What to Do on a Really Cold Sunday

by Sue Perez, age (ahem)

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Zest an orange...

...and spend a happy minute sniffing your fingertips before washing off the heavenly scent.

Use the zest to make Orange Scones (with chocolate chips).

Bake the scones and add Orange Frosting. (This is known as Painting the Lily, or, Almost Too Much of a Good Thing.)

Chop and sauté savoury stuff - onions and peppers for starters...

...then add broccoli and eggs and cream and cheese and herbs and salt and pepper. Put the whole thing in the oven to bake. (Frittata, if you haven't guessed.)

While frittata bakes, make coffee and tea. When frittata is done, slice and introduce it to the scones.

Scone, meet Frittata. Frittata, meet Scone.
(Oh, sorry, Ham - you know Frittata and Scone, don't you?)

Enjoy with coffee and tea and a Loved One.

After eating, play with yarn while Loved One washes the dishes (bless him).

An hour or two later, get up to check the thermometer and make sure it's still too cold for a walk.

Then, as long as you're up, make another cup of tea and have another scone.

Repeat as necessary. :)

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Orange-Chocolate Chip Scones with Orange Frosting (adapted from this recipe) ~ Oven 400°

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup chilled butter, cubed
1 egg
Buttermilk (or milk substitute with a bit of vinegar added)
Zest and juice of 1/2 orange (save other half of orange for frosting)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine dry ingredients in food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chocolate chips. Place zest and juice from 1/2 orange in measuring cup; add buttermilk to equal 1/2 cup. Stir in egg. Add to dry ingredients and pulse briefly to combine. Turn onto floured surface and knead briefly. Flatten into 8" circle; cut into 8 wedges. Bake 20 minutes; let cool slightly; frost with Orange Frosting.

Orange Frosting:

1 Tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
Zest of remaining 1/2 orange

Combine ingredients in bowl. Gradually add juice from remaining 1/2 orange to desired consistency. (I like to make the frosting thick, so it doesn't run off the hot scones.)

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How do you stay warm on a Really Cold day?

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