hmmm, i don't chill my scone batter prior to baking. are you making certain the butter you cut into the flour mixture is cold?

this is my tried and true recipe:
Maple Pecan Scones (adapted from Simple Joys of Friendship):
ingredients-
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk and 1 /2 tablespoon lemon juice)
1 t. vanilla extract
2 T. maple syrup
1 t. maple extract
3 c. AP flour
1/2 c. uncooked,quick-cooking oats
2-1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped pecans

lemon glaze (optional)
Simply mix 1 cup powdered sugar with a couple tablespoons of milk and a dash of lemon juice. Stir it up to desired consistency.

directions- (preheat oven to 425 degrees F)
1. Mix first 5 ingredients; set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the next 6 ingredients; cut in the butter until mixture has a cornmeal consistency.
3. Stir in pecans. Pour in egg mixture; stir with a fork to make a soft dough.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead to get a slightly uniform dough.
5. Shape into a circle about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 16 wedges (or use biscuit or cookie cutters if you'd like).
6. Place on a greased baking sheet at 425 degrees F for 16-18 minutes or until lightly golden.
7. Allow to cool on a rack and then if you'd like, drizzle with the lemon glaze.
Yields about 16 scones.

good luck!

I made this one a couple weeks ago---really delicious and had everyone asking me for the recipe.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
Well, I actually ended up getting pork spare ribs (Farmer John's) after finding them at Pavillion's for only $1.99/lb plus an additional 30% off. I bought about 15lbs.

I must be on Roy's mailing list b/c every now and then I'll get an announcement for their cooking class. Has anyone every taken one of these classes before ?
It costs $45 per person (price excludes tax and gratuity); seems like it includes eating the food you prepare plus drinks.

Just wondering if anyone who's tried the class would recommend it.
Thanks.

Thanks. I wholeheartedly agree on the "hassle" factor being lower at S&F compared to Costco.

I'd like to cook some ribs this coming weekend but am not sure where to go to buy the baby back ribs. Also, what's a good deal per pound? Smart and Final has them for $3.99/lb and I haven't checked Costco yet. Any other suggestions? regular grocery stores like Ralph's or Von's maybe? I need to buy 10lbs so i'm trying to get a good quality meat at a decent price. Thanks!

JAB--
have you been to Lizarran and if so, any good recs? I'm taking my friend there for her birthday this Friday.

$ DineLA dinner @ Luna Park last night:

appetizer--goat cheese fondue with sliced apples and chunks of bread--tasted okay, not the tastiest fondue (actually, reminded me of a thinned down yogurt). the appetizer was big enough to share for 2-3 people though.

main course--hangar steak with fries; the steak was deliciously cooked (rare), flavorful marinade, and juicy. also loved the fries.

dessert--rather disappointing--the fried apple pie with caramel sauce and caramel ice cream. honestly, the "apple pie" reminded me of one of those Hostess fruit pies i had as a kid. On the bright side, the ice cream and sauce were quite nice.
Probably should've gone with the make your own s'mores.

Overall, it was a fun way to try out a new restaurant but Luna Park is probably a one-timer for me.

Angelo's and Vinci is always kooky and fun. Plus, they have room(s) for private parties/events.

550 N Harbor Blvd
Fullerton, CA 92832

(714) 879-4022
www.angelosandvincis.com

hey, thanks everybody for the delicious ideas.
i love bacon (who doesn't?), so i'll likely pair the peas with that, incorporating the recipes you guys gave me.

onrushpam, i got these peas in my bi-weekly produce basket and it only said "pink lady peas" (nothing about "pink eyes"); these are totally new to me but that's the fun part of getting my basket--being surprised by what i find in there and then asking chowhounders for help!
Thanks again.

I just shelled a bunch of these this morning and now I'm wondering what to do with them. Do I boil them and for how long? any ideas would be helpful! Unfortunately, i'm mostly familiar to the peas i get from a can or in the frozen food section.

Thanks!

