Flakey Buttery Biscuits

We can never get enough of these biscuits. We love to top them with a cut up boiled egg and smothered in country gravy. They are also completely divine topped with homemade strawberry jam.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup butter
1 TB honey
2/3 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 230C/450F
2. Place dry ingredients in a food processor and whiz to combine.
3. Add butter and pulse til the butter looks like peas.
4. Dump into a mixing bowl and add the milk and honey and stir until it comes together.
5. Place on a lightly floured surface (I use a silicone mat because it's easy to clean) and knead several times to work the gluten
6. Then pat the dough with your fingers to about ¾ inch high. You can go lower and get more biscuits but they won't be as high.
7. You can cut them with a biscuit cutter, a tin can or a glass but don't use a seesaw approach as that will reduce the rise.
8. If you want soft edges like I do, place them about an inch apart on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
9. I used a knife and cut them square and had no leftovers.
10. You may brush the tops with melted butter or milk before baking but I always brush with butter right after they come out of the oven.
11. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
12. I like to let them rest for about twenty minutes before baking, but, seriously, I'm usually so hungry by this point that I just toss them in the oven once the oven is hot enough.. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes or until they are done to your liking.

Pollo Durango

1. Cook 1 cup chicken and 1 cup mushroom together in butter in a pan.
2. Combine 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream and 3/4 cup tomatoillo enchilada sauce in another pan and cook until creamy.
3. Dram the grease off the chicken and mushrooms and add a pinch of cilantro.
4. Combine the chicken/mushrooms with the sauce.

Cherry Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups water
6 ounce box of cherry Jell-o
20 ounce can of cherry pie filling
8 ounce can of crushed pineapple
8 ounces cream cheese
1 pint sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Bring the water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Mix in the jell-o and then add the pie filling and crushed pineapple. Stir until mixed well and then pour into a 9x13 pan and refrigerate until well set. Soften the cream cheese to room temperature. Cream the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer. Top the cream cheese mixture on the set jell-o mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Jenny's Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mint/peanut butter/chocolate chips

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well. Add the chips and do a final mix. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
4 TB Premium cocoa
4 TB flour
8 TB butter
12 oz can of evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, combine the sugar, cocoa, and flour and whisk thoroughly to break up the little cocoa balls. Add the butter and evaporated milk and place the pan over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring to a slow boil. Stir until it is of desired consistency. Remove the chocolate syrup from the heat and add the vanilla. Store in the refrigerator or on the pantry shelf.

Homemade Onion Soup Mix

I don't always have an envelope of Onion Soup Mix on-hand for a last minute meal. I love this homemade version because the ingredients are fresher and it's actually cheaper than the 1 oz. packet.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup minced onion (I usually leave this out if I want flavor without "chunks")
2 TB beef granuales
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Stir the minced onion, beef granuales, onion powder, celery seed, paprika, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Use as a substitute for a 1oz packet of dry onion soup mix.

BBQ Pork Chops

Ingredients:
8 pork chops
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 TB vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
3 TB mustard
1 envelope dry onion soup mix (or make your own onion soup mix)

Directions:
Line an oblong pan with aluminum foil. Salt and pepper chops and place in the pan. Combine all remaining ingredients and put on top of each chop. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook in oven at 325 for 1 1/2 hours.

Pie Crust

For one 9 inch, 2 crust pie.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 TB sugar for a sweet pie, (omit sugar for a savory pie)
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup cold butter flavored Crisco, cut into chunks
1/2 cup cold water or evaporated milk


Directions:
Combine the flour, salt, sugar (for a sweet pie), butter, and butter flavored Crisco and pulse it 8 times. Add the cold water or evaporated milk and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Form 2 discs and then refrigerate them for 10 minutes. Then, roll out the dough between parchment paper to make an 11 inch circle. Place the circle in a 9 inch pie pan, form it, and trim it. Refrigerate it for 10 minutes, then fill it with filling. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes then bake it at 350 for 20-40 minutes depending on the filling.

To pre back the pastry (bake blind) roll out pastry 1/8 inch thick to fill pan, crisp and seal edges. Prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line pie pan with sheet of parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dry rice, or beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, then return to oven for 5 minutes more until center of crust is light golden. Remove and cool.

German Pancakes

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 TB butter

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9x13 pan cut up the butter in small pieces and put it in the hot oven. While the butter is melting in the oven beat the eggs, milk, flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Once the butter is bubbling pour the batter in the pan, return to the oven, and bake 20 minutes. Top with lemon juice and powdered sugar.