I have developed a problem as of late...I am frequenting drive-through windows far too often. One of the items that lures me to such windows is a savory scone at a local coffee shop. The week that I stopped in before work four times, I realized I had a scone problem. As delicious and convenient as this sausage cheese scone is, $3.50 a pop adds up. I decided to make some savory scones of my own and save a small fortune.
The scones I made have ham, two kinds of cheddar, green onions, and sour cream that make them feel like a loaded treat for breakfast. I knew they were a hit when Stu (who says scones taste like "dog biscuits") ate two in a row. I have never made a savory scone before, but these turned out so well that I already have plans for my next batch.
Savory Ham and Cheddar Scones
Ingredients:
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 egg
-8 tablespoons butter (frozen)
-1/2 cup sour cream
-1 teaspoon baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup cubed ham or Canadian bacon
-3/4 cup each- aged white cheddar and sharp cheddar (One variety would be fine.)
-1/2 cup sliced green onion
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl beat egg and sour cream. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Grate frozen butter into the bowl. Use your hands to combine, but do not over work. It should look like a course meal.
3. Add egg and sour cream mixture. Use a fork to combine. Add in ham, cheese and onions. Work into a ball with your hands. (If it will not hold together, add in two tablespoons of milk and continue until the dough forms.) Note: It will be crumbly because of the cheese and ham, but it should not be falling apart completely.
4. On a floured surface, flatten dough into a long rectangle and begin cutting wedge shapes with a knife. (I formed mine a bit with my hands to get a triangular shape after they had been cut.) I got 10 small scones, but you could make 8 larger ones from this recipe.
5. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet (or floured sheet) and bake for 14-16 minutes. They should be slightly golden when finished.
This guy. This guy breaks my heart. We have been dealing with the very serious notion of trying to find a new home for our dog babies due to the soon arrival of a human baby. Before you say, "You terrible person! Look at that face-those eyes. How could you?" Let me explain...
We have had Marty McFly since he was five weeks old. He is the most loving, stubborn, and adorable canine creature. In true dachshund fashion, he burrows under the covers and chases any squirrel with a ferocity of a dog three times his stature. He will crawl on your neck like a scarf and take a nap if you let him.
However, if you cross him he will bite your face off. Literally. He's bitten both of us, drawing blood each time. We know his triggers, food and new toys that he's protecting. We've gone to trainings, read books, and even had a dog whisperer come to our house to try and help us break him. He has bitten more than one of our friends' kids in the face. (Our poor goddaughter, who is now 6, won't even go near him from fear of earlier encounters. She was one of the "bite in the face" victims.)
Both dogs barks incessantly at anyone who merely walks by our house. Heck, they even bark at the ice machine. Napping babies and 5 minute barking sprees don't seem to be a good match. Usually when we have parties they have to be locked up or go to doggy day care because they get too anxious with people being in the house. I say these things loving them and knowing they will not change. They are creatures of habit, and we are their world. But our world is about to change...
I have cried dozens of times thinking of not having them here. Friends have told us, "Oh you won't even think about them when the baby comes." I appreciate that they are trying to help, but I'm not a person who simply owns dogs. I've grown up with dogs my whole life and consider them family members, not just pets. I realize my priorities will be changing very soon, but it doesn't mean I can easily cut ties with these two precious creatures who have been a part of our lives for the last several years.
I honestly don't know what we will do. We are going to see how the first few weeks go. As of now, they sniff the new items in the nursery with suspicion. All four of us are about to have our worlds turned upside down by a tiny little baby..they just don't know it yet.
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ReplyDelete:( :( :( This post breaks my heart....and Marty has bit me before. :( :( :(
ReplyDeleteAww Stace, I forgot about that!
DeleteI know where you are coming from. We had a Doberman Pincher female, Raven, that we raised from a pup. She hated all things, killed or tried to kill any street cats that dared to enter our yard. We also worried about what would happen to our newest family memeber, our son. But, it turns out that she was his greatest protecter. She would do anything to keep anyone she felt that might harm the baby. And accepted him as part of the family.
ReplyDeleteI will pray that your dogs will change for the better once your little one arrives.
