Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Fabio's Cheese Bomb Biscuits


Yummy note: Simple, easy, and yummy, yes, they are really 'da bomb! I found this recipe from one of my favorite Bravo Tv reality star's website, Top Chef contestant Fabio Viviani. http://fabioviviani.com/recipes/cheese-bomb-biscuits/ Thanks Fabio!! I love how quick to throw together these biscuits are, why use that boxed version, when you can make these oh, so tastier biscuits just as easy. I appreciated the fact that I could just mixing them up in one bowl and not have to worry about rolling or kneading the dough out as in other biscuit recipes. Way less hassle. Not to mention, a much more flakier, puffy cheesier product! yumm..

Fabio's Cheese Bomb Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups of sifted flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
4 tbsp shortening
1 1/4 cups of half & half
1 1/2 cups of grated romano or parmesan cheese

Directions:
Mix all the dry ingredients together, including the grated cheese. Next add in the shortening. After you incorporated the shortening, our in the half & half.



Adding to the easy factor, I used a ice cream scooper to drop out the biscuit dough onto my greased cookie sheets for more uniformed and less sticky clean up!


Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or until brown.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

lemony dessert

Yummy note:
Not sure what to call this so I left it as a "dessert" - wasn't sure to classify it as a pie or a tart or a pudding-like snack :) Either way, I was happy with the results and the tart lemon flavor. Definately was sour, but that's what I was looking for in making something lemony. I liked pairing it with the cream and berries on top as it added a nice sweetness to the dessert. The original recipe I saw for this called for more of homemade crust, slmost tart-like, but due to lack of time and ingredients, I decided to pull a pie shell from the freezer and go this route instead and it worked fine.


lemony dessert




Ingredients:

1 refrigerated or frozen pie shell/crust
3 large eggs, plus 3 more large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
3/4 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Prepare pre-made pie crust according to directions on package for a pie shell. Probably something like preheat oven to 350-400 degrees and bake for about 10-12 minutes. Bake as if you are doing a cream pie according to directions. Tip: Put aluminum foil around the edge of your pie crust so that it does not burn while baking. Remove it during the last 10 minutes or so during the final bake of the dessert. While pie crust is baking, whisk the eggs and yolks together. Then add the sugar, lemon juice and zest. Finally, whisk in the cream. Pour this lemony mixture into your baked shell. Place the pie on a sheet pan so it does not spill in your oven. Put on the center rack of your oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the filling is firm to the touch. I did it until it cracked some so that i could tell it was done, and didn't jiggle. Set on a rack to cool and cut and serve :)



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Drop Donuts

Yummy note:
This was a recipe I picked up from my aunt that honestly I haven't made in years. I don't know why I waited so long to make these drop donuts again, but I'm glad I didn't wait any longer. Super simple to make and of course, who else can resist a nice, warm, crunchy-like cake donut hole right out of the fryer. mmm.. My hubby got me a little fry daddy this year for Christmas, and boy, do I love it. It's not like I cook or use it all the time, but every so often when I want a treat, in particular like these cake donuts, it makes it super easy to do. Note, even if you don't have a little fryer, it would be easy to do in a deep, heavy pot on the stove with enough oil to fry the donuts in.




Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 egg, slightly beaten
3/4 cup milk
3 tblsp oil

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Then add the egg, milk, oil, and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls (or use a small cookie dough scooper) into hot oil, about 375 degrees. Fry for about 3 minutes, flipping dough once through the process, until donut holes are a golden brown. Drain on paper towel, and then finish with either a simple powdered sugar frosting glaze, or roll the donut holes in cinnamon/sugar coating or dust with powdered sugar.