Come Into My Kitchen: Great food makes Irish eyes smile

It was Baer's good fortune to inherit authentic Irish recipes from her great-great-grandmother. Baer makes and modifies these recipes with her grown daughters, Melissa Viscek, 25, and Lauren Viscek, 23.

Like her great-great-grandmother, Baer enjoys spending time in the kitchen, in a home she says is blessed with abundance. Baer likes to cook for friends and family, side-by-side with her husband, Dave.

"A rich tradition of food and recipes has been handed down to us," Lauren says. "Not every family has that."

Residence: Overland Park

Occupation: Nationally known fresco artist (joybaerfrescoes.com)

Special cooking interest: Preparing and adapting authentic Irish recipes

Why are you so proud of your Irish heritage? Life was not so easy for my Irish ancestors. My great-great-grandmother Kitty Gallaher was born in 1876 in County Cork, Ireland, during the potato famine. Her family knew starvation, immigrated to the United States and settled in Chicago. They worked hard at a variety of jobs, helping to build our country into the strength it holds today.

Tell me about your great-great-grandmother. Kitty Gallaher White was the quintessential Irish lass with bright red hair and blue eyes. She was part of the women's suffragette movement and was married to a very patriotic man named John Benjamin White, who painted his house red, white and blue.

My ancestors flourished in this land of golden opportunity, and Kitty was blessed with five children and a bountiful Irish pantry. She lived well into her 90s, long enough to cook for her great-great-grandchildren, including me. Kitty's pride and love for America have been handed down through the generations, and her recipes reflect her grace and gratitude.

Why did you choose this recipe to share? Choosing one recipe of Kitty's was nearly impossible. Her specialty was baking breads, desserts and pastries. My girls and I have experimented with variations on her scone recipe, thus the addition of hazelnut oil, which adds a savory base, and the pumpkin, which adds a nutrient-rich flavor. The optional glaze is a great Irish mint-tasting addition. The scone ingredients should be combined with a gentle hand so they barely hold together. A flaky texture is created by keeping the butter cold so it stays in large chunks in the dough.

Are there parallels between painting and cooking? I am passionate about cooking as a spiritual form of communication. The same goes for my painting. Cooking is similar to painting frescoes - each creation is made unique using different paints or ingredients, techniques and styles. Family recipes are timeless, and the love and spirit of Kitty's Irish kitchen lives on. The reward is honoring the history and heritage we share and giving this gift onward.

1/2 cup sugar

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup ice-cold margarine or butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon hazelnut oil

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

Peppermint Glaze (optional):

1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/4 cup margarine (or butter), softened

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon hazelnut oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift together sugar, flour, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda in a large mixing bowl. Cut in margarine and hazelnut oil until mixture is the size of peas. Add pumpkin and mix until just incorporated.

On a floured surface and using a gentle hand, form dough into a circle about 2 inches thick and 12 inches in diameter. Cut 12 pie-shaped wedges and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of a scone comes out clean.

While scones bake, combine ingredients for optional glaze in a small mixing bowl. If a thinner glaze is desired, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until consistency is achieved. Drizzle glaze over warm scones and serve immediately.

Per serving: 250 calories (30 percent from fat), 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 39 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 225 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.