Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits and Gravy

10036

Source (biscuits): Mel. 19 May 2011. The Best Drop Biscuits.  Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Reprinted from The America's Test Kitchen. 
Source (gravy): Irma S. Rombauer. The Joy of Cooking. 2006. Pg. 547

Ingredients:
Biscuits

2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, chilled (or 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice)
8 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

Gravy

8 ounces sausage

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 dashes hot pepper sauce

Preparation:

Heat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat liner.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the biscuits.  In a 2-cup liquid measure, stir together the chilled buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own by combining 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes  Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture slightly pulls away from the edges of the bowl.

Using a greased ¼-cup measure, scoop out mounds of the dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake the biscuits until the tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. 

In a large skillet brown the sausage, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Using a slotted spoon remove the sausage to a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pan. If necessary, add enough butter to make 2 tablespoons of fat.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk until the roux is combined and smooth. Stirring constantly add 2 cups of milk. Simmer whisking dor 5 minutes, or until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. 

Potato Pancakes with Avocado Mash and Eggs

Potato Pancakes with Avocado Mash and Eggs

10030

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs. shredded baking potatoes
1 grated onion
4 eggs
2 avocados
3 T olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Chipotle-flavored hot sauce

Preparation:

Place shredded baking potatoes in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove any moisture. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the onion, 1 T extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 TBSPS extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Divide the potato mixture into 4 mounds in the skillet and pat into 4-inch pancakes. Cover with a sheet of foil and cook, turning once and adding 1 more tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter. In the same skillet, cook 4 eggs sunny-side up with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil for about 1 minute. Mash the flesh from 2 avocados and season with salt. Top each pancake with some avocado, an egg and chipotle-flavored hot sauce.

Strawberry Shortcake French Toast

10029

Strawberry Shortcake French Toast

Source: Food Network Magazine, April 2010

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/2 C. milk
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. and 3 T. sugar
pinch of salt
8 English muffins
1 tsp. lemon zest
3 C. halved strawberries
vanilla yogurt
honey

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix lemon zest with 3 tablespoons sugar. Toss about a third of the lemon-sugar with the strawberries. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, nutmeg, 1 tsp. of sugar and salt in a shallow bowl. Soak 4 split English muffins for 5 ,minutes. Melt 1/2 T butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook in the skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side adding more butter as needed. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until puffed 8 to 10 minutes. Sandwich some strawberries and more lemon-sugar between the muffin halves. Top with yogurt, more berries and a drizzle of honey.

Lemon Berry French Toast

10001 

Lemon Berry French Toast

Servings: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Source: Food Network Magazine, April 2010. 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1 ½ C. milk

½ tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. sugar

pinch salt

2 T butter

Confectioners sugar

8 slices of thick white bread

lemon curd

blueberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla, ginger, sugar and salt in a shallow bowl. Spread lemon curd on 4 thick slices of bread, top with blueberries, then another slice of bread spread with lemon curd. Press together. Melt ½ T butter in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, dip 2 of the sandwiches in the egg mixture and cook in the skillet until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side adding more butter as needed. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until puffed 8 to 10 minutes. Top with confectioners sugar.