Blueberry Rosemary Scones

What lies ahead for us this week? Dinner with friends…two much-needed coffee dates…La Leche League…a night out with Ryan…memoir writing…bread baking…curtains (yes, I’m going to attempt to make curtains yet again). The list goes on, but I’ll spare you the more arduous tasks. Without a doubt, a full week.

To make an already busy week feel even more daunting, we’re exhausted. It’s Sunday evening, and our sweet daughter DID NOT get the memo about the time change. For the first time, Ryan and I did not receive that much-coveted extra hour of sleep. And from what I’ve been told, we probably won’t for a very long time.

Thankfully, we had these blueberry rosemary scones to make our early Sunday morning feel a bit brighter. As much as I love blueberries during the summer, there’s nothing like that bright burst of blue to whisk away the chill of a fall morning. These scones are subtlety sweet and made all the more flavorful with fresh rosemary. Our kitchen smelled heavenly as they rose and baked in our oven. And who doesn’t like seeing plump berries and sprigs of herbs on their counter?

A few pointers if you’re making scones for the first time: don’t overwork the dough, use a very sharp biscuit cutter, and be sure that your oven is thoroughly preheated. If you follow these steps, your scones will rise wonderfully (and who doesn’t prefer a well-risen scone?)

I’m entering these blueberry rosemary scones in a contest put on by the US Highbush Blueberry Council. Visit their website for more great recipes!

Blueberry Rosemary Scones

8 ounces all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick (4 TBSP) butter, cubed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 cup half-and-half (or heavy whipping cream)

1/2 cup winter fresh blueberries

1 egg yolk and a little milk, beaten together (for glaze)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, rub in butter until the mixture resembles small peas. Add in the sugar, chopped rosemary, and blueberries.

Make a deep well in the flour and pour in milk to make a soft, spongy dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until just smooth. Press into a square or circle, about 1 inch thick, and use a well floured biscuit cutter to stamp out rounds (alternatively, you can use a knife to cut your scones into those classic wedges).

Brush the top of the scones with the lightly beaten egg and milk mixture. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until well-risen and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Little Things

Simple shots of our life this past week. Tune back next week for a similar post! I’d also love to have you follow me on Instagram (@cakestand) if you’re interested in more photos of food and baby.

Warning: baby heavy this round.

Grandma sweater + band onesie + frown face = hipster baby.

Watching papa draw at Ivywild.

Spinach Artichoke Tart. You need to make this…

Lucy reading one of my favorite books.

Lucy snuggling the very first doll my mom gave me.

It’s officially November. Time for holiday recipes!

Our Halloween costume. My sweet aunt knitted us yet another beautiful treasure.

Can you see why its so hard for me not to go overboard on baby pics?

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

I’m sitting at a coffee shop. BY MYSELF. My foot, however, is repetitively tapping the floor, because I just can’t shake the habit of constant movement: of rocking, of bouncing, of swinging my baby girl. I’m not going “back to work” in the traditional sense. I don’t have a 4o-hour-a-week job (And I likely won’t. Ever.) But that doesn’t mean I don’t work. I have photography and writing projects that allow me to help provide for our family. And in case you think this means I have it easy…these projects often result in me putting in 6o hours of work a week all while trying to take care of a 4-month old. It gets crazy hard.

And so we’re trying something new. My sweet cousin Laura is watching Lucy two mornings a week so I can steal away for six hours and work, uninterrupted, during the light of day.

But another thing I didn’t realize about motherhood was this: you never stop thinking about your baby, no matter if they’re with you or with someone you love.

And so here I am with images that need editing and with a chapter that needs writing and all I can think about is the way Lucy laughs. She laughs now, and its the best sound in the world.

We made this Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cake together last weekend. She sat in her bouncer and watched me work. This is how it often goes: she works with me, it takes twice as long, and it’s exhausting but also wonderful to watch her soak up these creative processes that make up my job. This cake is the best of two desserts: gingerbread and chocolate cake. Moist, dense, and full of deep flavor, each slice is meant to be savored on a cold winter day with a hot cup of coffee or tea by your side. The white chocolate drizzle is optional (but totally delicious). I used organic cake mix and pudding mix (but you can use the regular stuff…much easier to find!)

Dark Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 box instant pudding mix

4 eggs

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup dark molasses

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup brewed coffee (or water)

1 cup mini chocolate chips

White Chocolate Drizzle

4 ounces white chocolate

4 teaspoons heavy cream

Coat a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except chocolate chips (yes, just mix them all together!). Beat for two minutes, or until smooth. Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes or until cake pulls away slightly from pan and springs back when touched.

Allow to cool for fifteen minutes before inverting on a wire rack.

Once cake has fully cooled, make white chocolate drizzle. Melt white chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments, stirring well after each. Drizzle over completely cooled cake and enjoy!

