Blueberry Scones

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Ingredients: (Makes 8)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling tops
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, picked over and rinsed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing tops
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in center. Place a baking mat on a baking sheet, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until the largest pieces are the size of peas. Stir in blueberries and zest.
3. Using a fork, whisk together cream and egg in a liquid measuring cup. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, and pour in cream mixture. Stir lightly with fork just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times to mix well.
4. Pat dough into a 6-inch square about 1 1/4 inches thick. Using a floured knife, cut into four 3-inch squares. Cut squares in half on the diagonal to form eight triangles. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with cream, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until golden brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer scones to wire racks to cool.

Tips & Tricks:
Too much mixing, kneading, and baking will produce dry and tough scones.

Sugared Seckel Pears

from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pasteurized egg whites
1/4 cup fine sanding sugar
6 firm but ripe Seckel pears


Directions:
Beat egg whites in a small bowl. Place sugar in another small bowl.
Dip bottom half of each pear in egg whites. Roll in sugar, and place pears upright on parchment paper. Let stand until dry, about 1 hour. Sugared pears are best the day they are made.

Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

from Pillsbury

Ingredients:
12 fresh medium strawberries, stems removed if desired
12 doughnut holes
6  (8-inch) wooden skewers
1/4  cup semisweet chocolate chips 
2  tablespoons margarine or butter


Directions: 
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Alternately thread 2 strawberries and 2 doughnut holes on each skewer.  In small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and margarine; melt over low heat, stirring until smooth and well blended. Drizzle chocolate mixture over kabobs. Refrigerate 10 minutes or until set. 



Tips & Tricks:
Assemble the kabobs up to four hours ahead and keep them refrigerated until serving time.
Sprinkle the kabobs with multi-colored sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
For a spectacular centerpiece, insert the sharp end of the kabobs into an overturned melon or grapefruit half.

Strawberry Shortcake Sushi

Ingredients:
Cake:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs + 2 more egg whites
1 t vanilla
2 T powdered sugar, for the towel when wrapping the cake




Filling: 
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 t vanilla or 1/2 a vanilla bean
1 cup diced strawberries + more for topping


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400º. Coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll cookie sheet with cooking spray; line the bottom with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.


In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl using an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer beat together the eggs and sugar at high speed until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture half at a time mixing on low until each portion is mixed in completely. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. 


While the cake is baking sprinkle a clean dish towel with powdered sugar. Remove the cake from the oven. Cut the cake in half long ways so that you have 2 long rectangles. Invert onto the powdered sugared towel. Peel off the parchment and on each side of the towel roll the cakes from the long side toward the center. Flip the towel wrapped cakes over seem-side down on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour to cool. 


Make filling. Beat together the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy and thick. Stir in the strawberries. Unroll the cakes from the towel and either pipe or spread the filling into the center. Roll up so the ends touch and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a couple hours or over night. 


Slice, using a serrated knife into sushi-sized pieces. I ended up with about 18 pieces. Top with a strawberry slice and serve with strawberry coulis (recipe below).


Strawberry Coulis (The "Soy" Sauce)
2 cups quartered and hulled strawberries, mashed
1/4 cup water
3 T granulated sugar
1 T lemon juice


Directions:

1. Combine strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a blender. Blend until very smooth. Press through a fine mesh strainer to remove seeds. Cover and refrigerate until cool. Place in a small dish for sushi dipping!

Tortellini Caprese Bites

Ingredients:


1 (9-oz.) package refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
3 cups halved grape tomatoes
3 (8-oz.) containers fresh small mozzarella cheese balls
60 (6-inch) wooden skewers
Basil Vinaigrette





Directions:
Prepare tortellini according to package directions. Rinse under cold running water.

Thread 1 tomato half, 1 cheese ball, another tomato half, and 1 tortellini onto each skewer. Place skewers in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Pour Basil Vinaigrette over skewers, turning to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours. Transfer skewers to a serving platter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Discard any remaining vinaigrette.

Ham & Bleu Cheese Skewers

If you would like a fresh twist on the traditional Ham & Cheese Sandwich this Spring, try this easy idea.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb (3/4" thick) sliced smoked deli ham
1 (5oz) bleu cheese wedge
1 large Gala apple, sliced
1 bunch fresh watercress
60 (4") wood or metal skewers





Directions:

1. Cut ham into 3/4-inch cubes. Carefully break cheese into 60 small pieces. Cut apple slices into thirds.
2. Thread cheese, apple, watercress leaves, and ham onto skewers. Stand skewers upright, ham ends down, on a serving plate.

Note: Assemble up to one hour ahead, cover with damp paper towels, and chill. Serve coarse-grain mustard or chutney alongside the skewers.

Thai Shrimp Spirals

Ingredients:

2 lime
2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 clove garlic , minced
1 (2-inch) piece ginger root , peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
20 fresh or thawed frozen large shrimp , peeled, deveined and tails removed
5 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 egg
2 tablespoon water
all-purpose flour
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
2 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1. Grate 2 teaspoons zest and squeeze about 1/4 cup juice from the limes. Stir the zest, juice, cilantro, garlic and ginger in a small bowl.
2. Place the shrimp into a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and half the lime mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Reserve the remaining lime mixture for the dipping sauce.
3. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl with a fork.
4. Sprinkle the flour on the work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut into 20 (about 1/2-inch) strips.
5. Skewer each shrimp with 1 (6-inch) wooden skewer. Starting at the top, wrap 1 pastry strip around each shrimp, slightly overlapping the pastry and ending just before the tail.
6. Place the skewered pastries onto 2 baking sheets. Brush the pastries with the egg mixture.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Let the pastries cool on the baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes.
8. Beat the reserved lime mixture, remaining soy sauce and water, the honey and sesame oil in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Serve with the pastries for dipping.