Sweet Walnut Scones

Sweet Walnut Scones

(adapted from Cooks.com)



3 1/2 C Unbleached all purpose flour
5 tsp. double acting baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Sugar (I used light brown sugar)
1/2 C butter

1/4 C Crisco (regular or butter flavored)
4 eggs
1/2 C milk
1 T maple or maple flavor syrup
1/2 C walnuts, finely chopped



1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In medium bowl with fork, mix flour, baking powder, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2. In small bowl with fork, beat eggs. Reserve 2 tablespoons beaten egg for brushing on scones later. Mix in milk & maple syrup into remaining beaten eggs. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture just until ingredients are blended. (MJ had a blast helping stir!)  Then mix with hands *squishy squishy* until all flour is incorporated.

3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and shape into a disk.  Place onto round stoneware (or lightly greased cookie sheet) I cut mine into 10 pieces (like a pizza), but you can cut yours to whatever size suits your needs.

4. In a small bowl stir walnuts and 2 teaspoons of sugar (MJ and Bug chopped the walnut with the Ninja Blender and then mixed in the sugar.  MJ loves to push the button!) With a pastry brush, brush tops of scones with reserved beaten egg; sprinkle with walnut mixture. (I am not fortunate enough to have a pastry brush right now so I just used the back of a spoon.  Worked just fine! I also smoothed out the Walnut mixture and patted it into/onto the tops of the scones.) 

Bake scones 12-15 minutes until golden. Serve warm.

If you bake them ahead of time you can heat them back up by wrapping them individually in foil and putting them in the over @ 425 for 10 minutes.   I like to put mine in an airtight container and munch on them hot/warm/cold all day long.  The original recipe says that it will make 30 scones.  those must be pretty small scones.  The walnut mixture makes a nice crust on top and the maple syrup adds just a hint of sweetness.

What the family thinks:

MJ had hers with a little tea - she liked  dipping it (maybe I should try to make her some biscotti).  Bug likes everything warmed up & asked for 2nds so I am sure she likes them.  

 SAW is slowly savoring his (because he knows he can't devour the entire pan in one sitting), but assures me that they are good despite their minimal flavor (he wants more sugar in them next time).

I love the crunchy crust of the walnuts and the light sweetness.  The Crisco made them have nice flaky layers without ruining the density & texture that a scone usually has. 

Mike is sleeping (night shift again) so he hasn't had one yet, but it has all the elements he loves so I am sure they will be a hit with him as well.

All in all I think it was a great recipe.  Next time though I think I'd like a few walnuts mixed in to the scone.  We will see!

Using up the last of it!

In general I like to use things up.  I know that's an odd statement but it's true. Like when I use a pencil or crayon down to the last possible nub, or use up all the ink in a pen (before I lose it).  It's an oddly satisfying feeling.  I like to use up every last drop of toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner.  Everything!  I like to know I am not being wasteful.
Oddly enough, though, I never really felt that way about food.  I mean, when you use up the last slice of cheese in the middle of making grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner that's defnintely NOT satifying!  Or the last drop of milk before everyone has had their cereal.  UGH!
Today was different though.
First I haveto rewind a little though...
Two weeks ago (last paycheck)...
Bug and I went grocery shopping, list & coupons in hand.  We knew our budget ($250 this check, which was a big deal because we have been keeping it under $200 for the last month).  With such a "big" budget I was planning on getting some snacking foods.  A luxury that we don't often enjoy.  I started out doing very good at keeping track of my total and watching for good deals (with or without coupons).  Slowly, as I weaved up and down the aisles, I began to resent the budget I was given.  I was angry and resenting a lot of things.  I stopped keeping track of my total.  I was feeling a little ... who knows, but the point is that I stopped keeping track.  I had a rough idea, I was still watching prices. I gave up the yummy tasty $5 box of cereal for the less yummy less tasty $2 box of cereal, even Bug knew that was the right choice!  I felt like I was within my budget, and I thought that with all my awesome coupons I would actually be under budget so I could maybe sneak in a few other things at a different store.  At the check out I am normally nervous.  I try to watch to make sure things ring up correctly and to make sure that I am on target for the right total.  This time, though, I was dreading that total!  My resentment had given way to guilt.  I should not have gotten so many cans of nuts (especially after learning that one of my precious planters coupons had *gasp* expired!),but I felt a little embarrassed that they might know we are poor and on a tight budget if I put them back. Hello, Sharon!  You are shopping with extreme couponer coupons, they already know you are on a tight budget!  So I watched my total climb.  I listened to the cashier call over a manager about one of my coupons (ladies, if you ever receive a "mystery savings" coupon be prepared for a lengthy discussion at the check out over whether it's valid or not before they even try it, and then another one after they scan it and see the amount!).  I felt my blood pressure rise and my face flush.  Finally, I was done!  There was my total - in BIG BOLD numbers for all to see - $262!!!  aaaccckkkk!!!
Needless to say, we ran out "real" food pretty quickly, and the snack food barely lasted a few days. And, did I mention that I did NOT buy ANY meat on this grocery trip???  Not my proudest moment!
It was time to get creative.  This past week we have had a lot of rament noodles.  A lot of stir fry (with ramen noodles or rice). A lot of torillas (homamade) with sugar & cinnamon.  A lot of soup. A lot of oatmeal (with jelly, or peanut butter, or nutella, or whatever makes it so MJ will eat it).
Last night I made amazing refried beans and tortillas.  I started the beans at about 10am (after soaking overnight of course).  It was sooooo hard not to eat them all before dinner.  Everyone was so excited about them that we made the tortillas early and had an early dinner!  The downside to that it that we were hungry again by bedtime, but it was okay!  They were Amazing!!
So, that leads me back to my story of using things up today. 
Today I made Sweet Walnut scones.  I used the very last bit of flour, all the rest of the eggs, and the butter too!  Anyone that knows me knows that these are the three things I HATE running out of most!  Today though, I had a different feeling.  I was pleased.  I had that satisfying feeling when I threw away the flour bag and the egg shells and butter wrapper.
I was proud of myself for providing for my family even after frivolously spending our budget.  We made it - right up to the last day!

