Life has been a whirlwind for the past week and a half.  First, we are moved back to Hometown!  As if you couldn't tell that already by the title.   

My aim is to be helpful, people.  

Peanut's last play in the snow.....at least in Smalltown.

Let me give some background before I dive into the story.  Smalltown is in a portion of our state that gets a fair amount of snow each year.  MUCH more than we ever did back in Hometown--we even purchased studded tires within a month of moving here.  BUT, we hadn't had hardly any snow this winter season.  We had a small bit back in November and an even smaller amount on New Year's.....but neither lasted long.  So we were due for some snow.  Of course my hope was that it would occur at least two weeks prior to our move so we would have lots of time to look outside and enjoy it, Peanut could play in the snow, and all roads home (aka the mountain passes) would be nice and clear for our 6+ hour drive home with two vehicles and a 26 foot moving truck.
 
Well?  Not so much.  God had other plans.  And isn't that always the case?  

Her FINAL night in her toddler bed/crib.  Sigh.

 
So last Tuesday (the 17th) it started snowing.....and it didn't stop.  Or at least it didn't seem to.  My Dad, as well as my mother-in-law and brother-in-law, were all to fly into Smalltown late in the afternoon on Thursday.  Well, the major city that they all had to fly in from practically shut down from this ginormous amount (at least by West Coast port city standards) of winter weather, thus making it very difficult for all our family to get to Smalltown.  My Dad's flight?  Canceled within two hours of his original departure time.  My mother-in-law and brother-in-law?  Their flight was delayed for over eight hours.....while they were stuck in got to hang out in the tiny airport restaurant.

With family having already purchased airfare to come help us move, having given notice to our landlords that we were going to be vacating, and with both Hub's current and future restaurants juggling their schedules around Hubs' and our transition, we weren't really in a position to say, "Hey let's put this off for a week while the weather improves." 

Despite the massive number of power lines, it IS pretty, isn't it?

 
 
So we pushed through.  Hubs' mom and brother got in LATE Thursday night and my Dad flew in late Friday morning.  (Where, by the way, in the car on the way home from the airport my Dad informed me he was so glad he was able to make it to help us make the big move home--but that he would have crawled there if that's what it had taken to get there to help us--he was that excited to get us home.  Isn't that just the sweetest thing?!?!?)  We had already got our moving truck early Thursday morning (due to the weather and the rental place closing early) and we promptly went and purchased chains for the moving truck.  At that moment in time chains were required on the mountain passes on all vehicles over 10,000 pounds--which of course would be the case with our moving truck--so $100 later, we were the proud owners of chains for our moving truck.

Hubs, his brother, and my Dad busted their you-know-whats from about 11 am on Friday until about 10 pm Friday night.  With a stop for lunch, a stop for dinner, and countless stops to put salt down and scrape the walk ways and drive way free of snow, they got the truck loaded with *most* of our stuff.   Hubs' mom helped me in keeping the Peanut occupied for most of the afternoon with a trip to the mall and a stop at Costco to pick up pizza for dinner. 

Several days before the move, I left the smallest suit case in Peanut's room to use on the big day--this is what I found when the big day came.

 

We got up bright and early on Saturday.  Me?  I woke up at 3:30 am and COULD NOT get back to sleep. Ahhh, the joys of being pregnant.  I finally gave in and got up at 5 am and took my time showering and getting ready one last time in our sweet little place we called home for the last two and a half years.

The boys got the rest of the odds and ends loaded in the truck (which seriously take WAY more time than all the big stuff), while Hubs' mom and I busted our you-know-whats cleaning our little home to insure we got our deposit back.  Luckily, I had done the deeper cleaning (windows, light fixtures, etc.) about a week before we moved, so we really were just vacuuming and cleaning bathroooms and floors--but all that stuff takes time.  And my sweet mother-in-law?  She cleaned the fridge.  Inside and out.  Can you say nomination for sainthood?


















































 

Our landlords came around 1:30 on Saturday afternoon to do the final walk through and exchange a not-so-looking-forward-to, tearful goodbye.  I've said it before, but we are blessed.  I mean, who exchanges tears and hugs and parting gifts with their landlord (or tenants for that matter) when they move out?  People who are blessed to have had very special landlords that took them under their wing, that's who.  I can say with strong conviction that it was no coincidence that our paths crossed with them.  And I am ever so grateful.


























