Crisp while I'm more a fan of Apple Crostata. Admittedly we're both fond of all manner of apple dishes, but currently this one-crust Apple Pie with a generous topping of streusel ranks high on our list of favorite treats.

Some would call this a Dutch Apple Pie, others might argue it is a French Apple Pie. Whatever! this one-crust apple pie mounded high with a nutty, cinnamon streusel is just plain delicious. 

Apples claim star billing in this non-fussy, uncomplicated dessert. Its tantalizing appley aroma filled the entire house as the pie baked, stirring appetites and expectations alike. Letting the pie cool enough to set the filling challenged my patience; it smelled so good! Unable to wait until fully cooled, I sneaked a spoonful, one single bite, to savor the smooth, sweet fruit and crunchy topping. Mmmmm, yes! the heady, sweet flavor called for a generous slice... or two. No whipped cream or ice cream needed. The pecan streusel topping contributes a tasty, toothsome contrast to the delicious filling, but really, this is all about the apples. 

Are you tempted? Go ahead, give this pie a try and let me know your results. Or check out My Recipe Index for some other apple recipes.

Cinnamon Crust French Apple Pie

For the Pie & Filling:

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust (ready-made or your favorite recipe)

8 cups cooking apples, a mix of tart & a few sweet

2 TBS lemon juice

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 TBS all-purpose flour (or 1-1/2 TBS cornstarch)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the Streusel Topping:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

6 TBS (3 oz) very cold butter, 

Prepare the Pie:

1. Preheat the oven to 415 F. Place a single unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.
2. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples; set aside in a large bowl. Sprinkle the slices with the lemon juice and toss to coat.
3. In a small bowl, add the remaining filling ingredients and mix to combine. Sprinkle this mixture over the apples; toss to coat.
4. Spoon the apple mixture over the unbaked pie crust, mounding the apples higher in the center of the pie shell and arranging to fill any gaps or holes.

Prepare the Streusel:

1. Mix the ingredients together in a medium bowl, working with your fingers until crumbly (or give them a few quick bursts in a food processor). 
2. Sprinkle carefully and evenly over the mounded apples in the pie crust. Lightly pat smooth to firm somewhat.

Bake the Pie:

1. Place the pie pan on a larger cookie or baking sheet; the filling is likely to ooze over the edge. (almost guaranteed!)
2. Bake the pie in the preheated 425 F oven for 12 minutes.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and continue to bake for 35-45 minutes longer. The apples will be tender with juices oozing and bubbling in the center of the pie and around the rim.
4. Cool on a wire baking rack to set the filling. Cut into wedges and serve, with or without ice cream or whipped cream.

Walnut Bread

This savory, slightly rich walnut bread has become a multitasking favorite in my galley. It is uncomplicated to make, holds well for days on the counter (for months in the freezer), and tastes downright delicious. What's not to like?! While it might resemble a hearty rye bread, the recipe calls for any standard all-purpose flour. I used King Arthur unbleached AP flour, but attritute the loaves' brown interior to the walnuts rather than the unbleached flour. Walnuts will do that. 

Walnut bread with melted cheddar and sauced eggs on walnut bread toast

We enjoy a thick slice still warm from the oven, often slathered with butter as a stand-alone treat or maybe as an accompaniment to a hearty bowl of soup. Add chunky walnut bread croutons to a turkey Caesar salad for a filling entree. Toast thin slices for open faced sandwiches or appetizer bases. Dip crispy walnut bread soldiers into your morning's soft boiled eggs. See, definitely a multitasking favorite!  

Photo from the cookbook Cooking for the Week

The recipe calls for 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 cups of flour, a wide range that should not be a problem for anyone with even a little breadbaking experience. "Smooth and elastic" is the key phrase; aim for a workable dough without adding too much flour. Like to play with ingredients? add some of your favorite herbs, or maybe a handful of feta cheese crumbles. Rosemary or fennel? Mmmm, maybe shallots or garlic? Let me know how you enjoy your version of Walnut Bread.

