Tasty Kitchen Blog » callimakesdo

Easy Flaky Buttery Biscuits

callimakesdo — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:38:24 +0000

A warm biscuit is comfort food, plain and simple.

Being from the Mountain West, biscuits aren’t exactly a staple at our dinner table. (My mom did make homemade buttermilk biscuits occasionally, to accompany cabbage rolls—one of my favorite childhood dinners.)

But my husband is half Southern; his mother’s family is from Tennessee, and some things must be in the blood. He loves a good biscuit.

Happy to oblige his craving, I was supremely confident the first time I ever attempted biscuits. I loved mixing and rolling them and especially cutting them out with my brand new biscuit cutter.

But when my biscuits came out of the oven, they looked alarmingly flat. To my dismay (and shock), my biscuits tasted more like hockey pucks than the light, buttery biscuits I’d expected.

I’m not the sort to give up easily, so I tried several different recipes … and got varying degrees of the same result.

Biscuits are my nemesis, I decided, and I’d be better off with biscuits from a pop can, if I ever made them again.

But my failure niggled at me. It’s just a biscuit after all, made from simple ingredients and simple tools. So when I spotted the recipe for Easy, Flaky, Buttery Biscuits from ranchinmom2five on Tasty Kitchen, I thought I’d attempt to make my husband happy and conquer my biscuit challenge.

The “easy” in the recipe sounded encouraging. So did the great reviews.

Here’s how I finally made a biscuit worthy of serving to my family instead of the garbage pail.

Start with all-purpose flour. The recipe does not specify sifting, but sifted flour is lighter, and I was aiming to avoid my infamous hockey pucks.

Add baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt.

Give the mixture a good stir to make sure the ingredients are well incorporated.

The recipe calls for cold butter. I like to cube it to make the cutting in easier. I’ve made this recipe several times and the last time, I substituted half of the butter for lard. It made a great recipe even better. They were my lightest, tallest, flakiest biscuits ever. If you have lard on hand, give it a try.

Using a pastry cutter or your hand, cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces of butter remain. Don’t overwork the cutting in. Just like with pie dough, this is the key to a flaky biscuit.

The recipe calls for milk, but I love the flavor of buttermilk. So, I substituted 1-1/4 cup buttermilk (since buttermilk is thicker than milk) for the milk.

In a small separate bowl, whisk the egg into the milk.

Pour the milk into the flour mixture.

Stir together with a fork just until the mixture forms a loose ball. Again, don’t over stir here. It’s okay if all the flour isn’t incorporated, it’s going to be messy.

Turn your dough onto a floured counter. I’m using my favorite pastry frame instead of the counter. Knead lightly just a couple of times to form a round.

Pat down till the dough is 3/4″ thick. The recipe advises against using a rolling pin, since the biscuits will be less flaky.

Using a biscuit cutter, cut rounds out. Here’s a tip: As hard as it is to resist, don’t twist the cutter when cutting your rounds. Pressing straight down without twisting helps your biscuit rise easier in the oven and keeps them light.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. The other trick I’ve found, after making this recipe a few times, is to crowd them a bit when placing them on the pan. They spread more when they are spaced out and are taller when more crowded.

Bake at 450ºF. The recipe says for 10 -14 minutes. I cooked them for 15 -16 minutes in my oven, until they were golden brown. Rub the tops with a little butter if you are feeling sassy.

Finally I have a recipe for biscuits that I can be proud to serve! They are everything the name promises: light, buttery, flaky, EASY and good.

Biscuits are so quick and easy, you can whip them up in no time. They are perfect for breakfast with gravy or with butter and homemade jam. They are so fast, you can even whip them up on a weeknight.

Thank you ranchinmom2five for rescuing my baking reputation and sharing this wonderful recipe with us.

Printable Recipe

Easy, Flaky, Buttery Biscuits

by ranchinmom2five on January 26, 2010 in Biscuits and Scones, Breads

4.96 Mitt(s) 45 Rating(s)

Description

These super easy biscuits are sure to please any picky crowd. Great without any toppings, or the perfect sausage gravy in the morning, or just some fresh, homemade jam!

Ingredients

3 cups Flour
4-½ teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¾ teaspoons Cream Of Tartar
½ teaspoons Salt
¾ cups Butter, Cold
1 whole Egg, Slightly Beaten
1 cup Milk

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter, until it is pea-sized. Mix egg and milk in a small bowl then pour into the dry mix. Stir together with a fork. Combine all the dry mix with the wet mixture until it forms a soft ball.

Turn out onto a floured counter. Pat down until it’s about 3/4″ thick (rolling will keep it from being flaky so use your hands). Using a biscuit cutter (or whatever you have handy), cut biscuits out and place on an ungreased pan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and beautiful. Perfect for soups, breakfast, or just a yummy snack! Enjoy!

Please note: we live at 8500 feet, so I do add a little more flour—just enough for a soft dough—than the recipe calls for, and bake these closer to 14 minutes.

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Calli is truly a woman of many talents, from cooking, sewing, crafts, beautiful photography and gardening. Her blog, Make it Do is a treasure trove of recipes, household tips, crafts projects, sewing patterns … you name it. It’s also peppered with photos of her beautiful kids. Go visit her site, and visit it often. There’s always something new to learn there!

Candied Jalapeños (Cowboy Candy)

callimakesdo — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 12:56:05 +0000

Every year my spice-lovin’ husband plants WAY too many hot peppers in our vegetable garden. He can’t help himself, I suppose, but our family can only eat so much salsa and Chile Verde.