This is encouraging to hear! Literally as I'm typing this, they are barking furiously at a family on a walk passing by our fence. Sheesh.
DeleteMaybe if there was hope for Raven, there's hope for Brooke and Marty too:)
You are in a tough spot for sure. I hope you will be able to keep ALL your babies. But obviously, safety first. The scones sound yummy, BTW. I might have to try those.
ReplyDeleteI hope so too Lisa! We will see...
DeleteOh that is so sad! I am so sorry you are having to deal with that. And I can understand your concerns for sure! What makes me happy and comfortable with this is that because of how much you love them--I know you will find them a great and loving home! Praying you find someone great for both of them--and that you have a peace about what you are having to do!
ReplyDeleteAnd let's talk about these scones! Savory treats like this I love! I haven't ever tried to make scones....I think these might be the perfect ones to give it a try.
Thanks Erica. Hoping we find someone great when the time comes. Prayers are appreciated. Peace about it would be a major plus!
DeleteWell, that's a rock and a hard place! I wouldn't think that the newborn would pose unmanageable challenges for the dogs (as long as floor time is well-supervised, and as long as the little one learns to sleep through barking), but a toddler will. My dog went through a biting stage in late puppyhood, so I sympathize with your problem!
ReplyDeleteNot knowing your dog, my only suggestion is a general one: seek out a good, experienced, positive reinforcement trainer. Their methods are based on solid research into animal behavior (not that be-the-alpha/wolf-pack nonsense). You might not live near Patricia McConnell, but her books are a great place to start if you decide you want to keep working with the dogs and see how it goes before you try to re-home them. I also recommend Jean Donaldson (and her book "Mine!" on resource guarding might be helpful for your particular situation).
Whatever you decide will have its difficulties. I wish you and your dogs the best!
Elizabeth, we kind of thought the same thing. The first few months may not be the problems; it's when the baby is on the move.
DeleteThanks for the suggestion. I'll be looking up Patricia's work tonight!
These look delicious! I would love for you to share this or any of your great ideas at the link party going on now (and every Saturday through Tuesday) at 'Or so she says ...' Hope to see you there! www.oneshetwoshe.com
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures and awesome photography.
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That's a really tough call to make. We have a dog and I couldn't imagine giving him away once the baby arrived but in all honesty, he is an awesome dog who wouldn't hurt a fly, and I still get nervous sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAre both dogs aggressive or just the one? I would see how it goes the first few weeks and obviously the number one rule of dog ownership when baby is involved: never leave baby alone with dog. I go as so far as to bring my dog in the washroom with me if I have to leave my little guy on his playmate.
Sadly both dogs have bitten...I might be taking mine on a leash in the house to make sure they're not alone with her!
DeleteI have a dachshund too - he barks like a madman any time he hears or sees anyone. When we are on a walk and we see another person approaching - any person! - I groan and take him to the side to minimize the opportunity for impact. I might go so far as to say he especially DOESN'T like kids (besides the few he knows well). He has never actually bitten, but that isn't because he doesn't want to and hasn't lunged in attempts before. Right before our child was born we looked into rehoming him and it was HARD - turns out no one wanted an aggressive dachshund, which also made me feel even worse because I WANTED HIM! I love that adorable SOB!
ReplyDeleteWe were vigilant when the baby came about keeping him from getting too close, and he did. And now, two years later those two are BFFs. And my dog still hates other kids and strangers as much as he always did (and I know the transition must have been hard for him) but he really realized right away that our son was part of our family - his family! He would CUT A BITCH (get it? dog joke?) who tried to get near my son. He never responded to the baby like a stranger.
Don't lose hope! Be vigilant, take care and if you do decide rehoming is the best choice, I wish you and Marty the best luck in the world.
Thank you SO much for this! I was laughing hysterically by the second sentence! Man, Doxies are such predictable little creatures. I swear you described EXACTLY how Marty acts on walks. Also, the fact that he is such a high maintenance dog that no one else wants makes me love him more too:(
DeleteIt is good to hear that it can and did work for you. THANK YOU!!!