Biscuits and Sausage gravy

 Biscuits

 

2 c flour

3 t baking powder

1 T sugar

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

4 T cold butter (or 3 T butter and 1 T shortening)

3/4 c 2% milk

Gravy

 

1 lb ground pork sausage (sage, maple, or whatever you like)

1/4 c flour

2.5-3 c 2% milk

1 T maple syrup

1/2 t salt

1/4 t sage

1/4 t pepper

1. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cut in butter. Add milk, stir until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8-10 times. Pt or roll dough to 1 in thickness and cut with floured 2 in biscuit cutter or top of glass. Place 1 in apart on ungreased baking sheet. 

2. Bake at 400 degrees for 14-17 min (until golden). 

3. Meanwhile cook sausage in skillet over medium, breaking into crumbles. Stir in flour until blended, then stir in milk. Boil, stirring constantly until thickened (3-5 min). Stir in remaining ingredients and serve with biscuits.

Coleslaw

 

1 lb of cabbage (1/2 a cabbage), outer leaves removed

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 c mayonnaise

1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or more to taste

1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or coarse ground mustard

1 teaspoon celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper or more to taste

salt if needed 

Directions:

1. Shred cabbage and grate carrots into a large bowl or tupperware. Mix remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and add. Eat right away or let sit in the fridge for an hour. 

Ramen noodle stir fry

 2 pkgs (6oz) ramen (or try other thai noodles)

3 c water

8 oz boneless chicken breasts (1 large breast is sufficient)

2 t canola oil

1 large green pepper

chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 c chicken broth (or just use leftover water from noodles)

2 t soy sauce

1 t seasoning blend (about 1/2 of ramen packet)

1 small tomato, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions;

1. Stir fry chicken in 1 t oil. Remove and cut into bite sized pieces after cooled. 

2. Cook noodles according to package. Leave however much water you desire in the pan, depending on how soupy you want it to be. Add chicken, any additional broth, soy sauce, seasoning, and opt. tomato.

3. Stir fry pepper, onion, and garlic in 1 t oil until crisp tender, using same pan the chicken was in. Add the noodle-pot full of ingredients and serve. Broccoli or other stir fry vegetables make a good side.

Chocolate Chip and Nut Scones

Emily says these are amazing! Might not want to eat an entire one at once, they are pretty big.

Ingredients

2 c all purpose flour (try subbing in some whole wheat flour)

1/4 c packed brown siguar

1.5 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon and/or cardamom

1/2 c cold butter

1 large egg, room temp

1/2 c buttermilk (can sub 3/4 part yogurt or sour cream to 1/4 part milk)

1.5 t vanilla

1 c semi-sweet choc chips (recipe isn't very sweet so not too dark)

1 c nuts (we used hazelnuts for first attempt, I would try pecans or walnuts next)

Directions

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl whisk egg, milk, and vanilla; add to dry mixture just until moistened, adding choc chips and nuts just before finishing. 

2. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead gently 8 times. Pat dough into 6 in circle and cut into 8 wedges. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 15-20 min. Serve warm. 

Chicken and Rice

Becky says this is awesome comfort food. It's surprising it's taken so long to find a good chicken and rice recipe we like. 

Ingredients

1 C sour cream

1 can (10 3/4 oz) cream of chicken soup (or use our homemade recipe, needs extra garlic and onion to flavor all this chicken and rice, maybe mushrooms)

1 T. poppy seeds

1 t. dill weed (even more if dried)

3-4 C cooked chicken, cubed

2-3 C cooked rice (we prefer brown rice)

1-1.5 C butter flavored cracker crumbs (we like Town House Original)

1/4 C butter, melted (original recipe said 1/2 C but I used 5 T which seemed slightly too much)

Directions

1. Combine sour cream, soup, poppy seeds, and dill. Stir in chicken and rice. (While the rice is cooking, it works well to brown the chicken, then use the same pan to make the homemade soup while the chicken rests, then add the rest of the ingredients and cut up chicken and add at the end with the rice). 

2. Spread into a 11x7 baking dish. 

3. Combine crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, at 375 until bubbly, about 25 minutes. 

White Chocolate Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls

 

 These are totally awesome! Worth the extra time, and not too challenging. Get started the night before.

Ingredients:

Dough:
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water (110 to 115F)

- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour

Filling:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 5-6 oz (3/4 to 1 cup) white chocolate chips
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans 

Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 to 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, salt, and 2 cups flour. Add the dissolved yeast in water. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour (additional 1/2 to 1 cup) to form a soft dough. 

Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, punch the dough down. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 12x12" rectangle.

For filling, combine the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread over dough to within 1/2" of edges. Sprinkle with white chips, cranberries, and pecans. Roll up jelly-roll style; pinch seam to seal.

Cut into 8-10 slices using unflavored dental floss. Place cut side down in a greased 9x13" baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 45 minutes. 

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 

For glaze, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough heavy cream to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle over warm rolls. Refrigerate leftovers.

Hot Chocolate (sipping chocolate)

 2/3 cup milk (2%)

2 T heavy whipping cream

1 t brown sugar

1/2 t confectioner's sugar

1/8 t instant espresso or coffee powder, optional

2 oz dark choc, chopped

whipped cream and choc shavings on top

In a saucepan, heat milk, cream, sugars, and espresso powder until bubbles form around the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and whisk in dark chocolate until melted. Serve in mugs with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.