Crafty Witches Like Snacks
It is the spookiest time of year! This weekend I was invited to a Crafternoon Gathering. One of my sisters-by-choice invited a group to her home for an afternoon of fall themed crafts and snacks. Since October always makes me want to start baking, I started looking at bread recipes, which lead me to quick-bread recipes, which lead me to scones. Did you know scones can be savory? I have only ever made the sweet kind; I am particularly fond of blueberry. King Arthur Baking has this recipe for cheddar cheese and scallion scones. I decided to give it a try.
First, I set the oven to preheat. Next, I gathered all my ingredients. I did not have any scallions on hand. I do have a mass of chive plants that needed a trim. I have never had a problem swapping out scallions with chives and vice versa. Just a little something to remember when you are feeling a bit lazy and do not want to run to the store. DIYet skills for the win!
I shredded the cheddar cheese. D0ttMatrix, the Food-It-Yourself cat reminded me that I must pay the cheese tax. I gave her a tiny taste, washed my hands again, then continued cooking. I snipped my chives with kitchen shears and set them and the shredded cheddar aside, far out of the reach of the cat. (Microwave ovens are indeed multitaskers if you have food-focused pets.)
Scones come together in a manner similar to pie crust. Solid fat is mixed into dry ingredients, then wet ingredients are added, then the final shaping is done.
I tried mixing the butter into the flour/salt/baking powder mixture literally by hand (as the recipe instructs). It was not working for me, so I grabbed my pastry blender. I really like that this recipe gives multiple options for the wet ingredients. I used yogurt thinned with a little water, which is almost the same as sour cream except I will finish a tub of yogurt before it goes bad and I have never done that with sour cream. Remember, DIYeters, avoid food waste whenever possible. I mixed the ingredients as described in the recipe and patted out the dough on a floured surface. A pizza wheel proved to be the perfect device for cutting the scones. I made 16 rather than 10 as my witches and I are dainty.
These smelled amazing while they baked; D0ttMatrix thought so, too. I literally sat in my kitchen shooing her away from them as they cooled. She is a former street cat and will steal food if given the chance. These were well received at the Crafternoon Gathering.
Baking from scratch is not anywhere near as complicated as those boxed-mix manufacturers want you to think. It doesn’t take witchcraft, a diploma from Hogwarts, or lots of cash to DIY a delicious treat for friends and family. It might take a few tries to get things just right, but learning is part of the fun! What is a new dish you tried for a gathering that turned into a new favorite? On the other hand, what did you try that…ummm…was not exactly as expected? Share in the comments.
BONUS! Here are the projects we completed. We are some darn crafty witches, we are! I hope all of my DIYeters are as blessed as I am to have such beautiful people involved in your lives. ❤
