Sweet Sundays: Cherry Biscones

 

Picture this………The suns warm rays fall across your sleeping face.  The birds are singing you a good morning song.  You stretch as you get out of bed, your feet gently slipping into your faithful old tattered slippers.  The smell of freshly brewed tea ( or coffee) wafting into your nose.  A plate of warm biscuits with cream and jam waiting for you at the table.  Wait, the biscuits aren’t biscuits they are scones.  Wait, the scones, er, biscuits, um scones? Oh heck who cares what they are!  They look delicious just eat one!!!!!  They are delicious and heavenly and your day is perfect until it’s time to do the dishes.  annnddd…………end scene.

Wouldn’t it be great if everyday was like that.  The only flaw in the day is figuring out what your breakfast was.  Biscones.  Simple a biscuit scone or a scone biscuit.  A combination of loveliness no matter how you look at it.  Ok, so in my world I had to brew the tea and I had to make the Biscones, but a girl can dream right? 

I found this fantastic recipe in one of my newest acquisitions.  “The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook”, by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day.  The cover jacket of the cookbook drew me to this purchase.  Husband and wife standing hand in hand, with her holding a plate of delicious cookies.  How cool would that be.  Cheryl and Griffith have created a cool little old time bakery with wonderful creations and they made a cookbook book out of it.  There are so many recipes in this cookbook I want to try!  I guess I will start with recipe number one!

The Biscone is a hybrid between a biscuit and a scone.  Tender, light, moist, and flaky are all words which can be used to describe this most fabulous breakfast dish.  You can vary the recipe how ever you which to choose.  The cookbook suggest:  Bacon Biscones, Blueberry Biscones with Lemon-Zest Glaze, and Cinnamon Biscones with Vanilla Drizzle-all of which are on my to do list.  Here is the recipe for the most basic Biscone.  Like any that has to do with a Biscone is basic.

Please enjoy and I hope in your world you can enjoy the start of the your day just like in my dreams. Oh, I forgot to mention Viggo Mortenson he would be there too and he would be doing the dishes.

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Chili Cheese Bake

 

I grew up on tater tots.  I think that is all I have to say.  If I have the option of French Fries or tater tots, guess which one I will pick?  Some people don’t like tater tots.  Some people like them so much they named their dog after them (my sister).  This recipe is all about the tater tot and its time travel abilities to take me back to my childhood.  Seriously.  I love tater tots.

I found the recipe for Chili Cheese Bake in my  “Southern Living: What’s for Supper”, cookbook.  I told you this cookbook is fantastic.  I mean, how can it not be.  It has tater tot casserole in it. The recipe does take an hour to bake, but if have all of your ingredients handy, it is a cinch to put together  I recently posted another recipe from this cookbook.  There will be a link at the bottom of the page for it.  The recipes in the book are easy, and quick, and everything you are looking for in an easy weeknight meal.  You can easily swap out ingredients if you don’t like them, like green beans for corn the corn.  This also would be really great with shredded potatoes, but probably not as awesome as tater tots.  Oh, now I am addicted to sweet potato tater tots!  Delicious!

 

http://sara826-itstartedwithone.blogspot.com/2013/02/easy-weeknight-cheesy-bbq-sloppy-joes.html 

Check out the recipe!!!!

 

Sweet Sundays: Crunch Top Apple Pie

 

I have been obsessed with pie crust lately.  I think the success of my buttermilk pie has gone to my head.  I want to tackle every pie, every hand-pie, anything that has a crust.  I think what I what I am obsessing over the most is the fact that I have shied away from pie for so long, because it looks and seemed so complicated.  Guess what!  It isn’t!  Once you figure out the crust and have a crust recipe you like baking pies are a piece of cake!  Er, I mean pie.

