Spring Scones

 

1. This is the most fun thing I've tried in quite some time!  You can make it sweet or savory.  Use the add in ingredients that suite your taste.  I made this one sweet with white chocolate, raspberries and blueberries.  I think I'll try a savory batch with cheddar cheese and country ham in the next batch!  Let your imagination go and make what your heart desires. 
2. You'll need:

1. 2 1/2 cups self-rising White Lily flour, plus more for work surface and kneading
2. 2 tbsp (for savory) or 4 tbsp (for sweet) granulated sugar
3. ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
4. ⅔ cup cold buttermilk, plus more for brushing top of scones
5. 1 large egg
6. 1 tsp vanilla (for sweet only)
7. 1–2 cups add-ins (I used 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1/2 blueberries and 1/2 cup raspberries for this sweet scone version)
8. 
   
9. The secret to this recipe is to prep ahead!  Put your add on ingredients in a bowl in advance so that they are at the ready.  Put your liquid ingredients in a bowl in advance as well.  The trick to this recipe is to work quickly with very cold ingredients.  I used a stainless steel mixing bowl and I put it in the fridge for a bit before I started and that was a real bonus.
10. Add the four and sugar to a large mixing bowl, then add in the cold butter.
11. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or two knives, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some larger pieces remaining.
12. Toss in your add-ins.
13. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla (if making sweet scones).
14. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix just until all is moistened.
15. Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface.
16. With floured hands, gently knead the dough into a ball. It doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth. Rough and shaggy is actually better.
17. Flatten into a 6″ circle and cut into 8 wedges.
18. Transfer onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
19. Brush the surface with buttermilk and bake in a 400F oven for 20 minutes.

Scones are best enjoyed the day of. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, place on a baking sheet, lightly tent with foil, and warm for 10 minutes at 350F.

To make in advance: prepare the dough the night before (up to step 5), cover and store in the fridge, and bake as instructed the next day. Baked scones will last in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can also bake them in advance, and just reheat when ready to serve. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet lightly tented with foil, and warm in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes.

To freeze unbaked scones: place the wedges in the freezer until frozen solid, put them in a ziplock back, return to freezer and store for up to a month. When ready to bake, let thaw overnight in the fridge, and bake as instructed.

To freeze them after baking: let the scones cool completely, place them in a ziplock bag, and freeze for up to a month. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge, and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds or on a baking sheet lightly tented with foil in a 350F oven for about 10 minutes.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

 

They say you eat with you eyes first and that is exactly what drew me to this recipe!  That pop of orange for Easter Sunday but minus the standard carrot ingredient.... it peaked my interest and this salad is absolutely delicious!  You can tweak this to your taste (seek cooks comments below) and it's a new star on your holiday table.


Ingredients:

For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

        1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, (2 medium or 3 smaller sweet potatoes) 

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the Salad:

• 1 bunch kale, (10 cups chopped)

• 1 apple, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup pecans: lightly toasted if desired

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, or pomegranate seeds

• 2 oz goat cheese, (1/2 cup crumbled)

• For the Dressing:
• 
  
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 garlic clove, finely minced 

• 1/3 cup extra virgin oilve oil

• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

• 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

• 
  

• Instructions:
• 
  
• How to make potatoes:

• Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toast pecans on a d y skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently for a few minutes until golden and fragrant then transfer to a plate to cool.
• 
  
• How to Make Salad Dressing:
• 
  
• In a small bowl or mason jar, combine all of the ingredients for the salad dressing in the order they are listed and thoroughly whisk together until well combined. You may need to re-whisk before dressing the salad since the dressing can separate as it sits.
• 
  
• How to Make Kale Sweet Potato Salad:

     Strip the kale leaves and discard the stems. Rinse and dry leaves then finely chop them         into thin      strips and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 3/4 of the dressing. Toss for a few minutes         with two forks until kale is slightly softened, evenly coated in dressing and reduced by about 1/4 in         volume. Let salad rest for 15 minutes while you add the remaining ingredients. 

    Scatter roasted and cooled sweet potatoes over the kale then sprinkle on remaining toppings: sliced        apple, toasted and cooled pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle the top with        remaining 1/4 of the dressing or add to taste then enjoy

Cooks Notes:

I'm not a kale gal, so I did Arugula and Baby Spinach mix.  

I added extra Maple Syrup to each step (1 Tblsp) as I like this sweeter than most.
This keeps amazing well overnight as most salads do not.  I recommend not dressing this until ready to serve but it's super flavorful day 2!

I'd likely sprinkle my sweet potatoes with 1/2 cup brown sugar next time.  My sweet tooth is seriously into this action!