Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups White Lily Flour + more for work surface
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter-flavored shortening cold
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter + more for brushing cold
• 1 cup buttermilk cold
• 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise, milk or heavy whipping cream cold (for brushing)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 F.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar.
• Cut in butter-flavored shortening with a pastry cutter.
• Grate in butter, tossing occasionally.
• Stir in buttermilk until dough is wet and sticky.
• Generously flour a work surface.
• Turn dough out onto floured surface.
• Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and your hands and begin to gently knead and fold the dough.
• Add more flour as needed, but not too much, just enough so that the dough is manageable. Wet dough makes the best biscuits!
• Fold the dough over several times.(This will create layers.)
• Pat the dough out into a 1-inch thick rectangle.
• Dip the biscuit cutter into flour and cut out the biscuits. (do not twist the cutter)
• Place biscuits on pan, with the sides touching.
• Brush tops of biscuits with a very light coating of mayonnaise.
• Bake for 14 minutes or until tops are golden. (For a dark golden color, flip the oven to a low broil for the last 2 minutes. Be sure to keep your eyes on it at all times)
• Remove from oven and brush with butter.
• Serve warm.

***Think COLD: Make sure all of your ingredients are cold, even the bowl if you can! Biscuit dough needs to be super cold when it goes into the oven for the BEST biscuits.Work Fast: Work quickly to make sure the ingredients stay cold.Don't add too much flour: The dough will be a sticky mess when you first turn it out onto a floured surface. Don't be tempted to throw on a bunch of flour. The less flour you can get away with the better! The dough should be a tad bit wet and sticky, yet still easy to manage and not sticking like crazy.Don't twist the cutter: When cutting out biscuits, just go straight down. Don't twist and twerk the cutter, mkay?

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients: 
4 c. hot water
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lg onion,quartered
3 lb corned beef brisket
8 small potatoes, quartered
1 head cabbage, wedged
5-8 lg. carrots, cut 1"

Directions: 
Combine first five ingredients in a 6 quart crock pot and mix well.  Place corned beef and contents of spice packet into the mixture.  Scatter the potatoes and carrots over the top and along the sides. Cook on high heat setting 4 hours.  Remove the lid and scatter the cabbage wedges over the top.  Cover and continue cooking on low for 3-4 hours longer or until beef is tender. To serve, carve the beef into slices against the grain and serve with the vegetables.  Spoon some liquid on top of the beef to keep it moist.

Shrimp Etouffee

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter

1 pound shrimp

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup onion, diced

1/2 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon thyme, chopped

1 cup tomato, diced

1 tablespoon creole seasoning

1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce

hot sauce to taste

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

2 Tbls. lemon juice

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat, cook until it starts to brown sprinkle in the flour while mixing and simmer, stirring frequently, until it turns a dark brown, about 10-20 minutes.
2. Add the onion, celery and peppers to the roux and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a minute.
4. Whisk in the broth, add the tomatoes, creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp and cook until cooked, about 5 minutes.
6. Season with hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
7. Mix in the lemon juice and green onion and enjoy over cooked rice.

***We had this over a biscuit and a poached egg in New Orleans!

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Chicken Queso Dip/Filling

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. diced chicken breasts (approximately 3 cups)

1 T. olive oil or vegetable oil

½ t. Salt

¼ t. Pepper

1 T. Dehydrated onions

1 t. Red pepper flakes

1 can RO*TEL (DO NOT DRAIN)

1 ⅓ c. minute rice

1 can corn, (DO NOT DRAIN)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

16 oz Velveeta, cubed

Directions:

1.  Heat large pan until hot.  Add oil. Add the diced chicken breast.  Cook on medium high until chicken turns white, but is not cooked through.

2. Add seasonings (salt, pepper, onions, red pepper flakes)

3. Add Ro-Tel and continue to cook about 5 minutes, covered.

4. Add corn with the liquid and the minute rice. Reduce heat to medium low.  Cover for approximately 5 more minutes.

5. Add the black beans and stir.

6. Add the diced Velveeta cheese and stir.

7. Turn heat down to simmer and cook until cheese it completely melted.

8. This can be served as a dip, filling for a burritos, or a main dish!

Chicken, Spinach and Artichoke Soup

Ingredients:
2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 (8 oz. ) pkg of cream cheese
1 pkg Italian Dressing Mix
1 10 - 12 oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
12 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
4 cups chicken broth

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a 6 qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks.  Return to slow cooker and stir. I used fresh spinach and cooked it down in a frying pan AND I only used one pkg of cream cheese.  It was good and easy!

Candied Jalapenos

3 pounds of fresh firm, Jalapeno peppers
2 cups cider vinegar
6 cups white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
3 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Remove the stems from jalapeno peppers.
Slice the peppers

In a boiling pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic and cayenne pepper to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Return to a boil and  add the pepper slices and simmer for exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers to clean sterile canning jars. Fill to 1/4 inch from top of gar. Bring syrup to a rolling boil for 6 minutes.

Fill the jars with syrup. try to get all air bubbles out of jars. Put lids on. cover the jars with water and boil for 10 minutes for half pints or 15 for pints.

Jalapenos will be ready to eat in about 2 weeks.

Enjoy.

PS: bottle the remaining syrup and put it over a pork roast or pork butt. It makes great pulled pork.

Apple Craisen Cheese Ball

1 pkg (8 oz.)  cream cheese, softened
1 cup chopped Granny Smith apples
2 tbsp honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans or toasted Walnuts
1/2 cup Craisins, chopped

Honey Maid Cinnamon graham cracker

I use more apples, nuts, and craisins than it says. I put some in the ball and some on the outside.

This is really good on a toasted raisin bagel.