 
By the time we got gas for all the vehicles and got potty breaks (mainly for the preggers and three year old), it was 3 pm on Saturday before we got on the road.  Much later than the noon hour we were shooting for, but we wanted to get on the road before another significant amount of snow hit.  (And hit, it did--Smalltown got another 6 inches Saturday night after we left--on top of the approximate 12 that were already on the ground.)  And quite honestly, the roads weren't too bad.  They were really clear until we hit the mountain passes and fairly clear after the mountain passes.  Driving conditions really could have been so much worse--but we took it slow for the safety of all of us.  Hubs and his mom drove in the moving truck, my Dad and I and Peanut were in our car, and Hubs' brother--bless his heart!--drove Hubs truck, all by himself.  And we were all wiped. out. by the time we got on the road.  I was exhausted and I had only cleaned house and packed some boxes--I hadn't been outside loading a 26 foot moving truck in 20 degree temps, like all the guys had.  So yes, Peanut's adored uncle definitely gets a nomination for sainthood as well.



















































 
We rolled into my parents driveway about 11:30 pm on Saturday night....were I promptly fell asleep in my clothes within a half an hour of stumbling walking in the door. I even abandoned ship and left my mom to get Peanut into bed.   (Thank you, Mom.)

We unloaded on Sunday with the help of Hubs' sister and her family--her husband helped unload while Hubs' sister and mom took all the kids out to lunch.  This was such a big help too, so my mom and I could unpack and get things around the house somewhat organized for our temporary but several month stay.


























 
Peanut has already started preschool here and we have been able to share a night out for a birthday party with Hubs' family.  I had my first "doctors" (it was actually the initial visit with the OB nurse practitioner) appointment and Peanut had her first dental appointment here in Hometown.  We are settling in--thank you Mom and Dad!

And the verdict?

It's SO good to be home.

The last two weeks have flown by. Even though it didn't really feel like it on any given day.

If that makes any sense.  I hope it does.  But if it doesn't, I claim pregnancy brain. 

Peanut and I rang in the new year while Hubs was finishing up at work.  His boss had asked them to work on refinishing some of the tables at the restaurant.  Which of course can only happen when they are closed.  And while I appreciate that my husband works very, very hard in providing for our family, I was *a little* irritated when he didn't get home until 3 am on New Year's Day. 

They closed at 9 pm on New Year's Eve.  The little over-achiever decided to get a whole bunch of the tables refinished.  Again, while I appreciate his initiative in trying to get as many of these done as he could, I can guarantee none of the other managers would have done this--not on a "holiday" and especially not before their day off. 

So I wasn't thrilled with that little surprise and then I was even less thrilled a few days later when Peanut came down with a cold and an even more nasty cough.  Which of course, she graciously shared with both Hubs and me.  Although I don't think it was the upper respiratory flu, it seemed way worse than the average cold.  I obviously don't have a medical degree, so I really don't know what it was, but I am just happy we are much better and on the mend.  Hubs got it last and he seems to be doing much better as well, for which I am very grateful.  The man never rarely uses sick days (see preceding story regarding the over achiever gene), so he worked 11-12 hour days all while trying to get better.  Fun times.

Ultra sound photo from about 10 weeks.  Yes, I am just getting around to posting it.

However, in more uplifiting news, I am feeling much better pregnancy wise.  The nauseousness has seemed to subside for the most part, creeping up now only on a rare occasion.  So that has been very nice.  I am still tired, but I think that has way more to do with packing up our household and chasing a three year old than it does with being pregnant.

Speaking of moving, we are moving one week from today!  I cannot believe this day has finally come!  This poor little blog has been so neglected lately.  I keep telling myself that I will have so much more time to devote to blogging once we get moved, but I just don't know..... 

