New Recipe: Cheddar, Bacon, and Fresh Chive Biscuits

I found this recipe for what look like perfectly buttery biscuits in Bon Appetit, and it's available on their website here. 

These will be made and eaten swiftly, all by me.  Their suggestion of using them for sandwiches with a little dijon, sliced turkey and lettuce sounds...divine.

Recipe of the Week: Pulled Pork

Courtesy of my Martha (Stewart) I'm making slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches for dinner tonight.  The boyfriend is over and pulled pork is what I imagine must be the path straight to his heart. 

Here's the recipe from Everyday Food, December 2006:

• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3-pound boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
• Tangy Red Cabbage, for serving (see above; optional)
• 6 crusty white rolls, split in half horizontally

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together 1/2 cup ketchup, sugar, garlic, sage, oregano, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cut pork in half lengthwise; add to slow cooker, turning to coat. Cover, and cook on low until meat is very tender and falling apart, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours). Meanwhile, prepare Tangy Red Cabbage, if desired.
2. Transfer pork to a large bowl. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard any fat from surface of cooking liquid. With two forks, pull meat apart until shredded. Pour any juices from slow cooker over pork, add remaining cup ketchup, and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. Spoon meat onto bottom half of rolls; add red cabbage, if desired, and top of roll.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Last night I was in a baking mood because of the snow-in.  I went to my go-to coffee cake recipe which comes courtesy of my friend Laura's Junior League of Indiana 1973 cookbook.  It's pretty amazing.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake:

¾ Cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

½ tsp vanilla

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Glaze:

½ cup confectioners sugar

Lemon Juice

In a large bowl, cream butter, gradually adding sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time, fold in sour cream and vanilla.  Fold in flour, baking powder and salt.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Cool and remove from pan.  Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle on cake once its cool.

I can usually take or leave the glaze, but if I have blueberries I usually stir those in before baking.  It's such a great recipe.  I'd share a picture, but it's already gone...

Grilled Cheese Gourmet

I tend to go through meal phases. Or periods where I want the same thing for dinner every night in one week. Try not to judge, gourmet friends. For the last few days all I've wanted is grilled cheese with tomato and ham. It's so simple and pretty hard to mess up.

Start with a good sourdough, vine ripened tomatoes, thin slices of black forest ham and your cheese(s) of choice. I've been using sharp cheddar and creamy muenster. Use as much butter as your arteries can stand and toast it, as my Marme says, "slow and low" in a big pan.



Sooooo good.