Orange Glazed Blueberry Scones

The things are just scrumptious! I have made them twice in the last week and a half and they don't last longer than 24 hours :P Partially because it does't make an extremely large batch and I live with a family. But mostly because they end up in the mouth of the cook! ;)

Blueberry Scones

• 1 cup of blueberries (I use frozen and they work just fine)
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 1 stick of butter
• 2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 425 degreese. In a bowl mix the dry ingreedients. Add butter and blend with two knives or a pastry cutter untill it is crumbly. Stir in blueberries and add milk. Mix batter until it clings together. With floured hands, form into balls about 1/2' thick and 2 1/2' to 3'in diameter. Place on greased cookie sheet or parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 13 minouts or untill golden brown. Makes about 11 scones. After they have cooled, I coat them with the orange glaze. It will run off, but the more you can get to stay on there, the better ;)


Orange Glaze

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large orange, juiced and zested
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Melt the butter in a small bowl. Add the orange juice and zest. Stir in the powdered sugar, portions at a time to make sure it dissolves.

The little bits of orange zest add just the right "pop" to the sweetness.

I was taking these on a morning before I left for college. (Only two full weeks left! Woot!) So I was a tad rushed after taking pictures and didn't even get to drink the tea. Oh, well, it would have probably been cold and way too strong from steeping the whole time I took pictures. But I ate plenty of scones, of course, before heading off to school. :D

So, I must admit that it took me by surprise when I picked up my camera and started taking pictures. I thought to myself, "Hey, I like the sound of the shutter!" as if I had forgot what it sounded like. Then I chided myself for not taking pictures for such a long time... or blogging. :P I've had some people remind me that I haven't blogged since the 7th of this month, lol.

Well... delicious stuff. 

Guess what? You should make them! So we can share the love of them :)

-MarLeahJoy

Cookie Dough Fudge {Food Photography}

This recipe was a pinterest find from here.

Most of the time I'm more excited about taking pictures of the

food than eating it... and sad to say, I don't really like the way this fudge tastes.

It definitely tastes like it's supposed to, it's just not what I like. 

Give me peanut butter melt-in-your-mouth fudge any day over this stuff, haha.

So that's why I'm not going to share the recipe, just pictures ;)

Multi-tasking: Combining the cooking step with the

"take pictures" step, resulting in a head-less selfie ;)

And then.... comes the trouble!

Completely dumped all the sugar

out on the floor {don't ask how it happened}.

And this was just the start of

many, many tragedies.

{maybe that's why I don't like the 

way it tastes, hmmm...?

I had to modify the recipe

several times}

I was doing this in my room, by the way, because it was late at night and it was easier

to get better lighting.

I'm always playing eye spy to get some props for photography.

Then I find something awesome: like this scale from the basement {just how cool is it?}

Then I have to rack my brain to make it work: like I had to think of some sort of 

tray to substitute as a weighing boat and something to connect the two.

And, wheeee! This post was supposed to be published long ago, but I've been trying to do
some experimenting on Lightroom, so I have to watch tutorials... and read :( and that just hurts
my poor brain way too much. ;P

-MarLeahJoy

Peanut Butter Banana Cups

These little things are my current and constant craving! I made them last summer off of a healthier recipe and

 modified it to suit me, so here is my version of the recipe.

The full recipe without pictures is also at the end of the post.

Start out with one banana and slice it into approx. 1/4 inch slices. (I ended up using another 1/2 of a banana,
 but I would just start with one)

In a small bowl mix 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup honey, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3/4 teaspoon 

vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil.

If the oil is solid, you will need to melt it first. Mine was pretty soft, so I just mixed it in.

Also, Virgin Coconut oil has a stronger flavor than Refined Coconut oil -- I personally like the virgin)

In a mini muffin tray drop a small scoop of the peanut butter mixture.

Place a banana slice on top and cover with more peanut butter mixture and smooth the top to seal the edges.

Freeze until they are set (I just do it overnight), and store in the freezer.

Peanut Butter Banana Cups

Yields: Approx. 16 cups

• 1-2 bananas
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup powdered sugar (or desired sweetness)
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil soft of melted (virgin for taste, refined for not taste)

1. Cut the banana into 1/4 inch slices.
2. Mix all remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Drop a small amount of peanut butter mixture into each cup of a mini muffin tray.
4. Place a slice of banana on top.
5. Cover completely with more peanut butter mixture.
6. Place in the freezer to set. (I normally leave it overnight)
7. Store in freezer.

Enjoy!

-MarLeahJoy

Macro Converter Rings

Yesterday, I had so much fun taking pictures with my new macro converter rings that I got as a
graduation present!




My dear sister -- I can't believe she's getting married this fall!





Last night I went outside and got some of the rain splashing up from the sidewalk.
Good thing my camera is waterproof! I would feel so handicapped if I had to protect
it from the rain all the time!

-MarLeahJoy

Food Photography >>> Raspberry Waffles

I love breakfasts when they are anything but the typical!

Made with raspberries we froze from the summer.

Yep, they were delicious! :)
 
-MarLeahJoy

Food Photography >>> Freezing Action

I really had a lot of fun getting everything set up for this
photo shoot, and I am more than happy with the results!



Who else loves eating cake mix raw? Okay, maybe 
just me. :)



Oooh, oooh! A massive water blob!









One of my favorite pictures from today.



I just had to capture the part of food prep. where the
flour flies everywhere.





Yum! Spoon, anybody?



Here is my little studio set up... I just go around the house
on a little "treasure hunt" grabbing whatever I need.  :D

The camera was set up close enough to the bowl that I could
mostly hold the shutter with one hand and mix and pour
with the other. I did have to use my "taping" method to
keep the shutter down while I was cracking the egg, though. :)

Have a great week... I'll be enjoying a 5 day hiatus from school!

-MarLeahJoy