dad's biscuts

2 cups cold all-purpose flour plus more for your work surface and hands

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 Tablespoon plus two teaspoons sugar

1 ½ Teaspoons salt

3 Tablespoons cold vegetable shortening (such as Crisco) cut into several pieces

3 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into several pieces

1 cup cold buttermilk

1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-size bowl, mix the dry ingredients thoroughly with a fork and transfer to a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Toss the butter and vegetable shortening into the food processor and pulse the mixture in two-second increments until it resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-size pieces of butter mixed in-about five pulses. (If you don’t have a food processor, cut the fats into the dry ingredients in a bowl by mashing with a fork, a whisk, or ideally, a pastry blender; it will take about five minutes.
2. Transfer the mixture back to the bowl, pour the buttermilk over it and mix with the fork for about a minute, until the dough just comes together. Turn out the dough onto a floured board, knead it with floured fingers once or twice, and pat it into a rectangle about six by ten inches and about an inch thick.
3. Fold the rightmost third of the rectangle over the center third and fold the left third on top. Turn the dough a quarter turn, pat in into a six-by-ten rectangle, and fold the dough upon itself in thirds again. Repeat twice more, and then pat the dough into a six-by-ten rectangle about an inch thick.
4. Using a floured two-inch biscuit cutter (or an upside-down glass), cut the biscuits from the dough and place them about an inch and a half apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the tops begin to brown. Serve warm with eggs and bacon or any good and greasy southern food you can cook up. (Sausage gravy is particularly wonderful!!!)

Pasta Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs sweet or hot Italian sausage (I use hot, but if you don't like spicy food, use both hot and mild. The spicy gives it a very good flavor so don't be afraid of the spicy.)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium green pepper, cut into strips
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups bow tie pasta, uncooked
• 6 cups water
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes (or 1 14 1/2 oz can chicken broth)
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Remove casings from sausage. Cut sausage into 1/2-inch pieces. Brown. Drain off any fat.
2. Add green pepper, onion and garlic to sausage and saute until tender.
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Cook until pasta is done, about 15-20 minutes.

NOTE: The pasta soaks up the soup base, so if you don't eat all of the soup immediately, you can 1 1/2 times the soup base recipe and then there will be plenty of soup base for the next day instead of having a dry soup.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Yum! Yum! Our Favorite Roast Chicken or Turkey! This is by far the best roast chicken or turkey that you will ever taste! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
• 3 ribs celery, peeled and cut into thirds
• 3 onions, peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 (3 1/2 to 4 pound) chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cracked white pepper
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped, plus 1 tablespoon for gravy
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic
• 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a 9 by 13-inch roasting pan, add the carrots, celery and onions. Season the chicken both inside and out with the kosher salt and white pepper. Squeeze the lemon halves over the chicken and place the rinds inside the cavity. Place the bay leaves inside the cavity. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, rosemary, olive oil and butter. Rub the chicken both inside and out with the garlic rosemary blend and place in the roasting pan.

Place the pan in the oven and roast the chicken for about 20-25 minutes (depending on the temperature of your oven), turn it over and then roast the other side for another 20 or 25 minutes, or until the juices run clear. To test this, insert a thermometer in the thickest part of a leg. It should register at 160 degrees internal temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Pour off excess fat from pan and return to heat. Whisk in chicken stock, roasted garlic, white wine and chopped rosemary, scraping up the bits on the bottom of pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Reduce gravy by half, until thickened.

Serve chicken with gravy on the side.

This is literally the best roast chicken recipe you will ever have!

Easy Indian Curry

2 chicken Breasts cubed
1/2 of a summer sqash cubed
1/2 of a zucchini cubed
1 medium onion diced
2 potatoes cubed
(these veggies can be replaced or added to with any veggie)
1/2-1 t. minced garlic
1/4 - 1/2 t. minced or grated ginger
1- 1 1/2 t. curry powder
1 t. salt
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c. water
splash heavy cream

Puree the can of diced tomatoes with the one cup of water and set aside.
in a pot with 2 tablespoons oil cook chicken until brown. Remove chicken. In same pot add onions with a little more oil and cook until tender. Add any other veggie and the garlic and ginger and saute. Once sauted, add the curry powder and salt. Pour the tomato puree in the pot and use it to scrape up the bits at the bottom. Let simmer for 20 min - 45 min. Remove from heat and add the cream. (about 1/4 cup. ) not too much!!

