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Lemon Poppy Seed Scones

It’s been a while since I last posted.

During the interlude, we’ve celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Civil Rights Day, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents Day.

I’ve graded student papers, traveled to Waco, Texas for a week of studies with my colleagues in the Executive LL.M. program in Litigation Management, completed my own final exams, prepared written materials for a continuing education course, and taught the course. And because the second trimester of my studies started on the heels of the first, I have plunged into another round of classes, while trying to keep up with my day job.

It’s been a busy few months.

Friday night, I asked Rebecca what she wanted for our Saturday breakfast. She suggested we have Lemon Poppy Seed Scones, something we had not tried before. Well, now we have, and so can you.

This is the same recipe that I regularly use when making scones, with the addition of lemon flavoring and poppy seeds. Try out the recipe, and let me know what you think in the comments.

ingredients

2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 to 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
zest and juice of one medium lemon
1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450*.

Pulse the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to mix.  Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of grains of rice. Mix in the poppy seeds.

Add the lemon juice and zest. Slowly blend in the heavy cream until the mixture forms a dough.

Roll (or pat) out the dough until it is about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the scones using a biscuit cutter or knife. I use a 2-inch cutter, which typically gives me 12 scones.

Place the scones about 1 inch apart on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Glaze the top of the scones with heavy cream. You also can sprinkle on turbinado sugar if you like.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes. You’ll be tempted to eat the scones as soon as they come out of the oven, but wait a few minutes first. The flavors intensify as the scones cool.

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Croissant Bread Pudding with Chocolate, Cherries, and Pecans

For the past 12 years, I have taught a class on Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. It’s a lot of fun. The students are smart, talented, and inquisitive. They help me keep on top of my practice.

This year our final class is on Wednesday, November 28 — Thanksgiving Eve. What better way to start a long holiday weekend than to attend an evening class with an adjunct professor!

We need to celebrate the end of the semester with something sweet and decadent. This Croissant Bread Pudding features the buttery richness of croissants combined with tart cherries, smooth chocolate, toasted pecans, and sumptuous custard.

Earlier this year, I served the bread pudding at a dinner for 40 attorney friends who were in town for a continuing education program. It was a hit, so much so that a friend remarked that she had “embarrassed herself” by going back for multiple servings. I thought she was just showing her good taste.

Don’t embarrass yourself. Try some Croissant Bread Pudding.

Croissant Bread Pudding

  • ¼ cup dried cherries
  • ¼ cup pecans
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 day-old croissants
  • 1 oz. grated bittersweet chocolate

Cover the cherries in a small bowl with boiling water. Let the cherries sit for 20 minutes. Drain then set aside.

Toast the pecans under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Cool the nuts, then chop.

Preheat the oven to 350*. Grease 4 small ovenproof bowls with cooking spray.

Heat the cream in a heavy saucepan. Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds into the cream, then add the pod. Simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bean pod.

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Slowly pour in the cream while whisking the egg mixture to prevent the yolks from cooking.

Tear the croissants into 6 pieces each. Cover the croissants with the egg and cream mixture. Allow the croissants to absorb the liquid for about 10 minutes. Then add the cherries.

Transfer the mixture into the prepared bowls. Sprinkle the top of each bowl with chocolate and toasted pecans. Bake for 25 minutes or until set.

Adapted from Cooking for Two: Perfect Meals for Pairs

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Doing Hard Things

Photo by Alessandro Bianchi on Unsplash

Anything worthwhile in life is hard.

Winning a championship. Building a successful business. Nurturing a relationship. Each requires vision, passion, and dedication. Each requires a commitment of time, effort, and resources.

As human beings, we are most content when we are growing and progressing. Doing hard things is the best way to progress. In the end, the reward is worth the effort, even if you fall short of your goal.

I’m happiest when I push myself to achieve. I like having a little bit more to do than I can comfortably get done in a day. It makes me prioritize, focus, and act decisively. At the end of the day, I feel accomplished. When I stop pursuing personal growth, on the other hand, life becomes mundane.

That is why I have chosen to push myself out of my comfort zone.

In February, I learned of an Executive LL.M. program in Litigation Management offered by Baylor Law. The program focuses on the skills necessary to successfully manage a docket of high-volume, high-stakes litigation.

Over 14 months, the candidates take online courses centered on “very legal-specific strategic, analytical, business and cost management skills.” Three times during the program, candidates take a week of classes on-site to supplement online learning.

For six months, I had an internal debate over the merits of enrolling in the program. I came up with many reasons not to enroll – cost, work demands, and uncertainty about the future. Still, I could not escape the gnawing feeling that I need to bring a little turmoil and growth to my life.

It’s much easier to do nothing, so that’s precisely what I did. But representatives from Baylor were persistent, leaving messages for me every few weeks extolling the virtues of the program. The gnawing feeling continued.

After counseling with Rebecca and with trusted friends, I made the plunge last week. I submitted a resume and statement of interest on Thursday, and spoke with an advisor from Baylor and completed my application on Friday. On Saturday, I purchased tickets to travel to the orientation later this week. Classes start on September 23.

I’m excited to conquer this new challenge. I can do hard things.

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Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillos are a staple in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. They have a bright, acid flavor that adds a kick to any meal.

And they are versatile. Tomatillo sauce can be made from raw, boiled, or roasted tomatillos. Each has its own virtue.

This recipe highlights the smoky flavor of roasted tomatillos. It brings a mild spiciness to pork, chicken, eggs, and chips. And it’s easy to make.

Before making any sauce, remove the papery outer skin on the tomatillos. Tomatillos are sticky, so wash them carefully.

Tomatillo Sauce

  • 12 to 14 tomatillos
  • 1 white onion, cut into chunks
  • 6 to 8 cloves of garlic
  • 2 Hatch chiles
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • salt and pepper

Heat the oven to broil.

Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chiles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast the vegetables until charred, turning the vegetables every few minutes to ensure coverage on all sides.

Peel, seed, and stem the chiles.

Blend all ingredients in the blender until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with water, one tablespoon at a time.  Salt and pepper to taste.