Baking Powder Biscuits

This recipe comes from my 7th grade Home and Career Skills (aka Home Ec) class.  This is the version I keep coming back to, it's tried and true and I've never had it go wrong.

2 cups sifted flour (I don't sift, just make sure the flour isn't packed)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
cut in finely: 1/4 cup shortening (I usually use butter)
Stir in to make a soft dough: 3/4 cup milk
Round up on lightly floured board.  Knead lightly about 30 seconds.  Roll out or pat out about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 450* for 10-12 minutes.

Caroling Cookies

I found this recipe a number of years ago in a book called All Occasion Cookies (ISBN 1-57954-952-7). I used M&Ms for the candy bits. And as you can see, they look so festive. And even better, no matter the name of the cookies, switch out the color of the M&Ms and you can make these for any holiday - pastel for Easter, orange and black for Halloween, red and pink for Valentine's Day. And being a drop cookie, they're a lot less time consuming than cutouts (which I do love, but usually don't have time for).

Caroling Cookies

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 package (10 ounces) white chips

⅔ cup butter or margarine, softened

⅔ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package (10 ounces) holiday candy bits

Preheat the oven to 325*F.   Combine the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a bowl.  Melt 1 cup of the white chips.

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the melted chips.  Stir in the remaining chips and the candy bits.

Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until very light brown.  Transfer to racks to cool.

Source: All occasion cookies.

Greek Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

The boyfriend has been finding all sorts of new recipes lately.  Among them was this winner (I haven't tried most of them yet to be fair) - it's quick to put together (and I'll be faster with more repetitions and less double checking measurements) and the whole meal is cooked together.  I used the full package of chicken thighs (six, but there's always one or two that are quite small) and found "rainbow carrots" at the store, which seemed close to the heirloom it calls for.


Ingredients
2 medium lemons
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 pound baby red potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
12 small (12 ounces) heirloom carrots, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Directions
Adjust the oven racks in the center and bottom third, and preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with foil and spray with oil.

Slice one lemon into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Cut the second lemon in half.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, potatoes, carrots, juice from 1/2 lemon, olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder and pepper to taste, and toss well with hands until everything is evenly coated. Spread out in a single layer along with the lemon slices, without overcrowding, onto the prepared baking sheets.

Roast until the bottoms of the potatoes are golden, about 14 minutes. Flip the potatoes and carrots, rotate the baking sheets and roast until carrots are tender, potatoes are golden on both sides and chicken is cooked through, another 14 minutes.

Squeeze the remaining 1/2 lemon over everything. Top with feta, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon oregano. Serve immediately.

Crunchy Beef Casserole

Before onions & cheese

I'm still on a cool weather casserole kick.  Last night's casserole was also from Southern Plate, just like last week's.  As she says the green pepper is optional, I only ended up adding in about a half cup.  This is a very easy recipe to put together.  While the pasta cooks, cook the ground beef, and between tending them, chop your green pepper and start putting your soup and tomatoes in your mixing bowl.  I also threw on some extra cheese on top of the french fried onions.  Because why not?


Ingredients
2 Cups Corkscrew Macaroni (Rotini)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¾ C Shredded Cheddar Cheese
¾ tsp Seasoned Salt
1 lb Ground Beef
1 can (14 oz) whole or diced tomatoes
¾ C Green Pepper (optional - I leave it out for the kids)
1 can french fried onions

Instructions

Cook pasta as directed, rinse and drain. Brown beef, drain fat. Combine all ingredients except french fried onions. Pour into greased 2 quart casserole. Cover and bake at 350 for thirty minutes. Uncover, top with french fried onions, and bake five minutes longer.

Country Casserole

This had been on my list to make for a few years now and the cooler weather we've finally been having made it a good time to give it a try.  It's fairly quick and easy to throw together.  And it definitely makes a good amount.  If I start running into occasions that I need to bring food to somebody, this would definitely be a good place to start (I mention this because if you read Christie's blog, she specifically states that).

Ingredients

• 2 cups small shell pasta, cooked and drained
• 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables, cooked and drained
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, divided
• One can French fried onions, divided
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (can use canned chicken or rotisserie )
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine everything in a large bowl, reserving half of the cheese and half of the onions for topping later. Spoon into 9x13 casserole dish. Bake for twenty five minutes. Top with remaining onions and cheese, bake until cheese is melted, about five minutes more.

