The ones I missed....A 2014 Food in Review!

Happy New Year's Eve Jenny Mac Lipsmack Fans! 

I know I wasn't posting as much this year but I have been cooking quite a bit! I really need to create some system to get my recipes on my blog in an easier way! Any suggestions short of hiring an assistant, feel free to send me suggestions...So Good-Bye 2014....here is some of what I have made chronicling my year in food in review.


Cauliflower Tots is what caught my eye on Pinterest but when I saw the site included her version of Zucchini Tots and that was the abundant item currently from the summer's bounty...it is what I made.  These are pretty healthy with lower fat cheese and were VERY good!  I'd make again!

http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/07/zucchini-tots.html

Bacon and Cheddar Zucchini Bread.  Ha-Ha....mine looked anemic.  Nothing like the picture on the website.  Perhaps I needed to cook it more but the cake tester came out clean.  I was afraid of drying it out.  It was okay.  I'd try again to see if it turned out better, but I was sad over the waste of good bacon in this.  I think half of it got thrown away.  You try it and see if yours looks like the one in their website. Let me know how you did!

http://www.lovefoodies.com/bacon--cheddar-zucchini-bread.html

I loveeeeeee demonstrating new foods for my students to try.  These were a little treat I found on Pinterest.  The students loved it so much I included it on my school website for the kids to have access to make at home if they wanted.  So if picky 7th graders gobbled these down and wanted more, you may have a hit at home with your kids!

http://www.apsva.us/page/7305#minimuff

Every so often I become OBSESSED with some type of recipe.  I have biscuits crumbs in my blood due to my grandmother making them all the time (Did I pass Me-mom?) However she would woefully say to us when we'd visit how sorry she was that these were not one of her better batches. WTH? They were always good! She was just overly perfectionistic! So the more I see recipes done on TV about biscuits and the flaky layers and the such...I wanted the same.  See the monster you created in me Me-mom?  Warning the recipe provided is good but it's really about the PROCESS of the dough folding.  Trust me, don't ignore this warning, it's more about the folding than the recipe.  I had to make this about 5 times to understand this.  Don't be stubborn like me.

http://traceysculinaryadventures.com/2013/03/foolproof-flaky-buttermilk-biscuits.html

I made this Pumpkin resembling Cheeseball for halloween.  I had printed it out last year but found it and made it this year.  I searched for the recipe and found it on Food Network.  It was really good with minced jalapeno and coated in ground up Dorito chips.  Next year, I'd make it with more minced jalapenos.  We like it zippy around here!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pumpkin-cheese-ball-recipe.html

Sorry, I was too busy cooking on Thanksgiving....and we wanted to eat! But I included this picture because the real standout recipe that was new this year that I would DEFINITELY make again was the Chipotle Sweet Potatoes.  Sweet Heat.  We loved it.  I think I enhanced the recipe by adding just a touch of brown sugar 1/4-1/2 cup to bump the sweetness.  I buy those chipotle peppers in a can and separate the peppers out in their own baggie with some of the sauce and store them in the freezer! That is what this recipe called for ONE of those hot suckers in these here taters! Barely seen on the right...LOL

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chipotle-smashed-sweet-potatoes-recipe2.html

Christmas Holiday Party! We invited the neighbors to meet and greet.  We hadn't done it in a long time.  Those who came, we had a blast.  Might consider doing this again, maybe a tradition...Hey, it's gets the house cleaned too! LOL.  Found most of my ideas on Pinterest, modified them like the appetizer tree below.  When I figured out that only half of the neighbors were coming I chopped half of my styrofoam cone down (AC Moore, Michael's Craft stores, Jo-Ann's). Covered in plastic wrap. It was fun to assemble but really appropriate for a large crowd. We had much of this tree left over.

