A Christmas Post: Holiday Recipe: Fig and Toasted Almond Scones

Photo: King Arthur Flour

A Christmas Post: Holiday Recipe: Fig and Toasted Almond Scones: From Denny:  Autumn is here - and so is daylight savings time this Sunday when we "fall backward" one hour - so don't forget to set your clocks back one hour!

For some reason I've been enjoying the vegan scones over at Whole Foods the past couple of weeks now that the weather has cooled.  So, that sent me on The Scone Recipe Chase to see what is out there in recipe database land.  Found these little autumnal gems over at King Arthur Flour.

Figs are quite popular here in Louisiana where many a backyard grows a fig tree.  Almonds are popular in California where they supply the nation! This is the time of year when the nation's nut orchards are releasing their bountiful harvest of pecans (Louisiana and Texas), almonds, walnuts and macadamias so we are all tempted to start our holiday baking early! At least I believe that's their marketing strategy to sell more nuts. :)

Scones are an easy way to try out some fruit and nut combinations to see how the family and friends enjoy the idea.  While I love my blueberry and lemon scones of the summer it's time for something different for the fall season so we wanted to try these fig and almond scones at our house.  Of course, if figs or almonds are not your preference, know that you can always try figs and walnuts or cranberries and almonds or whatever grabs your fancy this baking season.

Don't feel like the extra effort and time of slicing the scone dough into proper triangles?  Try the method the King Arthur Flour bakers suggest:  bake them into rounds just using 1/4 cup of dough for each scone, leaving 2 inches between them.  That amounts to the idea of a drop scone, much like a drop biscuit...

Holiday Message Potholder

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!

Holiday Message Dinner Placemats - design also available in cloth napkins, teapots, mugs, coffee travel mugs, aprons, serving trays, wine chillers, cocktail shakers, cocktail plates, cutting boards, cookie jars, flour and sugar canisters, dog food bowls, dog t-shirts, dog hoodies and much more! Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!

Holiday Message Large Serving Tray

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!

* * *  Please support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home.  Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Thank you to all those who are supporting this cause.  You rock!

Subscribe in a reader to A Christmas Post or Subscribe by Email

* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 24 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place.  A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. * 

*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes

Dennys Food and Recipes: Thanksgiving: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

Dennys Food and Recipes: Thanksgiving: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake: From Denny:  This is the perfect holiday table dessert!  It's so showy it's sure to impress.  Three layers of tasty goodness are the gingersnap cookie crust as it's sturdy foundation to hold the spiced pumpkin cheese layer that is marbled with a vanilla layer.

Like most big cheesecakes, this one should be baked in a springform pan, where the cake cools in the pan for several hours before you remove the sides of the pan.  If you have never used a springform pan, it's so easy it will make you laugh, definitely nothing to be intimidated about at all.

Like any tasty cheesecake, this one is rich in calories too, so a small serving would be welcomed by most.  At a dinner party I like to cut a normal to small sized slice, placing it on one plate and then encourage couples to share so people don't have to feel guilty about busting their diet plan.  After all, the whole point of entertaining is for people to enjoy their tasty treats!...

Geaux Wear Pink! Apron

Help support women on their journey to wellness and hope for a cure!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Also, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, keeping these women in your thoughts and prayers.  Here's my latest Denny Lyon Gifts design (at Cafe Press) to honor all the fabulous women and their supporters fighting this disease.

This design first started off as one of my photos of those favorite hot pink azalea blooms, in addition to many other filters, employing a kaleidoscope filter to create this abstract medallion effect. This design reminds me of how our beauty is always there, no matter what form it takes.  Of course, here in Louisiana, we take creative "French" license with English spellings. :)  The thought bubble is to remind others to support these women on their journey to wellness.  Lots of other styles of t-shirts and other products to enjoy too.  The link takes you to the page of all the products featuring this design.  Thanks for visiting!

Dennys Food and Recipes: Fall Recipe: Breakfast Or Dessert Enjoy Spiced Golden Apples

Photo: Heather McClelland/2TheAdvocate.com

Dennys Food and Recipes: Fall Recipe: Breakfast Or Dessert Enjoy Spiced Golden Apples: From Denny:  It's Autumn and time to enjoy cooking apple dishes!  What smells better than apples baking in the oven?  Talk about making the house smell good.

This is an easy dish to make for your family, one they will request often.  Our house prefers dark brown sugar in place of the usual white sugar, your choice, because both taste good.

