Lime, Cream Cheese Scone...So Tender and Airy!

 Young Living Lime Essential Oil is fast becoming one of my favorite oils! Distilled from the zest not juice, it is pungent yet sweet, perfect for a soft, airy scone!

 Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons cold cream cheese cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 drops Young Living Lime Essential Oil
1/2 cup heavy cream or milk
Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
4-6 drops Young Living Lime Essential Oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
milk or cream
dash salt
If you have made most of the scones on this blog you will recognize that this recipe just replaces some of the butter with cream cheese and adds lime oil, the process will be the same.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Lightly grease or spray a sheet pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
Cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients.

Mix the cream or milk, egg, vanilla, and lime oil in a measuring cup or small bowl.

Add to the dry ingredients, folding gently until combined. Add more milk if too dry and won't hold together.
Lightly "dust" counter with flour, knead dough a few times to form ball then pat into disc about 1 inch thick. Cut into desired number of pieces. For this one I wanted smaller pieces so I divided dough into two pieces to make two scones.

Transfer to sheet pan, bake for 9-11 minutes or until the bottom edges show the slightest hint of golden brown.
Remove to cooling rack.

While cooling make icing. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and beat well, add the cream or milk sparingly until you get the right consistency.
 The lime oil is such a rich green.

 When completely cool, arrange on a pretty plate...or not. Glaze, and eat (my favorite part).

 If you would like to try this or other Young Living products just leave a message in the comment box!

Confetti Batter Bread

This loaf was so fun and easy, I will be making variations of it frequently. The batter was very soft and moist; a perfect canvas with which to play by adding whatever veggies or herbs strike your fancy.
Basic batter:
2 1/3 cups all purpose flour, or white spelt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water for brushing
Additions:
1/3 cup minced green onion, leek,or scallion
1/2 cup chopped black or green olives
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
3 tablespoons sweet pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped, dried tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease 1 loaf pan.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients, cheeses, and additions of your choosing.

In a small bowl, stir together the eggs, oil, milk, and sour cream.
Add the wet to the dry. Do not over mix, just stir until incorporated.
Pour into the prepared pan.

I found this nifty bread pan at a yard sale, tag sale if you are from the north east, it holds the equivalent volume to a regular size loaf pan. I like it because it then makes smaller slices for tea sandwiches or just enough for a dunk in the soup.
Brush with the egg wash.

Sprinkle with extra herbs.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, obviously a bit less for this narrow pan. You could also make this in a muffin pan, only bake for 20 or so minutes.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn onto a cooling rack.

Slice after it cools for a few more minutes, that way it won't just fall apart.

Looking good! Tastes even better!

Savory Red Pepper and Chive Scone

I was looking through the labels on my sidebar as I was beginning to write this, I noticed that I have a label specifically for scones. Not surprised, they are simple, quick, and very versatile.

 This one is not a breakfast or tea scone, very nontraditional, with red pepper, chives, and sharp cheddar cheese. This is going to be used a lot this winter with soups, but for this hot weather it was a very good compliment to a big salad.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose (or white spelt) flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup finely chopped red pepper
3/4 cup half and half, plus 2 tablespoons to brush on the scone
Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl. 
Cut in the butter, using a pastry cutter or fork, until it looks like coarse oatmeal.

Add the chives, cheese, and peppers.

  

Add the half and half. Don't over mix or they will be tough, just until combined.

 Dust counter with flour and roll or pat into a disc about 3/4 - 1 inch thick. 

Cut into 4, 6, or 8 pieces, or however many you wish, and transfer to a lightly greased sheet pan. 

Brush with the last 2 tablespoons of half and half. This gives it a glossy and slightly crisp exterior while the interior remains light and moist.

Bake in a preheated, 425F, oven for 20 minutes or until the edges are beginning to become golden.

This has a wonderful fragrance.

And one more time with the salad...

Dresses up and fills out a lighter meal for summer.

Apple Oatmeal Muffins with a Hint of Maple

These are yummy AND  healthy. I am a picky eater, I just confess this now, whew, it feel so good to come clean. If it doesn't taste good I just do not care how healthy it is I will not eat it more than once.
I have worked this recipe over twice and will stop now because it passes the test, easy, healthy and tastes great.
Make them and judge for yourself.
I used spelt flour for the white and whole but wheat will work just as well.
Apple Oatmeal Maple Muffins (I know, it is too long)
Makes 18 standard size muffins.
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole grain flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, dairy, coconut or whatever milk you use
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
3 tablespoons oil, I used melted coconut oil but butter would be good too or olive
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor
1/3 cup real maple syrup
1 large tart apple, diced
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Lightly grease muffin pans or use paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients.

In a small bowl, mix the wet ingredients except the apple.

 Stir to combine but do not over mix or beat or you will have one tough muffin.

Add the apple by gently folding the batter over the chunks.

 Spoon into the pans.

Bake for about 20 minutes, test by inserting a toothpick in the center, when it comes out clean they are done.

There you go, whole grains, very little sugar, fruit, packed with flavor, who could ask for more!

Yum. Now go make these and tell me what you think.

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

These lovely, tender biscuits are packed with the flavors of cheddar cheese, garlic and butter. The original recipe came from a war time cookbook my grandmother kept on the shelf. I have substituted fresh milk and butter for canned milk and oleo. I call it revisionist history/cooking. That is a joke...okay?

 The bottom line is this, the biscuits are super with any kind of meal or just a big salad. Try them!
2 cups sifted all purpose or white spelt flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into small chunks
1 cup milk
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup finely shredded medium to sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 450F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt.

 Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or a fork

until it looks like coarse crumbs.

Add the garlic, I used a press this time instead of mincing, either works well.

Stir in the cheese.

Add the milk, stirring just until combined. Do not over mix or the finished product will be tough and chewy.

Drop by spoonfuls on to the baking sheet.

 Bake 12-15 minutes until golden. While baking, stir the parsley into the melted butter.
Brush the biscuits with the butter mixture as soon as they come out of the oven.

Break one open, start nibbling, you won't be sorry.