Maple Pecan Scones

Oh my! I don't know when I have been as excited about a change in season! I am so happy that Fall has arrived. I'm usually a real lover of Summer and all its fun and glory, but being pregnant through the entire summer - and sick to boot with it and some other issues - I'm so grateful for cooler temperatures on the way. I can't say I'll feel the same way when Winter rolls around, but I plan to try to enjoy the heck out of Fall.

My apologies in the meantime to my TWD friends and especially Jacque who chose the Cottage Cheese Pufflets as this week's recipe pick - after reading everyone's difficulties with the recipe I just never felt like I was going to be able to commit the time and energy right now. Once I get feeling better I can't wait to give them a try since they are so intriguing.

To start that out, I made these Maple Pecan Scones a few days ago and just couldn't wait to share these with you! I started out with a recipe that I'm sure is fantastic as is, from the guys at Baked, but once I started making changes, I just couldn't seem to stop. I replaced the white sugar with dark brown, changed the walnuts out with pecans, traded out the buttermilk for cream and milk with a little lemon juice, and lastly added in some cinnamon chips and butterscotch chips. The original recipe also makes 12 large scones. I couldn't eat that many all at once - so, I cut the recipe in half, but still used one whole egg.

While the scones described in the Baked book were supposed to be substantial, I hoped with my changes that they would come out soft and light - and they did! They were tender and heavenly, with just a light touch of maple flavor to the scone and added in to that flavor was the touch of maple syrup in the glaze that went on top.

These are perfectly wonderful and totally edible - as in I ate three of them right away! If you want a scone that is easy to make and even easier to eat that will really get you in a Fall mood - look no further!

Maple Pecan Scones

Makes 8 large scones

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Whisk together in a large bowl.

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

Cut in the butter or rub in with fingertips to large pea-sized pieces and flakes.

1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure maple extract

Combine and whisk together in a small bowl. Pour over the dry mixture and using a fork, toss to mix and combine to make a soft dough.

1/2 cup toasted pecans
1/4 cup cinnamon or butterscotch chips or a combination

Add in to the dough mixture and mix gently till just combined. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a circle about 1 1/2 inches high and 8 inches across. Cut into 8 triangle pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet a couple of inches apart.

Raw sugar and heavy cream for brushing top and sprinkling

Brush the scones with the cream, then sprinkle generously with raw sugar. Bake scones till golden for approximately 25 minutes.

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons heavy cream

Whisk the glaze ingredients together and use a fork to swirl the glaze over the mostly cooled scones.

1 Bowl 1 Hour Perfect Dinner Rolls

While I posted a link to the original recipe I got from My Kitchen Cafe quite a while ago, I didn't realize until recently when I was looking at the recipe on Melanie's blog again that other than the ingredients list, I really don't make these rolls the same way. I thought, that being the case, and since I have so many friends and family that ask for this recipe so often, that I should share what I'm actually doing.

The original way to make these rolls works just fine, don't get me wrong, but I have added in a few shortcuts that work really well for me - including changing the type of yeast I use - which makes these really pretty quick to make. I can start and finish the recipe and have hot rolls to eat in about 1 hour. It may take some time to get that fast due to shaping all the rolls, but once you get the hang of it, you'll get faster and faster too. Even then, it will probably only take you about an 1 1/2 hours at the very most. This recipe makes perfect, soft, light dinner rolls every time. What I really love about the recipe is that the ingredients list is short and lean, with stellar results.

If you are looking for an easy, fairly quick soft dinner roll recipe that delivers wonderful results - look no further!

Perfect Dinner Rolls

Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon instant yeast
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cup, then leveled off

In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 5 minutes.

To the yeast mixture, add the oil, salt, and 2 cups of the flour - on low speed with the paddle attachment incorporate the flour to create a wet, sticky mixture. Still on low speed, add 1 cup of the remaining flour and incorporate. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining 1 cup flour. On low speed, mix the dough to incorporate the final addition of flour until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the speed to medium and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl - turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 20 -30 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate into a rectangle. Cut it in half vertically, then each half vertically again into thirds so you have 6 equal strips of dough. Cut each strip of dough into fourths by cutting horizontally to make 24 little squares of dough. Take each piece of dough and cup it lightly under the palm of your hand on a clean surface. Press lightly and start rotating and rolling the dough ball quickly so that it forms a nice little ball of dough. Once you get some practice, you can do this with both hands at the same time and really speed up the process.

