cranberry ginger scones

Yes, cranberries have been the lead actor in my kitchen this past month. What can I say. I love them. They're red, cheerful, tart, and SO festive. I know it's post-Christmas/New Year's now, but I say, let the festivity continue. Why not?!

And I'm sure, you, like me, love not just a good party, but also a good scone. {Party at breakfast!} I saw a recipe that called for all cream, and though I was tempted, I opted for this one, which included both cream and BUTTER.

ginger and molasses cupcake {msc}

"What was I thinking?" is what I asked myself as I looked at this recipe last week. A few months ago, I chose this cupcake for the Martha Stewart Cupcake Club (to which you can belong, too- just check it out here.)  I suppose that ginger could be an autumnal sort of flavor, particularly paired with pumpkin or pear, (try saying that five times fast!) but when you add molasses with it, it starts heading into the direction of gingerbread. I must have been in some sort of fog, or I was being extremely forward thinking in having an option for wintertime.  Let's just choose the latter reason.

ginger snaps {sms}

The Son walked into the kitchen as I was mixing the dough for this week's cookie (and while m&m cookies were baking) and announced, "I smell pumpkin!"

The spices- cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg- associated with pumpkin goodies and Sweet Melissa's recipe transport me to a brisk fall morning, with crisp air and crackling leaves.

Wishful thinking, as it was 90º outside and about 89º in the kitchen with oven blasting.

The hot kitchen was worth it for the bites of yumminess- buttery, spicy, and a slight pepper kick. The only change I made to the recipe was to decrease the baking soda.  For whatever reason, I seem to be hypersensitive to it (it leaves a nasty aftertaste if there's too much) and this recipe seemed to be a bit heavy on it, so I halved the amount. Perhaps that is one reason why they turned out so...