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Blueberries Take Over My Shortcake

YumSugar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:15:54 -0700

Since blueberry season has begun, I couldn't help but go overboard and buy several baskets from my local farmers market. While I enjoyed one basket raw, I used the rest to make these mini blueberry shortcakes with lemon and thyme biscuits.

The moist biscuits are simple to make. The final dish is not too sweet, so the pure flavor of blueberries shines through in each bite. Although the original recipe calls for a larger biscuit, I decided to use a shot glass (instead of a cookie cutter) to make them mini. The shortcakes are delicious with a dollop of heavy cream or scoop of ice cream. To try these bite-sized blueberry shortcakes, read more.

Mini Blueberry Shortcake Biscuits
Adapted from Bon Appétit

Ingredients

Filling
4 cups fresh blueberries (rinsed, drained well)
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
Biscuit
3/4 cup chilled buttermilk
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipping cream

Directions

Make the filling: Combine blueberries, powdered sugar and water in a large saucepan.
Stir over medium heat until berries are slightly softened and syrup coats the spoon about 10 minutes. Transfer to medium glass bowl and let cool to room temperature. Can be made 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Make the biscuits: Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. Line large rimmed baking sheet with silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Mix buttermilk, lemon peel, and thyme in a small bowl.
Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl to blend, breaking up any large clumps of brown sugar with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add buttermilk mixture and stir with fork just until blended (the dough will be sticky).
Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Knead gently just until the dough comes together, 4 to 5 turns. Pat dough out to 3/4 inch thick round. Using a shot glass or 1 1/2 inch diameter cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut out dough rounds.
Transfer dough rounds to prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle rounds with raw sugar. Bake biscuits until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool.
Using a serrated knife, carefully cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom half of each biscuit on large serving tray. Spoon blueberries and syrup equally over each biscuit. Cover with top of biscuit.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Makes 30 mini blueberry biscuit shortcakes.

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7 Satisfying Comfort Foods

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:30:59 -0800

On Winter evenings when I come home hungry, fatigued, and cold from the rain, there's nothing I crave more than nostalgic childhood favorites like pot pie, macaroni and cheese, and meatballs. I've compiled my favorite recipes, so you know where to turn if you're craving comfort at your next meal. To make these palate pleasers, read on.

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Biscuits Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:00:41 -0800

You're practically set with your menu for tomorrow. Vegetables chopped? Check. Pumpkin soup made? Check. Turkey brined? Check. Cranberry sauce prepared? Check. Pumpkin pies done? Check. Bread? What about the bread?

Fret not. Here are two recipes for biscuits that turn flaky and golden in less than 15 minutes. With both the beginner drop biscuits and their expert cutout counterparts, the key is to keep the dough cold, and to avoid overworking it. To check out both recipes, read more.

Beginner Biscuits
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups chilled heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add cream, then stir just until a dough forms.
Drop heaping 1/4 cups of batter about 1 inch apart on an ungreased large baking sheet.
Bake in middle of oven until tops are pale golden and bottoms are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Makes 12 biscuits.

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Expert Biscuits
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, bench flour
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475°F.
Into a bowl, sift together the self-rising flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the buttermilk, cheese, and green onions and, using your hands or a rubber spatula, stir just until the buttermilk and flour come together to form a dough, being careful not to overmix.
Lightly flour a work surface with the all-purpose flour. Turn out the dough onto the surface and press into a disk about 1/2-inch thick and 8 inches in diameter. Using a 3-inch round cutter dusted in flour, cut into rounds. (Be sure to press straight and downward when cutting the dough -- a twisting motion will prevent the dough from rising.)
Reform the scraps in order to make 7 biscuits. Place on a small baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 7 biscuits.

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This Thanksgiving Make a Savory Side of Madeleine

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 16:15:54 -0800

One of the most overlooked items on a Thanksgiving table is the bread; often it is nothing more than store-bought rolls. Although I've made buttermilk biscuits in the past, this year I was looking for a bread item that can be made in advance. I was thrilled to find a creative alternative in this recipe for savory madeleine.
The batter is basically a cornbread, but as the madeleines cook the shell side bakes to a delightful crispness that enhances the texture of the bread. I seasoned each of the madeleines with different ingredients using sage, Gruyére cheese and kalamata olives. Other great flavor options are jalapeno, rosemary, or sun-dried tomato. The possibilities are endless - you could even season them to complement each course of the meal. To try this delectable alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving rolls or biscuits, read more.

Savory Madeleines
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
3 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup finely chopped Kalamata pitted olives
1/2 cup shredded Gruyére cheese
Olive Oil or Canola Spray for greasing pans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease madeleine pans.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in eggs, milk, and browned butter until smooth. Divide batter among 3 bowls.
To create 3 different flavors, fold 1 filling into each bowl of batter (sage, olives, and Gruyére cheese). Divide batter among pans, filling cups 3/4 full.
Bake until golden brown and firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately unmold, and let cool completely on wire racks.

Makes 42 Madelines.

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Coming to America: Tim Tams

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:45:21 -0800

This month, Tim Tam, the number one cookie in Australia, will be hitting shelves in America. Arnott's Biscuits, the maker of the Australian hit cookie, is partnering with sister company Pepperidge Farm to stock Tim Tams in America for a limited time. "Pepperidge Farm is thrilled to introduce Tim Tam to American consumers. We're certain Americans will soon understand why this scrumptious cookie is all the rage in Australia," a spokesperson from Pepperidge Farm said in a statement.