This year, rather than letting our delicious crop of jalapeños go to waste, I searched Tasty Kitchen for new recipes and could hardly believe my luck when I came across a recipe for Candied Jalapeños (Cowboy Candy) from TK member Rebecca.

Canned jalapeños? Yes please! What could be better than enjoying the fruit of our summer labor on a cold day in February?

After making a batch of Rebecca’s Candied Jalapeños, I know one thing for sure: there is no way I’ve canned enough jars to make it till February.

You may be wondering what Candied Jalapeños taste like. It’s a wonderful mix of sweet and heat. I made my first batch with the seeds and membranes included and it was SPICY! The tangy, savory sweet flavor of the syrup knocked my socks off. In short, Cowboy Candy is delicious and totally addicting.

I’ll be making another batch for my family this week, and one to give as gifts for the holidays. This time around I’ll remove the seeds and membranes (which is where most of the spicy heat is found), so the rest of my family can enjoy their treat without watery eyes and runny noses.

Here’s how to make Cowboy Candy.

Start with fresh, firm jalapeños. As with any canning recipe, the quality of your vegetable (or fruit) is very important.

Remove the stems from your peppers. Yes, I’m wearing gloves, which might seem a bit cautious. But try inadvertently rubbing your eye after chopping a quantity of spicy peppers, and you’ll opt for gloves too.

This would be a good time to core out the seeds and membrane if you like a milder flavor.

Slice the peppers into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.

Beyond the obvious jalapeños, the ingredients are sugar, cider vinegar, turmeric, celery seed, ground cayenne pepper and granulated garlic. I live in a smaller community and couldn’t find granulated garlic. I chose powdered garlic at half the measurement (1-1/2 teaspoons) as a substitute, since powered is much finer than granulated. Powdered garlic was easy and worked great for me. After reading the comments on Rebecca’s blog, I discovered that she recommends one clove of garlic per 1/4 teaspoon of granulated, if you have trouble finding granulated like I did.

Pour 6 cups of white granulated sugar into a large pot.

Add the vinegar and spices.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the peppers and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Some of the slices looked more cooked than others, but that’s okay.

Using a slotted spoon or mesh skimmer, transfer the peppers into clean, sterile, hot canning jars. Fill to within 1/4 inch from the rim of the jar. You can use half pint or if you have big eaters, go for pint jars. Knowing my husband, I opted for pints and yielded 4 jars.

Return the syrup to the stove, turn up the heat and bring back to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.

Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup over the jalapeños.

Insert a clean, sterile chopstick to the bottom of the jar several times to release any trapped air. Add or remove syrup if necessary to leave 1/4 inch head space.

Wipe the rims of the jars using a clean, damp paper towel to remove any stickiness. A clean rim is important for a good seal.

Fix on new two-piece lids to fingertip tightness.

Rebecca included recommended canning times on the recipe: 10 minutes for 1/2 pint and 15 minutes for pint jars. However, I live in the Rocky Mountains at almost 5000 feet, so I made a quick call to my local State Extension service for canning times at my altitude. The canning times vary depending on where you live, so I highly recommend making the same phone call to find the right time for you. I processed my pint jars for 25 minutes.

Add your cans to your canner with two inches of water over the tops of the lid. Start timing only after your water has come to a full boil.

Rebecca recommends waiting about 2 weeks before eating your jalapenos, for best flavor. This turned out to be a tall order for our house and my husband broke into a jar in less than a week.

Already we’ve enjoyed them on burgers with jack cheese and on turkey sandwiches.

We’ve also loved them as an appetizer on crackers with cream cheese. I get the feeling we’ve just begun finding ways to enjoy this spicy treat.

Just be sure to spoon some of the syrup onto whatever you are eating! It is the star of the show.

Thank you Rebecca for sharing Cowboy Candy with us. You are truly a genius in the kitchen.

Be sure to check out Rebecca’s Tasty Kitchen recipe box for more of her delicious recipes. You’ll also love her blog Foodie with Family.

Printable Recipe

Candied Jalapenos (Cowboy Candy)

by Rebecca on May 24, 2010 in Canning

See post on Rebecca’s site!

4.97 Mitt(s) 34 Rating(s)

Description

These little beauties are so addictive: sweet, spicy, and tangy. Once you start eating these, you’ll find all sorts of places to stash them—sandwiches, potato salad, grilled meat, and pasta, just to name a few.

Ingredients

3 pounds Firm, Fresh Jalapeno Peppers, Washed
2 cups Cider Vinegar
6 cups White Granulated Sugar
½ teaspoons Turmeric
½ teaspoons Celery Seed
3 teaspoons Granulated Garlic
1 teaspoon Ground Cayenne Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Wearing gloves, remove the stems from all of the jalapeno peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off of the stem-end along with the stem. Discard the stems.

Slice the peppers into uniform 1/8-1/4 inch rounds. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the pepper slices and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers, loading into clean, sterile canning jars to within 1/4 inch of the upper rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot with the syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.

Use a ladle to pour the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeno slices. Insert a cooking chopstick to the bottom of the jar two or three times to release any trapped pockets of air. Adjust the level of the syrup if necessary. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, two-piece lids to finger-tip tightness.

If you do not want to can these to the point of shelf stable, you can simply put the jars in your refrigerator and store them there. I prefer to keep the fridge space free so I can them. If you wish to can them, follow the instructions below.