Serve with rice or couscous, and fried tortillas. I did homemade tortillas and they were perfect! they were like nan!

French Bread

2 C. Water
1 T. shortening
1 T. sugar
2 t. salt
2.5 t. yeast
5-6 c. flour

In mixing bowl cover shotrening, sugar, and salt with 3/4 c. boiling water. Once shortening is melted, add another 3/4c. room temp water.
Meanwhile, mix yeast with 1/2 c. warm water. Sit 3 min.
Stir to dissolve then add to shortening/water mix.
Add 5 c. flour and mix until a nice stiff dough. (I do 3-4 min.)I also put in a few shakes of rosemary and garlic powder! it's best that way!
put in greased bowl and allow to double (about 30 min)
Punch down and divide into 2 portions. Form into loves and place on cookie sheet.
Allow to rise until double again. Once doubled make 2 crosswise slashes per loaf.
Pour a little olive oil in slashes before baking.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400 for 25- 35 min.

Lime Soup

1 whole chicken, about 3 - 4 pounds

Water to cover, about 12 to 14 cups

1 large Spanish onion, choped

1 tsp. salt

Fresh pepper to taste

28-ounce can whole tomatoes

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips

Cheddar or Jack cheese

Lime wedges

Wash and dry the chicken. Place it in a 1-quart kettle and add water to cover the chicken. Add the chopped onion salt and pepper. Simmer for two hours or so, until the chicken begins to come off the bones. Remove from the heat and lift chicken with a slotted spoon, placing it into a bowl to cool. Cool broth and remove fat accumulation from surface. Add the canned tomatoes, crushing by hand as you add them. Simmer broth gently. Remove skin and bones from chicken and return shredded chicken pieces to the simmering broth. Add chopped cilantro and cook for 30 minutes. (Opt. - You can add black or pinto beans, corn and/or green beans to make a heartier soup.)

To serve: Ladle into large soup bowls and serve with a basket of crisp tortilla chips, grated Cheddar or Jack cheese, and wedges of fresh lime. Garnish with some of each. You may also want to garnish with a dollop of sour cream and/or fresh avacado.

Makes 8 servings.

Marlene's Apple Pie

5-6 apples (5 cups)
1/2 c sugar
2 Tbl. Flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice optional

crust
1 1/2 c foulr
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 c oil
2 Tbl cold milk
Cut together and press into pie pan

Topping
1/2 c. Flour
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c butter

Cut together until crumbly do not over mix

Bake in a paper bag, on a tray, at 350 for 1:45 minutes

Homemade Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns

1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 1/2 cups flour (unbleached, whole wheat, or a mix)
1 package instant yeast
1 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, room temperature

Heat the milk, water, honey and butter until butter is melted. Check temperature. Depending on the temperature, let cool to 120F. Carefully beat in egg.
Mix 2 cups of the flour, yeast, and salt. Mix into the milk mixture. Stir in the rest of the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Beat well after each addition.
When the dough pulls together, (it will form a soft ball) turn it out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. This should take about 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 12 -16 equal pieces. This will depend on the size you want for the finished bun. Shape into smooth balls, flatten slightly, and place on a silpat covered baking sheet.
Let rise for 30 to 35 minutes. When buns have almost doubled bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
If you are making hot dog buns I find it easiest to roll the dough out into a large rectangle and cut into smaller rectangles. Let rise with sides touching.

