02-15-10
Butter Buttermilk Biscuits (Regular, Lemon-Poppy, Herb-Gruyere, Cranberry-Walnut)
Makes ~15 biscuits
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter—10 tablespoons cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled, 2 tablespoons melted
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
Flaky salt, such as Maldon, for sprinkling
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425° and position a rack in the lower third of the oven. In a large shallow bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and fine salt. Add the chilled butter and use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the butter into the flour until it is the size of peas. Stir in the buttermilk just until the dough is moistened. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead 2 or 3 times, just until it comes together. Pat the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick disk.
Using a floured 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out biscuit rounds as closely together as possible. Gather the scraps and knead them together 2 or 3 times, then flatten the dough and stamp out more biscuit rounds. Pat the remaining scraps together and gently press them into a biscuit.
Transfer the biscuits to a large baking sheet and brush the tops with the melted butter. Lightly sprinkle the biscuits with a few grains of flaky salt and chill until firm, about 10 minutes.
Bake the biscuits for 20 minutes, or until golden. Let the biscuits cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving.
Make Ahead:
The unbaked biscuits can be frozen: Freeze biscuits in a single layer and transfer to a resealable plastic bag for up to one month. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes to the cooking time.
Biscuit Variations:
Sweet Lemon-Poppy
These lightly sweet biscuits are delicious served warm for breakfast, with a slathering of strawberry or raspberry jam.
Whisk 1/4 cup sugar with the dry ingredients. Stir in the grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds just before adding the buttermilk. Sprinkle with sugar.
Herb-Gruyère (Pictured Above)
The herb-and-cheese combination is infinitely variable: Try cheddar and minced chives or chopped rosemary and Parmesan.
Stir in 1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves, 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped sage leaves and 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese just before adding the cold buttermilk.
Savory Cranberry-Walnut
With crunchy nuts, sweet- tart cranberries and sautéed shallots, these make fantastic bread for turkey sandwiches.
Stir in 1 minced, sautéed shallot along with 1/2 cup each chopped dried cranberries and chopped toasted walnuts and a pinch of pepper just before adding the buttermilk.
01-10-10
Mascarpone-Filled Fresh Strawberries
Makes 20 Servings
Ingredients:
1 quart fresh strawberries
1 container (8 oz) mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Sliced almonds
Directions:
1. Using larger strawberries, trim tops and bottoms of strawberries to level. Using small melon baller, scoop out center of each strawberry.
2. In medium bowl, mix cheese, powdered sugar, milk and extract until smooth. Spoon cheese mixture into small resealable food freezer plastic bag or pastry bag fitted with star tip; seal bag. Cut small hole in bottom corner of plastic bag. Squeeze bag to pipe cheese mixture into strawberries; top with almonds.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 60 calories; 3.5 g fat; 0 g fiber
01-10-10
Turtle Pumpkin Pie
Makes 10 Servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. chopped PLANTERS Pecans, divided
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup cold milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
Directions:
POUR 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup nuts.
BEAT dry pudding mixes, milk, pumpkin and spices with whisk until well blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP; spoon into crust.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, caramel topping and nuts just before serving.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 320 calories; 15 g fat; 2 g fiber; 48 g carbohydrates
01-10-10
Chai Toddy
Makes 1 Drink
Ingredients:
One part chai tea concentrate
One part whole milk
1 star anise
1 oz. cognac/brandy
1 oz. DeKuyper Buttershots liqueur or butterscotch schnapps
1/2 graham cracker, crushed and powdered
Directions:
Bring chai tea concentrate and milk to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir in star anise to flavor. Remove from heat. In a mug add brandy and butterscotch liqueur. Pour chai tea mixture into mug. Stir slightly and dust with crushed graham cracker.
