Chive Scones (Don't run away--Yes there's Tofu in these Scones)

Hello! A few weeks back, I made Hungry Couple's pumpkin scones. And then I made them again. Yummy. Here they are for you to see:

I thought that'd I'd like to make a savory scone, and I wanted to serve them for Thanksgiving. Since I was happy with the Hungry Couple's recipe with regards to its consistency, I wanted to use it as a base. I knew that removing the pumpkin from the scone would alter how it baked entirely, so I wanted to figure out something that was a similar texture. I settled on silken tofu, though I also considered sour cream and feta, and I will revisit those another time. Here they are:

Listened to: WTF Podcast. Not very Thanskgiving-y. 

Chive Scones (makes about 9 scones)

• 2 C AP flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 heaping tsp fine salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/2 C soft silken tofu
• 1/4 C milk, plus extra
• 1/3 C chopped chives
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp rosemary, partially crushed
• cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the tofu, milk, chives, egg, rosemary, and black pepper. Stir until well-mixed and smooth. Set aside.
3. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces. Add to the flour mixture, and using 2 butter knives, cut the butter into the mixture until it forms coarse crumbs.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Prepare a lightly oiled baking sheet or sheet with a silpat. With your hands, form the scones. If needed, add a bit more milk to the mixture, though it should be fairly dry.  Place on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 30-40 mins or until golden brown.

 Kitchen Notes: It's important to get the butter into small pieces, but not so small that the butter melts. If the butter melts, the scones will not have that lovely flaky consistency. If the butter pieces are too big, they won't incorporate into the baking scones but melt everywhere. These scones dry out fast, but are phenomenal the day you make them, and even better fresh out of the oven.

Verdict? Why didn't I try to make savory scones long ago? They are flavorful & biscuity, and will satisfy even the most tofu-phobic friends. The tofu bakes into the scones perfectly and undetected. Enjoy!

Dinosaur BBQ Jalapeno Cornbread

I'd been craving cornbread since I made blueberry butter. Then, my husband had planned to go to Dinosaur Bar B Que in NYC, which is the sister restaurant of the wildly popular original in Syracuse, NY. We used to go there when I was in school, and it's an egalitarian paradise. It's where bikers, professors, and students co-mingle. And it's a great spot for vegetarians. I'm not kidding.

I had the pleasure of meeting the owner of the Dinosaur empire when they catered an event at the Syracuse U bookstore and he bought some books from me. But I digress. My husband's planned trip to Dinosaur in NYC convinced me to make something from the Dinosaur Bar B Que cookbook, and cornbread it was.
 The cookbook's called Dinosaur Bar B Que: An American Roadhouse by John Stage and Nancy Radke.

Dinosaur BBQ Honey-Jalapeno Cornbread (serves 9-12)

• vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 C yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 C buttermilk
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 C butter, melted
• 2 jalapenos, finely diced
• 1-2 Tbs honey

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 x 8 baking dish with the shortening. Pop the dish in the oven while the oven heats up.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter. Once mixed well, stir in the jalapenos.
4. Mix together the dry and wet ingredients until just moistened. 
5. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Cook for 25-30 mins (took 20 in my oven). Bread is done when a toothpick comes out clean.
6. While the bread is still hot, drizzle the honey on the bread, and brush the honey over the top. After the bread has cooled 10 mins, it's ready to cut and enjoy. 


 Kitchen Notes: I had never made cornbread before, so I didn't deviate from the recipe. Now I'm ready for mix-ins. I'm thinking: cheddar, chipotle, chopped chives, or caramelized onions.

Verdict? The cornmeal I used came from a local farm, Moore Family Farm, and its ground was a lot coarser than cornmeal I've seen before. As a result, this is a slightly gritty, earthy tasting cornbread, but it works. The jalapenos don't add a lot of spice, but do contribute to the earthiness of the cornbread. It's not a very sweet variation, but the honey glaze adds a lot of depth. The vanilla is a crucial element of the flavor.