Do you ever feel like a short order cook in a restaurant?  I sure do.  Sometimes it seems like every one wants something different and breakfast seems to be the main problem.

What is it about breakfast that makes otherwise non-picky people so darn picky?  I have some that want pancakes, daily, others that want homemade granola, and still others that would prefer French toast.  The worst offenders, in my opinion, are those that claim not to be picky, claim they don’t care and then proceed to sigh and push their food around the plate with a fork.

To this, I have one thing to say…cheese and bacon biscuits.

No one can really resist them.  Big and fluffy, with a nice cheese flavor, these biscuits are best served hot with crisp bacon and egg on the inside.  Quite a lot like the proverbial breakfast sandwich at the local fast food place…only better.

These freeze really well.  You can even freeze them individually with the egg and bacon inside and heat them up in the microwave for a quick breakfast on the go.  I use cans to cut these with, the big one pound tomato cans.  You can use whatever you like best.  I also like to sprinkle the top with cheese, it gives them a nice color and look.

Some of the kids like them with eggs, and some like them with just bacon…sometimes we make them with sausage.  These are very versatile so make them the way you like best.

Cheese and Bacon Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches

• 2 c flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 c grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 c cold unsalted butter

• 3/4 c buttermilk

Set oven to 500 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients.

Grate 1/2 cup butter into the dry ingredients and mix quickly.

Add the cheese.

Add buttermilk all at once stirring until a soft dough is formed.
Knead dough lightly on a floured board about 5-10 strokes…GENTLE strokes.

Pat out 3/4 inch thick and cut straight down with a smooth sided biscuit cutter or mason jar. Do not twist as you are cutting.
Place just touching on a silpat covered baking sheet

. Place in oven until golden. This will only take about 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of the biscuits. Watch carefully.
1 to 2 dozen (depends on size)

Meanwhile cook 1 package of bacon until crisp.

Drain.  Break each piece in half to fit on the biscuits.

I you want to add egg then use on scrambled egg per biscuit.  I just leave them cook in the pan like an omelet and then fold them onto the biscuit.

Images:(c) 2009 Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

A few weeks ago Pillsbury contacted me and asked if I wanted to try some of their product for the blog.  I have never been one to turn down free food, right, so I said sure.

They sent me instant potatoes and eagle brand milk.

Now, y’all know I don’t use the instant potatoes and that type of thing but if you  ever once use it in bread and such you will keep it on hand always. Potato bread is awesome but when it is made with the potato flakes rather than real potatoes it is incredible.  Much lighter and more flavorful that when made with the real thing.

I wanted to see how this translated to biscuits. I was really pleased with the results.

The biscuits are not as flakey as what you think of with biscuits but they are tender and flavorful..and perfect for sopping you up some red eye gravy for breakfast.

• 1/2 cup Pillsbury instant mashed potato flakes
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 6  tablespoons butter
• 1 cup  buttermilk or sour milk
• 2 1/2 cup flour
•  1 tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs cracked black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the potato flakes, flour, baking powder,baking soda, sugar, salt, and cracked black pepper.
3. Grate in the cold butter and mix well.
4. Add the milk all at once and stir into a soft dough. Knead lightly a few times until the dough holds together. You may need a little more milk.
5.  Roll out and cut with biscuit cutters.
6.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet.
7. Brush tops with milk, sprinkle with some French Gray sea salt, and bake 10 minutes or until golden.

Makes 2 dozen biscuits.

What in the heck are ya waiting for?  The grocery store is still open…if you hurry you can have them for breakfast!

If you want another awesome recipe with these potato flakes check out Potato Bread

image:maryeaudet

Post from: Baking Delights

I need my life to slow down..even as I am rapidly hammering away at the keys Kyrie is asking me to tie something…Nick is cranky about putting on a new shirt (touch sensitivity) and I need to leave the house in 5 minutes to pick up Matt at Driver’s Ed.

Whew.

I spent the day with Ethan at a mall (eww).  We shopped for some necessary gear, got our hair cut, and bought a new Christmas tree. Yep..I use fake trees.  Our last one was bought in 1984 and just now bit the dust..I think I am o.k. with the environment.  With those kinds of statistics I should have this one until the nursing home.

I just got a deep condition and a trim.  My hair is very curly and since I have gotten older it has gotten even more brittle.  I end up with it long on the sides and short in the back if I don;t keep it trimmed up..So..I splurged (HA! Andrea if you are reading this..there is THE word)  and had it done at Tony and Guys by someone who was a specialist with curly hair..and oddly enough her best friend did Erin (my oldest daughter’s) makeup for her wedding.

O..k…so this has NOTHING to do with food, right? Wrong…It is the lame excuse to let you know that I made potato and black pepper biscuits, they were awesome and I will post the recipe a little later…

LOL!

image:maryeaudet

Post from: Baking Delights

Yeah. I said it. Poser.

Sometimes getting breakfast around here is a big headache.  Imagine what mornings are like with 12 people, 8 of them kids…and of those kids all of them pretty much prefer different things. Cereal is not an option..way too expensive with that many people and teenage boy appetites.

I make doughnuts, and pancakes, and french toast… sometimes when I remember the night before I make cinnamon rolls…The other morning I decided to try cinnamon rolls made with biscuit dough and…IT WORKED! AMAZING!  Cinnamon rolls in under 30 minutes.

The texture is not as light…but they are an acceptable…QUICK substitute for cinnamon rolls.

 Quick Cinnamon Rolls

• 2 c flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1tsp. baking soda
• 1Tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c cold unsalted butter

• 3/4 c buttermilk

Filling

• 1/4 c unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 c sugar
• 2Tbs cinnamon (or more to taste)
• 1/2 c chopped nuts

Icing

• 1/4 c unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• enough confectioners sugar to make a good icing

Preheat oven to 375F.

Mix dry ingredients well.  Grate the chilled butter into the dry ingredients and mix up.  Add the buttermilk all at once.

Turn out on a floured surface and knead lightly until your dough is manageable.  Rol out in a rectangle.

Spread cooled melted butter over the rectangle.   Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and then the chopped nuts.  Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into 12 slices.

Place Cut side down on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes, or until done.

Remove from oven.

Mix icing ingredients and frost the cinnamon rolls while still hot.  Serve warm for best texture and flavor.

12 cinnamon rolls.

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

I really hate biscuits made with shortening, and I hate Bisquick. I grew up on those over salted things and I thought I didn’t like biscuits at all until I learned to make my own.  Biscuits aren’t hard to make, and they don’t take long, but sometimes the mess first thing in the morning is more that I can face.

This recipe for make your own biscuit mix should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container, for no more than a month.  I will be surprised if it lasts that long.

Make Ahead Biscuit Mix

9c flour

1c nonfat dry milk

1/3 c baking powder

3 tsp salt

1 1/4 c unsalted butter

1/4 c sugar

Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Rub in butter with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  Makes 12 cups of mix, which will make about 5 dozen biscuits.

To make biscuits:

Combine 2 cups of mix, and 1/2 c water.  Mix with fork until dough holds together.  Turn out on to a lightly floured surface and knead lightly about 15-20 times.  Roll to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter.  Place on an ungreased backing sheet and bake at 425F  for 12 minutes, or until golden.  Makes 10-12 biscuits.

Post from: Baking Delights