I’m not too afraid to admit I recently had scones for the first time a few months ago.  I’m not too sure what prevented me from having them before that day… Maybe I just didn’t think about them, and didn’t really know anything about them.  A co-worker brought some in, and they were yummy!  She left us the recipe (though I’m not sure of its original source), and it’s a very simple one and easy enough to make with kids.  Suffice it to say, my children aren’t even interested in trying one!  Silly kids!

Prep Time: 5 mins.
Cook Time: 18 mins.

Makes 6 – 8 scones

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 TSP baking powder
1/2 TSP salt
3/4 cup whipping cream
2 TSP finely shredded lemon peel
Whipping cream
Sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  In a large mixing bowl combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Make a big dent or well in the center of flour mixture.  Add 3/4 cup whipping cream and lemon peel.
2. Stir until mixture is crumbly.  Coat hands with a little flour.  Use your hands to gently knead the dough in the mixing bowl until it can be formed into a ball.   Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
3. Gently roll or pat the dough into a 7 1/2-inch circle.  Using a table knife, cut the dough like a pizza into 6 or 8 wedges to make scones.  Place scones about 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Lightly brush scones with additional cream; sprinkle with additional sugar.  Bake about 18 minutes, or until scones are golden brown on the tops and the bottoms.  Use a wide metal spatula to remove the scones from cookie sheet.  Serve warm.

VARIATIONS
Fruit Scones - Stir 3/4 cup raisins, snipped dried cherries, currants, or other chopped dried fruit into the flour mixture before adding the cream.

Poppy-Seed-Topped Scones - Prepare scones as directed except after brushing the wedges with the cream, sprinkle with 2 TSP poppy seed or sesame seed, instead of the sugar.

Streusel Scones - In a small mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup walnuts, 3 TBSP brown sugar, and 1/4 TSP ground cinnamon.  Using a pastry blender or two table forks, cut in 1 TBSP cold butter until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in nuts.  Sprinkle streusel mixture on top of uncut circle of dough.  Omit brushing dough with additional cream.  Use your fingers or your hands to gently press streusel mixture into dough.  Cut circle into wedges and continue as directed in recipe.

***SIDE NOTE***
I didn’t use fresh lemon peel, though it doesn’t call for it either.  I was able to purchase “granulated” lemon peel, which worked just fine.  I also bought orange peel, but I haven’t tried making it with that yet.  Also, these are great when warmed for about 15 seconds in the microwave with butter on them. I’m sure some sort of divinely yummy jam would be great on them too!

Picture courtesy of Food Network

Have you ever had a day or a moment where you just felt overly irritated, but didn’t have a real reason?  And you’re not PMSing, so that doesn’t count either!  Yesterday I just felt seriously irritated, and for some reason I blamed John.  Goodness knows the man didn’t do anything either… I just felt like it was his fault!  LOL!  I know, it sounds crazy and makes NO sense!

Today’s irritation was DEFINITELY caused by the kids!  How an 11 y.o. and 4 y.o. decide it’s time to fight over a PC is beyond me.  I’ve told my oldest to just drop it and move on… Be the bigger person… NOPE!  I’m in the car waiting on my MIL, and hear screaming that I realize ISN’T the radio!  I go flying in the house to find my little one in the kitchen throwing a fit because her sister is calling her a “baby” over the PC… Seriously?!  Seriously!  Ugh!

I continuously say I come to work for my weekly 40 hour vacation LOL!  It might not be peaceful and quiet, but it’s definitely not listening to kids fight all day!  Sheesh!

I really miss being a SAHM a lot.  I really do.  Especially now that I’ve met someone who is approximately the same age as I am, and our kids are all the same ages for the most part.

I miss making a nice yummy dinner that’s ready when my husband walks in the door.  I miss knowing my house was ALWAYS clean, and now just for a matter of a few hours on a Saturday.  Knowing I didn’t have laundry looming over me on the weekend before I had to start getting ready for work.

But, I do enjoy working at the same time.  Maybe that’s because of my job and the people I work with, or maybe because it’s a sense of feeling like an “adult” while I’m at work.  I dunno!  If you asked me if I could work my current position from home, would I be happier?  HELL YEAH!  I’d be over the moon with joy!

Not gonna happen, I know… Sucks, but it’s the reality of my job.  It’s the reality of being a working mother of two.  Not to mention being a wife.  Some days I feel I have no energy to make the PB&J sandwich for lunch… Or take a shower before bed.  Alas, it comes with the new territory I have.  Can I be a SAHM part-time at least and still make the same money and keep my benefits?!  That would be a second best option LOL!

As you can see, I’m getting in Holiday mode.  I’ve changed my theme YET again LOL!  Isn’t the snowman too cute though?!  Honestly, I really like this theme!  I should find something similar for daily use, yes?  I know, I know!  I’m too much when it comes to changes like this!

Anywho!  Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday!  It’s not even the food or anything… There’s just something about it that makes me feel good.  Maybe it’s because 6 years ago I almost died in a car accident a week before Thanksgiving.  Maybe it’s because I really do have a lot in life to be thankful for.  Regardless, it’s just my fave holiday!

At the same time, Christmas is becoming more exciting for me too.  As the kids grow up, and watching their faces while opening presents.  It’s a wonderful feeling to see that… It really is!  I’m definitely not looking forward to the day they learn the truth about Santa Claus.  I’m sure the excitement will still be there, but it might not be as bright of a glimmer.  Ya know?

Seriously though, I haven’t started a single bit of Christmas shopping!  Eek!  For shame!  I need to get my rear in gear!  John’s the hardest to shop for, as I’ve mentioned before.  Then again, with the kids constantly wanting this or that, it gets to be hard too.  I still need to come up with my own Christmas wishlist!  My birthday wishlist too, since it’s only 2.5 weeks after!