Spring needs spring recipes

Spring has sprung! Or so goes the old saying. It's certainly true here at Casa Aylworth in beautiful Nor-Cal where the temperatures could not be more pleasant, the skies more forget-me-not blue, or the blossoms more lovely. The quarantine we've all been experiencing has not daunted the flowers. It seems our whole world is suddenly in bloom.

During my permitted morning walks, I have enjoyed all these lovely reminders that after every winter comes a spring. This time of renewal gives me power to keep going. Here I'm sharing some of the loveliest blossoms of the new season, part from my own yard and part from my neighbors.

Most of the time, quarantine means staying in. That has led to some indulgence, and in some cases, over-indulgence. (You may know the meme that encourages social distancing from one's refrigerator.)

In keeping with that norm, one of our indulgences during this stay-at-home time has been binge-watching TV cooking shows. Since I don't have most of their fancy ingredients, and we're all discouraged from going shopping just to buy those specialty items, I've been looking up recipes I can create from the items in my pantry. Today, I'm sharing two of those with you. These are scones (great for breakfast, dessert, or a treat) made from Bisquick or another baking mix. If you don't have the mix, use a basic biscuit recipe and then doctor it. Here you go. Happy baking!

Cinnamon-raisin scones

·         2 cups Bisquick baking mix

·         ¹⁄₃  cup milk

·         1 egg

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         3 tablespoons sugar

·         1 tablesspoon cinnamon

·         ½ c. raisins

DIRECTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 425.

2.   Mix together all ingredients well.

3.   Take large rounded tablespoons of mixture and drop onto a non-greased pan. (Alternative: roll into a round about ½” thick and cut into wedges, like a pie. Place on non-greased pan.)

4.     Bake for 10-12 minutes.

5.     If you wish, drizzle with simple icing (powdered sugar softened with a tsp. of water) while cookies are still hot.

CHOCOLATE BREAKFAST scones

·         2 cups Bisquick baking mix

·         ¹⁄₃  cup milk

·         1 egg

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         3 tablespoons sugar

·         1 tablespoon cocoa powder

·         ½ c. chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1.    Preheat oven to 425.

2.    Mix together all ingredients well.

3.    Take large rounded tablespoons of mixture and drop onto a non-greased pan. (Alternative: roll into a round about ½” thick and cut into wedges, like a pie. Place on the non-greased cookie sheet or pan.)

4.    Bake for 10-12 minutes.

5.    If you wish, you can drizzle with chocolate frosting or melted white or dark chocolate.

As the quarantine lets up, I hope to enjoy, and perhaps share, some of the great recipes I've gathered from bingeing the cooking shows. I'll let you know how that turns out. If you have some good ideas for using common pastry items, you are welcome to share with us as well.

Susan Aylworth is the author of 20 novels. Her newest series, "Seasons of Destiny," explores romance in every season of the year in the small, former Gold Rush town of Destiny, California in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  Paris in the Springtime, Sunny's Summer,  Amber in Autumn, and Winter Skye are all available now in e-book and paperback. She is beginning a new "Daughters of Destiny" series featuring five sisters-cousins who sing together and lots of interesting song lyrics. Look for them in the coming months.