Zucchini Roses

I have a confession to make. I’m a guy that watches British fashion vloggers. Well … my wife does, and I’m just there for the gardening bits. One of the vloggers she follows recently posted a video making Courgette Roses. (“Courgettes” are what Brits call zucchini and summer squash. They have some weird names for veggies. Aubergine? Really?) Anyway, I found a version of the recipe with the temperatures and measurements converted to US units. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (about 8 ounces)

• All-purpose flour, for rolling out dough

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

• 1 small summer squash (about 6 ounces), cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced diagonally

• 1 small zucchini (about 6 ounces), cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced diagonally

• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roll the puff pastry out to a 12-inch square on a floured work surface.

2. Brush lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle evenly with the cheese, thyme and lemon zest.

3. Cut into 6 even strips.

4. Shingle alternating yellow and green slices of squash and zucchini along the length of each strip of dough making sure to leave half the dough strip uncovered and allowing the green and yellow skins to hang over one edge slightly.

5. Fold the uncovered dough over the squash and pinch together at the two ends.

6. Starting at one end, roll each strip into a spiral.

7. Lightly press the rolled tarts into a muffin tin sprayed with cooking spray.

8. Bake until the crusts are browned and crisp on the bottom, the top is dry and crisp and the squash is tender and browned on the edges, about 40 minutes.

9. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.

State Fair Scones

A hallmark of the State Fairs on the west coast, now you can make them at home any time of year. Just like at the fair, they are best served hot, with butter and raspberry jam.

State Fair Scones topped with butter and jam.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons white sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 6 tablespoons shortening

• ½ cup milk

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F.

• Step 2

  Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a fork or pastry knife until crumbly texture. Add milk; mix until just combined.

• Step 3

  Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until completely mixed, about 1 minute. Divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll or pat each piece into a 3/4-inch round. Cut each round into 4 pieces. Arrange pieces on a baking sheet.

• Step 4

  Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Rugelach

Rugelach is a filled pastry product originating in the Jewish communities of Poland.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

• ⅓ cup sour cream

• ½ cup white sugar 

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

• ½ cup raisins

Directions

• Step 1

  Cut cold butter or margarine and cream cheese into bits. In food processor pulse flour, salt, butter or margarine, cream cheese and sour cream until crumbly.

• Step 2

  Shape crumbly mixture into four equal disks. Wrap each disk and chill 2 hours or up to 2 days.

• Step 3

  Combine sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and finely chopped raisins (may substitute miniature chocolate chips for raisins).

• Step 4

  Roll each disk into a 9 inch round keeping other disks chilled until ready to roll them. Sprinkle round with sugar/nut mixture. Press lightly into dough. With chefs knife or pizza cutter, cut each round into 12 wedges. Roll wedges from wide to narrow, you will end up with point on outside of cookie. Place on ungreased baking sheets and chill rugelach 20 minutes before baking.

• Step 5

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

• Step 6

  After rugelach are chilled, bake them in the center rack of your oven 22 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers...they freeze very well.

• Step 7

  Variations: Before putting the filling on the dough, use a pastry brush to layer apricot jam as well as brown sugar. Then add the recommended filling. You may also make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar and roll the rugelach in this prior to putting them on the cookie sheets.