Todays recipe comes from “The Lady & Sons Just Desserts”, by Paula Deen.  Now I love Paula Deen.  Her recipes are easy and they don’t have ingredients that can’t be found in my local grocery store.  In fact a few of the recipes that I have made out of her cookbooks, I can find right in my pantry.  So back to the apple pie.  I had yet to conquer this iconic American delicacy.  Wait, let me start again.  I was at work one day and I over heard my name in a conversation about desserts and making things.  “Sara makes a great pie.  You should have her make you one.” That of course put a smile on my face but then a shadow of doubt came to me.   I had only ever made one pie and it may have been beautiful and delicious, I was afraid it was a fluke and a one time thing.  So I was approached to make an apple pie. “Sure, I can make apple pie.  No problem”.  (Did you read that I hadn’t done that yet?!!)  What have I gotten myself into!!!!!!!!!!!!

So that was my next challenge, and it really wasn’t one!  So simple!!!!!! Have confidence in your kitchen!  When you find a great recipe it all falls into place.  I used my go to crust recipe.  The link for the recipe is at the bottom of the blog.  Paula didn’t fail me either!  Together we created a beautiful, easy pie and it was easy as…………..

Links to pie crust recipe and other Paula Deen recipes

http://sara826-itstartedwithone.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-buttermilk-effect-part-2-buttermilk.html

http://sara826-itstartedwithone.blogspot.com/2010/08/lost-and-found-gooey-butter-cake.html

 

Technorati Tags: pie,dessert,apple,crust,easy

 

The Saturdays

 

“How many in your party? Four? Thank-you.  Please follow me to your table.” “Welcome to The Saturdays.  Our specials tonight are on the menu below.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Tonight you are in for a treat.  The chefs have prepared something special for you………..”

The idea started with the quest to learn more about cooking and what flavors go well together.  My dearest friend, Jared, is enrolled in the culinary arts and I am going along for the ride.  A few years ago I had decided that I wanted to do the same, but life keeps getting in the way so I am happy to watch Jared as he succeeds.  I think I get the best part of the deal.  I can hear all about his adventures without the stress, but with all of the taste tests.  The idea is, every few Saturdays we get together and pretend we are chefs. All day long we shop and prepare an amazing meal for some lucky guests.  We in turn get to practice different cooking techniques and use ingredients we have never used. All the guests have to do is enjoy the food.  If they don’t enjoy something that is ok too.  We are here to learn.

So on our first Saturday this is what we prepared.  Please enjoy.

 

Salade: Arugula,blood orange, feta cheese and strawberries with a roasted walnut shallot vinegrette and candied bacon.

 

Plat Principal: Roasted pork tenderloin with balsamic chestnut glaze

Accutremant: Potato gratin with cream and fresh herbs

Dessert: Sauteed bananas with cardamom and praline sauce

We did use a cookbook for inspiration.  The recipes for the pork and the gratin were found in “Bon Appetite Fresh Food Fast”, by Barbara Fairchild.  The constructed salad was Jared’s creation.  The bananas and praline came straight from the culinary school Jared attends.  The dinner was absolutely amazing.  We had four adult and three children diners in attendance.  Each gave their own constructive review of the menu.

Thank-you for dining at The Saturdays.  We hope that you have enjoyed the meal and will come back soon.  Make sure to make reservations, there is limited seating.  The chefs would love to prepare something extraordinary for you.

*If you would like the recipes, please comment below and I will send them to you.

Welsh Rarebit Muffins

 

 

What? What is that?!  Grape rabbit muffins?  No, Welsh Rarebit Muffins.  Well what is a Welsh Rarebit?  Something that is right up your alley.  If you love cheese and savory and delicious, these muffins are perfect. 

Welsh Rarebit is a dish that originated in taverns and pubs in England.  It is served mush like a fondue only with Cheddar cheese instead of Emmenthal.  It is a bowl of cheese served with toasted bread.  It is also served sandwich style.  The cheese is mixed with Cheddar, English Mustard and Worcestershire sauce.  Researching this snack was quite hilarious.  No one really knows why Rarebit is used other than someone a long time ago accidentally spelled it rarebit instead of rabbit.  Even though there is no rabbit in the dish.  I have come across a few recipes and have always been intrigued by them.  Melted gooey cheese on toast how delicious is that!