Greek Tortellini Salad

About two and a half weeks ago I was planning on attending a family reunion.  The kind where you bring a dish to pass.  In my younger days I did chips and dip.  Or I made a dessert.  But I find these days that people want healthier options (unless your event is going to be loaded with kids, then cupcakes and chips are fun choices).  But there is "too healthy" - people are taking the day to have fun, eating as if they're on a very restricted diet isn't any fun.  As in carrot and celery sticks or a green salad.  I also wanted to pick something that would be relatively safe to transport in a cooler and sit out for a bit of time - which removed all the mayonnaise based salads.  So I turned to pinterest and found this recipe that I had pinned approximately three years ago.  I made it and it went over very well!  It certainly will remain at the top of my list of choices for when I have another dish to pass event.  I only found frozen tortellini at the store, but that cooks up quickly too.  A bit of chopping and mix the dressing and you're done!

1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 cup kalamata olives, pit removed and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

For the Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain the tortellini and rinse with cold water.

2. Place the tortellini in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta cheese.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until salad is well coated. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator.

Note-this salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Creamy Chicken Soup

A high school classmate shared this link on facebook a couple of weeks ago.  Since we've been back in winter again, I figured this was a good time to try it.  It does take a little bit of work to prep the veggies, but after that it comes together pretty quickly.  Except waiting for it to come to a boil and then simmering.

FOR THE ROUX (to thicken soup...this is made first):
• 4 T flour
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T butter - unsalted
• ****make the roux by heating the oil and butter in pot then sprinkling the flour on top. whisk together until fully absorbed and turns almost golden. take off the heat and set aside while combining other ingredients****
• 2 T butter - unsalted
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 stalks carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped (opt)
• 1 sweet yellow onion - diced
• 4 cups chicken stock or broth (or a combo) - low salt or unsalted
• 3 1/2 cups milk or cream or half & half, i use a combination of skim milk and cream
• 2 T chicken base granules
• 1 t fresh cracked pepper
• 1 T dried parsley or 2 T fresh parsley
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 t Herbs of Provence
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 1/4 t garlic powder or 1 t. chopped garlic (i use garlic from a jar)
• 3 cups rotisserie chicken - cubed or shredded and cooked
• 1/4 cup white wine (your favorite)
• shredded gruyere cheese to sprinkle on top after spooning soup into bowls

Instructions

1. start by making the roux (directions above)
2. chop the vegetables and set aside until ready to saute.
3. In a Dutch oven, saute the vegetables in 2 T olive oil and 2 T butter until softened. i cook the carrots and celery first, then add the onions since they don't take as long to cook.
4. Add all other ingredients including the roux, stir well.
5. bring to a boil then turn down the heat to low and let simmer 20-30 minutes until the soup thickens to the desired consistency.
6. Stir every 3-4 minutes. Do not leave the soup unattended - it can burn quickly.
7. if you need to thicken the soup a little, mix together some cornstarch with milk or water (per box instructions) then stir into the soup.
8. stir frequently - the soup is milk-based and can burn easily.
9. before ready to serve, take out the bay leaves
10. pour into bowls and sprinkle with shredded gruyere cheese
11. serve with french baguette or other crusty bread
12. enjoy!

Hearty Beef & Noodles

This recipe appeared in my Facebook memories this week.  I have no recollection of making it, but apparently I liked it!  

***********

I made this for dinner tonight and it is AWESOME! It comes from the latest issue of Simple & Delicious [I posted this on April 5, 2009]. It's a great magazine for easy, homemade recipes. I have made a ton of things already, and it just came a week ago! 

Hearty Beef & Noodles 

Ingredients: 
1-1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch strips 
2 teaspoons olive oil 
1/2 cup chopped onion 
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 
1 cup water 
1 cup half-and-half cream 
1/3 cup brewed coffee 
2 envelopes brown gravy mix 
5 cups uncooked egg noodles 
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream 
1/2 teaspoon paprika 
1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Directions: 

In a large skillet, brown beef in oil on all sides; remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, saute onion and garlic until tender. 

Return beef to the pan; stir in the soup, water, cream, coffee and gravy mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Add the sour cream, paprika and pepper to skillet; heat through. Drain noodles. Serve with beef. Yield: 6 servings. 

