Ingredients & Prep

You will need:

• parchment paper
• cookie pan
• ingredients
• pastry knife
• grater
• oven
• knife
• baking spray/ oil
• One medium-sized sweet potato; washed and baked. Let cool before mashing to make your sweet potato puree.

Dry ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

Nuts:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Oils:

1 stick of butter ( or stick of vegetable butter) grated, then chilled in the freezer for about ten minutes. If your butter ain’t really cold, your scones will not turn out right. Shortening doesn’t work well in this recipe.

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sweet potato puree
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream- chilled
• 1 large egg- beaten
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• prepare a sheet of parchment paper that is at least a foot long (for patting out scone dough)
• Sift together dry ingredients; Using a pastry knife, cut in the chilled butter until the mixture resembles a course meal.

• Gently stir in the nuts (if using).
• Combine all wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Make a “well” in the center of the dry ingredients.

• Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stirring after each addition. Do not over-process the dough. Only mix it enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. The dough should look like crumbly cookie dough.

• Turn the dough out onto parchment paper that has been lightly sprinkled with flour.
• Pat out the dough into a large rectangle shape. Cut in the center to create two squares. From there cut into small triangular pieces.

• Carefully move the scones to a lightly oiled cookie sheet.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on elevation). I usually remove them at the 10-minute mark.
• Cool on a wire rack. Top with glaze when just warm.

Glaze Recipe

• 1 cup sifted-powered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon each: cinnamon & ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon each: nutmeg, & cloves
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

Mix together dry ingredients. Stir in butter until mixed. Add cream, and blend well. Can add a bit more cream if needed, but take care to not add too much as the glaze will be easily thinned.

A Note About Pastry Knives

If you are new to using a pastry knife, you can buy them at Walmart and other department stores. Here is a link to a stainless steel pastry knife similar to the one I use. Any of them will work.

Happy Thanksgiving Y’all

Thanksgiving to me is not about having a fancy meal. It is about getting together with family and friends. Growing up, we didn’t have fancy place settings, but our mom sure could make you feel special and loved. Those are the most precious memories for me of when all of my siblings came together. I miss those sweet days and cherish the memories. Remember, you don’t have to have a perfect house to have a happy home. Enjoy the little things, like sweet potato scones and a cup of coffee to start your Thanksgiving morning.

I want to wish you and your family a safe and happy Thanksgiving. If you enjoyed this post, please pop over and check out my recipes for Appalachian Apple Stack Cake. It is another holiday favorite back home in the hills.

You all come back by real soon,

Vikki

The post Thanksgiving Day Breakfast:Sweet Potato Scones appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

What Is a Stack-Cake?

A stack cake is a traditional Appalachian cake made from layers of ginger-flavored cake, and either apple sauce or cooked dried apples. Stack Cakes were a staple for holiday dinners and made use of such farm-grown products as molasses, fresh eggs, buttermilk, homemade butter, and rendered lard. The recipes varied from family to family, giving each cake a unique flavor. Most of those ladies made their cakes from memory, and recipes were not written down. Young girls learned to bake these cakes by watching another person. I hope that you enjoy this old-fashioned dessert.

Ingredients:

Note: If you want your cake layers to be softer, use 4 1/2 cups of flour. If you want them to be a bit firmer, like a cookie, use the full 5 cups. I use 5 cups of flour in mine. My mom liked hers a bit softer. The texture of Appalachian Apple Stack Cake varied from recipe to recipe.

4. The “well” in the center of ingredients allows you to mix in wet ingredients slowly and evenly, avoiding dry pockets within your dough. Add wet ingredients into the well and incorporate the wet mixture using a large spoon slowly into the dry ingredients (You can also mix the dough with your hands. I find this easier when incorporating flour mixture into the dough).

Don’t overwork the batter, stir just until combined.
The batter will be similar to a cookie, or scone, dough.

5. Turn dough out onto floured wax paper. Shape dough into six equal pieces. Pat out the dough until it is about the same diameter as your pan (you may also use a rolling pin to gently flatten the dough).

Moving Your Dough to Pans & Baking

6. Invert one of your pans over the wax paper and dough. Slide one hand under the wax paper, lifting the dough and pan together. Invert the pan again, to an upright position. Your dough should now be resting in your pan. Gently use your fingers to spread the dough out evenly to the edge of the skillet. Use a knife to go around the edge of the dough to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the pan. Repeat until you have placed one flattened piece of dough into each of the waiting skillets.