Note: If you have leftover syrup, and it is likely that you will, you may can it in half-pint or pint jars, too. It’s wonderful brushed on meat on the grill or added to potato salad or, or, or … in short, don’t toss it out!

To can, place jars in a canner and cover with water by 2-inches. Bring the water to a full rolling boil. When it reaches a full rolling boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pints or 15 minutes for pints. When timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack. Leave them to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe them with a clean, damp washcloth, then label.

Allow to mellow for at least two weeks, but preferably a month before eating. Or don’t. I won’t tell!

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Pie Crust Tutorial

callimakesdo — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:39:26 +0000

A few weeks ago, I invited my mom to join me in my kitchen for a day of pie making. She’s made hundreds of pies over the years and is known for her tender, flaky crusts. Working beside her brought back memories of making pie with her as a child. I love to watch her hands at work, her touch on the dough is so light and sure. We had a lovely day together and delicious pies to show for our work.

As we worked, my mom and I talked about pie. I told her I know many great cooks who are daunted by pie crust. Her answer was simple: if you want to be good at making pie, practice.

There are lots of tips you can use to improve your crust—how much to cut the fat, how wet the dough should be, and how to roll out and handle your dough. But in the end, there is no substitute for doing.

You don’t need fancy tools to make a good pie crust. The essentials are a mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a pastry cutter, a rolling pin and a pie plate.

I use one more tool that’s not a necessity but is my favorite pie secret, and that’s a pastry frame. A pastry frame is canvas stretched tight over a wood and metal frame. It can be used for pies, pastries and even rolls. They are inexpensive (I paid about $15 for mine) and they roll up compactly to store. They make it incredibly easy to roll out your dough without sticking, and thanks to the canvas, your dough absorbs less flour, making your crust lighter and more tender. My frame even has guides so you know exactly how large to roll your dough.

The ingredients for pie are simple too, no matter which recipe you use. Each recipe has dry ingredients, usually all-purpose flour, salt, sometimes sugar, a liquid (ice water, milk or even vodka), and a fat.

There is great debate in the pie world about which fat is best: butter, shortening, lard, or a combination of those fats. The two best pie makers I’ve known, my mom and my husband’s late grandmother, both use(d) lard. Their crusts speak for themselves—flaky, delicious, out of this world. So lard is what I use, too. Whatever fat you choose, it must be cold, cold, cold. Cold fat makes for flaky crust.

So let’s get baking.

Before anything else, measure the lard and put it in the freezer to get it extra cold. Then prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Measure 2 cups of flour and sift onto a piece of parchment or wax paper.

Re-measure the 2 cups of sifted flour. My mom lifts the parchment like a funnel and pours it back into the measuring cup. She also re-measures over the surface where she will be rolling out the dough. The overspill helps to flour the surface. My mom is all about economy of action.

Tap across and level with a knife.

Add the salt to the flour and sift again, this time into your mixing bowl. Then add the cold lard. Using a pastry cutter, cut the lard into the flour. Some pie makers turn this step over to their food processor. Resist the temptation! It’s too easy to overwork the flour and end up with a tough crust. The pastry cutter, on the other hand, will give you a nice workout. I like to think I’m burning off a few bites of pie.

The motion with the cutter is down and twist your wrist one quarter turn, Daniel-san. Down and twist. Continue this motion until the flour has been worked into the lard and your dough resembles small peas. Don’t overwork the dough at this point.

Next add liquid. My mom uses very cold milk. Grandma Eva used ice water. Both work equally well. Start by adding about half the liquid, which for my mom’s crust recipe is 2 tablespoons. Then slowly add one to two tablespoons more, using a fork until the dough pulls together into a ball. Stop before the dough gets too wet but is nicely pulled together.

Cut your ball in half and lightly work into two disks. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for half an hour or up to a day.

Remove one ball from the refrigerator at a time and turn onto your nicely floured work surface. Don’t be shy about the flour if you are rolling out on a counter or cutting board. It’s not fun to have your dough stick. This is why I love my pastry frame—the dough never sticks, even with a moderate amount of flour.

Work the dough with your rolling pin, applying gentle pressure. Roll away from you, then turn the dough a half turn and roll away from you again. As you turn the dough, make sure to add more flour underneath as needed.

Continue this until your dough is too large to turn. Roll until your dough is about a 12″ circle for a 9-inch pie plate and about 1/8 inch thick.

Many pie makers will tell you to fold your dough in quarters then gently lift it into your plate. Our method is much simpler and works like a charm. Gently roll the dough over the top of your rolling pin, slip the plate under, center and roll the dough into the plate.

When it comes to pie plates, my mom and I agree: a simple style glass Pyrex is best. It does a wonderful job of evenly cooking your pie crust. We even prefer Pyrex over more expensive ceramic plates.

The next step is important. Working around the pie, lift the edges of the dough and make sure the dough is snugged into the corners of the pie plate without stretching the dough. This will keep your dough from slipping down when baking.

If you are making a double crust pie, roll out the top at this point. I like to cut my vents while my dough is still on the pastry frame and the surface is firm. That way I can use a cute little cookie cutter to cut a small shape in the center of the crust.

Fill the pie with your filling. Wet the edge of the dough in the plate with a little water. Roll the top over the rolling pin, carefully center it over the pie, and roll into place. Trim around the pie using kitchen scissors or a knife, leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang.

