DATE + PECAN SCONES

I have this almond strawberry shortcake recipe for the book that I have now made four times. I love this cake, but honestly I would be ok if I didn't have it again for awhile. Not to mention there are two of us in this lovely apartment, and I have a paranoia about food going to waste, so even while giving some away to friends, guess who has been eating a lot of cake? Yea. So I went to Zumba last night, trying to make up for cake... and scones. Have you been? It's so ridiculous that I keep going back. It's a workout of embarassing salsa-type moves that make me feel like I am in some terrible latin children's musical. The high school girls in their booty shorts and the older women who wear jingly belly dancing belts, it's entertaining, but still liberating in its own way. I think it's because there is no way you could take yourself seriously in that hour, and I like being forced into that state of mind.

I have unsuccessfully made scones a few times, but this recipe is my sweet victory for the previous batches which either spread flat or came out tasteless. Their edges may be imperfect and they don't have the lighteness that a bakery scone using all white flour yields, but I wouldn't change it. The spelt and oat bran give a warmth and heartiness to the scone, while it still welcomes a thin shmear of creme fraiche or butter. The trick to a good scone is to use your hands, not tools, so you can be gentle as possible as to not overmix and work quickly so the batter stays cold. I may not be a master yet, but these are pretty delicious.

DATE + PECAN SCONES // Makes 8

Ratios adapted from Maria Speck's Ancient Grains for Modern Meals

1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup Spelt Flour

1/2 Cup Oat Bran

1/4 Cup Natural Cane Sugar

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

1/2 tsp. Freshly Ground Nutmeg

2 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/3 Cup Chopped Pecans

5 Medjool Dates, cut in small pieces

6 Tbsp. Butter, cold

1 Egg

3/4 Cup Heavy Cream

1 Tbsp. Orange Zest

Turbinado Sugar for Garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400'. Mix both flours, oat bran, sugar, salt, nutmeg and baking powder together. Mix in the chopped pecans and dates.

2. Working quickly, cut the butter into chunks and work it in to the flour mix with your fingers until you get small pebbles.

3. Whisk the egg, cream and zest together and add about 3/4 of the cream to the flour and incorporate with as few stirs as possible. Add more of the cream as needed until you get a shaggy dough that just holds itself together. Pat it together and let it sit in the fridge for 20 minutes to chill.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in two and make two disks that are about 1.5'' thick. If you just want to cook four scones for now, wrap the other disk tightly in saran wrap and keep it in the fridge. Cut the disk in half, then in half the other way so you get four triangles. Place them on the parchment. Brush a bit of the remaining cream on top and sprinkle a few pinches of turbinado sugar on top. Bake on the middle rack for 16-18 minutes, rotating the baking tray half way through cooking. Remove to cool. Serve just above room temperature with a bit of creme fraiche.

BAKED BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

May is always a crazy month. We have half a dozen birthdays in our family, Mother's Day, bridal shower season, while I took on a part time job and a freelance deal, as well. Sometimes having more tasks helps you to manage your time better... at least I'm telling myself that is some proven theory. I'm honestly a bit spent on creativity at the moment, which ebs and flows for me, so I'm taking a few days to edit through the recipes I already have for the book. For your sake, edit out my ramblings mid-recipe or cut unnecessary descriptive words like "smooshy."

I made this baked oatmeal for a picnic with friends, and next time I host a brunch, these will be part of a larger spread. They would be great to make ahead of time and grab on your way out the door in the morning, too (although I am a proponent of sitting at a table for breakfast, even if you have to get up earlier, I know that's not always practical). Maybe even do raspberries and pistachios and replace the milk with coconut milk. The baked oatmeal world is your oyster.

BAKED BLUEBERRY OATMEAL // Serves 6

Adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

I used frozen blueberries because I had them, but I think that contributed to them coming out purple/gray color after baking. I'd suggest using fresh berries if you can.

You can see the original recipe at Lottie +Doof.