We will be living with my parents for a few months until our renters (we have in our home) lease is up and then just a shade longer after that.  We (I use that term very loosely) plan to go in and paint and get the carpet replaced before moving all of our belongings back in.  God willing, we will be getting moved in and settled just prior to the little brother or little sister's arrival at the end of June.  It will be tight, but we are very thankful and even more blessed. 

I am excited to be able to grocery shop at my favorite (read cheap) grocery store once again and even more excited to be surrounded by family and friends.  Despite all the wonderful new changes we will have, I am sad to be leaving the place where our precious Peanut spent her toddler years.  It will be a home she will eventually only remember by pictures and that makes me cry just thinking about it.   I am sad to be leaving a climate that calls for sunglasses 12 months of the year, rather than the 3 months (if we are lucky) I am accustomed to in HomeTown.  I will miss Hubs four mile commute (as will he!) and I will miss our sweet landlord.  I don't question for a minute that God didn't know exactly what he was doing when we ended up renting from her.  She has been so wonderful to our family and most of all to our precious Peanut.  I am so grateful things fell into place as they did two and half years ago. 

I've said this (and reminded myself of this!) so many times:  He is not a God of coincidences.


God is so good.

Blessings to each of you in the new year...

Why yes, the toupee hair WAS all Peanut's idea.  For reals.

 

I am linking this recipe up to Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to 2012: Best Dessert Recipes.  Coconut Cream Pie.....does it really need a further introduction?  I think not.  
I have decided that pies are my new favorite dessert.  Specifically cream pies.  Is it okay to have a birthday pie rather than cake?  If it is, then sign me up! (That is unless my mom is making her homemade German Chocolate Cake--because if that's the case, all bets are off...)


The hubs and my birthday were last month (they are just a few days apart) and I made him a blackberry pie.  We still had some left over on my birthday, so I didn't bother making another dessert and I promised myself that the following week, I would make myself a pie.  (Hubs is wonderful, but it's like pulling teeth to get him to bake on my birthday--so I stopped trying.  Plus he detailed my car inside and out so I can't complain!  Please know I am not bashing my husband--I think our "talents" compliment each other very nicely!)

The next week came however and Hubs and Peanut both got sick and then life got in the way, so I finally got a chance a few days ago to whip this up.  It was worth the wait.  Even Hubs liked it and he swears he doesn't like coconut--I really think he's lying.  Either about not liking coconut or about the pie--but when you are short on time getting ready for work and you still choose to have a piece of pie after lunch--my bet is that he's lying about the coconut.

Although I love the butter based crust I found, I had some palm shortening that I wanted to try.  This crust was very good and flaky, but more difficult to work with than a butter or vegetable shortening crust.   I also made a stabilized whip cream, as I knew the pie would take us several days to eat.  It worked really well!






















Coconut Cream Pie

For the crust

1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp palm shortening
2 to 3 Tbsps cold water

In a food processor (or by hand), mix dry ingredients together.  Add in shortening and pulse to combine (cut shortening into flour using two knives or a pastry cutter if doing so by hand) until the mixture is a little chunkier than canned Parmesan cheese (I think that's a great reference point, don't you?).  Add in water one tablespoon at a time, until dough just holds together.  Shape dough into a ball and flatten to a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate about 20 minutes. 

On a well floured surface (I love using my Silpat for this), roll out dough evenly into a circle, large enough  for a 9 inch pie plate.  I roll the dough out and hold the pie plate over it to make sure it will cover the bottom and the sides.  You could use a pastry mat too, but this works for me.  :)

Fold dough into quarters and transfer to pie plate.  Press into dish, fluting edges or trimming even with the pie plate.  You can tell what I did--someone got lazy.  Pierce the dough evenly with the tines of a fork and bake at 475 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  (This is called blind baking--where the crust is baked prior to filling the pie.)  Allow crust to cool prior to filling.