If you are making a single crust, trim around the pie, leaving about 1/2 inch overhang.

My mom and I both flute the edge of the pie by using a thumb and two index fingers, folding the edge, crimping and fluting as you go. Follow the same process for a double crust pie.

Finish your double crust pie by brushing the top with milk or egg wash and sprinkling the surface with sugar to make a lovely crisp sheen on your crust. If you didn’t before, make sure to cut vents for steam.

For a single crust pie where the filling needs to be baked in the pie, fill and bake according to your recipe. Trust me on this one: once you fill your pie, bake it immediately.

For a pie requiring a precooked crust, use a fork to pierce evenly around your pie crust. Bake in a 400ºF oven for about 15 minutes until your crust is golden brown.

You may wonder why I don’t mention pie weights. The need for them depends on your recipe. My mom and I have never had trouble with our crusts slipping into the pan, and have never needed or used weights. If you feel you need them, line your pie crust with parchment or foil and use dry beans or rice to fill the pie.

We never throw away our leftover pie scraps. Cinnamon pie scraps are a favorite treat. Place your scraps on a cookie sheet cut in bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and cook at 400ºF for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Just look at that crust, so light and flaky.

The pre-baked pie crust can be made several days ahead until it is ready to be filled with coconut or banana cream …

Or one of my favorites: fresh peaches. That’s the pie we made today. While peaches are in season, it’s a treat not to be missed.

The first few pie crusts I made tasted good but weren’t very pretty. I’ve even had a few epic failures, like the time I filled an apple pie and put it in the refrigerator overnight so I could cook it fresh on Thanksgiving morning. It came out of the oven gorgeous and golden. But when I served the pie, the bottom crust had turned to goo. So awful! I’ve lived and learned and gotten better with every crust. It’s a skill worth working at, and one your family and friends will love you for.

There are many ways to make a great pie crust, this is simply one method. But it’s a good one. It creates a flaky, tender, delicious pie crust every time. This tutorial is mostly about technique and could be applied to other recipes.

You can also find the printable recipe for my Mom’s Fresh Peach Pie here on Tasty Kitchen and a step by step tutorial on my blog. And thanks, Mom, for sharing your skill and wisdom.

Printable Recipe

Perfect Pie Crust

by callimakesdo on August 4, 2011 in Desserts, Pies

See post on callimakesdo’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Description

This crust is simple, yet tender, flaky and delicious. It works for sweet or savory pie fillings. Makes 2 single or 1 double pie crust.

Ingredients

⅔ cups Cold Lard
2 cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
½ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Cold Milk

Preparation Instructions

Measure lard and place in the freezer. Sift flour onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. Re-measure flour and sift again with salt into a mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut cold lard into the flour mixture until the dough resembles small peas. Do not overwork. Add 2 tablespoons milk and work into the dough using a fork. Add one or two more tablespoons of milk, working with a fork until the dough pulls together into a nice ball. Divide into two equal pieces and lightly work into disks. Wrap disks individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour or up to one day. On a floured work surface, roll out into a 12-inch disk about 1/8 inch thick and place into a pie plate.

Fill and bake according to your pie recipe. If a recipe calls for a pre-baked pie crust, pierce evenly around the crust with a fork and bake in a 400ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes one double crust or 2 single crusts.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Streusel Topping

callimakesdo — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:17:19 +0000

Growing up, I had a next-door neighbor named Laverne. She was a grandmother, a wonderful cook, and kept a large backyard garden. Every year in late spring, Laverne would call over the fence and invite me for a slice of her fresh baked rhubarb pie, topped with melting vanilla ice cream.

The rhubarb was fresh from her garden; the crust was made from scratch. I’m not sure who was more delighted, me with my slice of pie, or Laverne, knowing how much I loved it.

Despite my early love affair, I had never tried to make rhubarb pie, until I saw the recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Streusel Topping from Melanie of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe on Tasty Kitchen. Seeing the recipe evoked warm memories of Laverne’s kitchen and the lovely sweet tartness of her pie. As soon as I could find fresh rhubarb this spring, I made Melanie’s pie.

Was it good? Did it live up to my fond memories? Good doesn’t begin to describe it. This pie is heavenly! It’s right up there among my favorite pies of all time.

It’s also easy. Easy as pie, really. So if you love the combination of sweet and tart, here’s how to make Melanie’s pie:

Start with your favorite uncooked 9″ to 9.5″ pie crust. You can pick one up in the freezer section at the store, or better yet, make your own from scratch. It’s not hard once you’ve had a little practice. My homemade crust never looks perfect, but store bought just can’t match the flaky goodness of homemade.

Once you’ve rolled out your crust, pop it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fill and bake.

Chop up your rhubarb, just like celery.

Slice your strawberries.

Add the rhubarb and strawberries into a mixing bowl, along with sugar and cornstarch. The cornstarch is the reason this pie is so pretty when cut and served. Many delicious pie recipes taste amazing, but are messy to serve. Not this pie; it holds together nicely.

Stir together until it looks thick and syrupy. The sauce that forms is a lovely shade of pink.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into your unbaked pie shell.

For the streusel top, add one cube of butter, flour and brown sugar into a mixing bowl. Why does everything I love have a cube of butter?

Cut the butter into the flour and sugar using a pastry cutter. You could make do with two knives. But do yourself a little favor and pick up a pastry cutter at the grocery store for a few dollars. It’ll be worth its weight in pie.

