The Clover Hill Dictionary

I knit, write, cook, garden, and keep house in general. Currently I have 2 nearly completed books; Christmas With Giselle, an allegory and The Two Step, a biblical study guide for reconciliation .... I am as yet unpublished but still working .... lately I've been in the kitchen knocking out some recipes for my next project; The Clover Hill Dictionary. I plan for it to be a little bit of this and that ... maybe some knitting, and other general but interesting information.

So here are some of my latest recipes;

Clover Hill Cookie Scones

2 c. flour

1 c sugar + T for dusting

3 t cream of tartar

1 t baking soda

6 T butter

1 c large chunks of walnuts

1 c raisins

3 eggs

1 T whole milk

Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter till fine. Add walnuts and raisins. Stir. Combine and add; egg and milk. Stir until just moist and roll out to  about 3/4 inch thick on a floured surface. Use a small biscuit cutter to make rounds and place, well spaced, onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Almond Sugar Cake

1/2 c butter softened

1/3 c shortening

1 3/4 c brown sugar

4 eggs

1 t almond extract

1 3/4 c cake flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

3/4 c finely chopped almonds

1 recipe Butter Almond Icing

1 cup slivered almonds

Grease and flour three 8 x 1 1/2-inch round cake pans. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter, shortening and sugar with electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy about 10 minutes. Add eggs and almond extract and continue beating. In another mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. Add alternately with buttermilk to the creamed mixture until just combined. Add almonds and stir. Pour batter evenly into the three cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and continue to cool on wire racks. Frost all layers, top and sides of cake with Butter Almond Icing and sprinkle slivered almonds on the top of the cake. Lovely for any birthday party!

Butter Almond Icing

1 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 T vanilla extract

1 T almond extract

6-7 c confectioners sugar

Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add extracts and stir, add sugar until proper spreading consistency.

Banana Cakes

1 c very ripe banana

1 egg

1 stick butter

2 t vanilla

1 c sugar

1 c all purpose flour

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

confectioners sugar for sprinkling

Cream banana, butter and sugar well, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and continue to mix. Sift together dry ingredients and stir in until just mixed together. Pour into greased and floured muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool completely before removing from pan and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.