Recipe for Baked Oatmeal

I am a cereal girl. I never get sick of it. I could eat it for every meal if I didn't love my vegetables so much:) Cold cereal is good, we always stock up when there is a sale, but I really enjoy my hot oatmeal. It is so comforting! I like it cooked on the stove top or in the microwave, but if I want a special treat, I bake it.

There is something about baked oatmeal that just hits the spot. I use applesauce to replace most of the butter and use less brown sugar than most recipes. It's breakfast so I want it to be somewhat healthy:) I also add in cinnamon, vanilla, raisins, and dried cranberries.

I still don't have my passion for food back yet, but I made oatmeal the other day and my tummy was very happy! Baked oatmeal, I love you!

You can double this recipe if you want to make a big batch, in a 9x13 pan. The 8x8 is plenty for us. Don't forget to play around too, there are lots of fun add ins for oatmeal. Try other dried fruits, berries, apples, nuts, coconut, nut butters, etc. Have fun and enjoy!

Baked Oatmeal

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups uncooked old fashioned oats
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon (I like a lot)

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins

Handful of dried cranberries
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk (I use skim)
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, egg, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve warm. I always add a dash of cinnamon to my bowl!

Recipe for Toffee Chocolate Brownies

Two of my favorite treats are toffee and brownies, so why not combine them? I needed to make a treat for some friends, so I decided to give toffee brownies a try.

I am fudgy brownie girl all the way! The cake brownies just don't do it for me:) I used my favorite fudgy recipe and added in Heath toffee bits. Simple, huh?

The results were terrific too. Our friends loved them and gobbled them right up! I will have to make these again when I am feeling better so I can taste and enjoy them. I am glad our friends appreciated them, they were happy to be the brownie samplers.

Toffee Chocolate Brownies
Adapted from Dessert First

(Printable Recipe)

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/3 cup flour

Heath toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 8 inch square baking pan with foil and grease well with butter.

Combine chocolates and butter in a metal and place over a bain-marie (pot of simmering water) on medium heat. Heat until chocolates and butter are melted and combined - be sure to stir occasionally to combine and to make sure the chocolate doesn't burn.

Remove from heat and let cool while you make the rest of the batter.

Whisk eggs and sugar together in a large bowl until thick and light-colored, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in the salt, vanilla, and cocoa powder and whisk to combine.

Add in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk to combine thoroughly.

Sift the flour over the mixture and whisk to combine. Add in toffee bits. I used about ¾ cup.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, making sure to spread it evenly into the corners. Smooth the top out with a spatula. Sprinkle more toffee bits on the top.

Bake in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway. Brownies are done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Do not overbake!

Let cool on wire rack before cutting into pieces.

Artisan Bread in Five Pizza Party!

Thanks everyone for your well wishes. I do appreciate all of your kindness and support. I am feeling a little better, still not back to my "normal" self yet. I have lost my love for cooking, baking, and eating. So sad!! I might need Josh to take over for awhile if this week doesn't get better. 

But today is all about partying with pizza! We recently invited some friends over for an Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day pizza party. Josh made the master recipe a couple days prior to the party. This made hosting so much easier. The day of the party we made a homemade sauce, collected a bunch of toppings, and pulled out the dough from the refrigerator. Talk about simple!

When the guests arrived Josh rolled out the dough for everyone. We let our friends create their own pizzas. We had a bunch of toppings to choose from: peppers, olives, tomatoes, onions, pepperoni, canadian bacon, fresh basil, and of course mozzarella cheese. It was a ton of fun! 

Our friends were amazed at the ABin5 crust. It really is SO easy and SO delicious! Next time you are in the mood for pizza, give it a try. And if you are looking for a fun dinner party idea, try an ABin5 pizza party. It was loads of fun! My pizza sauce recipe is below and if you want the dough recipe buy the book: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day.

Pizza Sauce Recipe

Olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Fennel seeds, a dash

Crushed red pepper, a dash

2 cans of petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 can of tomato sauce

Salt/pepper, to taste

Fresh basil, a small handful, chopped

Italian seasoning (I use a blend by Emeril)

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large sauce pan. Saute onion until tender. 

2. Add in garlic, fennel seeds, and crushed red pepper. Saute for a minute or two. 

3. Add in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. 

4. Season with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and Italian seasoning. 

5. With an immersion blender, puree the sauce until you get the consistency you are looking for. I do this to make it more of a "sauce." If you don't mind the tomato chunks, you can skip the blending part. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can transfer the sauce to a regular blender and puree. 

