Every month, we will feature a new and different recipe from various parts of the menu: from appetizers to desserts, and everything in-between. Drop in often, and feel free to share your thoughts; this inn is for fun!

THIS MONTH'S FEATURED RECIPE:
Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• 1/4 cup chopped onion
  
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  
• 1/4 cup flour
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
  
• 1 1/2 cups milk
  
• 1 cup chopped cooked fresh or frozen broccoli
  
• 1/2 to 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it!)
  

Sprinkle the flour into the sauteed onion and butter, stirring carefully as you do so, until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in the broth and milk, and keep stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. Add the salt, pepper, and broccoli.

Allow the soup to continue simmering, stirring constantly, until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese until melted.

Makes 2 servings.

Tea Buns

• 1/4 cup milk
  
• 3/4 cup water
  
• 1 pkg. (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
  
• 2 3/4 cups flour, plus extra for kneading
  
• 4 teaspoons sugar
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, chilled and cut into small pieces
  

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the cold margarine and cut it into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two knives.

Make a well in center of the flour/margarine mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Stir thoroughly to make a sticky dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead lightly a few times.

Lightly grease a medium-sized bowl. Place the dough in the greased bowl and turn it over within the bowl until the dough is greased on all sides. Cover with some plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place (about 85 F.) until it is doubled in size, about 20 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Punch it down with your hand, and roll out with a floured rolling pin.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the dough into rounds with a floured 2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter. (You can also pinch off pieces of dough and form into buns.) Place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet, and let rise for 15 minutes while the oven preheats.

Bake the buns 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Tea Buns are best served warm; split and spread with butter, jam, marmalade, or clotted cream. Serve with clotted cream and molasses for a teatime treat known as "Thunder and Lightning!"

Makes 12 to 15 buns.

Hummus

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil
  
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped; or two teaspoons garlic powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 can (19 oz.) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained (save liquid)
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  

In food processor or blender, place the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and half of the chickpeas. Puree into a smooth paste. Add the toasted sesame seeds and the rest of the chickpeas. Continue pureeing, adding some of the reserved chickpea liquid to help maintain a smooth consistency.

Stir in parsley. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 1 cup, about 4 servings.

To improve and mellow flavors, allow hummus to refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve as a dip with toasted pita bread or toasted flour tortillas; tortilla chips, or fresh vegetables like celery or carrots.

Oatcake Cookies

• 1 cup butter or margarine
  
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  
• 1/4 cup water
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
  

Cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent drying out, and chill the dough for 30 minutes. Then divide the dough into 3 sections and place each section on a square of waxed paper. Form each section of dough into a roll about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. Wrap in the waxed paper. Chill another 2 hours, or you can now freeze the dough to bake later at your convenience.

When you are ready to bake cookies, remove the rolls of dough from the refrigerator. If the dough has been frozen, allow to sit at room temperature about 20 minutes.

Slice the rolls of dough, using a sawing motion, into circles about 1/2-inch thick. (A serrated knife works well here.) Each roll should make about a dozen slices. If the edges of the slice crumbles a bit, simply pat it back into a cookie shape.

Preheat your oven to 375 F. Place cookies on greased baking sheets and bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove to wire racks to cool. Makes about 3 dozen cookies, depending on the size.

Herbed Potato Biscuits
Give these a try the next time you find yourself stuck with leftover mashed potatoes!

• 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes (leftover instant mashed potatoes will also work!)
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted butter or margarine
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
  
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered sage
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1 1/4 cups flour, plus a little extra if necessary

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Place your dough on a lightly floured surface, and sprinkle a little more flour over the dough. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Keep sprinkling the dough with a little more flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin, if necessary.

Cut the dough into rounds with a biscuit cutter. Then, using a spatula, place the rounds on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the biscuits are very lightly browned. Makes about 8 biscuits.

Welsh Cakes
These hearty "cakes" are based on a popular recipe from Wales, though every part of the British Isles seems to have a variation on a bread baked with spices and raisins or currants. The original version would have been baked on a hearthstone or "gridle", much like a modern pancake, and sometimes leavened with barme, a yeast ingredient left over from making ale. This variation uses modern leavening agents, and is baked in an oven.

• 4-1/2 cups flour
  
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 1/2 cup shortening
  
• 1 cup dried currants or raisins (or other dried fruit snipped into small pieces)
  
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• 1 large egg, beaten
  
• 3/4 cup milk
  
• Extra sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 350 F. Set out a baking sheet, but do not grease it.

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and spices in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter and shortening. Stir in dried fruit.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg and stir in the milk. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix well until it starts to form a lump. Add more milk as needed if the dough is not sticking together well.

Scoop out large lumps of the dough, about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Form them gently into a rounded shape, and place them on the baking sheet. Take a drinking glass and press the bottom into some sugar, then use the sugar-dipped bottom of the glass to flatten the cakes slightly.

Bake at 350 F. for 12 to 14 minutes. Makes about 18 cakes.

These are great for a quick breakfast, and can be frozen. They are good fresh, or they can be sliced lengthwise in half and toasted.