Honey Butter Drop Biscuits

Honey drop biscuits are so yummy and sweet!  Smear with whipped butter!  Enjoy!

HONEY DROP BISCUITS

• 2 cups flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup honey

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter. Combine milk and honey.  Mix honey/milk in with dry ingredients.  If you are a regular biscuit maker, this batter will seem wet.  Have no fear, it is supposed to be a little more wet than biscuit dough that you would roll out.  Drop biscuits, using two spoons, one spoon to scoop and one spoon to push it off, onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until bottoms are golden brown.  Makes 8 to 12 biscuits, depending on how big you want yours.

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Stretching a Buck by Stretching Your Butter....Making Homemade Whipped Butter

Lessen your butter budget without buying margarine!  Make your own whipped butter.  It is really easy and I can't believe I put it off for so long.  This is perfect for toast, pancakes, rolls, muffins...anything already cooked that you would normally smear with butter.  THIS IS NOT FOR BAKING. 

Using your stand mixer with your whip attachment, whip 2 sticks of butter on high until very fluffy.  Once the butter is fluffy, continue with the mixer on high slowly streaming in 1/2 cup of olive oil.  Once olive oil is incorporated continue the same way with the water.  The butter will be very white with pretty stiff peaks.

Transfer butter to storage container.  Refrigerate until set.  After this you may leave it at room temperature or keep in fridge, whatever you are comfortable with.

WHIPPED BUTTER

I found this handy recipe at Tammy's Recipes.

• 2 sticks butter
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/2 c. water

Whip butter in stand mixer until light and fluffy on high.  Slowly add olive oil with the mixer still on high.  Do the same with water.  Whip until creamy white and stiff peaks form.  Chill until firm, a couple of hours.  Once set, you can store at room temperature or in the fridge.

Check out more great ideas at Works for me Wednesday.

Garlic Chicken

Going low-carb has really thrown a wrench in things around here.  I am the queen of carbs.  I love yeast.  I love flour.  Of course I am still eating these things, but Rowdy isn't and I have had to adjust things a bit.  No casseroles.  No pasta.  No  beans.  Last night I made garlic chicken.  This recipe was delicious and very simple.  Next time I will definitely double the garlic. 

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in an ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. (Yes, I forgot and did it later!) Fry the chicken on both sides until golden brown.  Don't cook at too high a heat, you don't want to burn the butter.

While the chicken is browning, slice (not chop) 8 or more garlic cloves into thin slices.  Next time I will definitely be doubling the garlic.  Check out that bag of garlic...amazing.  Three pounds of peeled garlic cloves for $4.99 at Costco.  If you love garlic, this is definitely a must buy.

Once chicken is browned, remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.  Add 2 more tablespoons butter to the pan and toss in your sliced garlic.  Once again, be careful not to burn the butter.  Saute the garlic for three minutes or so, until it becomes soft and some pieces start to turn golden.

When the garlic is done, reduce heat to low and add 2/3 cup white wine (or broth).  Using a wooden spoon deglaze the pan with wine, scraping all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  I am using 2-Buck Chuck!  Have you heard of this?  They 4 or 5 varieties available at Trader Joe's and this is great for cooking...and yes, it is 2 Bucks.

Return chicken to pan.  Be sure to pour the juices that have accumulated on the plate back into the pan. (Notice...I did add salt and pepper.)  Place pan, uncovered, in a 425 degree oven.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Baste 2 or 3 times during the baking, scooping up garlic slices and topping the chicken with them.

This was Rowdy's plate.  Imagine the rest of us with a pile of steaming hot white rice, doused with the delicious sauce left in the pan. 

GARLIC CHICKEN

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts and 3 boneless skinless thighs (or whatevery pieces you like)
• 4 T. butter, divided
• 8 or more garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 2/3 cup white wine (If you are not Presbyterian or you live at Hume Lake or you just don't like wine, you could use chicken broth)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in an ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.  Over medium-high heat, fry chicken until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.  Add 2 more tablespoons butter to your pan and saute the garlic over medium heat, being careful not to burn the butter, about 3 minutes, until garlic begins to soften and some start to turn golden.  Pour in wine (or broth) and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the yummy brown bits with a wooden spoon.  Turn off heat and return chicken to pan, along with the juices that have accumulated on the plate.  Place pan in oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Cooking time may depend on how thick your pieces of chicken are.  Remove from oven and serve with a generous amount garlic slices and sauce on top.