You can brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse sea salt, or whatever you like. You can add dry onion soup mix for onion rolls. These are very versatile!
Makes 12-16

Britt's Chicken Pot Pie

9x13 pan
mom's pie crust or 1 puff pastry

Sauce:
1/2 stick butter
1/3 c. flour
2 T. chicken base
2 c. chicken stock
2 c. milk
thyme
pinch nutmeg
garlic powder
salt and pepper
parsley

Filling:
Peas
onion
carrotts
2-3 med potatoes
corn
green beans
4 boneless chicken breast
all cooked and diced

In sauce pan saute onions until soft. take out in same pan add 1/4 c. butter and 1/3 c. flour. cook about 3-5 min. remove from heat and whisk in stock and milk. once thick, add spices. fold in veggies and chicken. place in pan with pastry on top. or mom's pie shell on bottom and top. brush top with milk glaze and sprinkle with parm cheese. slice holes in top.

Bake at 425 for about 40 min.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. shortening (I've done 1/4 c. shortening and 1/4 c. butter)
1 1/2 c. sugar (I NEVER do this. I do just under a cup and it is very sweet. I like to taste the pumpkin, not just sweet)
1 15 oz can pumpkin
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
chocolate chips to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 min.

makes about 2 1/2 dozen

best ever oatmeal waffles

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup rolled oats
* 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons wheat germ
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* Pinch fine salt
* 2 large eggs
* 1 1/2 cups milk
* 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
* 1/4 cup peanut or walnut oil
* Maple syrup

Directions

Preheat a waffle iron to medium-high.

Whisk the flour with the oats, sugar, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In another medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs, then add the milk, butter, and oil.

Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, to make a batter. Take care not to over work the batter, it's fine if there are a few lumps.

crepes

1 ½ c. milk
1 c. flour
2 eggs
1 Tablespoon oil
2 T. sugar

Mix all ingredients in a blender and pour desired amount into pan. You don’t need as much as you think. Once you pour turn the pan around and around until batter is evenly coated on bottom. Once almost done, go along edge with a rubber (heat resistant) spatula and loosen the edges. It should just slide off the pan once done. If you want you can cook the other side for just a second as well.

sunny morning muffins

• 1 cup strawberries, chopped
• 1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup unbleached flour, and 1/2 c. whole wheat)
  
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 pint blueberries
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Special equipment: muffin tin and muffin liners

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix together strawberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. Let sit 15 minutes until strawberries give off juices.

In a small bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, oil, 1 cup sugar, strawberries, and lemon zest.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Do not over mix. Fold in blueberries and walnuts.

Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out with a few crumbs but not wet, about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack to room temperature.

choclolate chocolate chip zucchini cake

Cream together:
1/2 c. Soft butter
1/2 c. coconut oil
1 c. sugar (the real recipe calls for 1 3/4 cup which is too sweet for us)

Then add:
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. sour milk. You can use buttermilk which we like, or you can put 1 1/2 tsp. of lemon juice in with some regular milk to make it sour.  

Then Add:
2 1/2 cups flour
4 T. cocoa powder (or organic cacao powder which is healthier)
1 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
a shake of cinnamon

Once all mixed, add 2 c. grated zucchini, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.

Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 325 for 45 min.

*VEGAN version:  substitute the butter with coconut oil; substitute the eggs with 1 whole mashed banana, and substitute the milk with unsweetened plain almond milk, however, DO NOT add lemon juice to almond milk.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

This recipe came in handy when I had nothing in the house for dinner and I had no time to cook. It was quick, tasty and simple.

"Warm, spicy, and sweet, this wonderful Fall recipe is a guaranteed favorite for kids, and is great with smashed potatoes and buttered green beans."

RECIPE RATING:

---

PREP TIME	20 Min
COOK TIME	25 Min
READY IN	45 Min

SERVINGS

(Help)

Servings

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced
• 3 tablespoons pecans (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.
3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.
4. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

honey bbq chicken

Honey Barbecue Chicken Wings

S 2 -3 , 18 wings (change servings and units)

Ingredients

• 18 chicken wings
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• cooking spray

SAUCE

• 1 cup barbecue sauce, preferably Hickory Smoke Flavor
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

1. 1

   Wash, dry, and season the wings with the salt, garlic, pepper, cayenne, sugar, and paprika. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. 2

   Spray a cookie sheet with a generous spray of cooking spray.

3. 3

   Place the wings in a single layer on the cookie sheet, and place in the oven.

4. 4

   Cook for 35-40 minutes, depending on the size of the wings, turning once.

