Saturday 12 November 2011

The 15 minute every-other-day scone

I'm beginning to wonder if I every do any gardening. All I appear to natter on about are adventures, pretty flowers and walking alot, oh yeah and food! Today more food - quick baking - the 15 minute scone always ace, quick and tasty. I'm always a bit perplexed when folk tell me they don't have time to cook, never mind bake. I know we're all busy, I can hold my hands up and say that about our family life, its often quite chaotic. But, even in the darkest stressful crazy work-loaded PhD days, or the busiest of family weeks, I've always found time to cook and bake. Maybe its just because its part of our every day routine?

I do tend to cook everyday, mostly from scratch, or often with a bit of a helping hand from 'bulk' cooking at the weekend for through the week. However, I don't bake everyday - but probably a few times a week, every-other-day, which is much cheaper than buying shop bought cakes and biscuits.

I guess we're lucky we all enjoy food and get pleasure from not only eating it but making it too. Often I think I do alot of cooking and baking in my sleep - well almost. I'm generally an early morning (before I've got out of my pj's type of baker )- I think its the southing routine of regularity whilst slowly waking up and harkening the day ahead. I find it relaxing.

For instance, today - bit of a busy one here - alot on, I'm up at 8am (I'm not a very early morning person), kettle on for a cuppa - bowl out of the cupboard to make scones. 15 minutes later - freshly baked scones on the table, second cuppa in my pj clad hand.  Green nails are of course optional but help you giggle when you make them. The cellist obliged by being the team photographer for today, she wanted a lift to the bus stop!
The fifteen minute scone routine is thus: down stairs, kettle on, oven on (highest setting), bowl/cutter/cup measure/knife out cupboard, tray out too. Coffee made, begin to slurp. Lob all dry ingredients into bowl - (2 cups sr flour, 1tbsp sugar), dust tray with flour, then lob in 1tbsp butter to dry ingredients, rub in  butter, then grab butter knife and add a cup of milk to the dry ingredients - mix with knife until the dough forms - turn onto floured board. Don't kneed, lifes too short for rock hard scones. Cut into shapes, lob into oven, timer on for 12 minutes - which is a perfect amount of time to tidy up and get dressed. Kettle on for another cuppa.......

Home made scones in less than 15 minutes - lob a tea towel in a basket, turf hot scones into basket - cover for the time it takes to make that second cuppa. Retire to the kitchen table, butter, jam, scone and cuppa in hand - begin to plan your day. Perfect start I'd say.
Needless to say, its 4.30pm and they're all munched. No worries, tomorrows another day.

And for added gardening interest and to prove I do actually do a bit - here's a basket of veg from my plot at work and the last few courgettes from the polytunnel at work, where I've got a few plants hidden.....
Not bad eh? Wonder what I kind of a cake I can make with any of that lot!

Enough showing off, back to the baking/cooking - do you have a 'do it without thinking' quick recipe/meal you can do whilst half asleep? I'll bet you do!

22 comments:

  1. Scones are my nemesis. My children know them as 'biscuits'. Perhaps I'll try your lobbing technique!

    Eyes closed recipe for me is raspberry jam. Much more successful than my scones.

    Polytunnels seem to be the way to go - those veg are fantastic for the time of year.

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  2. Hey Linda - this recipe is fail safe an Australian women's weekly one - works every time - but the oven has to be blasting hot and only 12 mins baking. And, you hardly handle the dough at all - literally lob from bowl to table - coax flat a bit and cut - if you touch it too much it sulks like a child and turns flat like biscuits. I treat it as if its something toxic - when I'm handling it!

    Interested in your jam recipe....:) (hopeful face - will look on your blog)

    Yeah the tunnel cover is ready to go - just need a window for it - I suspect it will be next feb/march if I'm lucky. In the mean time I'm squatting with intent at my old work tunnels.

    xx

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  3. Oooh! Must make scones again. Was very impressed with your before-breakfast scone making, you make it sound so easy! I fear in my house it would be more like kettle on, start washing up, make tea, drink tea, finish washing up, decide I can't be bothered making scones and make toast instead.... Note to self - wash up the night before!± :)

    xx

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  4. You make it sound so easy, I'm going to give it a go. Thanks for the "lob" receipe :)

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  5. Cheery - you know my children are washing up the night before tyrants - I can barely function in the mornings never mind consider washing up - find a time of day (after the washing up? or between meals) when you've got 15 mins and give it a go - you'll get your routine sorted - the kids tend to bake whilst I'm making dinner - at t time - thats their preferred baking time, or after tea whilst we're clearing up - I think we all enjoy the company and the bustling of 'buttling' some home bakes.

