Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones

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Finally, summer is here and I’m so excited. Since this season also makes life easier and more fun! Windows stay open allowing plenty of fresh air to flood our homes, washing dries easily and long, sunlit days allow eating outdoors. Whether it’s an organised picnic, cup of tea in the garden or venturing to an open air concert, Summer is THE season for outdoor fun. And these Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones are as ideal for Afternoon Tea as they are easy to pack up for a fun picnic.

 

Cut scones topped with clotted cream and lemon curd on a pretty plate.
Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones

Picnics are a great way to gather friends and family together, for feasting and fun. Whether you choose to meet at a local park, or trek to the seaside, they are a fantastic way of getting people together without being restricted by space or cost. Also, most people are more than happy to bring food along with them, as well as drinks, blankets and games. And so it’s fun to organise everything in advance. Since delegating spreads the workload, it also ensures that everyone relaxes and has fun making new memories!

 

Pinterest image of Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones with descriptive graphics.

Scones; Such An Easy Bake

Scones are the number one recipe I advise people to try if they are new to baking. Since they are virtually foolproof and nobody minds an occasional, slightly wonky One! A successful bake builds a level of achievement and satisfaction in a newbie baker. As a result, they are more likely to continue baking, while learning new skills, attempting more complex recipes as confidence in the kitchen grows.

Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones

And now, back to these delicious. Truthfully, I must say these are my favourite scones to date! A positive result for someone who wouldn’t go near a scone until I started baking them myself! So, it is time for me to stop chatting and make these yummy, cream tea favourites.

Recipe: Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Milk Scones makes 8-10 large scones

450g/1lb Plain White Flour

3tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Sea Salt Flakes – I use Maldon

25g/1oz Vegetable Fat such as Trex

50g2oz Unsalted Butter

4tsp Caster Sugar – plus extra for sprinkling on top of the unbaked scones

Zest of 2 medium or 1 very large lemon (scrubbed and washed in hot water before zesting)

225g/8oz Sultanas

284ml/10fl oz Buttermilk – Alternatively, use the same quantity of whole or semi skimmed milk, add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of white vinegar and stir. Leave for 5 minutes then stir again, the liquid should be thicker and slightly lumpy and is now ready to use.

3-4 Tablespoons of Semi or Whole Milk

Method: Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan, gas mark 7, 425F

Note – you may notice an American dry cup measure in the photographs. Since we are decorating at the moment I was unable to locate my round cutters. So I improvised. Using a one cup measure worked perfectly for cutting out the scones. Also, if using a smaller cutter for smaller scones, remember to adjust the baking time.

Making The Buttermilk Scone Dough

  • First of all line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
  • Next, tip the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl.
  • Stir all the dry ingredients together with a balloon whisk.
  • Add the vegetable fat and butter in small chunks, then add the lemon zest.
  • Using a pastry cutter work the fats into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs with some pea sized chunks of fat still visible.
  • Add the sultanas and using your fingers gently lift and drop them into the bowl so they become covered in flour.
  • Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in all of the buttermilk.
Four stages showing how to incorporate fats and fruit with flour for a recipe.
Making the scone dough.
  • Using a butter knife stir all of the ingredients together until large clumps begin to form.

Turning Out And Shaping The Dough And Cutting Out Individual Scones

  • Turn the clumpy dough out onto a floured surface. And note, the dough should be quite wet and sticky.
  • Using floured fingers bring the dough together and pat out to form a round shape that is about 1 inch (2.5cm) deep.
  • Most importantly, check that the disc of dough moves freely across the surface and is not stuck.
  • Flour a round 3 inch (7.5cm) cutter that is also at least 2 inches (5cm) deep and place it on top of the dough.
  • Press the cutter straight down onto the dough taking care not to twist it.
Patting the dough out onto a pastry mat, ready to be cut.
Getting the dough ready.
  • Place each cutout scone onto the baking parchment lined baking tray.
  • Brush fresh milk onto the top of each scone using a pastry brush and then sprinkle a pinch of sugar over the top.

Baking The Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones

  • Place the scones into the centre of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Because each oven is different and other variables such as the thickness of scone dough affect the baking time, I have given a range of times. My scones took 18 minutes to bake.
  • The scones are baked when the are risen, golden in colour and sound hollow when rapped on the base with your knuckle. Similar to bread when baked.
  • As soon as the scones are baked remove them from the oven and carefully place them on a cooling rack.
Raw and baked Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones
Before and after baking.

