"Cheddar Bay" Biscuits

Tonight's dinner was your basic tilapia in a lemon-butter sauce.  But I wanted to have biscuits with it.

I poked about online for a replica of the only reason people go to Red Lobster - the Cheddar Bay biscuits.  And all of them, to the last one, called for Bisquick mix.

Really?  You're too lazy to mix together some flour, baking soda and baking powder??

I've been using this biscuit recipe for four years now.  So I just took this basic recipe and modified it.  The results?

Delicious, fluffy biscuity goodness.  YUM.

"Cheddar Bay" Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried chives
1 cup extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4-5 tbsp butter
1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Add in cheese and toss lightly to coat with the flour.  Cut in butter until flour resembles crumbs. Using a wooden spoon, mix in buttermilk until combined.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto parchment. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are done (insert a toothpick to test).

Cucumber-Feta Salad

A light, summery salad.  Perfect accompaniment to many grilled dinners.  You could easily turn this into a panzanella, too.

Cucumber-Feta Salad

1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
1 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 roma tomato, pulp removed and diced
2 tbsp reserved marinade from Herb-Grilled Chicken
salt
pepper
red-wine vinegar
balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Combine first 9 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well to coat vegetables thoroughly.  Let sit 30 minutes.  Add crumbled feta, toss and serve.

Roasted Mushroom Baked Polenta

I had some button and shitake mushrooms in the fridge, so this was a good way to use them up.

Roasted Mushroom Baked Polenta

1 pound white button mushrooms, quartered
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
4 cups water or chicken stock, divided
1 1/2 cups cornmeal (polenta)
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375º. Toss the mushrooms with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a large casserole dish. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

While mushrooms are baking, heat a very large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and warm. Add onion and sautee until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Combine cornmeal and remaining water and gradually add to the sauce pan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until thickened.

Remove mushrooms from oven. Pour half the polenta over the mushrooms and stir. Top with half the cheese. Pour remaining polenta over and top with remaining cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Creamy Polenta

2 tbsp butter
1 large shallot, minced
3 cups water
1 cup corn meal
1 cup water
salt
2 tbsp mozzarella cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add in butter and swirl pan until melted. Add shallot and sautee until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil.

Combine 1 cup water and corn meal. Gradually add to boiling water; reduce heat to low. Stir constantly for 20-25 minutes until thickened and meal pulls away from the side of the pan when stirred. Add in salt to taste. Stir in mozzarella cheese; remove from heat. Plate.

Balsamic Fingerling Potatoes

Balsamic Fingerling Potatoes

1 lb fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and halved lengthwise
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
kosher salt and pepper
rosemary-infused olive oil
18-year-old balsamic vinegar

Combine potatoes, onion and garlic in a medium dish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1/2 tbsp) and toss. Drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar, toss. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool for a minute. Then lightly drizzle with a bit more balsamic and stir. Serve immediately.

Grilled Potato Chips

An idea that popped in my head for dinner last night. Turned out pretty good.

Grilled Potato Chips

2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
spray olive oil
salt
pepper

Heat water to boiling. Add in potato slices and boil 2 minutes or until just slightly tender. Transfer to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process.

Layer potatoes on paper towel to dry. Lightly spray with cooking oil and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the grill to 375ºF. Add potatoes directly to grate and cook for 10 minutes, flipping as needed. Remove from grill and serve.

Colcannon

This is an Irish dish that is traditionally served on Halloween (since cabbage is in season then), but it's good just about any time of the year!

Colcannon

1/2 head large cabbage
6 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large shallot
1 tbsp butter
~1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp butter, melted (optional)

In a large saucepan, boil cabbage until tender; remove from heat and drain. Chop well, aside and keep warm.

Boil potatoes until tender. Remove from heat and drain.

Chop shallots and simmer them in just enough milk to cover, until they are soft. Add boiled potatoes, milk, and mash well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend in the cabbage until well-combined. Add additional butter, if desired

Balsamic-Butter-Glazed Baby Carrots

This recipe originally came from Southern Living but, like most recipes, I drastically reduced the amount of fat that went in and no one was the wiser.

