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.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

1lb. Jumbo or large shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined

1 med tomato, diced

1 avocado, diced

1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced fine

1/4 cup chopped red onion

Juice of 2 limes

1 tsp olive oil

1 T. Chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a small bowl combine onion, lime juice, olive oil and pinch of salt and pepper.  Marinate at least 5 min to mellow onion flavor.   In a large bowl combine shrimp, tomato, avocado and jalapeño.  Add remaining ingredients from small bowl. Toss gently with cilantro.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Rosemary and Black Pepper Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

2 TBSP vegetable oil

1 large egg

3 TBSP sugar

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp freshly chopped rosemary

3 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP melted butter

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

In a stand mixer bowl, add water and yeast. Let sit for ten minutes. Add the oil, egg, sugar, pepper, and rosemary to the bowl. Add the flour and mix on medium low speed until the dough comes together. If the dough doesn't come off the sides of the bowl. Add 1 TBSP flour at a time until it does.

Increase the speed to medium and let it mix for 5 minutes. Then cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Add salt and then mix on low for an additional minute.

Cover either a damp towel and let raise for 90 minutes.

Separate dough into equal golf ball sized pieces. Place in a buttered baking dish. Cover and let raise for 20 minutes.

Combine meltd butter and garlic powder. Brush over the tops of the rolls. Bake at 350 for 20/30 minutes.

Classic Creme Brûlée

Ingredients:

1 quart heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, split and pulp scraped out

1/2 cup sugar

6 egg yolks

Instructions:

In a heavy saucepan, add cream and vanilla bean and pulp. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes. Remove bean.

In a mixing bowl, add yolks and sugar. Beat until smooth and until just turns a lighter yellow color. Slowly add cream mixture in small amounts, continually stirring. 

Pour liquid into 8 shallow ramekins. Place ramekins into baking dish and pour hot water in dish until the water is about half way up the sides of the ramekins. 

Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes. Remove ramekins from water and baking dish.

Chill for at least two hours before serving, but I think it's best after 24 hours. Once cool, place plastic wrap over ramekins, touching the surface of the creme. 

To brûlée:

Caramel sugar is recommended, but you can always use a mixture of white and brown sugar if that is unavailable. Lightly dust the tops of the creme with the sugar and use a chef's torch to brûlée. Or you can place them under the broiler.

Dutch Pea Soup

***This makes a lot of soup...***

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs green split peas

1 ham bone

6 qts water

3 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

6 peppercorns

10oz chopped onion

5 oz chopped celery (with leaves)

5 oz chopped carrots

1 lb smoked sausage

Salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash, then soak peas over night. In a large stock pot, add ham bone, peas, water, and herbs. Add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, and continue to boil for two hours. Remove bay leaves and ham bone. Trim any ham off the bone and return meat to the pot. Continue to simmer.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, add onions, carrot, and celery. Sauté with a little butter and salt. When the vegetables have softened, add the smoked sausage cut into bite sized pieces. Let cook through.

Add the vegetable and sausage mix to the soup. Stir well. Add more salt to taste. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes before you use an immersion blender to combine peas and vegetables. 

Continue to keep warm over the stove to help thicken the soup. 

Serve with bread or crackers. Plus more salt to taste!

Chicken Tortilla Chili

This tasty Pampered Chef recipe is a great weeknight meal. It is so easy to prepare. 

4 yellow corn tortillas (6 in)

1 large onion

1 medium zucchini

1 T vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 garlic cloves

1 T cumin

3 cups chicken stock

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can pinto beans

3 cups shredded chicken

1 tsp salt

Optional Garnishes: diced avocado, lime wedges, cilantro, tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese

Cut tortillas into 1-inch pieces and place in blender or food processor. Cover and pulse until fine crumbs form. Set aside. 

Dice onion and zucchini. Set zucchini aside. Place oil and onion in pot. Cook and stir over medium heat 4-6 minutes. Add cilantro, minced garlic, and cumin. Cook an additional 20-30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tortilla crumbs, stock, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium low and cook 15-20 minutes or until chili is thickened. Stir frequently, scraping bottom of pot. 

Stir in zucchini, chicken, and salt. Cook 3-4 minutes or until zucchini is tender and chicken is hot. Serve with toppings of your choice. 

Note: the original recipe called for shredded rotisserie chicken. I used frozen chicken breast. In advance, I dissolved 2 T taco seasoning in 1 cup of chicken broth. Then I poured it over a pound or so of frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot and let it cook on low for 6 hours. It shreds beautifully. I also like doing this for tacos, burritos, salads, etc, except I usually double the taco seasoning. If you shred and put in the fridge or freezer, it will be ready for whatever you want to use it for. 

Note:  In the picture above you'll see one of my garnishes was tortilla strips. These are super easy to make. Just take a few yellow corn tortillas. Brush or spray lightly with vegetable oil. The use a pizza cutter to slice into thin strips. Spread in a single later on stoneware and bake 12-14 minutes at 425. 

German Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

     Cookies
        2 cups flour
        5 Tbl cocoa
       1 1/4 tap baking pwd
        1 tsp soda
        1/2 cup butter
        1 cup sugar
        2 egg yolks
        1/2 Tbl vanilla
        1 cup milk

     Filling
        1 cup sugar
        1/4 tsp salt
        3/4 cup evaporated milk
        2 egg yolks
        3/4 tsp vanilla
        3/4 cup butter
        2 cups toasted flake coconut
        2 cups toasted pecans, chopped

 Directions:
        Preheat oven 375 and line cookie sheet with parchment paper
        Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla mix until well blended.  Alternate dry
        ingredients with milk 2x.  Mix well.  Place small ball of dough on cookie sheet and bake 7-9
        min.  For filling add all ingredients except coconut and pecans to a med saucepan.  Cook until
       temp reaches 170.  add coconut and pecans.  Chill  
    
Assemble
       Turn cookies bottom side.  on half of cookies put spoonful on top.  Press to spread out almost
       to edge.  On the other half place a spoonful of ganache.  Place one filled cookie on top of ganahe
       topped cookie and garnish

Ganache: Place 1 cup bittersweet chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup whipping cream in bowl and micro wave until almost melted.  Stir until smooth.