Recipes I Want to Try

and maybe you will too!

Tasty Toaster Tarts

Mock Crab Cakes

Brilliant Blondies by the Sneaky Chef

Chocolate Chip Shortbread - yum!

The Best Biscuits Ever

This recipe is a combination of several good recipes that I have tweaked. The result? Seriously, the best biscuits ever! Well, except for Susie's biscuits in South Charleston, West Virginia. If you have had those, you know that they can never be topped. (Except with egg, cheese, bacon, or maybe steak.)

Another great biscuit recipe that I don't dare tweak because it's also pretty darn good is this buttermilk biscuit recipe from Christy at Southern Plate.


The Best Biscuits Ever

3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup cold butter
1 cup cold milk (a little more or less, as needed)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender or by criss-crossing two knives. Mixture will be crumbly.

Add milk and mix until just combined. Add more milk by the tablespoon as needed until your dough is slightly sticky.

Next, you can either roll out the biscuit dough or drop dough onto a baking sheet. I don't like rolling out dough, so I usually do drop biscuits.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown. (I forgot to time them last time, so if this is different, I'll update this post next time I make them.) (And I'll try to remember to take a picture next time too!)

Makes 11-12 biscuits, depending on size.

Menu Plan 9/7/09

Monday - pan fried steak, gravy, mashed potatoes, salad (steak is leftover from our fondue night this past weekend)

Tuesday - homemade macaroni and cheese, steamed broccoli

Wednesday - spaghetti and meatballs, steamed veggies

Thursday - crockpot chicken, steamed veggies

Friday - creamed chicken over biscuits

Saturday - homemade pizza

Making Banana Chips without a Food Dehydrator

I have wanted a food dehydrator for a few years now. I'd love to make dried apples, bananas, even try making beef jerkey for Hubby to enjoy. (I think I'll be asking for one for Christmas!)

I ran across a post somewhere last week, I'm sorry I can't remember where I saw it. It gave simple instructions on how to dry bananas without a food dehydrator. I was so excited! I knew I had to try this. And I took pictures, so this is my very first tutorial post - just for y'all to enjoy!

First, peel your banana and make thin slices. Not too thin or they will wither into nothingness. Not too thick or they will take too long to dry.
Next, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. I'm using a small rectangular baking stone that fits perfectly in my toaster oven. One banana fits on this baking stone, with just a few slices left over.
Then, place them in a 200 degree oven. Check on them after an hour. Then every fifteen minutes or so, to make sure you don't burn them. This batch took exactly two hours.
Immediately remove them from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. They do not take long to cool, but they will probably stick to the baking sheet if you let them cool on it.

Voila! Banana chips!

I would suggest that you store your banana chips in an airtight container, but ours didn't even last the afternoon. They were enjoyed by the toddler, my Hubby, and myself!

I found that these were very sweet and did not need any sugar. If you don't want them to brown, I guess you could dip them in lemon juice before baking. Don't soak them, or your drying time will be longer.

For more great kitchen tips, visit Lisa at Blessed with Grace for Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.