This is day one of a three day - three part post featuring our simple July 4th. Doug, Ian and I started the day with a Red, White and Blueberry Breakfast featuring my favorite blueberry scones.
I have shared the blueberry scone recipe previously, but now that so many of us are blueberry picking I will add the recipe again at the end of this post. We LOVE these scones.... Sadly they are NOT light and lean so they are a true rare treat.
I am giving you a sneak peek at the projects we will be highlighting over the next two days. The simple flatware pockets and the floral centerpiece - all made with the Cricut!
I thought our table looked very patriotic and perfect for our July 4th cookout. Dinner included grilled BBQ chicken, grilled corn on the cob (I LOVE grilled corn on the cob), garden salad and homemade yeast rolls!
I covered the outdoor table with a disposable blue tablecloth and an antique white table topper (oxymoron tablecloths??). I used red metallic chargers, white English china plates, and Spode blue and white garden bread plates.
Tomorrow I will take you step by step through creating the flowers used in the centerpiece. I used the new Flower Shoppe cartridge and I must say I LOVE IT!
Quick picnic note - my husband came up with the clever office supplies-turned-picnic hardware binder clips on the edge of the table (see below). The binder clips are awesome in that they hold down the tablecloths in the wind and they clip to the edge of the plantation table!!! Bigger clips would work great on larger tables!!!!
Blueberry Scones
Ingredients:
8 tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, frozen whole
1½ cups (7½ oz.) fresh blueberries
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
Adjust an oven rack to middle position and preheat to 425˚ F. Grate the frozen butter on the holes of a large box grater. (I like to use my food processor for this – fast and easy.) Place the blueberries in the freezer until needed.
Whisk together the milk and sour cream in a medium bowl; refrigerate until needed. Combine the flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter to the flour mixture and toss with fingers until thoroughly coated.
Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until combined. Transfer the dough to a generously floured work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour, and knead with well floured hands, 6-8 times, just until the dough holds together in a ragged ball. Add small amounts of flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Roll the dough into a 12-inch square. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter (a dough scraper really helps with these steps). Fold the short ends of the dough into the center in thirds, to form an approximate 4-inch square. Transfer the dough to a plate lightly dusted with flour and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
Return the dough to the floured work surface and roll into an approximately 12-inch square again. Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the surface of the dough, and gently press down so that they are slightly embedded in the dough surface. Using a dough scraper, roll the dough up to form a tight log. Lay the log seam side down and press the the log into a 12 by 4-inch rectangle. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into 4 equal rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally to form 2 triangles. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush the tops of the scones with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar. (If freezing ahead of time, flash freeze on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, then wrap individually and store in a freezer bag until needed.) Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
