Well the GRE is finally over! I took the test April 30th and could not be happier with the results. After almost 2 1/2 months of studying I was able to score 20 points higher than my goal score on the Verbal/Quantitative section and score 1 point higher on the essay section. Although my scores definitely would not get me into a Biology graduate program, they are strong scores for the types of programs I will be applying to in the Social Sciences. Now I get to breathe a little easier for a few months, then I will get my applications together and submit them this fall for admission for fall 2012. I am so glad I have taken time after graduating to deal with the whole process of graduate school, because it really is a part time job to go through the testing process, researching schools/programs, and completing the applications. It is exciting to think I am now one step closer to finally going back to school. This stint in the real world has been fun but I am definitely ready to go back to being a student! I have started to realize that I would rather be on a tighter budget, work less hours, and have more time to do the things I enjoy such as cooking, reading, and even getting back into researching and scholarly type things. So I am hoping over this summer I might be able to make a change that will give me more time, maybe a little less money, but definitely more happiness.
Now enough about the completely unexciting GRE (but my very exciting scores!!) and lets talk about scones. This is my first ever adventure into making scones, and I have to say I am hooked. The wonderful taste of these baked goods would have been enough to pull me in, but when you couple that with the fact that they are incredibly easy to make it makes me feel I should be making scones every week. The ingredients are very simple ( I think I had every ingredient on hand and did not have to buy anything extra at the store), the preparation is so easy, and they come together so quickly without making any sort of mess in the kitchen. Not to mention they taste melt in your mouth good, and I mean they really do melt in your mouth.
Orange Scones
3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 tablespoons orange zest
3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup chilled buttermilk
Glaze:
about 3/4 cup powder sugar
fresh orange juice
*you can add 3/4 cup of dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, currants, etc. Trader Joe's has some orange flavored dried cranberries that would be so tasty in these...
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix in orange zest. Add the butter pieces and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. If adding dried fruit mix in now. Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with a fork until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 4 times to bind the dough.
You can do these as drop scones and just scoop out onto baking sheet. For wedge shaped scones, form dough into 1 inch thick round, cut into 8 wedges, then transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until tops of scones are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand on baking sheet 10 minutes.
Gradually add orange juice (use the orange that you zested) to the powdered sugar until a thick glaze forms. Drizzle over warm or cooled scones.
I cooled the scones on a cooling rack then store them in an air right container. They did not last more than a few days before they were all eaten but I probably would recommend eating them within 2-3 days. I have yet to try it but I have heard that scones freeze well and can be reheated easily so if you cant eat them all within 2-3 days I would recommend freezing them.
Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com
Now enough about the completely unexciting GRE (but my very exciting scores!!) and lets talk about scones. This is my first ever adventure into making scones, and I have to say I am hooked. The wonderful taste of these baked goods would have been enough to pull me in, but when you couple that with the fact that they are incredibly easy to make it makes me feel I should be making scones every week. The ingredients are very simple ( I think I had every ingredient on hand and did not have to buy anything extra at the store), the preparation is so easy, and they come together so quickly without making any sort of mess in the kitchen. Not to mention they taste melt in your mouth good, and I mean they really do melt in your mouth.
Orange Scones
3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 tablespoons orange zest
3/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup chilled buttermilk
Glaze:
about 3/4 cup powder sugar
fresh orange juice
*you can add 3/4 cup of dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, currants, etc. Trader Joe's has some orange flavored dried cranberries that would be so tasty in these...
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Mix in orange zest. Add the butter pieces and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. If adding dried fruit mix in now. Gradually add buttermilk, tossing with a fork until moist clumps form. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 4 times to bind the dough.
You can do these as drop scones and just scoop out onto baking sheet. For wedge shaped scones, form dough into 1 inch thick round, cut into 8 wedges, then transfer wedges to prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake until tops of scones are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let stand on baking sheet 10 minutes.
Gradually add orange juice (use the orange that you zested) to the powdered sugar until a thick glaze forms. Drizzle over warm or cooled scones.
I cooled the scones on a cooling rack then store them in an air right container. They did not last more than a few days before they were all eaten but I probably would recommend eating them within 2-3 days. I have yet to try it but I have heard that scones freeze well and can be reheated easily so if you cant eat them all within 2-3 days I would recommend freezing them.
Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com
