A Canning Adventure: Homegrown Tomatoes

Lusciously red and fresh picked, these tomatoes deliver that signature homegrown flavor. 

Every year for as long as I can remember my Grandparents, Dad's side, have had these massive gardens that produce some of the best vegetables. Even with a big family such as ours there is too much produce! The solutions was simple to them, create a stand and allow people to share in the goodness from the earth. 

This is not the best photo, but it shows the two gardens this year. I'm simply amazed.

Here is a close-up of the tomatoes. In the photo above, they are the jungle to the left. The plants got MASSIVE this year.

While I thoroughly enjoy these fresh picked tomatoes sliced and sprinkled with salt and pepper, canning them is another way to enjoy their unique flavor throughout the Fall and Winter months. As much as I’m not ready for the Summer to be over, I’m ready for the chili I make every year. Last year I finally got it near perfection, in other words, I got it near to Gma D’s recipe. The key is her canned tomatoes, tomato juice and hot red peppers. A few weeks back I got a chance to help can the juice. What fun! I still don’t feel confident enough to do it on my own, but I will get there. Someday I’ll be growing my own tomatoes and need the know how. I couldn’t help but snap some photos along the way. 

This little machine is a beast!

The tomatoes stewed to perfection. I kind of just wanted to ladle these into my happy smiling face. They smelled simply delicious. 

Alas, we had to make juice so I couldn't eat the tomatoes.

Time for the juice to get a reheat before it hits the can.

Batch one is ready for the jars. Ladles up!

Look at that natural red beauty! Gma D does the work while Gpa D stands in the background doing what he does best, supervising.

Gma D puts that last bit in before capping them off for the hot hot bath to seal them.

Once the canning is done Gma D stores them in the basement until it's time for her to make her amazing dishes or until someone needs a jar or two (raises his hand). I do have a few cans here waiting for me to get creative. I think it's time to do that!

Ciao for now,

Chad D.

Toasted Coconut-Walnut Banana Bread

I find it fitting that the first post I return with includes bananas. Why? Because that's how I feel my life has been over the past few months. It's been going bananas! And the end doesn't seem near. (Insert BIG SMILE here)

When I say "going bananas" it's meant in a good way. There has been a ton of change in my life over the past few months. For that I am thankful. Not all changes have been exactly easy, but Life's lessons rarely come easy. Overall it's been wonderful change. 

One big change was stepping away from this blog. If you follow me on Instagram you will have noticed I have still been cooking and enjoying my time in the kitchen. I'm not going to lie, I needed a break from the blog. That said, the break was far toooooo long. Apologies. Without going into all details of my life, let's focus on the fact that Creande is coming back. I will be dealing with the blog a bit different, however. 

Anywho, let's get back to those silly bananas! 

Banana bread is always a favorite of mine. Bananas on the other hand...I always buy a bunch thinking I'll eat them before they brown. Never the case. That's not a bad thing, right? It just means I get to make Banana Bread more often. Yum. 

Last week I had another bunch of bananas brown. Funny thing is, I got a recipe email the day I decided to use them for Banana Bread. But, it was no normal Banana Bread. The email was for Toasted Coconut Banana Bread. I MAY have gotten just a bit excited. Slightly sad that I didn't think of the idea before that email, but still quite excited. So I grabbed coconut, walnuts and a few other ingredients. (A sentence and recipe loaded with nuts. Ha!) Anywho, I sat down with the recipe and it told me just what it needed to become better. To be the best Banana Bread it could be! I applied the alterations and...BOOM. Amazing things happened in the kitchen!

First and foremost, when toasting the coconut and walnuts you get a splendid sweet and then toasty aroma to awaken your senses. Mashing those bananas, hello dancing tastebuds. Get those three ingredients mixed together… pure happiness. (I think I really did a happy dance.) When those loaves (loaf) hit the oven it's like an explosion of banana aroma. I just wanted to sit in front of the oven and watch that bread bake and crust perfectly. Alas, I had things to do. The aroma was enough to torture one's stomach. I could barely get through the photos when the bread was done. I wanted that bread! Once I did manage to get a slice, it was near perfection. This will be my go to recipe for Banana Bread, coconut or no coconut.

I guarantee you will love this bread. Guarantee. Now, print this recipe and get to baking. 

Until the next food-venture! 

Chad D.

Toasted Coconut-Walnut Banana Bread

Yields: 1 9x5x3 or 4 mini loaves

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 mashed overripe bananas

1/3 cup olive oil

2 eggs, room temperature

2 Tablespoon milk, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1 1/2 cups toasted coconut

1 cup toasted walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º  and grease pan(s) and set aside. 