Balsamic-Butter-Glazed Baby Carrots

5 lbs baby carrots
6 cups water
1 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter
6 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
6 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Combine carrots and 6 cups water in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are crisp-tender. Drain and keep warm.

Cook vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir in brown sugar and butter until smooth.

Pour vinegar mixture over warm carrots, tossing to coat. Stir in thyme and next 3 ingredients. Serve immediately.

Bacon-Chipotle Twice-Baked Potatoes

I actually made 4 versions of this as I have a nephew with milk allergies. So about 1/3 of the mixture was dairy free (made with soy milk and soy cheese). Then, of each grouping, 1/2 had chipotle, 1/2 did not. As I was making these a few days in advance, I had masking tape on each of the tupperware containers reading "Dairy free, no Chipotle", "Dairy Free with Chiptole", "Regular, no Chipotle" and "The Full Monty".

I was also making enough to feed 23 people. Keep that in mind. Below is the regular, dairy-full recipe.

Bacon-Chipotle Twice-Baked Potatoes

14 medium baking potatoes
3 3/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
3 3/4 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup thinly sliced green onions
6 tablespoons pureed chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3 teaspoon salt
12 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 450°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork. Bake potatoes at 450° for 50 minutes or until done; cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, milk, 2 1/4 cup cheese and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Spoon potato mixture evenly into reserved shells. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cup cheese evenly over potatoes. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Mushroom Risotto

I don't make risotto as often as I'd like to since I don't like to do a lot of cooking that requires constant supervision. But, once in a while I get the itch.

Mushroom Risotto

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely diced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 tsp saffron
4 cups hot chicken stock
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter and cook until butter is melted. Add in onion and sautee until onion is lightly browned. Add rice and sautee until translucent. Add wine to pan, stirring constantly until absorbed. Combine saffron and 1 cup chicken stock. Add stock mixture to pan, stirring constantly until absorbed.

Continue adding liquid in 1/2 cup intervals until rice is al dente. When rice is nearly done, add in mushrooms and stir until well integrated with the rice. Add in parmesan cheese, stirring constantly until completely incorporated to the rice. Serve immediately.

Braised Swiss Chard

We have two massive chard plants in our garden that have been a delight to eat all summer long. Here's one great way to prep it.

Braised Swiss Chard

1 tbsp EVOO
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 bunch swiss chard
salt and pepper

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan and swirl to coat. Sautee shallot and garlic until lightly browned. Add chard to pan, stir, and cover. Stir occasionally until chard is done, about 5 minutes. Lightly season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately.

Oven-Fried Bloomin' Onion

I usually make a grilled version of the Bloomin' Onion (slice, drizzle with olive oil, season as desired, wrap in tinfoil, grill until delicious) but I had some leftover panko and flour from the Jalapeño Poppers, so I decided to do a spicy baked version instead.

Oven-Fried Bloomin' Onion
1 large onion
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
3 tsp Essence
1 cup panko mixed with 6 tsp Essence
1/2 cup flour mixed with 3 tsp Essence

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat together eggs, milk and Essence.

Remove top and bottom of onion and papery skins. Carefully slice onion into 8 wedges, leaving 1/4" towards the bottom un-sliced. Gently separate the layers of the onion so that it is slightly opened. Coat onion in flour mixture. Add egg mixture to onion, using a pastry brush to get between the layers. Coat onion in panko.

Line baking sheet with foil, coat foil with spray oil. Place onion on tray and bake at 350º until done, about 30-40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Creamed Spinach Gratin

I made this the first time for Thanksgiving 2005 for my ILs. Huge hit!

Creamed Spinach Gratin

1 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
1 clove garlic, halved
5 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise
5 10-ounce boxes frozen spinach, thawed
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cup skim milk
1 cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375° F. Rub the sides and bottom of a buttered 8-inch baking dish with the garlic; discard garlic.

