Orange Zest Scones

I recently received The Yellow Table Cookbook on my doorstep, which has quickly become a source of inspiration and motivation in my kitchen and on my table. Author Anna Watson Carl is real. She seems to get me, and she does not even know me! Her book is captivating, and her blog is even more so -- I loved every single word of her latest blog post, "Choosing Connection, Not Perfection," which re-exposes the value in holiday meals -- not photo shoots -- and the memories that can be captured through connection, not through Instagram or social media. The prose is refreshing and authentic. I'm grateful for it. Read it now. Anna's orange zest scones were a Thanksgiving weekend highlight. The best part about this recipe is that you can prepare it ahead. The night before baking, I prepped the scones, placed them on a baking sheet, covered extra tightly with Press 'n Seal, and popped the baking sheets into the freezer for the night. Upon waking up at 6 a.m. the next morning, I preheated the oven, brushed the frozen scones with cream and sugar (just as I did with my coffee), and baked the scones for a few extra minutes. They were light and fluffy, yet dense enough to carry a nice fig jam. I highly recommend these for holiday mornings when houseguests and family members sleep in. They'll enter the kitchen with much delight.

Makes 16 scones

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 5 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (1 orange) 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk 1 cup heavy cream Additional sugar for sprinkling over scones

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, and salt. Add the cubed butter, and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolk, and heavy cream. Add to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.

4. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle with flour. Lightly flour your hands and knead dough a couple of times until it has a consistent texture and color. Do not overwork the dough.

5. Pat the dough into a 2-inch thick circle. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter in flour and stamp out as many scones as possible. Roll the scraps together and stamp additional scones. Place scones 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Brush tops with a bit of cream and sugar.

6. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. The scones can sit for several hours before enjoying.

recipe by anna watson carl

These fresh and fabulous ingredients were made possible by The Fresh Market. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

How to Sweeten the Season with Nature Nate's

As holiday desserts consume our Pinterest boards, and menu planning for holiday feasts become a top-of-mind task, I cannot think of a more appropriate sweetener to a holiday moment (or meal). Nature Nate's is a 100% pure raw and unfiltered honey from my good 'ole stopping grounds of Texas, and I've quickly found myself craving the simple sweetness in each drop.

I personally adore Nature Nate's relevance to my blog mantra, "sweet touches to everyday experiences." Its delivery, first of all, is quite charming; the hand-written label is enough to convince me to choose Nature Nate's over the generic product on my grocery aisle...before even tasting it! After adding the bottle to my pantry shelf, I have found countless reasons to use it: in my nightly cups of tea, in the scones recipe I'm trying out before Thanksgiving travels, and in a new vinaigrette I'm concocting for a kale and pomegranate salad. If you're in need of honey-infused recipes, look no further than the BeeSweet blog, which lists dozens of seasonal dishes, especially beyond desserts.

When I picked up a loaf of fresh pumpkin bread from The Fresh Market this past weekend, I drizzled a bit on each slice before serving to friends. And you bet I'll be adding the blueberry honey syrup to my next batch of buckwheat pancakes!

How will you sweeten your holiday season?

This post is in partnership with Nature Nate's, and ingredients were made possible by The Fresh Market. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

featured image courtesy of Nature Nate's

Sea Bass with Chickpea Puree and Parsley Sauce

I'm the Bon Appétit and Food & Wine fan who dreams about (and drools over) each issue's recipes, rips them out for later use, and completely forgets about them after the fact. However, when Zoe and I invited a few friends for dinner earlier in the month, I spent one evening sorting through dozens of torn pages and narrowing them down to the finest. This sea bass recipe stood out among the rest; and boy, does it still stand out. The chickpea puree leftovers made for a fabulous post-work appetizer and wine accompaniment the following day, and the parsley sauce added just the right amount of color and flavor to the mix.

I served my fillet with a green bean salad with mustard seeds, roasted fingerling potatoes, and some sautéed portobello slices.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 4 six-ounce sea bass fillets Salt and pepper 4 fresh bay leaves 4 small rosemary sprigs 1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary 2 cups Italian parsley leaves 2 tablespoons lemon juice Two 15-ounce cans chick peas, rinsed and drained 1 small garlic clove

1. Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium baking dish, mix 1/4 cup olive oil with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest. Season fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to marinade, and nestle with bay and rosemary leaves between fillets. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. In a blender, combine parsley with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water. Puree until smooth. With the machine on, gradually add 1/2 cup oil until incorporated. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

3. In a food processor, combine chick peas with garlic, minced rosemary, 1 cup water, remaining 1/4 cup oil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Transfer puree to a medium saucepan over low heat. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm on stove.

