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Strawberry oatmeal scones

It’s never good news when you wake up to a message that reads: “Kayaked out at 4am. May have lost everything.”

Such was the text I received from my mom in the early hours of Tuesday morning. While on Monday she had kept in touch about the heavy rains in Houston, I will confess I wasn’t terribly concerned. It often floods in Houston in the spring, and I assumed the water would fill the streets of her neighborhood and then recede a day later as it has done in the past.

This time, however, was different and the water came into her house. Some are calling this a 100-year flood while others are comparing the damage to Hurricane Allison, which happened in 2001. Either way, the destruction is far and wide. When looking at images of the city, it appears that most of it is soaked in water with many of the Northwest suburbs particularly hit hard. Houses and buildings rise out of the water like islands with the tops of stalled, sunken cars skimming the surface like rocks.

Strawberry oatmeal scones | Homesick Texan

Of course, I was grateful she was safe and in good spirits. But as we talked I began thinking about her house. While I know that life is more important than stuff, I couldn’t help wondering about her kitchen table, a beautiful wooden piece that had once belonged to my great-grandma Blanche. My mom inherited that table when I was little, and it practically glows from all the lovingly cooked meals and good conversation that has graced its presence for almost a century. It is my family’s table.

After we got off the phone, I started going through images I’d taken of that table over the years. There were photos of our family gathered around it on Christmas day, scooping up cheesy enchiladas, rice, and beans for a holiday Tex-Mex feast. There were photos of us drinking coffee and eating raspberry bars as we relaxed and shared stories after a good meal. There were photos of my young nephews joyfully eating corny dogs, Star Wars cereal, and popsicles—special treats that make visiting their grandma in Texas extra fun.

The most photos I had, however, were shots of the hearty baked goods my mom loves to make. While she excels at many desserts and breads, it’s her breakfast pastries such as scones that get the most applause. In fact, those are in such demand that whenever she has visitors, she will rise early and can be heard banging around in the kitchen, whipping up a batch of something good. The sweet aroma of sugar, butter, and cinnamon soon fills the house.

Strawberry oatmeal scones | Homesick Texan

One picture I’d taken at one of her breakfasts looked particularly inviting. It was a craggy oatmeal scone dotted with juicy berries and topped with a crunch of sugar. As always, that morning the scones had been served warm and fragrant, and while they would have been fine with a pat of creamy butter, no adornment was necessary. At the time, I had asked her how to make them and she had sent her basic scone recipe with the note to just add whatever I liked. It was as simple as that.

This week from New York, there hasn’t been much I can do to help besides make donations and send good cheer. But cooking always helps quiet my mind, so I decided to make a batch of her scones. With strawberries in season, I chose to go with those for my batch.

While most scones are rolled and cut like biscuits, my mom’s have always taken a more free-form approach. So after making a quick dough, you plop handfuls of it on a baking sheet, which not only keeps the scones tender but also lends them an appealing rough-hewn effect. Likewise, the finished scones are rich and buttery, yet still feel virtuous from the oatmeal. But it’s the softened berries that I love the most, as they add a jam-like burst of flavor to each bite.

Strawberry oatmeal scones | Homesick Texan

At this time, we don’t know what will be salvageable. Though my mom was able to get back into her home and said her cast-iron is in good shape, so there is some welcome news from her waterlogged kitchen. The most important thing, however, is that she is okay. While her table and other objects may have played an important role in my family’s history, our true treasure is the memories we’ve made together. And no storm can ever wash that away.

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5 from 3 votes

Strawberry oatmeal scones

Servings 8 scones
Author Lisa Fain

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats, not instant
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 4 ounces strawberries, about 8, hulled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • Raw sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven the oven to 425 °F and line with parchment paper or lightly grease a baking sheet. In a small saucepan, melt the butter on low heat.
  • Meanwhile, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Beat together the egg and the milk. Make a well in the dry mixture and pour in the beaten egg and the melted butter. Stir until well blended. Stir in the strawberries until evenly distributed.
  • Using your hands, form roughly 1/3-cup-sized pucks (or plops, as my mom says) of dough and place about an inch apart on the baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the tops with raw sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve warm. They can be stored for a day or so in an airtight container but these are best enjoyed soon after baking.

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29 Comments

  1. Mike @ Optional Kitchen says:

    Lisa, all my love to you and yours; I've been watching friends and family from afar, too. Sounds like I need to bake a batch of these in solidarity — not that I need that excuse 🙂

  2. Joyce Klejbuk says:

    Having lived in Houston 30 years and through many storms, including Allison and Hurricane Ike, I feel for your mom and all who are dealing with too much water. So glad your mom is okay and hope things will be better very soon. We are now in AZ where rain would be welcome. Love the recipe and look forward to making scones soon.

  3. Austin Realname says:

    Beautifully written, Lisa, as always. I heard that the table will be okay so that's great news.

    Beth's scones are THE BEST (I've never used all caps before, that's how good they are) so that was a brilliant choice for this entry. They are the ultimate morning comfort food and I look forward to having them again at that table.

  4. thejameskitchen says:

    How terrible for your Mum and everyone there. Some memories cling to things, though and I am glad reading in the last comment that the table survived and in fact has added another story to its history. Beautiful ode to the table and these yummy looking scones.
    Take care, Nicole

  5. I'm hoping for the very best for your mom in this awful situation. I think your next book needs to be called My Family's Table. Sounds like there are lots of stories to be told.