This Butternut Squash Bake with Cranberries is full of bright colors and harvest flavor! A crunchy topping of oats, pecans, and dried cranberries is sure to delight your family!
Looking for a special side dish to go with a holiday meal? This baked butternut squash with cranberries and pecans is full of delicious flavors that complement each other perfectly! The vibrant colors will liven up any meal with deep orange and crimson.
This sweet, creamy side dish goes well with roasted chicken or turkey. Cooking the squash ahead of time lets you whip up this dish in just 20 minutes! Now that’s a side dish even I can manage!
As winter settles in, I have been craving squashes and warm winter comfort foods. Soup is my go-to for nutritious, comforting winter fare. However, there are only so many soups I’m allowed to make in a week, so I had to get creative and find other uses for my beloved squashes.
This recipe was adapted from one my mother has made for years. Her butternut squash bake has been a part of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for as long as I can remember.
The original recipe is wonderful as it is, but I was hoping for something a little different. The results were even better than I expected! This pretty side dish has already become a part of our family traditions!
Method
Cook your squash
I like to cook squashes ahead of time, in the oven, while I’m baking something else. That way, I’m not heating the oven just for squash, and the cooked squash has plenty of time to cool before I need it. No more burnt fingers while trying to peel the skins off of steaming squash!
You can store cooked squash in the refrigerator for a few days before using it.
To prepare your squash for cooking, cut in half lengthwise with a large, sharp knife. If your squash is very large, you may wish to cut it widthwise first, so the pieces will be smaller and fit in a pan better.
Scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon and discard. Place the squash pieces cut side down in a baking pan with sides. Butternut squashes do not have as much water in them as pumpkins, but I’m still wary of spilling any hot juices.
Place the pan on a low rack in a hot oven, and cook until the squash is very tender. This will take between one and three hours, depending on the size of the squash and the oven temperature.
Oven temperatures between 300-375 degrees F will work for cooking squash. Be careful with higher temperatures, as the squash can burn before it cooks through. If I am using my oven specifically for cooking squash, I heat it to 350 degrees F so it won’t take all day!
When the squash is cooked, cool it in the pan. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. You may mash or puree the cooked squash to obtain an even texture.
Prepare the squash bake
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 13×9″ baking dish or 1.5 quart casserole dish.
Put the cooked butternut squash in a large mixing bowl. If you have not mashed it yet, do so now.
Note: if the squash has been refrigerated, I recommend warming it in the microwave or on the stove before you add the other ingredients. This step isn’t absolutely necessary, but it will help everything mix together evenly.
Add the butter and mix well. If the squash is warm enough, the butter will melt right in. If your squash is cold, you will want to use softened butter so it will mix in better.
Add the sugar, eggs, light cream, and vanilla. Mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl.
Pour the squash mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
Prepare the topping
In a small bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, allspice, and chopped pecans. Stir in the dried cranberries.
Remove the squash bake from the oven after 30 minutes of baking. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the surface.
Letting the squash mixture bake partially allows the top to firm up enough that the topping won’t sink into the filling. You want it to sit nicely on top!
Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake for another 25-30 minutes, until the filling is set and the topping is lightly browned.
Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
Shop your own pantry to find the common ingredients for these comforting, simple meals!
As we roll into the cooler months, winter is just around the corner. Gardens are just about finished yielding their crops, and farmers markets will soon be closing for the season (here, at least!). This is the time of year I turn to my pantry for meal ideas and provisions. Whether the food it’s stocked with was preserved at home or procured from the store, I can rely on pantry staples to make a variety of simple, hearty, homemade meals that my family enjoys!
Meal planning is great, but there are times when I haven’t planned ahead (and still need to feed my family!). Those days, it’s such a relief to pull out one of these tried-and-true recipes, and shop my pantry for most of the ingredients. Most of them include meats, eggs, milk, or other fresh ingredients I do not keep in my pantry; but for the most part, the ingredients for these meals can be purchased in bulk and stored for months. These are common ingredients that I keep in my kitchen at all times, and the meals are simple to prepare.
One meal that I can make without wondering whether or not I have the right ingredients is baked beans. Except for the bacon (or salt pork), everything else comes straight from my pantry! Now, if you do happen to have some eggs, milk, and butter, corn bread makes a perfect accompaniment to this hearty meal. You can find my full recipe for Dutch Oven Baked Beans right here!
Taco Salad
People may joke about beans and rice being poor man’s food, but it sure comes in handy when you haven’t been to the grocery store for a while.