In a skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Squeeze the spinach to remove any excess liquid. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cream cheese, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and shallots. Transfer to dish. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling and lightly golden, about 25 minutes.

Green Beans with Pesto Vinaigrette

So, having made the pesto sauce for a pizza, we had some sitting leftover in the fridge. On Friday I went out to our garden and harvested a bunch of beans. While cooking dinner on Sunday, I thought that it would be relatively simple to take the leftover pesto, add some white-wine vinegar and turn it into a vinaigrette to toss the beans in.

Green Beans with Pesto Vinaigrette

1 lb green beans
2 tbsp leftover pesto
white-wine vinegar

Blanch the green beans in water for 2-3 minutes.

While beans are in the water, whisk together the pesto and vinegar until you've reached your desired consistency. Add blanched beans to pesto, toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Homegrown Pesto

The Spouse and I have a huge garden this year and we've been harvesting veggies and herbs from it for a while now. The pesto I made - originally for a pizza sauce - was made from home-grown basil. Delish!

4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups packed basil leaves (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup warm water
4 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

Place garlic, basil and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in processor; process 10 seconds. Combine water and oil in a measuring cup. With processor on, slowly pour oil mixture through food chute, processing just until blended. You may have extra left over, depending on the consistancy you want.

Braised Greens with Chipotle Vinaigrette

I found this recipe while searching for something to do with the remaining can of chipotle peppers I had in the fridge. I used a mix of collard greens, swiss chard and kale from our garden instead of mustard and turnip greens, but the same principle applies. I also just used white wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar.

I think the vinaigrette would also make a fantastic marinade. So if you make more than you need, it would probably re-use really well.

Braised Greens with Chipotle Vinaigrette

2 1/4 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3 pounds mustard greens
3 pounds turnip greens
6 garlic cloves, minced

Combine 1/4 cup broth, vinegar, and next 4 ingredients (vinegar through chile) in a blender; process until smooth.

Remove stems from greens. Wash and pat dry; coarsely chop to measure 20 cups. Bring 1 cup broth to a boil in a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup broth and greens; cover and cook 20 minutes or until wilted. Drain well. Serve with vinaigrette.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

2 ears of corn, boiled and removed from the husk
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 bunch scallions, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Spray with oil. Add the vegetables and beans to the skillet, sautee, 5-10 minutes or until cooked thru. Remove from heat. Place vegetables in a large bowl, add lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.

Grilled Pork Chops with Rice Pilaf

I have the Back of the Yards Butcher's Rub from The Spice House. Goes great on chicken, pork or steaks.

Grilled Pork Chops with Rice Pilaf

3 BBQ-cut pork chops (these are thicker than your average cut)
Back of the Yards Butcher's Rub

1 tbsp butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white rice
1/4 cup orzo
2 cups chicken broth

Pre-heat grill to medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork chops liberally with rub. Grill over direct heat for 10-15 minutes or until done.

Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat. Add butter and melt. Add in onions and garlic and sautee until lightly browned. Add in rice and orzo. Sautee until fragarant and the white rice is translucent. Add in broth. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce heat, cover and simmer over low for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Sauteéed Shallots

Your favorite side-dish with a twist. Made it first about 2 Thanksgivings ago. My MIL has been pestering me for the recipe since then.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Sauteéed Shallots

4 potatoes, quartered
water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 shallot, diced

Boil the potatoes in water until done. Drain.

While potatoes are boiling, heat small skillet over medium heat. Sauteé the shallot until lightly browned. Remove from heat, keep stirring until shallot is properly caramelized. Be careful not to overcook.

Add in buttermilk and shallot to the potatoes and mash until desired consistency is reached.

Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese

Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts and Goat Cheese
1 jar pine nuts
1 bag spinach, rinsed well (I used bulk spinach but it's about the amount of 1 pre-rinsed bag you find at the store)
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add in pine nuts and toast, stirring constantly. When pine nuts are fragarant and lightly browned, add in spinach. Stirring constantly, sautee spinach. Remove from heat when spinach starts to wilt. Continue to stir until spinach is lightly wilted.