6. I let my sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes to bring out the flavor. 

7. Spread on pizza dough when ready. You can freeze leftover sauce! 

Cupcakes from Cupcake Chic

Happy Friday everyone! I have been having some health issues and haven't been in the mood to cook, bake, or eat much. So today I am going to spotlight one of my new favorite bakeries in Utah, Cupcake Chic. 

Cupcake Chic is an all cupcake bakery specializing in made to order miniature cupcakes. Each gourmet cupcake is handcrafted and made with only the finest ingredients. The flavor list is endless at Cupcake Chic. Sure, they sell the classics, chocolate, vanilla, etc. but they don't stop there. They offer fun flavors beyond your wildest imagination! 

Trista, the genius behind Cupcake Chic, recently shared a cupcake sampler platter with us. The cupcakes were super cute! I didn't want to disturb the adorable cuppy cakes, but of course we had to sample:)

First up, the Red Velvet, a Southern classic that has become popular pretty much everywhere. I loved the deep red cake color. It was very moist and chocolaty. The vanilla bean cream cheese frosting topped it off nicely. 

Second on the tasting list was the Key Lime Cupcake: a graham cracker crust topped with lime cake and lime cream cheese frosting. This was Josh's favorite! The lime was very tart and very tasty! 

Next, was the Neapolitan: a layer of both milk chocolate and vanilla cake with a swirl of fresh strawberry butter cream frosting. This was by far the cutest! I love the mix of chocolate and vanilla, topped with strawberry and the cute little sprinkles! This one has something for everyone! 

The Chocolate Coconut cupcake was next. This one was really calling my name. I love chocolate and coconut together. The base was dark chocolate cake with coconut cream cheese frosting dipped in coconut. The frosting wasn't too sweet, which I loved. The coconut was nice and powerful too. Pure bliss!

Josh couldn't taste the next one, a Peanut Butter cupcake studded with chocolate chips and topped with a swirl of chocolate cream cheese frosting. If you are a peanut butter lover, this is the one for you! And of course the chocolate makes it even better:) I loved the chocolate chips in the cupcake, very nice touch! 

The final cupcake we tried was the Raspberry Vanilla: a moist vanilla bean cupcake with fresh raspberry butter cream frosting. I am usually a chocolate gal, but I really loved this one. A perfect treat for Spring and of course the pink frosting sold me too:)

You are probably wondering how we ate all of those cupcakes, but don't worry, I promise we only had a small bite of each. So what was my favorite? That is such a hard question. Josh for sure loved the Key Lime cupcake! I really liked the Chocolate Coconut cupcake and the Raspberry Vanilla, but they are all heavenly. I was impressed with each and every one! 

Thanks Trista for a fun sampling night. We are in love with all of your cupcakes! For more information please visit Cupcake Chic's website or blog. 

If you don't live in Utah, don't worry. Cupcake Chic does ship cupcakes-boxes of 4 for $25, shipping included! And if you need an event catered, why not treat everyone to cupcakes? The perfect sweet for anyone and everyone! 

Berry Trifle with Lemon Mousse

I am loving Spring. It is finally here and I can't get enough of it! Yesterday I went on a long run and it was actually HOT! It felt really good though, I just have to remember my sunscreen next time:) Oh, and Happy Earth Day! Do something extra special to save the environment today!

I have been finding some great sales on berries, too good to pass up. I love eating them on my cereal or just plain for a healthy snack. I bought way too many so I decided to celebrate Spring with a Berry Trifle.

I love trifles, they are easy, pretty, and the variations are endless. This time I went with strawberries, blackberries, and I made a lemon mousse. I also added in a few pieces of my lemon angel food cupcakes. I just tore them into chunks and placed them in between the berries and mousse.

It was really hard to eat this trifle, not because it didn't look good, but because it looked TOO good. I didn't want to mess it up, but eventually I gave in and I am glad I did. The trifle was delightful. The lemon mousse is very light and refreshing. You really don't need the angel food cake, but why not? It made the trifle extra special. If you have an abundance of berries, try a berry trifle. Trust me, it will make your day!

Berry Trifle with Lemon Mousse

• (Printable Recipe)

• 
  

• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix (I used sugar free)

  2 cups milk (I used skim)

  1 half-pint container heavy whipping cream

  1 tablespoon granulated sugar

  Strawberries

  Blackberries

  Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes (you can leave them out or substitute any angel food cake)

  
  

  In a medium to large bowl, mix instant pudding mix and milk; stir thoroughly and set aside. In another medium-sized bowl, beat heavy whipping cream and sugar on medium to high speed (with an electric mixer) until stiff peaks form. Working in thirds, gently fold whipped cream into pudding mixture until thoroughly combined. If necessary, whip combined mixture again until thickened.