Serving And Enjoying The Scones

Eat these scones either warm or cold. Also they can be enjoyed just as they are, or split in two and topped with either clotted cream or butter.

Split scones topped with clotted cream and lemon curd on a pretty plate. Fresh whole scones and lemons are in the background.
Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones

Topping a scone with clotted cream and lemon curd and sitting down with my favourite foodie magazine, a delicious cup of tea, and a relaxing afternoon.

Delicious magazine with a plate on top containing a tasty afternoon sweet treat.
Relax with a great foodie magazine and a clotted cream and lemon curd topped scone.

Homemade scones are usually best eaten on the day they are baked. Yet with this recipe they stayed moist for up to 3 days when kept in an airtight container.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones you may also like these:

Super Light Scones

A platter set with small plain scones, fresh strawberries and clotted cream and jam in bowls.
Super Light Scones

Easy Blackberry Oat Muffin Recipe

A lined breakfast tray with muffins, cafetière and mug of coffee and a blush coloured dahlia flower.
Easy Blackberry Oat Muffin Recipe

Cheddar Sun Dried Tomato Scones 

Savoury cheese scones in a lined basket with fresh tomatoes and basil and a wedge of cheddar cheese.
Cheddar Sun Dried Tomato Scones

So, is this recipe tempting you to make scones at home? Doing so is a very rewarding experience, especially when you share your bakes and receive compliments on your baking! And, aside from being a world away in taste and texture from their shop bought counterparts, you know exactly what has gone into your baking. Love cannot be bought, yet these scones were made with an extra large helping of it.

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. This post does not contain any sponsored content. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones piled on a pretty cake plate with a bowl of fresh lemons in the distance.
Lemon Sultana Buttermilk Scones perfect for Afternoon Tea.

 

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Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

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I love easy, quick to make, healthy meal recipes. How about you? Pasta is quick to cook, versatile, economical and tasty, ticking all of these boxes. With so many varieties of pasta, there’s also an endless number of different sauce possibilities to suit any diet. I cannot imagine my kitchen without it! My culinary creativity would be far less fun and frankly, boring! So, thank you Italy, you may have invaded Britain, however it’s time to let things go, as you have given us pasta. More specifically the fusilli bronze die pasta used in this Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta.

FF Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

So, next time you think of tossing a jar of pesto into pasta for dinner, think again. As this dish only takes 30 minutes to make, barely more than the time it takes to cook pasta. Not only do you get a balanced healthy meal, it is filling, like all proper meals should be. Tender, bite sized pieces of succulent chicken breast, fresh baby spinach wilted into the tomato and cream cheese sauce that wraps itself around the fusilli pasta.

FF Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

Feasting Food

If you are cutting down on carbs you may wish to skip this paragraph. Which is, to serve this tasty bowl of goodness with a chunk of baguette, or any of my homemade focaccia bread  recipes. While this dish not swimming in sauce, there is always some pooled on your plate or bowl. And this is where the bread is important. To dunk with! Using the bread to absorb every last drop of the luscious, creamy sauce. Also, keeping with the low fat theme, why not leave the bread unbuttered. As well as reducing calories, the bread is more absorbent without butter.

FF Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

Eating should be an enjoyable experience. Indeed it should be a feast. It should feed more than our tummies, it should feed our soul. Giving thanks before eating is a custom here at home. Yet stopping for a moment to look and smell the food in front of you is also important. Too much food is literally shoved down throats while watching television. I wonder too if the taste and texture, even has time to register with the brain. Eating with family and friends, sitting at a table, not only slows down the rate at which we eat, it can also regulate how much we eat. Resulting in an altogether, more pleasurable experience. My opinion is that all food tastes better when it is shared.

In addition, if you live on your own and cook for yourself, as I did for many years, being mindful while eating is still beneficial. Taking time to really enjoy the experience of eating, really is one of life’s simplest pleasures.

Time to make this delicious dish.

Recipe: Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta serves 4-6 people

500g Diced Chicken Breast skin off and cut into bite size pieces – I use Graig Farm

1tbsp Olive Oil – I use Filippo Berio

1 Large Leek – washed and cut into small dice

2 x 400g Chopped Tin Tomatoes plus 1 tin of pasta cooking water. Alternatively use the same weight of chopped, fresh tomatoes and approximately 400mls of pasta cooking water.