I make a meatless version, but you’re welcome to add ground beef, turkey, or moose if you like.
Camille’s recipe is excellent, but you’ll notice it calls for some fresh ingredients like cilantro, limes, and avocados. This meal is just fine without those toppings. (You can add bottled lime juice and dried cilantro if you like.) Substituting canned diced tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes is also just fine; I do it all the time.
I do like to serve taco salad with lots of fresh lettuce, but you can omit that too in a pinch. The one fresh ingredient you absolutely need for taco salad is cheese! Other than that, shop your pantry and enjoy a hearty meal!
Baked Spaghetti
Call it spaghetti pie, baked ziti, pizza pasta, or whatever you like; this meal is a favorite with all of my boys!
Dried pasta, canned pasta sauce (or make your own with canned tomatoes & tomato sauce), dried herbs, meat, mozzarella cheese, and you’re all set! Bell peppers and mushrooms are nice, but not absolutely necessary.
You can use different meats: ground beef, ground pork, and Italian sausage are all great; but nothing beats the convenience of pepperoni! If you have a package in your pantry, you’ll be ready in a jiffy!
I usually use whatever ingredients I have on hand, but if you want a “fancy” version, try this baked ziti recipe from Happily Unprocessed. It will surely satisfy the cheese lovers among you!
Bean & Bacon Soup
If you keep dried beans or canned beans in your pantry, you know that they are wonderful for soups! This one is so warm and comforting on chilly evenings.
The only non-pantry ingredients you’ll need are bacon, carrots, and celery. (And onions, if you don’t keep those in your pantry…) You can use either canned or dried beans in this recipe.
It comes together pretty quickly once the beans are cooked, so it’s great for busy weeknights when you suddenly realize suppertime is only an hour away! You can find the recipe here.
Shepherd’s Pie
This old-fashioned meal of meat and vegetables with mashed potatoes on top is a comforting dish all winter long. Here’s the quickie version:
Brown a pound of ground meat with a chopped onion.
Add canned or frozen peas and carrots.
Moisten with vegetable or beef stock. It doesn’t need to be soupy, but you don’t want it to dry out.
Season with salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.
Place the mixture in a casserole dish and top with mashed potatoes (seasoned with a little salt and pepper).
Sprinkle a pinch of paprika on top.
Pop in a 350-degree oven for 20-30 minutes to heat through and brown the topping a bit.
I like to divide the meat mixture between two pie plates. Once the dish is prepared, I cook one and freeze the other for later.
How many potatoes do you need? Well, how many do you have? I like a nice thick potato layer, but if you only have two or three potatoes on hand, you can use a pastry bag and pipe potato puffs around the edges of the pan or in a decorative design.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Here’s a classic, home style meal that everyone will love. You can find good chicken soup recipes in many cookbooks, and there’s a recipe for every skill level.
I like to start with the leftovers from a roasted chicken. I simmer the bones with odds and ends of carrots, onions, and celery (which I keep in a bag in my freezer) for a few hours to make stock.
When it’s time to make supper, chop up an onion, two carrots, and two stalks of celery.
Saute the vegetables in bacon fat or butter until tender.
Chop up the cooked chicken (or shred, if you prefer) and add it to the pot along with 6-8 cups of chicken stock.
Season with salt, pepper, and herbs if you didn’t season the stock. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.
Add dry noodles during the last ten minutes of cooking.
Beef Stew
This is another ubiquitous meal, and everyone seems to have his own favorite version. I make a few different recipes throughout the fall and winter seasons, to vary the vegetables and broth base. It keeps things interesting!
Here’s a classic recipe I based on my mother’s moose stew:
Brown 3/4 pound of cubed stew meat slowly in bacon fat, turning to brown each side.
Add 2 cups of water or cider, a bay leaf, a pinch of thyme, a couple dashes of lemon juice and worcestershire sauce, and simmer for two hours.
Stir in chopped peeled potatoes and carrots, and a quart of beef or vegetable stock. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Add a cup of frozen peas and cook 5 minutes longer.
Mix 2 tablespoons flour with 2 tablespoons water, and stir into stew to thicken.
Mincemeat Pie
Okay, this isn’t exactly a supper recipe, but I just couldn’t leave it out! I absolutely love homemade mincemeat, and it’s so handy to have around! I particularly like mincemeat pies for breakfast, as they are full of protein and not overly sweet.
All you have to do is roll out some pastry and line a pie plate, then fill with canned mincemeat, top with another layer of pastry, and bake. It’s that simple!
