Maple Glazed Scones

3 cups all purpose flour
4 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup (or more) plus 6 tablespoons whipping cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/3 cup (about) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir 1/2 cup whipping cream and 1/2 cup maple syrup in small bowl to blend. Gradually add cream mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until dough comes together and adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if dough is dry. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Knead dough gently until smooth, about 5 turns. Using floured hands, pat out dough to 8-inch round; cut dough into 8 wedges. Transfer wedges to baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake scones until golden and tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack.

Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 6 tablespoons whipping cream and 2 tablespoons maple syrup in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in enough powdered sugar to form thick glaze.

Drizzle or spread glaze over warm scones. Let stand until glaze sets.

We made this recipe  at a French & Indian War encampment in the fire, with a few differences.  Instead of one round, we made two smaller ones to fit into pie pans. We heated a dutch oven in the fire, then pulled it out, set a trivet into it, set the pan of scones on top and covered them. Then we laid down a bed of coals, put the dutch oven over them and added coals to the top. After about 10 minutes we checked on them, and turned the top to prevent hot spots. Another 10 - 15 minutes and they were done. We let them cool a bit and then glazed them. Although they were dark on the bottom, they went over very well.  Many thanks to my sous chef Caroline, who did a lot of the work on these scones in primative conditions.

Hasty Pudding

4 ¼  cups water

1 cup oatmeal ( or rye flour or cornmeal)

½ teaspoon salt

Milk or cream to taste

Sugar, molasses, maple syrup or honey for sweetening.

 Bring a quart of water to boil in a pot. Remove from the fire. In a separate container, mix ¼ cup of water and 3 tablespoons of the oatmeal together.  Add the oatmeal mixture and salt to the pot of water. Place back on fire. Slowly add the remaining oatmeal ¼ cup at a time, stir to blend, and bring pot back to boil before adding the next bit of oatmeal. This should take about a half-hour. Serve hot with milk or cream, butter and sweetner to taste.

Take leftover mush and chill. Slice and dust with flour to fry in butter. Serve with your choice of syrup or honey.

This recipe is from the 18th century, adapted with modern measurements.

Honey Ribs

Honey Ribs in your crock pot:

Take 2 pounds of baby back ribs. Broil for 10 - 15 minutes to cook off some of the fat. drain. Cut ribs into single serving sections. Put in Crock Pot the following:

10 oz beef consomme
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Stir to mix ingredients. Add ribs.
Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Excellent with rice.

Poppy Seed and Maple Syrup Bread

2 tablespoons Dry Yeast
1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons Salt
6 cups Flour
1/4 cup vegetable Oil
3 tablespoons poppy seed
2 cups warm water

Combine yeast with warm water. Add  the rest of the ingredients. Shape the dough into 2 9X5 loaf pans. Let rise covered with tea towels in warm place for 35 minutes or until the tops of loaves have just risen above the edge of the pans,.

Brush loaves with and egg wash made by beating 1 egg with 1/4 tsp salt. Sprinkle the tops generously with poppy seeds.

Put the risen loaves in the middle of a cold oven, set the oven to 375 degrees and bake 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 20-25 minutes more until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Cool on rack covered w/ tea towels. after 30 minutes remove towels and cool completely.

Pumpkin Patch Soup

A family thing...

3 cups butternut squash
2 cups milk, or 1/2 & 1/2 or 1 can evaporated milk.
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon or so of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves or allspice

Mix in pan and heat on stove or in the Crock Pot.