Weeknight Cheddar Biscuits

These tasty biscuits can be made in under 20 minutes and are supposed to be similar to Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

1 c. flour
1/2 T baking powder
1/2 T sugar
1/2 T garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt + 1/8 tsp kosher salt
6 T butter
1/2 c. milk
4 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp dried parsley

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Melt 4 T of the butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking pwder, sugar, garlic, and 1/4 tsp of salt.  Whisk until well combined.  Add butter and milk and whisk until flour is wet.  Add cheese and fold in with a spoon.

Drop heaping spoonfuls onto baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 T butter and add parsley and remaining 1/8 tsp salt.  Stir with pastry brush.

Remove biscuits from oven, brush with melted butter.  Eat.  Approximately 9 biscuits.

Whole Wheat Banana Pecan Muffins

My kids are muffin enthusiasts, and they really liked these muffins we made from OurBestBites.com...

3/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large bananas or 3 smaller ones)

1/3 c. plain yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. pecans, chopped

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with liners–you’ll need about 15-16.Whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, honey, and butter. Add each egg in one at a time, combining completely after each addition but not over-mixing. Add the mashed banana, yogurt, and vanilla. Slowly add in the flour mixture and beat until just combined (don’t over-mix).Divide the batter evenly (so the cups are about 2/3 full) among 15-16 muffin tins. Combine the chopped pecans and brown sugar and sprinkle them on top of the batter. Bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack and allow to finish cooling.

Chocolate Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium)

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour (I used 1 cup white, 1 cup wheat)

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, milk, and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add to the banana mixture and mix just until combined. Transfer to a greased loaf pan or 3 mini loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes for large loaf or 35-38 minutes for mini loaf or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and remove from pans to wire rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

***Seriously...EASIEST RECIPE EVER!!!

Ingredients:

1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree
1 Spice cake mix
1/2 bag semisweet chocolate chips

(You can easily double the recipe by using 2 cake mixes, a full bag of chocolate chips, and the large can of pumpkin).

Combine cake mix and pumpkin until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill lined muffin tin with batter. Keep in mind that they don't really raise so you need to fill rather full.

Bake for 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Blue & Yellow Muffins

6 Tbl unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 1/2 c milk
4 eggs
2 Tbl honey
1/2 c finely diced red bell pepper
2 jalapeno finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 Tbl finely chopped cilantro
1 cup blue cornmeal
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/3 cup flour
1 Tlb baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp kosher salt

1. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and preheat oven to 400.
2. In a small pan melt butter, add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 sec. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Divide mixture evenly between 2 bowls.
3. In another bowl whisk together the milk, eggs, honey red pepper jalapenos, corn and cilantro. Pour mixture into a measuring cup and add half of the mixture to each of the large bowls with the onion mixture.
4. Put the blue cornmeal and yellow cornmeal in 2 separate bowls. To each bowl add 2/3 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking pwd, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp salt. Mix each cornmeal mixture into a bowl with the liquid mixture.
5. Pour an equal amount of each batter side by side into each muffin cup and bake for 16 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 min and then remove to a cooling rack. The batters can be made up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated. Makes 18 muffins

Giada's Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 1/4 tsp yeast
5 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
Olive oil, for drizzling

*Giada's instructions were to knead by hand, but I just did it in my KitchenAid, and it turned out perfect

Put water in mixer. Add yeast, stir until dissolved. Let sit for about 5 minutes.

Add flour and salt, mix until smooth and elastic. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Set in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Using a fist, deflate the dough in the center and cut into 3 equal size pieces. Form the dough pieces into 3 balls and place into 3 oiled bowls. Cover and let rest 1 hour. May refrigerate for up to 1 day wrapped in plastic wrap.

Fast Garlic Breadtwists

In mixer combine:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP yeast

Let sit for 5 minutes, then add:

3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt

Mix until smooth, then let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Brush with melted butter mixed with minched garlic, then sprinkle with kosher salt. Fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist and place on a cooking sheet. Let sit for 20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degress for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately after baking, brush with more garlic butter and sprinkle with salt. Optional: sprinkle grated parmesan cheese and serve with dipping sauce.

Monkey Bread Muffin Cups

These yummy little muffin cups taste like cinnamon rolls, but couldn't be simpler to make. They would be perfect for a holiday morning or a weekend brunch.

2 tubes of biscuit dough (20 biscuits total)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

6 T butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

Spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray. Cut each biscuit into 4ths. You should have 80 little pieces of dough. In a ziplock bag, combine sugar and cinnamon. Then add pieces of dough and shake around until all are totally coated. Divide dough between muffin cups. (I put around 7 in each cup.) In a saucepan, boil the butter and brown sugar. Put a spoonful over each muffin cup. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 18-20 minutes or until baked through. Remove from muffin cups and cool slightly. Can add optional frosting. Makes 10-12 muffins, depending on how many pieces of dough you use for each cup. They are very tasty, especially when warm!

Frosting:

2 oz cream cheese

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c. powdered sugar

milk for consistency

Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits

For the biscuits:

1 3/4 cups flour
1 TBSP plus 2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBSP vegetable shortening
4 TBSP cold butter, cut into pieces
6 oz grated cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk

For the garlic butter:

3 TBSP butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425. Lightly mis a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Make the biscuits: Pulse the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a foo processor. Add the shortening and pulse until combined. Add the butter; pulse 4 or 5 times, or until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Add the cheese and pulse 2 or 3 times. Pour in the milk and pulse just until the mixture is moistened and forms a dough. Do not overwork the dough or the biscuits will be tough. Drop the dough onton the baking sheetin 1/4 cup portions, 2 inches apart and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the garlic butter: melt the butter with the garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Brush the hot baked biscuits with the garlic butter and serve warm.

Sweet Raspberry Muffins

This is a great little muffin recipe. It's easy, tasty, and I made it with ingredients I always have on hand!

2 cups biscuit/baking mix (Bisquick)
2 T sugar

1/4 cup cold butter or margarine

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp warm water

1/4 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and sugar. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles course crums. Stir in milk just until moistened (batter will be thick). Spoon about 1 T of batter in 12 muffin cups. Top with 1 tsp jam. Spoon remaining batter (about 1 T each) over jam. Bake at 425 for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Remove muffins to a wire rack. Drizzle with glaze. Makes 12 muffins.

Food Storage Crepes

(For a crepe lovin' fool like myself, these turned out perfect!!!)

4 eggs (1/4 cup dry powdered eggs + 1/2 cup water)
1 cup flour
1 cup milk (3 TBSP dry powdered milk + 1 cup water)
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Place all ingredients into blener, then mix until smooth. Pour batter onto skillet, tilt pan to evenly coat bottom with batter. Cook over medium heat until brown, then turn to brown the other side.

Whole Wheat Carot Cake Muffins

In my quest to learn to cook with food storage, I tried the following recipe. Cory and Adam really liked it.

2 C. brown sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs (powdered)
1 c. dried carrots
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
1 T. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
2 t. vanilla
1 c. raisins
1 c. walnuts, chopped


Before you begin, add 2 cups cold water to dried carrots and let sit for 20 minutes. Also, soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes.


Grease muffin pans. Beat together brown sugar, oil, and eggs. Stir in carrots and pineapple. Blend dry ingredients together, then combine with wet ingredients. Add vanilla, raisins, and nuts. Pour into pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.