Dawn... I need an Easy English Recipe to share

[Retta]

Beautiful flower. Now I am so curious!

[Mary Kobe]

They are very pretty! After they flower, do they have berries? ---Elderberries?

[Thyme]

yep, elderberries is correct

[Phyllis]

I tend to cook the same way, I might start out with a recipe but add or substitute to suit my taste. If I see a recipe that has too many ingredients, I skip that baby right away. I can't imagine eating dandelions but I suppose they are edible.

[Mary Kobe]

Ok, then...we do have elderflowers here. I have heard that Elderberry wine is the best, though I have not tried it.

I still don't think I would eat the plant!

[Retta]

Dandilion gravy tastes like endive. My dad use to make it and it has boiled eggs in it. I can't say I like it that much, but he did.

[LisaH]

I cook the same way as well...pinch of this, handful of that.
My DIL asked for a recipe of something one time and I told her how I cook (giggle) and the look of HORROR and SHOCK that came across her face was priceless!! She's VERY "by the book" oriented ...I'm trying to change that LOL

[Ducky]

I'm chiming in here. My Mum made scones every Sunday morning for as long as I could remember. The best time of year was when blueberries were in season and she would add them to the recipe. Here is her recipe (very easy to make!):
Scones
2 Cups Flour
1 TBL Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries
1 ¼ Cup Heavy whipping cream

Topping
3 TBL Melted Butter
2 tsp Sugar

Combine all dry ingredients and mix. Add cream and mix until dough forms a smooth ball.
Flour a board and knead in blueberries 8 or 9 times. Roll out to 10 inch round and about 1 inch thick.
Brush with melted butter (top & sides) and sprinkle with sugar.
Cut into 12 wedges. Separate and place (at least 1" apart) onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake 15 minutes or until golden

Note: I too make scones nearly every weekend and when Blueberries are not in season if substitute with 3/4 cup of Cinnamon Chips (use cinnamon and sugar on the topping). My Yank husband loves the Cinnamon Chips.

[Suzan]

That is to pretty to be a weed. Here we have rosemary growing wild all over the place

[PennyDuncan]

Sorry, but I can't help but laugh.... Just where is Dana's son supposed to get Elderflowers? And what the heck are they? And shake them to expel any lingering insects????? Oh my.

And while the second recipe sounds absolutely delicious, it doesn't appear to be too easy. I know if I presented that recipe to my son, he would be very intimidated. Heck, I am intimidated and I like to cook!


Oh, and gooseberry fool???? I think my husband qualifies for that!

Good thing we are all united by the Black Cat!!!

BTW, are scones English? They might be easy to make.

OMG I was thinking the EXACT SAME THING!!!!

[Elizabeth]

The elderberry flowers are beautiful. I wish they here. I grew up eating dandelion greens,(bitter!) fiddlehead ferns (hairy!) and my favorite, pig weed. Which is probably a colloquial name for wild sorrell.

My grandmother was a very frugal nature lover. We also picked and ate every imaginable kind of wild berry. It made for some adventurous eating, and some special memories of time spent with Grammie.

[Dana]

English Toffee Recipe

32 Servings
Prep: 20 min. + standing

20 20
Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 2 cups butter, softened, divided
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Grease a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, melt the remaining butter. Add the sugar, corn syrup and salt; cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 295° (hard-crack stage). Quickly pour into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature until cool, about 1 hour.
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips;stir until smooth. Spread over toffee. Sprinkle with pecans. Let stand for 1 hour Break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Yield: about 2 pounds.

Editor's Note: We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.
it
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 ounce) equals 206 calories, 16 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 33 mg cholesterol, 143 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein.


Okay... it was pretty easy! FYI... I just put the chocolate chips on the warm toffee and let it melt, I didn't do the microwave thing.

Capture.JPG

[Phyllis]

Thanks Ducky for the scone recipe, I think I can handle that one. I love scones but have never made them myself. I buy them at our health food market.

Elizabeth, are the wild sorrel the mushroom type looking things?

Dana, yum on the English toffee recipe.

[Dana]

Oh thanks for the Scones recipe Ducky! That sounds yummy and easy!!!

[LisaH]

Scones AND Toffee...I think I'm in heaven!!!
Thanks for the recipes...

[Elizabeth]

I love toffee!

Phyllis, the "pig weed" is a green leafy plant. I just googled pigweed, and came up with amaranthus. I couldn't find a picture that looks familiar, but apparently there are a lot of wild varieties. Maybe I can find some growing and take photo. It really is pretty yummy. Mild like beet greens, but without the "earthy" taste.

[Sassycutter]

My family has a recipe for elderberry wine. As I recall, the berries are dark pink/red???

[Thyme]

thats right. red berries and white/cream flowers

[Angel135612]

What is this cooking thing you all are talking about??? How do you do that??? Can it be done with my Cougar???

Dana, I will sacrifice myself and test your toffee for you, just send the whole batch to me... and I will make sure that it is okay for your son to share with his classmates.

[Gigi]

I'm chiming in here. My Mum made scones every Sunday morning for as long as I could remember. The best time of year was when blueberries were in season and she would add them to the recipe. Here is her recipe (very easy to make!):
Scones
2 Cups Flour
1 TBL Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries
1 ¼ Cup Heavy whipping cream

Topping
3 TBL Melted Butter
2 tsp Sugar

Combine all dry ingredients and mix. Add cream and mix until dough forms a smooth ball.
Flour a board and knead in blueberries 8 or 9 times. Roll out to 10 inch round and about 1 inch thick.
Brush with melted butter (top & sides) and sprinkle with sugar.
Cut into 12 wedges. Separate and place (at least 1" apart) onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
Bake 15 minutes or until golden

Note: I too make scones nearly every weekend and when Blueberries are not in season if substitute with 3/4 cup of Cinnamon Chips (use cinnamon and sugar on the topping). My Yank husband loves the Cinnamon Chips.

I have tried this recipe of hers before and it is fabulous!!

And for those of you who have not made the connection, this is the infamous "Ducky" of http://www.duckysdesigns.com and the one I was talking about a few weeks ago who is just blocks away from me! What an amazing talent - you will understand when you check out her website.