• Grandma’s Cloud Biscuits

    December 12, 2007 Author: Rachel
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    These biscuits are so easy and actually take longer to cook than they do to make. They are delicious too, and are a staple at my grandmother’s when she needs a last minute roll or bread. -s loved them so much he couldn’t stop eating them. They are small, probably about the size of a 1/4 c. measuring cup, and they do look a lot like clouds…hence the name.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 c. Flour
    • 1 TBSP. sugar
    • 4 tsp. baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
    • 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 c. shortening
    • 1/2 c. milk
    • 1 egg, beaten lightly

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 475.
    2. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, tartar, and salt. Blend in shortening. Add milk and egg.
    3. Gather into a ball and knead 4-5 times–use some flower because the dough is quite sticky.
    4. Spray your cookie sheet with cooking spray.
    5. Take a spoon and cut off about TBSP of dough and just drop them on the cookie sheet–you can make them as round or as disfigured as you like. Don’t spend too much time making them perfect, because when they bake they take on the shape of clouds.
    6. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown

    Cloud Biscuits:

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  • Berry Cream Cheese Muffins with Sweet Berry Drizzle

    December 9, 2007 Author: Rachel
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    I found this recipe on the Picky Palate food blog, and since I love berry muffins I bookmarked this recipe. Her recipe was adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, November 1997 recipe, and I changed the recipe up a bit for the ingredients I had on hand. This is so YUMMY! I’m not a batter licker, but I confess, I licked the bowl. I used a good quality frozen berry in lieu of fresh, and you couldn’t tell the difference. -s, who doesn’t really like berry muffins, really liked these, and of course it was kid friendly.
    Ingredients:

    Berries:

    • 10 oz fresh or frozen berries (if using frozen, make sure they are good quality whole berries and not the kind that has sugar syrup). I used frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
    • 2 Tablespoons sugar

    Batter:

    • 1 stick softened butter
    • 8 oz softened cream cheese
    • 1 Cup sugar
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 1 3/4 Cup all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 1/3 Cup heavy cream

    Berry Drizzle:

    • Heaping ¼ Cup powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon milk

    Directions: 

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place berries and sugar in a large bowl. Stir to combine so that berries are coated in sugar. Set aside.
    2. In a stand or electric mixer cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest until well combined. Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined.
    3. Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. With mixer on low, add half the flour, then half cream, then remaining flour, then remaining cream until just combined.
    4. Fill 6 extra large muffins tins or 24 regular size tins with muffin batter (I actually got 14 muffins from a regular muffin tin, although they were very good sized ones), about ¾ full, that has been greased or sprayed with cooking spray. Press 4-6 (or more depending on your berry size) berries into tops of each unbaked muffin. Bake for 23-28 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove and let cool.
    5. In the same bowl as berries were in, place powdered sugar and milk. Whisk until smooth and drizzling consistency; should be a light pink color from the berry juice. Drizzle over top muffins and enjoy!

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    Berry Cream Cheese Muffins with Sweet Berry Drizzle:

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  • Turkey Tamale Potpie

    December 8, 2007 Author: Rachel
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    I adapted this recipe from the Cooking Light, October 2006 issue. I changed it up a bit from the original recipe, and the one thing I will change for next time is to drain the tomatoes, because putting the can of tomatoes with the juices in made it too watery for my taste. Think of this dish as a chili with a cornbread topping.  Overall, this is excellent, and it took less than 40 minutes from start to finish.

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

    • 1 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 pound 97% fat free ground turkey breast
    • 2 chipotles, diced
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 tsp. cumin
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
    • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 cup of corn
    • Garnish with sour cream, cheese, or cilantro

    Topping:

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
    • 1/3 cup sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
    • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 425°.To prepare filling, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and turkey; cook 10 minutes or until turkey loses its pink color. Add chipotle chili powder, oregano, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, tomatoes, corn, and beans; cook 3 minutes. Spoon turkey mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
    2. To prepare topping, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Combine buttermilk and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist. Spread cornmeal mixture evenly over turkey mixture. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until topping is golden.
    3. Garnish with sour cream, cheese, or cilantro.

    Turkey Tamale Pot Pie:

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  • Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars: Take 2

    December 7, 2007 Author: Rachel
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    Yes I’ve made these once before! We had an event to attend tonight, and we were assigned desserts. I made these bars with the adjustments I suggested last time (making 1 1/2 the crust recipe) and baking in the 13 x 9 pan, and the bars were even better! The guests devoured these bars, and I will proudly say that my dessert was the only one that was eaten entirely! So do put these on your must try list.

    Recipe adapted from Southern Living, September 2006

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
    • 6 TBSP. butter, softened
    • 3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1/3 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 (12-oz.) package NESTE TOLL HOUSE Mini Morsels, divided

    Directions:

    1. Beat first 3 ingredients at medium-low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Increase speed to medium, and beat until well blended and crumbly. Pat mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan.
    2. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
    3. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla, and 1 cup chocolate morsels, beating just until blended. Pour over baked crust.
    4. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely on top of the stove.
    5. Microwave remaining chocolate morsels in a 2-cup glass measuring cup on HIGH 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Cut into bars and arrange on another plate. Drizzle over cheesecake: put the melted chocolate into a ziploc bag, cut a small amount of the bag off in one of the corners and then pipe the chocolate onto the bars. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

    Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars:

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  • Quick Fish Tacos

    December 1, 2007 Author: Rachel
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    Since we had a busy day, I didn’t feel like making the dinner we had planned for tonight. So I looked through the fridge and pantry and came up with a quick Fish Taco dinner with rice and beans. It was really good, and this will definitely go on the list of quick and easy weeknight meals that the whole family enjoys!
    Ingredients:

    • Frozen fish fillets, either breaded or not
    • Grated cheddar cheese
    • Sour cream
    • Salsa of your choice (we used Herdez Salsa Verde)
    • Cilantro, although we didn’t have any
    • Limes
    • Flour or Corn Tortillas

    Directions:

    1. Prepare fish according to package
    2. Shred the cheese
    3. Mix sour cream with your salsa to taste
    4. Make rice and beans
    5. Assemble and squeeze lime on tacos and garnish with cilantro

    Quick Fish Tacos:

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