Makes 12 Muffins

For the Muffins:

2/3 cup sugar
Grated zest 2 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

For the Icing:

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan with paper muffin cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. Cool the muffins completely on the rack before icing them.

To make the icing:

Put the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice.  Stir with a spoon to moisten the sugar, then add enough lemon juice, a dribble at a time, to get an icing that is thin enough to drizzle from the tip of the spoon. Then drizzle lines of icing over the tops of the muffins or coat the tops entirely.

It is important to work the dough as little as possible - work quickly and knead and fold the dough only the number of times called for. The butter should be frozen solid before grating. In hot or humid environments, chill the flour mixture and workbowls before use. While the recipe calls for 2 whole sticks of butter, only 10 tablespoons are actually used (see step 1). Fresh or frozen berries can be used (if frozen - do not defrost). Refrigerate or freeze leftover scones, wrapped in foil, in an airtight container. To serve, remove foil and place scones on a baking sheet in a 375-degree oven. Heat until warmed through and recrisped, 8 to 10 minutes if refrigerated, 16 to 20 minutes if frozen. See final step for information on making the scone dough in advance.

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), frozen whole (see note above)
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (I used frozen)
1/2 cup whole milk 
1/2 cup sour cream 
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for work surface
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1/2 teaspoon table salt 
zest of one lemon 
1/4 cup of white chocolate chips
vanilla sugar to sprinkle on top

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Score and remove half of wrapper from each stick of frozen butter. Following photo at left, grate unwrapped ends on large holes of box grater (you should grate total of 8 tablespoons). Place grated butter in freezer until needed. Melt 2 tablespoons of remaining ungrated butter and set aside. Save remaining 6 tablespoons butter for another use. Place raspberries in freezer until needed.

2. Whisk together milk and sour cream in medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Whisk flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest in medium bowl. Add frozen butter to flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.

3. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; fold with spatula until just combined. With rubber spatula, transfer dough to liberally floured work surface. Dust surface of dough with flour; with floured hands, knead dough 6 to 8 times, until it just holds together in ragged ball, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.

4. Roll dough into approximate 12-inch square. Fold dough into thirds like a business letter, using bench scraper or metal spatula to release dough if it sticks to countertop. Lift short ends of dough and fold into thirds again to form approximate 4-inch square. Transfer dough to plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in freezer 5 minutes.

5. Transfer dough to floured work surface and roll into approximate 12-inch square again. Sprinkle raspberries and white chocolate chips evenly over surface of dough, then press down so they are slightly embedded in dough. Using bench scraper or thin metal spatula, loosen dough from work surface. Roll dough, pressing to form tight log. Lay seam-side down and press log into 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using sharp, floured knife, cut rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Bake until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

To Make Ahead:
After placing the scones on the baking sheet, either refrigerate them overnight or freeze. When ready to bake, for refrigerated scones, heat oven to 425 degrees and follow directions in step 6. For frozen scones, heat oven to 375 degrees, follow directions in step 6, and extend cooking time to 25 to 30 minutes.

zest of 4 small meyer lemons
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons additional if using fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries, chopped coarse
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup heavy cream

egg wash (1 egg and bit of water)
vanilla turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top

Preheat oven to 400°F. and line a large baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper.

In a small bowl toss together fresh cranberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.

With a microplane remove the zest from lemons, reserving lemons for another use.

In a food processor pulse flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and zest until mixture resembles coarse meal and transfer to a large bowl. stir in the cranberries

In another small bowl lightly beat egg and yolk and stir in cream. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

On a well-floured surface with floured hands pat dough into a 1-inch-thick round (about 8 inches in diameter) and with a 2-inch round cutter or rim of a glass dipped in flour cut out as many rounds as possible, rerolling scraps as necessary.

Arrange rounds about 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool on rack.

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
2 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Unsalted butter
2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving
Pure maple syrup

Sift togetherthe flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisktogether the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add thewet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-low heatuntil it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan to make 3 or 4pancakes. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake.



Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the undersideis nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minuteuntil browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used.





Serve with sliced bananas, butter and maple syrup.

heat in sauce pan until syrup like consistency

6 extra-large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half or milk
2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoon good honey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large loaf challah, brioche or texas toast

Unsalted butter

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, orange zest, vanilla, honey, and salt. Slice the challah in 3/4-inch thick slices. Soak as many slices in the egg mixture as possible for 5 minutes, turning once.

Heat 2 tablespoon butter in a very large saute pan or cast iron griddle over medium heat. Add the soaked bread and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned.

Place the cooked French toast on a sheet pan and keep it warm in the oven.

Fry the remaining soaked bread slices, adding butter as needed, until it's all cooked.

