Triple Berry Scones with Flax

This morning I had an inkling for warm, homemade scones. I knew that I’d be grabbing coffee with one of my friends mid-morning and the thought of a fresh berry scone alongside a piping hot cup of coffee seemed rather fantastic. So, I rose out of bed a little before 6:30 a.m. and spent a few quiet minutes reading through Philippians over my cold bowl of cereal. “Fresh scones,” I thought to myself, as I pondered what “imitating Christ’s humility” could look like in my every day. I want to be a person who gives generously to others and looks “not only to [my] own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

Then it dawned on me...I have so much freedom in Christ, to share my gifts and resources with others, especially in baking. The other day, one of my friends shared how “baking is ministry of its own”. I like the idea of that, especially because I love baking. My desire to share homemade goods with others comes naturally. It’s an outpouring of my heart. On that note, here is a recipe I developed for homemade scones, based on skimming through multiple online recipes along with Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” and then deciding what I wanted to use and omit. I admit—my version of scones is much simpler than the more wordy recipes I came across this morning. I hope you enjoy it!

Triple Berry Scones with Flax
Makes 7-10 scones, depending on size

Ingredients:

1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour

½ c. ground flaxseed

½ c. whole wheat flour

2 tbsp. sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

5 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

2 eggs (I prefer free range, organic grain fed)

¾ c. whole milk

1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ c. berries (fresh or frozen work great; I used a combination of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In food processor*, combine flours, flaxseed, sugar and baking powder. Pulse until combined. Slowly add pieces of butter through top feed tube, while food processor is on. (Using the feed tube is the safest way to do this.) When the mixture looks crumbly, turn the food processor off.

In a separate large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Blend slightly (breaking up the yolks) but do not over mix.

Transfer the crumbly flour mixture from the food processor into the large bowl with the liquid mixture. Add the berries. Gently mix until combined, being carefully not to break the berries as the scones will look like vibrant plato. (Note: this is not an issue for me, as I like brightly colored food.)

With your hands, gently knead the dough a few times. Then drop the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, shaping into scone-like triangles. Feel free to get creative here, or you can simply make “drop scones” that are round in shape.

At this point, I lightly brushed the tops of my scones with one egg white, then sprinkled sugar on top. This step is optional but makes the presentation that much more dramatic—lightly browned, crisp tops are very attractive.  

Bake the scones at 425 degrees for 7-10 minutes, watching carefully. Scones are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

**Note: you can make these scones by hand as well, it just gets a little messier when you are combining the chunks of butter, as you need to crumble it with the flour mixture by hand. 

Popcorn and the Power of Encouragement

Before I explain the meaning of this blog title, I'd like to update you on family happenings here in Seattle. Ken and I are in an exciting time of transition as I recently registered for a 5-month distance learning course in Wedding & Event Planning out of NYC. It's taken some flexibility on both our parts in sharing one main computer and in me realizing that I can't keep up with my same cleaning and cooking routine. I'm currently learning how to adjust my daily and weekly schedule to accommodate lesson plans, audio lectures, study guides and online exams. I've forgotten what it's like to be a student! The course material fascinates me though and I feel so blessed to have this opportunity for professional growth in a field I very much enjoy.

In the last two weeks, I've completed the first three lessons and according to my calendar, once I finish this blog, I need to start on Lesson 4. My first few lessons introduced me to the basics of wedding planning, including an overview of rates, establishing a budget with each client, the sensitivity needed for paring down guest lists, how to acquire preferred vendors and so forth. I must admit, I love the graphic design and organization of my materials. The photos are stunning and remind me of how beautiful our own wedding was a couple years ago. Likewise, the audio lectures and detailed study guides are enabling me to work from home and feel engaged in the lessons. Honestly, that was my biggest concern in signing up for this class. I was worried that I needed a more traditional approach to education in being fed information by an instructor in front of a classroom. I was wrong, thankfully. I look forward to seeing what each new lesson plan holds, like opening up a gift every few days. It's a joy being in this place where desire meets discipline.

Outside of my courses, Ken and I recently bought new bikes! As many of you know, last fall our bikes were stolen and it's taken 6 months to find adequate replacements at a decent price. Thank God for store coupons and online outlet sites. My bike is "Robin's Egg Blue", a hybrid beach-cruiser made for street riding. Ken's is a classic road bike with thin tires and flat handlebars. It's a sleek, silver bike that rides fast. Since purchasing our bikes, we have found multiple opportunities to ride them around. For "Date Night" a couple weeks ago, we biked 8 or so miles to our favorite restaurant and back. Then we rode our bikes to church that Sunday, instead of driving. A few days later, I biked 13 miles to visit a friend for coffee downtown. The weather has been quite amiable lately, with bright sunshine and temperatures around 65 degrees. I had almost forgotten that we live in Seattle until one dark and rainy day jolted me back into reality. That was yesterday. Thankfully, today is warm and cheerful again.