http://catsonthehomestead.blogspot.com/2013/11/appetizer-tree.html

This was adorably cute but I'd use a different recipe.  Bottom half was mustard, onion with cheddar cheese and the top (head) was a pesto.  Coated in Parmesan cheese.  I just wasn't WOW'ed by the flavors.  Use the favorite cheese ball recipe of your own and use the picture as a base how to SCULP your snowman.  I will include the link so you can be your own judge if you like it or not.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/make-ahead-snowman-cheese-ball/f29c01e3-0729-4c22-ac99-7646b49f8453

I have made this Ranch Veggie Tree numerous times.  Kids even love it.  Very easy.  I tweak their version on Pillsbury.com by using dry ranch mix in whipped cream cheese and my decoration of the tree is more prominent. Their site includes a video if you need it.

http://www.pillsbury.com/holidays-celebrations/christmas/how-to-make-a-tree-shaped-crescent-veggie-appetizer

Classic Sausage Ball recipe by Bisquick.  Next year I am making it with their Gluten Free mix since I have a GF neighbor and I would like to give her more options next time.  Also I think I will hunt for an optional dipping sauce as well.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/gluten-free-sausage-cheese-balls/99b6ed51-9859-46aa-90bf-eecc41711529

I am NOT a seafood eater, however my husband is.  A good host has to please other people than herself, so sometimes she's gotta 'suck it up' and touch smell fish! K-man raved about this so this recipe will be repeated to keep him and my other guests in the future happy.  Thanks Pioneer Woman!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/spicy-lemon-garlic-shrimp-recipe.html

Easy Peasy! Phyllo Shells, brie and Cranberry Sauce.  Just melt brie for about 5 minutes in the oven and top with cranberry sauce.  Yum!

http://www.thecookingmom.com/recipe-box/appetizers/cranberry-brie-bites/

Just a peek of the SPREAD....

Party Sweets!  Top: Oreo Truffles, Middle: Salted Caramel Bon-Bons and Bottom: Pretzel Kisses and Pecan Rolo Pretzel Bites.

School Staff Food Gifts...Oreo Snowman

I tweaked this idea with adding sprinkles, and pull apart licorice garland.  Staff loved them!

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/pretzel-christmas-trees/

Lastly, I just wanted an old standby for a sweet treat during the holidays.  Shortbread, simple, satisfies, makes many.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/heavenly-shortbread/detail.aspx

See you next year!

In Foodie Love,

Gluten Free Biscuits

Along with my love for chocolate, I admit I also love breads.  Biscuits, rolls...hot and buttery....YUM!  So when I was told that going Paleo meant breads made with almond flour or coconut flour could be made, I felt I wouldn't die.  Of course when we go out to nice dinners I may splurge on the hot crusty yeast breads on occasion but at home I still can have some breads.  I am still find it difficult to render a tall rising bread for a sandwich but when I do....you'll be the first to know.  For know these little biscuits are nice and light and remind be of popovers.  Not too difficult to make either.

Basic Biscuits
from Paleo Comfort Foods

6 large egg whites (I use the carton of egg white sometimes as well)
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp organic butter or coconut oil

1.  In a bowl, beat the egg whites until they are very frothy.
2.  In a separate bowl, mix the flours and baking powder.  Cut in the cold butter with a two knives or a pastry blender.  You will be making a crumbly mixture.  Let sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
3.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4.  Remove flour mixture from fridge and gently fold in the egg whites, stirring to combine.
5.  Spoon the biscuit batter in a greased muffin cups.
6.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 12.

Cook's Notes:
1.  These are very soft and fluffy.  They are not going to fall apart since they have egg in the them.
2.  These taste very much like popovers despite them not rising as tall.
3.  I have tried other biscuit recipes and there will be other versions to come.
4.  This batter will be 'soupy' at first.  Give it a moment for the coconut flour to absorb the liquid and it will be more manageable.
5.  Use a standard ice cream scoop to keep the biscuits consistently the same size.
6.  I don't know how these biscuits would work on a cookie sheet really....I think they would spread and be thinner.  The muffin cups hold the 'biscuit' shape nicely.
7.  Bits of Cheese and bacon was also suggested to mix in if you were splurging or allowing dairy in your Paleo life.  We use a little cheese now and then and since I had a Tbsp of some leftover organic shredded cheese, I used it up here.  It can be seen in the picture below.