  
  

  To assemble the trifle, layer the mousse, berries, and cake. Get creative and make it pretty. We used mini trifle dishes, you can make one big one if you wish.

  
  

  Mousse recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Recipe for Nutella Brownies

There is something about a rich, dark, chocolaty, fudgy, brownie that makes me melt. I just love them. I love a plain old brownie, but sometimes it is fun to play around with recipes and add ins. This time I went with Nutella.

I adore Nutella. It just make the world a better place. I'm pretty sure it is good on anything, but in an already heavenly chocolate brownie, AMAZING!

To be honest, I really wasn't sure what I was doing when I started this recipe. I was just playing around and hoping for a good outcome. I added in hazelnut extract and Nutella to a pretty basic recipe. I also baked them in a round 9 inch cake pan. I was going for brownie wedges, but after tasting them I decided brownie mini squares would be more appropriate. They are REALLY rich, in a good way of course!

Our friends came over and devoured the brownies. They were gone in seconds. I guess the little squares kept people coming back for more. So cut them however you wish, either way these brownies are out of this world!

Nutella Brownies

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate, (2 ounces) coarsely chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp table salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp hazelnut extract
1/4-1/3 cup of Nutella

Directions:
Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake or pie pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add in the chocolate chunks. Whisk until blended.
In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, eggs, and extract with a fork until just blended.
Pour the liquid over the flour mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until just blended. The batter will be kind of dry, don’t worry. Add in the nutella and stir until combined.
Scrape the mixture in to the pan and spread evenly. You might have to press the mixture in to the sides if you are having trouble spreading with a spatula.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in to the center comes out with only a few gooey pieces clinging to it. Transfer the baking dish to a cooling rack and let cool. Cut into wedges, squares, or just eat from the pan:)

Recipe for Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes

The weather has been so nice this weekend. It is finally starting to feel like Spring. Yesterday I went for a nice run outside and Josh worked on our yard the entire day. He is prepping our backyard for a big garden. I can't wait to grow our own vegetables and herbs. This is our first Spring as home owners. We really don't know what we are doing when it comes to gardening, but we are hoping to acquire at least one green thumb:)

I have always enjoyed angel food cake. It is light, fluffy, and goes so well with fruit. I think it is the perfect dessert for Spring. I recently made angel food cupcakes and they were amazing!

They may look plain and not very decadent for a dessert, but sometimes it is nice to have a light treat. I loved the lemon zest in these cupcakes. I was going to make a frosting or glaze, but I think they were perfect by themselves. I served them with a blackberry on top to add to the already adorable cupcakes!

If you are looking for a Spring dessert, look no further. These cupcakes are perfect! Happy Spring everyone!

Oh, and a quick congrats to my brother and sister in law! They had their baby yesterday! Little Ramona is so adorable. Unfortunately, they are many miles away so we have only seen pictures, but don't worry I will still be the favorite auntie from afar:)

Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes

Seen on Culinary Adventures of a New Wife, originally on Baking Bites

(Printable Recipe)

3/4 cup superfine sugar, divided
1/2 cup sifted cake flour
5 large egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of one lemon

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, sift together cake flour and 1/4 cup superfine sugar.
3. In a large bowl, beat room-temperature egg whites until foamy, then add in cream of tartar and salt. Gradually add in the remaining 1/2 cup of superfine sugar while the mixer is on high speed, beating the egg whites to soft peaks.With a rubber spatula add in the vanilla and lemon zest, do this very gently!
4. Fold in flour mixture, adding it in two or three additions.
5. Divide evenly into prepared muffin tins. Fill them pretty full.
6. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until golden brown. The tops will spring back when lightly touched.
7. Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Icing Drizzle

I didn't do the lemon drizzle because I liked the cupcakes plain, but I know the drizzle would be fabulous. I will try it next time!

Confectioner's Sugar
Fresh lemon juice

Combine confectioners sugar with lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle on top of cooled cupcakes.
Makes 12 cupcakes.

Recipe for Black Bean Salsa

Happy Friday! Any fun weekend plans? I am determined to feel better today. I still haven't eaten all week, well dry toast, cereal, a little soup, but I want real food today! I miss my kitchen. I really hope I can cook, bake, and workout this weekend. Thanks again for caring about little ol' me!

I am a sweets gal all the way, I usually don't crave salty foods. I do have a little crush on chips and salsa though. Of course it has to be the good stuff. I love fresh salsa with salty chips. Josh makes a killer mango salsa that I love and fresh pico is always good, but this time I made a black bean salsa.

