Maple Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

My friends who know me know I have been trying to find a biscuit recipe.  That and that I have a thing for biscuits.  There is just something about a warm biscuit in the morning.  

All the biscuit recipes I have come across call for a food processor.  If you know me and my husband you know he rolls his eyes at another kitchen gadget ... that according to him I will not use after one use.  

But I think I have figured out the secret to biscuits without a food processor.  FREEZE THE BUTTER and then GRATE THE FROZEN BUTTER.  Sounds a little crazy.  BUT if you don't have a food processor this totally does the trick.  The secret to fluffy light biscuits is cold butter.  If you have warm hands you want to touch the dough as little as possible.  

Maple Bacon Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 8 slices bacon, diced
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup butter, unsalted frozen (stick 1.5 sticks of butter in the freezer)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  
2. In a large bowl, combine bacon, flour cheese baking powder, salt and baking soda.  
3. Grate butter using the large holes of a box grater.  Stir into flour mixture.  
4. In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and maple syrup.  Add slowly to flour mixture while folding with a spatula until a soft dough forms.  
5. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1 1/4 inch thick rectangle.  Cut out using a biscuit or cookie cutter.  Or with a knife.  Place biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet and place in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  
6. Remove the biscuits from freezer.  Place into the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.  

My biscuits probably could have come out the oven a minute earlier.  Next time.  Next time.  These biscuits came out so yummy.  If you have extra bacon laying around throw some butter in the freezer and make these biscuits.  Now I need to figure out how I can freeze the dough so that I can biscuits all the time.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Mini Jam Bundt Cakes

Our friends gift us a box of jam and spreads and I have wanted to do something with them but couldn't decide.  

I finally decided to adding some to cake.  

This batter seriously smells so good.  There is something about creaming butter.  So yummy!

I have also had this bundt pan sitting around not being used.  So I thought why not.  

I can't decide if I like that the bundt cakes have 3 different designs or not.  

I have really liked glaze recently.  Maybe I am getting old.  Or maybe I am just lazy.  But sometimes glaze just gives dessert just enough sweetness without overpowering it.  

Mini Jam Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, unsalted room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons raspberry peach champagne jam
• 1 cup powder sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons whole milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a mini bundt cake pan.  
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.  
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy, about 2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time.  Then add the sour cream, vanilla extract and jam.  Beat on medium speed until well combined.  Make sure to scrape down the sides.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until you don't see anymore dry spots.  Do not over mix.  Batter will be thick and creamy.  
4. Fill batter into pan until 2/3 full.  I used an ice cream scoop.  
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cakes are lightly golden.  You can also test with a toothpick.  Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.  Carefully invert the pan on a wire rack.  Allow bundt cakes to cool completely before icing.  
6. Whisk the powder sugar and 2 tablespoons of whole milk.  Add another tablespoon of whole milk to thin out if necessary.  Dip cooled cakes into icing. 

If you know my kid you know she loves sprinkles ... of all kinds.  So of course she dashed some sprinkles after I glazed the mini bundt cakes.  I am going to have to admit you can't really taste the jam.  Maybe I need to put more.  But the cake was moist and very good.  I would totally still make this.  Maybe with a more flavorful jam.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Turkey Meatballs

Trying to cut out carbs means on pasta night the kids get pasta and the parents get zoodles.  We try not to emphasize too much on diet to the kids.  But when Baby Girl asks why we are not eating pasta or noodles I usually just tell her we are trying to eat more vegetables.  Baby Girl has not expressed how she feels about zucchini yet.   

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, salt, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and mix well.  Add milk, Parmesan cheese, and Panko bread crumbs.  Mix until evenly blended. 
3. Form 1-2 inch balls.  I use a cookie scoop.  
4. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes

The hardest part of this meal is the zoodles.  We use a hand held spiral and it is work.  But hey, no pain no gain.  After using the spiral I use some paper towels to try to squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible.  Then it's some butter in a pan and fry up the zoodles.  I am going to keep in real and tell you I also throw in some garlic salt.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

I never thought I would ever be comfortable with yeast.  But this super easy pizza dough recipe has me really wanting to try more recipes.  Lets see if I ever feel brave enough to do it.  

