We love Raspberries

Last summer I froze 15 lbs. of Raspberries so today I decided to pull out 3 lbs. and do a little baking. Well 2 lbs. were used for baking and the other pound was ate as I baked. I love raspberries!

Here are some great recipes for Raspberry Scones and Buttermilk Raspberry Muffins. Of course you can substitute any type of berry that you would like and I think that peaches would even be wonderful.

As the scones were baking I prepared the muffins so they could go into the oven right afterwards. I believe it took me just over an hour to prepare, bake, and clean up. If it only took you an hour to have quick breakfast or snack items that could last you as long as a week I think that is a pretty good trade off.

I placed about 1/2 of the muffins and scones in the fridge to eat this week and I used my foodsaver to seal up the rest so that I could freeze them. If I hadn't ate 1 lb of raspberries I could have doubled a recipe and had more to freeze....maybe next time.

Fresh Raspberry Scones

Ingredients:

1 cup raspberries - cleaned

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup cream (you can use light or heavy)

2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup white sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp lemon zest
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter cut into cubes

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lone a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Placed raspberries on a paper towel in a strainer to absorb liquid.

3. Combine the cream with the vanilla extract in a small bowl and set aside.

4. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest together in a mixing bowl. Drop the cubed butter into the dry mixer. Use a pastry blender to cut in butter until mixture resembles course, pea-sized crumbs (If you don't have a pastry blender this can also be accomplished by using a butter knife in each hand and slicing through the mixture, it does take a little longer). Stir in the berries, and gently toss the ingredients.

5. Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture; pour cream mixture into the hole. Quickly stir dough together until just blended. Allow dough to rest 2 minutes.

6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; and knead until smooth and satiny, 4 to 5 minutes. You will continue to add flour as you knead because you will notice that the dough is rather sticky until you get a good consistency.

7. Pat dough into an 8 inch flat round. Use a serrated knife to cut the round into 8 wedge-shaped pieces.

8. Place the wedges on the baking sheet with at least a 1/2 inch space between each.

9. Bake in preheated oven until tops are light brown and crusty. 16 to 18 minutes.

10. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool 20 minutes before serving.

Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

6 tbsp cold butter cut into cubes

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup of berries

1. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender until is resembles course, pea-sized crumbs.

2. Add egg and buttermilk; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.

3. Fold in berries.

4. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned.