Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw

Creamy Buttermilk Coleslaw
from Cooks Illustrated July 2002 and The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Serves 4

CI note: If you are planning to serve the coleslaw immediately, rinse the salted cabbage in a large bowl of ice water, drain it in a colander, pick out any ice cubes, then pat the cabbage dry before dressing.

1 pound cabbage (about ½ medium head), red or green, shredded fine (6 cups)
table salt
1 medium carrot, shredded on box grater
½ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
½ teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water. Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. Place wilted cabbage and carrot in large bowl.

2. Stir buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, shallot, parsley, vinegar, sugar, mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper together in small bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to combine; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Coleslaw can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Pan-Fried Dumplings

Pan-Fried Dumplings
adapted from World Foodie Guide

48 round dumpling wrappers
1 lb bag cabbage & carrots slaw mix
3 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 serrano pepper, finely diced
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp garlic
1/2 pork
1/4 cup Kikoman soy sauce
Vegetable oil

I made half vegetable dumplings and half a combination of pork and vegetable.

1. Remove the dumpling wrappers from the freezer and let defrost while cooking the vegetables.

2. For the vegetable mixture add the slaw mix, cilantro, pepper, ginger, garlic, and half of the soy sauce to a frying pan. Heat over medium until the vegetables soften (about 8 minutes). Set aside in a bowl and let cool.

3. Fill a small bowl with water. Dip your finger in the water and outline a dumpling wrapper to moisten around the edge. Place about 1 teaspoon of vegetable mixture in the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over and seal. Repeat this for 24 dumplings.

4. Heat about 3 Tbs oil in the frying pan over medium heat. Add 12 dumplings to the pan. Let fry until brown on one side (about 4 minutes). Add a cup of water to the pan and continue to cook for 1 minute. Strain the dumplings from the liquid and set aside in a single layer to cool. Repeat this step for the other 12 dumplings.

5. Cook pork in a pan over medium heat until brown. Set aside to cool. Mix the pork with the remaining vegetable mixture.

6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the pork/vegetable dumplings.

7. Serve with soy sauce or create your own dipping sauce.

BBQ Bean Soup

I saw a recipe on A Year of Slow Cooking Blog for a baked bean soup that tasted like pork and beans but better. It sounded great but I didn't have all the ingredients and I wanted to mix it up a bit. I also didn't feel like dragging out my crockpot so I just made this on the stove top. This is a very versatile recipe. If you want to make this as a side dish to take to a BBQ just reduce the water.



BBQ Bean Soup
Inspired by A Year of Slow Cooking

1 lb dry pinto beans or 2 cans pinto beans
2 cans tomato sauce
6 cups water
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp garlic
1/2 onion
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 strips thick bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 Tbs yellow mustard
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 Serrano pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup Kraft Honey BBQ sauce


If using dry beans then rinse, boil, and let soak over night or use the quick method from the back of the bean package.

Toss all of the ingredients into a large stock pot and bring to a low boil for 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Or put all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low 10 hours or high 5 hours.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Chocolate Chip Scones
From Joy of Baking

2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113 grams) (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1/2 cup (90 grams) milk or semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks

1/2 cup (75 grams) dried cherries or cranberries *I omitted these

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk

Egg mixture for brushing tops of scones:

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Cinnamon Sugar:

2 tablespoons (30 grams) granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Powdered Sugar:

Dust on top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and place rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chunks (or chips) and dried cherries. In a small measuring cup whisk together the buttermilk and vanilla extract and then add to the flour mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together (add more buttermilk if necessary). Do not over mix the dough.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (3.75 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 4 pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one well-beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk and brush the tops of the scones with this mixture. To make the Cinnamon Sugar, mix together the sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with a little of the cinnamon sugar.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then turn your broiler on high. Sift the confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar heavily over the tops of the scones and place them under the broiler. Broil for just a few seconds, turning the pan as necessary, until the sugar has melted and turns golden brown. Make sure to watch the scones carefully as the sugar will burn very quickly. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes 8 scones or 16 to 18 biscuits