Blackberry Cream Scones

Friday I posted an instragram photo of my previous fail making these yummy morsels. Both Gordon and I agreed they were so bad that the remaining 6 went into the trash! I used baking soda instead of baking powder! And because I am a curious girl I went looking to see why that was a bad mistake! It turns out that too much baking SODA can give the product a bitter or soapy taste. But when you add an acid, which baking POWDER has in the form of cream of tartar, it neutralizes the bitterness. Ah, chemistry!!

So today, between sessions of conference, I was ready for a do-over on this very promising recipe.
I donned my apron (Nona's favorite pink one), assembled my ingredients, making sure to get baking POWDER, and set to work.

I made a couple of tweaks to this recipe- Friday the dough was too dry. I thought if I sifted the flour it might resolve that problem. Nope, so I just added more cream again. Is my cream to thick? (I love that problem!)

Another thing from Friday- when I folded in the blackberries they just got mooshed into a pulp. So I divided the dough and put them in between two layers.

Cut the circle into 8 pieces-

Transfer to a parchment* lined baking sheet-

Bake to a yummy golden brown-

This is a wonderful, toothsome treat- (even after you drop it on the floor!) They are very light, moist and delicious!

Right down to the last crumbs!!

Maybe next time I will add a little cinnamon to the dough, maybe top it with some sweetened whipped cream.

**
Funny story about the parchment paper.  I had a new roll in my food storage in the dungeon. When Bekah was here Camille came down to visit. The three of us were talking and cooking and the Bitties were playing in the dungeon with toys. Usually that isn't a problem. But for some reason, THIS-day it became extraordinarily quiet. When I went to check I found that they had opened the parchment paper box on the end and unrolled miles of paper looking for the chocolate chip cookies that surely MUST be inside since they were pictured on the outside of the box!

Bekah said, "Here Me-Mum. Just let me re-roll it!" She did, straightening the somewhat mangled paper, some torn off with jagged edges.  Each time I get out this roll now I chuckle about my Bitties, looking for cookies!

Blackberry Cream Scones
by Liz Berg

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 cup heavy cream (I needed to add 2-3 Tbs more)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
2. Placer flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into the food processor and pulse to mix.
3. Remove lid and sprinkled the butter over the flour mixture. Pulse about 10-15 times till mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.
4. Add vanilla paste to heavy cream, then stir in cream with a rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together. Pour out bowl contents onto a floured surface, and knead a few times, then carefully knead in the blackberries. I sprinkled a few on top, folded the dough over and repeated. You don't want to overwork the dough.
5. Form dough into an 8-inch round (alternatively, you can press into an 8-inch cake pan lined with parchment, then carefully flip out). Cut into 8 wedges
6. Place wedges on baking sheet and bake until tops are light brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This is NOT my original recipe! 

All credit goes to Liz Berg of That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Happy Birthday Miss Fiona!

Somehow I've ended up with the wonderful job of Chief-birthday-cake-baker for some of my grandchildren. I love this job! The Mamas and, now with input from the birthday child herself, find a cake they want Grammie to duplicate.

For some wonderful, unknown reason I have been blessed with being a pretty good copy artist. I am so grateful for the many talents the Lord has blessed me with.

Camille and Fiona found the wonderful PURPLE party cake. The original had multicolored sprinkles that we couldn't find locally, but Camille and the Bitties went out Friday night and found a good substitute at Zonkos (aka Zurchers)! Sixlets.

Behold Miss Fiona's special PURPLE birthday cake.

This Bitty-girl was so thrilled when she found her wonderful cake, hiding under Grammie's make-shift cake carrier! (This is my great-aunt Esther's cake pedestal and it doesn't fit in my regular cake carrier so I yoinked a big plastic bucket I keep my Victorio strainer in. It is just right for a Miss Fiona to fit in, too!!)

We gathered in their backyard on this delightful late summer afternoon! Precious Sophie (and Jessica) brought Fiona this ballet costume. It was the PERFECT party dress for this wonderful girl.

Singing...

Inhale...

Blow...

Cut...

Dig in...

And the special ombre layers inside. (this is the same recipe that Bekah made for me on my birthday- Whipped Cream Cake)

This, THIS is a very happy and blessed Grammie...