All the rage indeed: Since its introduction down under in 1964, the chocolate-covered cookie, which is made of two chocolate biscuits and a chocolate cream filling, has been a bestseller. Roughly 35 million packs - 400 million biscuits - of Tim Tams are sold to Aussies every year.

Two Tim Tam flavors will be available at Target beginning this month: chocolate creme and caramel. The biscuits, which will supposedly only be available through March 2009, are being retailed for $3.99. Have you ever heard of or tried a Tim Tam cookie before? When they debut at Target, will you be picking up a package of the cookies?

Source, Source, and Source

Yummy Links: From a Vegetarian Thanksgiving to Top Chef

partysugar — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:45:23 -0800

Ten vegetarian dishes perfect for Thanksgiving. - Chow
Countdown to Thanksgiving with turkey expert Rick Rogers. - Epicurious
How to roast pumpkin seeds. - Cookthink
Cook's Illustrated's vodka pie crust gets put to the test. - The Kitchn
Making biscuits from scratch versus making biscuits from a box. - Serious Eats
Find out where your favorite Top Chefs like to eat. - Bravo

Source

Everybody Must Get Scones

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:15:09 -0700

On a recent trip to my local farmers market, I discovered a bunch of beautiful baskets overflowing with figs. Figs have a quick season, so I knew I had to make something pronto! Rather than bake or poach the fruit as I usually do, I wanted to try something new.

I decided to alter Nicole's strawberry-goat cheese scone recipe with my farmers' market figs. The figs perfectly complemented the subtle flavor of the creamy goat cheese.

I opted for a drop-style biscuit rather than a traditional wedge scone, but regardless of the shape it tasted delicious! To learn how to make these simple and scrumptious scones read more!

Fig & Goat Cheese Scones
Modified from Baking Bites

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. sugar
1/3 cup butter, chilled and cut into large pieces
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
3/4 cup diced figs

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
Gently add in butter and toss to coat. Using your finger tips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles very coarse sand.
Add about 1/2 cup milk and goat cheese and stir, adding additional milk if necessary, until dough comes together into a slightly sticky ball.
Mix the figs in gently by hand, lightly kneading the dough to evenly distribute the fruit.
For a drop biscuit-like form, make 2-inch balls of dough, placed on the cookie and flattened to 1-inch thickness. For a more traditional scone shape, place dough on prepared baking sheet and press down into a disc that is about 1-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut dough into 6 triangles. Separate slightly, giving them room to spread, and place pan in the oven.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until scones are light gold on top. Let cool on a wire rack before serving. Scones can be served warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 drop-style scones.

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Raise Your Hand If You Like Freebies!

YumSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 08:00:51 -0700

Tomorrow, May 15, there are two fast-food freebies for you to catch. The first involves free chicken sandwiches, and the second involves free coffee.

First up, McDonald's is promoting their new Southern Style Chicken Biscuits and Sandwiches by giving them away at 14,000 of their US locations. If you purchase a medium or large beverage you can get a free chicken biscuit from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. or a free chicken sandwich from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. They're expecting to give away over eight million sandwiches, so be sure to get yours!

If you're not a chicken or McD's fan, then head over to your local Dunkin' Donuts where you can score yourself a free iced coffee with no strings attached. It's a small 16 oz. iced coffee and is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

So tell me, are you going to hunt down one of these freebies?

Decadent Breakfast Side: Chocolate Gravy

YumSugar — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:18:31 -0800

I was looking for delicious side dishes that would help us celebrate chocolate month when I came across this recipe for chocolate gravy. It sounds a bit crazy, but the concept of biscuits and chocolate gravy looks really delicious. It is actually more of a dessert, or breakfast pudding, than a side, but how thrilled will your guests be when you slather their biscuits in creamy chocolate? To get the recipe, read more.

Chocolate 'Gravy' for Biscuits
From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

8 servings
Hands on: 12 minutes
Total time: 12 minutes

1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and cocoa with a whisk until no clumps of flour or cocoa remain.
Whisk in the milk until well-combined.
Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to boil and then thickens like gravy, 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter until it melts.
Serve this "gravy" - basically a thin chocolate pudding - over buttermilk biscuits that have been split and buttered.
Garnish the plate with raspberries or strawberries, if you like.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken and Biscuit Kabobs

partysugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:52:28 -0800

A couple of weeks ago I featured a recipe for a quick, classic version of chicken and biscuits. You guys ate it right up, so when I found this recipe for a modern, deconstructed version of chicken and biscuits, I knew I had to share it! Instead of being cooked casserole-style, the chicken and biscuits are cooked like a kabob on a stick, and the sauce is transformed into a dip. It's a mixture of honey and butter, but I'm going to stir in mustard to give it some kick. Get the recipe when you read more

Chicken and Biscuit Kabobs
From Better Homes & Gardens magazine

1/2 of a 13.5-oz. package (12) frozen cooked, breaded chicken breast chunks
1 4.5-oz. package (6) refrigerated buttermilk or country biscuits
1 medium zucchini and/or squash, cut into 3 x 3/4-inch strips
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 tbsp. honey

Preheat oven to 400 °F.
Arrange chicken chunks in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Microcook, uncovered, on 100 percent power (high) for 1 minute (chicken will not be heated through).
Use kitchen scissors to snip each biscuit in half. On each of 4 metal or wooden skewers alternately thread chicken pieces, biscuit halves, and squash, leaving about 1/4 inch between pieces. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and chicken is heated through.
Meanwhile, whisk together melted butter and honey. Drizzle some of the mixture over kabobs. Pass remainder for dipping.

Serves 4.

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