Tag: Dinner

Make Easy Buttermilk Biscuits Today! (Plus a Quick Shortcake Variation!)

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Hot, flakey biscuits with a tender, steaming center and a slightly golden, crisp exterior, spread with melted butter and fragrant-sweet honey or jewel-toned jam… Who’s hungry to get baking?

I used to find biscuits rather painful to make in large quantities for my large family (biscuits for ten hungry people means a LOT of biscuits), with all the cutting-in of shortening and scrubbing out of measuring cups and such.

But now, thanks to this recipe that uses oil instead of shortening, mixing is a snap. Then a quick rolling out, cutting up, and then the blissfully brief baking time (12-15 mins) means that you and I can enjoy the delightful biscuit-joy much sooner. And much more often.

(As a quick side, I’m using this dough to make pigs-in-a-blanket tonight – one of my kids’ favorites!)

Heat up that oven, lovely, and let’s get baking!

Makes 12+ biscuits – Recipe adapted from Bob’s Red Mill recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 2/3 cup buttermilk (As a quick substitute, I use whole milk or cream mixed with about 2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice, stirred and left for about 5 mins)
  • 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a small bowl, stir together buttermilk and oil.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, combine till well mixed. Shape into a ball, place on floured surface and knead 4-5 times (too much kneading will make the dough tough).

3. Roll dough out to desired thickness (I aim for 1/2″ to 3/4″), and using a cookie cutter (or just a round glass dipped in flour), cut out 12 or so biscuits. (My mom used to use a sharp knife and make rectangular biscuits – whatever floats your biscuit boat.) Place about 1″ apart on a baking sheet.

4. Bake in center of preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or till biscuits are starting to turn light brown. Serve with butter and jam. And honey. Or lemon curd. And whipped cream. Or for lunch with tuna fish. Or chicken salad. Or with Chicken a la King. Or as a side to a hearty beef stew or a vegetable-rich broth or a creamy chowder or spicy chili… (I’ll stop now.)

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* Quick & Easy Shortcake Adaptation!

For when you have fresh fruit and want a delicious, quick (and easy!) dessert or brunch option:

To flour mixture, add 2 Tbsp white sugar.

If desired, add 1/2 tsp vanilla to buttermilk/oil mixture.

Proceed as directed. After baking, quickly halve and butter shortcakes, then top with sliced fruit or berries sweetened as desired, with whipped cream or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

UBER-EASY Option for when you DON’T have Fresh Fruit: Substitute freezer jam. Then top with whipped cream. I do. It’s amazing. No one complains – they’re too busy snarfing it up and making happy, thankful sounds.

Enjoy as soon as possible.

Happy baking! (Let me know how your biscuits turn out! And then please post a link to this article on your social media, thanks!)

– Maria

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Puttanesca – Savory, Garlicky, Zesty Deliciousness

Bright tomatoes, aromatic garlic sizzled in olive oil, the punch of capers and the saltiness of Kalamata olives – this is one of our family’s favorite dinners, with even my youngest demanding second (or third!) helpings.

I love it because it’s quite quick and easy, and if you have a few things stocked in your pantry, you can make it any weeknight when you’ve forgotten to thaw meat ahead of time (like I tend to do about once a week).

Don’t be put off by the anchovy paste or tempted to omit it until you’ve made this and tried it – while it’s perhaps a less common ingredient, it gives this dish the base notes of the amazing briny flavor and depth of authentic Puttanesca.

Don’t add salt until you’ve tasted it!  The anchovy paste, capers, and Kalamatas add quite a lot of salty flavor.  Let it simmer before you shake.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • Dash crushed red pepper flakes (if desired)
  • 2 Tbsp anchovy paste (This is readily found in any well-stocked grocery store)
  • 6 oz tin tomato paste
  • 28-oz tin diced or crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce in a pinch)
  • 2-3 Tbsp capers, drained (my kids like more)
  • 1 1/2 cups kalamata olives, sliced
  • 1 cup water
  • Fresh parsley, minced (if desired)
  • 16-oz pasta of choice, prepared according to package directions, drained, set aside

DIRECTIONS:

In large pot or sauté pan (I use my wok), heat about 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, let sizzle till fragrant and just starting to turn golden, about 1 minute. 

Squirt in anchovy paste, sprinkle in dash of red pepper flakes (if using), stir gently till aromatic and somewhat clumpy-looking, another minute.

Add tomato paste and stir gently, then dump in crushed/diced tomatoes (or tomato sauce) and water.  Add capers and Kalamata olives. Stir.

Bring to bubbling, turn down to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Taste, adjust seasonings if needed (some find the saltiness perfect, some like to add a small dash of salt) 

When the bubbling sauce is cohesive and the smell is filling your house with a delightful aroma, it’s probably close to done.

Serve on top of pasta, sprinkled with parsley.

To make my life easier, I put the cooked pasta back in the large pot I boiled it in and then tip the Puttanesca sauce over it, mix gently, and sprinkle the minced parsley on top (if I have it).

Serve immediately.

(Feeds a family of 8-10)