200g Washed Baby Spinach – use frozen if out of season

1tbsp Fresh Thyme finely chopped – plus additional Thyme for garnishing the finished dish

140g Philadelphia Cream Cheese – use the full fat version

1tsp Sea Salt  – I use Maldon

Good Grinding of Fresh Black Pepper to taste

450g Fusilli Pasta – bronze die pasta has rougher edges and so absorbs more sauce

Method: Making the Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

  • First of all, place a heavy bottomed pan on to the hob over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow to heat.
  • At the same time place a large pan of water on a high heat, ready to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling add a teaspoon of sea salt and then the pasta and cook for 8 minutes.
  • Into the other pan add the chopped chicken breast and cook until lightly browned.
  • Remove the cooked chicken to a plate and then add the chopped leek to the pan.
  • Saute the leek until it is softened and then add the cooked chicken back to the pan.
  • Immediately add the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes and use a wooden spatula to scrape the base of the pan clean. Follow by adding the chopped fresh thyme.
  • Now tip the baby spinach into the pan. Don’t worry if it is piled high it will wilt down.
FF Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta
  • Remove a can full/2-3 ladles (approximately 400ml) of hot pasta water and pour on to the spinach. Take extra care as it will be hot.
  • Drain the pasta and tip on to the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt down, it will release it’s water and make the sauce thinner.
  • Next add the cream cheese to the pan and stir so that it melts into the sauce.
  • Most importantly, taste the sauce. Add a good grinding of fresh black pepper to taste. Additional salt shouldn’t be needed, but do check and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
  • Sprinkle over fresh Thyme and the dish is ready to be served.
FF Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

Time to eat

Serve this delicious Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta in bowls.

FF Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta
Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

Not only is this recipe perfect for making ahead, it’s also easy to transport. Which makes it an easy dish to gift to a new family, friend who is unwell, or anyone who really needs a break from cooking. Resulting in a great meal that is as perfect to share outside the home, as well as with family and friends around the dinner table.

To freeze leftovers, cool completely and then spoon the cold pasta into freezer bags, or freezer proof containers, removing as much air as possible. Label, including the date and freeze for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer, place on a plate or bowl and defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat until piping hot, serve as previously suggested and enjoy!

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta then you may also like these:

Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake

Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake

Lemon Garlic Vegetable Orzo

Lemon garlic vegetable orzo.
Lemon Garlic Vegetable Orzo

Roasted Summer Vegetable Orzo Salad

Roasted summer vegetable orzo pasta salad served in a white bowl and garnished with fresh, flat leaf parsley.
Roasted Summer Vegetable Orzo Salad.

Pasta is one of the most important ingredients in my kitchen. A go-to staple when I need to whip up something super tasty, super quick. Another bonus it that after cooking and cooling, it can usually be frozen, such as this Creamy Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta, Chicken Four Cheese Lasagne and Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake all can be. Serving with bread and salad enables this dish to feed more people, ideal when last minute dinner guests appear (a necessity when a house full of teenagers and their friends lose track of time!). Although cooking pasta from scratch takes barely more than 10 minutes and even though there are countless ready made sauces to available to buy, homemade pasta dishes can be just as quick and easy. And here at home, easy meals are a busy household’s must.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. See my Disclosure Policy for full details.

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Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

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How good does this delicious Roast Chicken Noodle Soup look? And it tastes even better.

FF Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

Since it’s not very often I mention the words ‘low calorie’ or ‘low fat’ here, on feastingisfun, yet it would seem, I may have put on a few pounds. And I’m guessing I may not be the only one. Am I right?

A bowl of soup made using roast dinner leftovers.
Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

So, I’ve come up with a delicious way to help you save money and keep your weight in check, my Roast Chicken Noodle Soup.

Seriously, one roasted, chicken breast, a few veggies and this soup feeds 4 people. Also it can easily be doubled, if cooking for a crowd, or kept in the fridge, waiting for a quick, thorough re-heat, after a long day at work.

What’s not to love?

FF Roast Chicken Noodle Soup
Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

I roasted a chicken breast quarter for this recipe, but leftovers from a Sunday roast would work perfectly. Also we are having roast turkey today and I intend to make a batch of this soup with a little of the leftovers, for the week ahead.

