"This is a journey of my life since I was all of 12 yrs when I started my hand in cooking to now with displays of my learning and creations of recipes from around the world. My inspiration and role model has always been my Mum who has always created dishes from around the world and excellently well. I do not believe I would ever match to her culinary skills. I remember the times she could cook and bake almost 4-5 dishes in one go without ever letting one go under cooked or burnt! I was born and raised in Dubai, UAE and recently moved to India for family reasons. Kitchenette just means that over the decades, my kitchen has changed from that of my mum's to my uncle and aunt's, to my home in UAE and now in India. Pala't'te, describes both global cuisines ('Palatte'-diverse flavours) and pleasing diverse 'Palates'."
Showing posts with label Irish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Irish. Show all posts

Tuesday, 14 July 2015

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Oatmeal Scones #BreadBakers

I have been away for too long once again and dear readers I have to apologise once again but this time as most of G'Gina's Kitchenette facebook readers are aware, I have moved cities. Yes again! So a new kitchen, a new beautiful home and lots of hopeful expectations for better cooks & bakes. For now it's brown cardboard boxes that are waiting to be unpacked while I rest to recuperate from hurting myself during the packing and unpacking process.  





Scones has always been on my to do list and what better time to try it out as the lovely Rocio Rivera Gentil of  Kids and Chic hosts this month's #BreadBakers event 'Oatmeal Breads'. Thanks Rocio for the wonderful opportunity.





Scones find its origin in the United Kingdom and I first had the most perfect scone on our family's visit to United Kingdom during my schooling age. My Mum had gained a nickname 'London Leela' owing to the fact that she was one of the early medical staff who had trained in her profession in London. She always raved of the ways things were done in London. She also adopted a lot of the food and English culture at home. I owe this recipe to her as well.




The scone is a part of the traditional cream tea or Cornish cream tea or Devonshire tea, which is  a form of afternoon tea as a light meal consisting of scones with with clotted cream and jam. It differs from teacake or sweet buns which are made out of yeast.




I have included an option for those who are allergic to nuts/peanut butter.




This is a simple recipe too!




You need:


  • 21/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 11/4 cup Quaker oats (not quick oats) or traditional rolled oats * see Notes 1. 
  • 7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 egg, separated
  • ½ cup cold peanut butter (or 1 cup small bananas mashed) 
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup dark unsweetened or semi sweet chocolate chips
  • White powdered or raw sugar,castor sugar or icing sugar for sprinkling
The Make:
Preparation Time: 15 mins | Bake Time: up to 30 minutes | Makes 8 scones


1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and place a butter paper or baking sheet on your baking tray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, blend the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. 
3. Add the butter and using your fingertips (* see Notes 2.) to blend the butter into the flour mixture.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and the egg yolk together taking care not to whisk too much.
5. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk and yolk mixture into the well and then add the peanut butter and gently fold the mixture together until it blends together. 
6.Then add in the chocolate chips and gently knead with your hand until just incorporated taking care not to over mix the dough
7. Turn the dough out on to the butter paper or baking sheet and mould the dough into a round disk about 8-9" in diameter. Pat to smoothen the surface as much as possible.
9. Brush atop the dough with whisked egg white, and sprinkle the top with powdered sugar.
10. Cut the dough into 8 wedges taking care not to separate them.



11. Bake the scones for 25-30 mins, or until the scones are nice and golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or sometimes with a few crumbs attached
11. Remove from the oven and let it cool aside for 5 minutes, then slice the already wedged 8 pieces and separate them this time.
12. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, or serve slightly warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate and use up to 4 days. Slightly warm in the oven before serving though if refrigerated. Optionally serve with some plain unsweetened cream or even sour cream on top. 




 * Notes:
1. Rolled oats are traditionally oat groats (hulled kernels of oat cereal or the wholegrain of the oats that have been husked and includes the bran, cereal germ and endosperm) that have been de-husked, steamed and then rolled into flat flakes, then stabilised through light toasting process.
2. You can also use a pastry blender instead of using your fingertips.





