Celebrating National Chocolate Chip Day with Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Scones

Did you know that May 15th is National Chocolate Chip day?

I didn't until I saw it online but it sounds like a good excuse to do a little baking! (and eating:-) 

I love to make scones because they're just so easy to mix up and bake and not too terribly sweet. Like a glorified biscuit...

The Easiest Ever Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Scones

I submitted this recipe to my church cook book a few years ago. We serve it every year at the Mother's Tea our Women's group hosts. 

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp. Baking powder

1/8 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

1/3-cup cold unsalted butter 

1 large egg, slightly beaten

½ cup Hazelnut liquid coffee creamer* (or you can use half and half)

1 and 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 375 degrees F

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend in to the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl combine the creamer and beaten egg. Add this mixture to the dry mixture. Stir to just combine. Add the chocolate chips. 

Knead the dough gently on a floured surface. Roll or pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inch round and about 1½ inches thick. Cut this circle into 8 triangles or use a round cookie cutter and cut out like biscuits.

Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of a scone comes out clean.

*Variations: I used Nestles Hazelnut flavored Coffee Mate. You can use any flavor of  liquid creamer. It's especially fun to try the seasonal flavors. Pumpkin Pie Spice in the Fall or how about Eggnog or Peppermint Mocha for a Christmas treat? If you'd rather not use the flavored creamer plain half and half would work.

Will you make something special for National Chocolate 

Chip Day?

Blast From the Past - Banana Split Dessert For a Girls Get Together

Once a month I get together with seven other women for what is suppose to be a scrapbook crop. To be honest we do scrapbook a little, eat a lot and talk even more...It's a glorious day of girl time!

So that no one person is burdened with the responsibility for all the food we rotate turns. This month it's my turn to bring dessert. I knew I wanted something cool since we're already experiencing summer time temperatures. So I Googled 'summer desserts' and I was pleasantly surprised when Banana Split Dessert was among the many choices. This dessert was very popular when I was a newly wed and it seems everyone had their own variation. It's been years since I've had it but I remembered it was yummy! It is cool and refreshing. I knew I this would be the perfect dessert to share with the girls.

Everyone seems to have their own variation of this dish but it's so simple you might not even need a recipe. Take a graham cracker crust, add a creamy filling, top with pineapple, banana and strawberries and finished it off with whipped cream, a few drizzles of chocolate and chopped nuts. 

Simple and so good!

Recipe

Recipe will make a 13 x 9 inch pan

Crust

2 cups crushed grahams crackers

1/4 cup melted butter

2 Tablespoons sugar

Mix all the ingredients and press in to the bottom of pan. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Filling

(The Triple Sec adds a little something extra to the filling but you can easily omit it if you're serving children or you just don't want to use alcohol.)

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar 

2 - 3 Tablespoons Triple Sec (Orange Liqueur) optional

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 ounce container whipped topping (Cool Whip)

With a mixer cream together the cream cheese, sugar, Triple Sec (if using) and vanilla until fluffy. Gently fold in the whipped topping. 

Spoon the filling over the graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Topping

5 - 6 bananas, sliced

20 ounce can crushed pineapple (in juice) drained

2 cups sliced strawberries

8 ounce container whipped topping (Cool Whip)
1 cup chopped pecans (or whatever is your favorite nut)
Chocolate syrup or Hershey's Shell Topping

Drain the pineapple. Slice the bananas into the pineapple juice. This will help them to not turn brown.

With a slotted spoon remove the bananas from the juice and place them in an even layer of the cream cheese filling.
 Cover the bananas with the pineapple and a layer of strawberries. Cover the fruit with the whipped topping, cover with chopped nuts and drizzle on the chocolate.

To serve add a little whipped topping and a cherry on top. Enjoy!



Something I always do when I make a dessert to take somewhere is to make a little extra for my family. So I increased the recipe a little bit and made a loaf pan to leave at home. They must have enjoyed it because this is what I found when I got back after my girls day out.

If you're looking for a no bake summery dessert you might want to give this a try.

Best of the Weekend

Grace at Home No. 105

Saturday Night Fever

Practice Hospitality - #1 - Showing Gratitude

1. The dictionary defines hospitality as:
   

   • the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guest, visitors, or strangers.

   Synonyms: friendliness, warm reception, welcome, helpfulness, neighborliness, warmth, kindness, congeniality.

For Christians it's command that we show hospitality to one another not an option. 

Be hospitable to one another without complaint.

1 Peter 4:9

Do not neglect to show hospitality...

Hebrew 13:2a

Even in the secular world it's just good old common sense to be kind to one another....

 OK, but how?

...practice hospitality...

Romans 12:13a

Yes, we have to practice. 

Hospitality is a skill and like learning any new skill it takes practice before it becomes natural and easy. 