Welsh Rarebit Muffins are Nigella Lawson’s clever twist on the dish.  Easy too!  There is no need to make a cheese sauce.  Everything is baked right into the muffin. I found this recipe in “Nigella Bites”, by Nigella Lawson.  This I love her writing.  She tells fantastic stories about all of her dishes and her words just flow off the page.  Nigella recommends eating these muffins with “burnt and sticky-skinned sausages”.  Really, how cool is that.

These muffins are quick to put together and can be made with practically everything that you have in your cupboard right now.  The only thing I had to purchase was English mustard.  The batter isn’t the prettiest and it is quite thick, but all will be ok.  Please give these a try.  It is a muffin covered in cheese for goodness sake.

 

Easy Weeknight: Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

 

 

Some nights are busy.  Some nights are really busy.  With children growing by leaps and bounds and everyone having something going on after school,  it is sometimes hard to get a quick, easy meal on the table.   Sloppy Joes have been around for years and opening a can of “Manwich” has always been a go- to favorite.  Until now.  I vow never again to open a can of sloppy Joe mix when I know I can easily, affordably and quickly make something better myself.  Enter Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes.

I am a member of a monthly cookbook club.  It is a guilty pleasure of mine.  They sucker you in with cheap rates for the first time you buy a cookbook and then you are stuck.  Most of the time I am really good at opting out of my monthly selections.  Then there are months when I totally forget about it and a package shows up at my door.  Oops!  When Southern Living’s “What’s For Supper” book showed up at my door, my first thought was “Shoot”, the second was one was “Sweet”!  It is a really cool cookbook.  I have had the cookbook for six months and I have already made 10 recipes out of it. There is a picture of every recipe and easy side suggestions to go with the featured meals.  This cookbook is really worth every penny I didn’t mean to spend.  I really think it belongs in everyone’s cookbook collection.  Stay tuned for more!  The recipes are super quick, delicious and easy.  I mean they are so quick, I forget to take pictures!

 

The first time I made Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes was for a whole bunch of children.  My three kids each had a friend over and I needed something that could feed a crowd.  Two teenage boys, two preteen girls, two 7 year old boys, a husband and myself all were dining.  A big pan of sloppy Joe was the answer!  Everyone loved them!  I served the sloppy Joes on cheese covered garlic toast.  Since then it has been a family favorite.  I normally serve it on regular hamburger buns.  The sandwiches go really great with a quick coleslaw and a vegetable.

This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.  I use one pound packages of ground turkey and still keep the same proportions of the sauce mix. I promise you, this is soooo good, you too, will never buy canned sloppy Joe mix again!

 

Sweet Sundays: Nutella Brownies

 

There really isn’t an explanation or a funny story for this post.  Just a girl desperate for dark chocolate fudginess.  I am sorry spell check, fudginess is a word in my dictionary.  My family must all have been craving the same thing, because they all got in the act and helped make these simple treats.

Nutella Brownies came out of “The Only Bake Sale Cookbook You’ll Ever Need” cookbook.  I have made “Tangy Lime Poppy Seed Cake” and “Orange and Chocolate Cake” a while ago. The cookbook has everything!  Twenty recipes for Rice Krispie treats, a whole chapter on brownies and cakes and pies and easy snacks to bag and sell at your next bake sale.  I just make the treats for myself and my friends and family.  The brownies are super easy and super quick.  Perfect for when you just need chocolate.

Please check out both cake recipes!

 http://sara826-itstartedwithone.blogspot.com/2010/06/tangy-lime-poppy-seed-cake.html

http://sara826-itstartedwithone.blogspot.com/2010/07/orange-and-chocolate-cake.html