7. Bake at 350 degrees, for about 6 to 8 minutes (or until the top of the cake springs back at the touch, or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean). The cakes will be firmer than regular cakes, similar to a large cookie. Let the cake cool enough to turn out on a cooling rack. Sat aside.

Dried Apple Topping: Ingredients

• 4 ½ cups dried apples; chopped
• ¾ cup brown sugar; packed
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ground cloves (just a pinch)
• 1 tablespoon of molasses
• 3 cups apple cider, or apple juice
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• ½ cup apple juice + 2 teaspoons corn starch

Directions for Making the Apple Topping for Your Appalachian Apple Stack Cake

1. Mix together and set aside: ½ cup apple juice + 2 teaspoons corn starch

2. In a medium to large saucepan: Stir brown sugar into the apples. Add cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Add enough juice to cover the apples. Let sit for fifteen minutes.

3. Next cook the apple mixture over medium-low heat. Stir your apples often. Cook apples until they are soft (about 30 to 40 minutes). If it seems that the apples are cooking too fast, you may have to adjust the heat a bit lower. Add a bit of juice as needed. You don’t want your apples to scorch.

4. Once the apples are soft, remove them from heat. Carefully use a potato masher to mash the apples. Stir in the apple juice/corn starch mixture. Return the apples to heat until they are thickened. Stir constantly.

Constructing Your Apple Stack Cake

On a large round plate, or cake plate, carefully place one of your cakes. Top with about 1/6 of your apple topping. Repeat layers, ending with topping. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Notes

 If you do not have dried apples: You can use 3 cups of unsweetened apple sauce, plus two fresh apples (peeled and diced). Add the spices. Cook the apple sauce on low, for fifteen minutes, or until the apple chunks are soft. Add the juice/cornstarch mixture to the apples. Return to the heat until it has thickened. Stir constantly and watch closely until the topping has thickened. Carefully remove it from heat to cool. Add apple topping to cakes, and stack in repeated layers.

• I divided the recipe for my cake. I wanted my cake to be three stacks high.
•  Vegetable butter can be substituted for shortening.

Best Apples for Drying

Dried apples can often be found at farmer’s markets and health food stores. If you would like to dry your own you can visit Minneopa Orchard for a list of apples that are good for drying. You can use apple sauce or apple butter if dried apples are not an option.

You Can Do It!

This recipe may appear complicated where I broke it into so many steps. I wanted even a novice baker to be able to recreate and enjoy this traditional apple stack cake.

Feel free to subscribe to my site. You are welcome to share it with others. I will be adding recipes from time to time, along with other thrifty and traditional DIYs.

Get a copy of Free Printable Recipe Pages here:

The recipe for the Appalachian Apple Stack Cake will be printed as full-size pages. If you are like me, you always end up tweaking a recipe to make it your own. I wanted to leave room for writing notes. Enjoy apple season and the upcoming holidays.

Thank you for stopping by,

Vikki

The post Traditional Appalachian Apple Stack-Cake appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Nothing is better than pancakes that are made from scratch. You can taste the homemade goodness in every bite. Whether you top them with honey and butter, molasses, or homemade maple syrup, they taste like home! This easy-made from scratch buttermilk pancakes are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

The first recorded mention of pancakes dates back to 600 BC in ancient Greece when a description of warm pancakes is recorded in the writings of a poet.

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) becomes a traditional way to use up dairy products before lent – the pancake breakfast is born in 1100 AD. 

During the 1800s milk replaces other liquids commonly used in the batter and maple syrup was added as a topping. In the 1870s the American flapjack becomes known as a pancake.

Betty Crocker.com

Before You Start

When making pancakes you can choose to use either self-rising flour (see substitutions), or all-purpose flour, plus salt, baking powder, and baking soda. I prefer using the all-purpose flour method following the recipe below.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted after measuring
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, or melted butter

Directions

1. Sift together: all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl mix: milk, vanilla, and oil (or butter if used instead). Whisk until smooth.
3. In a small bowl beat the egg slightly. Add egg to milk mixture. Whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to flour a small amount at a time and whisk until smooth.
4. Heat your iron skillet, griddle, or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add a bit of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour pancake batter into the pan.
5. Spread the batter out a bit in a circle. Let the batter cook until you see little bubbly pits appear on the top of the pancake and the edges are slightly dry-looking. Carefully flip the pancake and brown the other side.
6. Remove the pancake to a waiting plate. Add a bit more oil to the pan if needed. Add pancake batter. Repeat until all your batter is used up.
7. Serve with Homemade pancake syrup and a dab of butter, or your favorite toppings.
8. Makes: 8 to 9 pancakes

Substitutions:

To replace all-purpose flour: use 1 1/2 cup self-rising flour, and shift flour after measuring (do not add salt, baking powder, or baking soda).

