the perfect biscuit

Finding the perfect biscuit recipe is a lot like finding a husband.  There's a lot of good ones out there, but it's hard to find the one.

I found my husband years ago...as of last weekend, I think I've also found the perfect biscuit!


Here's what I love about it:

• It's fast to whip up.  The dough comes together in a matter of minutes!  So many biscuit recipes require complicated sifting or hours of rising...not this one.  When I want breakfast, I want it now, and this recipe lets me have it.
• It takes simple ingredients...stuff I've already got in the pantry.  My favorite feature is that it calls for butter and not shortening.  Butter equals tons of flavor.  Shortening just means bigger hips.
• The biscuits rise beautifully and separate easily.  Time to pull out the jam!

The recipe comes from one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbooks - Country Baking.  They are so good that I have to share!

Dixie's Sky High Biscuits
from Gooseberry Patch's Country Baking

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 1/2 t. baking powder
• 3/4 t. cream of tartar
• 2 T. sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, sugar and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture is coarse and crumbly.  Add egg and milk, stirring quickly until just mixed.  On lightly floured board, knead briefly.  Roll to about one-inch thickness. Cut the dough with a round biscuit cutter.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.  Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

triple chocolate cake

What would a dinner party be without dessert?

Well...it wouldn't be a party.  It would just be dinner.

Sad face. :-(

This is one of the best desserts to serve at a dinner party because it is just as easy as it is delicious.  Your guests will think you slaved in the kitchen all day long...don't correct them. :-)

The ingredients - chocolate cake mix, chocolate instant pudding mix, 1 cup of sour cream, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup water, 2 cups chocolate chips, and cocoa.

Most used word in previous sentence = chocolate!

This recipe makes a ton of glaze.  Being the chocoholic that I am, I use every single bit of it.  I fill up the middle of the cake like it's a moat.  In my opinion, that's what the hole in the middle of the cake is for. 

Take it from me...this cake is good.  You should definitely make it.  Soon.

Just a few final thoughts - 1) You should refrigerate leftovers because of the egg substitute in the glaze.  2) Refrigeration is an excellent thing - this cake tastes even better when it's served cold!

Triple Chocolate Cake
18.25 oz. package chocolate cake mix
3.9 oz. package chocolate instant pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
2 cups (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
cocoa powder

Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl; beat for a minute until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spoon batter into a well-greased 12 cup Bundt pan that has been dusted lightly with cocoa.  Bake at 350 for one hour or until cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; remove cake from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Glaze
3 (1 oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking squares, melted
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup softened butter

Combine melted chocolate, sugar, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.  Gradually add egg substitute and beat until mixture cools.  Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until blended.  Spoon glaze over top of cake.

heavenly warm corn dip

"Yum!" was my husband's first word when he bit into this unique dip.  After several more dips, he exclaimed, "This is SO addicting!" - and then he dipped some more!  This dip is addicting.  It's got a nice creamy texture and spicy flavor that go wonderfully with corn chips.  My favorite aspects of this dish, though, have to be that it's great for the health conscious and literally takes only 3 minutes to make.  Next time we have a potluck or get-together, I know what I'm bringing!

Heavenly Warm Corn Dip

from Gooseberry Patch's Homestyle in a Hurry

• 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 10 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies, drained
• 15 1/4 oz. can yellow corn, drained
• 15 oz. can shoepeg corn, drained
• 2 t. ground cumin
• 2 t. chili powder
• 1 t. garlic powder
• salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on high until heated through and cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes.  Stir to blend; serve warm.  Makes 8 to 12 servings.

lightened up "pioneer woman" spaghetti and meatballs

See that plate up there?  It's full of possibly the most delicious spaghetti and meatballs I've ever had.  And that's not even spaghetti!  (It's spaghetti squash - part of my effort to "lighten" things up.)  I loved that beautiful pile of deliciousness!

This spaghetti and meatballs is actually Pioneer Woman's recipe (click here for original recipe), but I made a few tweaks to lighten it up.  Instead of 3/4 pound beef and 3/4 pound ground pork, I used 1 pound ground turkey and 1/2 pound Jimmy Dean natural sausage (love that stuff!).  I considerably lessened the amount of olive oil used.  I also used oatmeal instead of the bread crumbs...nothing like a little fiber!  And finally, I have a tendency to eat spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti, just to make it a little less carbs. 

Spaghetti and Meatballs
A lightened-up version of the Pioneer Woman classic!

Meatballs:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1/2 lb. sausage
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 t. dried parsley
• 1/4 t. salt
• ground pepper, to taste
• splash of milk
• 2 T. olive oil

Sauce:

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 t. sugar
• ground pepper to taste
• 1 t. dried parsley
• 1 t. oregano

To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, oatmeal, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a heavy pot or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel after each batch. Set meatballs aside.

In the same pot, add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until translucent. Pour in whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and wine. Add salt, pepper, sugar, parsley, and oregano. Stir to combine and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add meatballs to pot and stir in gently. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer. Serve over cooked spaghetti!

chocolate oatmeal bars

Around here, we love anything we can make in the microwave (two small kids = zero time for gourmet cooking).  And if it has chocolate in it, even better!  

My daughter and I made these oatmeal bars together so that we could have a stash of delicious quick snacks.  It took us less than 10 minutes, and the results were worth it. 

Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

In a bowl, combine oats and brown sugar.  Stir in butter and corn syrup.  Press into a greased 9-inch square microwave-safe dish.  Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and wait for a few minutes for the chocolate to melt.  When the chocolate chips are glossy, spread evenly over top.  Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before cutting. 

blueberry buckle

I'm sharing one of our new favorite desserts.  Actually, if I'm being honest, we usually eat this for breakfast. :)  This blueberry buckle is amazing - the batter looks and tastes like a sugar cookie batter.  Then you swirl in blueberries and toss on a streusel topping...it's "oh my word" delicious!  It's also a quick fix and made with simple ingredients you probably already have in the pantry.  It's perfect as a coffee cake or a dessert..or even breakfast!

  Serve warm and enjoy!

Blueberry Buckle
from Gooseberry Patch's Country Baking

• 1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 1/3 cup flour
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1/2 t. cinnamon

Mix 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and egg; stir in milk.  Sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; add to batter.  Blend in blueberries.  Spread batter into a greased 9"x9" pan.  In a medium bowl, combine remaining sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon.  Place crumb topping over blueberry mixture.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.  Makes 9 servings.

veggie purlieu

One pot meals get me so excited.  If there's anything I love more than cooking, it's not having to deal with a sink full of dirty dishes when I get done.  Is anybody with me on that? :)

While perusing Gooseberry Patch's Everyday Simple Suppers cookbook, I came across the most intriguing-sounding one pot meal - purlieu (pronounced "pearl-ew").  It sounded so delicious, chock full of meat, seasonings, and rice.

I decided to make it a bit more my own by adding veggies - I'm all about sneaking in veggies.  I plopped a green pepper, onion, celery, and a few carrots into my pot.  It took this dish to a whole new dimension.

The result?  A large pot of meaty vegetably goodness and no dirty dishes!

I like the sound of that. :)

Veggie Purlieu
Adapted from Everyday Simple Suppers

• 14 oz. package smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 4 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 cups assorted vegetables (I used carrots, celery, and pepper)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 5 oz. saffron yellow rice, uncooked
• 1 1/4 cup white rice, uncooked

Combine sausage, bacon, and onion in a large pot over medium heat.  Saute until onion is translucent.  Add remaining vegetables and broth; bring to a boil.  Stir in chicken; return to a boil again.  Add yellow and white rice; boil for one minute.  Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat; let stand covered for 10 minutes.  Serves 8.