Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Toasted Almond Scones with Cranberry Butter


YUM.



Toasted Almond Scones with Cranberry Butter.  (sigh)  I could happily eat these for breakfast every day.

Toasted Almond Scones
from Baking From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

1 cup blanched almonds, toasted
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 Tbsp) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup sliced almonds

-Put a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-Divide the toasted almonds in half.  Finely grind 1/2 cup in a food processor with the sugar, taking care not to overgrind and end up with almond butter.  Finely chop the other 1/2 cup nuts.
-Stir the egg, cream, milk, and almond extract together.
-Whisk the flour, ground almonds/sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.  Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour.  Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the mixture until the mixture is pebbly.
-Pour the liquid ingredients into the flour/butter mixture and stir with a fork until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together.  Stir in the chopped almonds.
-Still in the bowl, knead the dough gently by hand, or turn with a rubber spatula 8-10 times.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half.  Working with one piece at a time, pat into a rough circle about 5 inches in diameter.  Cut each of the 2 circles into 6 wedges.  Top each wedge with a few sliced almonds, if you're using them.  Place on the baking sheet.
-Bake scones 20-22 minutes, until the tops are golden and firm-ish.  Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes (or to room temp.) before serving.

(The scones can be frozen, unbaked, once they're cut into wedges.  Wrap each one airtight.  Don't defrost before baking - just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)


Cranberry Butter
adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 lb butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped cranberries
1/2 cup honey
zest of 1 orange
pinch of salt

-Combine.  Store in fridge, but let soften a bit before serving.

(This is good on scones, muffins, toast, pancakes, waffles, rolls, bagels...)




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Monday, June 27, 2011

Giseleisms Again, part 400



Jamie:  "Gisèle, don't suck your thumb."
Gisèle:  "But I'm thirsty!"


Gisèle:  "Daddy, if I dig boogies out of my nose and put them in my mouth, what happens?"
Jamie, stumped, finally splutters: "It's just gross!"




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Friday, June 24, 2011

Jamie & Miles Reading (February 2011)









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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Texas Girl

Gisèle:  "Mama and Daddy, ya'll... {something, something, something...}"

Me, smiling:  "Gisèle, are you from Texas?"

Gisèle, seriously:  "No."

Me:  "Where are you from?"

Gisèle, sweetly, while tossing her hair:  "I'm from God."




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Monday, June 20, 2011

Chalk










Miles thought the purple one would taste good






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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Me and the Kids (from March 2011)








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Monday, June 13, 2011

Kisses

















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Saturday, June 11, 2011

Gisèle's 1st Haircut

Gisèle had her 1st haircut today, and she did great!  We just had a few inches taken off, so that it would be a little more manageable.  It was down to her bum before the haircut, and it's to the middle of her back now.  After the haircut, the stylist was nice enough to give her "princess braids," which she loved!


Before

Her baby curls, that were so hard for me to let go of!

In the stylist's chair, right before the cut

Enjoying her grape lollipop

Getting her "princess braids" done

Showing off her princess braids

After the haircut

My big girl!



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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Miles with Messy Hair








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