Living with intention + Cranberry Almond Scones

I have decided not to go.

If you don't know what this means, and you've decided it's too cryptic to read something when you don't know the subject, just skip down to the scones at the bottom (they aren't one bit cryptic).

If you do know what it means, and you feel like I've made the wrong decision - it's over. It's done. There's no going back now. And if it helps you sleep better at night to think I did it for all the wrong reasons, go ahead and believe that.  But please keep it to yourself.

I have made few decisions for myself in my "adult" life. The kind that are really my own, to own. Ex. "I will do ______ because I want to do _______" fill in some form of hope or dream to complete the sentence.  Sounds simple enough, however I am fairly skilled at manipulating others' motivations to sound like my own. And then I believe them. Or I become so fiercely defensive, in order to protect myself from the guilt of being a martyr. again and again. 

But I am the only one who will live with my decisions. That goes for you too. And that is why it is so important to make the one that YOU can sleep with at night.

Here is where it is so important to discern between the life you intend to have for yourself and the life that could be if you made all the "right" decisions. I think most people know what I mean here. You know that time when you knew what was the "right" thing to do, but you didn't do it because, well... you didn't want to? Because the grass looked just as green on the side you were already on? Yes, that time. At least by choosing what you want, over what is "right" by everyone else's standards, you are living with self-direction and intention. Maybe I am telling myself this so I can sleep at night. Who knows.

Cranberry Almond Scones 

Scones are really under appreciated.

I love scones. There I said it.  My favorite scones are the cranberry almond scones from the Huntington Country Store. So I've tried to recreate them. And let me just say, these are SO GOOD. I have not been feeling much like cooking since the christmas eve marathon (thank you again, Nikki) but today I really needed to be in the kitchen.

What will you need? 

scones:
2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
5 TBS butter
1 egg
2 tsp - 1/4 c. sugar (honey makes a good alternative, adjust as you see fit)
1/3 c. or ~ 4 oz almond paste (or use almond extract, if you must)
1/2 c. cream
1/2 c. dried cranberries (soak in warm water for 15 minutes)
glaze:
1/2 c. confectioners sugar
3 tsp warm water
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Grate cold butter into flour mixture and mix until combined (or use a food processor, if you prefer).

 Add egg, cream, almond paste and honey. Mix as little as possible until combined. Just use your hands because it works better. Add cranberries. It will should resemble a very large ball of play-doh.

 Roll  flat on floured surface, about 1/2 in to 3/4 in thick. Use a glass, cookie cutter, or your empty almond paste can to cut rounds.

Bake at 350˚F for 8-9 minutes. Use parchment paper. Use it! Take them out just as you see a bit of browning on the top. If you overcook them you'll be sad. Especially if you don't really like scones anyway because they are normally dry and crumbly. Those are not good scones! Trust me, good ones exist. While the scones are still hot, mix confectioners sugar with water and almond extract to make glaze.