3000 miles 'til dinner.

Prep time:  20 minutes

Pan or baking dish:   8x8” or 9X9” oven proof baking pan or dish

Baking time:  40-50 minutes

Baking temp:  350 degrees, center rack

Servings:   4 generous servings, with left overs

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

1 1/2 C. favorite cornbread batter

1 C. white or yellow onion, medium dice

2 T. butter

2 C. sour cream

1 T. fresh dill or 1 t. dried dill fresh dill

1 t. sea salt

1 t. fresh ground black or white pepper

1 C. whole kernel corn (fresh & uncooked, canned OR frozen/thawed)

♥PREP

Over medium heat, melt butter in a heavy skillet and add onions. Saute until translucent and tender.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, corn dill, sea salt and pepper. Scoop into buttered 8x8” pan and pour cornbread batter over the top

♥BAKE - 350 degrees

Place pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment (incase it spills over). Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cornbread is baked through. Delicious served with with Just under the skin” OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN.

*consider using a cornbread mix for the batter rather than make from scratch

*substitute low fat sour cream

*consider enhancing the dill flavor by adding more to the sour cream mix OR changing the flavor entirely by adding different herbs or spices. Consider: toasted cumin and diced chilies

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*left overs can be frozen

(MIL post)

Hot, buttery biscuits always awaken my early childhood ranch-life memories of breakfast and the aroma of biscuits, coffee and bacon …. not long after sunrise, sitting down to a groaning table laid with hot biscuits, ham or bacon, gravy, fried potatoes and platters of fried eggs. Yes, those were huge breakfasts, but indulged in with relish by all before starting a long days work. Needless to say, no one had heard about cholesterol !

Prep time:  30 minutes

Oven temp:  400 degrees, middle rack

Baking pan:  heavy bottom sheet pan or cookie sheet

                      (option) line with parchment 

Baking time:  20-25 minutes

Servings:  approx. 10 - 2” biscuits

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

2 C. unbleached white flour  (plus 1/2 C extra for dusting board)

1 cube cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces

1 T. baking powder

1 t. sea salt

1/2 C. milk or cream

2 large eggs

Glaze 

 1 T. egg white, yolk or mix of both OR 1 T. milk or cream + 1/2 t. sugar

♥Prep - food processor

In processor bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder and butter pieces.  Pulse 8-10 times until butter is incorporated into flour and looks like “coarse meal”. You will still be able to see little bits of butter. Pour into a medium size mixing bowl.

Make a “well” in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg and milk. With a fork, gently stir ingredients together to make a loose, slightly wet dough. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Continue to pull dough together if there are a loose scraps until all is incorporated. Pat or roll with a rolling pin, the dough into a 1/2” thick rectangle. Fold the dough in thirds (like folding a letter into three parts). Add more four to the surface as you need it, but use as little as possible. Pat dough down and fold again. This process makes a flakey biscuit by layering the butter pieces.  Finally, pat into a 3/4” rectangle or circle.

Select a cookie cutter, biscuit cutter or glass from your cupboard —- any size or shape you want.  Dip the cutter into flour and, starting at the edge of the dough, gently press through the dough to cut the first biscuit. Continue dipping the cutter in flour before each cut, cutting each biscuit as close together as possible. Place biscuits on baking sheet as you go, leaving 1” between.  When finished, gather up remaining dough and knead together gently, roll and cut more biscuits.

Egg glaze:  1 T. egg, egg yolk or egg white — beaten with fork 

  (OR)

Milk glaze:  1 T. cream or milk + 1/2 t. sugar — beaten with fork

♥ Bake

Brush top of biscuits lightly with egg or milk wash. Pop in the oven and bake until golden brown. Best eaten right out of the oven, but are delicious re-heated. 

♥♥ WAYS TO “just wing it” ♥♥               consider or substitute

*sub: 1/2 whole wheat flour

*sub: 1/2 or all hearty healthy butter

*consider: 1 C. grated cheese and reduce the butter by 1/2 C.

*consider: adding finely chopped fresh herbs, such as chives or thyme

*consider:  dried herbs such as oregano, thyme, basil

*fun idea:  roll the extra dough “scraps” into balls and bake

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*dry mix (butter/flour) can be made ahead and kept in fridge for 4-5 days or freezer for 2 months. 

*prepared dough can be made ahead and kept 4-5 hours in the fridge

*prepared, unbaked biscuits can be made ahead & kept 4-5 hours in the fridge

*reheating baked biscuits:  350 degrees for 5-8 minutes

*sweet biscuits for berry shortcakes:  add 1/2 C granulated sugar with the flour and butter before you process

(MIL post)

I love the texture of this banana bread and it turns out perfectly every time. This delicious creation was sent to me by my niece Ashley, thus the name. It is so simple; you’ll find yourself buying the darkest bananas at the market so you can make it often.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Baking time: approx. 60 minutes

Oven temp:  350 degrees (middle rack)

Loaves:  2 (9-1/2’ x 5-1/2”)

♥PANTRY, FRIDGE, MARKET♥♥

1 cube (1/2 C.) unsalted butter, very soft or melted

2 C. granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1 C.  half ’ half  

2 C. very ripe mashed bananas (approx. 5 medium bananas)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

4 C. unbleached flour

2 1/2 t. baking soda

3/4 t. sea salt

2 C. walnut pieces

Prep - food processor

In processor, puree bananas until they are smooth. Pour into large mixing bowl.In processor, blend butter and sugar for 3 minutes or longer. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend a few minutes longer then pour into bowl with bananas. Stir in cream and walnuts.

Add: flour, soda and salt. Mix until all the flour is incorporated.

Bake - 350 degrees

Pour into oiled bread pans, filling each no more than 2/3 full. If you use a different size pan(s), this is the important part to remember. 

Test doneness

Loaf is done when it feels firm in the center and when a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out “clean” (no sticky batter clinging to it)

When ready, remove from oven, let sit for 20 minutes, then pop out to finish cooling.

♥♥MILS WAYS TO “just wing it”.♥♥           consider substituting

*add:  1/2 t. ground cinnamon + any or all: 1/2 t.  allspice, nutmeg,  clove

*sub: milk, sour cream, yogurt, buttermilk or combo

*sub: pecans, toasted hazelnut pieces, combo, fewer nuts or no nuts 

*sub: applesauce for part of the bananas

♥ Helpful Hints♥

*when you have bananas that get too ripe, freeze them —- either puree and freeze   or simply freeze whole in their peels

*the riper the bananas, the better the banana bread and  :)

*make the entire recipe and freeze the extra loaf

(MIL post)