#SavetheBiscuit ! A Buttermilk Biscuit Tutorial

How many recipes can you think of that only call for 3 ingredients, yet can evoke such special memories in the hearts and minds of so many southerners?  These days, we rely too often on fast food and frozen meals, that we sometimes forget how wonderfully comforting and easy things like biscuit-making can be.  Sure, you can buy frozen biscuits at the store, but there's just nothing quite like a hot, fluffy biscuit right out of the oven that you've made from scratch.  It's rewarding.  Plus, it's so much fun to teach the people you love how to make the perfect biscuit.  It's something that everyone should undoubtedly have in their arsenal, and a lot of people don't realize how dadgum easy it truly is.

Last weekend, my two adorable nieces spent the night, and on Sunday morning we hopped into the kitchen for a lesson in biscuit-making.  They were so excited, and it turned out to be quite the fun little adventure!  By the end of it, we were all covered in flour, but that was just part of the fun.  Upon first bite, they proclaimed - "Yum!  Let's make more!!"  I have to admit, that sort of enthusiasm in the kitchen warmed my heart.  It brought back all those memories that I have of making biscuits with my grandmother.  Maybe one day, they'll look back and remember learning to make biscuits for the first time with "Aunt Les."  :)

I'm so happy to be partnering with White Lily brand flour, as a White Lily Ambassador, on their mission to #savethebiscuit!  White Lily is a brand that I trust up and down, and I will not make biscuits with any other flour.  The reason is simple - Southern flours, like White Lily, are made from soft winter wheat, and therefore have much lower levels of protein.  This results in lighter, fluffier and more tender biscuits.   

Tips for Great Biscuits: 
1.  Always use COLD butter and buttermilk.  I've even started keeping my flour in the fridge, as well. 
2.  Work quickly while making the biscuits, so that the ingredients stay cold.  Once that cold butter hits the hot oven, it will create steam, which helps the biscuits rise higher.
3.  And most importantly - Use a gentle hand and do not over-mix.

Helpful Links:
White Lily has some great professional baking tips, which can be found HERE.   

If White Lily isn't sold in your area, you can order it online at either the Smucker's Online Store or Amazon.

So, without further ado, here are some photos of our flour-covered adventures in the kitchen.  Now, go grab someone special and share your new biscuit-making knowledge!

Bon Appetit, my friends! 

First, pour 2 cups White Lily self-rising flour into a large mixing bowl.

Next, add 1/4 cup COLD butter, cut into cubes.

Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter into the flour until the butter is roughly the size of peas.

Learning to use a pastry blender :)

They were both such great little helpers!

When you're finished, it should look like this...the butter will be about the size of peas. 

Pour the cold buttermilk into the flour, and using a fork, very gently stir the mixture just until combined.

Stirring and mixing...

Lightly flour your work surface

And pour the dough out onto your prepared work surface

Gently knead the dough just 2-3 times, and pat down into a circle that's about 1/2 inch thick.

Biscuit-making is messy (but tons of fun!)

Next, cut biscuits using a floured, 2 inch biscuit cutter.  Be careful not to twist as you cut.  Place biscuits on a silicone-lined baking sheet, with sides touching.

Biscuit #1 is ready for the oven!

Is that not some major cuteness right there, or what?!?

Into the pre-heated 500 F oven they go for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Flour-covered adventures are some of the best. :)

The after-math.

Voila!  Enjoy right out of the oven with your favorite jam, jelly or honey. 

Classic Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients:  
2 cups White Lily self-rising flour  
1/4 cup COLD, salted butter, cut into cubes
2/3 to 3/4 cup cold buttermilk   
2 Tbsp melted butter

Directions:  
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or coat with no-stick cooking spray.
Pour flour into a large bowl.  Using a pastry blender, cut 1/4 cup cold butter into the flour until butter pieces are the size of peas.

Gently blend in buttermilk using a fork, just until dough begins to leave the sides of the bowl.  Do not over-mix!

Place dough onto a lightly floured work surface and very gently knead the dough 2-3 times, just enough to bring it together.  Do not over-knead. 

Pat or roll the dough until it is 1/2 inch thick.  Cut biscuits using a floured 2-inch biscuit cutter, being careful NOT to twist as you cut.  (This will seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising as high.)

Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, so that they are almost touching.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

While still hot, brush additional melted butter on the top of each biscuit.

A Cornbread Potluck! - Buffalo Chicken Cornbread & Blue Cheese Salad

Cornbread is so under-rated, don't you think?  There are so many fun things you can do with it.  For example, this recipe incorporates buffalo chicken, cheddar cheese, blue cheese and freshly chopped cilantro right in the batter.  Um, yum! 

And if that deliciousness isn't quite enough for you, a flavorful salad is served right on top of a generous wedge of the cornbread, making this an excellent addition to your weeknight repertoire.  Before eating this, I had never seen a salad served on TOP of cornbread, which I thought was pretty creative and made for a great pairing.

