Chunky Cheese Queso

This is soooo bad for you but, really, quite yummy. Unfortunately, it's so good that people tend to overeat. Adapted from Southern Living 1999 Annual Recipes

Ingredients
1 lb ground hot pork sausage
1 (16 oz) jar process cheese spread
1 (16 oz) loaf of Velveeta cheese
1 (20 oz) jar of hot salsa

Directions
1. Brown sausage in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Rinse and drain.

2. Stir together sausage and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker

3. Cover and cook at LOW 2 hours or until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips.


TO PREPARE ON STOVE-TOP.
1. Do everything above, cook on low heat stirring, until cheese melts.

Ham & Cheese Scones

And finally I'm adding the recipe for my absolute favorite scone from Alice's that I've adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup cookbook. I've made a few changes to get the dough to a consistency that I like and to increase the amount of cheese and ham, b/c ... I like cheese and ham.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
Ham steak (yes, a full 12 oz ham steak, diced into cubes)
1/2 a brick of cracker barrel cheddar cheese, diced into cubes (or 5-7 oz of your favorite cheddar cheese)
1/2 cub Gruyere cheese, diced into small cubes (about 1/4 pound ... maybe a little more)
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter (10 tbs) - melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup buttermilk (reserved)
4 strands of green onions
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Chop ham steak and cheese into cubes, set aside.

3. Clean and slice the white portion of the green onions, set aside.

4. Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a large mixing bow. Add the cheese, ham, and green onion. Stir to coat all pieces.

5. Mix in a dash of salt and pepper.

6. Melt the butter.

7. Add the butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk to the flour mixtured. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (depending on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

8. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat. It is likely to be very crumbly, just do the best you can.

9. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 8 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

10. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in doubt, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

B, B and the littlest b at Alice's Tea

The nieces enjoying the Wee Tea at Alice's Tea Cup.

Mixed Berry Oatmeal Scones

I've already professed my love for scones from Alice's Tea Cup, now... here is another recipe adapted from their cookbook. The cookbook recipe is for Oatmeal Scones, but I like fruit in my oatmeal scones so I've adapted this recipe to reflect my preference.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (12 tbsp)
1 cup old fashion oatmeal
1 cup berries - whatever is in season (I used 1/2 cup raspberries & 1/2 cup blueberries)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup buttermilk (reserved)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream (for brushing)
1/4 cup raw sugar (for sprinkling)
Smuckers Raspberry Preserves
Alice's Unclotted Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large mixing bow.

3. Grate the cold butter. Then work into the dry mixture w/ your hands until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. I find that grating the butter makes it easier to mix in.

4. Add the oatmeal until mixed. Then add the berries -- gently combine in flour mixture so that they are evenly distributed and the berries are coated.

5. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and vanilla to the flour. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (I would use about 1/4 cup, but it depends on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

6. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat.

7. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 6 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

8. Brush the top of each scone with a little cream so that sugar will stick.

9. Sprinkle the top of each scone with a little raw sugar.

10. Bake for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in dough, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

11. Serve with Smuckers Raspberry Preserves (very important that they be preserves) and Alice's unclotted cream.

ENJOY!!!

Banana, peanut butter, chocolate chip scones

One of my favorite places to go with friends is Alice's Tea Cup. I've been going with my bestie Ducky since 2007. I've since been taking all of my friends and family there to experience the delight of Alice's. Now, those of my family and friends that live out of town always demand to be taken there when they are visiting me (and I of course am more than happy to have an excuse to go myself). If you go, the thing to order is the two scones and a pot of tea combo. It's what I almost always get. And the bakers are always switching up the scone special of the day (although, buttermilk, pumpkin, and ham & cheese are on the menu every day).

A year ago, the bakers at Alice's served up a scone that blew my mind! It was the Banana, peanut butter, chocolate chip scone. And it was AMAZING! And then, oh then the owners of Alice's Tea cup went and published a cookbook. I was in heaven, and I've browsed the pages of this cookbook over and over again. Though thrilled, I was so sad when I realized that the amazing banana, peanut butter, chocolate chip scone didn't make it into the cookbook ... but there was a banana and butterscotch recipe that I adapted to bring you these perfectly wonderful scones. I hope you enjoy!


Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 unsalted butter
2 bananas - sliced
1/2 cup gharidelli 60% chocolate chips
1/2 cup hersheys peanut butter chips
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup buttermilk (reserved)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream (for brushing)
1/4 cup raw sugar (for sprinkling)
Smuckers Raspberry Preserves
Alice's Unclotted Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bow.

3. Grate the cold butter. Then work into the dry mixture w/ your hands until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.

4. Add banana slices, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips -- gently combine in flour mixture so that they are evenly distributed and the bananas are coated.

5. Add 3/4 cup buttermilk and vanilla to the flour. Gently turn the mixture (DO NOT KNEAD!) until everything is damp, but not sticky. Add some of the reserved buttermilk to get the right consistency (I would use about 1/4 cup, but it depends on how moist/dry you like your scones to be).

BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT MIX - OTHERWISE THE SCONES WILL BE TOUGH

6. Gather and place the mixture on a floured surface. Pat the dough into a disk and flatten until about 1.5 inches thick. Use a cup and cut out as many scones as you can. Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silimat.

7. Gather remaining dough and repeat step 6 until all dough is used. Be careful to not over work the dough or it will get tough.

8. Brush the top of each scone with a little cream so that sugar will stick.

9. Sprinkle the top of each scone with a little raw sugar.

10. Bake for about 15 minutes. BE CAREFUL TO NOT OVER BAKE, otherwise the scones will be dry. When in dough, take the scones out of the oven and let cool. Test a scone to make sure it is done. If it isn't, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for another 5 minutes.

11. Serve with Smuckers Raspberry Preserves (very important that they be preserves) and Alice's unclotted cream.

ENJOY!!!

Alice's Unclotted Cream

This recipe is taken and adapted from the Alice's Tea Cup cookbook.

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confections sugar
Lemon

Directions

1. Add cream, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon to a mixing bowl.
2. Mix on high until stiff peaks are formed.
3. Stop - do not over mix or you will get butter.
4. Dip your finger in and taste to make sure it is of the desired sweetness.

Serve with scones and raspberry preserves