I love black beans, since I don't eat meat they are one of my main sources of protein, so why not add them into my salsa? I love the heartiness it added. I also threw in red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, lime, garlic, onion, and jalapeno. The salsa was very colorful and very tasty! This is a great appetizer for Spring/Summer parties or a healthy snack to munch on. I also enjoyed the salsa on a salad. It is good in so many ways! Enjoy!

**I recently did a photo shoot with Quinn Curtis, from Limelight Food Photography. She is a fabulous food photographer here in Utah. She was in the mood to take pictures and I was in the mood to cook/bake, so we teamed up for a fun photo shoot. It was loads of fun. I will be sharing some of her photos on our blog. She is darling! Check out her site here! Thanks Quinn!**

Black Bean Salsa

(Printable Recipe)

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 yellow pepper, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, minced

Fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium bowl mix the black beans, peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper. Taste. Adjust flavors if necessary.

2. Let chill so flavors can "come out."

3. Eat it up!

Recipe for Orange Rolls

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. My boss let me leave my work trip because I was so sick, Josh came to my rescue. I am feeling better, not great, but better. Thanks again for all of your well wishes.

We enjoyed Easter dinner at the Dewey's this year. They are not technically family, but close enough:) They always include us in their family events, they are too good to us! We had a huge feast on Easter: Honey Baked ham, roasted asparagus, fresh green beans, salad, fresh fruit, sweet potatoes, and orange rolls. Everything was super tasty.

Today I am sharing the orange roll recipe. We kind of cheated though, we used Rhodes rolls since we were short on time. We usually make homemade rolls, but we thought we would give these a try.

We let the dough thaw out on the counter and twisted them into knots. We then dipped them in butter and a mix of orange zest and sugar. We let them rise for about 40 minutes and baked them up. We let them cool for a bit and then smothered them in an orange glaze.

I usually turn my nose up to store bought baked goods and mixes, but these orange rolls were OH SO GOOD! I loved them! The rolls were light and fluffy and the orange sugar and glaze really made them special. Everyone devoured them. There were no leftovers and we made a ton! I think we will have to make these every Easter! A new tradition!

Rhodes Orange Rolls

(Printable Recipe)

1 package of Rhodes frozen roll dough

Butter, softened

Sugar

Orange zest

Powdered sugar

Fresh orange juice

1. Let the frozen dough thaw out on the counter for about two hours.

2. Once the dough is workable, but still cool, roll the dough balls into ropes and then tie a knot.

3. Dip the knots in softened butter.

4. Combine the sugar and orange zest with your fingers. Dip the buttered knots into the orange/sugar mixture.

5. Place rolls in a greased pan and let rise for at least 40 minutes or until doubled in size.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until they are golden.

7. Let the rolls cool. Make a glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange zest, and fresh orange juice. Whisk until smooth. I didn't measure but you want the consistency to be a glaze.

8. With a spoon ice the rolls with the orange glaze.

9. Eat up!

Mexican Tofu Scramble

I hate being sick. It is not fun, but I REALLY hate being sick when I am traveling. I am on a work trip and woke up with the flu this morning. The hotel staff bought me some medicine, I am extremely grateful for their help, but I really just want to go home. I need my own bed and my hubs. I have been trying to rest, but I am still not feeling better. I hope I can survive the rest of the week. Luckily, my co-workers stepped it up today and covered my duties. They are the best. I owe them big time.

I don't feel like food today, but hopefully you will enjoy this post:) Last week we made a Mexican Tofu Scramble and it was sooooo good! I like tofu, but have never tried to scramble it. I wasn't sure if I would like it and I was really worried if Joshua would like it. Well, it was a huge success! Two thumbs up all around the table:)

Tofu really takes on any flavor you want it to, so we went with Mexican. We sauteed onion, garlic, and red peppers and added in the crumbled tofu and diced green chiles. We seasoned everything with chili powder, cumin, and cilantro for an added kick.

We served up our scramble in a whole wheat tortilla with the works: diced tomatoes, avocado, fresh salsa, and cheese for Josh. I loved this meal! It was delicious and nutritious! Try scrambling tofu instead of eggs! I know we will be making this one again.





Mexican Tofu Scramble

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
Extra firm tofu (we used 1/2 package)
Diced green chiles
Chili powder
Cumin
Cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
Whole wheat tortillas
Diced tomatoes
Diced avocado
Fresh salsa
Shredded cheese

1. Take the tofu and press it between two plates to drain out the liquid. Let it sit for about 15 minutes.
2. Saute the onion, garlic, and red pepper in a little olive oil, in a large skillet until tender.
3. Crumble the tofu into the large skillet and add the green chiles.
4. Add the chili powder, cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Add a little and taste. If you want more flavor, add in more seasonings. We didn't measure, sorry!
5. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
6. Serve scramble in a whole wheat tortilla.
7. Add tomatoes, avocado, salsa, and cheese.

