The Best Baking Powder Biscuits you will ever make!

These really are the best biscuits.  Easy to make and they melt in your mouth.  The trick is to pat the dough and not to use a rolling pin. I have used salted butter and use 1/2 tsp of salt. Use the baking powder without the aluminum.  It really does taste better since the recipe calls for a lot of baking powder.  Don't forget to eat with butter and homemade raspberry jam.  My family can make a meal out of these.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour , plus more for dusting the board 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
• 1 cup buttermilk (approx)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
4. If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet. (I have never needed to add extra buttermilk.)
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured board.
6. Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough down to a 1 inch thick.
7. Use a round cutter to cut into rounds.
8. You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.
9. Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other.
10. If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
11. Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom. Yield about 8 biscuits.

 

Amish Baked Oatmeal

I am not a big fan of cooked oatmeal.  But when I tried baked oatmeal, I was hooked.  Our family likes to eat it with fresh fruit on the top and a generous spoon full of vanilla yogurt.  We don't even add milk to it.  There are never any left overs at our house when I make this. I have to triple this recipe to feed my family of 6.  I still bake it in a 9x13 for the same amount of time and it turns out great!  If you make the recipe as stated, I would use a 8x8 baking pan and bake for the same amount of time.  That way the oatmeal will be thicker.

• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter or 1/4 cup margarine
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan.
3. Combine all ingredients together.
4. Spread on prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
6. Immediately spoon into a bowl.
7. Top with warm milk, vanilla yogurt,  fresh fruit or brown sugar if desired.
   

Banana Cookies

Have any over ripe bananas?? Need a change from the typical banana bread? (Don't get me wrong, I love banana bread.  I even have my favorite banana bread and muffin recipe on my site.)  But try banana cookies instead. Moist and really yummy, my kids cannot get enough of these cookies.  My youngest loves, loves the frosting on them.   And aren't they healthy? After all, they do have bananas in them!

• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

ICED TOPPING

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 350°.
2. In large mixing bowl, mix 3/4 cup brown sugar & 3/4 cup butter.
3. Beat at medium speed, scraping your bowl often until mixture is creamy 1-2 minutes.
4. Add in the bananas, egg, & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
5. Continue beating batter until well mixed 1-2 minutes.
6. Reduce speed to low & add the flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
7. Beat until well mixed again, 1-2 minutes.
8. By round teaspoons, drop the dough 2-inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
9. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges have slightly browned.
10. On medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp butter in 1-quart saucepan, adding 3 Tbsp brown sugar & cream.
11. Continue to cook, while stirring occasionally until mix comes to a boil 1-2 minutes.
12. Remove from heat & add powdered sugar & remaining vanilla, beat until well mixed
13. When cookies have cooled, frost them with icing.

The BEST Oatmeal Cookies

I have been on the search for a good oatmeal cookie recipe. My husband's favorite cookie is oatmeal and I never much liked making them since I really didn't have a great recipe. When I found this one and made he said, "Even my dad would approve!!" That was all I needed to hear!! These are soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The perfect oatmeal cookie for my husband. My search is now over!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (Yup, that is right!)
  
• 3 cups rolled oats
• Raisins, chocolate chips and even coconut can be added
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the shortening, brown sugar and white sugar. Stir in the egg, water and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.
4. (The dough will seem really soft, but don't add any extra flour. I bake mine for exactly 12 mins.)

Whole Wheat Bread

Don't be afraid to make homemade bread!! This is really easy. Requires no kneading!! EASY!! Especially good right out of the oven with butter and honey or homemade raspberry jam!!

5 cups warm water
3 TB. yeast
1 TB. white sugar
2/3 cup powdered milk
1 TB. salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup yogurt
1/3 cup honey
2 TB. dough enhancer (Found in the baking aisles)
3/4 cup gluten (Found in the baking aisles)
5 cups whole wheat flour

In your mixer (like a Bosch, Kitchen Aid, etc,) use the whisk attachment, and mix for 3 mins. Change to the kneading bar attachment. Add an additional 6 - 6 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour. Mix 3 mins. more. You want the dough to clean the bowl. Meaning, dough should not cling to the sides.(I add just the additional 6 cups of flour and it always works for me.) Shape dough and place in 4 greased bread pans. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for about 30 mins. (Depending on your bread pans. Some of mine actually take longer than others. )

Tortellini Tomato Spinach Soup

Cold and wet weather was here this week, and so I made soup, again!! This is a really healthy soup!! The kids like the cheese filled pasta.


1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
6-8 cups chicken broth (Depending on how thick you like soup. I add 8 cups)
2 (14 ounce each) Italian diced tomatoes (One can I like to put in blender and pulse
a few times.)
1 (9 ounce) pkg. tortellini (I use frozen)
10 ounces fresh spinach (I just add a couple of handfuls)
1 cup corn
1 cup diced carrots
1 can great northern beans
1 tsp. Italian season
1/2 tsp oregano (powdered form)


Add everything to the crock pot except the spinach and tortellini. Cook on low for 6 hours. The last hour, add the tortellini. Then 10 minutes before serving add the spinach. Serve with grated parmesan cheese. Makes 8-10 servings.

French Bread

We cannot get enough of this bread!! Sometimes I even make it twice in 1 week. It is soft and just plain good. (Especially right out of the oven.) Goes great with soup!!

2 tablespoons yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water

Mix together in a med. size bowl.

In a large bowl mix:
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups warm water

Add to flour mixture:
1/3 cup vegetable oil and the yeast mixture. Add 3 more cups of flour. Mix well. Let rise for 1 hour, stir down every 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Shape into 2 loafs. Make slits on top of dough using scissors. Let rise for about 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. When done brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, garlic seasonings, Italian seasonings etc...