Mincemeat is rich and highly spiced, so I particularly like to make mini mincemeat pies in a muffin tin. That way, portion sizes are small, and there’s less opportunity for the filling to fall out of your pie!
You can top the filling with a regular pastry crust before baking, or just decorate the tops of the pies with shapes cut from pastry. I have not had problems with the filling overflowing out of the muffin tin, as long as I don’t fill them to the brim!
By the way, my favorite mincemeat recipe is from the cookbook, A Continual Feast, by Evelyn Birge Vitz! (This is an affiliate link. You may read my full disclosure here.)
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That’s my rundown of go-to meals during winter months when we don’t have a lot of fresh produce. (Anybody else have trouble getting lettuce home from the grocery store before it freezes?)
I hope you find some new recipes to try among our favorites! If you’re interested in reading more about stocking a pantry, I have an article on just that!
Turn your leftovers into something tasty! Here are 16 fresh ideas to get you started.
“Leftovers… again?” Are you sick of whiny voices dissenting from your dinner decisions? Don’t get me wrong: I like leftovers, most of the time. I think of them as “free” dinners or lunches in my weekly meal plan!
But nobody wants to eat the same thing for a week straight. Transforming your leftovers into a different dish can be quite simple, and it can really liven up your leftover chicken and rice, or whatever you happen to have around. Here are 15 creative ideas to get you started!
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you click the link and make a qualified purchase, I may receive a small compensation. Read my full disclosure here.
Salads
Mix leftover cooked fish, poultry, or ham with mayonnaise (or plain yogurt), chopped vegetables, and seasonings, and you have a delicious salad to serve over greens or on a bun.
Add leftover pasta, and you have pasta salad.
Leftover ground beef plus taco seasoning, cheese, tomatoes or salsa, lettuce, and tortilla chips becomes taco salad.
You can make a different kind of salad with cooked quinoa or rice, vegetables, and meat if desired.
Leftover grilled meat or fish-hot or cold-served atop a bed of fresh greens makes a filling lunch or dinner. Add some fruit and cheese or marinated veggies and a vinaigrette, and you have a fancy dish indeed!
Sandwiches
Sandwiches are well suited to using up leftovers because each one requires only a small amount of ingredients. Toasting bread for hot sandwiches also rescues day-old bread from going stale.
Hot sandwiches from leftovers:
meatballs, pasta sauce, and mozzarella
pot roast with gravy; roasted vegetables and cheese
fried eggs on a toasted bagel
mini pizzas: bread, bagels, or tortillas topped with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni
BLT if you have a few slices of bacon lying around
Got a hot dog or sausage? Top it with that little bit of chili, baked beans, or coleslaw from last night’s supper.
Cold Sandwiches from leftovers:
cheese, lettuce, and mustard
cold roast chicken, lettuce, and butter or mayonnaise
roasted beets, sauerkraut, greens, and mustard
Quiche
Quiches can be dainty and elegant, or down to earth. Fill a traditional pastry shell with eggs, milk, and whatever combination of protein, vegetables, and herbs you have on hand!
The beauty of quiches is that a little bit of cooked fish or meat goes a long way: I made a lovely quiche the other day with about half a cup of flaked smoked salmon, some sauteed onion, and herbs to taste.
Vegetable quiches are also nice; a bit of cheese on top adds extra flavor. For a heartier version, you can make a crust out of leftover cooked rice or other grains. Make sure you butter the pan well for this kind of crust, as it is decidedly stickier than pastry.
Breakfast Strata
My mother makes a strata, or “egg bake” as we always called it, nearly every week. She uses leftover cooked broccoli, green beans, potatoes, greens, stale bread, and sometimes ham or bacon.
These are quite simple to make, even though they look fancy.
Butter a casserole dish or baking pan.
Place a layer of bread cubes in the bottom, then a layer of vegetables, then a layer of meat or other protein if desired.
Whisk together some eggs (10-12 for a 13×9″ pan) and a half cup or so of milk.
Season with salt, pepper, and herbs; pour over the vegetables and bread.
Top with shredded cheese.
Bake in a moderate (350-degree) oven until the center tests done (45-55 minutes for a 13×9″ pan). That’s all there is to it!
Bread Pudding or Rice Pudding
Whenever I have part of a loaf of bread that’s getting old, I slice or cube it and pop it into the freezer. Then, when I’ve saved 4-5 cups of bread cubes, it’s time to make bread pudding!