Happy Bakers

It's been several months since I've gotten to have the Bitties at my house for Grammie day, I usually go to their house. There is something wonderful about welcoming them into MY domain. As I was walking this morning I thought, "What should we do today?" Mama was bringing the trolley (double stroller), but it looked like rain. I decided that baking bread was always a good idea and we haven't done that for over a year.

They arrived just before lunch so I had frozen bing cherries waiting for them on the counter (which needed to be warmed up, too cold!) Fiona was delighted with the purple cherry juice left in the bottom of her bowl (and Grammie was delighted with Liam's remaining cherries!) But as soon a sausage appeared on the counter it was all about the sausage for Liam!

 

Now I have to tell you about the sweet little apron that Fiona has on in this pix! A couple of weeks ago I got a surprise package from my sister, Sue.

As soon as I saw my old ducky apron I started to cry! I wore this so many times when I was my Mama's A#1 expert helper! So many sweet memories flooded back. I was so pleased that Sue still had it these 60+ years later! (I likely gave it to Cindy when she was a little girl, that is where all of my favorite things went!)

We had a little play time outside... until it started to rain (Yay for rain!), but no trolley walk today!

When I suggested bread making Fiona was still too wrapped up in playing so my first assistant was this very able-bodied boy. Both of these children are so smart and capable! He unwrapped the butter all by himself (Hiam do it! Yes, Hiam, he can't say Ls yet!)

When Fiona joined us a few minutes later she wanted her usual pink apron, "it's so beautiful!" And these obliging Bitties share back and forth so nicely!

They took turns putting in all of the ingredients (Yes, they used that word!) to make the dough! Every once in a while one or both of them would put their hands on their hips and say, "Hmmm!" Makes me laugh!! They did it all, even the egg cracking!

Grammie is always very liberal with tastes along the journey... isn't that what it's all about? Fiona did all of this spreading by herself! Such a confident big girl!

I gave them both a little knife to cut off tastes. Liam was so pleased to spread his own little sample.

 All told we made three loaves: one for eating now, one to go home with the Bitties and one for Grammie and Grampy to enjoy at their leisure! There was only about 3" left of that first loaf by the time we'd all, including Mommy, had our fill.

I revel in these marvelous times that I get to spend with my darling grandchildren! In the last two weeks I've had this treat with big (Ashton) and small (Fiona, Liam and Emmy). There is such a sweetness in being with these marvelous people.

I am such a blessed Grammie!

Park Day

I LOVE taking *my* Bitties to the park! When their Mama was their age I took her and her sibs to the park so I've done lots of parks over the years.

Orem has a brand new park that is OVER THE TOP!  It is the All-Together Playground. It is 1.5 miles from their house so an easy walk for this Grammie and the Bitties in their trolley (stroller). Today was DE-lightful! One of those rare 65º days that come around one-in-a-while in March. We made a quick stop at Target for bagels and Bunny milk and arrived mid afternoon.

I've never seen a nicer park! Let's start with the fact that it is completely fenced in... only one way in or out! Always happy news for this Grammie! There is this wonderful composite soft cushion under every thing.

The kids found so many things that I couldn't keep up with photos of all of them... plus trying to keep an eye on this busy girl! She climbed up, around and exited all by herself.

She is absolutely fearless! She took off her shoes and socks to get down with some serious climbing!

My favorite was when three boys, all older than her watched her climb, successfully to the top of this beehive, ALL BY HERSELF and said to one another that they didn't dare try.

This little pixie-princess has me absolutely smitten!

On our way home, at the corner by Target, Fiona looked at me and nicely asked for a shake! Well, how could I refuse? We trekked across the parking lot to the Wendy's and got baby-shakes and a small order of fries. Were they ever happy little children.

Liam is not one whit behind his sister. He took his first taste of his requested (yes, just 2 and requested!) vanilla shake, smacked his lips appreciatively and said, "Yummy!" with a smile guaranteed to melt any Grammie's heart.

And even though this Grammie walks EVERY DAY I, stupidly, wore the wrong shoes and had barking piggies by the time we got back to their house. I drew up a basin of warm Epsom salts foot bath and IMMEDIATELY had two little foot sore companions, who, incidentally, rode in the trolley the whole time!

