These desserts are an homage to the Thanksgiving traditions. Ditch the traditional pie and try smaller ones with bolder flavor." They can be individually wrapped or placed on a beautiful platter with twine and fresh thyme. You can use frozen cherries instead of the cranberries here; just increase the cornstarch to 4 tsp.
Comfort food
As the days become shorter, it’s time to cook comforting, warming food, and what better than a nourishing stew. Simple to make and usually in just one pot, stews make great use of more economical cuts of meat and root vegetables. There’s little hands-on time, too. All the work is done by slow cooking. Continue to the recipe
Green Chile Biscuits with Chorizo and Chipotle Gravy
Posted: November 7, 2020 in RecipesTags: biscuits, gravy
For those of you looking for something a bit different than the classic white sausage gravy, a delicious, quick recipe for chipotle-chorizo gravy as well as chile biscuits infused with black pepper and parmesan. All in all, if you manage your time well, the biscuits should take about 30 minutes to make from scratch, and while they’re in the oven, you can prepare the delicious, spicy-smoky gravy.
Green Chile Parmesan Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ cup diced green chiles
¼ cup of Parmesan cubes (¼ inch cubes or chunks)
1 cup cold buttermilk
Preheat oven to 450˚ F. In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients, whisk or stir to combine. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Make a well in the center, place chopped chilies and cheese in the well and pour buttermilk over. Stir until it comes together and makes dough.
Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and, with floured hands, give it a quick knead, a few times should do it.
Pat the dough into a 1-inch thickness and cut out biscuits with a 2 1/2” cutter. Keep reshaping and cutting the dough until you have 9 biscuits. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silpat and place in hot oven till puffed up and golden brown, around 15-18 minutes. Serve warm!
For the Chipotle Gravy:
6 oz pork chorizo
2 chipotles in adobo, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups milk, warmed
In a sauce pan over medium high heat cook the chorizo and chipotles together until cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted, add flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Whisk in milk and continue to stir. Bring to a boil so that the gravy will thicken. Serve over biscuits.
Vanilla Meringue Cookies
This meringue cookie recipe creates light, airy morsels. It’s the perfect fat-free treat to really beat a sweets craving.
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- 1-1/2 teaspoons clear or regular vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Dash salt
- 2/3 cup sugar
Directions
- Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 250°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes.
- Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #32 star tip. Transfer meringue to bag. Pipe 1-1/4-in.-diameter cookies 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake until firm to the touch, 40-45 minutes. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven 1 hour (leave oven door closed). Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheets. Remove meringues from paper; store in an airtight container at room temperature.
The honey cake is an underestimated cake. There are no frills, just really good cake. A dusting of powdered sugar is all it needs. Maybe a spoonful of whipped cream and berries if you are really feeling fancy. The trick here is to use really good honey. In most cases clover honey is typically used in baking because it’s flavor is mild, but here we want the honey flavor to stand out. I used a wildflower honey, which is sweet and floral, and gives the cake lots of flavor. An orange blossom honey would also work well. Honey cakes can also tend to be too dry so we ensured this one wouldn’t be by adding sour cream, which works to keep the cake tender and moist. Serve it with a cup of tea or coffee and you won’t be disappointed. The cake is superb when still slightly warm!
Gougères: How to Make Classic, Airy French Cheese Puffs
Posted: October 26, 2020 in RecipesTags: cheese puffs
People who can’t afford rent are living in their cars, and cities aren’t sure what to do about them
Posted: September 30, 2020 in GeneralTags: homeless
An increase in the number of the “vehicular homeless” gives governments a dilemma: Should they provide safe spaces for car living or enact policies to discourage the practice? While they ponder, faith groups have stepped in.
What’s going on is that low- to moderate-income Americans who don’t own their own homes are being hammered by skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages and a shortage of affordable housing. Applicants for subsidized housing face years on a waiting list. Those in need of emergency shelter find beds are often full while people sleep in the streets.
How to live the RV life for cheap
Posted: September 29, 2020 in GeneralTags: camping, life style, Rv
More Adventure, Less Money
RVs aren’t cheap to buy and they’re pricey to maintain, but that doesn’t mean you can’t afford a life of leisure and adventure on the road. The key is to save money in ways big and small wherever you can. Here are some tips, tricks, and strategies direct from experts who have learned from real-world experience in their campers, trailers, fifth wheels, and motorhomes.
Potato Roses
Could you imagine a more beautiful side dish? Thanks to the starch in these potato roses, the petals don’t stick to each other, leaving the roses deliciously soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.