Saigon cinnamon is quite an awesome choice too.  Found that at Whole Foods locally but I'm sure it's available at other stores in your area.  Just take the time to check.  Saigon cinnamon has more of the "cinnamon" taste and smell we all love, better than the generic cinnamon offered by most spice companies.  You will be familiar with it if you frequent coffee houses.

How much do you know about all the new varieties of apples?  Have you tried any of them?  Seems like there is always something new to explore at the grocery store.  Many of the new apples are crosses between two really outstanding varieties.  Hey, more is better, so why not!  Try picking up two new varieties on each grocery visit and then compare them for taste and texture. While there are over 100 apple varieties in the United States, we only see the best sellers at our grocery stores...

Geaux Wear Pink! Women's All Over Print T-Shirt

Help support breast cancer awareness and hope for the cure! Design available in many t-shirts styles for men, women and kids and on other products like mugs, coffee mugs, blankets, pot holders, hoodies too!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  

Also, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, keeping these women in your thoughts and prayers.  Here's my latest Denny Lyon Gifts design (at Cafe Press) to honor all the fabulous women and their supporters fighting this disease.

This design first started off as one of my photos of those favorite hot pink azalea blooms, in addition to many other filters, employing a kaleidoscope filter to create this abstract medallion effect. This design reminds me of how our beauty is always there, no matter what form it takes.  Of course, here in Louisiana, we take creative "French" license with English spellings. :)  The thought bubble is to remind others to support these women on their journey to wellness.  Lots of other styles of t-shirts and other products to enjoy too.  The link takes you to the page of all the products featuring this design.  Thanks for visiting!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Photo: King Arthur Flour

From Denny:  Summer time and the zucchini are multiplying like rabbits in our gardens!  Zucchini bread is always welcome just plain but how about "gilding the lily"?  Add some cocoa, chocolate chips and espresso powder to put it over the top.

Quick breads like this recipe are always welcome for the holidays or when you want something special - but not complicated or too demanding of your time and effort.  Like most quick breads this one is an easy recipe to make.  While this delicious bread bakes just sit down, relax and tour through your favorite collected old cookbooks or breeze through some interesting online recipe databases.  Works for me!

Celebrate Chocolate King Duvet

Celebrate Chocolate every day as a holiday!

Design available in 3 color palettes:  additional bedding sizes, t-shirts, blankets, 

pillows, jewelry, stuffed animals, mugs, ornaments, 3 sizes of laptop sleeves, shower curtains

From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new! 

Holiday Cake: Chocolate Chip Gingerbread

From Denny:  Would this make a beautiful holiday food gift or what?  Who doesn't like chocolate or gingerbread during the holiday season?  The winter white vanilla glaze gives a strong visual contrast for presentation.  We do eat with our eyes...

This beautiful cake would be great for those holiday gatherings to beautify the dessert table.  Come on; if you are able to slightly warm the servings, melting the chocolate chips, then one whiff of that gingerbread and chocolate and this cake will go fast!

Santa Jingle Picture Ornament

Make some merry this holiday season! Jingle Jingle! This design also available in teapots, cocktail platters, serving trays, lots of bedding, area rugs, blankets, pajamas, pillows, clocks and so much more; come see!

Holiday Recipe: Frozen Grasshopper Pie

From Denny:  This retro recipe is a blast from the past - with updates!  The decade of the 1950's sported the food trend of frozen desserts, especially for entertaining and the holidays.

Historically, it was in the 1950's when freezers were first mass manufactured as separate from refrigerators.  This new appliance trend created some serious creativity in the cooking arena with frozen desserts offered.

This Christmas holiday favorite has survived the test of time, in this decade with a couple of tweaks as options for ingredient substitutions - like frozen yogurt or reduced-fat ice cream for the original full fat ice cream in the filling.  Using canola oil reduces the saturated fat in the original crust that used butter - later in the 1960's and 1970's it was worse, using solid shortening like Crisco for the crust.

Basically, this is a type of frozen mint ice cream pie with a delicious chocolate cookie wafer or chocolate graham cracker crust.  It's a very easy recipe to make which also makes it a big hit.  This recipe is an easy one for beginners.

Celebrate Chocolate Queen Duvet

Celebrate Chocolate every day as a holiday!

Holiday Cookie: Rocky Road Bars

From Denny:  Rocky road is a favorite flavor combination for everything from ice cream to fudge to cake to cookies.  If you like rocky road and shortbread then this bar cookie is for you!  This is a rich little cookie that is just perfect for the holidays or birthday celebrations.