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  6. Rainbow child its the easiest recipe in the world - if I can do it, half asleep, anyone can. It would seem scones prefer the lob-approach - rather than cossetting.

    :) I hope you give it a go - if they aren't great- feed them to unsuspecting relatives or ducks.

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  7. I love cooking but the local fire brigade seems to be of the opinion that I'm better off with take out :-)

    I'm going to have a go at the scones though, they'd go well with the morning coffee.

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  8. Tony well it keeps the retained force in action doesn't it? If it works out you can always offer them one to eat when they visit or get them to pick up your takeaway!

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  9. I can vouch for your scone recipe and the fact it takes 15 minutes. Since hearing of this from you I now regularly make scones if I am feeling like a treat and have nothing in the cupboards. It is as quick as toast too.

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  10. Almost you tempt me. Then Cheri ... I will have to try. Never made scones, but I do love eating them ;~)

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  11. Wow, 15 minutes! Will have to give these a try...I've been one of those people claiming I don't have time to cook, although I am making an effort. But 8am Saturday morning? I'm already at the pool for the children's swimming lessons!

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  12. I often do a bere bannock. It's great with a bowl of soup at lunchtime. Or cheese scones. But I could eat a whole batch of them at one sitting...not good!

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  13. Janet, I've made a bannock once, it looked ok......I do like the odd scone myself!

    Sarah, 8am poolside, that's a dedicated lass! Id find a time of day when u have a wee window of time! I saw that ace curry on your blog, you clearly do cook!

    Cheri, I was so chuffed you tried them and utterly delighted you still make them. You're right a great quick treat when not much in. Xx

    Elephants eye, they are so simple - hope you have a go. I work in cups but can happily convert the recipe.....x

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  14. Ps Janet which bannock recipe do you use?

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  15. That's it, I'm inspired!! 15 mins? No probs! Thanks for the recipe and for the reminder that it ain't that hard! :)

    x

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  16. Ok so between the time I just commented and now, I've made a batch of your scones! I had trouble rubbing in the butter, so it was just flour and milk it seems and very sticky! Couldn't quite cut shapes but I've just made rough lumps and dumped them in the oven so I hope they turn out! Will let you know...and you're right, so quick!

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  17. Loving the sound of this! Getting very hopeful now that you've said you can translate the cups into something else - rounded/heaped tablespoons? Ounces? Either would be fine

    As for finding the time, I'm sure I have plenty of time, its just getting a setup where I can do it, as you say, its never been a part of my routine.

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  18. I love cooking, and find it really relaxing, but also love the eating bit, which is beginning to show. So although that sounds like a great recipe, I am going to resist, as I am resisting making oatcakes and digestives, because they taste way too good and just don't last! We're bad enough with the bread...

    Impressive haul from the polytunnel - just think, you will be able to get harvests from your very own tunnel next year!

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  19. Hi..new follower here..i am in awe of that scone recipe..never ever been able to make them..well i just did...hubby has appeared from no-where so has son and both girlies..all looking longingly at my batch of scones...haha success thank you..they are disappearing infront of me..better go get some..
    love
    sara

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  20. I'd like to reach through that photo and sneak a biscuit. I am learning to cook from scratch so it will take me a bit to memorize, but it's happening and nothing 1) heats up the home nicely or 2) tastes as good as homemade :) Lovely looking veggies too!

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  21. Jan

    http://www.deliaonline.com/conversion-tables.html

    Hope that helps?! X

    Mrs bok, eek, I hope it went ok? If my mix is sloppy I add a bit more flour, or 9/10ths a cup of milk. Lovely to see you I hope it ended up ok!

    Sara welcome, you tried it? Brilliant I hope it worked ok, well done you!! Nice to see you!

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  22. 1cup flour=5oz

    1cup milk= 8fluid oz


    Janet, I'm lucky I love baking but aside scones I don't eat much of it, but I'm with you on the bread/biscuits/bannocks.

    Bread is my arch nemesis I just can't make it, nor fit anything into a routine, how do you do it?

    Jenni I'd happily send you one! And I hope you enjoy learning to cook, I'm like Janet I love cooking, I cook to relax and the tightness of my jeans probably means I need to eat a bit less of it!

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