Enjoy!

 

Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Casserole...

For Dinner? Yes!!!! Why do we feel the societal conformity that eggs, sausage/bacon and biscuits must be eaten for breakfast only and if we eat them for dinner that somehow it is weird or breaking some rule? Is the 'breakfast police' gonna break your door down saying "I'm sorry ma'am you are violating the law by eating waffles, pancakes or eggs for dinner!" LOL. Even though I had eggs for dinner growing up we still regard eggs for dinner as some guilty pleasure. Like eating cookies would spoil our appetite before a meal. So silly, isn't it?

I found this recipe in Cuisine Magazine . It's a magazine solely of recipes with no ads.
I tweaked a wonderfully sinful sausage and egg casserole I think you'd love.



Sausage, Egg and Biscuit Casserole
adapted from Cuisine Magazine by JennyMac Lipsmack

1 lb. sausage or bacon
7 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
8 biscuits (canned, leftover homemade ones that are a bit stale, frozen, bakery, what you like best)
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 7X11 baking dish with nonstick spray. Brown sausage or cook bacon until brown/crispy. Transfer to paper towel to absorb excess grease.

In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cream, salt and pepper.

Split biscuits in half and layer bottoms in greased dish. Sprinkle sausage/bacon over biscuits and top with 3/4 cup of cheese. Cover with biscuits tops and pour egg mixture over top.

TIME to make a decision.... EAT this NOW or tomorrow morning?

Eating now.....Bake for 30 minutes or until eggs are set (165 degrees) and no longer jiggly. Cover with cheese and cook for another 10 minutes. Let casserole stand for 10 minutes.

Eating tomorrow.....Cover with foil. Place and bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes until eggs are set. Uncover and place on 3/4 cup of cheese or until melted.

DELISH!!!!

Cook's Notes:
This dish also came with a sage gravy recipe. Any white sauce is butter, flour and milk or cream (depending how rich you want it) but I really felt this recipe was PLENTY rich and didn't really need it.
I was right, plenty moist, rich custardy eggs with cheese....a rich white sauce just made my arteries feel threatened to close.
K-man was OVER the moon with this tasty dish. I felt so guilty from eating it that I felt we should be eating some salad or fruit with it. K-man shook his head and said "just gimme TWO!"

Buttermilk Biscuits

I love biscuits!

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack....whenever....buttery, jammy, sandwichy....I am not picky. I guess I got the biscuit bug from my grandmother who used to make them all the time. Many biscuit recipes use just plain milk but I really think the buttermilk really makes them tender.

I troll around the food blogs and Cathy from Noble Pig always seems to get me off my butt to try her recipes. Even a biscuit recipe when I've made millions of biscuits by now. I was intrigued by Cathy's tips and the use of cake flour made it different enough that I wanted to give them a try.

Basic Buttermilk Biscuits
Discovered on Noble Pig and she made from Cuisine at Home

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups cake flour
5 Tablespoons cold vegetable shortening, cubed
4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450o F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl; set aside. Pulse cake flour, shortening and cubed butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until fats are pea-sized flakes. Mix in all-purpose flour mixture just until blended. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients and mix just until moistened. To avoid overmixing the biscuit dough, stop when the ingredients are just moistened. Even though the dough is wet, don't add more flour, that leads to overmixing.

Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead just until dough holds together. Do not overwork it. Flour your hands to keep the dough from sticking before patting dough into a 1" thick circle. Using a 2" thick biscuit cutter, cut dough into 10 biscuits. Pull cutter up without twisting, as you remove. Twisting results in jagged edges on the biscuits.

Transfer the biscuits to prepared baking sheet and bake until golden, 15-18 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter during last few minutes of baking.

Cathy's Tips & Tricks for High-Rise Biscuits

-For bigger rise, place any tools, especially the stand mixer bowl and paddle into the bowl, into the freezer for a few minutes before mixing to ensure the fats won't melt until they are in the oven.