Black Bottom Coconut Bars

I hope everyone is enjoying their Easter Sunday! We are celebrating with the Dewey family today. We will do an egg hunt with the kids and enjoy a tasty dinner later on.

So Wicked was AWESOME yesterday. LOVED IT! We sat in the third row, ten feet from the stage. It was perfect. I loved it from start to finish. It was a very fun day! My hubs is the best!

I am sure you all have your Easter dessert menu taken care of, but if you are looking for a last minute treat, I have a good one for you, Black Bottom Coconut Bars. The bottom layer tastes like a brownie, that alone makes this treat divine, but the goodness doesn't stop there, it only gets better. The top is sugary coconut heaven! There is a nice thick layer of coconut, and the top gets toasted in the oven. I love toasted coconut. This bar has it all!

I am going out of town tomorrow for work. I will be in Vernal, Utah all week. I am NOT excited. Vernal is a very small place so I don't know if I will have internet access much. So if I am not around, you know why! I will try to be in touch when I can! Have a very Happy Easter!

Black Bottom Coconut Bars

Adapted from Everyday Food

(Printable Recipe)

FOR CHOCOLATE BASE

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

FOR COCONUT TOPPING

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 package sweetened shredded coconut (7 ounces), 1/2 cup reserved for sprinkling

1. For chocolate base: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a slight overhang; butter bottom and sides of foil (not overhang).
2. Place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl; melt in microwave. Add sugar and salt; whisk to combine. Whisk in egg, then cocoa and flour until smooth. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Bake just until sides begin to pull away from edges of pan, 10 to 15 minutes (do not overbake). Let cool slightly while preparing coconut topping. Keep oven on for topping.
4. For coconut topping: In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla. Gently mix in flour and coconut (except 1/2 cup reserved for sprinkling).
5. Drop mounds of mixture over chocolate base; spread and pat in gently and evenly with moistened fingers. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup coconut.
6. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Lift cake from pan, peel off foil, and cut into 24 bars. Store in an airtight container 3 to 4 days.

Recipe for Berry Scones

Is everyone ready for Easter? Any fun plans? We are going to see Wicked tomorrow! Yahoo! It FINALLY came to Salt Lake City! Josh bought the tickets almost a year ago, he is the best! I have never seen it so I am super excited. For Easter, we are going to the Dewey's to celebrate. Should be a fun filled weekend.

I always eat breakfast, it is my favorite meal of the day. I usually eat a Fiber One or another healthy cereal at my desk. Not the ideal situation, but it works:) On weekends I try to be a little more creative with my choices. I recently made these berry scones and they were a nice treat.

I love scones, I usually make Dorie's Cream Scones, but this time I tried a recipe from King Arthur Flour. I was intrigued by the yogurt in the recipe. I usually use cream or buttermilk, not yogurt.

The dough was a little different, not the typical scone dough. It was really dry. I tried not to mix it too much because you don't want to overmix when making scones. The dough wouldn't come together though, so I added a little more yogurt. That helped, but my dough was really colorful! I probably over mixed it. Oops! I liked how easy these were, I used an ice cream scoop to drop the dough onto my baking sheet. PLOP and you are done!

The scones baked up nicely. I loved the almond extract, lemon, and berry flavor combo. They were nice and blue too:) They didn't have the traditional scone feel though, they were more moist. I liked them, but not what I was expecting. I think they were a mix of muffins, scones, and biscuits? Is that possible?

If you are having company this weekend for breakfast or brunch, give these a try!

Berry Scones
Adapted from King Arthur

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
1 cup frozen mixed berries
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt (I added about 2 more Tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons coarse sugar, for sprinkling on top

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment.

Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the butter and work it into the dry ingredients till the mixture is unevenly crumbly; use your fingers, a pastry blender, or an electric mixer. Gently mix the blueberries with the dry ingredients.

Stir together the eggs, yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon zest or oil, and almond extract. Add to the dry ingredients and stir very gently, just until combined. The dough will be quite moist, like cookie dough.

Use a muffin scoop, jumbo cookie scoop, or 1/4-cup measure to scoop the dough onto the prepared sheet in scant 1/4-cupfuls, leaving about 2" between each. Brush each ball of dough with a bit of milk or cream, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake the scones for 20 to 24 minutes, or until lightly browned and a cake tester inserted into a scone comes out dry. Remove from the oven, and serve warm. To reheat, wrap loosely in aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Yield: 12 scones