In addition to all these updates, I keep hearing Christ reminding me to "call to mind His faithfulness", to thank Him for all of these blessings--a new season, a new career path, new bikes, etc. God has been encouraging both Ken and me in very tangible ways. A week or so ago, the Engineering department at school awarded Ken a generous scholarship. What a praise! I also just found out that I get a discounted tuition rate, lower than I had paid for my wedding course because my school sent me an incorrect price quote and decided to honor it anyway (even though it was less!) And despite our limited resources as we live frugally, we still had the opportunity to visit family and friends on a week-long road trip to Northern California during Ken's spring break. That trip was very meaningful to me and full of adventure, excitement and joy.

Words of encouragement keep springing up, in unexpected blessings, in relationship with others, and in daily encounters with God through Scripture. A couple weeks ago, in my Stephen Ministry group at church, all the ladies in my group did a "popcorn exercise". Sitting in a circle formation, each person wrote a word of encouragement for one another on a small slip of paper and crumpled it into a "popcorn" piece. They then gave that to the person they wrote about. Once you collect all your "popcorn pieces", you take them home and open them on your own. Later, as I carefully opened each slip of paper, I was so incredibly encouraged! It was like God gave me a giant hug through those words. It made me realize how there are so many "popcorn pieces" throughout Scripture, where God shows us His hope, love and desire for us:

Zephaniah 3:17: "The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

1 John 3:1: "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are."

Psalm 139:13: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb."

I pray that God would encourage you today and shower you with His goodness and abundant life. I look forward to updating you on more of my adventures in life and cooking soon. Until then, I encourage you to try the "popcorn exercise" with your friends, by sending a letter of encouragement or a quick note of love to those who so desperately need it. Thank you, friends, for pouring out such love on my life!

W is for Waffles!

Wonderful waffles, that is.

If you are in your mid to late 20s and grew up with a curiosity for cooking at a young age, chances are your parents gave you the "Alpha-Bakery Children's Cookbook" care of the Gold Medal Flour company. At least, mine did and I'm living proof that cultivating a fondness of cooking from the start can have a lasting impact in one's development. As a child, I loved pulling out my very own cookbook and working with my mom to create both savory and sweet delights. I remember spending what felt like hours turning the colorful pages of my Alpha-Bakery book. I'd recite to myself, "K is for Kartwheels," "B is for Baked Alaska" and so on. I don't know what ever happened to my original cookbook but my lovely in-laws blessed me with a revised edition for Christmas a couple years ago. A few of the recipes are a bit more kid/safety-friendly, as the "Baked Alaska" has been omitted and replaced with "Banana Bread." (I always wondered how other kids' parents help their children make that recipe. I never got to, maybe because of the open flame associated with the final product.) Regardless, I treasure this new edition and look forward to sharing the book with our children someday.

While my recipe for waffles is somewhat influenced by the ease of the recipe in the Alpha-Bakery cookbook, it is more so an adaptation of Mark Bittman's Everyday Buttermilk Waffle recipe. I've altered his recipe to make it heartier and healthier. I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

My Wonderful Waffle Recipe
Makes 4-5 servings
Adapted from Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
2 c. whole wheat flour (or white flour, if preferred)
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 3/4 c. buttermilk* (see note below) or 1 1/2 c. sour cream or yogurt with 1/4 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. melted butter
oil or nonstick cooking spray for brushing the waffle iron

Optional add-ins:
1 c. fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
1 c. chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
sliced, sauteed apples

*Note: if you do not have buttermilk, you can make it yourself. Just combine 1 tbsp. vinegar and 1 tsp. lemon juice into a measuring cup. Add milk to the measuring cup until it equals the amount called for in the recipe. Mix well and then let sit for 10 minutes. Then it's ready to use!

Directions:
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla (and fruit or nuts, if desired). While the waffle iron heats up, lightly grease with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. When the iron is hot, spread just enough batter to cover the iron. Be careful not to overfill it. Bake until the waffle is done, about 3-5 minutes per waffle. Serve immediately. Extra waffles can be frozen and easily reheated in the toaster oven (think healthy version of Eggo Waffles).

For extra pizzazz, I lightly saute thin slices of apple and pear with brown sugar and then add the slices into the batter once its poured on the waffle iron. Then, when the waffle iron is closed, the fruit slices are sealed into the waffle. It's very delicious and a fun presentation for guests.

I hope this recipe becomes a staple in your home, as it is in mine!