Mae's Baking Powder Biscuits

So my guy was talking about what to make for breakfast this beautiful, Saturday morning and said that biscuits and sausage gravy sounded really good.  Well, short of going to a restaurant and spending more money than we wanted to, I decided to spoil him with some made from scratch biscuits and gravy. I though that as long I was spoiling him, I should take pictures to share with all y'all.  So here ya go!

This recipe is my Aunt Mae's, my mom's sister's recipe.  She was a wonderful cook and though she has been gone for many years, her biscuits are alive and well at the Jolley home.  I love this recipe. Hope you will too!

Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients together. I didn't show the ingredients so forgive me.  Cut in the shortening until crumbly and then add the milk.  Mix until just incorporated - it will be sticky!

Pour it out onto a floured countertop.  Pat a little flour around it so you can handle it BUT DO NOT handle it too much!

Pat out the dough with your fingers to around 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into circles. I just used the top of a drinking glass. Now this picture doesn't show very many.  I only made a half batch of dough and I cut them a little larger than I usually do.

Place them on a lightly greased or sprayed pan.  Now I want you to see that little bit larger biscuit in the upper right hand corner of the picture. Well, when all of the biscuits have been cut and you have that little bit of dough left over, you just kind of work it with your hands into a loosely put together round. I'll tell you about that one in the next part!

Look how beautiful they are and believe me, they taste beautiful too.  Okay, see that loosely put together biscuit, now in the upper left hand corner. Well, this is how I remember it as a kid.  My mother used to always get that biscuit. Now I never ever asked her why she took that one but I have a couple of ideas.  I think she took that biscuit because she didn't think it might be as good as the others because it kind of falls apart.  That's what I think but let me tell you why I have dibs on that one. I am a little selfish when it comes to that biscuit.  It is my favorite.  It is the biscuit that just falls apart and that's why I love it. I take each little piece and slather it with butter and jam or honey.  MMMMM- it's the best!

Well, here's the final product.  Homemade sausage gravy over light as air biscuits.  Of course, they had to be served with hand cut home fries, Right? 

And my big, fall apart biscuit???  Well, as they say, a picture is worth a 1000 words.   Enjoy! Because I did for sure!  Happy baking!


Mae's Baking Powder Biscuits

2 cups Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tarter
2 tsp. Sugar
1/2 cup Shortening
2/3 cup Milk

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Cut in the shortening until it is crumbly.  Stir in the milk with a fork until just combined. Dump out onto a lightly floured counter top.  Pat to about 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into circles and put on a slightly greased pan.

Bake at 450* for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Do not overbake.

Super Good Baked Beans

I decided that I should add this recipe as well.  My mom, also made really yummy baked beans.  I loved them but maybe not as much as I love baked beans now.  A few years back, our family, along with my parents, made a cross country trip from Kansas City, to Williamsburg, to Maine, across New Hampshire and Vermont, stopped in Illinois and back to KC.  Long story, short, we ate a a place in KC called Zarda BBQ and I fell in love with their beans.  I have tried to recreate the taste.  Not sure if I have done that or not but I like the beans.  So here is a basic version of my mother's recipe, tweeked a bit.  After I share this recipe, I will also tell you how I do the short-cut but still really good version.
So, here goes!

First cook up some good old bacon (sorry I don't have a picture of the bacon cooking) I have decided that bacon is one of those things that I really never want to have to give up.  I love everything about bacon. Anyway, cook up your bacon til crispy and then crumble into piece.

Once again, I use onion.  I really love onions and cook with them a lot! Add some onion and some green pepper to about 2 Tbls. bacon grease.  Saute them until the onion starts to look translucent.

Add 2 cans of pork and beans that have been drained a bit (I don't love them too runny so I just squeeze out some of the tomato sauce that comes on them) and remove the fat pieces from the top of the beans.   Add the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, dry mustard and worchestershire (how do YOU say that "W" word?) the liquid smoke and the hot sauce if you want hot sauce in your beans.  That is optional.  Mix all together!