2. To toast the coconut and walnuts; add them to a skillet over low-medium heat. Toast until walnuts begin to release their oil and the coconut is golden brown.

3. In a large mixing bowl combine dry ingredients, whisk. 

4. Mash bananas in a medium bowl and add oil, eggs, milk and vanilla.

5. Combine wet and dry ingredients by folding them together. 

6. Fold in coconut and walnuts. 

7. Pour batter into prepare pans and bake 30-40 minutes for small loaves or 50-60 minutes for large loaf or until a toothpick come out clean. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

8. Remove from pan(s) and enjoy.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.cooking.com/recipes-and-more/recipes/Toasted-Coconut-Banana-Bread-recipe-345.aspx#axzz2cT9s0GfA

Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes and Vanilla Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I think it's safe to say that I am going through a lemon phase. I can't seem to get enough. I can't seem to stop thinking of dishes or treats that will somehow involve LEMON! Today I bring you two new recipes. Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes and Vanilla Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

I can say in full foodie confidence that these two recipes, the frosting in particular, are the best lemon treats I've had. EVER! The cupcakes offer a near perfect texture and a light lemon flavor. The frosting is sweet but packed with a delicious tart lemon flavor. In all honesty, I could sit and eat the frosting from the mixing bowl. I have never been so excited to share a recipe as I am to share this frosting recipe. 

I found these recipes after a quick look around the internet for some inspiration. After a quick look over the recipe I realized there was no vanilla. I had one of those Foodie Freakout moments in the kitchen. Vanilla is my favorite flavor. I know it's plain, simple and boring to some. Why do I love it so much then? It's SO versatile and can add just the perfect little hint of flavor to compliment so many other flavors. If one uses vanilla beans, one can add some serious pure vanilla flavor to compliment anything. If you haven't used vanilla beans or vanilla bean paste, I highly recommend it. Anywho, I obviously found it necessary to add vanilla to these recipes. I chose to add a little more than normal so that it could stand right beside the power of the tart lemon flavor. I think it was a success!

Another change I made, which is a small change but yields a big result, is lemon juice. I added more. The recipes needed it. I just knew they would be better! And...I was right. 

Now is the point where I stop chatting and you start baking. You should print these recipes and get lost in Foodie Heaven. ;-)

Vanilla Lemon Cupcakes      [Printable Recipe]

adapted from: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/lemon-layer-cake-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/

Makes: 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup lemon juice

zest of 2 lemons

1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.

4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and butter milk. Mix until just combined. Do NOT over mix.

5. Scoop batter into cupcake pans lined with cupcake papers.

6. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes.

Vanilla Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting       [Printable Recipe]

adapted from: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/lemon-layer-cake-with-lemon-cream-cheese-frosting/

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3-4 cups powdered sugar

Note: Lemon juice and powdered sugar are really to your taste. I used 2 Tablespoons juice and about 4 cups powdered sugar.

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a mixer beat the butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat until well mixed.
2. Add the lemon juice and vanilla.
3. Slowly add the powdered sugar until desired taste and consistency.
4. Place frosting in the refrigerator if it's too soft. If not, ice cooled cupcakes.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Cilantro Lime Rice

At the first sign of warm weather I started thinking about quick dinners perfect for warm nights during the week. The first dish I made was one I've made several times, but never shared here on the blog. It was inspired by one of my favorite restraints, Red Ginger. I rarely get to enjoy the perfect mood lighting, fine decor and amazing food of Red Ginger as its located 6 hours away in Traverse City, Michigan. After my first visit there I knew I had to find a way to recreate an appetizer I thoroughly enjoyed at the restaurant.


Asian Chicken Wraps. Delicious! I googled like a mad man to find something close to the magnificent and fresh flavors I had experienced. After a few tests I came up with something very close to the original. I couldn't have been happier!

I serve these wraps alongside Cilantro Lime Rice. It's add a perfect side dish and slight pop of flavor to go with the main dish. While I had these as an appetizer, I serve them as a meal. I make a large amount of the filling and buy a three pack of Romaine Lettuce. Trust me, you'll want to make the recipe in the quantity below if you're feeding a few people. It will be eaten!

I have posted a recipe that is along the same lines as this, but I used shredded chicken instead. (You can find that recipe here.) Either way, it's a perfectly delicious meal guaranteed to please the hungry stomach any night of the week.

Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

2-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil

3 pounds ground chicken

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

2 Tablespoons fresh Cilantro, chopped

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

3 Tablespoons rice vinegar

3-4 Tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 heads Romain Lettuce, minimum

Direction:

1. Prepare Romain Lettuce by cutting off the ends and cleaning thoroughly. Set aside.

2. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Cook chicken, in oil, until done. Add onion and cook until onions are tender.

