Lemon-Almond Scones

Oh my, y'all. It's March. I've moved into a new apartment. I'm still rearranging furniture. I made these scones like 3 weeks ago. It's felt like madness for about a month, but it's all starting to return to...let's call it normal.

I think we can all agree that it's time for bright flavors and sunny mornings. Even though it's still just getting into the 50s here, the days are longer and the sun makes everything seem happier.

Even training for the Bridge Run is a happier experience. I love running around the Shandon neighborhood, and I'm pretty sure I never ever thought love and running would be in the same sentence. Unless it was "I love eating a chocolate chip cookie after running". But not right after because all I can handle are bananas and water after running. It's a thing, I just go with it.

I don't use almonds nearly enough in baking. Probably because I don't like almond extract, so I just avoid the nut altogether. Lame. But like running, an aversion can turn to adoration. These scones have almonds and lemon, which makes them wonderful. 

You'll need: Flour, vanilla extract, butter, almond milk (or regular), baking powder, slivered almonds, sugar, lemon zest, and salt.

I learned this tip from Joy the Baker. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the lemony oils. It'll make everything start to smell like heaven.

Combine the sugared zest, almonds, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a fork to distribute everything.

Cut the butter into small cubes and use a pastry blender or pair of knives to blend it into the flour until you have pea-sized pieces.

These are a little large, but I was using my fingers and didn't want to warm the butter too much.

Stir together the almond milk and vanilla extract.

Pour it over the flour mixture and stir with that fork you used earlier. It should come together in a rather shaggy dough. Turn that out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and you're in business.

Knead the dough a couple of times and pat into a round that's about an inch in thickness. You know you're doing right by the world when you can see pieces of butter in the dough.

Cut into six triangles. You can try to make them evenly-sized, but if you're anything like me you'll have a couple of oddly-sized pastries. That's life, and they're no less delicious. Bake until lightly golden brown.

I don't always glaze scones, but when I do I like to top them with toasted nuts. 

You'll need: vanilla extract, lemon juice, powdered sugar, and more slivered almonds.

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven a few minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Stir together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Fact: This process is much smoother if you sift the powdered sugar first and use a whisk. Real life: I used a fork and wore a little bit of it in my hair. Don't forget the vanilla!

Pour pretty glaze over equally pretty (cooled) scones. I made far too much glaze and used it all. I had lots of puddles that I swiped up with my finger. It's a win-win.

Top with the toasted almonds and let the glaze set. Or not. It's up to you and your willpower.

My willpower took a vacation when it saw flaky layers and tasted tart, sugary glaze.

Lemon-Almond Scones (makes 6 medium scones)

Scones:

1 tbs granulated sugar

1 tbs lemon zest

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 c slivered almonds

6 tbs unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

1/2 c almond milk

1/2 tbs vanilla extract

Glaze:

2-3 tbs slivered almonds

1/2 c powdered sugar

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• For the scones, begin by rubbing the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers. Add it to the flour along with baking powder, salt, and almonds. Stir with a fork to distribute evenly. Add butter to the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender until you have pieces the size of peas.
• Stir together almond milk and vanilla extract and pour over dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until it just holds together. Turn out onto the prepared baking sheet and knead dough a couple of times to bring it together. Pat dough into a round about an inch thick.
• Chill dough 10 minutes in the refrigerator. While dough chills, heat oven to 400º. Cut the chilled dough into 6 triangles and bake 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
• When scones are cool, prepare glaze. Spread almonds on a baking sheet and toast in a 350º oven until fragrant and golden brown, 5-7 minutes. 
• Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over cooled scones and top with toasted almonds. Let set and enjoy with coffee or tea.

Barbecue Shrimp

One of my absolute favorite dinners is this barbecue shrimp. It's perfect for eating outside on a screen porch with plenty of paper towels and cold adult beverages. In fact, this was the first meal my brother-in-law ate with my family. Which in retrospect was a little...mean. It's hard to be charming and graceful sucking juice out of a shrimp shell. That's kind of mandatory too. You can't just peel the shells and eat the shrimp. First, you suck the juice out of the shell, then you peel it, then you dip it back in the sauce and eat. The leftover sauce on the plate gets sopped up with buttery french bread.

Lemon-Thyme Shortbread Cookies

Let's talk Downton Abbey for a minute.  Trust me, it's relevant to these cookies.  I am obsessed in a major way.  See, I love a good period drama.  And this isn't just drama, though there's plenty of it!  The great Maggie Smith makes me laugh with just about every scene she's in with her snark and utter snobbery.  And the fashion, oh me, oh my.  Sequins and beading and hats with the occasional fur piece.  I'd like to take this moment to clarify that I myself do not buy fur, but if I stumbled across a vintage piece I'd be all over that business.  Season 1 is on Netflix, and Season 2 is still on PBS for a few more days.  I don't want to give away details, but I think the way they've fleshed out certain characters (O'Brien in particular) was smart.  I haven't finished the second season yet, but I watched two episodes last night when I only meant to watch one.  It's absolutely captivating.