And did I mention this soup is virtually fat free. One teaspoon of olive oil, to sauté the vegetables, is all the added fat there is.

While you could poach the chicken, instead of roasting it. Yet that would rule out leftovers AND all the flavour in this Roast Chicken Noodle Soup comes from roasting the meat, at the start.

Since I’m happy to defer to the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten in these matters. Because she has been cooking chicken, for her husband Jeffrey, for many, many years and if she says roasting chicken imparts the most flavour, well who am I to argue?

Why The Need For Homemade Soup?

Also have a confession to make. Because I have never liked, pre-made, chicken noodle soup. Since it is what is know in our family as ‘headache food!’ And don’t ask me how it got that name, it just did.

So, in the interests of clarity, I’m talking packet soups. You know the flat packets that when ripped open reveal powder and dehydrated vegetables. Never liked the chicken noodle one – loved minestrone though!

Freshly made Roast Chicken Noodle Soup – not a packet mix in sight!

So creating this recipe was a double challenge. Firstly to see if I could make a Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup with very little fat and secondly, to see if I could eat it (without getting a headache) and enjoy it and make it taste way better than the packet soup from my childhood. That’s three things – never mind!

Anyway, I totally scored on all points. This Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup is delicious, low-fat nutritious and no headache!!!!

This is how to make it:

Recipe: Roast Chicken Noodle Soup – serves 4 – 6 

Approx 225g/8oz Roast Chicken – deboned, skin off and shredded – leftovers are fine – alternatively, use roast turkey leftovers.

1tsp Olive Oil – I use Filippo Berio

1 Medium Onion – finely diced

3 Carrots – finely diced

2 Celery Sticks – finely diced

1/2tsp Fresh Thyme – strip the leaves from the stalk (halve if using dried)

1 Chicken Stock Cube – I use Knorr dissolved in 1.2l/2 pints boiling water

100g/4oz Vermicelli – alternatively use any fine or small pasta, egg or rice noodles

Salt and Pepper to season

Method:

Making The Roast Chicken Noodle Soup

First of all, roast a breast quarter of chicken, at 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through, if not using leftover roast chicken.

One delicious roasted chicken breast quarter.
One delicious roasted chicken breast quarter.
When slightly cooled, remove the skin and shred the chicke, discarding any bone.
When slightly cooled, remove the skin and shred the chicken, discarding any bone.

Alternatively shred approximately 225g/8oz of roast chicken or turkey.

Place a large pan, over a medium heat and add the oil.

Add the diced onion, carrots and celery to the pan.
Add the diced onion, carrots and celery to the pan.

Saute the vegetables until just softened, approx 7 minutes.

Add the shredded chicken and fresh thyme to the pan.

Pour over the chicken stock.
Pour over the chicken stock.

Weigh out the noodles of your choice.

I used broken up vermicelli.
I used broken up vermicelli.

Add the noodles to the soup.

Taste for seasoning. And add salt and pepper as necessary.

Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked.

Serve immediately.

Roast Chicken Noodle Soup made using Sunday dinner leftovers.

And to make a hearty meal out of this soup serve with some thick, crusty bread like my Wholemeal Cob Loaf or Wholemeal Loaf.

Also, if you want to avoid carbs altogether, you could add shredded cabbage, or spirilized courgette (zucchini).

This Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup is absolutely delicious, quick to make, fab for using up leftovers and feeds 4 people for very little. Resulting in a win-win recipe and one that I make frequently.

If you love this Roast Chicken Noodle Soup then you might want to have a look at these –

Carrot Soup also low fat,

FF Carrot Soup
Carrot Soup served with crumbled Stliton cheese.

Leek and Potato Soup leave out the cream and you will lower the calories in this delicious soup!

Leek and Potato Soup velvety comfort.
Leek and Potato Soup velvety comfort.

Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup.

FF Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup
Roasted Garlic Butternut Squash Soup just add crusty bread!

Soup is one of my comfort foods. Whether it’s full of chunky veggies or blitzed to a smooth velvety texture I can always count on a bowlful to make meal feel better. Also if the recipe is quick and easy that simply adds to the pleasure of making soup. Leaving me feeling relaxed and nourished.

So, whatever you are baking, making and creating in your kitchen, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

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