The beauty of this cookie is that you can make ahead and store in the fridge or even freeze it.  A good recipe for taking to holiday gatherings but one you can make at your convenience when you have the time.  Included are some reviews of the recipe from home bakers.  I always like to see what other people think about a recipe and check out any fresh ideas for different twists of ingredients or presentation.  This King Arthur Flour recipe database has been fun to explore!

Calligraphy Bird Thank You Greeting Cards (10 pack)

Elegant calligraphy scroll design decorates this awesome card! Great for sending out those treasured personal snail mail notes people love to receive after the holiday season.

Holiday Recipe: Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

From Denny:  Do you love gingerbread?  Here's a chance to make a smaller version in cookie form to delight your friends, family and guests at holiday gatherings.  The beauty of this cookie recipe is that it's a wonderful surprise of gingerbread combined with chocolate! 

If your local store doesn't carry the Swedish pearl sugar then just dust with regular refined sugar or some sprinkles.  This recipe is a fun twist on the holiday favorite of gingerbread from King Arthur Flour.  Also, left in their links to various ingredients and products they sell on the site for you to check out if you wish.  What I enjoyed most was reading the many reviews which I thought you would find useful too.

Santa Jingle Clutch Bag

Make some merry this holiday season! Jingle Jingle!

Fast Holiday Candy Recipe: Pecan-Raisin Clusters

Photo by Cynthia L. Nobles

From Denny:  Talk about a simple recipe that is fast to create!  Perfect for holiday entertaining this little gem of a recipe comes from Cynthia L. Nobles and it was featured in our local Louisiana newspaper a couple of months ago.  Of course, I quickly recognized it's worth as a recipe perfect for the holidays, whether it's gift-giving or entertaining the friends and relatives! :) 

Do you have a little leftover morning coffee?  This recipe uses up a few tablespoons of it so no need to throw it out after all.  I mean, really, when you can make a chocolate recipe with some leftover morning coffee who said being frugal couldn't be fun and tasty?...

Santa Music Round Compact Mirror

Cookies: Coconut-Almond Macaroons

Photo:  Arthur D. Lauck/The Advocate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From Denny:  Raise your hand if you enjoy coconut macaroons.  Yeah, me too!  They make some stellar ones on their seasonal menu, dipped in the best dark chocolate, over at the French restaurant bistro chain, La Madeleine.  

But if you can't get ones as good as theirs locally, and the ones at the grocery store leave you yawning, well, make them yourself!  These lovely cookies are easy to make.

Yet another easy recipe from my local Louisiana newspaper, The Advocate.  They have an award-winning food section as Louisiana people love to cook and share our recipes for publication, especially when it comes to tail-gating season and the holidays...

Happy Holidays Poinsettia Greeting Cards (20 pack)

Christmas poinsettia vintage design updated in soft winter pales with Happy Holidays greeting suitable for the holiday season!

Chef Cookies: Cinnnamon-Espresso Chocolate Chip Vegan Style

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies (Photo credit: MomPOM/Jenn)

From Denny:  Raise your hand if you love the combination of coffee, chocolate and cinnamon.  Yeah, I thought so; me too.   This easy recipe is from Chef Chloe Coscarelli, a winner of the Food Network's "Cupcake Wars."

Cookies: Almond Nuggets with Chocolate Drizzle

From Denny:  Chocolate and almonds are the ideal combination for a cookie.  This is basically a sugar cookie with sliced almonds that makes for a stiff dough.

It is a simple exercise of dropping the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet - so that makes it easy even for beginner bakers.  The chocolate comes in when you ice the cookie with bittersweet chocolate that has been melted together with real butter and almond extract.

What's amusing is how the recipe creator actually thinks these mere 24 cookies will last long enough to make it into a covered container.  Bring your friends! :)

Valentines Day Cookies: Reverse Chocolate Chip

From Denny:  In the mood for a chocolate batter cookie with white chocolate chips?  This version also sports an unusual ingredient:  the heady spice coriander.  Add in the exotic flavorful macadamia nuts and this cookie is a huge hit.  You can always substitute your favorite nut like almonds or walnuts.


When I found this recipe on the ABC Recipe site, they referenced it to "Stew Leonard's."  Of course, I asked the obvious question, "Who is that?"

