Comfort Food - Biscuits

Sometimes we all need something to comfort us on gloomy days.

The gloom may be in the form of chilly or rainy weather.

It may be a case of sniffles that you just cannot shake.

It may be missing family and friends as holidays grow near.

It may be the ache in your heart when a friend loses her battle against cancer.

My comfort food is warm buttered bread, and lately I have needed a lot of it.

The recipe for 7-Up Biscuits has been popping up all over blogs and Pinterest lately.

Having all the ingredients, I decided to give them a try.

Now, some of you may cringe since the ingredients include Bisquick.

Just bear with the rest of us who often rely on quick and easy!

I used the recipe found here.

The ingredients were things already stocked in my pantry or refrigerator.

I was halfway to soothing my soul!

I find baking helps soothe the soul.  The house seems a little warmer.  The air fills with delicious aromas.  The world slows just a little.

As the recipe states, this is a sticky dough. 

On the initial try, it was a really, really sticky dough!

My first attempt resulted in more drop, than cut, biscuits.

They were still hot, yummy and comforting.

On the second attempt, I added a few more spoonfuls of Bisquick to the dough.

Instead of just dusting my pastry mat, I coated it with a substantial layer of the mix.

That allowed me to scrape the dough from the bowl, more easily turn it a couple of times on the mat, then cut the biscuits.

The addition of sour cream makes these very moist, and the 7-Up adds to the fluffiness.

With the butter in the bottom of the baking dish, there is really no need for additional butter.

Although, who can ever resist adding just a bit?

Enjoy!

Storms, Salad and Friends

Photo via wfaa

Much of yesterday was spent with an eye on the sky, and an ear tuned to weather forecasts.

Seems like we are doing a lot of that these days.

Finally, the sun began to peek through and the clouds cleared.

I quickly threw together a salad, and scurried off to enjoy a monthly gathering with friends.

 I started with a package of spring mix salad greens, to which I added a package of baby spinach leaves.  Tossed in a handful of dried cranberries, and a can of drained mandarin oranges.

Next, was some yummy crumbled feta cheese.

I was planning on toasting some pecans or almonds, for a little crunch.  With time short, I was not sure the nuts would cool sufficiently before being added to the greens.

Instead, I happened to have a package of these.

A few sprinkled on top was perfect!

I made a salad dressing from this Junior League of Birmingham cookbook.

Guess it was a good thing to snap that photograph before serving.

I returned with an empty bowl!

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine ingredients in a jar with tight-fitting lid and shake to blend.  Chill in freezer for 10 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Add dressing to salad, mix well.

Serve immediately.

~Contributed by Lori Johnson Goodson~

This does make a sweet dressing, and I might reduce the amount of sugar next time -- or maybe not!

I just wish I had some of the salad for lunch today.

There could be more storms this afternoon, so guess I better go check that sky!

Hope everyone else is staying safe and dry.

It has been a rather wicked Spring thus far.

 

Southern Cooking and Reading

I own more cookbooks than I will ever possibly use.

However, that does not stop me from purchasing more.

My latest purchase is A Southerly Course, Recipes & Stories Close to Home by Martha Hall Foose.

This is her second cookbook.  Her first, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, also resides in my kitchen and has actually been used!

For those of us in the smocking and heirloom world, these are more than just cookbooks by some unknown author.  Martha's mother, Cindy, is a well known and much loved teacher of sewing and smocking.

Creative Needle, November/December 1999

Her beautiful designs often graced the pages of Creative Needle.

Students in Cindy's classes were not only treated to her vast knowledge of sewing techniques, but also her talent as a great storyteller.  Her daughter inherited that same skill.

Martha's latest cookbook is filled with mouth watering recipes, and tales of her life in the South.

The book is also full of wonderful photographs.

Many are all about the food,

and very much drool worthy!

It is obvious much thought and care went into each photograph.

No detail was too small.

For instance, this photograph of Grilled Frog Legs is presented by a lovely lady wearing what?

A frog printed housedress, of course!

Such humorous and endearing details are sprinkled throughout the pages.

I am not sure the recipe for frog legs will be the first thing I try.

Chocolate Chiffon Pie may win that honor!

Yum, yum, yum.

The photographs are not only about food,

but also heartwarming illustrations of Martha and her family's life in the Mississippi Delta.

Martha's knack for combining food and tales make this more than just your average cookbook.

I recently shared with a group of friends an article about Martha from the current issue of Garden & Gun.  Many were not famliar with this magazine about life in the South.

I would not have known about it either, except a very sweet customer told me about it last year.  It has now become one of my favorite magazines.

You may read more about Martha Halls Foose, her coobooks, personal appearances, and her role as food stylist for the movie, The Help, at her website.

Additional information for Garden & Gun is available at their website.

Happy reading, cooking and eating!