2 Cups Blueberries, plus extra for garnish

2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Aluminum Free Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

2 Cups Whole Milk

1 1/2 Tbsp. Melted Butter

1/3 - 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Toasted Chopped Almonds

1/4 Cup Turbinado Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 375'. Divide the berries between six small mason jars.

2. Mix the oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Divide the dry mix between the jars, just layering on top of the blueberries, about 1/3 cup.

3. Mix the milk, butter, maple and vanilla together. Pour a scant 1/2 cup on top of the oats, letting it seep through to the bottom. Place all the jars in a baking dish, sprinkle a few fresh berries on top, and bake on the middle rack for about 30 minutes until the liquid is absorbed, tops are just browned but the oats are still moist.

Sprinkle the tops with the toasted almonds and a pinch of turbinado sugar and serve warm!

* I poured a bit of extra milk on mine and Hugh preferred more maple, so adjust as you prefer.

If you are going to be reheating them, I suggest undercooking them 5-8 minutes to avoid dry oatmeal. Keep the nuts on the side until ready to eat.

STRAWBERRY+LEEK QUESADILLAS.

One of my very best girlfriends from college has a personal blog where she includes little ramblings of her life, a picture every now and then or a sweet thought. Kristine is my kindred spirit as far as communication goes. Both of us mildly moody, vulnerable talkers, easy tears - she's the best kind of friend to have when you need to process life with someone. She posted a rhetorical question asking "what will be the tone of your life?". A melody, as she calls it, made up of words, conversations and attitudes. I tried to think of mine, and came up with a list of a few things I wanted it to be, but couldn't settle on one word that would qualify as my aspired tone. You don't often think of yourself in the form of complimentary adjectives, but this question isn't about patting yourself on the back, as it is setting a thesis for the rest of your story.

Are you ready for my utterly general response? Loveliness. To be enjoyable, delightful, gracious, to inspire and be full of love. I'm excited by sending notes, nurturing, doing favors, feeding people, listening, and want to do more of it. Love. Maybe it's too big or too vague of a word to throw out as one's tone, but it makes sense to me right now.

As we stayed up late last night talking about this, I asked Hugh what he thought my tone would be, and he named it... and when I explained how I thought his tone was 'intention', complimenting the purpose with which he does things, he said I was close, "I want my tone to be, BE AWESOME. It's the same as intention, but in Hugh language." Can't say I'm surprised. Always dependable to lighten the mood.

May that encourage you to give this some thought. It doesn't have to be a heavy question, you can just want to be awesome, but it's important to boil the big things down every now and then. It may be an endless endeavor, but a little perspective is always welcome.

This is hardly a recipe, but I wanted to give some ballpark measurements and hints for those who want them. Pick up the most fragrant basket of strawberries, deep red right up to the stem. Then add sauteed leeks with their subtle onion flavor, all held together by the creamy tartness from the goat cheese. It's a ten minute snack of pure LOVELINESS.

STRAWBERRY + LEEK QUESADILLAS

Makes 1

1 Leek

2 tsp. Coconut Oil/Olive Oil

2 Brown Rice Tortillas

1/3 Cup Soft Goats Cheese

1/3 Cup Grated Mozzarella

Thinly Sliced Strawberries

Fresh Ground Pepper

Cilantro

1. Remove the tough, dark green top of the leek, to use only the white and light green parts. Slice the leek in half length wise and clean out any dirt. Slice thin.

2. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large pan and saute the leeks with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes until softened and just browning in parts. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Over medium high heat, warm the remaining tsp. of oil and lay down one of the tortillas. Use your discretion as far as filling amounts. All across the tortilla, sprinkle half of both cheeses, desired amount of the sauteed leeks, strawberries, a sprinkle of pepper and the rest of the cheese. Cover with the other tortilla and cook about 2 minutes until the bottom is browned, flip the quesadilla and cook 2-3 minutes on the other side. Slice and sprinkle some cilantro if you'd like.

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