Birthdays

MJ is going to turn 2 in a few days!  I'm honestly amazed we've made it this far!  Having a baby in your 30's is tough.It's exhausting, trying, scary and yet joyous.
I feel like I am cheating her on her party though.  I was going to try to plan a big party, but, as always, funds are low.  We still haven't ordered a cake yet.  Yeah, I could make one, but I really don't feel like being disappointed.  We really don't know a lot of people here with little ones, so there's not a huge need for a ton of money to be spent on goodie bags.  I'd still like the few kids that are coming to leave with a little something though.  MJ loves rubber duckies so I ordered some adorable rubber duckie soaps from Etsy.  I wanted to buy a bunch of ducks too, but I procrastinated and times and money ran out.  Pay day is the day of her party so we will be running around like crazy that morning to get everything!  I found some cute printables and decorations I can do ahead of time on Pinterest though, so that'll be great!  I think it will end up being a good day!

My birthday is coming up also.  I have always gotten my hopes up and been super excited about my birthday.  ALWAYS!! But, I find myself a little deflated on the actual day.  I have also learned that birthdays - no matter whose - are for kids.  My kids are more excited about my birthday than I am.  This year, I am determined to not get all pumped up for it.  Whatever will be will be.  I actually already have a plan to volunteer that day at our base library with the reading program.  We will be making and decorating birdhouses that day.  I think it will be a fun way to spend the afternoon. 

I am also planning a few birthday rituals for MJ and myself to leave the negatives of this past year behind us and welcome growth and happiness into our life in the next year. ( I have been researching some of my eclectic pagan-ness and found a few things like this I'd like to incorporate in to our lives. More on that later)

Do you do anything "different" for birthdays in your family?

If wishes were butterflies I wouldn't need them to come true

If wishes were butterflies and the characters in my books were real I wouldn't be lonely.
I'd skip arm in arm with Dorothy and the cowardly lion knowing that I was not the most F'd up one there.
I'd ride the little engine that could up the mountain cheering him on, not worrying if my weight was keeping him from moving forward.
I'd tell Scarlett that it's okay that Rhett doesn't give a damn, she doesn't need him.

But, that's not the case.  I'm here with my wishes and dreams and shelves and boxes full of books...Lonely.  In the last 4 years everything has blown up in my face over and over again.  I keep trying and trying to put everything back together with glue and glitter and fancy duct tape, but it just doesn't hold.  This desert is like a field of land mines, no matter what direction I go in I lead my family right into another one.  

I wish that I could fix it.  I wish I could take the pain and fear away.  I know of only one way to do it though, and I just don't have the means.
I feel so selfish that I am thinking about everything I will lose.  I have to stop and think about what possibilities it opens up for everyone else.

I wish that I was not the most F'd up person I know!