Scones

I grew up eating 'scones' made by my father. As today is Fathers' Day, it is only appropriate that I share a recipe that I learned from him. My dad is a wonderful baker/cook and I am grateful for his example which has inspired me towards my love of cooking.

This is not the traditional scone from Europe. According to wikipedia:
"In Utah, the bread products locally called 'scones' are similar to Indian Frybread and are made from a sweet yeast dough, with buttermilk and baking powder and/or soda added, and they are fried rather than baked. They are customarily served with butter and honey."

This recipe is probably closer to sopapillas or Indian Frybread and I use them in a similar fashion. Usually I fry up some dough to make some 'Navajo' Tacos, and then follow up with some cinnamon sugar desert ones. They are also wonderful with butter and honey.

Caution!
This recipe makes a lot! Either cut in half or else form extra into rolls and let rise. Bake in 350F oven.





3 cups warm water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp active dry yeast

Mix the water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes to let the yeast start.

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
7 - 8 cups flour

Add the oil and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix in flour until desired consistency. The dough should be slightly sticky.

Let the dough rise for about 30 minutes.

Roll out dough and cut into rectangles.

Fry in hot oil and drain on paper towels.

For 'Navajo' Tacos, I poke holes with a fork in the dough rectangles before frying. This helps keep the bread flat instead of puffing up like a balloon. For desert, I sprinkle the fried bread with a cinnamon sugar mixture as soon as I pull it out of the hot oil. Delicious!

Navajo Taco

ground beef
kidney beans
taco seasoning

Toppings
cheese, shredded
refried beans
tomato, diced
olives, sliced
avocado


Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain excess fat.

Add kidney beans to meat. Mix in taco seasoning to taste. Add water and let simmer.

Serve on fried bread along with refried beans, cheese, olives, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, salsa, etc.

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Copycat

This is another family favorite. The kids absolutely love the cinnamon sugar while Sarah enjoys the salt pretzels. Even plain ones are great. Check out this video link for instructions on rolling out the dough. There are other videos on how to twist, etc.


Picture is from a double batch I made to share with friends.

From Copykat.com

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups flour

2 cups water
2 tbsp baking soda
2-4 tablespoons butter (melted)
coarse salt
cinnamon sugar

Procedure:
1. Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.

2. Add sugar, salt, and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.

3. Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

4. While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.

5. Be certain to stir often

6. After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.

7. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.

8. Allow pretzels to rise again.

9. Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.

10. Brush with melted butter.

11. Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.

12. Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

13. Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously.

14. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.

15. Notes: the longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be.