Fiber Fool

Before I get to the food, thank you to everyone for such wonderful comments on the knitting lately. Between all of your wonderful comments on the berets and the great introduction I was given at Saturday’s sock class I’m not sure my beautiful berets will fit my big head any longer!

I’m terribly behind on e-mailing and commenting and even to a certain extent reading blogs. Please know that I’m very appreciative of your comments and am reading the blogs in spits and spurts when I find myself needing a short break but am not taking the time to comment too often. I’m a bit overwhelmed with the fact that in two weeks I will have celebrated Christmas already with my family and I haven’t yet purchased a gift and there certainly is no time for making any (I actually leave 10 days from today). Add on top of it, I get back to CO exactly two weeks before Christmas. No one on DH’s side has come forward with Christmas plans and his parents keep asking us what the plans are. I have this awful feeling that we’re going to be assigned to host it this year since we haven’t done so in several. Then there is gift shopping for them, three of which are especially difficult to shop for. Then I have the darn Norwegian Boatneck which has given me nothing but problems and some other design commitments on the list that need working on and I have about 1000 more ideas floating through my head keeping me awake at night. *sigh*

Okay, onto better things! You were all so excited to have the pumpkin muffin recipe (has anyone made them yet? what did you think?) that I decided to share another pumpkin recipe. Just ask DH — I’m about anything pumpkin and just *love* this time of year because of the pumpkin bagels, pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin donuts and anything else that comes in pumpkin and is only available now.

Pumpkin Scones

• 1 C All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 t Salt
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 t Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 t Ground Ginger
• Dash Freshingly Grated Nutmeg
• 1 t Sugar
• 1 C Pumpkin Puree
• 2 T Melted Butter
• 1-2 T Cream (or Milk Can Be Subbed)

Directions: Place all the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk together brisking to sift and mix evenly. In a small bowl combine the pumpkin and melted butter until well mixed. Add the pumpkin to the dry ingredients and mix gently, adding the cream as needed. Mix only until the dough holds together, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead slightly just until a smooth ball is formed. Split dough into two balls and flatten/roll each to about 1/2-in thickness and cut each into 6 wedges. Place on a pizza stone in a 375 degree F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until just lightly golden and slightly split. Makes a dozen.

The outside has a hint of crispiness with a tender, yet structured crumb that stays moist on the interior. These are not the hockey pucks that can be too often found at coffeeshops! I like to serve them warm with a composite butter of honey and cinnamon (see below). You could also give them an egg wash before baking and sprinkle with pearl sugar or large sugar crystals, or give a light icing to them once they have started to cool off.

Honey Cinnamon Composite Butter

• 1 Stick Butter, softened
• 1/4 C Honey
• 1/2 t Ground Cinnamon

Directions: Beat ingredients together until light and fluffy and mixed thoroughly. Keep refrigerated when not being served.