Another way to use up maple sugar...

When we went to the farmers market this morning, I had to pick up a couple fresh pears as this was the first weekend I noticed them. I already had a recipe in mind that I have been saving for awhile now, but just didn't get around to making it.

Maple Nut and Pear Scones are not as rich because some of the butter is cut with cream cheese to lighten them, but that doesn't mean they have no flavor. While using cream for the liquid is more traditional, I like the addition of buttermilk which lends a subtle tang. The maple flavor comes in two parts here; I first used maple sugar, instead of granulated, which lent a more deep rich flavor, while maple extract is added with the buttermilk for an additional kick. When you add the buttermilk, do it slowly as you may not need the full amount to moisten the dough. Even with the changes to make them lighter, these are still quite flaky and tender. The flavor from the toasted pecans was a good counterpart to the Bartlett pears, but walnuts would also be a great pair if you don't care for pecans.

I've been asked a few times now why we never post about savory dishes on Saturdays. As I've mentioned before, a couple years ago we pretty much rotated through a set of recipes and never strayed far as we were pretty picky. Since we have decided to expand our choices in what we eat, each week I normally make new or different (I can't believe some foods we have begun to enjoy!) recipes Monday through Friday. Sundays are usually set aside for leftovers, but we often do make something new then too. Saturdays are the one day where we always have basically the same dish for dinner and there is really no thought involved. Jeff says this is just our little ritual to keep us sane! We've posted it a few times as sometimes we add or swap out ingredients, but it is basically the same.... here's another view of our Saturday Chickens Salads.

Recipes
Maple Nut and Pear Scones