Pimiento Cheese

I was looking for a "southern" appetizer to go with my Soul Food theme for a dinner party I was having and I found this recipe.  It is so yummy!  I've made it several times since then, and it is always gobbled down by guests.

I prefer to make it with finely shredded cheese.  And I didn't want to grate an onion just for 1 tsp., so I used dried onion instead.

Click here for the original recipe on the Southern Living website.

Basic Pimiento Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. finely grated onion
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, finely shredded
1 (8-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in cheese. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

I love biscuits and gravy, so I decided to try this recipe for our New Year's brunch.  It was fabulous!  It makes a bit more than two people can eat, however, and it's not possible to cut it in half unless you waste half of the biscuits.

I served it with Cranberry Orange Bread and Caramelized Ham and Swiss Buns.  Perfect combination!

Click here for the original link to the blog Lemon Sugar.

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

INGREDIENTS

1 can large, flaky biscuits (such as Grands)

½ pound ground breakfast sausage

3 Tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 and ½ cups milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

Prepare a small casserole dish (approximately 7x10) with cooking spray. Set aside.

Open biscuits, and cut biscuits into quarters.

Layer half of the quarters in prepared pan.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare gravy.

In a heavy skillet, brown the ground breakfast sausage over medium high heat until fully cooked.

Sprinkle the cooked sausage with 3 Tablespoons of flour.

Use a wooden spoon to stir flour into sausage until completely absorbed.

Lower heat to medium, and cook flour/sausage mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add milk, and stir to combine.

Add salt and black pepper.

Stir frequently until mixture comes to a slight boil.

Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired. (I usually add more black pepper)

If the gravy is too thick, add a bit more milk. You want the gravy to be thickened but not too thick, not "globby," it should still be slightly runny.

Pour gravy over the cooked biscuits.

Layer the remaining uncooked, quartered biscuits over the gravy.

Place casserole dish on a baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If they start to over-brown, you can cover with foil for the last 10 minutes or so.

Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Seafood Lasagna

This recipe is AMAZING.

My husband was worried that the sauce would be too "fishy" with an entire bottle of clam juice, but it was PERFECT.  I made it for a special New Year's dinner.  With all the seafood, it is a bit pricey to make, but SO worth it.

I bought small, bite-sized scallops, and I cut each shrimp into three pieces.

Click here for the original link on the Taste of Home website.

Seafood Lasagna

Ingredients

1 green onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup butter, divided

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 bottle (8 ounces) clam juice

1 pound bay scallops

1 pound uncooked small shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 package (8 ounces) imitation crabmeat, chopped

1/4 teaspoon white pepper, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

9 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

Directions

In a large skillet, saute onion in oil and 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in broth and clam juice; bring to a boil. Add scallops, shrimp, crab and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are firm and opaque, stirring gently. Drain, reserving cooking liquid; set seafood mixture aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter; stir in flour until smooth. Combine milk and reserved cooking liquid; gradually add to the saucepan. Add salt and remaining pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Remove from the heat; stir in cream and 1/4 cup cheese. Stir 3/4 cup white sauce into the seafood mixture.

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with three noodles; spread with half of the seafood mixture and 1-1/4 cups sauce. Repeat layers. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Cranberry Orange Bread

For our New Year's brunch this year, I wanted to serve something sweet to go with Biscuits and Gravy Casserole and Caramelized Ham and Cheese Buns.  I searched my Pinterest boards and found this really delicious cranberry orange bread.

Click here for the original link on the blog Taste and Tell.

Cranberry Orange Bread

Ingredients

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

grated zest of 1 large orange

⅔ cup fresh orange juice

2 eggs, lightly beaten

⅓ cup vegetable oil

1¼ cups fresh cranberries

½ cup nuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the orange zest. Make a well in the center and add the orange juice, eggs and vegetable oil. Stir gently, just until almost combined. Fold in the cranberries and nuts, making sure you don’t over mix the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

This recipe is super easy and very, very good.  It has become our favorite recipe for pork chops!

Click here for the original link on the Taste of Home website.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper blend

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

4 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth

Directions

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 cup flour, mustard, garlic pepper and seasoned salt. Add pork chops, one at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil on both sides.

Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place remaining flour in a small bowl; whisk in broth until smooth. Pour over chops. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender.