Add the bacon.  I tend to use a lot of bacon because I love the meatiness and flavor it gives the beans.
Mix together and pour into a casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350* until they are hot and bubbly.  Serve.  These are so good.

If you like the flavor of these, here is a little secret.  You can make just the sauce without the beans, onion, pepper and bacon and use it as BBQ sauce with pulled pork.  I do it all the time and my family loves it.  I serve it warm and it is so so so good!!!

So here is a picture of our 4th of July picnic.  The beans with that potato salad and a burger- WOW!!! Yummy!

Baked Beans

Cook 6 slices of bacon until crispy (more if you like :)) crumble when cooled

2 cans pork and beans, drained
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 Tbls. chopped green pepper
2 Tbls. bacon grease

Saute until onion starts to look translucent.  Add:

1/8 cup +1 Tbls. dark molasses
3/4 c ketchup
2 Tbls. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke (more if you like them a little more smokey)
1/2 tsp. Franks Red Hot or your favorite hot sauce (opt)

Mix all together and add the crumbled bacon.  Pour into a sprayed (for easier clean up) casserole dish and cover with foil.  Bake at 350* until bubbly and hot.  Serve!


So I told you there is a short cut version too.  So here goes!  Again, remember I don't measure! This is usually how I roll.

I use the 2 cans of pork and beans or more if I'm going for a larger crowd.  I do use the bacon and I do saute the onion and green pepper in the bacon grease.  Then I start dumping in ketchup, hickory flavored bbq sauce, a splash of worchestershire sauce, some brown sugar to taste-(and I do taste and add more until I like the flavor) and the liquid smoke.  It works. It's yummy and there you go.  I maybe even like the throw together a little more. It's almost the same amount of work but it's pretty dang good too!  Good Luck!!!!

Mom's Potato Salad

My mom always made the best potato salad. I have played with this salad and I think it tastes like hers. It really is quite plain with not a lot of stuff in it. My kids love it and one of my sons in law only eats this salad.  If we are at a party, before he takes a scoop of potato salad he turns to me and asks if it's mine.  If it is he takes some, but if not, he passes it by.

We were at a ward party and I had several people come up to me and ask me for the recipe.  The funny thing is that I never follow a recipe. My mother never followed a recipe.  So as I made this salad for our July 4th BBQ I thought I would put together a recipe.  IT WAS HARD!  That sounds weird but it was hard.  Anyway, I eyeballed the onion and then measured it out into another bowl.  Then I dumped the mayo into the first bowl and then measured it out into the bowl with onion.  Then I measured and tasted until I think I got it down on paper!  I make it a little on the salty side and then let it sit overnight or a few hours and the salty kind of absorbs and goes away.

I hope this works for you!  Good luck.

I used 12 medium sized potatoes and a dozen hard boiled eggs for this salad tomorrow. . My mom always did 1 to 1 ratio on potato and egg but if you like more egg in yours, add more eggs. (If you use less you will need to address the dressing.)   I boil my potatoes in their skins and then let them cool. I peel them and then cube them. I bring my eggs to a slow boil and once they start boiling I time them for 12 minutes.  I run cold water over them to cool them off.

I mixed up the dressing and poured it over the cubed potatoes and eggs. The onion that I put in is minced pretty small so there aren't big chunks. Mix well.

To me, potato salad is the quintessential 4th of July picnic dish.  I love it.  My family loves it! And evidently other people like this recipe as well.  Hope it works for you!!!


My Mom's Potato Salad

12 medium sized potatoes boiled in their skin in salted water
12 hard boiled large eggs

Dressing

1/4 cup finely minced onion
2 1/2 cups real mayo (I do not use light or miracle whip)
1  1/4  tsp. salt
3/4 tsp, black pepper
1/4 tsp onion salt
3 Tbls. dill pickle juice
2 Tbls. milk
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard

Mix all the dressing together.  It will taste salty but that is how you want it.  Mix with the potatoes and eggs.  Cover and let set in the refrigerator over night or several hours.

