Breakfast the 21st: Rosemary Oat Scones

      October may be my favorite month.  Leaves change, weather cools, and all the wonderful fall harvest flavors come into abundance!  Not to mention Halloween is the best freakin' holiday ever.  Last year I prepped for the holiday with a series of recipes featuring creepy body parts (skin, heart, liver, and kidneys).  This year I'm leaning towards pumpkin.
      There are a lot of pumpkin recipes out there already, don't get me wrong, but most of them are mediocre.  When I find a truly great pumpkin recipe - be it pie, or muffins, or curry, or soup - I am transported to gourd heaven.  So this year I'm going to focus on honing my own pumpkin genius, and I invite you to take part.  That being said, my first October recipe does not involve pumpkin--rather, it is meant as a vehicle for one of the best pumpkin products out there: pumpkin butter!

Not my photo--wish it was.  Got it here: http://www.lifetasteslikefood.com/2011/10/14/vegan-and-gluten-free-pumpkin-butter/

      Buy it at the store, buy it from the farmer's market, or make your own; pumpkin butter tastes like fall.  And I recommend spreading your pumpking butter on my Rosemary Oat scones! They're flavorful, tender, and a just a little robust.  They can easily be served sweet (pumpkin butter or blackberry jam are my favorites), or savory (top with cheddar cheese).  Want to take it up a notch?  Split, slather with pumpkin mustard (equal parts pumpkin butter and creamy Dijon), and add a thick slice of smoked ham.  These make a great snack to bring to autumn get-togethers, or picnics, or your own lunch for that matter.  Enjoy!

Baking these on a cold morning warms up your kitchen, fills it with a comforting smell, and gives you a tasty start to your day.  Win/win/win.

Z.D's Rosemary Oat Scones

Ingredients:
1 & 2/3 Cup AP flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt, generous
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
5 T unsalted butter, cold, diced
1/2 Cup old fashioned oats
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
3/4 Cup half-&-half or whole milk*
1 large egg

Herbs are beautiful and vitamin packed--eat more!

Directions:
 - Pre-heat your oven to 400º F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and nutmeg.

 - Using your fingers, cut in the cold butter until the bits range in size from coarse sand to lentils. Mix in the oats and rosemary.

Fresh rosemary will stay green even after your mince it, but use your sharpest knife to prevent bruising and losing the flavorful oils.

 - In a small bowl, beat together the half-&-half and egg until fully mixed.  Pour into the dry mixture, and toss with a fork until the dough just comes together.

 - Divide the dough into rounds, pat down to no more than 1.25 inches thick, and slice into twelve wedge-shaped scones.

You can make two rounds, cut into sixths, or three rounds cut into quarters.  Since there's only two people breakfasting at my home on most days, I prefer the latter.

 - Bake for 23 - 26 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant.  Alternatively, wrap the dough rounds in parchment paper, and then tightly in plastic wrap.  Seal in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 4 months.  To bake, remove wraping, place frozen dough on the prepared baking sheet and pop directly into oven for 30 - 33 minutes.

Still warm from the oven--delish!

      I served these with Seckel pears (aren't they *CUTE*!) and fried eggs.  A pale plate, I suppose, but flavorful and delicious.  Over-all, a wonderful way to start the morning when it's cold and windy outside.



*Do not go any lower in fat than whole milk, or your scones will be too dry.  And for the-love-of-all-things breakfast, DON'T use that artificially thickened crap they call "fat free half-n-half!"