My family is really enjoying pizza Sundays.  Gotta keep working out to keep this up.  

Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoon Red Star yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, you will need more to roll out the dough
• sprinkle of cornmeal

Directions:

1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.  When you uncover the bowl the yeast and water should look frothy.  
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour to the bowl.  Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and use a dough hook.  Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  With floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes.  After kneading, the dough should feel soft and bounces back when you poke it.  If not, keep kneading.  The dough should also not stick to your hands. 
3. Grease a large bowl with non stick spray.  Please the dough in the bowl.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean towel.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until double in size.  (I have started in the mid morning and used it to make dinner)  
4. Preheat oven to 475F.  Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.  The cornmeal is optional but very yummy.  
5. When the dough is ready (has doubled in size), punch it down to release any air bubbles.  (The kids love this part.)  Divide the dough in half or smaller if you want to make individual size pizzas.  If you are only making 1 pizza, freeze the other half of the dough in a freezer ziploc bag.  On a floured surface with floured hands and rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a disc or shape that you would like.  Place on prepared pan.  
6. Using your fingers, push dents into the dough to prevent bubbling (the kids love this part).  To prevent the fillings from making your pizza crust soggy, spray the top lightly with non stick spray.  Top with your favorite sauce and toppings.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  
7. Slice hot pizza and serve immediately.  

Now that we have the basic pizzas covered I think we want to try to venture out on more flavors.  Maybe BBQ chicken next?  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Garlic Chicken and Vegetables

A friend of mine shared this recipe and I knew I had to try it.  This was super easy.  I am sure the vegetables are interchangeable.  Just use what you got.  I do suggest adjusting the red pepper flakes to your liking of level of spicy.  

Garlic Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken, thigh boneless
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 cups bell peppers
• 2 cups zucchini
• 2 cups yellow squash
• 2 cup broccoli 
• 1 red onion, small
• 2 table spoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Heat up pan with olive oil and stir in garlic. Add chicken and cook.  Add bell peppers, zucchini, squash broccoli, onion.  Cook until vegetables are tender.  Add soy sauce and red pepper flakes.
2. Serve over rice or quinoa.  

Keep cooking Friends!

XOXO

Turkey Meatballs

My kids love pasta.  If you were to ask my oldest what she wants for dinner she would most likely says pasta.  Well she would say "jiaozi" but I don't know how to make that so pasta it is.  Meatballs are super easy to make especially if you use a cookie dough scooper. 

 





That is my trick.  A cookie dough scooper.  This way each meatball is just about the same size. 

This recipe is super easy and you can substitute some of the ingredients around with whatever you have at home.  I did have milk today so I used Greek yogurt.  I didn't have shredded parmesan cheese so I used the shake kind (the kind that goes on top of pizza).  No complaints from my family so must mean it was just fine. 

I went super easy and just used a jar of marinara sauce. 

This is one of my super fast go to dinners.  If the meatballs are made ahead of time dinner can be made even faster. 

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, salt, garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and mix well.  Add milk, Parmesan cheese, and Panko bread crumbs.  Mix until evenly blended. 
3. Form 1-2 inch balls.  I use a cookie scoop.  
4. Bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes

This recipe is super easy.  You can totally make this the same day or ahead of time.  These meatballs freeze well too.  Leftovers can be used for meatball sandwiches.  



Keep cooking Friends!

Blueberry Butterscotch Cookies

When you are craving something sweet cookies are the best.  There is just something about a warm cookie out of the oven that just hits the spot.  

These cookies smell so good in the oven.  I am going to assume it is the butterscotch.

This Blueberry Butterscotch cookie is made using my go to cookie batter recipe.  No mixer is required for this recipe.

