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Archives for September 2020

Rosemary Garlic Biscuits (with a surprise)

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Biscuits.  I LOVE biscuits!  From a tube, box mix, or homemade… I love them all. I’ve topped casseroles with them, turned them into cinnamon rolls and monkey bread, wrapped hot dogs with them, stuffed them with cheese, used them for sandwiches, you get the picture. 

I’m not an expert in baking biscuits (just in devouring them) , but I do know it’s a southern thing, and buttermilk is queen.  So, imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon a recipe for OLIVE OIL Biscuits.

Yes, olive oil. In a biscuit.  

You all know I bake cakes and cookies with olive oil. I’ve made focaccia bread , and used olive oil as a dipping sauce for bread with meals. Until this past weekend, I haven’t tried to bake biscuits with it, though.

While looking through a stack of recipes, I came across a recipe card from my friends at the Manassas Olive Oil Company  Funny thing… I have a lot of those “MOOC” recipe cards because every time I visit the shop, I grab one and announce “Oh I’m going to make this!”  I have never been disappointed in any recipe of theirs. 

These biscuits are so tender, flaky, and easy to make (it’s a drop recipe, meaning you drop the dough by tablespoons onto your baking sheet) you can make them on the busiest of weeknights with a bowl of soup  or casserole and dinner is done! 

The original recipe uses extra -virgin olive oil, and sea salt for flavoring.  Flavor suggestions included rosemary, garlic, or a french garden blend that the shop carries.  I didn’t have those flavors on hand, so I went to work looking for substitutions.

Enter “MOOC” Rosemary olive oil, and my jar of Epicure “Rosemary Garlic” seasoning.  If you haven’t heard of Epicure, give my gal Rosemarie Emmons a call!  I am excited to try more variations of this recipe in the future, as flavor combos are endless!  I even paired this with a delicious fall salad recipe I created for our latest “The Curly Girls” episode!

For now, I present my take on MOOC Olive Oil biscuits.. “Rosemary Garlic Biscuits” . Thanks for the inspiration! 

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Rosemary Olive Oil (or extra virgin for a mild flavor)

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning – I used Epicure’s “Rosemary Garlic” blend.  Fresh or dried rosemary with garlic powder would work as well. 

Preheat over to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up.

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add the olive oil and buttermilk to dry ingredients. Stir to combine.

Drop dough by tablespoons (or scooper) onto baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes , or until lightly browned. Makes 12-16 biscuits.

Enjoy!  And stay tuned for more biscuit combos coming this fall! 

 

Gina 

 

 

The perfect fall picnic!

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Are you following “The Curly Girls” on Facebook?  If you aren’t you should be! 

As the foodie half of the duo, I get to have fun the kitchen (as if I don’t normally have fun there, lol) with recipes and foods that I typically don’t offer as a custom baker. I love coming up with and adapting recipes to pair with the wines and cocktails Ann Marie creates.  

For the September episode, we took to the great outdoors and headed on a fall picnic. We didn’t have to venture far, as Ann Marie has an amazing home on beautiful acreage that lends itself naturally as a relaxing spot to pack a picnic lunch and soak up the fresh air. 

I really wanted to incorporate a nice fall salad into the show, as I really LOVE salads.  Then, I needed a roll, bread or some carb to pack along with it… of course.  

Then, I wanted a comforting dessert.  For that I baked one of my chocolate chip cookie cakes. You can bake your own, or order one from the Kitchen.

 

I hope you like what I came up with.   For this post, I focused on the salad components.  Check back for another post featuring the biscuit recipe I found! 

Wild Rice and Greens Salad 

1 (6 ounce) package long-grain and wild rice mix

Salad greens – my favorites are a mix of power greens, baby kale, spinach and arugula

Cherry tomatoes, quartered (as many as you like )

chopped pecans , for topping 

For the dressing: 

1/4 cup fig preserves (homemade* or store bought)

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used vanilla balsamic from Manassas Olive Oil Company ). Use what you have available to you locally !

2 tablespoons olive oil (I used my favorite  arbequina olive oil from Manassas Olive Oil Company)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dijon mustard 

Cook rice according to package directions, let cool until slightly warm.

Wash and prepare salad greens , add to large bowl for mixing with rice and dressing .

Prepare the dressing :  In mixing bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until well combined. 

Add rice and dressing to bowl with greens and tomatoes, mix thoroughly, if desired, sprinkle with chopped pecans. 

*Fig preserves, recipe adapted from “Cooking with Paula Deen”

16 ounces fresh figs (If you can find them! Once you find them, use the day you buy them) 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

On stove top, combine all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil, about 5 mins.  Reduce heat and continue to cook until reduced and thickened, about 30 mins. Cool and store in container or mason jar, for up to a month.

 

Here’s to crisp fall days, and picnics with good friends, good food, and wine! 

Gina 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s in the cookie jar?

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BROWNIES!  That’s what’s in the cookie jar!   

How is it that it’s Labor Day weekend already? The last blast of summer… except for the heat and humidity of course! My latest recipe will be a sweet addition to your holiday weekend. 

I’ve got the latest recipe from my series (based off of Food Network Magazine’s ) “A Year of Brownies”, and this one is a keeper.  Like last month’s brownie , it’s a few step process, but well worth the effort.  This brownie has 4 layers of deliciousness, including a shortbread cookie bottom layer! I used “Lorna Doone” cookies , but you could be an overachiever and make your own homemade layer. You do you!  

The original recipe called for chocolate, peanut butter and butterscotch baking chips.  I substituted espresso chips and pretzel M&Ms , along with the butterscotch baking chips.  Use whatever flavor candies or baking chips you have on hand, or your family favorites. . Try white chocolate  baking chips, sno-cap candies or caramel baking chips in this recipe! 

The brownie layer has extra chocolate chips added. I had a half of a 10 ounce bag on hand, so I used it all. Original recipe called for 4 ounces. Who doesn’t need MORE chocolate in their brownie?   Overall, this recipe is 10 out of 10 on the deliciousness scale. Perfect treat for a picnic, party, or baked in a disposable tray and delivered to a friend or neighbor. It’s so decadent, you could use an an alternative to birthday cake (IMHO)! 

Here’s the recipe:

 Cookie Jar Brownie

Ingredients for shortbread and cookie dough layers:

9×13 pan coated in nonstick cooking spray 

24 Lorna Doone cookies (or your own shortbread cookie recipe)

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 stick butter, room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup espresso baking chips (I used Nestle brand)

1/2 cup butterscotch baking chips

1/2 cup pretzel M&Ms

For the brownie layer: 

2 sticks butter

5 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate baking chips

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Assemble the shortbread layer: Preheat oven to 350, ready your 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray .  Arrange cookies on bottom of pan.

For the cookie dough layer:  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in flour mixture on low speed until combined.  Stir in baking chips and candies until combined. 

Head to the stovetop to make the brownie layer: Melt butter and chocolate chips over medium heat until combined. Remove from heat , let cool,  add the granulated sugar and eggs until combined. This mixture  should look smooth and glossy . Stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until no lumps remain.

Spoon half this mixture over the cookies and spread to cover completely. Flatten handfuls of cookie dough mixture into small patties over the brownie layer until covered.  Cover with rest of brownie mixture and smooth to cover dough layer. 

Bake until toothpick or cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 mins.  Let cool before serving. 

As always, let me know if you try this recipe. I like it so much I MAY add it to the market menu! Stop by on the 17th and visit to see if I do. 

Have a great weekend, foodie friends! 

Gina