MINT RAISIN BLARNEY SCONES

We can all celebrate Saint Patrick's Day and I especially love the many recipes available.  Of course scones are always on the menu at our house and I have been playing with recipes again.  I did several modifications to this recipe this morning. 

 It was lovely and warm out so I was watering my yard.  Within one hour the temperature dropped it had started snowing like crazy!  I have set up a little table for us to enjoy some time together:

I purchased this little child's tea set years ago in Wyoming and of course I shared the cottage teapot several times recently as I am not tired of seeing it.

I purchased my doll in the 1980's in Toronto, Canada. I may have shared this before so I apologize but I am thinking of it as I see this doll.  My friend had taken me to a house to see the antiques that were for sale by a friend.  I purchased several things including this doll.  She lived in an elegant farm house that was decorated and I was so impressed however she had spent all her money on the decorating and there was no toilet paper in her bathroom but she had a clever note: "please use these paper napkins for toilet paper".  We of course got a laugh!

 My grandmother embroidered the topper and napkins as a wedding gift for me nearly 46 years ago.

Here is what you will need for the scones:

1/2 stick of soft butter, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 Tb mint extract, 2 3/4 cups of cake flour, 2 1/2 Tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup yellow raisins and 1/4 cup black raisins, 1 cup of buttermilk.  You will need a shamrock cookie cutter and I used a floured cloth for rolling the dough and a knit cover on my rolling pin.  Both of these get laundered afterwards.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.  I put wax paper on my table to put them on to cool when baked.

In a medium bowl combine the butter and sugar and vanilla and

 mint extract and beat through with mixer.

In larger bowl, mix flour and baking powder together and fold in raisins.  Now alternately mix the butter mixture above and the buttermilk into this and stir well with a spatula until a nice dough forms.  Roll the dough out onto the floured cloth and cut with shamrock cutter.  I sprinkled some green sugar bits on top for fun  or you could just brush with sugar and a little cream.  Bake 18 minutes.  Makes about 20 scones.  Clotted cream would add a nice touch here!