And the obsession continues.....

This morning I made Strawberry and Chocolate Chip Scones and they were fantastic!!!I found a base scone recipe on Recipezaar. The recipe is for the dough and you add in whatever mix-ins you want. I had fresh strawberries in the fridge and we all know chocolate makes everything better! I can't wait to make this recipe again and try new mix-ins.

I have started cutting scone recipes in half so that I only have one disc. Then I only bake half of the disc and freeze the rest for a later date. This helps me from eating 800 scones a day!
If I haven't said so before, I heart scones!

Sweet Coffeehouse Scones
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
11 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
sugar, for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and brown sugar, until well incoporated. Cut the butter into tiny pieces and mix into the flour mixture. Keep cutting in the butter(or you can use your hands) until you incorporate the butter into the flour and it looks like it's the consistancy of cornmeal.
Add the milk and vanilla extract, and mix to form a dough. If dough is too wet to work with, add a little more flour till you have a moist dough, but it's workable. Add your mix ins and mix till well distributed.
Cut dough in two (or cut in two before adding the mixins if you want two flavors) and shape into 2 rounds, 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with sugar and then cut into 8 wedges. Seperate slightly to help cook. Cook for 15 - 17 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through in the middle.

Artichoke Chicken and Spinach Pinwheels

Please disregard my photography skills. I can cook and bake up a storm, but pictures just aren't my thing. I promise dinner tasted much better than it looks!!!

Tonight I made Artichoke Chicken (from CFYF) and Spinach Pinwheels. It was kind of like having Spinach-Artichoke dip for dinner! They were both delicious! If I make the chicken without the pinwheels, I would add some spinach to the artichoke mixture, but I didn't want to over-do it on the spinach.

Sorry for the short post, but I am exhausted and both kids are in bed so I think I will head that way, too!

Artichoke Chicken

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium bowl mix together artichoke hearts, parmesan, mayonnaise, and garlic powder. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in baking dish. Cover evenly with artichoke mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until juices run clear.
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Spinach Pinwheels

2 (8 oz) packages crescent rolls
8 oz cream cheese (seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and Italian seasoning)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Preheat oven to 400.

Split crescent roll dough in half along center perforation. Flatten and seal perforations. Spread with cheese and sprinkle with spinach. Roll up and slice. Arrange on a cookies sheet. Continue with remaining dough.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles

Oh.... my.... goodness. Breakfast was AMAZING!!!! I made Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles from Baking and Books. I think I must've said (to Anya... a 3 year old) about 5 times during breakfast how wonderful it was. Of course, she agreed, but who knows if it was because of the waffles or the whipped cream!

If you like lemon-poppy seed muffins, you'll love these waffles. They were really quick to throw together. Plus, since they have wheat germ in them, that makes me feel a little better about the whipped cream. HA HA HA! :)

I had heavy cream in the house but really didn't feel like whipping anything this morning. So, I pulled out a container of fat free Cool Whip and mixed in some vanilla extract and maple syrup. It was phenomenal! I can't even imagine how good it would be with the real stuff!

I will make these waffles again and again and again! Heck, I'd make them again for dinner if it was okay to serve them to my child twice in one day!

Enjoy!

Lemon-Poppy Seed Waffles with Maple Whipped Cream


1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups whole or 2% milk
6 tablespoons melted butter (reserve 1 tbs to brush on waffle iron)
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Mix dry ingredients in bowl. Mix eggs and milk; pour into dry ingredients. Add in melted butter. Stir just to combine. Cook in heated waffle iron. Serve with Maple Whipped Cream or syrup.

Maple Whipped Cream

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Put all ingredients in bowl. Whip until soft peaks form.

TWD: Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

It's Tuesday again and that means more Dorie! This weeks recipe was chosen by Stefany of Proceed with Caution. The recipe is Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters found on page 73 of "Baking: Frome My Home To Yours".

I was happy to make a cookie recipe because they tend to be quick, easy, and delicious! This was no exception. You do have to let the dough chill for a bit, but that added to the easy appeal for me! It helps to be able to break up a recipe, especially with the kiddos!

Upon first bite I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. The cinnamon was definately a front runner in this cookie and it took me by surprise. But... 4 cookies later I realized I really liked them! Thank goodness for the McBride's or else I woud've eaten every last one!

Thanks, Stefany, for a great choice! Oh, and you can find the recipe at her blog!

Chicken Club Pasta Salad

I headed out to the commissary at 4 pm today. Crazy, I know. I prefer to go in the morning, but didn't have the time today. I desperately needed to go, so the afternoon was my only choice. By the time I got home and got the groceries upstairs (4 trips!!!) it was 5:30. Luckily I had this delicious Chicken Club Pasta Salad (from CFYF) on the menu. This pasta salad was so quick to throw together and even though it isn't a traditional dinner, it has meat and veggies, so it gets a thumbs up from me! I really loved this dish and I thought it was a good variation on your regular pasta salad.

The only bummer for me was the missing avocado. Anyone here in Baumholder can tell you that if you want to make a meal using avocado that you need to get it from the commissary at least a week ahead of time. They were rock hard today, so I knew I was going to have to leave it out. Oh well... there is always next time!

Chicken Club Pasta Salad

8 oz corkscrew or spiral pasta
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup Italian dressing
2 cups chopped cooked rotisserie chicken
1 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
12 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 avocado, cubed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell pepper
8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook and drain the pasta. Rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, whisk together mayo and dressing. Add all ingredients and toss to coat.