Remove pork to a serving plate and keep warm. Whisk cooking liquid until smooth; serve with pork. Yield: 4 servings.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

I've made Julia's version, and you know what?  This is just as good and WAY EASIER!

Click here for the original recipe on the Taste of Home website.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients

3 pounds beef stew meat

1-3/4 cups dry red wine

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons dried minced onion

2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 bacon strips, chopped

1 pound whole fresh mushrooms, quartered

24 pearl onions, peeled (about 2 cups)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Hot cooked whole wheat egg noodles, optional

Directions

Place beef in a large resealable plastic bag; add wine, oil and seasonings. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in pan.

Add mushrooms and onions to drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Drain beef, reserving marinade; transfer beef to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle beef with flour and salt; toss to coat. Top with bacon and mushroom mixture. Add reserved marinade.

Cook, covered, on low 8-10 hours or until beef is tender. Remove bay leaf. If desired, serve stew with noodles. Yield: 12 servings (2/3 cup each).

Chocolate Chip Pie

I recently discovered this recipe on Pinterest and Chris has already made it twice!

He prepared it as written, but baked it a few minutes less in our oven to avoid over browning the crust.  He warms leftover pieces for a few seconds in the microwave.  YUM!!

Click here for the original link to the recipe on the blog The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Chocolate Chip Pie

Ingredients

1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie pastry

2 large eggs

1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed

3⁄4 cup butter, softened

1 cup Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy and pale in color. Beat in flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in butter until combined.

Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell. The mixture will be thick.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. You may want to make a foil tent over the pie towards the end so the crust doesn't brown too much. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

Lemon Butter Chicken Breasts

Recently I went to a Penzeys store and bought a bunch of new spice blends to try.  While sifting through my ridiculously huge Pinterest food boards, I found this recipe, which called for lemon pepper.  I used Florida seasoning for the first time, and it was FANTASTIC!  I also used Meyers lemons, because they were the freebie at Giant Eagle last week. :-)

I served it with roasted baby potatoes and asparagus sauteed in olive oil and Penzeys Mural of Flavor.

This recipe comes from Better Homes & Gardens.  Click here for the original link.

Lemon Butter Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

6 medium boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 pounds)

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning

1/3 cup butter

2 lemons, sliced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Hot cooked rice or pilaf (optional)

Directions

Place each chicken breast half between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound lightly into a rectangle about 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour and salt. Coat chicken breasts with flour mixture. Sprinkle chicken breasts with lemon pepper.

In a 12-inch skillet cook the chicken breasts in the hot butter, half at a time, over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until brown and no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet. Add lemon slices to skillet; cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Return all of the chicken to the skillet, overlapping chicken breasts slightly. Drizzle lemon juice over the chicken breasts. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more or until pan juices are slightly reduced. Serve chicken, lemon slices, and pan juices over hot cooked rice or pilaf, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Portobello "Steaks"

This recipe comes from The New Vegan Cookbook.  A friend was mentioning mushrooms today and I thought of this recipe.  I haven't made it in years, but now I'm thinking it might be good to make again.  I remember them being a bit messy, as the gills hold the oil, soy sauce, and vinegar, but tasted good...as long as you like mushrooms.

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus oil for preparing the pan
4 large portobello mushroom caps (5-6 inches in diameter)
2 Tbsp Japanese soy sauce (shoyu or tamari)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450*F.  Oil one or two shallow roasting pans large enough to hold the caps in one layer.

Lightly wipe the portobello caps with a damp kitchen towel.  Remove any stems the prevent the caps from sitting flat on the pan.  With the gill sides down, tap the mushrooms gently on the kitchen counter to dislodge any dirt caught in the crevices.  Arrange on the roasting pan with gill sides down.

In a small bowl, use a fork to combine and emulsify the oil, soy sauce, and vinegar.  Liberally brush the mixture onto the tops and sides of the caps.  Season with salt and pepper.

Roast until the color of the tops and edges deepens, 5 to 6 minutes.  Flip over.  Give the oil mixture a good stir, and then brush the bottoms.  Roast until cooked through and tender (they will look slightly collapsed and yield to the touch), 3 to 5 minutes more.  Serves immediately, whole or sliced.

Also, you can sprinkle the portobellos with fresh or dried thyme when seasoning with salt and pepper.