Top Ten Posts of 2021

It's time for my year-end wrap-up featuring the 10 most popular posts of 2021. It's a tasty assortment I think, nicely varied, and it tells me a couple of things. First of all, that you really loved my Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Loaf; that won by a landslide. Second, perhaps due to the fact that more people are cooking at home than ever, only one of my tablescapes made it into the top 10, despite my having more of them this year than last year.

Thanks to all of you who visit my blog, I really appreciate having you here. To see the blog post and recipe associated with each of these pictures (shown in descending order of popularity), click on the title below the photo and it will take you directly to the post.

Happy viewing, and have a wonderful New Year! Here’s hoping, right?!

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Loaf

Mrs. Marlowe-Inspired Southland Cheese Rolls

How to Make Gravy from a Rotisserie Chicken

Winter in the Woods Tablescape

Deviled Ham Cheese Ball

Honey Cornbread

Coconut Sheet Cake

Apricot Scones

Asian Pork Chops for Two

Philly Cheese Steak Sloppy Joes

 Are you as interested as I am in getting a grip on meal planning during the upcoming year? Join me in giving this Meal Planning Kit a try.

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Apricot Scones

This post contains affiliate links.

 

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Apricot Scones are a menu favorite at The Barn, the restaurant on the grounds of the Thomas Sappington House Museum Complex in the county of Crestwood. Now, I have been to The Barn restaurant, and my experience was not a good one. However, I do love apricots, and I like a good scone, so I was willing to give these a try. The directions provided were unnecessarily tedious and long, so I updated them; I find the absolute best way to make a scone is in the food processor, so that’s what I did. These are indeed tasty and filling, and made a wonderful breakfast this morning.

 Apricot Scones

Recipe adapted from Feast Magazine

 

Flour, for work surface

2 c. flour

⅓ c. granulated sugar

1 t. baking powder

¼ t. baking soda

½ t. kosher salt

8 T. (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s dried apricots

½ c. toasted pecan pieces

½ c. sour cream

1 large egg

2 T. melted butter, for tops

⅓ c. Sugar in the Raw

 

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat. Lightly dust a work surface with flour.

 Pulse apricots in food processor 4-5 times until diced small; empty into bowl. Pulse pecan halves 4-5 times until chopped; empty into bowl with apricots.

Into the food processor, place flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Pulse until combined. Place butter cubes into food processor, and pulse until mixture forms a coarse meal. Add apricots and pecans, and pulse until blended.

 In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until smooth, then add to the food processor. Pulse until it forms a large ball.

Place dough ball on floured work surface and pat into a 6-inch disc, smoothing sides as you go. 

 

 

Brush melted butter over the top and sides, then cover with sugar in the raw, pressing down lightly as you do.

 

Make four cuts into the top to create eight pie-shaped scones. Lift each one off of the work surface, lightly dipping the bottom into any accumulated butter and sugar, and place on baking sheet. 

 

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes.

 

Serve warm or at room temperature.