Gone Again

Sigh. Sam has gone back today (Sunday) to complete the bulldozing job for his son. He plans on returning home on Wednesday. I will be able to stay busy - subbing at the public library tomorrow. Tuesday my mother has a doctor's appointment out of town, so that will keep me busy then.

I should get a bit of quilting done too. I am working harder on the crazy quilt block that I intend to turn into a clutch for an Alaskan cruise we are taking in August. (Sam's son gave us the cruise this past Christmas.) I need to purchase more green floss and put some leaves on the pink spiderweb roses in the lower left corner. Then that leaves the large blue area. When the clutch is folded, the fold will run through that piece. A friend suggested hearts...I forgot to point out the new addition. I added ribbon around the bullion roses at the top - that will be the flap. I beaded a larkspur which doesn't show up very well at all. It is to the left overlapping a blue and purple section. In the center, I added a lace fan surrounded with seed beads. Then I did some whatever it is called - but looks like netting and added beads.

I embroidered hollyhocks just under the spider web on the quilt block. Oh, I also did some embroidery and beadwork on a couple of seams.
On the food forum on the HGTV site, there's been a discussion about cast iron skillets/griddles/Dutch ovens, etc. I have a divided cast iron cornbread skillet that comes in handy for scones. The first time I shared with my mother, her comment was that her mother used to make scones. I make certain to share with her everytime I make them.

Here are my two favorite scone recipes:
This one is a crunchy heavy scone:
Oat Raisin Scones
2 cups flour
1 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup butter, chilled
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Oven 425 degrees. Stir together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, stir together the ceam, eggs, and vanilla. Add the ceamed mixture to the flour mixutre and stir to combine. Stir in the raisins and walnuts.With floured hands, pat the dough into an 8-inch diameter circle in the center of an ungreased cookie sheet. With a serrated knife or pastry knife, cut into 8 equal wedges (like cutting a pie). OR Before stirring everything together, spray your divided cast iron skillet with cooking spray and put in the oven to preheat while the oven is heating. Pat the dough on your work surface. Cut into 8 wedges. Put a wedge in each section of the skillet.Bake for 15 - 17 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown.
We love these buttered (yeah, I know it already has a stick of butter in it!) and with orange marmalade or pear preserves.

This is a lighter scone. My mother said that these (which are cake-like) are more like what her mother made.

Buttermilk Scones
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, chilled
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cups raisins
Oven 400 degrees. Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, stir together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in raisins. Either pat out on a cookie sheet and cut into wedges or use your divided cast iron skillet like the above recipe. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes.
These are also good buttered with orange marmalade or pear preserves. I have recipes for marmalade and pear preserves that I'll post another day.
(I don't know why this started double spacing with 'enter.')