Blueberry Butterscotch Cookie

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 butter, unsalted & melted
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup dried blueberries
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until no lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, and then the egg yolk until mixed. Whisk in the vanilla extract.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a rubber spatula. the dough will be very soft and thick. Fold in the dried blueberries and butterscotch chips. Scoop the dough out with a cookie scooper. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 or two hours. Then take out the dough and roll them into balls. Put them back into the refrigerator for about another 1-2 hours. Chilling is mandatory. This give the cookie dough it's flavor and prevents them from spreading. Now they are ready for the freezer. Put the cookie dough balls in a ziplock bag, label them with the date, bake time and oven time.
4. Take cookie dough out and put them in a Ziploc bag. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for 14 minutes at 325F, no need to thaw cookie dough balls.

Keep cooking freinds!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

We wanted to start a new tradition.  With all that is going on in the world we wanted something we could look forward to.  Thus, Pizza Sunday.  It takes the guess work out of what is for dinner on Sunday and the kids get to help.

This pizza dough recipe is really easy and Baby Girl even gets to help.  To be honest, yeast scares me.  I have had a few failed attempts at recipes with yeast.  But I am happy to say this recipe is easy and totally do able.  

Normally I am a no pineapple in my savory food, but I got out numbered by my family. 

I don't think we are ever buy pizza dough again. Another great thing about this recipe is the recipe is for 2 pizzas.  So you can bake one and freeze the other.  Or you can make two pizzas.  Both are great ideas. 

Homemade Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoon Red Star yeast
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, you will need more to roll out the dough
• sprinkle of cornmeal

Directions:

1. Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.  When you uncover the bowl the yeast and water should look frothy.  
2. Add the olive oil, salt, and flour to the bowl.  Attach the bowl to the stand mixer and use a dough hook.  Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  With floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes.  After kneading, the dough should feel soft and bounces back when you poke it.  If not, keep kneading.  The dough should also not stick to your hands. 
3. Grease a large bowl with non stick spray.  Please the dough in the bowl.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean towel.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until double in size.  (I have started in the mid morning and used it to make dinner)  
4. Preheat oven to 475F.  Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with cornmeal.  The cornmeal is optional but very yummy.  
5. When the dough is ready (has doubled in size), punch it down to release any air bubbles.  (The kids love this part.)  Divide the dough in half or smaller if you want to make individual size pizzas.  If you are only making 1 pizza, freeze the other half of the dough in a freezer ziploc bag.  On a floured surface with floured hands and rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a disc or shape that you would like.  Place on prepared pan.  
6. Using your fingers, push dents into the dough to prevent bubbling (the kids love this part).  To prevent the fillings from making your pizza crust soggy, spray the top lightly with non stick spray.  Top with your favorite sauce and toppings.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  
7. Slice hot pizza and serve immediately.  

We are really enjoying Pizza Sundays.  It's easy and something nice to do together as a family.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

This year we took the kids to go cherry picking.  It was fun and we ended up with a lot of cherries.

Nothing is better than fresh fruit.  Baby Boy loved eating cherries.  But we still could not eat them fast enough.  Baby Girl really likes to bake so we decided to make muffins.

This recipe is easy and Baby Girl was totally able to help.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup (5 Tablespoons) unsalted butter; melted & cooled
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, large at room temperature 
• 1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cup chopped cherries
• coarse sugar for sprinkling 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.  Spray muffin pan with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.  
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the melted butter, oil, sugar, eggs, sour cream, milk and vanilla extract together until combined.  The mixture should be a pale yellow.  
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together until completely combined.  Make sure not over mix.  The batter will be thick.  
5. Fold the chocolate chips and cherries into the batter.  
6. Use a ice cream scoop to fill the muffin pan to the top.  Sprinkle with coarse sugar. 
7. Bake at 425F for 5 minutes.  Keeping the muffin pan in the oven reduce the oven temperature to 350F.  Continue to bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.  Stick a toothpick in the center to check if the muffins are done.  If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are done.  
8. Allow to cool in pan for about 10-15 minutes.  

These muffins were good.  The cherries are just tart enough to go along with the chocolate chips.  

Keep baking freinds!

XOXO

Cilantro LIme Chicken Marinade

My go to chicken marinade has been recently been requested a lot.  I thought I would share it again.  

This marinade is super easy to make.  My family loves it.  I totally need to invest in a lime tree for this.  

Cilantro Lime Chicken
Marinade:

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together and pour over your chicken.  This marinade is best over night.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO