Cinnamon Honey Scones

Happy 2013!

I thought it would be fun to start out the new year by baking something from the Bouchon Bakery.  I know the cookbook came out way back in the fall of 2012, but it’s a pretty hefty book with so many recipes to choose from.  Actually, that’s not true.  I woke up one Sunday morning in December with the intention of filling the house with the aroma of cinnamon honey scones, but it didn’t work out.  

You see, when I saw the recipe in Thomas Keller’s new book, I knew they’d be perfect for a Sunday morning, but I didn’t actually read the recipe all the way through.  I should have known better with a recipe from Mr. Keller, because these scones required a little preparation the day before.  Whoops. 

Fast forward a few weeks later when I remembered to start the scones on Saturday.  Despite the list of steps and ingredients, these cinnamon honey scones are no more difficult than other scones to make.  The cinnamon honey cubes are the component prepared in advance, and they are worth it.  Honey, cinnamon, and butter are mixed with flour to make a paste, which is frozen and cut into cubes and scattered throughout the scone dough, where they melt into pockets and ribbons of flavor.

Pumpkin English Muffin Bread

Picture this.  It’s a lovely fall morning, perfect for staying indoors and baking.  Even better, for baking pumpkin bread that fills the house with the aromas of cinnamon and warm spices.  Everything was in place until there was a knock at the door.  Who was it?  It was that familiar girl Carmen karma, coming to pay another visit.
I opened my laptop to find Jessica’s recipe that looked like heaven, only to be stuck in hell with a crashed computer, for the second time in a month.  In the grand scheme of things, it isn’t a serious problem.  However, I would like to be able to settle on a laptop and move on.

Chili Verde Salads with Flatbread Biscuits

So, I have a confession to make.  Remember these biscuits?  These delicious, buttery biscuits that mix together like a breeze and are perfect with breakfast, lunch, or dinner?  While it’s true that they are my go-to biscuit recipe, and I can’t count how many times I’ve thrown them together at a moment’s notice, I may have shared them with this dinner recipe in mind.

If I were to choose a favorite meal, this would be it.  It all started when Ree posted this idea for a quick Mexican “flatbread” pizza that used rolled-out biscuit dough for the ‘flatbread.”  That made me think that my favorite biscuits would make a fantastic taco salad, and they did.  They totally reminded me of the Navajo tacos my mom makes and I love, but there was no frying involved.  But let’s be real, the butter is still there, it’s just on the inside.

Hamburger Rolls

Well, here it is Monday after another weekend has come and gone way too quickly. I can’t complain though, because it was a good weekend. We were able to enjoy some time out in the sunshine before secluding ourselves indoors for a Mad Men marathon in anticipation of the big season premiere. And we fired up the grill for burgers for the first time this season.

The first burgers of the season deserve their own homemade rolls, don’t you think?

These rolls are super simple to throw together a couple hours before burger time. You can dress them up to look fancy by sprinkling the tops with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or (my favorite) minced onions. But they are delicious left alone, too.

Focaccia Bread

I am far from being an expert bread baker, but I do love getting my hands a bit messy and working with yeast dough.  I like watching the bubbles form after combining yeast with warm water and a little sugar.  I like dumping the gooey ball of dough in a bowl and watching it transform into a soft pillow after rising.  Focaccia is a great starting place for working with bread dough.  You get the rewards of fresh-baked bread while skipping a lot of the intimidation factors that sometimes come with it.

One batch of this flat bread can be enjoyed several different ways.  You can tear off pieces for dipping in oil and vinegar.  As bread stick-sized slices, it’s perfect alongside a bowl of soup.  Sliced through the middle, it makes a great sandwich.