I sprinkle paprika over the top of it.

Good Luck!

Copy Cat Chili's Chicken Fajitas

I decided to serve a taco bar for my kids that came for Sunday dinner.  I looked up a copycat Chili's fajita recipe on Pinterest and thought I would try it. It actually turned out yummy so I thought I would share!

I had thought maybe I would just cook the chicken in a pan but then I thought how much better it would be on the grill.  Chicken doesn't take as long to marinate as beef so I marinated it for only about 4 hours.  It grilled up beautifully!

The extra marinade at the end of the recipe made a difference.  Make sure you use it.  Enjoy this recipe.  It's both easy and yummy!

Copy Cat Chili's Fajitas

      Ingredients: 

1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice

3 tbs. Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. Liquid Smoke

3 tsp. Soy Sauce

1 tsp. Salt

1/8 tsp. Pepper

4 Cloves Garlic, crushed

1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (it does make it a little spicy, if you like more mild add 1/8 tsp)

Steaks (I used 1 Flat Iron Steak 2-3 lbs). You can use chicken if you want. 

1 Onion

1 Green Bell Pepper 

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 Orange Bell Pepper 

Marinade to make for later (in a separate bowl):

2 tbs. Water

1 tsp. Soy Sauce

1/2 tsp. Fresh Lime Juice

Dash of salt and pepper

How to Make: 

1. First you will want to make your marinade for the steaks! I grabbed a gallon ziploc bag and poured it into that. Add your 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, oil, garlic, soy sauce, liquid smoke, cayenne, pepper and salt. Then add your steak and seal the bag up. Mix it around a little bit. It needs to marinade at least 4 hours all the way up to 24 hours. The longer you marinade the stronger the flavors will be.

2. Next you want to add your marinade to make for later ingredients into a bowl to store in the fridge. You will use this once the fajita’s are cooked, you will pour this over the veggies and steak for a little more flavor. Combine the ingredients listed above for the extra marinade, water, soy sauce, lime juice, and salt and pepper.

3. Once your meat has marinaded long enough, turn out your grill, I used our Green Mountain Grill, and turned it to 400 degrees. It is okay to use a charcoal grill. You will toss your steaks on and cook like you would any steak. Once they are done pull them off, and let cool a few minutes and then cut into strips!

4. In a pan add a little oil to the pan and toss in your diced peppers and onion. Cook until they get a bit soft, it won’t take very long, 5 minutes or so. Once they are cooked, toss in your steak, and use that marinade you made and put in the bowl, and pour over the veggies and steak. Stir well, and serve!

5. I had sour cream, shredded cheese, and salsa on hand. Serve on warm tortilla’s, and enjoy!

Homemade Caramel and Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping

So I wanted to try a couple of ice cream toppings for a baby shower that I was going to.  I found these recipes on Pinterest.  What in the world did we ever do without Pinterest?  This hot fudge recipe is really, really rich and so full of chocolate that it should cure any chocolate craving that you might have.  I didn't have any Ghiradelli chocolate chips so I used a semi-sweet baking chocolate bar.  It was very yummy.  I hope you try it and enjoy!

 

Hot Fudge Sauce

Ingredients

·         ⅔ cup heavy cream

·         ½ cup corn syrup

·         ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

·         ¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         6 oz ghiradelli 60 % Cocoa Chips

·         2 tablespoons butter

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Instructions

1.     In medium saucepan, bring heavy cream, corn syrup, sugar, coocoa, salt 3 oz. chocolate chips to a boil over medium heat.

2.     Stir until chocolate has melted.

3.     Cook on low for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

4.     Remove from heat, stir in the remaining 3 oz. chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla.

5.     Stir until smooth.

6.     Serve hot or pour into a canning jar and cool before placing lid on top.

7.     Refrigerate after it has cooled.

8.     Heat before serving if you want a smooth pouring sauce or spread on at room temperature for a thick fudge like frosting or filling.