I think these cookies are the perfect accompaniment to a cuppa and a show about the lives of British aristocracy and their servants.  They straddle the line between sweet and savory with the addition of thyme and are perfect for a sunny (or cloudy) afternoon.

Blood Orange & Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Do you know what the bottom of a box of cornflakes tastes like?  Salt.  Therefore, when you get to the bottom of a box of cornflakes, you should make muffins.  Similarly, when you don't have enough milk for a bowl of cereal but you do have an excess of buttermilk (Why?), you should make muffins.  You might miss Zumba (oops!).  The dog might act crazy (Admit it, he's always been kind of an oddball).  But muffins made with zingy winter citrus fruits will make your weekend.

The base of the muffin is the same but with two different glazes, Meyer lemon and blood orange.  I'm in love with the pretty pink color the juice from the blood orange makes.  Of course, you could do all in lemon or orange, and you can totes use regular oranges or lemons if you feel so inclined.  I just happen to love blood oranges.  Now that I've found them I don't want to let them go.  I think these would be absolutely lovely for a Valentine's breakfast for your sweetie (Who I presume you also don't want to let go)!

Easiest Damn Lemon Meringue Pie

Pardon my French, y'all.  But it really is the easiest doggone lemon meringue pie.

Last night we had Sybil (my grandmother), my Aunt Mandy, and cousin James over for dinner.  We had shrimp creole, cole slaw, peas, and crusty buttered bread.

Lawd, it was good.  Dessert was the easiest damn lemon meringue pie.

One of the reasons it was easy was I didn't make the crust.  It was the Keebler graham cracker crust, and it did the trick.

First things first, you'll need:

• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• graham cracker crust

Preheat your oven to 325º.  Then, go ahead and separate the eggs.  The yolk will be in the filling, and the whites are the base of the meringue.

Yokels.

Egg whites.  Pronounced "h-whites."

Beat the yolks together until they've combined themselves into one massive yolk.

A powerful force.

Then, stir in the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

I used a combination of fresh and bottled lemon juice.  It's always nice to have a little fresh flava in there.  I'll also use any excuse to use my lemon juicer.

The mixture will thicken up once you give it a few good stirs.  Pour it in the pie shell and bake for 30 minutes.

While the pie is baking, let's get started on the meringue.  In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar on medium speed.  This is the perfect job for a stand mixer, but a hand mixer works just as well.  And, well, you can beat them by hand, but we do live in the 21st century, no?

Yeah, it looks a little...suspicious. No worries, with a little time it'll look spectacular.

Okay, so I took a little liberty with the definition of "soft peak." I was in a bit of a time crunch.  Ideally, I would've waited for it to be a little less foamy and the peak a little less floppy.

By the way, the peak is the little crest that forms when you pull the mixer attachment or beater out of the egg white mixture.

At this point, start adding the sugar gradually.  You don't want to dump it in all at once because meringue is a glorious, airy substance, and dumping would defeat the purpose.

Beat the meringue until you get stiff peaks.

THAT is a stiff peak.  Yes, caps and italics.  Oooooo Lawd, look how angelic that is!

Take the pie out of the oven and increase the temperature to 350º.  Spread the meringue on the hot pie, making sure not to deflate the good stuff.  Spread it all the way to the edge to seal the pie, and pop it in the oven for another 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Resist the urge to stick your face into the pie.  If you're serving it to other people that is.  What you do on your own time is your business.

Cool it on a wire rack for an hour and then in the fridge for 3 hours.

Try not to eat the screen.  Sorry, talking to myself again.

Delicious food, good company, and hilarious conversation should always be capped off with a good dessert.  This pie was tart in the way that only lemon can provide sometimes, and it complemented the sweet crust and fluffy meringue.

Easiest Damn Lemon Meringue Pie (serves 8)
courtesy of the Keebler Elves

Ingredients
3 eggs, separated
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
Keebler graham cracker crust
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup sugar

• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until combined.  Stir in the condensed milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
• Spread lemon mixture in the crust.  Bake at 325º for 30 minutes.
• While the pie bakes, beat egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar in a large bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add the sugar while beating on high.  Beat until stiff peaks form.
• Increase oven temperature to 350º.  Spread meringue over hot pie to the edge of the crust to seal it.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. 
• Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.