-Patting the dough into a circle compresses it less than rolling it with a rolling pin, giving you a loftier biscuit.

-Use a sharp biscuit cutter to cut your biscuits. The sharp edges don't seal the sides thus promoting rising . Juice glasses and tin cans trap air and compress biscuit dough, sealing the sides and reducing rise.

-Excess flour on the tops and bottoms can make the biscuits seem dry, brush off any excess flour from both sides before baking.

-You can reroll the dough once (you'll need to) and still yield tender biscuits. To do so, brush any flour from the scraps and gently fold the dough back together before patting into a circle.

I made mine a bit 'blonde' for I wanted to be able to put them in the freezer and reheat when I needed a biscuit fix, not wanting to over cook them. These were fabulous. The cake flour really made the delicate. Give these a try. Thanks Cathy!

Enjoy!

Evil Biscuits!

I got this neat cookbook called Small Batch Baking. I wanted this book specifically for that reason. I just didn't want all the leftovers we have all the time it seems. So each recipe makes one little cake or 2-3 biscuits, 2-3 cookies. Perfect for a couple. When I saw the following recipe I said no way we could only have 2 of THESE biscuits! How ironic, right?

So getting back to the title, what makes these biscuits evil....bacon isn't THAT bad. Many biscuits are made with butter and you can bump up the richness by using heavy cream. Um, well, this recipe also uses the BACON GREASE! That constitutes EVIL to me. Since I am already making these biscuits evil, I am going for heinously evil by adding cheese. I suggest wearing rubber soled shoes while making these biscuits in case of lightning strikes!

Rustic Bacon Biscuits
increased in size from Small Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos

12 slices of bacon
3 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp saved bacon grease, frozen
6 Tbsp of cold butter (if just plain bacon biscuits)
or 3 Tbsp butter with 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese)
1 -1 & 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream (the extra 1/2 is to be added little by little if your dough seems dry)

Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Pour 3 Tbsp of bacon grease in a small bowl and freeze it until the drippings are solid, 10-15 minutes. Finely chop the cooked bacon and set it aside.

Place rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Scoop out the bacon drippings by teaspoonfuls and drop them onto the dry ingredients. Add the butter pieces. Cut the dripping and butter into the flour mixture with a fork by dragging the tines of the fork through the flour, pressing the tines to the bottom of the bowl, until the remaining lumps are no larger than small peas. Toss in the chopped bacon. Pour the cream over the mixture, and toss lightly with the fork just until the dough begins to hold together. Use the remaining 1/2 cup cream to drizzle in if necessary to make the it hold together as a soft dough.

Flour your hands, and lightly knead the dough in the bowl, 5 or 6 times. Lightly flour a cutting board, place the dough on it, and pat the dough out to form a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut out biscuits with a 2-1/2 inch round cutter. If you wish, form the scraps into 'free-form' biscuit.

Place the biscuits on parchment paper on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are golden, 10-15 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and serve hot or warm.

K-man just LOVED these! Well, he really liked them but when I cooked an egg and sandwiched it in one of these bad boys and sent them with him to work....then he LOOOOVVVVEEDDDD them. I am sure you can imagine his coworkers looking at their fast food breakfast sandwich and then his and being very envious!

Who's your Daddy?

*biscuit speaking* I AM!

I love biscuits and when I saw some posts for biscuits out there I got a hankerin' for some. I'd thought I'd share with you a recipe I demonstrate to my 7th graders when they are learning to measure....

Big Daddy Biscuits

This recipe will produce the biggest biscuits than you can get in any store! Serve these gems with butter, preserves, honey, gravy or they can also be used as dinner rolls...you get the picture. The dough can also be prepared several hours, and up to a day ahead of time. If so, turn dough out onto aluminum foil that has been either floured, lightly buttered or lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Roll up foil until it is sealed, and refrigerate. Don't be surprised if your biscuits rise even higher because the baking powder has had more time to act in the dough.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon white sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with butter and sprinkle with onion salt or cinnamon and sugar (depending your purpose for the biscuit).