Upon first bite, Brad was hooked.  He loved this cornbread, and I'm usually the only bread fanatic around here.  In fact, this dish is so fantastic, that it actually won first place in the Martha White-Lodge Cast Iron National Cornbread Cook-Off in 2009!  I mean, come on...You can't go wrong here.

I was also hooked the first time I had this dish.  It was at the Martha White/White Lily Southern Baking Retreat last year, which I blogged about HERE.  That was SUCH a fun trip!!  The first day of the retreat, we had the opportunity to sample winning recipes from previous years of the cornbread cook-off.  This particular dish certainly stood out to me, along with several others.  Needless to say, we were all one bite away from total cornbread comas after lunch.  ;)

Speaking of the National Cornbread Cook-Off Recipe Contest, they are currently accepting entries through 2/28.  So, if you've got a cornbread recipe that you're famous all over town for, this is your chance to shine!  

To celebrate the cook-off, Martha White is hosting a virtual cornbread potluck, and this dish is what I'm bringing to the "table."  There are 9 other fantastic bloggers participating, so please take a moment to give their blogs some lovin' and check out their cornbread recipes.  This list will surely get your cornbread wheels turning and might even inspire you to enter the contest yourself!  The official contest rules can be found HERE.

Pass the cornbread, ya'll!

Robyn: Add a Pinch

Tomato Basil Soup with Cornbread Croutons

Melissa: Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen

Cornbread & Sausage Quiche

Lorie: Mississippi Kitchen (Lorie was last year’s Grand Prize winner at the Cook-Off!)

Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Cornbread

Tina: Mommy’s Kitchen

Chili Cornbread Skillet

Stacey: Southern Bite

Mom's Mexican Cornbread

Christy: Southern Plate

Red Beans & Cornbread

Jackie: Syrup & Biscuits

Peachy BBQ Chicken & Cornbread Skillet

Brandie: The Country Cook

White Chicken Chili with Cornbread Dumplings

Linda: Southern Pantry
Monte Cristo Cornbread Skillet 

Bon Appetit, my friends!

   
Buffalo Chicken Cornbread & Blue Cheese Salad
Adapted from:  marthawhite.com
Note:  The original recipe called for iceberg lettuce, but I substituted with a spring mix to add a few extra nutrients and pretty color.  I also omitted the red pepper flakes, because I'm a total wuss and can't handle the heat. ;)

Ingredients:

• Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray

Cornbread:

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons Crisco® Pure Olive Oil
• 1 (6.5 oz.) package Martha White® Yellow Cornbread & Muffin Mix
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2 cups cooked, frozen, boneless buffalo-style hot wings, thawed and diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salad:

• 4 cups spring mix salad, roughly chopped or torn into small pieces
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 2/3 cup blue cheese salad dressing
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
• Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400º F. Spray 10 1/2-inch Lodge® cast iron skillet with no-stick cooking spray. Stir egg, milk and oil together. Add cornbread mix, Cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup blue cheese, diced hot wings, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Stir until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared skillet, spreading evenly. Bake 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven. Cool.
2. Combine lettuce, celery, red onion and 1/2 cup blue cheese. Toss with blue cheese dressing. Cut cornbread into 8 wedges. Top each wedge with an even amount of salad. Garnish with diced tomatoes and cilantro.

VARIATION

1. RANCH STYLE: Omit blue cheese from cornbread and salad. Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing.
   
   

   

My Feature in Wiregrass Living Magazine!

So, I've got some wonderful news to share with you all - My blog is featured in the January/February issue of Wiregrass Living magazine, with a 14 page spread (and cover photo)!  Wiregrass Living is published in my hometown of Dothan, AL, and I was thrilled to hear that they'd be featuring my recipes.  

As soon as the magazine hit newsstands, we headed to the local Barnes & Noble, and you can imagine my surprise when I first saw the issue, and a recipe from my spread made the cover!  I was even more happy with the recipe they chose for the cover - Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup.  Why?  Well, this is a much-loved family recipe that I originally blogged about HERE.

The article features recipes that make it easy to incorporate fresh fruits and healthy vegetables into your meals, during these chilly winter months when it's easy to rely on our favorite, maybe not-so-healthy, comfort foods.

I thought I'd share some pages of the spread with you, along with two recipes.  I hope you enjoy!

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Recipes Featured:

1.   Asparagus, Mushroom & Roasted Red Pepper Quiche with Bacon & Gruyere

2.  Very Berry Arugula Salad with Toasted Almonds, Mandarin Oranges & Balsamic Vinaigrette

3.  "Just Peachy" Shortcake with Toasted Pecans, Buttermilk Biscuits & Maple Drizzle

4.  Whole Wheat Penne with Turkey Sausage & Veggies

5.  Tomato & Corn Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese

6.  Yogurt, Blueberry & Homemade Granola Parfaits

7.  Nutella-Peanut Butter Crepes with Bananas & Strawberries

8.  Greek Chicken Wraps

9.  Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

10.  Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup

Very Berry Arugula Salad with Toasted Almonds,

Mandarin Oranges & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the salad:

5 oz arugula (4 large handfuls)

1 lb. strawberries, quartered

1 cup blueberries

1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/3 cup roasted sunflower kernels

1/2 red onion, minced

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tsp light brown sugar

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup grapeseed oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place the almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 3-4 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant.  Set to the side.