Even though it's now easier for me to invite people over or to be helpful and kind it hasn't always been the case. I've had to do a lot of practicing over the years and I'm still practicing. Like any skill if we don't use it we'll lose it!

Once a week I'm going to post an idea to practice and hone those hospitality skills. Some tasks will be simple and others a little more time consuming. Some will require very little effort such as the task for today. Other tasks may require us to mustard up some courage and step out of our comfort zone.

Want to join me?

#1 Hospitality Skill to Practice 

Be kind by showing gratitude. 

We all have people in our lives who teach, help and encourage us. People who stick by us through thick and thin. The same people we often times take for granted. The assignment for this week is to make a list of at least five people that you want to thank. Write out a short note to each person saying thank you, address it and drop it in the mail. I guarantee that you'll make someone's day.


I've saved just about every thank you note and notes of encouragement that I've received. I keep them in a envelope in the back of my bible. When I'm feeling down or having myself a little pity party I pull them out and reread them. It never fails to lift my spirits to remember that someone took the time to thank me for something I did for them. I show you these not to say "I'm great look what I did" but to show you that a simple thing like a little note can bring joy to someone for many years to come.

I'm not sure if you can see it but the date on the top card is April 2004. I've held on to that for ten years! The lady who wrote that to me has since gone on to be with the Lord but when I read her words it brings back sweet memories. I'm glad that a simple thing I did brought joy to her life. And her note certainly has brought joy to mine.

 My first thank you note will be to my mom. If you have a mom take a minute and send her a thank you note. 


So have fun and practice a little hospitality!

I'm linking up with:
Living From Glory to Glory

Hope in Every Season

Grace at Home

Cinco De Mayo Dinner Party

Cinco De Mayo is Monday but we couldn't wait to celebrate. Saturday evening we had my sister and her family over for dinner. It was pretty easy because we did a potluck and everyone contributed to the meal.

The Table

Playing off the colors of the flag of Mexico I used a red tablecloth with a green runner. For a more festive look I added multi-colored woven place mats. The centerpieces were simple yellow and green flowers in my tall green glass candle holders. I added a few mini Maracas and donkeys to finish off the theme.

Hospitality Tip: Don't let a lack of space keep you from hosting a dinner party. We have a tiny dining room so when we have a big crowd we push the furniture aside and put a folding table up in our family room. Nobody seems to notice that or the fact that the chairs are mismatched and someone has to sit on the piano bench.

As far as the decorations go the only thing I spent money on was the flowers and they cost me $6 from the grocery store. Everything else was recycled from other parties we've had. (As my husband says I don't get rid of anything:-)

The Buffet

I find that serving the food from a buffet is the easiest way when you have a crowd. 

I like to set up a buffet on the island in my kitchen. A plastic tablecloth and colorful dishes along with a pinata set the mood. The food of course is the most important thing on the buffet.

A sampling of the food. Man dip, Cowboy Caviar and fresh fruit served in a hollowed out pineapple.

The menu

Green Chili Enchiladas
Tacos and all the fixings
Tossed salad
Fresh fruit
Man dip (named by my nephew but he said the girls could eat it too:-) just Velveeta cheese, spicy sausage and Rotel)
Guacamole
Cowboy Caviar (Black beans, corn, onions, peppers, lime juice and a little hot sauce-served with nacho chips)
Frozen Margaritas
Dessert - brownies with ice cream and toppings

Green Chili Enchiladas

This is one of my favorite dishes. My family loves it and it's a great dish for a potluck or to take to someone who might need a meal due to illness or during a time of need. It's very mild and most people really like it. 

1 pound ground beef

small onion, chopped

8 ounce package shredded cheese

16 ounce container sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can chopped green chilies (very mild-if you want a kick use chopped jalapenos)

8-10 large flour tortillas

Brown the beef along with a small onion. Drain the grease and add taco seasoning packet. Add water as directed on the packet. Stir in the beans and corn and set aside.

In a separate bowl combine the sour cream, soup and the green chilies. Place about 1/2 cup in the bottom of a 13 X 9 inch casserole dish. (This is to keep the tortillas from burning or sticking to the bottom of the dish.)  Add the cheese to the remaining soup mixture. 

Divide the meat, corn and bean mixture among the tortillas. This should fill 8 -10 tortillas. Roll each tortilla up and place in the casserole dish. Cover with the soup and cheese mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and heated through. 

Does a lack a space keep you from hosting a party?

I am setting another plate at my table and making a place in my heart.

A Proverbs 31 Wife

An Angel in My Frying Pan

This morning I made my husband a treat for breakfast.

Fried egg over soft.

I only eat scrambled eggs for breakfast and can't stand the thought of a runny yolk. But one of my resolutions for the New Year is to be on the lookout for ways to make others happy. So I offered to make a fried egg for my sweetie.

 And look at my reward!