You can use any type of bread: store-bought, homemade, baguette to whole grain to sourdough. A combination of different breads makes it more interesting!
All you need for a basic bread pudding is bread, milk, eggs, and a bit of butter and sugar. Spices are nice, and so is dried fruit.
My favorite recipe is from The Farm Journal Cookbook, but there are dozens of other wonderful recipes online and in old cookbooks.
Rice pudding is a very similar concept, and it makes a tasty breakfast treat as well as a protein-rich dessert. Stir in some cinnamon and raisins for an old-fashioned aroma and taste!
Stir Fry
Why is stir fry on this list, you ask? I’m not suggesting you throw leftover cooked carrots and broccoli in with your crisp, fresh bok choy and kale.
However, stir fry is a great dish to make when you have some fresh vegetables sitting around in your fridge that need to be eaten: cabbage, celery, pea pods, carrots, bell peppers, greens.
Maybe you needed half a cabbage for one meal, but don’t know what to do with the rest. Perhaps peppers were on sale and you loaded up, but inspiration never struck, and now they’re looking a little sad.
Throw them into a skillet with oil and some seasonings, make a fresh pot of rice, and you’ve just made a quick and fresh-tasting meal before those veggies go to waste!
Fried Rice or Noodles
Noodles and rice are two foods that commonly inhabit refrigerators as leftovers. Perhaps you made a pasta dish, but all the sauce got eaten and the pasta didn’t.
(Even if there is leftover sauce, you can still save pasta for this purpose. Just put any leftover sauce in a separate container, freeze it, and add it to soups later.)
Anyway, fry up some noodles or rice in butter or oil, throw in some cooked veggies, seasonings, and maybe some meat, and that leftover rice or noodles will start to smell appetizing in no time!
TIP: If you’re frying rice, throw in an egg or two at the end of the cooking time. It will help everything stick together.
Hand Pies or Calzones
At first glance, hand pies and calzones may seem like two very different meals. (They do to me, anyway.) One is Italian, and the other has been a Western European staple since medieval times. But they both involve a type of bread filled with various meats and vegetables, and baked.
Hand pies have short crust or pastry, and can be filled with anything from beef, pork, mushrooms, peas, and root vegetables with savory gravy to sweet fillings like apples or blueberries.
Calzones, on the other hand, are usually made from yeast-raised dough and filled with Italian-style meats, vegetables, cheeses, and sauces.
The fillings for both of these pocket pies are cooked before they are wrapped in a crust, so it’s a good place to put leftovers!
If you served sausages with bell peppers and onions last night and have some left over, make calzones! If you’re left with a bowlful of stew, make hand pies!
Pizza
Even if you’re a staunch pepperoni fan, pizzas can be topped with just about anything. Pizzas generally use fresh ingredients, so this is a good option if you need to use fresh vegetables before they wilt, or if you’re left with half a jar of some specialty ingredient in your refrigerator and can’t think how to use it.
Gourmet pizza varieties abound:
arugula, olives, and goat cheese
leftover potatoes au gratin? Top your pizza with those potato slices, crumbled bacon, cheddar, and a base of Ranch dressing! (That one is an Idahoan specialty. It’s really very good!)
crumbled hamburgers, pickles, cheese, and onions with special sauce
the remains from taco night: taco meat, cheese, tomatoes, and taco sauce
Pizzas are also a great way to use that last bit of sauce from the bottle: pasta sauce, barbecue sauce, pesto, salad dressings, buffalo sauce, or honey mustard can all be used as pizza toppings!
Nachos or Quesadillas
This is my go-to lunch when I have a little taco meat or refried beans left over. If you have one lonely tortilla or the end of a bag of tortilla chips, you can make this! Melt some cheese on top, and you’ve made a tasty new meal with leftovers.
Quesadillas are even more flexible, because you can stuff them with more varied ingredients:
meat and vegetables from fajitas
beans and rice
veggies and cheese
or just plain cheese!
If you want to use unseasoned meats or vegetables, throw in some taco seasoning or chilies to keep that Southwestern flavor!
Hash
What is hash? Leftovers. Literally. You don’t make hash from fresh ingredients; you make it from what you had for dinner last night. Hash is fried cooked vegetables, sometimes with meat and/or eggs.
Leftover kielbasi, peppers, and potatoes? That works too.
Or try a different flavor with yams or sweet potatoes as a base. Lauren from Delicious Little Bites adds bacon, maple syrup, and cinnamon for a sweet and savory treat!
