A Snowy Breakfast

This winter on the prairie has been a winter of "brown" --

Not much snow

But not much ice either

(which is a good thing)

But Saturday, the snow starting falling early

And kept falling all day!

Sunday morning the garden looked like this!

Church was cancelled and so we were home for the morning.

A big breakfast,

With fresh baked pastries was in order

Maple Oatmeal Scones

Fresh from the oven and glazed

The scone basket graces the breakfast table

To go with the cheese omelet and spiced apples

A leisurely breakfast as we watched the snow, the birds and the dogs

trying to get around in the snow.

(Dolly was the "snowplow" and Doogie followed)

It was a leisurely Sunday 

Lunch out with friends

A nap

And the last scone for afternoon tea.

If I am alone for tea, my companion is usually a book

And often a cookbook!

Between The Cookbook Club, Vol. 3 - Irish

and my annual St. Patrick's Day luncheon,

I'm looking for traditional Irish recipes.

Darina Allen's books are usually a treasure-trove!

The scones are easy to make.   Have the unusual ingredient of cream of tarter which keeps them "softer" than traditional American scones.    

For the two of us, I only made a half recipe.

(I often do that)

And it was plenty for breakfast with one left for tea!

MAPLE OAT SCONES

2 c flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. salt
1 cup walnut pieces (chopped) (I used pecans)
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 c. butter plust 1 T. 
1/4 c. maple syrup
3/4 t. maple extract
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
12 walnut halves
1 T. raw cane sugar
3/4 c. powdered sugar

Line a large baking sheet with parchment or split. Sift the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt into a large bowl. Add the chopped nuts, brown sugar, and rolled oats. In a small saucepan, melt the 1/2 c. butter and cool for a few moments. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, maple syrup, 1/2 t. maple extract and the whipping cream. Mix together. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and gently combine with a spatula until a dough forms and starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 2 equal pieces. From each piece into a 6 inch round, then divide each round into 6 wedges. Place the 12 wedges on the prepared baking sheet and place a walnut half on the top of the scones. Melt the 1 T. butter and brush on top of the scones. Sprinkle with the raw cane sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a small bowl mix together the powdered sugar, the remaining 1/4 t. of maple extract and warm water until the consistency is similar to thick liquid honey. Using a fork, drizzle the glaze over the scones. Allow the glaze to dry a few minutes before serving.