Caramel Apple Scones

Okay, these scones are just phenomenal.  Seriously.  Make them.  I am considering whipping up a batch of these babies right now since I just found out that we have yet another snow day.  Also, since there are not enough days built into the year, I might be going to school until July at this point.  I mean, we might even have another day off tomorrow.

With all this time off, I have been working out, cooking, and blogging.  I keep telling myself to be productive and get ahead on schoolwork, but I am currently enjoying a glass of wine while watching the Grammys instead.  I don't have any regrets.

But seriously, I should be productive.  With all this first year of teaching thing, I am now also taking two courses to further my own education and go for my Illinois license.  So, I have lesson plans and my own homework!  So far, the classes are interesting and not too much work.  I know there are some projects on my horizon and so I want to try to get ahead so that I do not feel too overwhelmed when things become more intense.

However, I am still just sitting around planning recipes instead.  In fact, I just made these amazing Baked French Fries with a Homemade Cheese Sauce as well as a huge pot of Healthy Vegetable Soup.  Yum!  And tomorrow, I am planning a crock-pot meal of Chicken Marsala so that I have lunch/dinner ready for the rest of the week! I guess that is productivity in its own right...right?  I love being able to do all this and sleep in, but I know that I will have to go back to reality eventually and schoolwork is just as important!

Caramel Apple Scones
(adapted from Recipe Girl)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 cup non fat plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
1 tsp vanilla
Caramel Icing:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a pan over medium heat, melt butter.  Place diced apple and cinnamon in the pan and cook until apples soften, about 5-7 minutes.  Turn off heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder.  Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the butter until just combined.  Stir in the yogurt, vanilla, and apples.  Mixture will be lumpy.  Do not over work it too much.  Roll out the mixture on a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment paper until you have it formed into a rectangle about 4-5 inches in width.  Cut diagonally into scone (triangle) shaped pieces.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes or until scones have risen and bottoms begin to brown.  Let cool.
5. While baking, make the caramel sauce: in a medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar and milk until well combined.  Whisk for a minute.  Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and powdered sugar until well combined.  Drizzle over finished scones.

Enjoy :)