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

K-man and I were making the Homer Simpson noises (awggghhhggghh) when we opened these and put some butter on them....THUD!

Closing the Biscuit Book

Happy Inauguration Day!!

" 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right, 'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gain'd, To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right."

-Simple Gifts by Elder Joseph Brackett

What a beautiful song.....What a great day to be locked in at home and do some cooking of something simple, my last biscuit entries. There is NO WAY I would be out amongst those crowds in DC today. I am content with my most perfect view from my warm home. Thanks to our Superintendent for changing his mind at the last minute and giving the teachers the day off. Driving would have be insane....Thank you Dr. Smith (like you are reading this....lol)

ANYWAY...I was thinking what could I do for today....hmmmm....something red, white and blue? Nah, I don't have any blueberries left in my freezer. Then I remembered.... Gotta finish up my cans of biscuits!!! Even though K-man and I are trying to eat healthier until Spring....I told myself, no worries having this evil stuff around, I will just take it to school....those kids will eat anything!!!

So in honor of NOT going down to DC today....GOOF BALLS (lol)



Goof Balls

2 (10 count) packages refrigerator biscuits
20 chocolate candy kisses
2/3 - 3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Flatten biscuits with palm of hand.
3. Place one chocolate kiss and 3 or 4 marshmallows in the center of each biscuit.
4. Bring edges of biscuit up and around to enclose, pinch well to seal.
5. In small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.
6. Roll each biscuit ball in sugar mixture to coat.
7. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown.
5. Serve warm.

Your kids will love making this one!!!

______________________________________

"Bake-In" Oozy Bread
From the Rachael Ray show

Bacon (“Bake in” get it?) and maple syrup baked right in.


* 1 package bacon, chopped
* 1 8-ounce jar maple syrup
* 1 stick butter
* 1 package (8 biscuits) home-style buttermilk biscuits, preferred brand Pillsbury


Yields: 4 servings

Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add bacon. Cook until crisp, about 8-10 minutes and reserve.

Place a small saucepot over medium heat and add the maple syrup and the butter -- do not bring up to a boil. Cook until butter is melted, then turn the heat off and reserve.

Step 2
Butter or spray a 3x9 loaf pan. Pour a couple tablespoons of the maple/butter sauce in the bottom. Layer 3 of the biscuits in the bottom of the pan. Tear up one of the biscuits and fill in any open spaces with the pieces. Don't worry if any still remain, the ooze will fill those in.

Step 3
Sprinkle half of the reserved bacon onto of the biscuits and top with about a 1/2 cup of the butter/syrup mixture. Place the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle the rest of the bacon over them and top with the remaining maple sauce.

Step 4
Transfer to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and immediately turn over onto a serving dish.








OMG....these were sticky, buttery, salty, ooey, goeey, crunchy....THUD.


LASTLY....

The reason for my whole ODE TO BISCUITS....
Me-mom's Biscuits. I didn't realize that I had two of her recipes when I went to my recipe box. I had a Buttermilk Biscuit and Master Biscuit Mix (below in her handwriting - which you can see is very difficult to read)

Me-mom's Buttermilk Biscuits

1 stick of butter
4 c. flour
2 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1-1/2 c. buttermilk

Cut butter into sifted dry ingredients. Add liquid. Knead a few times. Roll out and cut into biscuits. Bake @ 450 for 10-12 minutes.

Master Biscuits

9 cups of flour
1/3 c. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 t. cream of tartar
1/4 c. sugar
2 cups shortening

Stir dry ingredients and sift 3 times. Cut in the shortening until it looks like cornmeal. Store and keep at room temperature. When making biscuits: use 3 cups mix, 2/3 c. milk. Bake @ 450 for 10 min.

Thank you Me-mom, I know I never was able to tell you how I appreciated your culinary influences on me when you were around. I hope they have internet access in heaven by now!!!