Buttermilk substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk substitute using one of the methods below:

• 1/2 milk + 1 tablespoon plain yogurt . Let sit at room temperature for five minutes.
• 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Let sit at room temperature for five minutes.
• 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar. Let sit at room temperature for five minutes.

Make It Ahead

Pancakes can be made ahead of time and frozen for up to two months. Simply prepare pancakes as directed. Allow to completely cool. Lay pancakes out on cookie sheet and freeze. One frozen, place in gallon size freezer bag and store in freezer. When you are ready to serve, remove pancakes from freezer and microwave for 30 seconds. If needed, return for 15 seconds at a time until thawed and hot.

I have a large toaster that can accommodate pancakes. I toast the pancakes, then move to the microwave for 30 seconds.

Get your Creative Chef Hat On:

The recipe above is for basic buttermilk pancakes. You can alter the recipe to create a family favorite by adding one of the following:

• 1/4 cup diced banana and 1/4 cup blueberries + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon + 1/2 cup apple, diced small
• 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
• homemade maple syrup, see my recipe for directions

Happy Cooking:

If you have enjoyed this recipe, subscribe to follow. I would love to hear from you, so drop a comment to say hello. I will be adding more thrifty recipes later on, so stop back by for a visit and check out what is newly added.

Thanks for stopping by,

Vikki

The post Easy Made From Scratch Buttermilk Pancakes appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.

Growing up in Eastern Kentucky, we never had store-bought pancake syrup. Instead, my mom would create a syrup using sugar, water, and maple flavoring. I loved her syrup, and it took me a bit of time to get used to the store-bought brands. I wanted to share this budget-friendly recipe that has long been a family tradition. This easy homemade pancake syrup has a unique flavor that always reminds me of my childhood home in the hills.

This recipe is similar to the one my mother used, but I did alter it a bit. She would melt the sugar over low heat before adding her water. The sugar scorched easily. I came up with a method that was a little more user-friendly. I also like using brown sugar instead of white, because it gives the recipe a richer flavor.

With the recent increase in the cost of living, I have decided to start using these old recipes again to be thriftier. Also, this method of making syrup is great for when you need syrup, but don’t want to run to the store to pick more up.

This recipe will make about one quart of imitation maple syrup.

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups dark brown sugar packed, then sifted.
• 1  teaspoon maple favoring
• 1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

• In a medium-sized pot, add water. Heat water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Slowly add the brown sugar (about 1/2 cup at a time). Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add more sugar. Repeat steps until all the sugar has been added and is dissolved.
• Return to boil, then reduce heat to medium; let the sugar water simmer until thickened, stirring often. I simmer mine for about 20 minutes. Keep the sides of the pot scraped down. Do not let it scorch, or boil over.
• Handle with care, and remove from heat.
• Next, add your flavoring. Stir well to incorporate into syrup. I add vanilla because it makes the syrup taste like my mom’s, but it is optional.
• Allow syrup to cool completely before transferring to a clean quart mason jar, or another airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. Note: Never add hot liquid to a cool jar as it can burst.
• To reheat: Syrup can be heated in a microwave-safe bowl for thirty seconds before use. Take care that the syrup is not too hot to move or eat.

I am not sure how long this syrup will keep in the refrigerator; I try to not store it for more than a month.

You Are Ready For Breakfast

Shortly I intend to add recipes for made from scratch pancakes, waffles, and granola. I also found lean ground pork, and ground chicken breast on-sale yesterday. I ended up coming home and making homemade breakfast sausage, I will add that recipe soon as well. It seems that I am on a roll with breakfast foods at the moment, but in truth I look for sales at the food mart and adapt our menu to that. Thrifty living takes a bit of foresight and stocking up when you find deals. Now that you have a budget-friendly tasty maple syrup recipe you are ready to make an amazing breakfast syrup for family or friends. Follow this link for a recipe to make my easy made from scratch, buttermilk pancakes.

The Cup That Makes My Morning

Shop my coffee cup at Tabletop by ArtsyRobotz, or at https://www.redbubble.com/people/artsyrobotz/shop

Stop back by to see what is new, or rather what I have found on sale that I am putting to use.

Happy cooking,

Vikki

The post Easy Homemade Pancake Syrup Recipe appeared first on BeeVee Arts and Crafts.