No cranberries necessary – Just orange scones

At Christmas time, I love making and eating cranberry orange bread.  And  anyone who knows me know that I love scones any time of year. So the idea of a cranberry orange scone is genius. I have never made cranberry orange scones, but I have eaten them before. They are usually much too sweet for my taste.

Just recently I found the juiciest, most flavorful oranges (besides the ones on my grandma’s tree) at the grocery store. I wanted to try baking with them since their flavor was so good. I decided to make orange scones without the cranberries. I think I like them just as much as the traditional cranberry orange scones if not better. They are full of orange flavor, crunchy on the outside, and just sweet enough so you don’t feel guilty eating one for breakfast.

Orange Scones (Makes 8 scones)

3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 stick cold butter, cut into small cubes (I use salted butter)
½ cup milk or half & half
Juice of one orange
Zest of one orange (about 2 teaspoons)
 

Cut the butter into cubes and put back into the refrigerator until ready to use.

Zest the orange (before you juice it) using a microplane if you have one.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until it is the size of peas.

In separate bowl or large measuring cup, stir together 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) orange juice, milk and zest. Add the wet mixture all at once to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until it just comes together.

Dump onto a floured board and knead a little until it comes together. Form into a disk, then pat into a 1.5 inch thick circle. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut into wedges. First cut the disk in half, then in fourths, then eighths. (The math teacher in me is coming out).

Put wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Brush with remaining orange juice, then sprinkle tops with granulated sugar.

Bake for 15-20 minutes (my oven only took 15) until golden brown. Move to a wire rack after a few minutes to finish cooling. Enjoy while warm or at room temperature.

Not your grandma's tuna casserole

I know most people wouldn’t call tuna casserole gourmet, but there’s something comforting about casseroles that makes everyone love them. Growing up, I remember eating tuna casserole often. It’s no wonder – it’s easy and quick to make. When I first got married, I wanted to make my husband this casserole that reminded me so much of my childhood. I had everything but the canned cream soup. I decided to make my own, and I think it made such a difference. I have been making it this way ever since.

To make this dinner a little fancier, I used crème brulee dishes that I had and made individual casseroles. That way, everyone gets their own section of crunchy cheese on top!

Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (I used rotini, but any short noodle will work)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)
8 mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 large clove garlic, minced
6T butter
¾ cup flour
1 ½ cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups milk
1-2 cans solid white tuna, drained (If you like it more tuna-y use 2)
3/4 cup peas (I used frozen)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of very salty water to boil. Add pasta, stir and cook until al dente, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté the onions and celery in olive oil. After about 5 minutes, add the mushrooms, if using. Cook until onions and celery are soft and mushrooms are cooked through. Add about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

I didn't have celery or mushrooms. It comes out great anyway!

Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the flour and stir until flour is absorbed. Cook about 3-4 minutes. The flour will coat the vegetables, which is ok.

Add the milk, chicken stock, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until thickened. This may take a few minutes depending on your stove. Stir occasionally with a whisk. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if you'd like.

I used homemade chicken stock that I froze in an ice cube tray.

Once thickened, add the tuna, then the peas. Cook over low heat until peas are thawed.

Add half the cheddar cheese and stir.

Drain the noodles and add them to the pan. Stir until well combined.

Pour into casserole dish or individual dishes. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Cook in a 350 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. If the cheese isn’t brown enough, broil for a few minutes at the end. Top with chopped parsley if you have it!

Our favorite wine

My husband Reed and I have had the opportunity to visit the Napa Valley every summer for the past three years. Since Napa is where he proposed, it has always held a special place in our hearts. And since we love great food and wine, it is like Disneyland for us. The second year we visited, we got a recommendation to try Saddleback Cellars. When we drove up, we saw the plain cinderblock building and the picnic benches outside and were not expecting anything special. Wow, were we surprised! Not only did we love the atmosphere, the wine was some of the best wine we have ever tasted! The picnic tables are next to one of their vineyards, and they encouraged us to walk through the rows of grapes while we tasted our wine. It was a fabulous setting and hearing the story about the origin of the winery made it all the more exciting. Legendary winemaker Nils Venge was the general manager and winemaker at Groth Vineyard, one of Napa’s most famous and best. He was the first winemaker to receive a score of 100 on a bottle of his cabernet sauvignon. He began making his own label, Saddleback Cellars in 1983, and eventually left Groth to focus on Saddleback. The wine is so complex and perfectly balanced. And the price is not bad, especially compared with other wines from Napa.

My husband could eat a steak and drink a glass of Saddleback Zinfandel every night and be satisfied. I’m not so sure I could do the same, but their wine is phenomenal. I don’t know how readily available it is in all areas. We haven’t found it in the Seattle area yet. Check them out online: www.saddlebackcellars.com