Birthday Brunch Series

This week Sarah is serving up BRUNCH. In just under a week I'll be hosting a birthday brunch for my train friend. I've already put a fair amount of planning into the menu, but it's bound to change as the week goes on. What I do know so far: the bread basket will be full full full! Aside from treating everyone to Greg's Bagels (along with homemade cream cheese, recipe follows) there will be an assortment of muffins and scones. Cream cheese and scones? Ew. No worries. I've got some honey butter from the Farmer's Market to toss on the table. 

Now, I admittedly stole the idea of my choice of scones from Cousin Kathleen. Rumor has it they're a weekend (and weekday) hit. No surprise, they come from Barefoot Contessa (aka Ina Garten). 

Maple-Oatmeal Scones

Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten)

Makes 14 scones

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup quick-cooking oats, plus additional for sprinkling

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 pound cole unsalted butter, diced

1/2 cup cold buttermilk

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

4 extra-large eggs, lightly  beaten

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash

Glaze

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract (the recipe calls for 1 tsp, but I always use 1 tbsp in baking)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flours, oats, baking powder, sugar and salt. Blend the cold butter in at the lowest speed and mix until the is in pea-sized pieces. Combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, and eggs and add quickly to the flour-and-butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.

Dump the dough out onto a well-floured surface and be sure it is combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 to 1-inch think. You should see lumps of butter in the dough. Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops with egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are crisp and the insides are done.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. When the scones are done, cool for 5 minutes, and drizzle each scone with 1 tablespoon of glaze. Sprinkle some uncooked oats on the top, for garnish. The warmer the scones are when you glaze them, the thinner the glaze will be.

Garlic & Herb Cream Cheese

Barefoot Contessa Family Style (Ina Garten)

Serves 6

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons minced scallions, white and green parts

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until blended.