This is my cup of tea with my slice of scone on the next day of baking these scrumptious scones :)....

Tea and Scones Anyone? ...





#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme.  Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com

Oatmeal Bread themed #BreadBakers:

  • Agave Oatmeal Sour Dough Bread from My Catholic Kitchen
  • Applesauce Oatmeal Bread from Hostess at Heart
  • Banana Oatmeal Loaf from Basic N Delicious
  • Blueberry Currant Oatmeal Bread from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
  • Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
  • Honey Oatmeal Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Honey Oatmeal Bread from Recipes, Food and Cooking
  • Honey-Oatmeal Muffins from A Baker's House
  • Honey Oats Bread Loaf from Gayathri's Cook Spot
  • Honey Nut Oatmeal Waffles from Magnolia Days
  • Honey Wheat Oat Bread from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
  • Irish Oat and Whole Wheat Bread from Cali's Cuisine
  • Lemon Blueberry Oat Bread from Kids & Chic
  • Multigrain Twist Bread from What Smells So Good?
  • Oat Breadsticks from Passion Kneaded
  • Oatmeal and Whole Wheat Rolls from Sneha's Recipe
  • Oatmeal Buttermilk Bread from Ruchik Randhap
  • Oatmeal Porridge Sandwich Loaf from Bakers and Best
  • Oatmeal Stout Loaf from Food Lust People Love
  • Oat & Honey Bread from La Cocina de Aisha
  • Oats and Millet Idli from Spice Roots
  • Oats Bread with Maple and Walnut by Cook's Hideout
  • Oats Garlic Kulcha from SimplyVeggies
  • Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Oatmeal Scones from G'Gina's Kitchenette
  • Rolled Oat Sourdough Boule from A Shaggy Dough Story
  • Savory Oats Scones from Sara's Tasty Buds
  • Triple Seeded Oat Bread from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
  • Whole Wheat Honey Oatmeal Bread from Spill the Spices





  • BreadBakers

    Saturday, 17 January 2015

    Comfy Beef Stew Soup

    Still post the celebratory weeks of Christmas, New Year, weddings and more,coupled with a cool weather calls for more simple, warm, homemade comfort food. This one stems from such a moment in the recent past. Hope you can enjoy this bowl of comfy goodness with your family. Add some crusty bread loaf and you have a perfect meal! You can try this one with the Crunchy homemade soda bread recipe I posted yesterday.


    For my vegetarian friends, please note you can substitute the beef with 200 gms of mushrooms and need only 20-30 minutes to cook this dish when cooked in the pressure cooker. You can also add beans of your choice about 100 gms.




    You need:

    • 1/2 kg of fresh beef meat, cut into 1" cubes
    • 2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced
    • 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced finely
    • 1 cup of tomato puree
    • 2 tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tsp of pepper powder
    • 1/4 cup of plain flour
    • 2 cups of beef stock
    • 1/2 tbsp parsley leaves, finely diced 
    • Lime leaves or cilantro for garnish (optional)
    • Salt to taste
    • Drinking water as required
    • 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
    • 1 cup of red wine (optional)
    • 1 cup of Guinness (optional)

    The Make
    Serves 4 adults | Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking Time: 45-60 minutes

    Note: This recipe is best made in a slow cooker however if you do not have the time or a slow cooker, you could opt for the faster option as below. In a slow cooker, this recipe would require a minimum of 6 hours.



    1. In a large pressure cooker, combine the beef, garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes. Saute on medium-low heat. 
    2. Pour in the puree and season with Worcestershire (optional),bay leaf, parsley and pepper. 
    3. Stir the flour and beef stock together in a separate bowl and add into the beef mix. Stir well. Add the optional Guinness and wine.
    4. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or for 4 whistles on medium-high and 4 whistles on low heat.
    5. Once the pressure has settled, uncover and do a salt check and add salt as required. Check also if you have sufficient liquid for your soup, else add more as required. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Garnish if required with cilantro or lime leaves.


    Serve hot with a side of Crunchy Rosemary and honey soda bread ! Bon appetit!