Ningxia Wolfberry Raspberry Scones with Ningxia Red glaze

My family and I have been drinking Ningxia Red for years and we absolutely love it. A few months back Young Living had New organic Ningxia Wolfberries in stock and I had to try them. I have to be honest when I got them in the mail I didn't know what to do with them. I didn't really like them to snack on as is so I started trying new recipes to see how I could incorporate this super fruit into our diet. 

Here is the recipe  for my Ningxia Wolfberry Raspberry scones with Ningxia red glaze.  

Please let me know if you make them and how you like them. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: About 22 minutes

Ingredients:

2 Cups All purpose organic flour

1/2 Cup granulated organic sugar

1 Tablespoon organic baking powerpinch of salt (optional and to taste)

1/2 Cup unsalted organic butter, cold (1 stick)

1 Large organic free range egg1/2 Cup organic sour cream (Light is ok)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

1/2 Cup Young Living Organic Wolf berries

1/2 Cup frozen organic raspberries

1 Tablespoon lemon or orange zest (optional)

1/2 Cup confectioners sugar

1 Tablespoon Ningxia Red juice 

1. Preheat oven to 400F Line a baking sheet with a Silpat, parchment or you can grease a Scone Pan like I did.



2. I use warm water to rehydrate the wolf berries in a bowl for about 2 minutes, strain the water and let the berries sit in the strainer to get excess water out (you just want them soft not mush) 


3.  In a large bowl, add 2 cups of flour, granulated sugar and baking powder, optional salt and whisk to combine.


4.  Add the butter, I like to cut the cold butter into small pieces or you can use a pastry cutter or two fork cut the butter in.   I use my hands to make the butter pieces as small as possible, like cold wet sand. Some pea size pieces are ok; set the bowl aside. 


5.  In a small bowl, add egg, sour cream, vanilla extract and whisk to combine until smooth. 

6.  Pour wet ingredients over the dry and fold until just combines with a soft tipped spatula: you don't want to over mix or the scones with tough.  


7. Fold in Wolfberries, Frozen raspberries  and optional lemon zest. 


8. Grease scone pan and scoop the mixure in.  Or flour a clean working surface to place dough and lightly flour your hands. Turn the dough onto surface and knead it into approximately an 8 inch round.  Dough will be moist and sticky but if it is too wet sprinkle a tablespoon of flour at a time until you get it to come together and into a round. With a large knife, slice round into 8 equal sized wedges. Transfer on to silpat or parchment. 


9. Do not crowd because the scones will puff and spread while baking. 


10.  Optional- sprinkle each wedge with a generous pinch of turbinado sugar about a 1teaspoon each. I chose to skip this step but some like the added texture and sweetness.


11. Bake for about 22 minutes or until the scones are very lightly golden and cooked through.  A toothpick inserted in center should come out clean, a few moist crumbs but no batter.


12.  Allow scones to cool on pan for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack.  


13. In a small bowl, combine confectioners sugar and Ningxia red juice. Whisk together until smooth. Depending on the desired consistency you may need to play with the juice and sugar ratio.

14. Brush a light coat on scones and drizzle zig zags across the top.

Scones are best fresh but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Refrigerating will dry them out. Enjoy!!! 

If you want to learn more about the benefits of Ningxia Red and wolf berries contact me at demetrarinaldi@gmail.com or to Order from Young Living please use this link http://yl.pe/v37

Easy Cheesy Homemade Healthy Cheez-its Snacks cracker recipe

My kids love anything cheesy and crunchy! 

Here is an incredibly easy and Delicious recipe for homemade cheez-it cheddar crackers without all the overprocessing and added preservatives!

iNGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (which is about 2 cups)
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 to 3 tablespoons ice water

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cheese, butter, and salt on low speed until combined. Add the flour and mix on low until pebbly. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the water and mix as the dough forms a ball. If needed, add the additional tablespoon of water a little at a time until the dough forms. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin 10x12-inch rectangle (the dough should be no more than ⅛-inch high). Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer them to the baking sheets.

3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until puffed and browning at the edges. Immediately move the crackers to wire racks to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

CraftyLeftDee Introduction First blog post

Potter, painter, artist, crafter, Essential oils enthusiast, mom, wife.

I was born and raised in New York as a proud Greek/American but I have lived in Italy, Oahu, Florida, England, Belgium, a few summers in the Greek Islands and now in the DC Metro area. My etsy shop is filled with my Handmade Pottery, Clay Essential Oils jewelry, Sea glass Jewelry, Up cycled Slumped bottles, Paintings and Crafts that have been inspired by my travels. When I speak about my family I always say that we are gypsies with healthcare as we have spent the last 12+ years moving around the world. Here is my story:

From a young age I was drawn to the wonders of the art world and decided early on to pursue a life that allowed me to have a creative outlet. I graduated from the State University of New York at Old Westbury with a BS in Visual Arts after a brief stint at SUNY New Paltz School of Art Education. At this time I was primarily focusing on contemporary art and experimental photography, spending my entire senior year building life size plaster body pin hole cameras. After graduating from university in 1999, I turned to teaching Art at an Adult Continuing Education Center.

In a whirlwind I met my future husband and moved 4000 miles away from my comfort zone to be with him in the small ancient port city of Pozzuoli, just north of Naples. We lived in Italy from 2001 until 2003 where I taught as an elementary teacher at a NATO Montessori School on a military base in Agnano and in my free time I immersed myself in Naples’ rich history, thriving contemporary art scene, the local culture and gastronomy. In the spring of 2003 we reluctantly moved to Tampa Florida for a job opportunity; there I gave birth to my son and dove head first into my new role as mother. Although I found it difficult to be creative with a newborn baby in the house, it was at this time that I started taking sewing and baking seriously as on outlet. Over the next year I produced some of my best baby quilts and even sold a few cakes for military retirement parties.

After only a short stay in Tampa, in 2004 we moved to Hawaii for my husbands new position and we lived on the North Shore of Oahu, directly on the beach. Although we absolutely loved the Hawaiian lifestyle, we needed to cut our tour short due to my son’s medical condition so we said goodbye and moved to the DC Metro area. Due to the high cost of living I took a job working full time for a small Defense company across from the Pentagon, a far cry from my love of art. In early 2007 I gave birth to my daughter and immediately found myself preparing the family for another move across the Atlantic, this time to Belgium. Although we packed our household goods in June we had some stops along the way before finally settling down in our ultimate destination: spending the summer on Long Island with family and the autumn in England.

While in Belgium we lived close to the French border near a NATO base but only 45 minutes from Brussels. With both children in school and my days free, I was able to once again renew my love for art. With such convenient access to museums and architecture it provided me with the drive to get back into creating again. I started focusing on photography, painting and began taking pottery courses again and soon became completely obsessed with spending time in the studio. After spending 4+ years in northern Europe with 3 incredible summers in Corfu Greece, our time there came to an end and we returned back to the DC Metro area in the spring of 2011. Immediately after purchasing a house we built a home studio addition for me to continue making pottery, painting, sewing, quilting and crafting.  

As a mom I am always trying to teach my children to eat healthy and be active. We buy organic meats and produce and try to keep our processed foods to a minimum.  I have always been interested in alternative medicine and have taken a real interest in using Young Living Essential oils as a supplement to our healthy lifestyle.  My oil use has also been integrated into my art as I have begun making more essential oil jewelry as well.  

The best days now are the ones spent in the studio with my family, getting muddy…