I live in south Louisiana so had never heard of the Connecticut grocery store chain.  So, I googled them and found a wonderful site worth the visit.  They started out as a dairy farm in Norwalk, Connecticut and branched out from there over the decades into a full blown grocery chain.  Check out this wonderful chocolate recipe.

Chefs Recipe 4 Valentines Day: Warm Chocolate Cheesecake

Another version of chocolate cheesecake - Image via flickr

From Denny:  Looking for an easy to make chocolate cheesecake?  Chef Sara Moulton is always coming up with great ideas that are simple to make.

Usually, we serve cheesecake chilled.  Have you ever thought of eating your cheesecake while still warm from the oven?  Sara likes this recipe to enjoy that warm creamy chocolate delight.


Sara bakes these chocolate cheesecakes in small ramekins.  She didn't offer up a photo but check out the awesome one I found of another version of chocolate cheesecake at flickr, decked out in blackberries.

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: Quick Mardi Gras King Cake

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: Quick Mardi Gras King Cake: From Denny: This version of the sweet yeast bread known as King Cake only requires an hour in the fridge to chill and rest the dough. Then it rises for another hour or so while you work on putting together the yummy filling.

The traditional three colors of icing are green, purple and gold. Make sure you wait for the baked cake to cool off before inserting a small hole in the bottom of the cake to place the miniature plastic baby.

It's considered good luck for the following year to receive the baby in your slice of King Cake. You also get to pay for the next King Cake. Hey, with fame comes social responsibility! :)

Related articles

• Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: New Orleans Zulu King Cake (thehealingwaters.blogspot.com)
• Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: Winner Meatloaf and 3 Sauces (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Comfort Food From Louisiana: Mardi Gras: Muffuletta Sandwich (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)
• Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Triple Chocolate Pistachio Mint (dennysguestbloggers.blogspot.com)
• Comfort Food From Louisiana: 2 Recipes: Coffee Cake and Apple Cake Topped with Pecan Streusel (unusual2tasty.blogspot.com)

Cookies: Unusual Tabasco Chocolate Cherry

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  Enjoy a little pepper heat with your chocolate?  Then these unusual cookies from the Tabasco hot sauce company are for you.

Chocolate and cherries are another winning combination enjoyed during the Valentine's Day celebration season.  Tabasco just decided to kick it up a notch.

This recipe calls for making huge cookies that are shaped into football ovals and then decorated with icing to resemble the pigskin laces.  Instead you can shape them into hearts, piping icing with a heart inside a heart for decoration.

Cookies: Spiced Chocolate Macaroons

 

From Denny:  Do you like spice cookies but crave the addition of chocolate?  This cinnamon and chocolate pairing also happens to improve as the cookie ages.  What could be better than that? A stale cookie that tastes great! :)  

The cookie also contains the background dark note from a hint of cloves like I like to use in my morning stovetop cooked oatmeal.  There is nothing like the pairing of cinnamon and cloves to add richness to a dish whether sweet or savory.

The nut used in this cookie is slivered almonds.

Cookies: Chocolate Crackled

Photo by Denny Lyon

From Denny:  These chocolate chunk cookies are delightfully decadent as they also include ancho chile pepper that provides some smokey heat.  Cinnamon and extra vanilla extract balance the chile heat and intense semi-sweet chocolate.

A variation of this cookie is provided that enjoys using roasted ginger spice in place of the cinnamon.

Check out the interesting variations of your favorite chocolate chunk cookie!

Cookies: Triple Chocolate Pistachio Mint

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  These rich cookies are perfect for the holidays from Thanksgiving to Christmas to Valentine's Day to Mardi Gras.  Any celebration will do when it comes to chocolate!  

Chocolate and peppermint are a great pairing, each complementing the other.  What I like about this chocolate recipe is it uses bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate too.  The contrast of the very dark and the light white is awesome, balanced by the roasted pistachio nuts.  Can it get any better?

Cookies: Double Chocolate Chunk Mint

From Denny:  Looking for a chocolate cookie with a deep, rich flavor?  This recipe combines cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate.

Chunks of tasty walnuts are perfect with intense chocolate.  And remember that peppermint extract you bought for the Christmas holidays and haven't managed to use up yet?  This is a winner of a recipe to make good use of it.  Yeah, had some peppermint extract languishing in the back of my pantry too.  I'm just saying... :)

This recipe reminded me of those delicious Hershey's mint miniatures that are almost completely disappeared from the holiday season.  And I was craving a chocolate-mint combination and then I happened upon this little gem of a recipe.  Enjoy!