Different Textures Delight

The different textures and flavors of the scone delight the tastebuds. The oatmeal juxtaposed with the bursting blueberries and the crunchy almonds are like a work of art. Served with scrambled eggs for a light brunch, or with coffee for a small snack or breakfast, you’l be delighted with these easy to make scones!

Granted, this recipe doesn’t require you to cut in the butter like some scone recipes that I occasionally like to use, but it does offer a fast route to scone heaven!

Scone dough patted into circle, ready to be cut

Kid-Friendly

This is a great recipe to have kids help you with some of the steps. My daughter scrambled the egg needed for the scones, helped pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and used a big spatula to mix everything together.

After lightly flouring my countertop, I put the wet dough on top, and used my hands to make it into a rough circle.

Taking a dough cutter, I cut the dough into eight pieces of ‘pie,’ reminiscent of a pizza.

Scones going into the oven

After lining my baking sheet with parchment paper, I placed my scone wedges from the counter onto the paper. I moved some of the blueberries back into the center of the dough, so that their delicious berry flavor would be trapped in the scone instead of wasted on the parchment paper.

Twelve minutes in the oven at 450 degrees F., and you have nicely browned, decadent scones.

Blueberry Oatmeal & Almond Scones

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk together in a big bowl

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon lemon zest

Stir in:

• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Whisk together, then add at one time

• 1 large egg
• 10 tablespoons warm melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup milk

Mix with a large rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Lightly flour your countertop or work surface. Use your spatula to get the sticky dough onto the floured surface. Using your hands, pat the dough into a circle about  8 inches round and 3/4-inch thick.

Using a dough cutter, cut the dough into 8 slices. Transfer the slices to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees F. Let cool on a wire baking rack.

*This recipe is a variation of a scone recipe from Joy of Cooking.

What is your favorite kind of scone?

Photos by Kelly Estes

Growing up, brunch often consisted of scrambled eggs, homemade potato fries, vegetable soup with homemade bread, bacon or sausage, and fruit salad. Instead of waiting for a table at a popular breakfast diner, we waited impatiently for brunch to be ready, while smelling the wonderful aroma of bacon broiling, homemade soup, and potatoes frying in the pan.

Such a brunch satisfied even the hungriest of teenagers. The potato fries were very popular, much to the cook’s delight.

Now that I’m the main cook, I put my leftover (whole) baked potatoes to good use too. I store those precious baked potatoes in the fridge for a delicious brunch the next day.

Simply cut the chilled baked potatoes into 1/4-inch circular slices, and  then season them with a little kosher salt before ‘frying’ them in about 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, about 3 minutes each side. These homemade fries are delicious with a little ketchup, or simply plain.

With Father’s Day coming up on June 20, what do you think are the odds fathers will enjoy these homemade potato fries as part of a delicious brunch?

Photo by Kelly Estes

In fact, these oatmeal scones are one of my favorite breakfast items for the weekend because you can whip them up rather quickly the night before. Then, when you’re stumbling into the kitchen, bleary eyed and in need of coffee, you can heat one of these scones up while you wait for your coffee to brew.

Schnockered Raisins

Yes, these scones are made with butter. But, one weekend out of the month, I like to indulge in eating one of these little treasures. I’ve added whole wheat flour, vanilla,raisins, and ground cinnamon to a tried and true scone recipe from Joy of Cooking. The whole wheat flour adds some staying power to this simple breakfast. I’ll note that while there are many scone recipes, this is the one I make the most often.

Travel Treats

As summer approaches and vacation beckons, try making these delicious scones the night before you leave on a trip. You’ll have a great breakfast or snack you can eat at the airport, and you won’t have to shell out the big bucks for a scone at a coffee shop.

A Houseguests Must

This is also a wonderful recipe to do if you have houseguests. Just think, have these scones available in your kitchen, and you won’t have to worry so much about what’s for breakfast! Scones, fresh fruit, coffee…add a newspaper to the equation and you’ve got a recipe for a great morning!

But don’t wait for a vacation to try this scone recipe. It’s easy and fun to make. And it’s quite a treat.

Schnockered Oatmeal Raisin Scones with Whole Wheat

Serves 8

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 large egg
• 10 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup milk

Put the vanilla and raisins in a small bowl and stir well, making sure to coat all the raisins with the vanilla. Let sit while you prepare the scone mixture.

Whisk the flour through salt in a large bowl, mixing well.

Add the oats and raisins (and delicious vanilla that the raisins have been soaking in); stir.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Melt the butter in the microwave. Mix the egg and milk together. Add half of the warmed butter a little at a time to the milk and egg mixture. Pour all the liquids into the dry mixture and mix until combined.

Put parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Lightly flour a kitchen work surface. Put the sticky dough mixture onto the floured surface and ‘smush’ it together. Then take your hands and flatten it into a circle about 8-9 inches wide (about 3/4-inches thick). Try to make sure the dough is about the same thickness throughout to ensure more even cooking.

Cut the dough into 8 or 12 wedges (you can use a pizza wheel). Scoop wedges off one by one using a spatula, and place on the parchment paper (baking sheet). Space the scones at least one inch apart. Bake until golden brown, between 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Photo by Kelly Estes

These oatmeal muffins are wonderful to enjoy at either breakfast or brunch. The hot blueberries explode inside the muffin, and the lemon zest gives the quickbread a lovely contrast in taste. The baked oats give the muffin a slightly crunchier texture on the outside, delightful as you realize the inside is moist and delicious. If you have blueberry lovers in your family, you’ll delight your family when you put a basket of these muffins on the kitchen table!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 Cup 2% milk (or low-fat buttermilk)
• 1 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 Cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Cup fresh blueberries

Combine oats and milk in a small bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and lemon zest into separate bowl. Mix egg and oil into oatmeal mixture. Add wet ingredients all at once to dry ingredients. Add in blueberries. Stir just to moisten. Fill muffin pan about 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. When done, let muffin pan sit on wire cooling rack for about 5 minutes before taking muffins out of pan. Makes nearly 1 dozen muffins.

Photo by Kelly Estes