Serve hot with maple syrup, raspberry syrup, and/or confectioners' sugar.

muffins:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 bosc pears (2 cups), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup plain granola

granola crisp topping:
1/2 cup granola
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

preheat oven to 400 degrees.

in large bowl combine the dry ingredients.

in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, vanilla, and
butter.

make a well in the center of flour mixture.

add egg mixture to well, and mix in flour mixture until just combined.

gently fold in the granola and pears.

make granola crisp topping: in a bowl, toss together 1/2 cup granola, 1/4 cup each all-purpose flour and packed light-brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. cut 3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter into pieces; add to granola mixture, and rub in with fingertips until clumps form.

divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full. sprinkle with granola topping. bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. cool 5 minutes before
removing from tin.

2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

egg wash (1 egg & 1 tbs water)
vanilla sugar for sprinkling on top

preheat oven to 400
line baking sheet with silpat or parchment

in food processor combine flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a few pulses.
add butter and pulse until coarse sand texture.
in small bowl combine buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla.
add buttermilk mix through feed tube while pulsing. do not over mix.

transfer dough to floured surface and pat out to about 1 inch thick.
with square cutter cut out scones then divide the square in half to be a triangle.
place scones on baking sheet and brush with egg wash. sprinkle vanilla sugar on tops.

bake 20 minutes or until golden. cool on rack.

filling
1/4 c sugar
1 tbs cinnamon
2 tbs melted unsalted butter

combine yeast, sugar and warm milk in mixer. mix up a little and let proof for a few minutes. (you should see bubbles, that means the yeast is working)
mix in eggs one at a time and then salt.
with dough hook, mix in flour.
blend in butter one tbs at a time.
knead with dough hook for about 7 minutes.

take dough and put it in a well greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. let rise for about an hour.



punch down dough and on floured surface, roll it into a 18 inch rectangle. brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.



roll up the rectangle and cut into 1 inch wide rolls.

butter 9 x 13 inch baking dish

in saucepan, combine...
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
cook until sugar is dissolved.

take off heat and add 1 tsp vanilla. spread the in the bottom of the baking dish and place the roll on top.
let rise 50 minutes

bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

top with cream cheese frosting

vanilla cream cheese frosting
4 oz room temp cream cheese
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 vanilla bean - seeds scraped out

combine with mixer until smooth. spread over the top of warm rolls.

bring water and oatmeal to boil. reduce to med. cook for 20 minutes.
add grits, half and half, syrup, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
cook another 5 minutes.

serve with brown sugar on top...alex likes to add more half and half to his.

cake
6 tbs. unsalted butter, 3/4 stick ( room temp)
3/4 c. sugar
2 large eggs room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon zest
2/3 c. sour cream
1 1/4 c. ap flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. raspberries
confectioners sugar for sprinkling
vanilla sugar for sprinkling

preheat oven to 350
butter and flour 9" cake pan

streusel
combine sugars, and spices. pour in melted butter. mix to combine. add flour, mix again.
set aside

cake
cream butter and sugar. add eggs one at a time. then add vanilla, lemon zest and sour cream.

sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. slowly combine with wet mix.

fold in raspberries. pour into prepared pan. smooth out top with spatula. crumble streusel on top of cake.

bake 40- 50 minutes. (be so careful not to overbake...i should have taken mine out when there were a few crumbs of cake on the toothpick.)

cool completely.

these buttermilk pancakes are a staple for weekend mornings in our house. the recipe is even better if you make them on a well seasoned cast iron griddle.

my favorite buttermilk pancakes

1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tbs sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tbs. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

heat cast iron griddle (medium high heat). whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
add eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla. whisk to combine. don't over mix.



i use a 1/4 measuring cup to ladle the batter onto the griddle.
keep pancakes that are done warm in a 170 degree oven.
serve warm with your favorite syrup.

buttermilk raspberry muffins
adapted from JoyofBaking.com

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
zest of 1 orange (medium size)
1 large egg lightly beaten
3/4 c. buttermilk
2/3 c. canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. frozen raspberries
2" vanilla bean scraped
1/4 tsp cinnamon (vietnamese)
pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

preheat oven to 375
grease muffin tin (12) and place paper muffin liners

in medium bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk,oil, vanilla, and vanilla bean with fork....set aside

in large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and orange zest.
gently fold in the berries.

gently pour the wet onto the dry and fold to combine. do not over mix.

fill each muffin cup to the top. place in the center of the oven.

bake about 25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.

they were really good. next time i think i will mash up the raspberries with a potato masher and swirl them into the batter. the big raspberries in such a small muffin were a bit overwhelming. alex and i couldn't decide if more cinnamon was needed. i think i will keep the cinnamon addition the same. the rest of my additions were good.

porridge
3 c. water
1 c. steel cut oats
4 tbs quick cooking grits
3/4 c. half and half
3 tbs. maple syrup
2 tbs light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/2 c. dried cranberries or cherries
cooked wheatberries

bring water and oatmeal to boil. reduce to med. cook for 20 minutes.
add wheatberries and cook another 5 minutes
add grits, half and half, syrup, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
cook another 5 minutes
add cranberries and serve.

**i usually top with sugared almonds. to make...

sugared almonds
1 cup sliced almonds
2 tbs. sugar

heat almonds and sugar in skillet over medium heat. cook until light brown. stir often. cool before serving.