I grew up eating a hearty breakfast dish known as German Farmer’s Breakfast, which was basically leftover potatoes, bacon, and eggs all cooked together. You’re welcome to add eggs to any of the above combinations if that’s the way you like your hash!
Smoothies
While we’re on the subject of breakfast, let’s talk about smoothies. They’re not all just fresh fruit and ice! You can put all sorts of things in smoothies: any kind of milk or yogurt, nut butters, ground flax seeds, wheat germ, or nutritional yeast, and lots more.
As for fruits, they can be fresh, frozen, or canned. You can also throw in veggies and fresh herbs if you like. Green smoothies pack a lot of nutrients into your drink!
You can come up with your own combination of ingredients and make your drink exactly how you like it. However, there are also hundreds of great smoothie recipes out there if you’re intimidated by putting green things in a smoothie!
Pancakes
Pancakes don’t have to come from a mix. You’d be surprised at what you can put in a batch of pancakes: potatoes, applesauce, canned corn, oatmeal, even cooked pumpkin!
Boxty on the Griddle is a pan-sized potato pancake topped with bacon. It’s a great use for leftover mashed potatoes! Again, my recipe is from An Unexpected Cookbook.
You can also make smaller potato cakes with vegetables or meats mixed right in.
When it comes to flour-based pancakes, think outside the box and substitute cooked fruits or vegetables for part of the liquid in the recipe. Remember, they don’t have to be sweet! Corn pancakes cooked in bacon fat are delicious!
Next time you’re chopping onions, save the ends and peels for making soup stock.
Soups
You can make soup from nearly anything: meat, fish, legumes, grains, bread or noodles, vegetables, and all kinds of herbs. Not only that, but you can make your own broth from leftover bones and vegetable scraps!
I know some people who keep leftover meats and vegetables in the freezer until they have enough to make a big pot of soup. If you would rather avoid mystery meals, just use one or two leftovers, and coordinate the rest of your ingredients to match them.
For example, chop up some cooked beef or pork and add it to a pot of vegetables and broth. Throw in some leftover rice or barley, and you have a cohesive soup instead of a mishmash.
Or puree a mixture of roasted vegetables and make them into a bisque by adding stock and cream. Nobody will even guess they’re eating leftovers!
Casseroles
Ah, the infamous casserole. I saved this one for (almost) last because it frequently gets a bad rap. However, putting your leftovers to work in casseroles doesn’t have to be boring or unappealing. You might already do this without realizing it.
Turn leftover spaghetti and sauce into baked spaghetti or spaghetti pizza pie with the addition of some peppers, onions, mushrooms, and pepperoni.
Leftover cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, and meat work very well in shepherd’s pie.
Cooked pasta can be mixed with tuna or salmon, cooked vegetables, and a white sauce for a tasty fish casserole.
You can even make a breakfast version: french toast casserole uses up bread that’s going stale and turns it into a dish your family will ask for again.
Crack an egg over it!
Have you read through all the above ideas and still have some leftovers that just don’t look appetizing? Top them with a fried egg.
If you’re staring at some lackluster meat or vegetables and nothing else sounds good, try putting an egg on top! It may sound strange, but eggs have a curious way of making leftovers tasty again. (I’ve found this particularly helpful for game meat that was a bit too gamey.)
Put a fried egg on top of a BBQ moose or beef sandwich, and it becomes a whole new experience.
One lonely burger without a bun looks sunny again with an egg on top.
Do you have a few pieces of pepperoni or ham and a bit of cheese? Scramble a few eggs into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a protein-packed meal.
Leftover rice and veggies transform into fried rice in minutes with an egg.
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Well, there you have it: 16 ideas for giving your leftovers a second shot at fame and glory. I hope this list inspires you to get creative in the kitchen! For more about cooking with leftovers, read How to Use Leftovers and Prevent Food Waste.
With their sweet lemon glaze and bursts of zingy ginger, these tender scones will tantalize your tastebuds!
Lemon scone recipes have always been frustrating to me. On the one hand, I want a zingy lemon flavor; but on the other hand, it can’t be too sour. And I like my scones to be light and delicate in texture.
I think perhaps the reason it’s so hard to achieve this combination is that lemon juice is usually used to flavor lemon scones. However, fruit juices are not the best liquids to use in scones, as they tend to make the dough heavy. Cream is much better if you’re trying to make flaky scones.
Searching for the best lemon scone recipe
Earlier this week, I decided it was time to solve my scone conundrum. Armed with some scone lore, a few tested recipes, and plenty of lemons, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.
