Cinnamon Roll Scones

This recipe is the lovechild of my two favorite breakfast treats.  Labor intensive sweetness meets quick flaky, crumbly pastry.  With this recipe you get all of the flavor of a cinnamon roll without having to be up super early to let the dough rise (and without eating the kind from the tube... you know what I'm talking about).  I think that this recipe, start to finish, took me an hour... And that's because I was creating the recipe as I went along, taking notes, using social media to document what I was using/doing, etc.  If I had to time this recipe with out all of the added busy work, my guess is this is a breakfast meal that could be featured on RR's 30 Minute Meals!

This recipe makes 8 scones... But be warned, they are super yummy... both my parents each had two. 

SCONE:
1 egg replacer (I use Ener-G so 11/2 tsp powder mixed with 2 TBS warm water until frothy)
2 1/2 c AP flour
1/3 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup non-dairy butter (Super Cold! leave in refrigerator until ready to use)
1/2 cup non dairy milk

FILLING:
2-3 TBS Dark Brown Sugar
1 TBS Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 shakes Ground Cloves
2 shakes Ground Ginger
2 TBS non dairy butter, melted


GLAZE:
1 c confectioner's Sugar
2 TBS non dairy milk
2 TBS non dairy butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 and grease a cookie sheet.

Combine the scone's dry ingredients.  

Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives, until the butter is no bigger than the size of a pea.  

Add in milk and egg replacer and mix until just moistened.  

Gather the dough into a ball and divide in half.  Wrap lightly and put dough in the fridge while you prep the filling*.  This chills the butter again after it's been exposed to your hands heat.  Chunks of butter in your pastry are what helps to create a flaky texture.

Evenly spread one half of your dough into the bottom of an 8-in round cake pan.  Top with Filling and the rest of the dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and check around the edge to make sure top and bottom layers of dough are connected.  

Cut into 8 triangles place on cookie sheet and bake for 13 minutes.  Top with glaze** to serve and enjoy!

*Filling, combine the sugars and spices until thoroughly mixed.  Add in butter and mix until filling looks like wet, crumbly sand.

**For the Glaze, whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth.

Asian Pesto

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything.  Truth is, I haven't been making anything new... Which makes me sad.  But today at work I got to help my boss make a delicious Asian style pesto sauce and I had to share it.  This pesto comes from the cookbook Simply Ming.  The book recommends putting it on grilled shrimp or chicken with salad or pasta.  But I think it would be fantastic on any soba noodles or grilled veggies (mm brushed with some sesame oil!)

It also suggests mixing some of this pesto in with chopped shrimp as a filling for dumplings... Hmm maybe with some oyster mushrooms..?? Either way this pesto is super easy to make and would be great on just about anything... hmmm veggie sandwich instead of mayo/mustard?  So many ideas to try this pesto on that I'm going to have to make it again very soon!


2 jalapenos, stemmed and seeded
8-10 garlic cloves (depending on their size)
1 TBSP sugar
1 heaping TBSP ginger, peeled and minced
1 cup roasted salted macadamia nuts or roasted salted peanuts
Zest of 2 lemons
2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
salt and pepper to taste


 In a blender or food processor combine jalapenos, garlic, sugar, ginger, nuts, zest, and 1 cup of oil and blend until smooth.  Add in the herbs and blend, slowly adding the remaining oil until it has become a thick puree. Season with salt and pepper.  Store in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

It's that easy! :-) 

Let me know what you try it on!