Cut in the butter until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the pie.

I took Melanie’s advice and cooked my pie on a baking sheet with a rolled edge. (I’ve cleaned burnt fruit from the bottom of my oven before—not fun!)

Halfway through cooking, wrap the edge of your crust with foil to keep it from over browning.

It’s a hard thing to do, but let your pie cool before serving. A watched pot never boils and a watched pie never seems to cool. Especially when you can hardly wait for a bite.

We served our pie with whipped cream like Melanie suggested. Next time we’ll give vanilla ice cream a try, in homage to Laverne.

Thank you Melanie for sharing this treasured pie recipe. It was a lovely stroll down memory lane and I know it will be one of our favorites for years to come. Be sure to check out Melanie’s blog Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. She makes the kind of food I love to cook—on the healthy side, not super fussy, fresh and made from scratch. And she has four of the cutest sous chefs you’ll ever see.

Printable Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Streusel Topping

by Melanie - Mel's Kitchen Cafe on June 14, 2010 in Desserts, Pies

See post on Melanie - Mel's Kitchen Cafe’s site!

4.92 Mitt(s) 25 Rating(s)

Description

This pie is filled to brimming with juicy, sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb and a healthy amount of sugar to help lessen the rhubarb’s puckery flavor. Topped with a delicious and buttery streusel topping, this pie is worth the wait for fresh rhubarb.

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING:
2-¾ cups Sliced Fresh Rhubarb, About 5-6 Medium Stalks
2 cups Sliced Strawberries
⅔ cups Sugar
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
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FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
1 cup Flour
½ cups Brown Sugar
½ cups Butter (1 Stick), Cold And Cut Into Small Pieces
1 Unbaked Single Pie Crust (store Bought Or Your Favorite Recipe)

Preparation Instructions

In a medium-large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Mix well. The mixture should be thick and syrupy after being stirred well.

Roll out pie crust according to recipe or package instructions and place in a 9- or 9.5-inch pie plate. Pour the strawberry/rhubarb mixture into the crust, using a large spoon to fill evenly.

For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar. Cut the butter into pieces and using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour/sugar mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the top of the pie.

Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 50-55 minutes, covering the pie crust edges with foil halfway through in order to prevent over-browning.

Let the pie cool completely before cutting into pieces. Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, if desired.

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Essential Buttermilk Syrup

callimakesdo — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 11:42:27 +0000

Do you ever wonder what recipes you’ll be known for? When I saw the recipe for Essential Buttermilk Syrup from TK member lizaskitchen, I couldn’t help but think of my mom.

She makes the most amazing Scones served with Homemade Buttermilk Syrup. You might think scones and syrup are an odd combination. But here in Utah, a scone is a piece of delicious deep-fried bread dough. They puff up and cook to a golden brown and are served piping hot with a pat of butter, syrup, jam, or dripping with honey butter—a favorite here in the Beehive State.

My mom has been making her scones since I was a little girl—sometimes for Sunday morning breakfast, or if we were really lucky, for dinner. In our family the favorite topping by far is mom’s homemade buttermilk syrup.

It’s not a recipe I’d ever seen outside my mom’s kitchen. Until I saw it here on Tasty Kitchen.

I’ve watched happily as Essential Buttermilk Syrup stayed on TK’s most popular recipes list. Elisa’s recipe is so unbelievably good, it’s sure to become a favorite for your family, too.

You won’t believe how fast and easy something this good could be.

Here’s the how to make it.

Start with a large pot. There aren’t a lot of ingredients in this recipe, but it’s a little like those volcanoes you made back in science class—when you add the baking soda, it is really going to bubble and fizz. I used a 4-quart saucepan and it was large enough because of the high sides.

In your large pot, add a cube (1/2 cup or 1 stick, in case you were wondering) of butter. Why, oh why, do all my favorite recipes start with a cube of butter!

Add a cup of sugar …

And 1/2 cup of buttermilk. I pretty much love anything with buttermilk, too.

Add one tablespoon of Karo syrup.

Stirring constantly, bring these ingredients to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

Now for the fun.

Stir in the baking soda and watch it go.

It doubles in size!

Add the vanilla.

Remove from the heat and set it aside, stirring occasionally while it thickens.

My mom always serves her buttermilk syrup warm. Try it on your favorite pancakes, waffles, German Pancakes, or even on “Utah” scones. Essential Buttermilk Syrup is light and buttery with a hint of caramel flavor. It is a little less sweet than maple syrup and all the better for it! The last time we had it at my mom’s, my sister said, “I swear this Buttermilk Syrup will change your life!”

Thanks, Elisa, for sharing this wonderful recipe! I love how Tasty Kitchen brings families and food traditions together! Be sure to visit her blog Liza’s Kitchen for more of her wonderful recipes.

Printable Recipe

Essential Buttermilk Syrup

by lizaskitchen on May 13, 2010 in Breakfast, Condiments, Pancakes, Sauces, Waffles

See post on lizaskitchen’s site!

4.97 Mitt(s) 30 Rating(s)

Description

Pour this yummy syrup over waffles, pancakes, and French toast to make them oh. so. much. better!

Ingredients

½ cups Butter
1 cup Sugar
½ cups Buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Karo Syrup
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preparation Instructions

In a LARGE pot, combine butter, sugar, buttermilk, and Karo syrup, and bring to a boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add baking soda and vanilla. Mixture will fizz to TWICE THE SIZE or more, so make sure you use a good-sized pot! Set it aside to thicken while stirring occasionally. Pour over waffles, pancakes, and French toast to make them oh. so. much. better!

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Bow Tie Pasta with Oven Dried Tomatoes

callimakesdo — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:04:42 +0000

Ask my nine-year-old daughter what she wants for dinner and nine times out of ten the answer will be, “Bow Tie Pasta.” What can I say, she is a very reliable girl.

As a mom, I find myself cooking foods that appeal to my husband and me, and I don’t cater to the kids a whole lot. I hope that doesn’t make me a bad parent. Luckily, my kids are pretty good eaters (maybe from necessity). But that doesn’t mean I don’t look out for the foods I know they love, especially when it’s something we all can agree is delicious.

Because of my daughter’s little obsession, I usually check out Bow Tie Pasta recipes when they catch my eye. When I saw the recipe for Bow Tie Pasta with Oven Dried Tomatoes, Asparagus, and Boursin from Tasty Kitchen member barefootbelle, I knew I had to give it a try.

Asparagus, oven dried tomatoes, pine nuts and Boursin … hold the phone, did you it just say Boursin?

Oh me, oh my. How I love Boursin.

“Yes sweetie, I’d be happy to make Bow Tie Pasta for dinner tonight.”

This is an easy recipe, but not one you can throw together at the last minute. The oven dried tomatoes take 3 1/2 hours. So you’ll need to plan ahead. Despite the time involved, it’s the oven dried tomatoes that totally stole the show for me. They have such a lovely sweetness and concentration of flavors.

Here’s how I made barefootbelle’s lovely Bow Tie Pasta:

Start with cherry tomatoes. I think grape tomatoes would be delicious, too. Do yourself favor and make more than the recipe calls for. They are so yummy you’ll want some for a crostini or for crackers with cheese (Boursin anyone?), or even eaten straight off the pan.

Halve the tomatoes and place them on your baking sheet facing up and tuck in the whole cloves of garlic. They slow cook until their flavor is mild, creamy and delicious.

Drizzle them with oil, pepper, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of sugar.

Sprinkle on some fresh chopped basil.

Throw the whole thing in the oven for 3 1/2 hours. It’s a long time, but there is an upside: your kitchen will smell like a great Italian restaurant all afternoon.

In a hot pan, toast the pine nuts until fragrant. That’s my rule of thumb with any nuts. Cook ‘em until they smell nice.

Cook your pasta in well-salted water. Since my husband doesn’t like pasta cooked TOO al dente, I cooked my pasta according to the package instructions, and not the eight minutes recommended on the recipe. I think good Italian pasta takes a little longer anyway. Even after heating everything in the pan at the end, the pasta tasted perfectly cooked and not mushy. Be sure to reserve 2/3 cup of the pasta water before you strain it all away.

Here’s where I departed a bit from the text. The recipe calls for the asparagus to be cooked in the last two minutes, boiled with the pasta. While I’m sure that would work just great, I love the flavor of roasted asparagus, so I chopped up my asparagus into bite-sized pieces …

And I tossed them on a baking sheet, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roasted at 400ºF until tender crisp, about 8 minutes depending on the size of your spears.

Now it’s time to toss it all together. In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic. The recipe doesn’t mention it, but I minced mine. Add the tomatoes to warm them. Add the pasta, asparagus and the reserved water. Toss to combine.

Pinch and drop the Boursin into the pan. Add the lemon pepper and pine nuts.

Sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese. Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy! The pasta is great combination of flavors, and feels fresh and springy. I think I mentioned that I loved the oven dried tomatoes; they are amazing. I also love what the lemon pepper does to give the pasta a lighter zip. This is a meal that makes me and my girl very happy.

Thank you Dorothy for sharing all of your wonderful recipes! Be sure to check out Dorothy’s wonderful TK recipe box and her blog Belle of the Kitchen. And have you read her Tasty Kitchen feature yet? You’ll fall in love with her even more.

Printable Recipe

Bow Tie Pasta with Oven Dried Tomatoes, Asparagus, and Boursin

by barefootbelle on March 23, 2010 in Main Courses, Pasta

See post on barefootbelle’s site!

4.80 Mitt(s) 10 Rating(s)

Description

This fresh dish hits the spot for a springtime dinner.

Ingredients

FOR THE OVEN DRIED TOMATOES:
12 whole Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
3 cloves Garlic
1 teaspoon To 2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1 pinch Sugar
1 pinch Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
4 leaves Basil, Julienned
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FOR THE PASTA:
⅓ cups Pine Nuts
8 ounces, weight Bow Tie Pasta
1 bunch Asparagus, Ends Trimmed And Cut Into 2-3 Inch Pieces
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 cloves Roasted Garlic (from The Above List), Chopped
12 whole Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (from The Above List)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil, Julienned
¼ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
¼ cups Garlic And Herb Boursin Cheese, Crumbled (a Good Herbed Goat Cheese Will Work, Too)
¾ teaspoons Lemon Pepper
Kosher Salt And Pepper

Preparation Instructions

For the oven-dried tomatoes:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees. In a small baking pan (I used a round cake pan), place the cherry tomato halves, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with basil. Tuck the garlic cloves in between the tomatoes. Bake for 3 1/2 hours. The tomatoes should be shriveled, but still have some moisture. Refrigerate the tomatoes and garlic until ready to use.

