Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label favorite things. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The Best Baked Scones


After not writing for so long, I definitely owe the world something really good, so here it is.  We love eating these.  The blog I got them from is no longer open to the public and I panicked the day I went for the recipe and realized that.  Thank goodness my awesome friend, Cindi, that shared it with me in the first place had saved it elsewhere.  Another good reason to post it here - if something ever happens to my printed copies and my computer, hopefully it will still be here in blog world.

We've never used fresh fruit to make them, just frozen, and we always add chocolate.

Without further adieu...


The Best Blueberry Scones  from thedelectableword.blogspot.com

2 sticks butter, frozen (You will only use 10 tablespoons, however)
1.5 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup 1 percent milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1) Preheat oven to 425.  Remove half of the wrapper from each stick of butter (so 4 tablespoons are visible on each).  Grate unwrapped ends with the large holes of a box grater (8 tablespoons grated total).  Place grated butter in freezer until ready to use.  Melt 2 Tablespoons of remaining unused butter and set aside.

2) Whisk together milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract.  Set aside, in refrigerator.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.  Add frozen butter and toss with fingers until coated.

4) Add milk mixture to flour mixture.  Fold with spatula until just combined.

5) Transfer dough to liberally floured work surface.  With floured hands, knead 6 to 8 times (don't overwork!), until it just holds together in a ragged ball.

6) Roll dough into about a 12 x 12 square.  Fold dough into thirds like a business letter.  Then fold your new 12 x 4 rectangle into thirds the other way, creating a 4 x 4 square.

7) Transfer dough to a lightly floured plate and freeze for 5 minutes.

8) Remove dough from freezer and return to floured work surface.  Roll into a square about 12 x 12.

9) Sprinkle blueberries evenly onto square, and lightly press into dough.

10) Roll dough tightly into a log.  Lay seam side down and slightly flatten log into a 12 x 4 rectangle.

11) Using a sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle into four even rectangles (each will be 3 x 4).  Cut each rectangle in half diagonally.  You ought to have eight evenly sized triangles.

12) Place scones on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush each with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

13) Bake for 18-25 minutes, until top and bottom are golden brown

14) Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.



Friday, June 19, 2009

One of My Favorite Things

I consider myself a very simple person. Easily pleased, easily amused (ask Adam - at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple today he quoted something from Kung Fu Panda, "I've only seen paintings of that painting," every time we walked past a picture and I laughed EVERY TIME), and I don't need too many creature comforts. So even though Holly inspired me to want to post about my favorite things since she likes to post about her favorite things and her things that bug, I haven't come up with much of anything. But here, at last, I'm going to share one of my favorite things. I've been meaning to for a while, but I was urged on today by a quote in "Prince Caspian" by C.S. Lewis.

In the story, King Peter is getting ready to send his challenge to the fake king Miraz (Caspian's uncle). He turns to Cornelius, Caspian's teacher, and asks him, "Have you pen and ink, Master Doctor?" Cornelius replies, "A scholar is never without them, your majesty."

These awesome little pencils are how this scholar always (or close to it) keeps her "pen and ink" with her.


These Mini MVP pencils by Pentel are just over 4" long and fit happily into my back pocket. When I was in AP English my teacher, Mrs. Barry, told us that we should never read without a pencil in hand. I took that to heart and love to underline and jot down notes while I read, so my current book usually has one of these pencils hooked onto it. I get a little frustrated with myself when I go to write something down while reading and that pencil has been removed. I have them everywhere in the house, but they hide any time Jamie needs to write down a phone message.

I first found these at our local Wal-mart, but I went looking for them recently and couldn't find them. Ours is undergoing some remodeling (who knows why, it's only something like 5 years old), so I'm hoping they were out or they hadn't been moved to their new place during the whole presto chango. But I checked another Wal-mart and they didn't have any either. Unnerving. In searching for a picture to share (too lazy to pull the picture I took off my camera) I found this eBay auction for 11 packs of these wonderful little guys, coming out to only $.56/pencil, $2.81/pack (normally about the $4 range). Don't be surprised if one of their auctions comes up sold soon...

Isn't Jamie a lucky guy? Most women want clothes or jewelry. I'm drooling over pencils.

Someday I'm probably going to give this my strangest post ever award. Thanks Holly for the inspiration.