My two year-old even helped to squeeze some lemons, until I caught him trying to drink all the lemon juice! He informed me that “it is pretty sour.” That didn’t seem to deter him!
My son loves to help in the kitchen!
I adapted one frustrating recipe (which I’ve been making for years, always saying I need to find a better version), and came out with these lovely lemon ginger scones.
I knew that it would take a lot of lemon juice to get the flavor I wanted, but that would ruin the texture of my scones. So I opted to use a minimal amount of juice and add more lemon zest instead.
The scones rose beautifully, but their flavor was still very light, so I made a lemon glaze to add just the right amount of sweet, lemony flavor.
Ginger is a nice complement to the lemon. I used candied ginger for zing, but it’s not enough to overpower the lemon. Chopped finely, it adds little bursts of flavor to liven up the scones.
That might be flavorful enough for some, but I love lemons! If you want even more lemon flavor, I suggest serving these delightful scones with lemon curd. Now that’s a lemon scone!
Candied ginger and fresh lemon juice & zest pair nicely in these scones.
Method
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a large baking sheet and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Give the mixture a good stir.
Cut the butter into chunks, then add it to the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut in the butter until it is in pea-sized pieces.
Beat the eggs lightly with a fork, and mix in the lemon juice and half & half cream. Fresh lemon juice is best, because the flavor is stronger. You can substitute bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
For the cream, there are a few different options. I generally use half & half cream, but you can use heavy cream if you prefer. Whole milk will also work just fine, although the texture might be a bit less flaky. Sometimes I use part cream and part milk.
Pour the liquids into the flour mixture and stir gently to combine. Add the lemon zest and chopped, candied ginger, and stir until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board or countertop and knead it gently 6-8 times. Gentle kneading is key for making light, feathery scones.
A gentle touch is important when shaping the scone dough!
Pat the dough out gently into an 8- or 9-inch round. It will be about 3/4″ thick. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the round into eight wedges. Transfer the scones to the buttered baking sheet, separating them by at least 1/2″.
Brush the scones with a little milk for a pretty finish. Milk doesn’t turn out as shiny as eggs when brushed oved breads, but it adds a nice touch. You may sprinkle the scones with sugar before baking if you don’t wish to make a lemon glaze.
Brushing the scones with milk before baking gives them a delicate, almost pearly finish.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the edges begin to brown. Remove from the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.
For the glaze, measure the powdered sugar into a bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork until the mixture looks crumbly. Drizzle in about a tablespoon of lemon juice, and mix well. If the glaze still seems too thick, drizzle in a bit more lemon juice, but no more than a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
When the scones are cool, drizzle them with the lemon glaze. Enjoy!
These feathery scones will tantalize your tastebuds with their sweet lemon glaze and bursts of zingy candied ginger.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Breads
Keyword: Bread, Ginger, Lemon, Scones, Tea Party
Servings: 8scones
Ingredients
2cupsall-purpose flourunbleached
4tbspsugar
1tspsalt
2 1/2tspbaking powder
4tbspcold buttercubed
2eggslightly beaten
1/2cupcream or milk+ extra for brushing over scones
4tbsplemon juicedivided
1tsplemon zest
2tbspcandied gingerfinely chopped
3/4cupconfectioner's sugar
1 1/2tbspbutter
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Butter a large baking sheet and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter until it is in pea-sized pieces.
Combine eggs, cream, and lemon juice. Pour into flour mixture and stir gently.
Add lemon zest and candied ginger. Mix until just combined.
Turn dough out onto a floured board. Knead gently 6-8 times. Pat into an 8- or 9-inch round. Cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife.
Transfer scones to the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of scones with milk. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Make the glaze: cut the butter into the confectioner's sugar with a fork until crumbly. Drizzle in 1 tbsp of lemon juice and mix thoroughly. If needed, drizzle in more lemon juice, but no more than 1 tsp at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
Drizzle glaze over scones when cool.
Notes
If desired, sprinkle sugar over the tops of scones before baking them instead of glazing them.
Hi, I’m Kimberly! I’m an Alaskan wife and mother who loves simple, old-fashioned living. If you’re looking for country-style recipes from scratch or simple homemaking ideas, pour yourself a cup of tea and join me!
Hi, I’m Kimberly! I’m an Alaskan wife and mother who loves simple, old-fashioned living. If you’re looking for country-style recipes from scratch or simple homemaking ideas, pour yourself a cup of tea and join me!