For the pasta:

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook the pine nuts in the dry skillet, shaking or stirring the pan constantly, until the pine nuts are slightly brown on all sides. Remove to a bowl.

In the same saucepan, bring six cups of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 8 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook for two more minutes. Reserve 2/3 cups pasta water and drain the pasta and asparagus in a colander.

In the same saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the roasted garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the roasted tomatoes to warm through. Add the pasta, asparagus and reserved water, tossing to combine. Add the basil, cheeses, lemon pepper, and pine nuts. Toss everything together and taste for salt and pepper.

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Spicy Grilled Fish Tacos

callimakesdo — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:26:33 +0000

My husband and I LOVE fish tacos. We order them every chance we get. But since we live in a small community roughly 700 miles from the nearest ocean, a great fish taco is hard to come by.

When Patio Daddio’s Spicy Grilled Fish Tacos recipe popped up on Tasty Kitchen, I knew it might just be our lucky day. Patio Daddio (John) has a proven track record for wonderful recipes. Plus the recipe included some of my ingredients:

Corn tortillas. Check.
Grilled fish. Check.
Cabbage (with a twist). Check.
Lime. Check.
Cilantro. Check.
Spice and FLAVOR. Check.

I couldn’t wait to give them a try.

Guess what folks? These tacos rock. Yes, they are a little unconventional. But that’s what I love about them. The spicy recipe also includes a cool and delicious Avocado Cream instead of plain old sour cream. Yum. Patio Daddio also recommends topping the tacos with his crazy good chipotle and adobo Southwest Slaw.

I was surprised to see Frank’s Hot Sauce making an appearance on the fish but it really works. Buffalo Frank goes south of the border this time.

So if your mouth is watering like mine, here’s a step-by-step:

Start by making the marinade for the fish. Since they only need to marinate for 30 minutes, this meal is doable for a weeknight meal. Yeah!

The marinade is simple enough. Add canola oil, juice of two limes, and garlic salt into a small mixing bowl. Open up a can of chipotle peppers in adobo. Measure two tablespoons of the sauce and don’t worry, you’ll use more of the can for the Southwest Slaw.

Whisk it all up…

Pour it over your fish in a gallon zip-top bag. John recommends tilapia fillets for the fish and that’s what I used. I love tilapia for its mild flavor and texture and because it’s very budget-friendly, but you could also use mahi mahi, halibut or any white flaky fish.

Set it aside to let it work its magic, about 30 minutes.

I’m not sharing the step-by-step photos for Patio Daddio’s Southwest Slaw, but trust me on this one and just make it. Adding the slaw really completed the taco. The chipotle in adobo is spicy and smoky all at once. I could (did) eat it by the spoonful.

Now for the avocado cream. The first time I made it, I followed the recipe to smash the avocado on the cutting board with the side of a knife. The next time, I did it right in my mixing bowl with a fork. My way might take a little longer on the smashing part but I liked having less mess. A ripe, soft avocado works best.

Add the juice of one lime, sour cream, garlic salt…

And your favorite hot sauce. I opted for milder jalapeño Tabasco since I wanted the avocado cream to cool down the spiciness of the slaw and fish. I also liked the idea of a green sauce in the green cream.

Stir it up and set it aside.

Remove the fish from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Then brush the fish with Frank’s Hot Sauce and canola oil.

Oil the grill and toss them on. Cook them until they are just cooked through and flaky but still moist.

Once off the grill, I poured a bit more Frank’s on my husband’s and my fish but left it off of the kids. ‘Cause they’re wimps. Break up the fish into nice-sized chunks.

Quickly grill the corn tortillas to warm them up.

We serve our tacos family style. I love sliced up limes, cabbage for the kids, rough chopped cilantro, and the Southwest Slaw and avocado cream, of course. Everyone gets to build their own just the way they like them. And like them we did, right down to the youngest.

Thank you John for bringing the perfect fish taco right into my own kitchen! Check out his blog Patio Daddio BBQ for more of this man’s incredible work. (I’d say more, but just … just go there. You’ll see.)

Printable Recipe

Spicy Grilled Fish Tacos

by patiodaddio on May 25, 2010 in Fish, Main Courses

See post on patiodaddio’s site!

4.95 Mitt(s) 21 Rating(s)

Description

At the risk of being ridiculed by those in the know, I will call these “somewhat authentic.” Or, you might think of them as “Authentic Gringo Fish Tacos.” I was going to use that for the post/recipe title, but I had second thoughts.

Shoot, call me and the recipe whatever you want. Let’s get cookin’!

Ingredients

6 whole Talapia Fillets (or Other Mild Flaky White Fish)
2 Tablespoons Hot Sauce (I Use Frank's Red Hot)
Canola Oil
Lime Juice, To Drizzle On Grilled Fish
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 cup Southwest Slaw (see My Recipe Box)
¼ cups Cilantro, Chopped Medium-fine
_____
FOR THE MARINADE:
⅓ cups Canola Oil
2 whole Limes, Juiced
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
2 Tablespoons Adobo Sauce (from A Can Of Chipotles In Adobo)
_____
FOR THE AVOCADO CREAM:
1 whole Large Hass Avocado, Peeled, Seeded And Diced (I Recommend Calavo)
1 cup Sour Cream
1 whole Lime, Juiced
2 teaspoons Your Favorite Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

Preparation Instructions

Important: Make sure the fish is fresh! It should be firm, with good color, and a clean briny (not fishy) smell.

