Biscuits and Blues

Weekend Dog Blogging

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I'm racing against the clock and hoping I get our beloved Oliver in on the Weekend Dog Blogging over at Sweetnicks.

Doesn't he look sweet and innocent?

Takin' a little trip..never leaving my kitchen

Monday,I was trying to make out my weekly menu and grocery list.I desperately searching for new recipes to try instead of falling back on old usual,when I found this soup recipe on Epicurious.Chock full of several things I love,and it not being a heavy winter-type soup,I knew I had to try it.

It was everything I hoped it would be and then some.I have to warn you though,if you don't like cilantro...you probably won't like this soup.

Yucatan-Style Chicken,Lime, and Orzo Soup

3/4 cup Orzo

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion,thinly sliced

6 garlic cloves,finely chopped

2 jalapeno chilies,finely chopped

3/4 pound boneless,skinless chicken breast,cut into matchstick-size strips

5 cups low salt chicken broth

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 large tomato,seeded and chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook orzo in pot of boiling,salted water until just tender.Drain well.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.Add onion,garlic and chilies.Saute until onion begins to brown,about 4 minutes.Add chicken;saute for 1 minute.Add broth,lime juice and tomato.Simmer until chicken is cooked through,about 3 minutes.Mix in orzo,then chopped cilantro.Season soup with salt and pepper.

Recipe from Epicurious.

Peachy Keen

I'm still trying to perfect my pastry skills and the peaches looked so good at the Framer's Market.When I made the Blueberry pie,I said I was going to find a crust recipe that used butter before I tried it again.I didn't.This pie had a crust recipe with it and I just decided to use it.The dough was so easy to work with I may be reluctant to leave it for butter.

Latticed Peach Pie

Crust:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup vegetable shortening

6-7 Tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

6 cups peaches,pitted and sliced

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 450*.

To make the crust,combine the flour,salt and shortening in a food processor.Process with 15 rapid off-on pulses;the mixture should look light and dry and resemble tiny,irregular flakes and crumbs.Add 4 Tablespoons of the water and process again with 5 rapid on-off pulses.Add 2 Tablespoons of the water and process with 3 rapid pulses.The dough should be just damp enough to mass together.

Cut the dough in half.On a floured surface,roll out one half into a 12-inch circle,about 1/8 inch thick.Try to keep the dough as round as possible.Transfer the rolled out pastry to a 9-inch pie dish.Roll out the pastry for the top crust and cut it into strips about 3/4 inch wide;set aside.

To make the filling,place the peaches in a large bowl.Sprinkle with the lemon juice and toss to coat well.In a small bowl,stir together the flour,sugar,salt and nutmeg.Add to the peaches and toss to combine.Pile the fruit mixture into the pastry-lined pan and dot with bits of butter.

Lay the strips of pastry in any way that you wish.I twisted two strips together and placed them about 1 1/2 inched apart.Trim and flute the edges with your thumb.

Bake for 25 minutes,then reduce heat to 350* and bake for 25 more minutes.Makes one 9-inch pie;serves 8.

Recipe from Williams-Sonoma's Pies and Tarts.

This was a good pie,not out of this world,but definitely easy and good.

Garden Bounty

Wondering what to do with all of those Zucchini from your garden?Zucchini bread!I had to cheat and buy my zucchini,since I don't have a garden.The results were great,anyway.

Zucchini bread could quite possibly be the first thing I ever cooked.That or Banana bread.Growing up,we had acres and acres of garden,so zucchini were readily available.My favorite way to eat it is hot from the oven with a big slab of butter smeared across it.

Divine.

Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter

3 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups zucchini,grated

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350*.Grease a 6 by 9 inch loaf pan with the butter and set aside.In a large bowl,whisk the eggs until yellow and frothy.Add the vegetable oil,vanilla extract and sugar and whisk to combine.Add the zucchini and mix well.Sift together the flour,cinnamon,baking soda,salt and baking powder into a medium bowl.Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and using a spatula,mix until just combined,being careful not to over mix.Fold in the nuts.Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake until risen and golden brown,about 1 1/2 hours.Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

*I used two smaller loaf pans because I didn't have the size it stated.This recipe is courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.*

Overcoming the fear of the dough

I've never made a yeast bread,or a bread I have to knead.I've attempted to make pizza crust once or twice,ending with barely edible results.I have never made my own pie crust.Never.

This weekend,I decided I need to start working on overcoming my fear of the dough.For my first attempt,I chose Blueberry pie.And made the crust,people!

Lattice Topped Blueberry Pie

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,divided

1/2 cup ice water

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

For the Filling:

1 cup sugar,divided

3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 cups blueberries

1 1/2 tablespoons butter,melted

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare crust,lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups;level with a knife.Combine 1/4 cup flour and ice water,stirring with a whisk until well blended.Combine 1 1/4 cups flour,sugar and salt in a bowl;cut in shortening with a pastry blended until mixture resembles course meal.Add flour and water mixture.Mix with a fork until flour mixture is moist.

Gently press 2/3 of dough into a 4-inch circle on heavy duty plastic wrap;cover with additional wrap.Roll dough into a 12-inch circle.Press remaining dough into a 4-inch circle on more wrap;cover with additional wrap and roll dough into a 9-inch circle.

Freeze both portions of dough for 10 minutes.Working with larger portion of dough,remove 1 sheet of plastic;fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray.