5. 5

   While they are baking, make the sauce by slowly simmering the sauce ingredients over the lowest heat.

6. 6

   When the wings are done baking, carefully dip them in the sauce, and place them back in the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling.

7. 7

   ENJOY!And remember to save some for everyone else!

Almond & Orange Spinach Salad

I got this recipe from my new favorite website/blog called the spunkycoconut.com. It is really cool you should check it out. But this salad is SO yummy I loved it. It is more of a sweet salad dressing and salad so when you are in the mood for sweet and something fresh this is perfect.

-SALAD-

Spinach

Freshly Chopped Almonds

Oranges(I like a lot of both the oranges and the onions so however may you want)

Carmelized onions (depending on how much you want 1/2 to one onion should be good)

-DRESSING-

Add to blender:

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup agave

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp gluten-free tamari sauce

1/4 tsp celtic salt

*I didnt have tamari sauce so I looked it up online to even see what it was and it is a mixture of a few things mostly ginger and rice wine vinegar. so I just did about a tsp of the vinegar and just a little bit of the ginger. I also just used Real salt instead of celtic salt.

"Whatever you have in the fridge" Stuffed Zucchini

So I am going to put everything that I used but like all of britt's recipes add,take away or substitute for whatever. I did not know what to make the other night. I remembered as I was looking through my fridge that I had seen a recipe online for stuffed zucchini. I had a HUGE zucchini from the farmers market that was still good but really needed to use. Although the recipe was a vegetarian. Dont get me wrong, I absoluteley love vegetarian meals but i wanted something a little more. So I kind of made up my own thing but took a bunch of ideas from a few different stuffed zucchini recipes. It turned out really yummy so i thought i would post it. Let me know if you have any ideas to make it better.

1 large zucchini

Clean zucchini. Trim ends slightly so you have a level end to stand the zucchini upright and cut of f the top lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Lay it cut side up in a lightly greased baking dish. I sezsoned mine with whatever my little heart desired at the moment....

Italian Seasoning

Basil

plenty of Rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Dash of Red Pepper Flakes

a LITTLE bit of crushed garlic smeared on the inside edges

Drizzle a little bit more than a tsp of EVOO (sorry i wanted to feel like Rachel Ray for just a second there)

cover and bake by itself at 425 for 20 minutes.

FILLING

Saute:

1 medium sized onion, chopped

4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

(any veggies would be great!)

When tender season (again with whatever you want) I used alot of the same spices i used on the zucchini

Set Veggies aside in bowl

In same pan cook ground turkey(or chicken,beef...or bread crumbs for vegetarian.) Now be careful you dont over cook it. If you do it becomes dry. I know this from experience.

season when mostly cooked(italian seasoning, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, ...just a few shakes of everything.)

Then add veggies to pan and mix together.

After the 20 mins of baking the zucchini Turn the oven down to 350.

Fill your zucchini with the stuffing, piling it high.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

*Now as I did this, one recipe said to uncover after the 20 mins and bake for 10-20. I did this and it made it pretty dry. So to fix my problem I opened up a can of diced tomatoes and seasoned them up and nuked them in the microwave. We poured it on top and it was yummy. Although I took it to have for lunch today and I added the tomato mixture on top before I heated it up and it was so so yummy. It made it more moist and gave the seasonings a chance to "settle in." I dont really know what Im talking about but I liked it a lot better today than I did last night. So I think next time I make it I will make the tomato mixture and bake it with it. Let me know if you have any ideas. Sorry this is more like a blog post than just a recipe... But we had this with this REALLY yummy spinach salad called Almond & Orange Spinach salad. I will post that recipe too.

roasted salsa

20 roma tomatoes
2-3 tomatillos
1- 1 1/2 bunch cilantro

Roast or grill:
2 green bell peppers
1-2 banana peppers
2 jalapeno peppers
3-4 cloves garlic

*pulse all ingredients in a food processor and dump in bowl

Then add to taste:
cumin
juice of 2 limes
salt
pepper

*spice note: for those with the "brittney pallet" only do 1/2 - 1 jalepeno and 1 banana pepper.