On the Horizon

Lately, I'm craving some serious springtime.

Maybe it's the new running gear I recently purchased in flashy shades of electric yellow and fresh papaya, 

but I can't help thinking it's high-time we move on from the season of ice and snow.

That's what I've been thinking anyway-

that is until I took the kids for a little drive and found myself pulling over 

next to this gorgeous view.

Reese dug out an old, abandoned disposable camera that somehow made its way into the back seat,

and together we 'clicked' until the light faded, 

sighing at the colors and showing off our shots like real professionals.

I guess I can take a little more winter-

if it promises to stay this beautiful!

Ruby Red Grapefruit Scones

Anyone who knows me well knows I frequently fall into an obsession with baking ingredients.

There was the cardamom craze of '07,

a whirlwind of pomegranate and italian plums in '09,

and I've only recently moved past a three-year candied-ginger-fix -

though I still have quite the soft spot for Margaret Fox's  Pumpkin Pancakes with Crystallized Ginger Butter.

Anyway, I mentioned a while back I'd purchased a new book by Nancy Silverton, and, 

as promised, I baked.  

I gotta tell you I feel the beginning of a new era:  Grapefruit.

I know it isn't anything new, but somehow every year I forget all about them and then have this mind-blowing Ah-ha! moment of rediscovery sometime in January, when the winter days a particularly long and 

summer feels light years away.

I've seen a few grapefruit scone recipes out there,

but decided to create my own based on Nancy's Ginger Scone recipe-

It's a wonderful base for your imagination to go wild, and the end result is tender, flaky, and not too sweet.

Without further ado...

Some pictures, 

a Sugar Snitch, 

and a stellar recipe.

Work the zest of a lemon and a ruby red grapefruit into the sugar-

rub it really well to get all the flavor and oils into the sugar!

 Peel and segment your grapefruits, taking care to remove the seeds--

and save all the juice that's sure to run out, we'll be using that!

 After combining the dry ingredients in your food processor, add the cubes of frozen butter and pulse until the mixture becomes the consistency of fine meal.

Pour the mix into a large bowl and create a well in the center.

Fill the well with the cream, the grapefruit juice, and your diced grapefruit segments.

Using your hand, work from the center out and draw the dry ingredients inward 

until everything just comes together. 

Wash and dry your hands, then dump the dough out onto a lightly-floured work surface.

Knead it a few times- no more than 10- and cut the mass into two pieces.  

Shape each into a ball, flatten into a disc, and using a chef knife,

cut each into six wedges.

Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, giving about 1" space between each wedge.

Brush with cream, and cover the tops with the remaining citrus sugar.

Oh, and watch out for Sugar Snitches!!

Pop those pans in the freezer for about ten minutes (this helps the scones spread less & keep their shape),

then into a 400 F oven for 12-16 minutes, 

until the tops are cracked and the scones are light brown.

Grapefruit Scones

adapted from Ginger Scones, Nancy Silvertons Pastries from La Brea Bakery

2 1/4 c. unbleached pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour

2/3 c granulated sugar

1 Tbs. baking powder

zest of 1 ruby red grapefruit

zest of 1 lemon

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1" cubes and frozen

2 grapfruits, peeled, segmented, and cut into small chunks

1/4 c. grapefruit juice

1/2 c. heavy cream, plus extra for brushing the tops of the scones

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400 F.

Zest the grapefruit and lemon and, using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar.  

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, 1/3 c. of the sugar, and baking powder, and pulse or mix on low to incorporate.  Add the butter, and pulse on and off or  mix on low until the mixture is pale yellow and the consistency of fine meal.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour in the cream, juice, and add the segmented grapefruit slices.  Using one hand, draw in the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.

Wash and dry your hands and dust them with flour.  turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead a few times to gather it into a ball.  Divide the dough in half and roll or pat each into a circle about 3/4" thick.  Cut each round into six wedges.

Place the scones 1" apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Brush the tops with cream, and sprinkle with the remaining citrus sugar.  

Freeze 10 minutes, then bake 12-16 minutes, until the surface cracks and they are slightly browned.

Today, we are dancers

Some days are so long we crave an escape.

One filled with Tchaikovsky and shoes with sparkles on the toes.

We turn our backs on the world to twirl til we're dizzy in a ruffled skirt.

Today, we are dancers.

Love Day

This year for V-day we started it all off with a build-your-own oatmeal breakfast with toppings like golden raisins, cinnamon, milk chocolate chips, strawberry puree, sprinkles, 

and brown sugar.

Upside-down bowls hid valentine treats for each of us,

and Ryan sweetly laid flowers across Reese's place as an extra surprise.

When she shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes and doing her best to wake up,

I told her the flowers were from her boyfriend.

"Marty's here?"  She exploded, her eyes wide and a huge grin on her face.  "Marty McFly?!!"

Didn't see that one coming.

Neither did Ryan, who confessed later he felt slightly gypped at not getting the credit he deserved 

for wow-ing both the women in his life on such a special day.

What did Mr. Powerful do for me?

Only found two out-of-print books by my favorite childhood author 

to wrap up and give to a girl whose heart instantly melted.

Man, I love that sentimental sweetheart!

Later that night, we enjoyed a delicious dinner of baguette, 

roasted asparagus, smoked salmon, and a traditional cheese tray.

A wonderful Love Day was had by all.

Little Valentine

This year was the first real year for exchanging valentines for Reese's.  

Her school PTA sponsored a Valentine Tea, which she absolutely loved.  

She got to dress up in her best dress 

and walk arm-in-arm with a dashing boy from her class to the party. 

When she got home she cracked open her bag of treats and, with the help of a younger ravenous brother,

devoured every piece of candy in about five minutes flat.

The favorite of the day?

Dippin Sticks. 

What's not to love about delivering that un-naturally-pink powdery sugar straight into your bloodstream?!

 

Thank goodness

Frequently, as a mom, I feel behind, exhausted, and on my last thin thread of patience.

But, thankfully, there are days when the clouds part,

the sun shines,

and my children are just way too cute to resist snatching up for a tight squeeze.

That's usually when I reach for my camera.

Thank goodness for days like today that help me forget days like yesterday-

when they ate an entire bag of Doritos and then wiped their cheesy fingers 

on my newly-sewn valentine pillow.

Thank goodness.

  

Cherry On Top

Taking our cue from Me & My Insanity, we put together an ice cream social 

for the kids in our primary last week and it was a huge hit!  

Their cute nametags corresponded to their teachers' favorite flavor of ice cream,

and each of the classes had a packet full of fun games and a rotation schedule

that kept them moving from classroom games like "Don't Eat Pete" & "Pin the Cherry on the Ice Cream Cone" to Get-Your-Wiggles-Out games in the gym with a turn at the "Ice Cream Parlor".

All with plenty of time to get to know each other and their new teachers for the year better!

I'm new to the Primary scene, but this way of doing it made for a kind of organized fun 

we rarely experience in the Primary world.  

It was awesome.