4. Remove fish from marinade. Place on baking sheet. Roast for 12 minutes, until just cooked through. Spoon chickpea puree onto plates and top with fish. Drizzle with parsley sauce and serve immediately.

P.S. The parsley sauce and chickpea puree can be made ahead!

adapted from food & wine

Kale Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan

Has this week been declared salad week? Well, I'm declaring it. I am not boasting that my diet has consisted of substantial salads (although that's a fine idea), but Monday's green bean salad with mustard seeds and tarragon kickstarted some salad inspiration. The leaves may be changing from greens to oranges, but why not celebrate the green in your season through a bowl of tasty and healthy ingredients? A kale salad with parmesan and pine nuts was delivered to my parents' home in a box of homemade goods, from monkey bread to tomato soup and parmesan toasts. I swooned over the packaging -- all in individual mason jars. I insisted that Cathy send me the salad recipe, which surprisingly only requires 5 ingredients. Cathy's one mandate? Don't buy the pre-bagged kale. Find the fresh heads of kale at Whole Foods or Fresh Market, and remove the veins in order to prevent notorious bitterness. While it may take longer to wash, dry, and chop, the kale will have just the right amount of spice without overwhelming your palette. Thanks, Cathy!

Makes 4-6 servings

1 head of kale, washed, dried, chopped 1 lemon, juiced 1/2 cup olive oil Salt and pepper 1 cup parmesan 1 cup pine nuts

1. Mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for dressing. Pour over kale and toss.

2. Add parmesan and pine nuts.

Green Bean Salad with Mustard Seeds and Tarragon

Are your eyes also stuck on the the brightness and beauty of this salad? I didn't even enhance the color while editing my photography. . .This is authentic cooking, and I think you are going to love this salad to serve during any season.

You must get this cookbook, first of all. The pages are absolutely beautiful and literally urge you to get off the couch, find a farmers market, and attempt to mimic the colorful, visionary vegetarian recipes.

For a dinner party last week, I adapted this green bean salad as a starter to roasted halibut with homemade chickpea puree (also known as hummus) and red potatoes. We all loved the lemony crunch and appreciated the slightly licorice taste of the tarragon. The mustard seeds, which I had never before owned in my spice cabinet, were a warm touch. Above all else, though, this gorgeous dish will turn any dinner plate into a masterpiece. I assure you. Blanch away, and Happy Monday.

adapted from Plenty

Makes 6-8 servings

1 1/2 cups green beans, trimmed 1 1/2 cup snap peas, trimmed 1 cup snow peas, trimmed 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon Coarse sea salt 1 cup arugula & spinach mix

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Blanch green beans for 4 minutes, then immediately drain into iced water. Drain and dry. repeat Repeat for snap peas (Blanch 1 minute), snow peas (Blanch 1 minute), and peas (Blanch 20 seconds).

2. Combine all beans and peas into a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat oil, mustard seeds and garlic. When seeds begin to pop, pour contents of the plan over the beans and peas.

3. Toss mixing bowl, then add red onion, lemon zest, and tarragon. Mix well and season with salt to taste.

4. Just before serving, fold spinach and arugula leaves in the beans and peas. Serve at room temperature.

Friday Finds: Halloween Sips and Sweets

Happy Halloween! While I will not be trick or treating for candy tonight, my sweet tooth is unsurprisingly at an all-time high. Luckily, this holiday hands us the excuse to add a punch of sweetness to our diet, whether in dessert or cocktail form. Tonight, in my 1920s garb, I'll be whipping up this folklore blackberry brew from last week's All Hallows Eve dinner party shoot with West Elm and Art in the Find. Below are a few other sweet-tooth-friendly finds for your holiday weekend...It is not too late to plan something special for your Halloween gathering!

Halloween-appropriate puppy chow (pictured above).

Mini pumpkin whoopie pies with cream cheese filling by the beloved Martha.

Joy's apple snap cocktails. . .hello.

A "fig"ment of your imagination with honeyed mascarpone.

A classic martini with the most crisp and creepy presentation!

Featured image courtesy of Edible Perspective