Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I love to eat muffins, scones, breakfast breads, biscuits and almost anything else that can come out an oven. The trouble is that I don’t move very fast when I drag myself out of bed every morning. So it can be difficult to satisfy my craving for baked goods when I’m moving at a snail’s pace to get through my shower, make my daughter’s school lunch and put breakfast on the table for all of us. Fortunately, I’ve figured out that I can do all the prep for my favorite breakfast treats the night before, so all I have to do in the morning is a few simple steps before sliding something into the oven.

Tonight I’ll be putting together most of the ingredients for Chocolate Chip Scones, one of my family’s favorites. I can’t claim that these delicious wedges are very healthy, but I do serve fruit with them to give a little balance to this meal. Everyone in my family loves them, and the best part is that the recipe makes enough scones for two breakfasts. Which means no cooking the morning after I bake these. Of course, they’re good any time. I’ve also served these Chocolate Chip Scones to members of my mother-daughter book club when we read I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, which is set in England.

Here’s the recipe. Originally, it came from my friend Ellen.

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tblsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 Tblsp. butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup milk or milk + yogurt combo
• 2/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with knives or dough blender. Add brown sugar, chocolate chips and mix. Add liquid, stir with a fork until soft dough forms. Knead lightly, then divide into two balls.

Roll out balls on a cookie sheet or baking stone. (I simply flatten mine into a circle.) Cut into 4 or 6 wedges. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool.

I modify this a bit when I prep it the night before. I add the brown sugar when I combine the dry ingredients. I measure the milk and set it in the fridge next to the block of butter I’m going to use. I put my baking stone on the cook top. Next to the baking stone goes the bowl with my dry ingredients (covered with a towel), the measured chocolate chips, and knives for cutting in the butter. In the morning it’s easy to cut in the butter, stir in the chocolate chips, add the milk, shape the scones and pop them in the oven. As an added benefit, the smell of baking scones helps wake everyone up.