What a Scam!

Well, my on line bakery is finally getting noticed! This weekend somebody tried to scam me through the bakery.

I received a strange email, very badly phrased, badly typed looking for a price for 500 cupcakes. This was so odd that I emailed back and asked the client to call me on the telephone. I then received another email, stating that he was hearing impaired so could only email. Of course, then I felt guilty for being suspicious and sent him a price and details. THEN, of course, I got the scam email.

He wanted to order the cupcakes for that price on his credit card but could I also charge him another $450.00 so when the private carrier came to pick up the cakes I could pay him $450.00 in cash OR I could buy a money order in Western Union and give the carrier that!!!

Luckily I had just seen a notice on my bank warning about anybody looking for a money order from Western Union! Seriously, how stupid would I have felt to have handed over 500 cupcakes and $450.00 to some stranger who arrived at my door! Be careful out there!

Anyway, with the cold weather out there, I made a delicious potato and leek soup with brown scones for lunch on Friday and gave some to a sick neighbor. The next day she was at the door looking for the recipe so I thought I would give it to all my friends in the blog world. Both these recipes come from Ireland, from the queen of Irish cooking, Darina Allen.

Potato and Leek Soup

1/2 stick butter
1 cup diced onion (1/4 inch dice)
1 cup diced potato
3 cups white part of leeks, sliced
2 pints chicken stock
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup of milk to taste ( I don't usually use this)

Melt the butter in pan. When it foams, add the potatoes, onions and leeks. Turn them in the butter , add salt and pepper. Put on the saucepan lid and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes on a very low heat. Then add the stock and boil until vegetables are just cooked. Liquidity until smooth and silky. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add milk to taste. Delicious and without the milk, freezes really well.

Irish Brown GF Scones (this recipe is in ounces as it is an Irish recipe)

2 oz sunflower seeds (finely ground in blender)
4 oz brown rice flour
2 1/2 oz rice bran
2 oz tapioca flour
1 oz buckwheat flour
1 oz dried milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
6-7 fl oz buttermilk ( I know it sounds like a lot of ingredients but its worth it for all the fibre you are getting)

Preheat oven to 450 F. Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl lightly whisk the eggs and add the buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add almost all the liquid at once. Mix until all flour is incorporated adding a little more buttermilk if necessary. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky.

Turn the dough out onto rice floured board and bring the dough together a little. Flatten out until dough is about 1 inch thick and cut into rounds with cookie cutter.

Cook in oven for about 15 minutes until scones are cooked. Turn one scone upside down and tap bottom. If it sounds hollow it is done. Leave to cool on wire rack.