Let's just say there is now a damp spot on the carpet right about there!

When Mommy got home from work I showed her the photos and commented that Fiona is fearless. Her response was, YES! You'd never see Liam riding on the canopy of the trolley!

Wait? What??

Well, 10 days ago on Tuesday-last, when the Bitties were at Grammie's house we went for a walk (we usually do) but Grammie's trolley has oddly gotten too small for these two Bitties. We tried several different configurations but nothing was working. Finally Grammie had a bright idea. Fiona could ride on the canopy. It was great sport riding the trolley horse. We made it safely all the way down the steep hill, got this photo and then...

YEAH, IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL 

SOMEONE GETS HURT! 

I changed speed too quickly and that DANG trolley horse bucked her right off, straight forward and onto her beautiful little face. Everything went into slow-mo as I watched her skid and somersault on the frozen asphalt! I quickly scooped her up, called 911-Grampy, and we both, Fiona and Grammie cried! 

This poor little lamb! I was just sick! We got her home, got an ice pack, called Mama and put Healer-Harley on the job! (Fiona says, I love Harley! He helps me feel better!)

This was that brave little face on day 3. We've both agreed that we will never do that again!

Fortunately, we know about Vitamin E and her little face looks almost better today. Only one small scab left on her forehead and new pink skin on her precious little nose. (see photos above)

I'm so grateful that these precious babies are so close and I get to be with them frequently. I'm so grateful that this little precious girl was not hurt badly!!

Lions, [No] Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

Yesterday, for the first time in decades, Grammie went to the Zoo! Sweet Stephanie suggested that we take the little people to the zoo. What a fabulous idea! (My boys did an awesome job of choosing me daughters!)

The last time I visited Hogle Zoo was when I was a teenager! MY littles and I used to go frequently to the LA Zoo when they were children.

Our first stop was the giraffe exhibit! The middle-size giraffe was licking (yes, LICKING) the building. If you are able to zoom in you can see her dark blue tongue.

Just the size differences made me wonder if this was a little family. Plus, I've never seen such a light-colored giraffe as the licker!

I asked Steph to take a photo of me and she commented... how did you do this with your own three little ones. Well, I didn't go very many places when they were this young!

Our next stop was this huge stylized elephant statue. At first Liam wanted nothing to do with this behemoth. He is very leery of animals and stomping elephants in particular! Aren't these the most beautiful girls?

By the time we visited the statue later he was brave enough to get out and see it up close. I think it helped that when he saw the real elephants they weren't stomping at all, but napping! One was even lying down!

Our next stop was the lions! Yeah for lions! It was fun to see that there were several adult females, an adult male (or two?) and two juveniles, one of each sex. The little male was just starting to grow his ruff! So cute.

Camille's school just did a production of Lion King Jr (and they were the sound managers) so we discussed which lion was which character! This very agreeable fellow was lying right on the other side of this glass. The big muddy paw smear on his side of the glass was not lost on this Grammie!

 Miss Emmy also got a close view of this big boy!

Fiona enjoyed the animal statues almost as much as the actual animals.

THIS PHOTO!  There's a little deja vu here! (Seal watching.)

It is so evocative of one taken of MY littles almost 28 years ago... Spencer, Camille and Stuart at Disneyland August 1989.

The otter exhibit was next, but not an otter to be found. They did, however, find a dandy log to climb on and play peek-a-boo through knot holes. These sweet cousins, who are 19 weeks apart, often look like cousin-twins!

But this is the animal that Fiona most wanted to see! The paw-ler bear! This dandy girl put on quite a show just for *her* Fiona! She'd push off backwards and float for about 15 feet then...

flip over and swim back in the other direction on her stomach.

Back and forth, back and forth. I took a video of it and the kids eagerly followed her progress.

She finally got out, shook off and then relieved herself. "That paw-ler bear is going potty!" Fiona announced. (Which is also why we knew this bear was a girl.) We thought it very proper of her NOT to make peeps in the swimming pool!

Auntie Nie-Nie treated us to garlic knots at the zoo Beastro and a carousel ride, sans Liam and Grammie. Those animals are just too scary!