To prepare filling,combine 3/4 cup plus3 tablespoons sugar,cornstarch,and salt in a bowl and sprinkle over blueberries.Toss gently.Stir in butter and vanilla.Spoon blueberry mixture into crust.

Cut remaining dough into 6 strips.Gently remove dough strips;arrange in a lattice design over pie.Seal dough strips to edge of crust.Place pie on a baking sheet covered with foil.Sprinkle lattice with 1 tablespoon of sugar.

Bake in a 375* preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until crust is browned and filling is bubbly.Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from Cooking.com.

It didn't turn out to be a beautiful pie,like I had dreamed.However,it was good.I found this recipe pretty quickly,had the ingredients and decided to make it.Next time,I Will search a little more to find a crust that uses butter instead of shortening.And maybe,just maybe I lost some of my fear of the dough.

No R

I'm craving raw oysters.Badly.And in a month with no "R".What's a girl to do?

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

I love cheesecakes,but rarely make them because they have to sit overnight.I'm impatient.I like to taste the fruits of my labor rather quickly.I made this one to take to a cookout a few weeks ago and everyone loved it.Silky smooth and full of flavor,I'll be making this one again.

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/2 cup cold butter

Filling:

4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese,softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

4 eggs,lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup pureed fresh strawberries,divided

8-10 drops red food coloring,optional

In a bowl,combine flour,sugar,and lemon peel;cut in butter until crumbly.Pat dough onto the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a greased 9 inch spring form pan.Place on a baking sheet.Bake at 325* for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.Cool on a wire rack.

In a large mixing bowl,beat the cream cheese,sugar,flour and cream until smooth.Add eggs;beat on low speed just until blended.Beat in lemon juice and vanilla just until blended.Pour 2 1/2 cups batter into a bowl;set aside.

Stir 3/4 cup pureed strawberries and food coloring into remaining batter.Pour into crust.Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil.Securely wrap foil around pan.Add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan.Bake for 35 minutes.

Carefully pour reserved batter over bottom layer.Spoon remaining pureed berries over batter.Carefully cut through top layer only with knife to swirl.Bake 40-50 minutes longer or until center is almost set.Remove pan from water bath.Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen;cool one hour longer.Refrigerate overnight.12 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home.

Cinco de Junio

This recipe was originally supposed to be posted for the Cinco De Mayo round-up for the Weekend Cookbook Challenge.But,due to my procrastination...it didn't make it.This recipe was from Dear Old Martha.It had a Mango Salsa that went with it,but I like my Mexican food hot and spicy,not sweet and tangy,so I opted to mix up a quick Pico DE Gallo instead.

Chicken Burritos

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 Tablespoon fresh grapefruit juice

5 springs fresh cilantro

4 sprigs fresh tarragon

1/2 teaspoon coarsely chopped dried Ancho Chile

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground back pepper

3 whole boneless,skinless chicken breast

6 eight inch flour tortillas

6 romaine lettuce leaves

6 Tablespoons sour cream

Combine juices,cilantro,tarragon,Ancho chili,cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper in a bowl.Add chicken,cover,refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Heat grill or broiler to medium high.Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.Cook 3 or 4 minutes or until cooked through.Cover;set aside in a warm place.

Using tongs,toast tortillas over a flame,quickly flipping them from side to side until lightly golden.Cut each chicken breast into 5 slices.On bottom third of each tortilla,place 5 chicken slices,several strips of lettuce and 3 Tablespoons Pico De Gallo.Roll up.Serve topped with sour cream.

Pico De Gallo

8 long green Chile's,roasted,peeled,deveined and chopped

2 jalapeno Chile's chopped and deveined,if desired

5 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vinegar

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients;chill.Will keep at least two weeks in the refrigerator.

I don't remember where I got this Pico De Gallo recipe.I've had it for several years and it has become a staple with all of our Mexican dishes.

Garden Tomato & Basil Pesto Pizza

Pizza that is light?This one is.It was so good and literally took minutes to put together and get in it the oven.I know this one will become a week night staple during soccer season.

Garden Tomato & Basil Pesto Pizza

1 (12 ounce) pre-baked pizza crust

Cooking spray

2 Tablespoons pesto

1 cup (4 ounces) thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

2 cups chopped tomato

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Preheat oven to 450*.

Spray crust with cooking spray.

Place crust on a baking sheet;bake at 450* for 10 minutes.Spread pesto evenly over crust,leaving a 1/2 inch border.Top with mozzarella cheese slices and tomato;sprinkle with pepper.Bake at 450* for 5 minutes or until cheese melts and crust is golden.Sprinkle with basil.

4 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light.

Calories 377 and Fat 13.5g.

Soup and Sammy's

As much as I complain about the EVOO Queen,Rachel Ray,I have to say that the few recipes I've prepared from her have been good.Her Creamy Tomato Soup is no exception.

Quick Creamy Tomato Soup

2 (15-ounce) containers, chicken or vegetable stock/broth (preferred brand: Kitchen Basics)
1 (28-ounce) can concentrated crushed tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and black pepper
20 leaves fresh basil, cut into chiffonade, for garnish

Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. When soup bubbles, stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Season with a little salt and pepper and simmer gently 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. With an immersion blender, puree soup. Serve bowls of soup with basil chiffonade.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Food Network.

I usually take my own pictures,but somehow I failed to get one of this.