A cheery start to Christmas Day

Sunset, Wntr, 1992

Gather the family for a simple breakfast that starts Christmas Day on a warm note. Cookie cutters lend country charm to flaky cheddar scones. Serve with spiced apples, molded frozen yogurt, bacon, and hot cranberry cider.

Mold frozen yogurt and sculpt butter for scones up to a few days ahead. In the morning, bake apples; let them cool as you make scones and cook bacon. Heat cider; add thin strands of orange peel for flavor and garnish.

To shape butter, chill wooden butter molds or paddles in ice water for 10 minutes. Pack molds with butter or margarine; smooth top. Chill or freeze until firm, then release butter from mold. Or roll cubes or sticks of butter between paddles to form balls or logs, then immerse in ice water. Chill shaped butter airtight up to 4 days.

Baked Apples with Frozen Yogurt

1 to 2 pints vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream, slightly softened

1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine, cut up

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 large (about 2 lb. total) Golden Delicious apples

Solidly pack frozen yogurt into molds (about 1/3-cup size), level, and freeze until yogurt is firm, at least 3 hours or up to 4 days. To unmold, quickly dip mold in hot water and remove yogurt (pry loose, if necessary). Serve, or freeze airtight in a single layer up to 2 days. Or instead of molds, scoop frozen yogurt into balls.

Melt butter in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan in a 400|degrees~ oven, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons water, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.

Peel, core, and thinly slice apples; add to pan and stir to coat with sugar mixture. Bake until fruit is slightly tender when pierced, 20 to 30 minutes. Cover to keep warm. Serve apples and juices slightly warm or at room temperature with frozen yogurt. Serves 4.

Per serving: 433 cal.; 4 g protein; 14 g fat (8 g sat.); 78 g carbo.; 131 mg sodium; 36 mg chol.

Cheddar Scone Cutouts

About 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups (5 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup salad oil

1 large egg

In a large bowl, mix flour, cheese, sugar, baking powder, and cumin. In a small bowl, beat sour cream, oil, and egg to blend. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir just enough to moisten evenly. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured board; knead lightly 10 turns.

On a greased, lightly floured 12- by 15-inch baking sheet, pat dough into an 8- by 12-inch rectangle. Dip cookie cutter (2- to 3-in. size) in flour, then cut out dough. Carefully lift cutout with cutter to preserve shape (use a spatula, if necessary). Push dough out onto a second greased, floured 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Repeat to make 6 cutouts, spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart on dough to leave pierced loaf. Set cutouts on second pan at least 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake both pans in a 350|degrees~ oven until richly browned, 30 to 40 minutes (remove individual scones if they begin to darken too much). If using 1 oven, switch pan positions halfway through baking. Transfer loaf and small scones to basket. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Makes 1 pound of scones (loaf and cutouts), about 6 servings.

Per ounce: 162 cal.; 5 g protein; 9.7 g fat (4.2 g sat.); 14 g carbo.; 130 mg sodium; 29 mg chol.