If you can’t find talapia, any mild white flaky fish would work. Mahi mahi, cod, red snapper, or halibut would be fine.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine.

Put the fish in a gallon zip-top bag and add the marindade.

Slosh the fish and the marinade gently in the bag to ensure that all of the fish is coated.

Seal the bag (removing the excess air) and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Mash the avocado on a cutting board with the side of your knife.

Combine all of the avocado cream ingredients in an medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine, then cover and refrigerate.

Tip: The marinade and/or avocado cream can be made up to a day in advance.

Start your grill and prepare for direct cooking over a hot fire (450-500º).

Remove the fish from the marinade and drain well.

Pat each filet dry with a paper towel.

Smear each side of each filet with a teaspoon of hot sauce, applying it as evenly as you can.

Oil the grill grate and both sides of the fish lightly with the canola oil. The oil on the grate will smoke, so wait for it to dissipate.

Put the fish on the grill and cook for three minutes.

Flip the fish over and cook for another minute.

Move the fish to a warm platter, drizzle the fish with lime juice, and cover the platter with plastic wrap.

Quickly warm each tortilla on the grill.

To serve, offset two tortillas by half, smear the inside with avocado cream, add some fish chunks (separated with forks), then top with about two tablespoons of slaw and some cilantro.

Or, serve it family-style so that everyone can build their own.

Enjoy!

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Grilled Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Reduction

callimakesdo — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:05:38 +0000

We’re so happy to welcome Calli to the Tasty Kitchen Blog. We love her and her blog Make it Do. It’s pretty, it’s yummy, and it has so many handy tips for making things around the house a little bit easier. (I’m waiting for her to invent automated laundry.) And what a gorgeous salad to start us off with, courtesy of TK member courtneyjoy. Take it away, Calli!

Let’s face it, it’s really easy to get into a recipe rut.

I knew I was in one when my 10 year old son walked into the kitchen and said in a ho-hum voice, “It’s Tuesday so I bet we’re having spaghetti for dinner.” The meat for Spaghetti and Meatballs was being thawed at that moment. Uggh! Was I really that predictable? His question needled at me to shake things up and try new things.

It was in this spirit of culinary adventure that the recipe for Grilled Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Reduction from TK member courtneyjoy caught my eye.

Lettuce on the grill? For REAL? The recipe looked easy enough, plus it included two of my latest favorite salad ingredients: strawberries and gorgonzola. Why not!

In less than 30 minutes I was drizzling my balsamic reduction over warm grilled romaine. It looked gorgeous and smelled even better. After a run to the silverware drawer for a fork and a knife, I dug in. Oh my! Totally unique and delicious.

Grilling really enhances the lettuce flavor and gives it a lovely smokiness, which is nicely balanced by the sweetness of the strawberries. Add to that the creamy goodness of gorgonzola and the balsamic reduction … well, it takes this salad over the top.

Are you sold? Are you ready for an adventure? Let’s make a salad.

I just love seeing those ingredients. So nice and simple.

Start by firing up the grill.

While it’s heating, make the reduction. In a small sauce pan, measure a cup of good balsamic vinegar.

Add in the sugar and strawberries. The recipe calls for sliced strawberries, but I decided to chop mine. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced by about 1/3. The reduction is syrupy and delicious.

Drizzle your washed and dried lettuce with olive oil. The first time I made this recipe I used the whole heads of romaine. The next time I removed the tougher outer leaves and got closer to the heart where the leaves are more tender. This was a good improvement to the recipe. (And yes, I used the outer leaves on sandwiches. Waste not!)

Before grilling, chop the rest of the strawberries. Crumble the gorgonzola too, so it’s all ready to go.

By now your grill should be nice and hot (mine was at 500ºF) and ready for the lettuce. It cooks really fast, so this is no time to switch the laundry! I basically stood next to the grill with the lid open and tongs in hand. Turn when the lettuce has nice charred grill marks. The recipe warns not to cook your lettuce too long or it will be limp, and who wants to eat limp lettuce! Not me.

Assembling the salad was a snap. Toss on the strawberries.

A generous sprinkling of gorgonzola cheese …

Add a drizzle of the balsamic reduction.

Make sure to serve while it’s still warm if you really want to be impressed.

Go ahead. Surprise your family and make this salad for dinner tonight. You’ll be glad you did.

And a big thank you to courtneyjoy for sharing a new and adventurous side to salad!

Printable Recipe

Grilled Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Reduction

by courtneyjoy on May 5, 2010 in Salads

5.00 Mitt(s) 8 Rating(s)

Description

A refreshing grilled salad that is perfect by itself or with a meal.

Ingredients

2 heads Romaine Lettuce
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1-½ cup Sliced Strawberries
1 cup Balasamic Vinegar
¼ cups Sugar
½ cups Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Light your grill and set to high. While the grill is warming, drizzle the lettuce with the olive oil and set aside. Slice your strawberries.

For the dressing, in a small pot, boil the vinegar, sugar and 1/2 cup of the strawberries. Once boiling, turn heat to medium and let it reduce by 1/3 so that it gets slightly thick.

To grill the lettuce, using tongs, place the lettuce on the hot spots of the grill so that it gets warmed and slightly charred but not limp. We don’t want limp lettuce! Keep turning it so that it’s evenly charred. Not burnt! This only takes a few minutes tops.

To serve, place whole heads of lettuce on a platter, drizzle with the dressing, the remaining strawberries and the gorgonzola cheese.

Yum!

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