BASIC SOUTHERN BISCUITS

I have tried many biscuit recipes looking for just the right one. This one is great!!

Makes 18-20 (2 1/2 inch) Biscuits

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    Mix dry ingredients

1/4 cup chilled shortening and/or butter roughly cut into 1/4 inch pieces (I used butter)
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1/4 cup chilled shortening and/or butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces. (I used butter)

1 cup whole milk or whole buttermilk, divided
Butter softened or melted for brushing

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Put 2 cups flour mixture in large bowl. Scatter 1/4 inch pieces of chilled butter over flour, and work in by rubbing fingers with fat and flour as if snapping thumb and fingers together (or use two forks or knives or pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like well crumpled feta cheese.

Scatter 1/2 inch pieces of chilled butter over flour mixture and continue snapping thumb and fingers together until no pieces larger than a pea remain.
Shake bowl occasionally to allow larger pieces of fat to bounce to the top of four, revealing largest lumps that still need rubbing. (if this method takes longer than 5 minutes rechill the fat)

Make a deep hollow in the center of flour. Pour 3/4 c milk or buttermilk into  hollow. Stir with a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, using broad circular strokes to quickly pull flour into milk. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened and sticky dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl. If some flour remains on bottom and sides of bowl, stir in 1 - 4 tbsp of remaining milk, just enough to incorporate remaining flour into shaggy wettish dough. If dough is too wet, use more flour.

Lightly sprinkle board with some of remaining 1/4 cup flour. Turn dough out onto board and sprinkle top lightly with flour. With floured hands, fold dough in half and pat dough out into a 1/3 to 1/2 inch round using a little additional flour if needed. Flour again if necessary, and fold dough in half a second time. If dough is still clumpy, pat and fold a third time.

Pat dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round for a normal biscuit, 3/4" thick for tall biscuit and 1" thick for giant biscuit.

For each biscuit, dip a 2 1/2 inch cutter into flour and cut into biscuits. Start at outside edge and cut very close together, being careful not to twist cutter. Put biscuits in 2 ( 8 or 9 inch) round cake pans or a buttered baking sheet.

Bake on top rack of oven until light brown- 10-14 minutes until gold brown., After 6 minutes, rotate pan in oven. Check to see if bottoms are browning too quickly. If so, slide another baking pan underneath to add insulation and retard browning.  Continue baking another 4-8 minutes until golden brown.

When done, remove from oven and lightly brush tops with softened or melted butter. Turn biscuits upside down on plate to cool slightly. Serve hot, right side up.

PEACH KUCHEN

This is delicious!! It could be served as a breakfast coffee cake or for dessert with ice cream.

1 1/2  cup shortening.
3 cups white sugar (divided)
6 eggs
3 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2  tsp vanilla
6 generous cups of sliced peaches (either canned or fresh)
1 1/2  tsp cinnamon
3/4 c  c chopped pecans or walnuts.

Cream shortening and 1 1/2 cup of sugar. Add eggs, then beat. Add flour, salt, baking powder and vanilla. Mix well.

Spread half of batter in greased and lightly floured 9 x 13 pan. Cover with peaches. Drop remaining batter over peaches.

Mix remaining 1 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon and nuts. Sprinkle over cake. Bake at 350 for 45- 60 minutes.

GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

3 lbs small red or white potatoes
1/4 c olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp minced garlic ( 6 cloves)
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Toss until potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan with sides ( drain excess oil before putting in pan) and spread out in 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour ( until well browned and crisped) Flip twice with spatula during cooking.

FLATTENED PAN ROASTED CHICKEN

This is an excellent chicken recipe. Very easy to make. I served it with oven roasted potatoes. My whole family loved it.

Ingredients

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 4 cups hot water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon whole black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups ice water
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
To prep the chicken:

On a work surface, place the chicken breast-side down with the neck of the chicken facing you. Using kitchen shears, cut along the length of the backbone on both sides and remove. Turn the chicken over, breast-side up. Open it on the counter and flatten the chicken as much as you can with your hands.

In a large metal bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, and hot water, until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the onion, peppercorns,  garlic, spices, ice water. Stir well. Add the chicken to the brine. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or more.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the brine and dry well with paper towels. Set the chicken aside. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the hot skillet,(I used a cast iron skillet) and then place the chicken into the skillet skin-side down. Place another heavy pan (I used a second cast iron skillet with a red brick in it)  on the chicken pressing it down firmly to get maximum skin contact with the hot skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook under the weight for 8 to 10 minutes. Once browned, remove the weights; turn the chicken skin-side up. Place the chicken in the oven until the meat is 160 degrees F, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before serving.

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Ingredients

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) chicken
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 4 cups hot water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups ice water
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

To prep the chicken:

On a work surface, place the chicken breast-side down with the neck of the chicken facing you. Using kitchen shears, cut along the length of the backbone on both sides and remove. Turn the chicken over, breast-side up. Open it on the counter and flatten the chicken as much as you can with your hands.

In a large metal bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, and hot water, until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the onion, peppercorns, tarragon, garlic, ice water, and wine. Stir well. Add the chicken to the brine. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the chicken from the brine and dry well with paper towels. Set the chicken aside. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the hot skillet, and then place the chicken into the skillet skin-side down. Place another heavy pan on the chicken pressing it down firmly to get maximum skin contact with the hot skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook under the weight for 8 to 10 minutes. Once browned, remove the weights; turn the chicken skin-side up. Place the chicken in the oven until the meat is 160 degrees F, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let the chicken rest 10 minutes before serving.

Delicious Apple Pie

Delicious Apple Pie

This is the best apple pie that I have ever eaten. I adapted the recipe from All recipes.com.

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 apples. I used Granny smith, Macintosh and Cortland

Directions

1.                   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

2.                   Mix the apples with most of the syrup. Reserve some to drizzle over the top.

3.                   Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the syrup over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

4.                   Cover the crust edges with aluminum foil to keep it from overbrowning.  Bake 25 minutes and remove foil. Bake about 45 minutes more.

5.                    Next time I may add raisins or nuts.

Streusel Filled Coffee Cake

This is a great coffee cake. Steve absolutely loves it. Can't stay away from it.

Cake Batter:
3 cups flour
2 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 cup butter or crisco ( I used butter)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
4 tsp vanilla

Streusel Filling
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional

Preheat oven to 375
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut in the butter/shortening until the mixture is like fine cornmeal.
 In a small bowl beat the eggs with the milk and Vanilla. Blend into the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the mixture.

For filling In a medium bowl mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Blend in the melted butter and nuts. Mix well.

Greased and floured 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon half the batter in the baking dish. Sprinkle with half the streusel mixture. Spoon the remaining batter over the top of the streusel, gently smooth it out, then top with remaining Streusel. Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes. Or the unbaked cake can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight if you want to bake it in the morning. Remember to bring it out of the fridge and back to room temperature before baking, or reduce heat to 350 and bake an extra 15 minutes if it goes into the oven cold.