Walnut Bread

from Cooking for the Week: leisurely weekend cooking for easy weekday meals
makes 2 round loaves

1 tsp dry yeast
1 cup (8-oz) warm water (80-90 F)
1 cup all-purpose flour

12-oz walnut pieces
3/4 cup (6-oz) warm water
1-1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 Tbs salt
1/2 cup (4-oz) olive oil (or walnut oil if you have some)
2 tsp ground pepper
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (up to 1 cup more, as needed)

1. Place water and yeast in a large bowl; stir and let stand until active; stir in the cup of flour. Cover loosely and set aside in a warm place for an hour, or until bubbly.
2. Uncover and add the nuts, water, yeast, salt, oil and pepper to the mix. Add 4 cups of the flour in 1-cup increments and stir to mix. Add additional flour as needed to result in a slightly sticky dough.
3. Turn out onto a floured workspace. Knead the dough until "smooth and elastic", adding light sprinkles of flour as needed to prevent sticking. Return the dough to the bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in volume. In my kitchen that took 2 hours.
4. On a floured workspace, split the dough in half. With each piece form a round ball, pulling the edges into the center and pressing the seam firmly. Place with seam-side down on a silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with oiled plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, roughly one hour.
5. 20 minutes before baking the loaves, preheat the oven to 450 F. Slash each loaf with 2 or 3 cuts and place the baking sheet on a rack in the lower third of the oven.
6. Spritz the oven walls with water 5 -6 times and quickly close the door. Spray again after 5 minutes, and again after 5 more minutes. After 20 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 400 F and bake until the loaves are "nicely browned". Use an instant-read thermometer to check the center of the bread for 200 F or higher. 
7. Remove from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy immediately or wrap a cooled loaf in plastic or foil, place in a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Banana Zucchini Muffins

I love freckles on kids, but not so much on bananas ...unless I'm in the mood for banana bread. For eating out of hand ...or sliced on yogurt or cereal ...or cut up in a fruit salad, I absolutely require frecklefree bananas that are still firm and faintly green. Picky, picky, I know. Soft bananas with brown spots are peeled and dispatched to the freezer, waiting to join the party in a blender for a morning smoothie, or maybe turn into The Best? Banana Bread from a recipe found online at epicurious. 

Our recent spurt of hot weather hurried three small bananas along on a rapid ripening journey from almost-ready to oops! soft-and-spotted status. Three small bananas aren't sufficient for a full loaf of banana bread and the freezer already held an ample supply of frozen over-ripe fruit, so today I opted to make muffins, adapting the Zucchini Banana Bread recipe found at Two Peas and Their Pod. The basic recipe is quite tasty, but why stop there? You can produce amazingly different muffins, depending on which optional add-ins or flavorings you select.  

Go for it! Have fun and play around with the recipe. Sometimes those full-flavored, soft and spotted bananas are a good thing.

Banana Zucchini Muffins

adapted from a recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod
yield: 12 muffins

Dry Ingredients
1 1/2 cups AP flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Wet Ingredients
3 small, very ripe bananas (2 mashed smooth, 1 in small chunks)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup loosely-packed light brown sugar
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry in paper towel or tea towel

Optional Add-ins & Flavorings
Finely chopped nuts
Dried fruit (currants, sultanas)
Coconut shreds or flakes
Orange or lime zest
Powdered or freshly grated ginger

Muffin liners
Muffin pan

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Line muffin pan with liners or grease each cup. 
2. Sift or whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Add the wet ingredients to a large bowl; stir to combine, being careful to keep the banana chunks intact.
4. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture; fold gently with a rubber spatula until flour is incorporated. Add any optional items if using.
5. Use a scoop or ladle to fill the muffin cups 3/4 full. Place in oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 
6. Cool on a wire baking rack.

  

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies with a Lemon Glaze

When life gives you lemons... bake cookies! Once again girlfriend Tanya gifted me with a bagful of gigantic lemons from her tree in Yuma. Besides smelling divine, these juicy monsters yield oodles of zest - perfume with a purpose.  

Ooooh, the possibilities; lemon cookies, lemon cakes, lemon sauces, Hollandaise of course, fresh lemon zest in everything... No contest! Let's celebrate Spring-almost-Summer with a batch of lemon cookies. 

RL was out of town and I never rarely bake cookies just for myself, so this first, experimental batch was purposed as a thank you treat for a medical office crew I've visited lately. An upbeat, supportive group of professionals, I expect them to sample with enthusiasm and provide honest feedback on taste and texture.

Lemon sugar cookies, dropped not rolled, sounded sunny and flavorful but I turned to some online resources to fine tune the recipe.  A Cooking: NYTimes post for Basic Sugar Cookies did cover the basics, but I wanted more flavor "pop" to highlight the essential lemonyness.