Coconut Cream Filling

4 large egg yolks
2/3 cup of sugar (I used good ol' sugar--somethings you just can't mess with)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp butter
2 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup unsweetened, flaked coconut divided in 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup

Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl for about a minute and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Stir in milk gradually, whisking to combine.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and starts to boil.  Boil for one minute, continuing to stir.  Remove from heat temporarily and ladle about a half a cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, stirring the yolks constantly.  Once combined, return the egg mixture back to the mixture in the saucepan, stirring to incorporate. (This process is called tempering.)  Place saucepan back on burner and bring to a boil once again.  Boil for one minute and remove from heat.  Stir in butter, vanilla, and 3/4 cup of coconut and fold to combine.  Pour into cooled pie crust and place plastic wrap directly on filling to prevent a hardened pudding crust from forming.  Allow to cool completely before topping with cream.

Stabilized Whipped Cream (aka homemade Cool Whip)

1 Tbsp cold water
1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, mix together water and gelatin.  Set aside.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip cream on medium high speed until cream starts to thicken (about 3-5 minutes).  The gelatin mixture should have thickened completely.  Using a spatula, break up the gelatin mixture and add to the cream, along with maple syrup and vanilla.  Mix again on medium high speed until whip cream reaches desired thickness--I let mine get fairly thick as I wanted it to hold up in the fridge for several days.  Remove plastic wrap from cooled pie and spread whipped cream evenly over top.  Top with toasted coconut if desired.

Toasted Coconut

Place a large saute pan on burner over medium high heat.  Allow pan to get hot enough to let a drop of water dance all over the pan. (That way you know it's good and hot!)  Using remaining 1/4 cup of coconut, pour into pan, stirring constantly.  Coconut will start to toast immediately, so make sure to keep stirring to allow all the coconut to toast (this shouldn't take more than 30 seconds).  Remove from heat and pour onto plate and allow to cool before topping on pie. 

 

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
 
I am linking this recipe up to Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to 2012: Best Crock Pot Recipe.  I have to confess, as this was actually originally posted as part of my Tried It & Loved It series.  But this one is just too good to not share again--as it makes using whole chickens VERY easy.   

In trying to incorporate more whole foods in our meals, I have also been jumping into the world of organic meat.  But it is expensive!  That is why we bought a quarter of a beef--it's grass finished and way less expensive than buying it from the local grocery store.  Pastured chickens are best (and the most expensive), but organic chickens are still better than your standard commercially raised.  Just watch Food Inc. if you don't believe me.  Like commercially raised chicken, organic is more expensive if you are buying the bird already cut up, so I opt for whole chickens to save money.  But because I am not ready to hack into a raw chicken just yet (although I hear it's easy), I buy whole organic chickens whenever I can find them on sale.  It's like getting a rotisserie chicken for less--of course if you are buying organic, that just blows that theory out of the water.

We usually eat some of the chicken for the main portion of the meal for the first night and then use the leftovers for things like White Enchiladas, Blanco Chili, or Chicken Pad Thai,  See the recipes link at the top for other recipes using cooked chicken.  

The easiest way I have found to cook a whole chicken is using the slow cooker.  Simply season it up, place it in the slow cooker for 8 to 10 hours and it's done.  

And if you have a really sweet husband, he will de-bone all the meat for you.
   
Spoiled, aren't I? 























Roasted Sticky Chicken ~ adapted from Kelly at Faithful Provisions

4 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne (red) pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 large roasting chicken, as big as you can find
1 cup onion, chopped

Rinse chicken, pull out any extra special lovelies left in the cavity and pat dry.  Mix together all the spices and rub over the entire chicken.  Put chopped onion inside chicken cavity and place chicken in slow cooker on low (8~10 hours) and cook until juices run clear. 

I am linking this recipe up to Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to 2012: Best Main Dish Recipes.  This is BY FAR our new favorite pizza.....just try it, will you?  We LOVE it! 

If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you may already know that I always make our pizza at home.  From scratch--for the most part.  I don't cure my own pepperoni nor do I slaughter a hog out back for the Canadian Bacon, BUT I do make the crust and sauce from scratch.  No Boboli or jarred pizza sauce for us!  This merely started as a financial need, but now that I am more food conscious, it helps in that department as well.

While I try to avoid processed foods, pizza night always got the best of me.  It's pretty hard to find meat toppings for pizza (pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, sausage, etc.) that don't have a bunch of additives or chemicals in them, not to mention finding ones that fit our budget.  And while knowing how the animal was raised is very important, my main concern (at this stage) was finding toppings that don't have HFCS or nitrates/nitrites.  I am all about organic and minimally processed, but it also has to be within reason--we don't have a limitless budget!  Can I hear an amen? 

