BABY LETTUCES WITH BACON AND EGG The pairing of a humble hardboiled egg and smoky crisps of bacon creates the satisfying taste of this salad. We suggest visiting your local farmers market to find the freshest possible lettuce. (serves 4) INGREDIENTS 1 package baby lettuce (16 oz.) ¼ pound bacon, cooked and broken into pieces 4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered ¼ cup your favorite vinaigrette PREPARATION
Toss lettuce in dressing. Divide among plates and top with bacon pieces and egg quarters. Serve.
CHEDDAR CHIVE SCONES A perfect accompaniment to any meal, these warm and cheesy scones are full of flavor. A tip: This recipe can be used as a base for any savory scone. Replace the cheddar and chives with your favorite flavor combination. (serves 15) INGREDIENTS 1 cup aged cheddar cheese, shredded 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling 3 tbsp. granulated sugar ½ tsp. black pepper 1½ tsp. kosher salt 1 tbsp. baking powder 1 cup cold unsalted butter, ¼-inch cubes 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk ½ cup whole milk ½ cup heavy cream plus additional for brushing 2 tbsp. chives, minced PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400°F. Add dry ingredients to food processor. Pulse cold butter into dry ingredients to form pea-size crumbs, followed by egg and yolk, then milk and heavy cream, then cheddar cheese and chives. Flour your hands and a clean
surface. Empty dough from food processor onto surface. Knead dough approximately 10 times with the heels of your hands. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to 1/4-inch thick, which should form a 10-inch round disk. Use a round cookie or biscuit cutter to cut scones; place them on a parchment paper-lined baking pan. Brush tops with reserved cream. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a light golden color. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Baby Lettuces with Bacon and Egg; Whoopie Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting; Baked Ham with Apricot Glaze; Cheddar Chive Scones OPPOSITE PAGE: Mediterranean Stuffed Zucchini
BAKED HAM WITH APRICOT GLAZE This caramelized brown sugar and apricot-glazed ham is studded with whole cloves and will fill your kitchen with a wonderfully rich and spicy aroma. The apricot glaze adds a touch of sweetness that beautifully complements the rich ham flavor. (serves 24) INGREDIENTS 1 (10 to 12 pound) uncooked, smoked, bone-in ham 8½ oz. apricot jam ½ cup Dijon mustard 1 cup light brown sugar, packed Zest of 1 orange ¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice Whole cloves PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 275°F. Line sheet pan with foil. Place ham on foil fat side up. Wrap with second piece of foil; bake 3 hours. Remove from oven. To prepare glaze, combine apricot jam, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest and orange juice; whisk to blend. Unwrap ham and with large sharp knife, trim rind and all but 1/4-inch of fat. Score fat in diamond pattern, about 3/4-inches apart. Stud ham with whole cloves in decorative pattern. Spoon glaze over ham and bake, uncovered, an additional hour, basting every 15 minutes. Let rest on cutting board until ready to carve.
WHOOPIE CARROT CAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING This modern spin on a classic treat combines two cakelike cookies sandwiched with a scrumptious filling. A tip: These bite-size treats are very soft out of the oven; be sure to let them cool completely before transferring to a wire rack. (serves 24) INGREDIENTS (Cookies) 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1½ cups finely grated carrots 1 pound cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt ½ tsp. ground nutmeg ½ tsp. ground ginger 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1 cup raisins
(Cream Cheese Frosting) ¾ pound unsalted butter, room temperature 1¼ pounds powdered sugar 1¼ tsp. vanilla extract, divided 1 tsp. almond extract, divided PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F. In bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugars and butter; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well mixed. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. On low speed gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture until well blended. Mix in carrots, raisins and oats. Chill for an hour or until firm. Shape one tablespoon of dough into a ball; place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until browned, rotating halfway through. Allow cookies to cool. For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Combine cream cheese and butter in bowl of an electric mixer; mix until smooth. Add powdered sugar in three equal batches. Add almond and vanilla extracts. Cool and spread 2 tablespoons of frosting on one flat side of cookie and sandwich two together. O MARCH 2012
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