Fast and Easy Date Scones

A friend of mine came for morning tea the other day.

We met 12 years ago, both pregnant with our first babies. We've seen each other through three more pregnancies each since then.

Between the two of us there are now seven children.

Upon her arrival she produced a bag of used clothes her children had grown out of and in return I produced a similar bag for her.

She gave me a pair of jeans that are now too small for her, I gave her a pair that are too big for me, both pairs virtually new and perfect fits.

She gave me a padded bra and I gave her a set of nursing pads.

How many friends do you have who would swap breast pads with you?

I wish you all friends you can laugh with, friends you can cry with and friends you can share breast pads with.

Date Scones

2 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon caster sugar

Pinch of salt

30g butter/cooking margarine

1-1 1/2 cups whole Dates

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup water

*Preheat oven to 200°C

*Place flour, cinnamon, sugar, salt and butter in food processor, process *with blade attachment* until butter is completely incorporated with no lumps.

*Add dates and process until they are chopped well.

*Add milk and water, process until mixture just combines and clumps together.

**Free form**Pull off chunks of the mixture and roll onto rough balls about the size of a golf ball, place on baking tray no more than a centimeter apart.

**OR** Turn out all of mixture onto a floured board, roll into a disc and use round cutters for a perfectly shaped scone.

*Bake for 10-12 minutes then set aside to cool.

I can't believe I used to rub butter until my knuckles ached, this method works so well and is so much faster than traditional methods.