Cheddar Dill Scones

4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 pound extra-sharp yellow Cheddar, small-diced
1 cup minced fresh dill
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk, for egg wash


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine 4 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Mix the eggs and heavy cream and quickly add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Combine until just blended. Toss together the Cheddar, dill, and 1 tablespoon of flour and add them to the dough. Mix until they are almost incorporated.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it for 1 minute, until the Cheddar and dill are well distributed. Roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. Cut into 4-inch squares and then in half diagonally to make triangles. Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 20 to 25 minutes, until the outside is crusty and the inside is fully baked.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
2 1/2 cups cake flour (2 1/4 c. flour + 1/4 c. cornstarch)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel:
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup chopped pecans, optional

For the glaze:
* 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
* 2 tablespoons real maple syrup



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for 4 to 5 minutes, until light. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined.

For the streusel, place the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a bowl and pinch together with your fingers until it forms a crumble. Mix in the pecans, if desired.

Spoon half the batter into the pan and spread it out with a knife. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup streusel. Spoon the rest of the batter in the pan, spread it out, and scatter the remaining streusel on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Carefully transfer the cake, streusel side up, onto a serving plate. Whisk the confectioners' sugar and maple syrup together, adding a few drops of water if necessary, to make the glaze runny. Drizzle as much as you like over the cake with a fork or spoon.

Denny's French Toast

4 eggs
2/3 c. milk
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 slices texas toast

Whisk together the ingredients. Dip bread in egg mix and place on hot, buttered griddle.

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

I got this off Joy the Baker. They were so good. The LDS missionaries stopped by right after we had started eating (We eat a little early) so I invited them in to have some. They really liked them. Scott ate 3! Amy actually made them, I just did the bacon.

For the Bacon:
10 slices of bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray and line with foil. Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Place in the upper third of the oven and bake until sugar is caramelized and bacon is brown and crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Immediately remove bacon slices using a pair of tongs. Place them on a cutting board (not paper towels, they’ll stick!) to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite size bits and set aside.

For the Waffles:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cups canola or grapeseed oil
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups buttermilk

*If you don’t eat bacon for some reason, try adding 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon to the batter. Yum!

Set up your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk to blend. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the bacon bites. Stir. Try not to over mix the batter or the waffles will become tough. It’s ok if a few lumps remain in the batter.

Cook according to your waffle machine instructions.

Serve with maple syrup and strawberries.

McDonald's Ice Cream Frosting

This was the weirdest frosting. Samantha made cupcakes and then we figured out we didn't have powdered sugar to make the frosting, so I looked on the internet and found this one for granulated sugar. Right after I added the milk, I thought for sure I had ruined. It looked like a big mess. I let it beat for a while and it started to come together. Finally it was done and we tasted it. Just like McDonald's vanilla ice cream. The texture is kind of strange too. It was really good on our cupcakes.

1 egg white
3/4cup milk
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat milk to boiling, and then let cool. In a large bowl, beat egg white until stiff. Add sugar, butter, and vanilla. Mix with mixer till well blended. Add cooled milk, then beat until nice and creamy. Will take about 15 to 20 minutes of beating after adding the milk. Use to frost any kind of cake. Best if kept refrigerated after frosting cake.

Spanish Egg and Potato Tortilla

I thought this was perfect for dinner. I got it from cook's illustrated. We had this when we were in Spain and of course it was better, but this is still good. Just the kind of thing I like.

1/4 c. olive oil
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 onion minced
salt and pepper
10 large eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. heat oil in a 10 inch oven proof skillet. add potatoes, onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and onions are soft, 8-10 minutes.

Whisk eggs, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper together. Add to skillet and cook using rubber spatula to stir gently in circular motion, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

Bake in oven until top is puffed and edges have pulled away slightly.

Carrot Cake

Samantha made these the other day when we were feeding the missionaries. They are very simple, but really good. I have learned 2 things about cakes and banana bread. #1.If the recipe calls for pecans, use them. They really make a difference. #2. Vegetable oil instead of butter makes it much more moist.

1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
3/4 pound raw carrots (about 2 1/2 cups finely grated)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Toast the pecans or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4 minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. With a large rubber spatula fold in the grated carrots and chopped nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10 minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment paper, and then cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
finely grated lemon zest of one lemon