3. Add garlic, ginger, and cilantro and cook until heated thoroughly.

5. Mix in sauce mixture and heat though. Serve along side Cilantro Lime Rice and Romain Lettuce.

6. Enjoy!

Cilantro Lime Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice
2 cups water
Juice of one lime
1-2 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Cook rice as directed.
2. Halfway through cooking add the lime and cilantro.
3. Finish cooking and serve warm.

Simple Veggie Pasta

Spring 2012

When I set out to cook a simple, healthy and quick dinner the other night this photo was the inspiration. I was dead set on remaking this dish even if I couldn't remember exactly how I made it. I bought the ingredients I knew I used with hopes I could recreate the dish. It didn't happen and I'll still be damned if I can remember how I made that dish above! I will try again! 

I came across these beautiful yellow tomatoes so I had to give them a try.

Even though the dish didn't turn out as I wanted, it was still delicious. Once I realized it wasn't going to turn out like I wanted, I got creative. I substituted the Feta cheese for Parmesan because I had some to use up. I also decided to add some other ingredients I had sitting around in the kitchen. What I created was a simple, somewhat healthy and quick dinner that was delicious. 

Without further ado here is the recipe for a taste bud party with fresh tomatoes and asparagus being the VIP guests. 

Simple Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

10 ounces Sunburst or Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 lb Asparagus
1 medium Onion 
1 clove Garlic, minced
juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, extra for topping
4 Tablespoons Butter or Olive Oil
1/4-1/2 cup dry to semi-dry white wine 
1 teaspoon dry parsley or equivalent fresh
dash of salt
dash of pepper
2 cups dry pasta, cooked

Directions:

1. Saute onion in 1 Tablespoon Butter. Cut tomatoes in half, chop asparagus and mince garlic while onion cooks. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes.
2. Add white wine, lemon juice and asparagus. Cook until asparagus is almost done.
3. Add tomatoes and cook just until tender. Add cheese, remaining butter, parsley and salt/pepper.
4. Cook until cheese is melted and serve over pasta. Top with cheese and enjoy!

Simple Veggie Pasta - Recipe coming soon.

I can't tell you how much I'm loving my Nikon. I usually have a good eye for photos (I take more than photos of food) and I've made my iPhone camera work well for a few years now, but WOW does a nice camera help. I still have plenty to learn in the food photography biz, but these photos are great! For more exclusive photos check out Creandé on Facebook!

Candied Pecans

Oh nuts! Who doesn't just love nuts? They make almost everything better. Almost. 

Sometimes I just humor myself. I hope you at least smiled. :-) On a serious note, I love pecans, walnuts, cashews and so on. Pecans are by far my favorite. They can go in brownies, cookies, ice cream and they make a great snack all on their own. How can you not just love them? I know some people are allergic and some (I just don't get it) don't like nuts. Those of us that like/love them know what it's all about.

Anywho, back to the reason I bring you this post today. Candied Pecans. I use Candied Pecans in a few different recipes. Most recently I've used them in a super scrumptious ice cream I created. Browned Butter Candied Pecan Ice Cream (photo below). They also make great toppings for a salad and a perfect sweet snack. 

A bonus tip! When adding nuts to a recipe, especially baking, roast them in the oven or toast them in a sauté pan for just a few minutes. Doing so will bring out a more pronounced flavor and aroma from the release of essential oils. When baked into cookies, brownies, or whatever your heart desires they have an added crunch. Perfection, guaranteed!

To candy pecans or whatever nut you choose is quite simple so don't be intimidated. The recipe along with pictures to show just how simple it is can be found below. Give them a go! I promise you won't be disappointed.

As always, feel free to leave comment and let me know how they turn out! Ciao for now!

Use whole or coarsely chopped pecans.

Melt butter, add brown sugar and cook until sugar is almost dissolved. Add pecans.

Once the sugar has dissolved and pecans are coated evenly, place on parchment paper.
Cool completely.

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

1 cup whole or coarsely chopped pecans or nut of choice
3 Tablespoon butter
1/4 cup dark brown sugar

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a saute pan and add brown sugar.
2. Once the sugar has almost dissolved, add the pecans.
3. Cook until pecans are evenly coated and sugar has dissolved.
4. Cool on parchment paper. When they are cool, break them apart and enjoy. 

