Buttermilk Biscuits

Biscuits are super yummy.  

Especially when you make them into squares.  

Because square biscuits mean no waste!

What else does square biscuits mean?

They mean breakfasts sandwiches!

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  
3. Grate the frozen butter and stir into the flour mixture.  
4. Add buttermilk and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.  
5. Working on a flour surface, knead the dough until it comes together.  Roll the dough in a square until about 1 inch thick.  Using a sharp knife cut the dough.  Please biscuits onto a baking sheet with parchment paper.  
6. Bake for 16-19 minutes or until golden brown.  
7. Serve warm

This recipe is so easy that Baby Girl did most of the work.  That is how easy these biscuits are.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Okay making mac and cheese in the instant pot is super easy.  Now you might say box mac and cheese is super easy too.  But box mac and cheese has nothing on this.  

This mac n cheese is not only easy to make but super yummy.  

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 12 oz pasta
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth 
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Add pasta, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder to a 6 qt Instant Pot.  Stir  in 3 1/2 cups of chicken broth.  
2. Use manual setting, pressure to high, and set time to 6 minutes.  When finished cooking, quick release pressure.  
3. Select warm setting.  Stir in heavy cream and Dijon and combine.  Gradually whisk in cheese until melted.  
4. Serve immediately.  

Pancakes

Super easy pancake mix.  If you are still buying pancake mix you gotta try this pancake mix.  

This pancake mix is easy ingredients that you should have in your pantry.  

Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 3/4 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:

1. Heat a griddle to 350
2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder,  and salt.  (I use big heaping tablespoons of sugar)
3. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, butter, eggs, vanilla and almond extract.  
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and mix until combined.  Do not over mix    
5. Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.

Baby Girl loves pancakes.  I think I need to start having her try to help me make these.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Stromboli

Pizza dough can be used for more than just making pizza.  

This is super easy and the kids love it.  

My kids love pizza and dipping things.  

The dough is super easy to make or you can make the dough ahead and freeze it. Freezing pizza dough is great.  You can have pizza or stromboli anytime.  

If you are thinking of another way to use your pizza dough this is it.  

The kids can even help make this.  

Stromboli

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups warm water, 100F
• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lb thinly sliced meats, salami, pepperoni
• 3/4-1 lb cheese
• 1 egg, large
• 1 Tablespoon water

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.
4. Preheat oven to 400F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  
5. When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air.  Divide dough in half.  Roll each half of dough into a 10x16 inch rectangle.  
6. Mix melted butter and garlic powder together.  Spread all over rolled out dough.  Start layering meats.  Add a layer of cheese.  Make egg wash with egg and water.  Brush all edges with egg wash.  Slowly roll into a tight log.  Transfer to prepared baking sheet.  Seal ends.  
7. Brush each stromboli with egg wash.  Cut 3-4 slits into the top of each stromboli. 
8. Bake for about 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.   Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before cutting.  
9. Serve plain or with marinara sauce for dipping.  

My family enjoyed these and it was a nice way to switch up from our normal pizza.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Buttermilk Biscuits

I love everything about breakfast.  There are so many combinations and foods to make.  Biscuits is always something that I wanted to learn how to make.  These biscuits are super yummy and pretty easy to make.  

The key to these biscuits is frozen shredded butter.  It makes everything so much easier.  

These biscuits are super fluffy and yummy.  

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, frozen
• 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  
3. Grate the frozen butter and stir into the flour mixture.  
4. Add buttermilk and stir using a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.  
5. Working on a flour surface, knead the dough until it comes together.  Roll the dough in a square until about 1 inch thick.  Using a sharp knife cut the dough.  Please biscuits onto a baking sheet with parchment paper.  
6. Bake for 16-19 minutes or until golden brown.  
7. Serve warm

The hardest part about making these biscuits is remembering to put butter in the freezer to make them.  Make these.  They are perfect for breakfast sandwiches.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Easter Day Cookies

I wanted to make some cookies for Easter Sunday.  Nothing crazy.  But I just like my cookie jar to have cookies.  

The best cookies to make for holidays is M&M cookies.  They are always just so easy to make festive.  

I love this recipe because it makes 6 big cookies.  Perfect for sharing.  AND I only have to bake one tray.  So easy and fast!  Baby Girl helped make these.  Her favorite was decorating the cookies before they went into the oven.  

The best part about large cookies is you can say you only ate one cookie!

Easter Day Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup M&Ms (add sprinkles optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, corn starch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  
3. Cute the cold butter into squares.  Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.  
4. Add in egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract.  Blend until mixed.  
5. Slowly add in the dry flour mixture until ingredients are incorporated.  Do not over mix!
6. Add in the semi sweet chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.  Turn off mixer.  Add M&Ms and stir by hand with a spatula.  
7. Scoop cookie dough onto baking sheet with a ice cream scoop.  (This recipe makes 6 large cookies).  Place extra M&Ms and sprinkles on top if desire.  
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned on top.  Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 15 minutes.

These cookies baked for 11 minutes.  The bottoms were a little brown so for sure I would shave of another minute or 2 next time.  Just keep in mind each oven is different.  

Keep cooking friends!

XOXO

Homemade Pizza Dough

Homemade pizza dough is so easy ... especially if you have a stand mixer.  

My kids love making their own pizza.  It's a great way to get everyone involved in cooking.  

Even picky eater Baby Boy loves pizza.  

Don't get me wrong.  Getting take out pizza is great.  But there is just something about making your own food that is so satisfying.  

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.  How long you bake the pizza depends on how much toppings are on the pizza.  
7. Slice hot pizza and serve immediately.  

My mom is vegetarian.  So this pizza is for her.  It was a artichoke, olive and spinach pizza.  It was super yummy.  I think next time I will trying making it with a garlic sauce instead of a marinara.  

Keep cooking friends!