Pour the arugula into a large bowl.  Add the strawberries, blueberries, oranges, toasted almonds, sunflower kernels, red onion and crumbled goat cheese.  Gently toss to combine all ingredients.

Divide salad onto individual serving plates and lightly dress with the desired amount of vinaigrette, reserving extra for later use.

To make the vinaigrette:

Pour all vinaigrette ingredients into a mason jar, with a tight-fitting lid.  Vigorously shake the jar for 1 minute to thoroughly combine.  

****************************************************

Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil Bruschetta

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

8 oz. fresh mozzarella pearls

3 oz. prosciutto, cut into small pieces

10 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 whole French baguette, sliced 1/2 - 3/4" thick

1 clove garlic, sliced in half

Directions:

Preheat broiler to 500 degrees F.

Combine tomatoes, mozzarella, prosciutto, basil and olive oil in a large bowl.  Season with freshly ground black pepper and mix together well.

Next, arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet that's been lined with a silicone mat or sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.  Place under the broil and toast until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

Once bread is just cool enough to handle, lightly rub each piece with the garlic, cut side down.  The harder you rub, the stronger the garlic flavor will be.

Just before serving, spoon topping over the toasted bread.  Serve immediately.

Meatball Tortellini Soup

On a recent bone-chillingly cold day here in Birmingham, I saw this recipe on the cover of the January/February issue of Food Network Magazine, and I couldn't get the ingredients fast enough!  I love soups that are chunky, with plenty of yummy ingredients.  No wimpy soups around here.  This one is jam-packed with deliciousness like meaty meatballs, cheesy tortellini, and hearty baby spinach.  It was the perfect solution to winter's chill.

The meatballs are easy and flavorful.  They're formed into one-inch balls and browned until golden in a dutch oven.  Next, all the soup ingredients are combined through a few additional steps, and then the meatballs take a second trip into the pot and finish cooking while the soup simmers for a few minutes.  The tortellini is added at the very end, and voila!

The great thing about this soup is that it's on the healthy side.  The magazine states that there's 474 calories per serving.  You could make it even healthier by substituting ground turkey for the ground beef.  

Hopefully, this soup will help keep you warm on one of these chilly nights coming up!

Bon Appetit, my friends.  :)

Meatball Tortellini Soup
Adapted from:  Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
8 ounces ground beef chuck

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 clove garlic, grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
1 9-ounce package refrigerated cheese tortellini
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach (about 3 ounces)

Directions:

Combine the beef, parmesan, 2 tablespoons parsley, the egg, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste in a medium bowl; mix with your hands until just combined. Form into 1-inch meatballs; set aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; remove to a plate. Add the carrots and celery to the pot; cook, stirring, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and 3 cups water; bring to a boil. Return the meatballs to the pot along with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Simmer until the meatballs are just cooked through, about 2 minutes. 

Add the tortellini and cook until they float to the top, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Top with more parmesan. 

Warm Quinoa, Spinach, Chicken & Mushroom Salad

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  Can you believe 2014 is already here?  Last year seemed to go by so quickly, and I hope it was a fantastic year for you.  Personally, I'm super excited about 2014 and can't wait to see what it has in store. 

The recipe I'm bringing you today is a hearty, warm salad that will be an easy, flavorful addition to your weeknight repertoire.  The ingredients are common and making use of a rotisserie chicken takes this dish up even one more notch on the simplicity scale.  Plus, anytime I can incorporate a little healthy quinoa into a meal, I'm in.

First, a quick dressing is whipped up using red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Half of this dressing is drizzled over the mushrooms, and then they are broiled until tender.  Delish.  After that, all that's left is cooking the quinoa and then mixing together all the ingredients in a big ole' bowl - baby spinach, chicken, quinoa, mushrooms and the remaining dressing.  A sprinkling of crumbled feta cheese perfectly finishes it all off.

Bon Appetit, my friends!

Warm Quinoa, Spinach, Chicken & Mushroom Salad
Adapted from:  Everyday Food: Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar 
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil  
Coarse salt and ground pepper  
2 pounds button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced  
1 1/2 cups quinoa  
1 pound baby spinach 
2 cups cooked chicken, diced (a rotisserie chicken is a great time saver!)
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Heat broiler; set rack 4 inches from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

On a large rimmed broiler-proof baking sheet, toss mushrooms with about half the dressing (reserve the rest); broil, tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine quinoa, 3 cups water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Cover, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.

Place spinach and cooked chicken in a large bowl; add hot mushrooms, quinoa, and reserved dressing. Toss to combine (spinach will wilt slightly). Top with crumbled feta, and serve immediately.