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

Spincah Artichoke Tart

As of Friday night, Lucy is sleeping in her crib. In her own room. I’m not sure how I feel about this. I haven’t cried yet, but I’ve come close. I never thought I would be one of those mom’s who has a hard time letting go, but then again, having a baby changes you. She’s ready to be out of the bassinet. Her head touches the top of it now…not a big surprise since she’s at the 98th percentile for height…but I still think of her as my newborn baby girl.

She’s been sleeping fitfully for about a week now (a 4 month sleep regression is what the doctor told us) but she doesn’t seem as upset about the new arrangement as I am. I nurse her, and then I put her down in her crib. She stretches her arms and legs wide, happy to be free of her swaddle blanket, and falls into those deep baby sleep breaths. I check on her about ten times before going to sleep, and then Ryan and I both jump as soon as we hear her cry.

We’ve been pulling her into bed with us around 4am each morning, and we spend the last few hours of sleep together. I think this has been my saving grace.

Our week ahead is busy. We’ve got Halloween costumes to make and recipes to bake, and I have coffee dates scheduled as well as a few dinners with friends. I made this Spinach Artichoke Tart on Sunday morning, and I’m happy that it keeps well in the refrigerator. A slice of this cheesy, spinach laden tart will make for good mid-morning snacks during this event-packed week. This tart is a more sophisticated cousin of the party perennial: the spinach artichoke dip. Perfect as an appetizer or as a main dish at brunch, it will make everyone in your house hungry. And what a great way to sneak in vegetables!

I’ll be back on Wednesday with a spicy chocolate cake and a sneak peek of our Halloween costumes. Until then, here’s to spinach and artichoke!

Spinach Artichoke Tart

1 disc pie dough

6 0z (1/2 of a standard bag) of spinach

6 oz (1/2 of a standard bag) of frozen artichokes

1/2 medium yellow onion

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup Italian Cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll pie disc into a 12-inch round and press into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Pierce crust with fork. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, heat oil in small skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Mix remaining ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Stir in onion. Divide mixture evenly between crusts. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Monet

Anecdotes and Apple Cores

4 months of Lucille Amelia

Who knew that four months could change you in such unerasable ways? The love I feel for Lucy is fierce, unlike any emotion I’ve experienced before. My body has never felt more purposeful: I wake each day to nurture this tiny, precious life. And yet my body has also never felt this exhausted: I am tired from the constant demands of parenthood…and it’s taken me four months to learn that it’s OKAY to admit it.

Lucy, however, is blossoming, and her development this last month has been particularly noticeable. She can now easily roll from her back to her stomach, and she’s almost sitting up on her own. She laughs (what a beautiful noise!) when we sing and kiss her toes. Papa has become the chief winner of laughs. Lucy has also discovered toys. A stuffed doll we like to call “Frieda” is now her constant companion.

Our little one is both passionate and observant. She wants to see the world and interact with those around her. She’s also become FIERCELY attached to mama. Our sweet cousin Laura has started to watch Lucy two mornings a week so I can work on a few projects. Laura has infinite patience for our very fussy little girl. Lucy cries and cries when I leave her now…only to erupt in smiles and giggles as soon as I hold her in my arms. While this often drives me (no, all of us) crazy, it’s also exciting to see that she’s becoming more and more human.

We’re still exclusively breastfeeding, and we’re hoping to continue to hold off on solids for another two months. She has become more interested in sitting with us during dinner and just the other night she reached out and grabbed my plate! I’m hoping that on Christmas day (exactly 6 months after she was born) we’ll be able to introduce her to food for the first time.

We also traveled to Houston this month so that Lucy could meet her namesake. My grandmother held her first great-grandchild in her arms, and we all stood there…in awe of the power of legacy. Lucy did great on her first flight, but the real medal goes to Ryan, who changed two blow-out diapers at 30,000 feet. Have I mentioned how much Lucy and I adore him? He’s the best husband and father I could have imagined.

And now to sleep (perhaps one of the more challenging aspects of first year parenthood). We started putting Lucy to bed earlier this month which did wonders for her mood. We had begun to suspect that her late evening fussiness was due to exhaustion, and so after reading several articles about sleep and infants, we began to put her down at 7:00 pm. Amazingly, she passed out right away and started sleeping through the night! Unfortunately, this gift was short-lasting because we’ve now hit what’s been termed the “4 month sleep regression.” We went from waking once a night, to sleeping through the night, to now waking up three or four times to nurse. I’m tired, and I’m also a bit cranky. But then I remind myself of the beauty of infant-hood and how quickly it all passes.

Lucille Amelia, you’re 4 months old now and you’re glorious in so many ways. The world is open and kind and waiting for you to make your mark. Our hope is that we help you find your way.