Blueberry Lemon Muffin Tippy Tops

Sunshine, seventy degrees, green plush grass and the beautiful (I know they're annoying) dandelions are finally upon our senses. I love Spring and the following promise of Summer. Just the other day while I was out hiking I wanted to lay in the grass. I wanted to enjoy the fresh green hues and the perfect sunshine. Of course I didn't but, it was a nice thought.

With the great weather change comes some freshly illuminated inspiration. The tastes of sweet fresh berries, juicy watermelon and the mouth watering crunch of homegrown vegetables are on the tip of my tongue and vibrant in my eyes. Inspirational, Mother Nature is.

With all this inspiration and the tastes present from memories past, I'm excited to have created a new BOTG (Breakfast On The Go) recipe. It's a splendid sweet and tart breakfast. I've recently become a fan of combining blueberry and lemon. While I've always loved the distinct flavors on their own, WOW are they great together. This recipe is only the first for these two flavors being combined in treats. I must come up with a delicious cupcake. I must!

Anywho, right now I present to you, a scrumptious Blueberry Lemon Muffin Tippy Top recipe. It's guaranteed to satisfy in the morning (anytime of day, really). This recipe can easily become muffins, if you so choose. I made a crumble for the top to add a little extra pop of sugary sweetness. The tart, plump and deep blue berries were a perfect combination with the tangy kiss of the lemon peel and juice. To balance the tart I used brown sugar for a deeper sweetness. It creates a perfect bite each time. I am truly pleased with these Tippy Tops and I am extra pleased to share the recipe with you!

As always, feel free to leave comments below and let me know how you treats or meals turned out. Furthermore, I'd love to hear if you changed the recipes and why.

Go bake and enjoy some time in that kitchen!

Blueberry Lemon Muffin Tippy Tops           [Printable Recipe]

Makes about 18 Tippy Tops

Muffin Tippy Tops:

2 1/4 cups flour 2 Tbls set aside for blueberries

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, room temperature 

1/2 cup milk, room temperature 

2 tsp vanilla

Juice of one lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 recipe Crumble Topping (recipe below) 

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a mixer combine and beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 

2. In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and lemon peel. Set aside. 

3. Toss blueberries in 2 Tablespoons of flour, set aside. 

4. Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla in a measuring cup. 

5. Alternately add the flour and milk mixtures to the butter/sugar. Starting with the flour. 

6. Mix in lemon juice.

7. Fold in blueberries, be sure not to add the extra flour from the blueberries. 

8. Scoop mixture into prepared pans and top with crumble topping. 

9. Bake for 12-15 minutes. 

10. Enjoy! 

Crumble Topping:

2 Tbls butter

3 Tbls flour

3 Tbls brown sugar

Crumble Topping Directions:

1. With a fork combine all ingredients until pea sized crumbles form. Set aside.

Blueberry Lemon Muffin Tippy Tops - Coming soon!

After a little "vacation" from blogging and working in the kitchen, I will be returning with new posts this week. To start I decided to do a new recipe for Muffin Tippy Tops. Due to a great switch in the weather (Hello warm sunny days!) I've been inspired and picked a bright and delicious combination...Fresh Blueberry and Lemon. Check back this week! 

Mini vacation to Madison Indiana

If you haven't heard of Madison, IN you are certainly not alone. It is a gem that many don't seem to know about. Madison is located in the southeast corner of Indiana right along the Ohio River bordering with Kentucky. It's a little historic town full of charm and a very relaxed vibe. I highly recommend checking it out. Today I'll share some photos, must visit shops/restaurants/locations, and local food from my trip this year. 

This is "Hanging Rock Road" where you can drive under the rock and waterfall. If you wish to visit this spot the road name is Cragmont Street.

This year was my second trip there to spend a weekend. After visiting Madison for two years in a row, I almost want to start making it an annual mini vacation. During this visit we managed to eat at only local restaurants and we ventured out to discover more of what the area had to offer. In our adventures we found some good food, genuinely nice people, a twisty (slightly scary) road through some forest covered hills that had some amazing views once you made it to the top, and some decent wine. That's just the short story of what we discovered this weekend. Again, I highly recommend checking out Madison. 

When you visit Madison (I know you will!) I recommend a few strolls down Main Street. It's full of historic buildings and great shops and restaurants. I highly recommend you check out Hinkles Hamburgers. They are perfect little sliders for a late evening meal or a lunch snack. The Downtowner offers a good atmosphere, service and delicious food (they're famous for their large cookies). I stopped into Galena Garlic Company this time around and I can't wait to test the ingredients I purchased there (more on that later). In a short drive out of downtown you can find a decent winery (Madison Vineyards) and a few fun places to visit. I purchased two wines, one to drink and one for a dessert, from Madison Vineyards. They offer free wine tasting and their prices are reasonable per bottle. I will be working on recipes this week that include the ingredients pictured above. I'm most excited to create both a savory and a sweet recipe out of the Chocolato pasta! Check back soon for those recipes.

