150 Years of the Sunflower State

Happy Kansas Day, dear readers!

The Sunflower State entered the union as a free state on this day in 1861. That's 150 years of awesome and counting. The state is named after the Kansa Native American tribe. Rumor has it that the tribe name Kansa means "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind." I believe it. Many of the Kansans I know have that airy, powerful, independent spirit of the wind in them. The wind is a powerful element.

Kansas is the home of Buster Keaton (yay), Bob Dole (boo), Amelia Earhart (yay), and Superman (double yay.) Crazy resident Fred Phelps is not a native. He's a wacko from Meridian, Miss., who won't leave poor Kansas alone.

However, author Laura Ingalls Wilder only lived in Kansas for a year--in her childhood--but her time there inspired her write the entire Little House on the Prairie book series. I've visited the house near Independence, Kansas, where her family lived. Let's say that it looks "pretty good" for a cabin built in the late-1800s.

To celebrate 150 years of Kansas statehood (always a free state! Never a slave state!) I borrowed some beautiful sunflower photos from my friend, Amanda. She found these beauties along the highway near Arkansas City. Both she and I have family there; Ark City itself is a wonky-weird place, but the country surrounding it is gorgeous. Dad would take my sisters and I for weekend drives near Ark City. We'd just drive for hours, drinking sodas and singing to the radio and enjoying the prairie roll by. That's entertainment.


I don't remember a time, growing up down the road in Wellington, when we were not surrounded by fields of sunflowers. They broke up the fields of wheat and alfalfa along Highway 160 and 81. They followed the sun through the sky, like fragrant sun dials. You can always find a field of sunflowers in Kansas. Amanda and I both live in the Pacific Northwest now. I'm glad she captured these shots on one of her recent trips home. Aaah. I like the mountains, but sometimes you just need the prairie, you know?



I found another way to celebrate Kansas today: with sunflower seed scones. They're crunchy and lightly sweet, thanks to some whole wheat flour and raw sunflower seeds. You'll get bonus state-pride points if you use a flour that's made from Kansas wheat, like Hudson Cream, Norm's Flour, or Heartland Mill. A boiled citrus glaze seals in some moisture and adds the fragrance of summery fruit. Breakfast never tasted so progressive.

Here's to another 150 years of oddball, independent, kind, and sunny years of statehood, Kansas. I'm proud to be a sunflower from the Sunflower State.


Sunflower Scones with Boiled Citrus Glaze
adapted from Flax World-Class Recipes

• 2 cups whole-wheat baking flour
• 1 cup all-purpose baking flour
• 1/2 cup ground flaxmeal
• 1/4 cup. brown sugar
• 1 Tb. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup cold butter
• 1 cup citrus juice (from oranges, clementines, tangelos, tangerines, etc.)
• 2 Tb. citrus rind
• 3/4 cups raw sunflower seeds
  
• 2 Tb. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Make sure your oven racks are set in the middle of your oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine flours, flax, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or two sharp knives, crossed. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Set aside two tablespoons of citrus juice (for the glaze.) Pour the rest of the juice slowly into the dry mixture, fluffing the batter lightly with a fork as you mix. Stir in the sunflower seeds. After the juice is incorporated, you should have a lightly moist, flaky dough.

Turn the dough onto a cutting board and gently knead four or five times (just until the dough holds together.) Divide the dough in half, and press each half into a 6-inch circle that's about 1 inch thick. Cut each circle into six wedges, and place the scones on the prepared baking sheets. Pierce the tops of the scones with a fork.

Bring the 2 Tb. sugar, remaining citrus juice, vanilla, and citrus peel to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. Let the glaze boil for 2 - 3 minutes, then remove it from heat. Use a pastry brush to coat the tops of the scones. (You'll add another coat of glaze after the scones bake.)

Bake the scones for 16 to 20 minutes, swapping oven racks halfway through. Remove from the oven when they begin to brown and brush with the remaining glaze. The scones will keep on the counter, wrapped in a plastic bag, for 2 - 3 days. Happy Kansas Day!

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
Fruit + nut buttermilk scones
English seed bread
Ranger cookies