01-10-10
S’mores Delight
Makes 1 Drink
Ingredients:
1 tbs. creamy peanut butter
1 tbs. chocolate syrup
1/2 oz. Kahlua or coffee liqueur
1/2 oz. dark rum
1/2 oz. vodka
1 oz. almond milk
Ice
Torched mini-marshmallows for garnish
Directions:
In a pint glass, mix together the peanut butter and chocolate syrup. Stir in the Kahlua until well blended. Stir in the vodka and rum and then add the almond milk. Fill a martini shaker with ice and add mixture. Shake vigorously until very well chilled. Drizzle the insides of a martini glass with chocolate syrup. Strain cocktail into the martini glass. Put 3-4 mini-marshmallows onto a skewer and toast with a butane torch. Place over glass.
01-10-10
Butterscotch Bliss
Makes 1 Drink
Ingredients:
Ice
3/4 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
3/4 oz. DeKuyper Buttershots liqueur or butterscotch schnapps
1/2 oz. Jagermeister or anise-flavored liqueur
1/2 oz. Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps
1/2 oz. half-and-half
Lemon zest
Raw sugar, to coat glass rim
Pinch of cinnamon
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker with ice add Irish Cream, butterscotch liqueur, anise liqueur, schnapps and half-and-half. Zest lemon over shaker. Shake and set aside. Sugar the rim of a martini glass by dipping glass into a saucer of water, followed by a saucer of raw sugar. Strain drink into glass. Garnish with a pinch of cinnamon.
01-10-10
Mexicocoa
Makes 1 Drink
Ingredients:
1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 cup almond milk (can substitute Irish Crème, coffee-flavored liqueur or milk)
Splash of agave nectar (can substitute honey or maple syrup)
1 oz. Silver tequila
Paprika
Cinnamon stick
Directions:
In a saucepan over low heat add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Toast until spices begin to release their aromas, about a couple of minutes. Using a small whisk or wooden spoon, slowly incorporate the almond milk. Raise the temperature to medium-high and bring to a slow simmer. Stir in the agave nectar and remove from the heat. Rim a mug by dipping into a saucer of water, blotting and dipping into saucer of paprika. Pour in tequila. Add hot cocoa mixture. Stir with a cinnamon stick and serve.
01-10-10
Maple Butter Kiss
Makes 1 Drinks
Ingredients:
Ice
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. DeKuyper Buttershots liqueur or butterscotch schnapps
1/4 oz. real maple syrup
1 oz. half-and-half
Fresh-ground nutmeg
Directions:
Pour liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and top with fresh-ground nutmeg.
01-10-10
Cherry Splash
Makes 1 Drink
Ingredients:
2 oz. Silver rum
1/2 oz. amaretto, almond-flavored liqueur
1/2 oz. Luxardo maraschino cherry liqueur
Ice
Wedge of lime
Splash of maraschino cherry juice
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Directions:
Pour rum, amaretto and cherry liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until ingredients are well combined and chilled. Pour into a highball glass filled with ice. Squeeze a lime wedge over drink and drop into glass. Add a pour of cherry juice and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
01-10-10
Ginger Snap
Makes 6 Drinks
Ingredients:
1 oz. ginger beer
Ice
1 tsp. ginger juice
1 1/2 oz. dark rum
1 tsp. cinnamon schnapps
Pinch of ground cloves
1 egg white
Cinnamon stick
Crystallized ginger square
Finely ground gingerbread cookie
Directions:
Pour enough ginger beer into a saucer to cover and dip a martini glass into the saucer to coat the rim. Dip into a saucer with ground cookie. Scoop ice into shaker. Pour ginger juice, rum and cinnamon schnapps into a shaker. Add a pinch of ground cloves. Separate an egg and add egg white to shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 20 seconds until drink is frothy and foamy. The longer you shake, the foamier the drink. Add ginger beer and stir slightly. Pour into glass.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick and crystallized ginger square, and sprinkle the top with finely ground gingerbread cookie.
Note: You can substitute brown sugar or cinnamon sugar to rim glass.