 

 

 

I wasn't real sure if I was in love with this caramel sauce recipe but I've decided that I do like it.  I think it would be twice or ten times better with some candied pecans sprinkled over it.  YUM!

 

 

Caramel Sauce

·      1 stick butter, 4 ounces

·      ¾ cup dark brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar too, but the sauce will be a bit lighter in color)

·      ½ cup whipping or heavy cream

·      1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste

·      a pinch of sea salt

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INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and whisk vigorously to combine.

2.    Add cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and a pinch of sea salt. Stir until combined. Serve warm or allow to cool. Stir vigorously, then store in refrigerator. Mixture will thicken as it cools. After refrigeration, warm slightly in the microwave or on the stovetop.

 

 

 

Shish-ka-bob Marinade and CRACK Rice

One of the very most favorite meals my family enjoys together is shish-ka-bobs and this most amazing rice pilaf.  My son-in-law affectionately calls it CRACK rice because it is so addictive!

I marinate the beef in this recipe but I marinate the chicken in Italian Salad Dressing.  We also do breakfast sausage and sometime brats cut into pieces.  You can put anything you love on a shish-ka-bob.  The beauty is that we let everyone make their own. Some make theirs with only meat and some have a little meat and more veggies.  You can also blanch mini carrots and summer squash in chunks and then wrap them in bacon.  MMMM! YUMMY!  We have a nifty shish-ka-bob cooker but we have done them on our gas grill as well. Go nuts! You will LOVE this recipe!

I cut the meat and add the marinade the night before so it has plenty of time to soak into and tenderize the meat.  You will notice that there is a LOT of salt in the recipe. The salt is what tenderizes the beef and it works great and tastes SO good!  Try it out and enjoys it completely!

Julie’s Shish-ka-Bob Marinade

*I usually do enough beef that I triple and sometime 4 x this marinade.  Use beef cut into bite sized pieces.  I usually use sirloin steaks, rump roast or beef chuck roasts

¼ cup oil                                            1 tsp. onion salt

¾ tsp. garlic salt                                1 tsp. oregano powder (I use flakes and crush it)

1 tsp.  mustard                                  2 Tbls. Vinegar

1 tsp. celery salt                                ½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper                                                1 small bay leaf crushed

Mix and bring to a boil.  Cool and pour over meat.  Let set overnight!

Rice Pilaf  (Nicknamed CRACK rice because it’s so addicting)

¼ lb. butter

2 cups rice

2-3 chopped green onions (or finely diced yellow onion)

Brown together and then add:

5 cups hot water

10 beef boullion cubes

Brown the rice and onions in butter over medium heat.  Be careful not to burn.  Add hot water and boullion.  Cover and put in the oven.

Bake at 400* for 30 minutes, stir

Bake another 15 minutes

Six Sisters Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

This wonderful recipe come from the Six Sisters and it is heavenly.  If you love going out for Chinese, this is a great way to have that restaurant flavor right at home.

 You are going to cut your chicken into good sized bite-size chunks.  Try to make them uniform in size so they cook evenly.  Some of my little pieces cooked to much and were tough. Dredge them in the cornstarch and then roll in the beaten egg.

Fry up in the oil just until browned all around!

I like to make sure there is only one layer of chicken rather than having them on top of each other.  Pour the sauce all over the top. Put in the oven to bake. I turn my pieces over about half way through the cooking time.   MMMMM  it smells so good.

The finished product.  It is yummy and sticky and so flavorful!

Dish it up with some rice and whatever other things you love from your trips to your favorite Chinese restaurants.  I have served it with fried rice and it is simply divine.  Enjoy

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe:

Ingredients:

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Place cornstarch and beaten eggs in separate bowls.  Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture.  Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned.  Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, ketchup, vinegars, soy sauce and garlic salt.  Pour over chicken and bake for one hour