Place each rolled piece of dough into a lightly greased 9x13 baking pan in rows of 4 about 1/2-inch apart. Cover the rolls in the pan with a lightly greased piece of plastic wrap and let rise to double while your oven is preheating to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) - about 20 minutes. If you want an even more golden color to the rolls, brush them with a little melted butter before baking. Bake for 13-15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!

TWD: Flaky Apple Turnovers

Dare I hope that since I am again participating this week instead of missing, and on time even, that this is an upward trend in my blogging? Well, since things here haven't stopped being wild and crazy, let's just say I hope they are on an upward swing. I actually have quite a few things backed up that I want to post, but haven't yet. I hope you will all continue to bear with me!

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe for the Flaky Apple Turnovers was chosen by Julie of Someone's in the Kitchen. The turnovers themselves consisted of what I thought was a very interesting dough, that took some extra effort, but had delicious results, and a simple filling of some diced and spiced apples. Though the recipe suggested Gala or Granny Smith apples, I had some just plain old Golden Delicious on hand and used those with wonderful results, so I can only imagine that a more tart and firm apple would have had wonderful results as well. Aside from making just a half recipe of the dough, the only change I made was to add a little dash of freshly ground nutmeg to the apple filling, pretty much just because I really like nutmeg.

Though I'm really not a big fan of baked apples, I was really pleasantly surprised by how much I really liked these little turnovers - due in no small part to the pastry. The dough was interesting to me because of the ingredients as well as the process. I'm pretty sure I've never made a dough quite like it before, but I know I'll make it again. The ingredients were nothing weird or scary - just different. Sour Cream, mixed with sugar. Added to flour and salt, rubbed with butter and mixed much like a biscuit dough. I think I was a bit heavy handed with the flour and had to add a bit of extra sour cream to get the dough to come together, and then it was even a little overworked I think. So, if I can mess up the dough a bit and still get such great results, that is awesome in my book. The amount of extra time and effort was a bit off putting - with all the hours of chilling and rolling and folding and rolling, etc. but not overwhelmingly so.

My half batch yielded 7 turnovers and I sprinkled some pearl sugar on a few of them, just for fun, before baking. When the time came to bake the turnovers, it was also time to pick Aidan up from school. I decided to live a little dangerously and put the turnovers in the oven to bake unsupervised while I went the two blocks to get Aidan. As my safety net for not wasting all the ingredients and effort I adjusted the temperature to 350 degrees F instead of 375. Since my turnovers ended up getting about an extra 10 minutes in the oven I'm really glad I did. I pulled them out as soon as I got home and they were golden and delicious.

Check the TWD Blogroll for everyone's results here!

So, I figured I would try to fit in a little update on things here for those that are still checking in on me. I am so grateful that you are. It really means the world to me. I have such a backlog of visits that I want to make and see what you have all been up to and say hello, but it seems that since I am almost always either sick or only have my phone (which is ridiculously difficult to comment on blogs from via text!) that it will take me a while to do so. Please know that each and every one of your comments are like little presents to me and that they really help pull me through the days.

I've been feeling sick all the time still, but have been trying really hard to pay attention to what helps and keeping ahead of it. It works part of the time, and then part of the time nothing works and I'm just bound to be sick. I'm 16 weeks along now and into the second trimester far enough to know that no miracle has happened where I am going to get to escape being sick the entire pregnancy again - it is what it is I guess. I am just grateful to be able to say that, hey, silver lining, as long as I'm feeling sick and miserable, things are progressing normally for me!

On the craziness with the job front, I've found a new job, still working from home, thanks to some wonderful friends who are giving me the opportunity to work for them. I'm actually really excited about the job because it is something new and different for me and in a field I find interesting. They have a small construction company, that they want to grow - and think I can help get them there - by taking over a lot of the office / bookkeeping / marketing type work. Lucky for me, I really like running an 'office' - even though it was a law firm before, not construction. The hours are flexible and again, most importantly, from home, so our life can start trying to get back to normal once I figure out how to really do my new job anyway. I will be eternally grateful when I can get back to some semblance of a routine because the stress of being all topsy turvy drives me absolutely crazy - and not the good kind of crazy either.