In addition, I've looked for organic meat toppings and come up empty handed each time.  I can't find any here to even try to price compare.  But then I had an epiphany one day.  Jackie, think outside the prepared meats section at the grocery store. 

What about sausages from the meat department?  More and more sausage manufacturers are no longer using nitrates/nitrites in making their sausages.  I have found several that make a good Italian style sausage that list only recognizable ingredients.  No HFCS.  No MSG.  No nitrates/nitrites.  For us, those are all definitely steps in the right direction.

And Hubs?  Well, he has found his new favorite pizza!  He's quite smitten with big ol' sausage hunks on his pizza.  And so is the Peanut.  She rolls her eyes, smiles and says, "Sausage.....mmmmmmmm!"

My thoughts exactly.



























Italian Sausage Pizza

Pizza crust
Pizza sauce (this makes enough for more than one pizza--I just freeze the leftovers for next time)

1 pound Italian sausages (casings removed and sliced into bite sized chunks)
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Olives, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Green peppers, diced
Green onions, diced
Additional toppings, if desired

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown sausage pieces then turn heat down to medium low to allow the pieces to cook through without burning.  This will take 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of sausage pieces.

While sausage is cooking, press pizza dough onto a pizza pan or stone.  Spread sauce on evenly and cover with cheeses.  Layer additional toppings as desired and top with cooked sausage and final dusting of cheese.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until pizza is cooked in middle.

 ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
 
I am linking this recipe up to Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to 2012: Best Soup & Stew Recipe.  This is another yummy one to make and a great way to use up leftover ham bones.  And it is oh SO good on a chilly winter day!



This is an easy and inexpensive dish to make.  Plus if you have a really nice mom who sends you home with a big chunk of ham and a ham bone, well then, it's even less expensive to make.  ;)  That said, I had a ham bone and some ham in my freezer that needed to be used and with Easter coming up, I wanted to make sure to get use up all our ham so I can justify snagging some on sale this week or next.






















This soup is so yummy and is definitely one of my comfort foods.  It also reminds me of when I first started staying at home with the Peanut and I thought that the only thing we were going to be able to afford to eat was things like beans and rice.  Although we don't have an unlimited grocery budget, I have been able to make a variety of dishes and still stay within budget.  However, some things are just so good you just keep coming back to them.






















Lentil Soup with Ham

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onion
3/4 cup sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced celery
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
Pepper, to taste
1 ham bone
1 cup cooked, diced ham

In a dutch oven over medium heat, saute onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil.  Cook until softened, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add in salt, lentils, diced tomatoes, chicken stock, coriander, and cumin.  Stir to combine and add in ham bone. Bring just to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer until beans are cooked through, about one hour.  Ladle out about 5 cups of soup in a separate bowl and puree with a stick blender or use a standard blender or food processor and blend until completely pureed.  Remove ham bone from dutch oven and pour pureed soup back in.  Stir to combine.  Cut off any meat left on ham bone and add in additional cooked ham.  Once heated through, season with pepper (and additional salt if needed) to taste.

I am linking this recipe up to Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to 2012: Best Bread Recipes.  Although, I know this isn't a "bread" recipe, it is what is referred to as a "quick bread," meaning yeast is not used for leavening.  Instead, a quick leavening agent such as baking soda or baking powder is used.  Thus, making it quick as compared to yeast breads which can often take several hours.  Unfortunately, in all the recipes I posted this year, I didn't do one single bread, so I thought this was just as well!  I did make these as muffins originally, but as with most muffin recipes, it could also be easily baked in a loaf form as well.  Simply lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  



As I have mentioned *a time or two* here before, I am using more whole grains (really whole foods in general) in the kitchen. Some areas are better than others. Such as rice--we use brown rice exclusively around here now.  And let me be upfront--I don't love brown rice.  Not by any stretch.  I prefer white rice, but I know the brown is better for you, so we do that instead.  But get this--a friend of mine told me that using something a little "higher end" really helps in the way of enjoying brown rice.  Let me explain--I am a "bulk foods girl" (almost always).  And I am frugal.  Whatever brown rice was the cheapest, I was buying.  However, my friend told me, get the basmati brown rice instead of the standard long/short grain.  I was skeptical to say the least, but I thought, okay I'll try it this once.  And it really does make a difference.  Pair the "better" rice and using chicken stock instead of water to cook it--um, yes, thank you, I'll have seconds.  For reals, try it--let me know what you think.  I think it's nearly as good as white rice.  