It was pretty good! in fact, i'm just here on my lunch break eating some leftovers from last night. The chicken, even the breast meat, was quite tender, which was a good thing! I think next time, i'll add more of the marinara sauce as it wasn't as "saucy" as I'd like. Thanks guys!

thanks all, for your advice! i think i'll put the pot back on the stove this evening and simmer for maybe another 20 minutes or so. Either way, i'm looking forward to tasting it!

definitely not a pinkish color; looked cooked through already.

I used this pretty straightforward recipe from Epicurious:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

everything worked out great but was wondering, should the chicken meat be "falling off the bones"? from other recipes i've read for chick cacciatore, i've seen this phrase mentioned.
The chicken looks thoroughly cooked but it's definitely not falling off the bones; should i simmer it for another 15 minutes or so? the simmer time for this was 20 minutes.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

i've never been to the Clarity theater so no idea on the parking situation. thanks for the different options though. Champagne French Bakery sounds like another good choice too.

Also, JeetJet, Pioner Chicken is truly a blast from the past for me; we used to frequent them quite often when i was a kid. Good to know there's still a couple of them still around.

oh, that's a shame. i liked the Reyn too. I loved their kooky booths and the homey atmosphere.
seemed like that place was there for a long time too...

Thanks guys, for the suggestions.
i think i'm leaning towards giving Vito's a try. Their menu looks really good and prices are not bad at all.

We're going to the Clarity Theater on N. Canon tonight, and wanted to get a bite to eat somewhere nearby. Any good food suggestions that won't break the bank? we'd love to keep it at around 10 dollars per person.

When I googled the area, these came up:
Mulberry St. Pizza
Marty D's
LA Food Show

thanks!

I've always loved Phoenix bakery in Chinatown for their light, white, strawberry and whipped cream filled cakes with toasted almonds. I've had lots of happy birthday memories from there.

Phoenix Bakery
969 N. Broadway
Los Angeles

I second Boiling Crab. I was happily surprised with the quality of seafood they have there. Warning though, if eating crawfish in a bag, wear some grubby clothes b/c it can get pretty messy.

Baccali Cafe & Rotisserie is another pretty good eatery--lots of food at fairly low prices:
245 W. Valley Blvd.

just wondering, but are these lower in fat than regular beef hotdogs (i hope so)?

hey meloncollie,

i personally love Sierra Cup in Monrovia. You didn't specify an area but if you're ever in the SG valley, take a visit to SC and see what you think.

http://www.sierracup.com/

I've heard lots of positive things about Elements Kitchen on Fairoaks in Pasadena. I have yet to try the place myself but my girlfriend had her wedding catered by them and the food was delicious. (also, no dinner, just brunch on wknds and lunch during the wk)

http://www.elementskitchen.com/about.htm

I’m throwing myself a birthday party this summer but need some assistance with finding the right restaurant.
I’m looking for a place that would be kid friendly but still have great food and atmosphere. There would be about 10 adults and 7 kids (ages range from 4yo-12yo), and I'd like to stick to a maximum of $30 per person incl. drinks.

Some ideas I had were Gus’s BBQ, Rhadika’s Indian food, or maybe Saladang. (I’m up to pretty much any kind of cuisine).
Though I prefer the Pasadena/Arcadia/Monrovia area, I’m open to suggestions between SG Valley and North OC.

Thank you for any help!

If you go to Little Red Hen expect at least a 45 minute wait for your food. That was our experience last summer on a Sun morning. It's not that they were busy, it's just that they were awfulllly slowwww. Not sure what other's experiences have been there. Also, I wasn't that impressed with the food. (Sweet owners though).

I personally like the Reyn on Lake Ave for their homey breakfasts.
635 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101

(626) 449-5768

I recently went to Grub and thought the place was quirky, cute and casual, plus the food was great. I know they serve brunch on the weekends. The place looks like an old Craftsman house and there's a patio as well.

911 Seward St
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 461-3663
www.grub-la.com

I'll be taking my best friend there for her birthday tomorrow night. Are there any must-tries? thanks Chowhouds!

thanks for the suggestions! i ended up stir frying with a little peanut oil, curry paste and coconut milk--had these ingreds on hand luckily. It was delicous!

Just picked up some yesterday but not really sure how to cook them. Any suggestions for something simple, quick, and really tasty?