We had a lovely afternoon. And, not surprisingly all three babies were asleep within 5 minutes of getting into the cars to drive home.

64 y 25d

A common practice on grave markers was to list the person's age in years and days. My Mama, the original Grammy, died at 64y 24d.

This day, THIS DAY, I have out lived my sweet Mama.

I've thought on this so many times this last year. In April 1976 my Mom whacked her leg on the lawn mower and got a huge hematoma on her shin. Dr Batson told her she needed to take a few weeks off work and let it heal.

I was all in a dither because Miss Amanda was due mid-May. How could I manage without my Mama there? Finally, just days before I was due, Mama got the ok from Dr Batson to travel and my mind was at ease.

Since Mom lived several hundred miles away she took off when we called her to tell her the baby was on her way. She arrived in plenty of time to *take care of HER baby while I took care of my baby* (plus Tony and Rebekah). She mentioned, when she arrived, that her *gut* was getting big. She'd recently lost weight and couldn't figure why that should be. I, being all wrapped up in myself, just thought she was imagining it... she'd been off work for 4 weeks and couldn't stay busy.

Grammy, Bekah, Amanda and Tony

June 11, 1976

Mom's Aunt Ester lived in Portland, Oregon (we lived in Sweet Home, Oregon) and so after a couple of weeks of taking care of us she wanted to see her only aunt. She was gone for a few days and when she returned I notice that the blouses I'd make for her were snugger across her abdomen than when she'd arrive 3 weeks earlier.

That was the beginning... the first inclination that anything was wrong. After exhaustive tests it was finally diagnosed, from a abdominal fluid test, that she had stage 4 ovarian cancer. Prognosis- 6 months to 5 years.

REALITY- she died less than a year after coming to welcome Miss Manda!

MY MAMA WAS LIKE ME! (or perhaps, I like her). SHE WAS FIT AND ACTIVE AND VIVACIOUS AND LOVED HER FAMILY WITH ALL HER HEART! AND SHE WAS GONE!! Yup, and I was only 24 years old... my Mama's Mother died when she was 14. (I just can't like this!!)

So, as I said, I've reflected on this so many times as I go on my walks, work in the yard, serve at the Temple, tend my darling grandbabies... I'm living my Mama's last year of life.

And in true Elsie-fashion, even though she was dying, she filled her last few months with as many wonderful things as she could. Her last trip was to Ann's house for Andy's baptism in March 1977. Even though she and a friend drove to Utah she had to fly home she was so ill.

So, here I am... Grammie- 64 years and 25 days and doing just the kinds of things my Mama taught me to do... being a Grammie extraordinaire!

Fiona's #3 birthday cake

for her

Fiona's Purple Party

And...

And Grammy was here in spirit as I used her spatula-tor to frost cup-cake-REE-ouses!

I love you Mama... thank you for always loving your little-Joanie!

Bring On The Beach...

... to Grammie's backyard!

Fiona, like her Mama, is very tactile and loves to play in the *soft sand* or dirt. Since Grammie just spread 2 yards (read- 2 Fernando loads) of rich, black compost on ALL of her flowerbeds she [I] needed to provide a less dirty play area for the Bitties!

Enter beach sand! I've seen DIY recipes for play sand on Pinterest so this morning I did a quick search on what ingredients I'd need- other than two eager Bitties! We made a couple of stops to get beach toys and sand.

The table from last night's 3rd Sunday Grammie dinner was still on the deck so I used it to corral the Liam so he didn't topple of the edge.

We mixed the 50 lbs of play sand with 1 lb of cornstarch stirred into 6 cups of water. It made for wonderful beach sand. I plopped Liam right down in the large, somewhat portable (man, is it ever heavy!) repurposed plastic gift wrap container. (Yeah, the gift wrap is hangin' in the dungeon on the floor!)

Miss Bitty unpacked the toys and tried each of them out!

We enjoyed almost 2 hours playing in the sand. Liam finally got tired so I stripped him down to shake out the sand and he was ready for a bottle and a nap.

As Grampy finished the nap routine of putting Liam down Grammie and Fiona cleaned up. I stripped and dusted her off too but then the call of the sand was just too much...

She climbed right in and laid down to have a true beach experience.

Good thing Grammie knows how to strip and dust babies!