I can't say enough how grateful I am that I have my foodie and blogging friends for support - I'm sure I would have spontaneously combusted by now without you all!

TWD: Chocolate Souffle

Well, after my first ever hiatus from Tuesdays with Dorie, unintentional as it was to have missed the past two weeks, I am back! I can't say that I won't miss any future weeks, but I hope not to and to make up the weeks I do miss at some point. I just have to be realistic with myself and come to terms with the fact that till this baby arrives - hopefully as close to on time next Feb/March as we can get. Until then, this is as good as it gets. I do have several things I want to post about, but just have to find the time and energy!

I was so excited to make this week's recipe for the Chocolate Souffle for a number of reasons. I've had this bookmarked since I first got my copy of BFMHTY and am ashamed to admit that I've had two souffle dishes for even longer that have never been used. This is my very first foray into making a souffle, but I know it won't be my last!

This week's hostess is my darling friend Susan of She's Becoming Doughmesstic (where you'll find the recipe). Susan is absolutely wonderful, creative, funny and an incredible friend - and she makes the coolest cookies ever - seriously! I just wish she didn't live on the other side of the country! I really wish we lived next door to each other - that would be so perfectly awesome it would be ridiculous!

Thanks Sus for choosing this recipe! I seriously **heart** you sooo much!

I knew that Chocolate Souffle would have to be a hit at our house, at least with me. I was surprised at how much Aidan looooved this too though. He snarffed down his whole serving and gave it a chocolatey grin and two thumbs up. I thought it was heaven - chocolately, light, dreamy and soft.

Out of self preservation to save myself from eating too much souffle though, I did only make half the recipe. The amount fit perfectly in four little individual ramekins I had (6oz each I believe). I filled them just about 3/4 full with batter and set the timer for 16 minutes - which is when they looked perfect. I wasn't sure if they were done though and decided to give them 3 more minutes - which is when they fell a bit in the oven. So, I guess it would have been safer to check them at 15 minutes and take them out a bit earlier. They had crested over the rims really beautifully, but I didn't get a shot of that since I took them out a bit too late. Thanks to Nancy for even getting me that close since she gave me a heads up via Twitter about the results she had with making smaller portions as well.

I garnished only with a bit of confectioners' sugar, as Dorie suggests. It really didn't need anything else, but I'm sure a bit of whipped cream or creme anglaise would have been delicious too. All I know is that we will make this again, hopefully soon.

Make sure to check out how the other TWD Bakers made out this week!

Edible Word: Confections of a Closet Master Baker

I'm thrilled to once again be able to participate in another round of The Edible Word - the foodie book club created by Cath at A Blithe Palate and Steph at Dispensing Happiness, co-hosted by the folks at Cook the Books this time around. Watch their blogs for what I'm sure will be one heck of a roundup on September 7th.

This time we are reviewing Gesine Bullock-Prado's Memoir, Confections of a Closet Master Baker, about, as she puts it, "One Woman's Sweet Journey from Unhappy Hollywood Executive to Contented Country Baker."

Let's just get a couple of quick things out of the way here and say that yes, Gesine's older sister is Sandra Bullock - thus Gesine's time spent in Hollywood. Does Gesine talk about her sister in the book? Well, of course. They are sisters. Is it a book about Hollywood and glamour, etc.? Nope. Thankfully not.

What you do get from the book is that Sandy and Gesine are wonderful to each other and have a loving family and know how to take care of that as adults. I just wanted to get that out of the way, because I'm sure there will be a portion of the people that buy or read this book hoping it is one of those Hollywood insider gossip things - it isn't. Again, thankfully! It is a beautifully written, absolutely entertaining, well told story though - and as far as I'm concerned that is just what it should be.

More importantly, what is this book? In my opinion (and I just finished reading it) I thought it is a collection of humor, memories, tears, and inspiration all written in Gesine's wonderful and hilarious voice. She is honest, at times brutally so, but never in a mean spirit. In fact, in just the most "this is the way it is, so deal with it" kind of way that is wonderfully refreshing. She takes the reader with her on her journey from Hollywood to small town Vermont and all the sweet memories inbetween.

