Mom's Scones (A.K.A. Utah Scones) with Honey Butter

recipe from Make It Do via Pinterest

These scones are so delicious. I almost can't find the words to tell you. They are just the perfect amount of crunchy on the outside and warm and tender on the inside.  I remember eating scones similar to these when I was little, but haven't made them since I've been doing the cooking. Why?  I don't know. It's crazy!  They are so good.  This recipe is definitely a keeper. 

For those of you who are thinking that these don't look anything like the English scones you are used to seeing when hearing "scones," you are right. Where English scones are baked and more like a sweet biscuit, these scones are fried and made with yeast dough. Try them. They are wonderful!  You can top them with honey butter, honey, syrup, jam, powdered sugar, use them as a fry bread for Navajo tacos. The possibilities are seemingly endless!  Can you tell I am a fan!?

Okay, here's the recipe!

1 cup warm water

1 cup warm milk

1 Tablespoon dry active yeast

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup melted butter, cooled

1 Tablespoon salt

5-6 cups bread flour

Canola oil for deep frying

Combine warm water and warm milk.  Stir in the sugar.  Add dry active yeast and stir lightly.  Allow yeast to activate, about 10 minutes.  In a stand mixer, fitted with a bread hook, add milk mixture and cooled melted butter.  Add the salt.  Start the mixer and add the flour one cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dough should be slightly sticky but workable. Cover the dough in the bowl with a towel.  Set in a warm place and allow it to rise until double.

Pour your oil in a large saucepan (with sides deep enough to fully immerse the scones) or a deep fryer and heat slowly over medium to medium high heat.  While the oil is heating, roll the dough out onto the counter, without flour, into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. You may choose to butter the counter lightly.  Using a pizza cutter, cut into squares or triangles.  Heat oil to between 350-400 degrees and cook scones until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Honey butter (recipe from the Lion House Classics cookbook (25th anniversary edition):

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup honey

Whip softened butter.  Add vanilla and honey gradually.  Beat for 20 minutes.  Makes 1 cup.

Almond Poppyseed Muffins

recipe from bake-aholic.com

Sometimes there is nothing like a warm, fresh muffin for breakfast and these muffins come together so easily that there isn't really any excuse not to enjoy them whenever you want.  We devoured these at our house.  I guess that means we can make them again soon!

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

1 1/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 Tablespoons poppy seed

3 teaspoons sugar

sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups (or spray them very well).  In a large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup sugar, the oil, egg, and almond.  Beat in sour cream and milk with a spoon until blended.  Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, soda, and poppy seed until well blended.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.  Sprinkle batter with 3 teaspoons sugar and the almonds.  Bake for 14-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. 

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

recipe adapted from Alexandra Cooks via Pinterest

Serves 6-8 .... or 1-2 depending on your self control!

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

zest from 1 large lemon  (approx. 2 tsp)

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar*  *for sprinkling on top of cake before baking 

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh blueberries (I used frozen and thawed them out in warm water)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter with lemon zest and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  

2.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with 1/4 cup of flour, then whisk remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3.  Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk.  Fold in the blueberries.

4.  Grease a 9 inch square baking pan or something similar with butter or coat with non-stick cooking spray.  Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes.  Check with toothpick.  If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple more minutes.  Note: baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.  Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

The original recipe called for 3/4 cup sugar.  I reduced to 1/2 cup and it still tasted wonderful.  Also, I do like blueberries, but 2 cups seemed like a lot to me, so I only put in 1 cup and it was just the right amount for me, but if you love blueberries.... load it up! I think more blueberries would tend to result in a little bit moister cake if that is what you would like.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Recipe slightly adapted from Parents Magazine

My name is Misti and I'm a pancake-aholic.  I love warm, fluffy pancakes for breakfast and these pancakes definitely did not disappoint.  They were so light and fluffy, and course, I love them because they have pumpkin in them. I love pancakes!  I love pumpkin!  I love Fall!  That's a lot of love. I hope you love them too.

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp butter, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk (or mix 1 Tbsp lemon juice with enough milk to make a cup; let stand 5 minutes)

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Melt 1 Tbsp butter. Whisk in egg, buttermilk, pumpkin and melted butter.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tsp butter and swirl to coat pan.  Spoon batter onto skillet and cook until pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, turn and cook until golden on bottom.  If pancakes brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.  Serve with berries, syrup or other toppings of your choice.

Check out this sinful version from Two Peas and Their Pod - oh baby! yummmmm!

Pumpkin Granola

Recipe by Two Peas and Their Pod adapted from Baking Bites

Oh... my favorite time of year... Fall!  It's almost here!  And so, to celebrate, I made this delicious granola.  My husband loves granola and yogurt for breakfast and I came across this recipe and had to try it. Not only is it delicious, but it makes your house smell absolutely a-mazing! 

5 cups rolled oats

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds*)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.  In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract.  Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated.  They will be moist.  Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove pan from the oven and stir.  Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp.  Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas.  Let cool completely.  Store in an airtight container.

Serve granola with yogurt, milk, or enjoy plain.

*I found pepitas in the bulk foods section at WinCo

Chunky Monkey Pancakes

recipe from Our Best Bites

These are a frequent request of my husband.  He LOVES them.  They taste a lot like banana bread pancakes and of course are a kid-pleaser with a few chocolate chips sprinkled around.  I find that these cook a lot better if you keep them pretty small.   A yummy, fun Saturday morning treat!  

1 1/2 c flour

3 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 c buttermilk*

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp canola oil

1 large or extra large egg

2 small or medium ripe bananas

1/4 c mini chocolate chips (or regular chips roughly chopped) tossed with 2 tsp flour (This helps to keep the chips suspended throughout the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.)

cooking spray or butter for griddle

1 c maple syrup

1/2 c peanut butter

*As a substitute for buttermilk, place 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar in a 1 1/2 c measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.  Let sit for 2-3 minutes to allow acid to sour the milk.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.  In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined.  Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork.  Fold into batter.  Add the chocolate chips that have been tossed with flour and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine.  Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside.  

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray or butter and pour pancake batter onto griddle.  Use 1/4 c for large pancakes (4-6")  or 2 Tbsp for kid-sized ones (2-3").  Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.  

Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes

Yield:

28-30 2-3" pancakes (using 1/8 c batter measure)

14-15 4-6" pancakes (using 1/4 c batter measure)

Freezer instructions:

Let cooked pancakes cool to room temperature.  Place in a single layer in the freezer until frozen and then place pancakes in a Ziplock bag or airtight container.  Reheat in a microwave or toaster until heated through.

Ultimate Oatmeal with Spiced Apple Topping

                                           Recipe from my sister-in-law Brenda
(Spiced Apple Topping not pictured)


3 c water
1 c milk
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c raisins (optional)
1 c steel cut oats*


Bring the water and milk to a simmer in medium saucepan.  Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add oats and toast, stirring constantly until the oats are golden and fragrant with a butterscotch-like aroma (approximately 1 1/2 to 2 minutes)


Stir the toasted oats into the simmering liquid, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the mixture thickens and resembles gravy (about 20 minutes).  Stir in the salt and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until all the liquid is absorbed and oatmeal is creamy (about 10 minutes).  Take saucepan off heat and stir in raisins if desired.  Let oatmeal stand for about 5 minutes before serving.


Sauteed Spiced Apple Topping:
3 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and chopped medium
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c light brown sugar
1/8 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt


Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add apples, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and salt.  Cook until apples have softened and browned (about 5 minutes).  Spoon over individual bowls of hot oatmeal and serve.


* "While this may seem like a long-winded recipe for a simple bowl of oatmeal, it is well worth the effort.  Steel cut oats have a chewier texture and fuller flavor than regular rolled oats.  Toasting the oats, a step common in baking, enhances the subtle nutty flavor of the grain." 

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

                                          Adapted from Cooking Light  by Our Best Bites
3/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c low-fat buttermilk*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Cooking spray or butter for pan

*As a substitute for 1 c buttermilk, place 1 Tbsp lemon juice (or vinegar, but I prefer lemon juice) in a 1 c measuring cup and then fill the remainder with milk.  This recipe calls for 1 1/2 c buttermilk, so do the same thing with 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice and remaining 1/2 c milk.


Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well.  Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. ** I had to add a little bit more liquid to get a thinner consistency, so I added milk and a little more buttermilk.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat.  Coat pan with non-stick spray or a little butter and then pour on pancake batter.  Use about 1/4 c batter for large pancakes (5-6") and 2 Tbsp for kid-sized ones (2/2-3").  Wait until bubbles form and edges are set up and then flip.

Makes 12 large or 24 small pancakes.

Freezer Instructions: These pancakes freeze wonderfully.  Just lay out pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet or other pan.  Freeze until solid and then place in a zip-lock bag.  To serve, just warm up in the microwave or toaster.