Creativity Monday - Week #8

 Today, as I'm sure you're aware, is President's Day. Which means the whole family is home. Which means I'm compelled to take advantage of our lazy-don't-have-to-be-anywhere-morning... and make a yummy breakfast.

I had blackberries in the fridge... I've been buying them from Costco lots lately to eat in the morning with my Greek yogurt... but this batch was starting to get a little soft, so I decided to try them out in one of my favorite recipes: scones.

I've used this scone recipe for years. It's my go-to guest breakfast... I've thrown everything in them: chocolate chips, walnuts, dried cranberries, even cinnamon chips... and I vary the toppings, from simple glazes to sprinklings of coarse sugar, white chocolate drizzles to homemade apple butter.

But I've never made them with blackberries.

So today I did. And I topped them with a simple Lemon Vanilla glaze.

Making blackberry scones is a messy proposition, I learned. Kneading dough full of berries results in a juicy, gooey mess. But it's worth it... because these babies are delish.

Here's my standard recipe... truly - you can add just about anything to this recipe and always have moist, flaky, delicious scones. Enjoy!

Cathy's Scones

2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
6 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg
About 1/2 c. milk
1/2 to 3/4 c. desired add-ins (mini chocolate chips, dried cranberries, cinnamon chips, berries, nuts... yum!)

Combine the flour, powdered sugar and baking powder. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. Put egg into a liquid measuring cup and add enough milk to reach 2/3 c. measurement. Add to other ingredients and stir just until moisture is absorbed. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough holds it's shape, about 4 or 5 times. Shape into a circle about 8 inches across and 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. (I sprinkle dry toppings like cinnamon sugar or coarse sugar on before I bake...)

These are truly REALLY good scones. You know Starbuck's scones that are so dry you can barely choke them down? These are NOT those. These are moist, delicious, fluffy, wonderful scones. If you think you don't like scones, you should try these... they'll change your mind.

My favorite combinations?

• Walnuts with maple glaze
• Dried cranberries and white chocolate chips
• Cinnamon chips topped with fresh homemade apple butter
• Mini chocolate chips with coarse sugar topping

For my Weight Watchers peeps, I put the blackberry recipe into the recipe builder and came out with 7 Points Plus apiece. (Well worth it, my friends. These are GOOD!)