I'd also like to mention, that while I was looking up a little info, I found out that Gesine has a blog which I will now be an avid reader of. You can get a great feel through her blog for what the book is like, as well as more of her wonderful recipes! You should definitely check out her blog because she has a link to where you can win a copy of the book too!

You already know how perfectly lousy and miserable I've been feeling and how I haven't even been able to get very inspired for the past few weeks to get up from the couch with my hyperemisis to get around to posting more than a few words here or there. While that has all been going on, I've also been enjoying reading this book and being both humbled, inspired and reminded why it is I love to be in the kitchen - even if I can't get in there very much these days. Some days are better than others, when the meds are doing their job and life is bearable at least. That is, sadly, a bit of a double edged sword in itself. One med makes me less sick, but gives me headaches, which then cause me to feel sick. Can't win them all I guess. And, hey, only 6 months to go. If it means I get to deliver full term this time, then I'll gladly stay sick as long as it takes!

My point is that it was really nice to have such an interesting, fun and inspiring book to keep me company and lift my spirits. For that, to Gesine, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart!

If there was only one thing I could take away from this book (and there was much more than that) it would be the absolute love Gesine has for her family. While the book is about Gesine's journey finding her way to her true passion in life, I have to say that, whether it is because I'm pregnant and sentimental, or because it is just what touched me the most, I really felt that the book was a wonderful tribute to her amazing Mother and how baking created rich heirloom memories that she was able to apply in all aspects of her adult life. Frankly, that is exactly what I am trying to create with my boys here. I want them to enjoy the good things in life and remember that homemade treats come from the heart.

There are two other really wonderful things about this book that I want to point out. First, the beginning of each chapter includes a beautifully drawn illustration created by Gesine's husband, Raymond. Second, each chapter ends with an original recipe from Gesine, complete with humorous and touching descriptions and memories. While my first inclination is always "oh, I wish there were photos of the recipes" I would actually take that back in this case. I'm glad there aren't. I'm glad that I get to use her descriptions (which are incredible) and my imagination (which is adequate, I hope!). I'm glad that the book doesn't use any photographs and just has Ray's brilliant illustrations.

For The Edible Word, we get to choose either a recipe from the book, or a recipe inspired by the book. I had a really tough time deciding what to make, but I knew I wanted to make something from the book. My choice of making the carrot cake may come as a surprise to those of you that know me well. Especially in the face of options like the chocolate laden Starry Starry Night cookies or a Devil's Cream Pie which used my favorite all-time cookie crust with the Oreo.

Here's the thing though, since I'm pregnant and will be quite probably eating whatever I make, mostly all by myself, I felt like the Carrot Cake would be the best justification to eat a lot of that I could come up with, because, hey, there are carrots - right? While the full recipe makes a large 8-inch cake, I only had enough carrots on hand to make a half batch. I decided to make them into individual large cupcakes so that I could stash the cake and frosting seperately and frost them as desired over the next few days when I need a snack. See, I'm thinking ahead here! The cupcakes smelled divine while they were baking too (and pretty much nothing smells good to me right now!). They have cratered a bit on me in the middle, but that should in no way reflect upon the recipe in the book, so much as in my absolute inability to stop myself from overfilling a cupcake liner.

The cake is simple in its ingredients, which is just the way I like my carrot cake (not all gunked up with tons of add-ins) and topped which a smooth, creamy and tangy cream cheese frosting. Just perfect, as promised in the book - which is where you can find the recipe! We loved this cake, and in fact, I'm fairly certain I'll be making it for Cole's 2nd birthday next month as he really loved it and was snarffing it down as fast as he could - which is a rare thing with him.

For the Carrot Cake and other recipes, you should really get your copy of Confections of a Closet Master Baker when it comes out on September 8th. You won't regret it and I promise, you will really enjoy reading the book as well as trying the recipes. I could actually, just keep going on, and on and on and on about how much I really, truly, sincerely enjoyed this book - but at this point, I think you probably get the idea.