Orange-Pecan Cranberry Jammers

I feel like I should catch you up to date after this post in which I bragged about all of the fun events I was looking forward to.

First was Body Worlds and OMSI after dark. Body Worlds was A. MAZE. ING. Like, the most amazing thing I have ever seen. (Okay, in the top five.) However, I couldn't take any pictures in the exhibit, so you will just have to go see it for yourself. Pictures were allowed in OMSI after dark, but I really didn't want to go all the way out to my car and get the camera after Body Worlds. But I do have some photos from the rest of my activities to share with you...

Friday night was the At First Sip book signing:

Saturday night was Zoo Lights: 

As we neared the exit off 26 for the zoo, we noticed signs along the road reading "Zoo parking full, take next exit." The signs off the next exit led us to a long line of cars that were waiting to get into the packed parking lot where people were being shuttled in school buses to the zoo. After finally parking, we entered the winding line of  teens (all apparently on dates and too cool to be wearing winter gear) and bundled children, parents, and grandparents.

It was, indeed, freezing, but we were happy to be on our way to see the lights and the animals, and James was content to watch the goings-on all around us, as well as the school buses that were quickly filled up, leading us closer and closer to our destination.

Finally it was our turn. We sat near the back of the bus, feeling like excited kids going on a field trip.

Once we got there, Lane's awesome company supplied us with hot chocolate, cookies, and tickets for the train ride, which we didn't go on because the line to go on the train was about twenty two miles long, and we would still be waiting to board.

But no train ride was needed because the lights were beautiful, the animals were not all asleep (poor guys), and the best part was that everyone seemed to be in a joyful holiday mood.

And now, to get to the stinkin' scones already. 

I was going to get up early on Sunday morning and continue our fun-filled family holiday weekend with fresh, seasonal scones. 

But I woke up to a crying child who was whining for the same reason I did the rest of the day: sore throat, headache, faucet nose. (I know, I know, I already felt sorry for myself in the last post...)

So instead of making them Sunday, I began to make these scones in the chaos after a grocery shopping trip on Monday mid-morning. The counters were piled high with groceries I hadn't put away, the floor was littered with pots and pans that I tried to amuse James with, and the scones were made in several stages throughout the rest of the day.

I did learn, however, that they can be made with a baby 30+ pound toddler on one hip.

Orange-Pecan Cranberry Jammers

basic scone recipe and directions adapted and shamelessly copy-and-pasted from Cindy's comment on this recipe

makes 8 scones

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tablespoons sugar 
1 tablespoon baking powder 

zest of 1 orange
6 tablespoons butter (cut into several pieces)
1 egg 
1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup pecan pieces

about 1/2 cup cranberry sauce

about 1 tbsp raw sugar (optional) for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 400 F. Assemble ingredients.

Food processor instructions: Add first four ingredients to processor bowl. Add orange zest and butter, and process with steel blade until mealy in texture. Add egg and milk and process just until the mixture holds together. 

By-hand instructions. Blend first four ingredients in large bowl. Add zest. Add butter and mix in with pastry cutter or fork or two butter knives, until mealy. Add egg and milk until the mixture holds together. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently knead in pecan pieces (do not over knead) and roll 3/4" thick. Cut into 8 wedges, and place on lighlty greased baking sheet, spread apart from one another so that they will not touch as they bake.

Bake about 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Let cool a few minutes before enjoying with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy.

PS They are called "jammers" because they remind me of similar scones I used to get on the weekends from Grand Central Bakery near my childhood home. I don't know if they were actually called jammers, or if that was a name my family made up.

PPS My friend, Katie, just cleared it all up. She sent me this link to the kitchen tour of the genius behind the original jammer. Grand Central Bakery does indeed call them jammers. But I should state, just for the record, the the similarity between these scones and theirs is only in the appearance as I remember it from when I was younger.