White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

If you know me, you know I love all things tea and that most definitely would include SCONES.

I found these online months ago and have been dying to try them

. I'm so glad I finally did and they were delicious!!!

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons cold butter
6 tablespoons half and half
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a bowl whisk together the
flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Cut in the butter pieces.

I cut the butter into little pieces and then I put the dry ingredients along with the butter in a food processor and pulse it a few times. Works like a charm!

Mix together the half and half and beaten egg.

Add the flour mixture along with the cranberries
and the white chocolate chips, and stir until the dough holds
together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and very gently knead for just until dough sticks together.

Form into a 1/2-inch thick round, then cut the round into 8
wedges. I made two rounds and cut into 16 wedges.

Spray a baking sheet with Pam or lightly oil with canola oil, then transfer the wedges
to the sheet.

Bake the scones at 400 degrees for 14 minutes.

Vanilla Bean Shortbread (Light version)

I got this recipe out of the Cooking Light magazine. It was sooooo GOOD!!! I love shortbread but when I read that this was a healthier version, I just had to try it out. It has half the butter of normal shortbread so it makes it less fattening (I guess), and more heart healthy (I guess.. ha!). I had some vanilla beans left over from when I got them at a great price at Costco. I made up a batch of these and let me tell ya, they didn't last long in my house. I even sent some over to my mom and she LOVED them! They have an amazing taste and texture. They are so flaky and yummy. They are a perfect compliment with tea. They almost taste like a pecan sandie sans the pecans. But I did do a second batch and added toasted pecans...DELISH!!! These are so easy, you have to try them!


Ingredients:

Cooking spray
9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line bottom and sides of a 13 x 9–inch baking pan with foil; coat foil with cooking spray, and set aside.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
4. Place butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add oil; beat with a mixer at medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean, and add seeds to butter mixture; discard bean. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon dough into prepared pan. Place a sheet of heavy-duty plastic wrap over dough; press to an even thickness. Discard plastic wrap. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool in pan 5 minutes on a wire rack; cut into 32 pieces. Carefully lift foil from pan; cool squares completely on a wire rack.

My kiddos couldn't wait for them to cool. They were hovering over them. They were a HIT!

I added toasted pecans to the second batch. Just typing this post makes me want to go make another batch. They are dangerous though. I could eat the entire pan, they are just so good!