One of many waterfalls in Clifty Falls State Park.

The highlight on both trips for me has been the time I spent in Clifty Falls State Park. There are numerous trails through this beautiful park. The range in difficulty and views. On our visit this year the weather was PERFECT for hiking and photos. Below I will share some of the photos I took along the hike. Enjoy and check back soon for new recipes inspired by my trip!

You can actually walk across this small waterfall. 

There's nothing like standing at the edge of a cliff/waterfall and taking a picture. haha

As a true foodie I couldn't help but have my photo taken next to Cake Rock.  Yes, I was working a weird face. 

While it's still early Spring there were flowers popping up here and there. Beautiful. 

Trail 8. It was so nice to see the start of color popping up all over the park.

One of the coolest paths. It dead ends now as the rock has fallen, but it leads to a good lookout point to a waterfall.

Thank YOU!

Thank YOU, thank YOU! 

I can't thank the viewers enough for stopping by and checking out Creandé.

I've been a bit quiet this week because I've taken some time off to address some things on the home front AND I took a mini vacation to Madison, IN. A much needed weekend away with my dear Best Friend to relax (maybe a little celebration of my upcoming birthday) has led to some great photos and recipe ideas that I'll be sharing. Tomorrow I'll be bringing you some of those photographs taken this weekend. I will also tell you a little about a few places I ate and shopped that have inspired me to work on some new recipes. I can't wait to share and get back in the kitchen! Stay tuned. 

As always, feel free to leave comments/suggestions/share stories here on the blog or over on Facebook. 

Adventures in Donut Making

Last week I bought some clearance donut pans and I couldn't wait to try them out. Baked Donuts have been on my mind for a while, I just never bought the pans to make them. Now that I have them, let the baking begin!

I snapped a few pictures while I was baking some Very Vanilla Donuts yesterday. I'm still recipe testing so there is no recipe to share in this post. Once I come up with one I love, I'll share. I promise. 

Very Vanilla Donuts w Chocolate Glaze and Toasted Coconut

Very Vanilla Donuts w Chocolate Glaze

This is the milk, vanilla, and vanilla bean mixture (YUM!) and the browned butter (double YUM!)

Recipes coming soon. I've also been working on an ice cream! Excited to share some new recipes and adventures with you all.

Ham and Cheese Scones with Photo Tutorial

BOTG - Breakfast On The Go or a key element in the equation of a busy life.

We're all told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I agree! I enjoy something for breakfast or brunch everyday. I really enjoyed my two previous recipes (Banana Maple Muffin Tippy Tops and Apple Cranberry Muffin Tippy Tops) so much that I ate them up quite quickly. haha It was time to try something different though. I was inspired, due to a recent baking adventure, to make scones. I had the idea for some savory Ham and Cheese scones to start the day with a cup o java. After a bit of looking around, this is what I came up with.

I am no expert in making scones, that I will admit. One thing I know that is key in successful scones is COLD butter. When the butter cooks it's what makes the delicious explosions inside the pastry. To get the best butter, I do the same thing for pie crust, I use a grater and butter RIGHT out of the fridge. Also, I place the butter in the freezer while I prepare the remaining ingredients. 

I managed to snap a few photos along the prep stages and then a lick your screen worthy photo of the scones from the inside. Delicious! 

Here's the recipe and the photo tutorial follows...

Ham and Cheese Scones

adapted from: CookingLight

Makes 1 dozen scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon fresh Basil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, grated
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup small ham cubes
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs whites

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400º and line baking sheets with parchment paper

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and basil in a large bowl.
2. Add butter and blend with a pasty blender or a fork until well blended (see photo).
3. Add ham and cheese, mix with fork.
4. Combine buttermilk and egg whites, whisk well. Add to pastry mix and stir just until combined.
5. Turn dough onto a floured surface. The dough will be sticky, but no worries. It's supposed to be. Don't go crazy flouring it.
6. Form into a rectangle and cut in half and then into 12 triangles.
7. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.
8. Serve warm.

Whisk dry ingredients and basil.

Blend in that COLD butter.

Blend in the cheese. YUM!

Mix in the ham cubes.

Combine the buttermilk and egg whites with a whisk. Combine them with the dry ingredients and mix just until moist.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into a rectangle.

Cut dough in half and then into 12 triangles. I used a pizza cutter.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400º

Look at that delicious scone!