Butterscotch Scones

via RMR via Epicurious

The idea of these scones has been in my head for a month at least, and I had the occasion to try them last night.  Mine turned out a little dry, so I will go for a slightly wetter dough (and maybe a slightly shorter baking time).  The butterscotch chips scorched a little where they met the pan, but I will consult with RMR about this--these have much promise, and I feel committed to them. :)

Ingredients:

2 C. all-purpose flour

1/3 C. packed golden brown sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 C. chilled unsalted butter, diced

1 C. butterscotch chips

1/2 C. chilled heavy whipping cream

1 large egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Sift all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Add chilled butter; using fingertips, rub in until coarse meal forms. Mix in chips. '

3. Whisk 1/2 cup cream and egg in small bowl to blend. Gradually add cream mixture to dry ingredients, tossing with fork until dough comes together in moist clumps. Add more cream by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry.

4. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto large rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart. Bake scones until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 7-8 scones

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Brussel Sprouts

via Gimme Some Oven

I liked, M was so-so.  But easy on the prep side.  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and any yellowed/browned outer leaves removed, then sliced in half
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
• 1 lb (16 oz.) orecchiette (or any pasta)
• 4 chicken sausage links (I used spicy Italian), sliced into 1/4″ thick coins
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup pesto
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  In a large bowl, mix together brussels sprouts, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-combined.
Prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then spread the brussels sprouts on it evenly.  Roast for about 20-30 minutes, stirring once partway through, or until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside.  (My batch of tiny sprouts only took about 12 minutes to cook.)  Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally, until nearly-browned, about 6-8 minutes.  Add the garlic, and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the sausage is browned.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions.  (I begin heating my water while preparing the brussel sprouts, and added the pasta to the boiling water just after beginning to cook the sausage.)  Once the pasta is cooked, drain the water (reserving 1/4 cup pasta water), and then toss together the pasta, pesto, cooked sausage and garlic, and brussels sprouts.  Add in some of the reserved pasta water if needed for extra moisture.
Serve warm, and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.

Fudge Mint Brownies

via Glorious Treats

I'll be honest--I only sort of made these.  I was in a bit of a pinch, so I bought ready made batter from Trader Joe's for the brownie (literally, the batter--cut open bag, pour into pan.  Does that count as baking?) But the mint, glaze, etc... was yummy. I couldn't find Andes mints, so I used mint cookie malt balls that I found at Draeggers, which sounds strange, but was actually tasty. 

Fudge Mint Brownies

Brownie Layer~

1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces

4 oz. dark chocolate (apx. 80% cocoa, or use half unsweetened and half bittersweet)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mint Layer~

3 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon heavy cream (or milk)

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract  (or 1/4 teaspoon creme de menthe and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint)

1 drop green food coloring (I use americolor mint green)

Chocolate Glaze~

3 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (apx. 70 % cocoa)

1 Tablespoon butter

Andes Mints (apx. 1/2 package, or 14 whole pieces, about 2.5 oz.), chopped

Directions~

Preheat oven to 325*F.   Prepare a 9"x9" (or 8"x8") square baking pan by lining parchment paper across the bottom and sides of the pan, like a sling.  You can use a little butter on the pan to help the paper stay in place.

Brownies~

In a stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water (or double boiler), melt the butter and chocolate.

Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a spoon.  Stir in flour and salt and beat with a spoon until the batter is smooth and glossy (about 1 minute).  Pour the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until brownies start to pull away from the sides and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely (about 1 hour).

Mint Layer~

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat all ingredients until smooth.  Add 1 or two drops of green food coloring (one at a time, you don't want it too green).  If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more cream (the frosting should be just thin enough to spread).  Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled brownie layer.  Place in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes, or until slightly firm.

Chocolate Glaze~

In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter.  Spread over the mint filling, then top with chopped Andes mints.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the chocolate glaze starts to dull.

To Serve~

Remove brownies from the pan by lifting the ends of the parchment paper, and transfer to a cutting board.  With a sharp knife, cut into apx. 1-1 1/2 inch squares.  For best results, rinse off the knife in hot water, then wipe dry after each cut.

Brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, best served at room temperature.

Makes about 25-30 small squares.

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking.