Baking Powder Biscuits

If I don't have buttermilk, then these are my next favorite biscuits. Tall, fluffy, flaky, and great with jam they're a bit lighter then buttermilk biscuits.

Time: 10 minutes prep, 12-15 minutes baking
Makes 8-12 biscuits

Ingredients
• ¼ cup shortening
• 2 cups flour
• 3 t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• ¾ cup milk

1. Pre-heat oven to 450ºF.
2. Cut shortening into flour, baking powder, and salt using a pastry blender or 2 knives cut in until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl. (Note: dough will be soft and sticky).
3. Then turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat ½-¾ inch thick Cut with floured 2½ inch round cutter (or used a glass). Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet and serve warm.

Buttermilk Biscuits

These are my all-time favorite biscuits.   I like them with Crisco, making the biscuits very tender and flaky.  However for a bit denser biscuit with a nice buttery flavor, butter is also great.  Usually I end up using a little of each.  Perfect with a dinner of oven fried chicken, corn, and watermelon or served as a breakfast-for-dinner side. 


Time: 15 minutes prep, 12-15 minutes baking
Makes: about 6-10 biscuits

INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups flour
1 T baking powder
• ¾ t salt
• ½ t baking soda
• 5-6 T Crisco or chilled butter  (or a combination, I like to do 3T of each)
• 1 cup buttermilk*
*(You can use 1 cup of regular milk with 1 T of vinegar added, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to sour or use powdered buttermilk. The amount of liquid also depends upon the humidity. So add it a little at a time. The dough should not be too sticky to handle.  I've also used powdered buttermilk in a pinch with acceptable results.  I do find I use less liquid usually with the substituted buttermilk).

1. Pre-heat oven to 425ºF.
2. In a large bowl stir flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda with a fork.
3. Then using a pastry blender or 2 knives cut in the shortening/butter until coarse crumbs form.
4. Add the buttermilk gradually, tossing with a fork until dough forms. You may not need all the buttermilk, you want to add just enough so it sticks together and is not too sticky. Take care also not to over handle the dough.
5. Put dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly a few times until smooth. Do not overmix. (Dough can be made up to 2 hours ahead, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated until ready to use.)
6. Pat the dough about 1-1½ inches thick. Then use a biscuit cutter or a glass dipped in flour to cut out biscuits. Gather trimmings and repeat.
7. Place the biscuits about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry Shortcakes and Cream

This is the perfect biscuit for strawberry shortcake--light, buttery, with just the right amount of sweetness.

INGREDIENTS
BERRIES:
3 pints fresh strawberries , hulled; 1 pint crushed with potato masher or fork, 2 pints quartered
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

BISCUITS:
2 cups bleached all-purpose flour , plus more for work surface and biscuit cutter
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling
1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons), frozen
1 egg , beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon half-and-half
1 egg white , lightly beaten

CREAM:
1 cup heavy cream , chilled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
BERRIES:
Mix crushed and quartered berries with sugar in medium bowl; set aside while preparing biscuits (or up to 2 hours).

BISCUITS:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and 3 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using large holes of box grater, grate butter into dry ingredients or cut butter into tiny pieces. Toss butter with flour to coat. Use pastry cutter to finish cutting butter into flour.

2. Mix beaten egg with half-and-half; pour into flour mixture. Toss with fork until large clumps form. Turn mixture onto floured work surface and lightly knead until it comes together.

3. Pat dough into 9- by 6-inch rectangle, 3/4 inch thick. Flour 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter; cut 6 dough rounds. (You can use scraps and make 1-2 more biscuits, though they will not be as smooth in appearance). Place 1 inch apart on small baking sheet; brush dough tops with egg white and sprinkle with remaining sugar. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 hours before baking.) Bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack; cool cakes until warm, about 10 minutes.

CREAM:
Chill nonreactive, deep, 1- to 1 1/2-quart bowl and beaters for a handheld mixer in freezer for at least 20 minutes. Add cream, sugar, and vanilla to chilled bowl; beat on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds more. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume, about 20 seconds for soft peaks or about 30 seconds for stiff peaks. If necessary, finish beating by hand to adjust consistency.

TO SERVE:
Split each cake crosswise; spoon a portion of berries and then a dollop of whipped cream over each cake bottom. Cap with cake top; serve immediately.  Serves 6-8.  Adapted from Cooks Illustrated May 1997.

Icebox Cake

This cake is soooooooo yummy and so easy.  I can't believe I haven't posted it yet.  But when I came across this mint version (that we're now dying to try) it reminded me about one of our favorite easy desserts.  The wafers transform into amazing wispy thin cake layers as it sits overnight!  From Smitten Kitchen.

3 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 (9-ounce) packages chocolate wafer cookies [or, make your own!]
Unsweetened cocoa (or chocolate shavings)

In a large bowl, beat cream, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.

On a flat serving plate, arrange 7 cookies side by side in a circle, keeping 1 cookie in the center.

Spread with 1/2 cup whipped cream, making a 7-inch circle. Repeat with remaining cookies and cream, making 11 layers of cookies and ending with a layer of cream (there will be a few cookies left over). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, dust top lightly with cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

Roasted Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

I never used to like asparagus until I roasted it...the bacon bastes it while it cooks making it extra delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
30 medium asparagus stalks, trimmed
5 slices peppered bacon, cut in half
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Separate asparagus into bundles of 3 stalks each. Carefully wrap a piece of bacon around each bundle, starting about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the tip; secure with a toothpick. Transfer bundles to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Roast, flipping halfway through, until asparagus begin to wilt and bacon is brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Note: I've never tried it but it seems that you can also make this on the grill. Place bundles on hot grill and cover. Cook 10 to 12 minutes until bacon is crisp and asparagus bundles are tender.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

The cookies honestly don't taste like they are made with 100% whole wheat flour.  They are soft on the inside with just the perfect amount of crispiness around the edges.   And they freeze great--just pull them out when you need some and thaw for 15 minutes.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.  From Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

INGREDIENTS
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups white wheat flour
2 ½ cups oats (you can use either rolled oats or quick oats)
2 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugars together. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in dry ingredients and mix well, then stir in chocolate chips. Scoop rounded tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto greased (or lined) baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.  Let cool on pans for an additional two minutes then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Crispy Garlic Bread

12 tablespoons butter, softened
4 garlic cloves, very finely minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
12 (1-inch) slices Italian or French bread

Using a fork, beat butter, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in small bowl until combined. Spread butter mixture evenly over both sides of bread.

Freeze the slices on a large baking sheet or plate until firm, about 15 minutes. After they are firm, transfer the slices to a freezer ziploc bag and freeze for up to one month.

To serve, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown on the first side, about 7-9 minutes. Flip and bake until golden brown on the second side, 5-7 minutes more. Serve.

Note: To serve the bread immediately instead of freezing, bake buttered bread on rimmed baking sheet at 425 degrees for 7 minutes then flip and bake 4 more minutes on the second side.

Tuxedo Salad

This is a delicious entree salad recipe.  Baldy actually requests it all the time!   He can't get enough of the marinated pasta mixed with some of his favorite salad ingredients (craisins, nuts, spinach).  It makes a very large salad, so you may want to half the recipe or share it.  It's a yummy, portable meal to take-in to someone accompanied with a fresh loaf of bread and fruit.  And most of the work you do ahead of time so dinner comes together very quickly.  From Miquelle Mickelsen.


DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup Teriyaki Sauce
6 T sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
16 oz bowtie pasta, cooked according to package directions
10 oz baby spinach
6 oz craisins
2 cans (11oz each) mandarin orange segments, drained
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
6 oz. honey roasted peanuts
2 cans (8oz) water chestnuts, drained (we usually omit these)
2-3 Teriyaki chicken breasts, cooked and cut into cubes*

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  While its cooking mix the dressing ingredients.  Drain the pasta and pour the dressing over the pasta in a bowl, cover and put in the fridge, the night before (or at least several hours before) serving so that the pasta can soak it up.

Before serving toss all the salad ingredients together.



*Teriyaki Chicken--many people can find pre-cooked teriyaki flavored chicken breasts at Costco in the freezer section.  Just warm them the night before, chop them up, store in the fridge overnight, and add to the salad right before serving.  You can also make your own Teriyaki chicken breasts by marinating them.

Teriyaki Chicken Marinade
2.5 pounds chicken breasts (2 large or 3 smaller)
2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2T soy sauce
2T sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root,
2 T lemon juice

Marinate chicken at least one hour.  Place chicken and sauce in a square pyrex baking dish.  Bake at 325 degrees turning every 20 minutes for one hour, until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees or it's fork tender, about an hour.

Lemon Freeze

This recipe is from my mother-in-law. She often made it as the perfect cool and creamy dessert for summer barbecues.

LEMON FREEZE:

1 half gallon of vanilla ice-cream

1 (12oz) can of frozen concentrate lemonade

2 pre-packaged 9-inch graham cracker crusts or make your own* (you can also make a 9x13 graham cracker crust, doubling a 9-inch pie crust)

TOPPINGS:

fruit--you can use a can of cherry pie filling, fresh or frozen berries (sweetened with a little sugar), thawed frozen berries in syrup, etc.

fresh cream or cool whip

1. Let the ice-cream soften a bit and mix the ice-cream and frozen lemonade until well blended. I usually use my stand mixer and the paddle attachment on low.

2. Spread the lemon freeze into the pie crusts, dividing equally between the two crusts. (Note you can make this in a 9x13 pan and serve it cut into dessert bars. This recipe makes one 9x13 pan).

3. Cover with wax paper and aluminum foil or the inverted lid of the prepackaged pie crusts. Freeze until firm at least several hours. Can stay frozen for up to about a month.

4. Before serving, let sit for a few minutes to soften slightly. Top with fruit, and whipped cream as desired.

Caramelized Onion & Prosciutto Pizza

We LOVE this pizza.  It's definitely a grown up pizza.  But since Curly likes making her own little pizza, and Little Red devours a whole little pizza herself...it works quite well to make one medium grown up pizza and two smaller kid-friendly pizzas.  The recipe is adapted from Pioneer Woman.

INGREDIENTS
1 whole Pizza Crust (parbaked)
Olive Oil, For Drizzling
1 whole Large Red Onion, Halved And Thinly Sliced
2 T Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt To Taste
Parmesan Cheese, Grated
10 ounces, weight Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Thinly Sliced
4-6 slices Prosciutto (you can substitute bacon, but the flavor is more salty.  I also partially cooked it)

Make pizza crust.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and brown sugar and toss/stir for several minutes, or until onions are brown and cooked and soft. Set aside.

On half-baked pizza crust if using "My Favorite Pizza Crust" drizzle on olive oil, sprinkle on a little salt, followed by a little Parmesan.  If using a pizza dough recipe that does not parbake the crust, roll out the dough and then drizzle on the oil, add the salt and Parmesan.

Lay slices of mozzarella evenly over the top of the crust. Arrange caramelized onions over the top of the mozzarella. Randomly lay slices of prosciutto over the onions.  If you prefer you can cut the prosciutto slices into smaller pieces so they are more evenly distributed over the pizza.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the lower half or middle of the oven, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Serve immediately.

Caramelitas

This recipe is one of my all time favorite desserts, but it's so addicting! From Sarah Silva

INGREDIENTS
2 Cups flour
2 cups oats
1 ½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ¼ cup soft butter

12 oz. Mrs. Richarson's Butterscotch Caramel topping (or similar topping)
3 Tbsp. flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Mix 2 cups flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and butter together in stand mixer. Reserve ½ of the mixture. Press remaining ½ into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350°. While crust is cooking, combine the caramel and flour.

Pour over hot crust. Sprinkle 1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips over the caramel layer. (you may also add ½ cup chopped nuts).

Top with remaining crust mixture by crumbling over the top of the caramel. Bake for 18-22 minutes at 350. Allow to cool 1-2 hours before cutting into bars and serving.

Black bean, Corn, and Quinoa Salad

My friend put this recipe on her food blog that she adapted from here.  Below is my take on it.  It is delicious!    This is the perfect side dish to any Mexican meal.  But I also LOVED it as a filling with our tacos/burritos.  I would choose this anytime over rice and beans.  It's so good and good for you!

1 Tbl. oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth
1  1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
1 c. frozen sweet corn
1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic and saute until lightly browned.

Add quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in frozen corn and black beans until heated through. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro. Serve warm, room temperature or cold (I liked it just barely warm).

Cashew Ginger Sauce and Steamed Veggies, Savory Crepe Recipe

From the web

INGREDIENTS:

Steamed veggie(s) of choice

Sauce:
2 C toasted cashews
1 C water
2 T minced fresh ginger (NOT powder)
1 T soy sauce
1 T honey or sugar (white or brown)
2 T plus 1 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
cayenne pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Puree everything together in a food processor or blender until smooth.  Best served warm.  (You can make it in advance, just reheat on the stove).    I just served the sauce on the side along with rotisserie chicken and steamed veggies.  We also had out berries, bananas, cream, nutella, etc for a make your own crepe bar.

But you can also make a large batch of just these veggie crepes with the sauce in the oven.  For that method do the following assembly:   Place a few tablespoons of the steamed vegetable in your crepe. Top with a tablespoon or two of sauce. Roll and seal with a drop of sauce. Arrange in baking dish. Once all the crepes are arranged, spoon some sauce of the top of all of them. Heat through and serve.