Lemon Sunshine Cookies at Serious Eats made claims to "melting away on your tongue into a burst of lemon". Yeah, that's more like it, and a dip in a lemon glaze upped the sweetness factor. This recipe had possibilities, but I kept searching.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies at Two Peas & Their Pod added poppy seeds, just because, and that sold me. Who doesn't love Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins?! (My Costco Copycat version is a winner around here.) link

One of Tanya's Arizona lemons, plus a couple of tablespoons of poppy seeds, transformed ordinary sugar cookies into soft, sweet, lemony bites of sunshine. Thanks to Maria and Josh for posting the recipe. Now I can't wait for the taste test feedback. I will update soon.

6/5/2017 update: the cookies were a major hit with the clinic staff (plus a few incidental other folks who heard there was food in the break room). Two dozen Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies and three dozen Cruising Cookies tied for "favorite cookie" honors. I consider that a baking success.

Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

from a recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod
yield: 24-30 cookies

• COOKIES:
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 heaping tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

GLAZE:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 4-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 
  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to line 2 insulated cookie sheets. Set aside.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Whisk and set aside.

In another small bowl, blend together the sugar and lemon zest.

Use an electric mixer, stand mixer or handheld, and beat the softened butter and lemon zest/sugar mixture together at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon extract; mix until smooth.

Add the dry ingredient mixture; use low speed and beat until just combined. Stir in the poppy seeds by hand. Drop walnut-sized blobs of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, placing them roughly 2-inches apart.

Bake until the cookies are just set and the edges are golden brown; approx. 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Then remove to baking racks to cool completely. (Don't glaze until the cookies have cooled!)

For the glaze: whisk powdered sugar and 2/3 of the lemon juice together in a medium bowl. Whisk together to remove lumps, adding remaining lemon juice as necessary to achieve desired glaze consistency. Dip each cookie top into the glaze; return to baking rack, glaze side up, and let rest until the glaze sets up. (You will have extra glaze - get creative with the leftovers.)

Savory Hand Pies with Three Fillings

Random thoughts as I played with more filling combinations for Savory Hand Pies and a Minty Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce.

Photo: Savory Sausage Hand Pie with a side of Minty Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce

More Savory Hand Pies? Well, why not? my Asparagus Mushroom Hand Pies were a success (after tweaking the recipe and adding some lemon zest) and I was on a roll with some new filling combinations to try. Once again frozen pie dough made for a quick and easy baking session. 

Asparagus starred as a repeat ingredient, of course, since it was local and fresh. This time I severed the tips, halved each thick spear lengthwise and then cut them into short pieces. Tossed with oil and minced garlic, all of the pieces were sauted in a cast iron skillet until softened and lightly browned. Sprinkled with lemon zest they were tempting to nibble on "as is".

Caramelized onions should add a sweet/savory backnote to each of the three filling combinations. The thin slices of white onion cooked low and slow in a dash of oil and butter until lightly caramelized. Some recipes call for a finish of brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, but this batch did not require any flavor boost.

Sweet Italian pork - crumbled, cooked and drained - joined the party as a savory meat option. Yum! a flavor-packed spicy sausage, asparagus and onion mixture would be perfect for a cool-weather Spring treat.
   

Sausage and kale pair well tastewise in any season, so a bowl of braised kale joined shredded cheeses and toasted pine nuts as the remaining filling choices. 

Left column: skillet roasted asparagus, caramelized onions pies topped with mozzarella.
Center column: braised kale, Italian sausage, caramelized onion pies topped with mozzarella.
Right column: all of the above ingredients plus lemon zest and pine nuts.

All three of the fillings rated high marks, though my personal favorite was the everything hand pie. I love my pizza slices loaded with ingredients and evidently prefer hand pies the same way. That said, next time I'll simplify the ingredient mix, experiment with new flavor combos, and make a sweet hand pie or two for RL to enjoy.   

The simple asparagus/caramelized onion filling surprised me with its overly sweet flavor punch. A quickly mixed faux tzatziki sauce tamed the sweetness, balancing sweet and savory with some light flavor pops. The same sauce boosted the appeal of the kale/sausage/onion filling.

...and what do you do with leftover spoonfuls of filling? I tossed it all into a ramekin for a delicious baked snack. Once again... Yum!

Minty Cucumber Sour Cream Sauce - faux Tzatziki

1/2 English cucumber, shredded and wrung dry in a tea towel

2 green onions, green and white parts minced

2 Tbs fresh mint leaves, minced

1 tsp dried dill

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 Tbs lemon juice

dashes of green Tabasco, to taste (optional)