Sunday, March 25, 2012

Pinterest Recipe: 7 UP Biscuits

Don't you love my cookbook caddy!  I do.  I found it at the Peddlers' Mall in Lexington and had to buy it.  It holds my favorite cookbooks, and it is handcrafted; however, last night's recipe came from Pinterest, and it is on the tablet before you.  The recipe is for 7 UP biscuits and they are OMG yummy.  The basic recipe isn't an Internet secret.  If you search for it, it is all over the place.  The basic recipe is as follows:

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup 7 UP
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 butter

You mix the Bisquick with the 7 UP and sour cream together.  You melt the butter in a 9 inch pan and place the cut biscuits on the butter. Bake at 450 until golden brown.

Now, last night I had to rework the recipe because I had everything but the Bisquick.

2 cups flour
3 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbs. Crisco
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7 UP
butter:  I reduced it from 1/4 cup, just a bit

Preheat oven to 450 and mix flour, baking powder, salt, and Crisco.  I used a pastry cutter to blend and crumble the Crisco.  I then added the sour cream and soda.  Mixed into it was a batter, and it is sticky and soft.  Instead of cutting the dough, I just poured the entire thing on the butter.  I baked as normal and then cut into squares afterwards.
They are melt in your mouth good, and I think it is a recipe to keep!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Do You Pinterest?

I do.  I am now an addict, and I try to only surf it during the weekends so I won't waste countless hours on it.  Here are some things I learned/done/made/bought due to the wonder of Pinterest:

1.  Lesson Plans:  There are so many new ideas out there, and teachers love organizational tools, so going on Pinterest should count as professional development.  Just type in what you are looking for and there it is, in a cute picture and smile.  Life got easier.

2.  Planning my wedding:  Okay, I am planning an elopement, but Pinterest is helping me to organize the dream vs.  reality of the big day.  It is much more fun than just using a big notebook, which I have as well.  I also have a few of my own ideas, and I am looking forward to sharing, as well.

3.  Organized my closet:  I used Pinterest to make outfits out of clothes I own, and now I go to my board to help organize what I am going to wear during the week. 

4.  Cleaning House:  Take a dryer sheet and wipe off your baseboards.  It attracts the dust and repeals it so it stays cleaner longer. 
I love, love my organizational board because it reflects the life I really would like to have. 

5.  Cooking:  Biscuits, pound cake, and more.  Yep, I have found some wonderful ideas and it is cheaper than buying new cookbooks. 

The appeal of Pinterest is that is shows you the life you want if you had the money and the time.  It is like a modern day fairy tale with neat little virtual boards to tidy up and slay my giants.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

We Are Talking Biscuits Here

My granny can make a mean biscuit.  I do believe it is her speciality.  When I was a child, she often made cat head biscuits (about as big as the cat's head).  I often got the name mixed up and called them cat house biscuits.  People would look at me strangely, and my papaw would smile and say, "It was something she picked up while I was in the war."

Granny never appreciated the joke. 

Now, do I have her recipe?  No.  I have tried, and it never comes out just like hers.  She has the magic, and I am Mickey Mouse with dancing brooms.  Not exactly the same.  So, in order to feed my kiddos something other than WOMP (the sound the can makes as it hits the counter) biscuits, I came up with this:

Robyn's Biscuits:

2 1/2 cups of All Purpose
4 tbs. of baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tarter
1 stick of butter
1 cup milk (buttermilk or whole)

Preheat oven to 450.  Mix all dry ingredients and butter, except for one small section.  Take a pastry blender and break butter into fine pieces that blend into the flour.  Two knives can substitute for a pastry blender.  Add milk and and mix together. 

Put on a floured surface and either roll out or press down.  I prefer to place the dough between parchment paper and press out with my hands. You can make the biscuits as thick as you want.  Cut out and place on a parchment lined pan.  I then take the butter I have left and soften in the microwave for a few seconds.  I brush the butter over the tops.

Bake about 10 minutes.

My granny is so proud of me.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Want a Hot Dog?

Okay it has been months since my last post, and to be honest, life went crazy.  Falling in love, raising a family, health scares, jobs woes; you name, we got it.  Well, life is still crazy, but I have missed writing.  I miss the catharsis of putting my thoughts to paper..virtually of course.  It is time to begin anew. 

The focus of this blog will continue to be home and hearth, and I am no longer comfortable about airing personal business.  I have Facebook for that :)

So, what has called me out of my self-imposed exile?  How about good, old-fashioned hot dog chili.  Yep, I got my granny's recipe, and it is too good to ignore.  Her chili is quick, easy, and makes your dog almost church fund raiser good.

Ingridients:
2 1/2 lbs high quality ground beef
2 to 3 tbs. chili powder (for your taste)
1 tbs. salt
1 tbs. brown sugar
3 tbs. tomato paste
1 3/4 cup water
finely diced onion
Sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce

Now, instead of browning meat, just cook it in the water.  As you stir it, it will become very fine.  Combine all the ingridients and simmer for at least 20 minutes. 

That is it.  It is delicious, and Granny swears it is due to the brown sugar.  I made it Saturday, and it was even better on Sunday. 

Enjoy!

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