I love making Biscuits - Thanks to You Mom

 Biscuits Galore: A Delicious Tribute to My Mother and Southern Roots

The art of biscuit-making was inspired by my mother, who made the best biscuits in the world from scratch. I am a city girl with southern roots, who shares my love for biscuits in various forms - square, round, plain, blueberry, cheddar cheese, and pumpkin. But the task of making them from scratch, like my mother, was hard.

So, since this is all about cooking from “The Pantry”, quick and easy meals. My shortcut is using a “Biscuit Mix” and putting my touches on it. I present to you four mouth-watering biscuit recipes using my favorite biscuit mix, “Bisquick”.

Pumpkin Biscuits: These biscuits are made with Bisquick mix, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, pumpkin puree, and a touch of agave nectar. They are perfect for a cozy autumn day.

Ingredients – Pumpkin Biscuits

•  3 cups Bisquick Biscuit mix
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
• 1tsp Salt
• 1 cup Pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Club Soda
• 2 tbsp Agave Nectar 
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚   

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients first - Biscuit mix, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, and salt, then blend well. Add wet ingredients, pumpkin puree, egg, club soda, agave nectar, and olive oil. Blend the dough well, then flour your board and scrape the dough onto the board, and flour your hands. Knead dough by hand until smooth, but do not handle the dough too much. You do not want tough biscuits.  

3. Pat the dough flat about 3/4 - inch and use a 3" biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits. If you are from the old school, you can use a drinking glass. Place on a baking sheet about 1/2 a part and bake for about 12 - 15 minutes or until golden brown. Then remove from the oven and serve with "real maple syrup" butter or jelly.  

Cheddar Cheese Biscuits: These savory biscuits are packed with triple cheddar cheese and buttermilk, making them a cheesy delight for any meal.

Ingredients – Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

• 3 cups Biscuit mix
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons  Olive Oil
• 1egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup Club Soda
• 1 Cup Triple Cheddar Cheese

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, and then add wet ingredients. Once everything is combined, add Cheddar Cheese and blend well.   Sprinkle flour on the pastry board and your hands and knead the dough, then flatten the dough to about 1/2 " thick. Cut out biscuits with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.  

3. While biscuits are baking, melt 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then set aside.   When biscuits are done, pour melted butter over them and then serve.

Blueberry Biscuits: These biscuits combine the tanginess of buttermilk with the sweetness of blueberries, creating a perfect balance of flavors.

Plain Butter Milk Biscuits: Old-fashioned butter milk biscuits, square or round, are a great vehicle for "Sausage Gravy."

Ingredients – Buttermilk and Blueberry Biscuits

•     3 cups Biscuit mix 

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup Buttermilk

• 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil 

• 1egg, beaten

• 1/4 cup Club Soda

• 1 cup of blueberries (for blueberry biscuits)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, and then add wet ingredients. Once everything is combined, add Blueberries (if making blueberry biscuits) and blend well.   Sprinkle flour on the pastry board and your hands and knead the dough, then flatten the dough to about 1/2 " thick. Cut out biscuits with a biscuit or cookie cutter. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown.

3. While biscuits are baking, melt 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine in the microwave oven for about 30 seconds. Then set aside. When biscuits are done, pour melted butter over them and serve with your favorite honey or jelly.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Swirl Bundt Cake

 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Swirl Bundt Cake! This moist and creamy pound cake is infused with the richness of cream cheese and the freshness of diced strawberries. The vibrant red strawberry glaze adds a fruity finish that will make your taste buds dance with joy. Perfect for any occasion, this cake is not just a dessert; it's an experience! 🍓🍰

Enjoy baking and savoring this delicious creation! 😊

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 ½ cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
• 13.5 oz Marinetti glaze for strawberries, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly. (See temperature adjustment for convection oven)

2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add softened butter and sugar, then beat until creamy and fluffy.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined.

6. Carefully fold in diced fresh strawberries, being gentle to avoid breaking them.

7. Pour half the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Drop a spoonful of half the Marinetti strawberry glaze over the batter, then pour the remaining batter on top.

8. Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl the glaze through the batter to create a marbled effect.

9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

10. Allow cake to cool completely in the bundt pan, about 30-45 minutes.

11. Carefully remove the cake from the pan and place it on a serving plate.

12. Warm the remaining Marinetti strawberry glaze slightly (microwave for 10-15 seconds if needed).

14. Drizzle the strawberry glaze evenly over the cooled cake.

15. Serve as is or with additional fresh strawberries, if desired.

Special Note

When using a convection oven, you typically reduce the temperature by about 25°F compared to a regular oven. For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Swirl Bundt Cake, which is baked at 325°F in a regular oven, you should set your convection oven to 300°F. This adjustment helps ensure even baking and prevents the cake from drying out. Happy baking! 😊🍰

Tandoori Garbanzo Bean Potato Salad

Get ready for a flavor explosion with this Tandoori Garbanzo Bean Potato Salad! 🥔🌿 It's got a tangy mix of Tandoori spices, potatoes, and garbanzo beans, all jazzed up with fresh mint and parsley. Perfect for serving with chicken, steak, pork ribs, or seafood. It’s quick to make, taking just 30 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to cook. This salad is a tasty and elegant side dish that’ll make your meal shine! 😋

Servings: 6 - 8 Cook time: 5 minutes      Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes (about 5), peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
• ½ cup red onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of  garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (hold a little for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint (hold a little to combine with parsley for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes for garnish

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons hot mustard
• 2 tablespoons Agave Nectar
• 4 tablespoons Tandoori Spice Seasoning  (see note)

Note: How to make Tandoori Spice seasoning

(2) Teaspoons of each combine together, and you may store them in a plastic container to use on meats as well.

1. Paprika
2. Cumin
3. Coriander
4. Sea Salt
5. Cinnamon
6. Black Pepper
7. Ground Ginger
8. Nutmeg
9. Cayenne pepper
10. Curry powder

 Directions

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salt water for 5 minutes, or until just tender (pierce potatoes with a small sharp knife, if it comes away easily, the potatoes are ready). Drain and cool completely.

2. In a medium bowl, make dressing: combine rice vinegar, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and mustard. Mix well, then add agave nectar and tandoori spice seasoning. Blend and set aside.

3. Once the potatoes have cooled, place them in a large bowl and add garbanzo beans, red onions, garlic, celery seeds, diced eggs, fresh parsley, and mint, reserving a little for garnishing. Let it stand for about 5 minutes.

4. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine, without breaking the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with red pepper flakes, parsley, and mint. Refrigerate until ready to serve.