Is this a sign that my good deed didn't go unnoticed by a greater power?

Well probably not. More like a sign I don't know how to flip an egg:-)

Anyway it was a pretty cool way to start the New Year!

I hope 2014 is your best year ever!

Linking up with:

Grace at Home

Food for a Crowd - The Humble Egg

The humble egg.

A high quality protein all wrapped up in a neat little shell.

For your next holiday party or family gathering consider placing a big platter of deviled eggs on the buffet. 

I have never served deviled eggs at an event that they weren't all eaten. 

Every last one. 

Not only yummy but easy on the budget.

A dozen eggs will make 24 servings and even at $2.00 a dozen for the eggs (current price in my area) that averages out to about 9 cents per serving. Can't hardly beat that. 

Filling the Egg

I've seen and tasted all kinds of fillings in deviled eggs. Horseradish, caviar, onions...even so I don't get too creative. Most people seem happy with a little mayo, sweet pickle relish and maybe a touch of mustard. 

For variety you can sprinkle the tops with paprika, dill or crumbled bacon bits. 

My simple recipe

6 hard boiled eggs

1 Tablespoon good mayo (or more as needed) 

1-2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

Remove the yolk, place in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add the mayo, relish and mustard and mix well. Taste and add a little salt and additional as mayo or relish as needed. 

Place the whites on a bed of lettuce and sprinkle lightly with salt. Fill the eggs with the yolk filling and sprinkle with paprika, dried dill or bacon bits. 

How to boil an egg

Everyone seems to have their own technique for hard boiling eggs. 

This is how I do it:

• Use eggs that are close to the use by date. The older the egg the easier it is to peel.
• Set the eggs out on the counter and allow them to come to room temperature (about an hour)
• Place the room temp eggs in a pot large enough for the eggs to be in a single layer and cover with tap water by at least 1 inch. 
• Place the pot over medium heat and allow the water to heat up. Bringing the water to a boil slowly will prevent the shells from cracking. Allow to boil 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pot and let the eggs sit for 12 minutes. 
• To cool the eggs quickly drain the hot water, add cold water to the pot along with ice. When the ice melts add additional ice and allow to cool for 20 minutes. 
• Remove from the ice water, peel and proceed with your recipe. 

A few tips

• Buy your eggs a couple weeks before the party. (Check the expiration date to be sure you'll be using them in that time frame.)  The older the egg the easier it will peel 
• If you do try to peel the eggs and the peel won't come off don't fight it. Just do the best you can and make egg salad. Serve it in a bowl with crackers. (I heard Julia Child say that on one of her old shows. If she occasionally had trouble with the peel  I don't feel bad when it happens to me.)
• If you end up with green around the yolk it just means the egg was cooked too long. Just mix it up with a little mayo and no one will know. 
• For a large gathering make at least two platters of deviled eggs and put them out one at a time. When the first platter begins to run low switch it out with the new platter. This applies to most all dishes on a buffet table. A picked over platter of food doesn't look appetizing. 

Next time you're looking for a budget friendly addition to your  party don't underestimate the humble egg!

Setting another plate at my table and making a place in my heart!

Breakfast Casserole for a Crowd

The last of our Thanksgiving company left last night and our house is back to semi-quiet.

One of the things I do when we have overnight guests is to have breakfast ready to go. This is especially good on big cooking days like Thanksgiving and Christmas when you don't need a lot of extra cooking going on in the kitchen. 

My favorite thing to make, which is always a hit, is a big breakfast casserole. I make it up and bake it the night before. Cool the casserole, cut it into squares, wrap it up and refrigerate. In the morning all that's needed is a couple minutes in the microwave for each piece. Since some people are early riser and some like to sleep in this casserole can be heated up piece by piece as needed. All I have to do is set out a stack of plates, put the coffee on and make sure there's orange juice in the fridge. There's also cereal, milk and fruit for those who don't want a heavy breakfast. 

Farmer's Breakfast
(Eggs, potatoes, cheese and sausage)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Dry ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder

8 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 pounds bulk sausage (spicy if you like it hot)
32 ounce bag Ore-Ida frozen Potatoes O'Brien (diced potatoes with onions and peppers)

1 stick butter, melted.


Cook the sausage and chop into smaller pieces as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Drain the grease and set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl blend together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the milk and eggs and mix until well blended.

Add the frozen potatoes, cheese and sausage to the egg and flour mixture and stir to combine.

Place the melted butter into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch oven safe dish.

Spoon the potato/egg mixture in to the casserole dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cut into squares and serve warm from the oven or cool and refrigerate. Cut in to squares and reheat in the microwave.

I like this casserole as is but some in my family like to splash on hot sauce or a couple spoons of salsa and a little sour cream. It's good however you fix it. 

Do you have a favorite breakfast casserole?

Setting an extra plate at my table and making a place in my heart!