Anyhow, this post wasn't supposed to be about rice.  For flour, I try to do whole wheat as much as possible as well.  We do whole wheat for sandwich bread, whole wheat pancakes and waffles, whole wheat banana bread and most of our muffins are whole wheat as well--I have switched to exclusive whole wheat in the Best Ever Muffins and Morning Glory Muffins as well as many others.  That said, there is something about fruit and whole wheat that doesn't sit as well with me.  Like the scones, when it comes to things like blueberry muffins or in this case, cranberry orange muffins, I just couldn't go all the way.  I did compromise though and did half and half (nearly).  And you know what?  They were good!  The all whole wheat may not be half bad either--slathered in butter of course.























Cranberry Orange Muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease bottoms of a muffin pan or line with paper liners and set aside.

1 cup frozen cranberries (don't thaw)
1 1/2 tsp orange zest
3/4 cup milk (I used whole, but I am sure most milk would work just fine)
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (vegetable oil would work too)
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar + 1 additional tablespoon (mine was rapadura)
1 1/4 cups white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder (since switching to aluminum free, I have found it to more reactive than regular baking powder--if using regular baking powder use 2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp salt

In a small bowl, toss frozen cranberries, 1 tablespoon of sugar and orange zest.  Set aside. 

In a large bowl, mix melted coconut oil and milk.  Whisk in egg and and remaining sugar.  Add in flours, baking powder, and salt and start folding wet and dry ingredients together.  When about half way incorporated, add in cranberry mixture and fold together until dry ingredients are just moistened. 

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

I am linking this recipe up to Finding Joy in My Kitchen's Countdown to 2012: Best Breakfast Recipes.  This is by far my favorite breakfast creation I came up with this year!  Too bad we already ate all the cherries in our freezer.  Otherwise, I would be making them again right now!  


It had been no more than a week after we finished up the cherries that we Hubs picked 4th of July weekend, that our sweet landlord called and asked if we wanted some cherries from her brother's orchard.  Of course I would never turn down fresh picked cherries, so I jumped at the offer.  But then as I was filling up a big bowl of cherries to take, I remembered that we are going out of town, so I better cool it with taking so many because there is no way we are going to finish them up before we leave.



























Enter getting creative with meals to eat some more cherries.  After Hubs ate his first scone, he asked if he could have another one.  I said of course, and as he was walking away, he says something about selling these.  What a nice Hubs, huh?  Oh and for the record, no, he doesn't normally ask permission for seconds, but he knew I hadn't taken pictures yet for the blog, so he wasn't sure what was "allowed."  Isn't he a good blogger husband? 



























Fresh Cherry Scones

2 cups flour (I used fresh ground soft white wheat, but all purpose would work fine too)
3 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cup fresh cherries; stemmed, pitted, chopped (should be 1 1/4 cups after stemming, pitting, and chopping)
4 to 6 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients and cut butter into dry mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives.  Mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.  Add in egg, fresh cherries, and about 3 tablespoons of milk (to start) and fold together.  Fold until just moistened, adding more milk if necessary.

On a lightly floured surface, pat dough into a disk, about 1 inch thick.  You will want to flour the top of the dough as well, as it will be sticky.  Cut the disk like a pie into even sized scones.  I was able to get six generous sized scones.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Let cool completely prior to glazing.

Sweet Almond Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix together ingredients until smooth.  If consistency is too thick, add a shade more milk.  If consistency is too thin, add a dash more powdered sugar.  Wing it like I do! ;)  Drizzle over cooled scones. 

Merry Christmas