No Knead Bread

Make your own Artisan bread.  This bread is simple, but you must have patience.  There is really minimal work involved and it is so worth the wait!  I am not sure where I found out about this bread, but here is the link to the original post from the New York Times.

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Heavily dust a tea towel (not bar towel) with cornmeal.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball, just kind of folding up the side on top of each other.  This dough is really soft and can seem very difficult to work with, but it is so worth it. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. (Prepare the towel before you shape your dough so you can immediately flip it over on to the towel coated with cornmeal.) Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours.

When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it will look messy and cornmeal may fly everywhere!  

Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

NO KNEAD BREAD

• 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
• ¼ teaspoon instant yeast
• 1¼ teaspoons salt
• 1-5/8 cup water
• Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. (Mine was on the counter for about 24 hours...I was busy.)  Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball, just kind of folding up the side on top of each other.  This dough is really soft and can seem very difficult to work with, but it is so worth it. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. (Prepare the towel before you shape your dough so you can immediately flip it over on to the towel coated with cornmeal.) Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.  At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it will look messy and cornmeal may fly everywhere!  Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

The Shallot

Apparently there is some mystery to the shallot.  I grew up eating the shallot in the famous "Alfredo Sauce" I posted about.  I have now learned that you should not substitute a whole onion for a shallot.  I really trust my source. Next time you are at the store pick up some shallots.

The main reason you may not want to substitute a whole onion is the difference in size!  It may just make your sauce a little too onion-y.

According to Food.com:

A member of the onion family, but formed more like garlic than onions. Shallots are favored for their mild onion flavor, and can be used in the same manner as onions. A shallot looks like a small, elongated onion with a copper, reddish, or gray skin. When peeled, shallots separate into into cloves like garlic. There are two main types of shallots: Jersey or "false" shallots (larger) and "true" shallots (more subtle flavor. Fresh green shallots are available in the spring and dry shallots (dry skin/moist flesh) are available year-round. Shallots come in three sizes small, medium and jumbo (the least tasty). The younger (smaller) the shallot, the milder the taste. Do not confuse shallots with green onions or scallions.

Chicken Alfredo

The Rowdy has gone low carb!  We have done this before and I would join him except for the fact that I am still sitting on an egg and see no reason to not eat pasta!  I like to make recipes that can go either way so everyone can pretty much eat the same thing.

Rinse and pat dry the chicken fillets.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Fry chicken breast fillets in olive oil, in two batches, until both sides are nice and browned and they are cooked through.  Set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel and cover with foil to keep warm.

While the chicken is cooking dice one large shallot.  Do not put your fingers in your eyes when you are done!  Ask the baby chick...she will tell why.

In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, add 1/4 cup butter and melt.  Add shallots and cook until softened, on medium heat, for about 5 minutes.

Add 1-1/2 cups heavy cream to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 5 minutes, until it starts to thicken and reduce...try not to let it boil...like me.  After about 5 minutes, add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir until melted.  Reduce heat to low until cheese is melted.  Turn off heat. Salt and pepper to taste.  Return chicken to pan and coat with sauce.

Just below is the low-carb version.  No PASTA!  Yes, that is 3 chicken fillets...Rowdy is hungry when he gets home from work.  These fillets are really not that big...they are nice and thin, like a chicken breast should be.

Here is the carb version.  While preparing the chicken, prepare some pasta.  I like these little shells because they are much easier for a 2 year old to eat than a big long noodle!  Once you have cooked and drained the noodles, toss with a little bit of butter so they don't stick together.  To serve, place a scoop of noodles on the plate and top with chicken and some sauce.

 

CHICKEN ALFREDO

• 8 chicken breast fillets or 4 regular giant breasts, pounded thin and cut in half to make 8 pieces
• Salt and pepper
• 4 T. olive oil
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 lg. shallot, diced
• 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts.  Salt and pepper both sides of chicken.  Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet and fry chicken until golden on both sides and cooked through.  Place chicken on a plate lined with paper towels and cover with foil to keep warm.  While chicken is cooking dice the shallot.  Once chicken is done, add butter to the same frying pan and melt.  Over medium heat, cook shallot until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add cream.  Bring to a simmer, but not a boil.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the cream starts to thicken and reduce slightly.  Add Parmesan cheese and reduce heat to low, stirring until cheese is melted.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Place chicken breasts back in sauce to coat the chicken in yumminess.  Serve as is or over pasta.

Find more yummy recipes at Tasty Tuesday.