SOURDOUGH SCONES with Raisins & Cinnamon

We've been invited to a potluck brunch tomorrow.  At first I was just going to send two dozen eggs from our hens and hope someone wanted to scramble them (because the three boys are going without me) but then Scott wanted to bring something more.  Well, lets see, I just came home with 3 bags of flour from the store, there are two jars of sourdough starter on the counter, and we have a fridge full of lard.  Obviously, I needed to make some scones.

SOURDOUGH SCONES with Raisins & Cinnamon

1 cups organic unbleached flour

3/4 - 1 cup organic whole wheat flour

1/2-3/4 cup organic coconut sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup organic lard or butter

2 cups sourdough culture

3/4 cup organic raisins, soaked in water

1 tsp organic cinnamon

Method:  In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.  With a pastry cutter, cut in the lard until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Add the culture, stirring with a fork.  The dough should be soft and moist.  Turn onto a floured board and knead briefly until the dough is soft and barley sticky.  Add more flour if needed.

On a well floured board, shape the dough into a long flat, rectangular snake.  With a bread knife, cut the dough into triangles.  Place on a baking sheet and proof for 2 hours at room temperature.  Bake in a preheated oven at 375* for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.  Makes 12 scones.

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BUTTERNUT SQUASH SCONES with White Cheddar Cheese

     I found a sneaky way to get some squash into my toddler with these delicious scones.  He definitely ate more of these than the carrot studded bowl of oatmeal I tried to squeeze into him the other morning.  They were the perfect accompaniment to a big bowl of lentil soup and a visit with some lovely friends.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SCONES with White Cheddar 

1 cup organic unbleached wheat or spelt flour

1 /3 cup organic whole wheat or whole spelt flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup organic unsalted butter

1 cup organic roasted butternut squash puree (or pumpkin)

2/3 cup organic buttermilk

1/2 cup organic medium or old cheddar cheese, grated

Method:  Preheat oven to 350*.  Peel and cube the squash, and roast in a greased pan for 20-30 minutes. Puree and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 400*.  Sift the flours, baking powder, and salt.  Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until it is sandy in texture.  In a separate bowl, combine the squash, milk and cheese.  Mix this into the flour.  Turn the mixture out onto a floured counter.  Roll into a ball and flatten into a long cylinder.  Cut with a pastry paddle into triangles.  Place on a parchment lined sheet and bake for 18 minutes.

MAPLE OATMEAL SCONES

     I had a request from my husband Scott to make some more oatmeal scones.  Is it because they are so amazingly delicious, or just so handy to grab on the way out the door when he leaves so early in the morning?  Both.  We've been enjoying these scones for many years now.  What I love about them is that they're just like eating a nice bowl of oatmeal smothered in real maple syrup.  They freeze really well, sometimes I eat them frozen when I am too impatient to pop them in the toaster oven.  Last week before I started my modified cleanse I ate two in a row, warmed up and smothered with honey.......

     My father in law likes to pick wild cranberries each fall.  One day I am going to go out with him, but until then I just enjoy the bounty he provides.  To switch things up a bit, I decided to add some to the mix, along with some ground almonds and almond extract....delicious!  Feel free to experiment with other additions like blueberries, walnuts, hemp nuts, raisins, currants, cinnamon........

MAPLE OATMEAL SCONES

2 cups organic whole wheat or spelt flour (please note spelt makes a crumblier scone)

1 1/2 cups organic quick oats

1 1/2 tsp aluminum and GMO free baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup organic unsalted butter

1/2 cup organic whole milk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup or brown rice syrup or honey

1 organic free range egg

(optional - nuts, dried or fresh fruit, spices)

Method:  Preheat oven to 375*.  Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl until combined.  Cut in butter and mix with a fork or your fingers until butter is mixed in with the flour and marble sized.

     Combine milk, maple syrup, and egg.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix until dough comes together.  

     Flour your work surface liberally and pat dough out about 2 inches thick in a log shape.  Use more flour if necessary to dust the surface.  Using a knife or pastry scraper, cut the log into triangles.

     Place on a greased cookie sheet in a 375* oven and bake until light brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

GARLIC CHIVE AND CHEESE SCONES

My big pot of pea soup was bubbling away on the stove when I started to make these scones for supper.  

GARLIC CHIVE AND CHEESE SCONES

1/2 cup organic unbleached white bread flour

3/4 - 1 cup organic whole wheat bread flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard powder

1/4 cup organic unsalted butter

5-6 Tbsp organic whole milk

1/4 cup organic cheese

3 Tbsp organic garlic chives, minced

Method: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Rub in butter until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in mustard powder, cheese and chives. Mix in milk to make a soft but not sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured counter and knead very lightly. Form into a 3" wide log and cut into triangles with a knife. Bake at 425* for about 12-14 minutes.