"Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate." Sandra Boynton

Sunday, we had planned to spend the day at Birch Aquarium but when Harper woke up it was obvious that she wasn't up to much more than Pedialyte, a big blanket and Curious George marathon. Guy and I hunkered down ,taking turns playing pass the poor sweet sick little guppy. Just as we were cooking up lunch the sky opened up and buckets of rain came tumbling down from the cracks in the clouds. Well rain, which is rare in San Diego, automatically means that we should bake lots of things. And thus we made Chocolate Chip Ricotta Scones (and some other stuff I'll be sure to share in the future).

Chocolate Chip Ricotta Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons Sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter cut into cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon pinches salt
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon of milk and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar combined to top

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 400*F.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Cut the butter and ricotta cheese into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or your fingers, until the flour mixture is coarse and looks like crumbled wet sand.
4. Stir in the buttermilk, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.
   
5. Flour your work surface and knead the dough until it all sticks together.
6. Flatten the dough into a circle approximately 1 inch thick and cut into 8 wedges.
7. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Brush with the milk and brown sugar mixture.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until the dough is set and slightly browned.