Recipe of the Day: Kentucky Biscuits *National Biscuit Day*

Just like KFC or Kentucky Fried Chicken biscuits!

Kentucky Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 dash salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in the buttermilk. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead 2 minutes. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, roll into a 6×6 inch square, and cut into 12 even sections. Do not separate.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center of the square comes out clean. Separate into biscuits, and serve hot.

Original recipe makes 12 biscuits

Recipe found here: Kentucky Biscuits

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Recipe of the Day: Starbucks Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino *National Strawberries and Cream Day*

Starbucks Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Syrup
16 oz Strawberries, hulled
Sugar to taste

For the Frappucino
1 cup Whole Milk
3/4 cups softened Vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup Strawberry Syrup (either make your own or use store bought!)
5-6 Whole Strawberries, chopped finely
2-3 ice cubes
Whipped Cream (optional)

Directions

Make the Strawberry Syrup:
Note: You may also use store-bought syrup!

Chop the stem (hull) off the strawberries. You can then do a coarse chop or quarter the berries.

Place them in a colander and rinse them gently under cold water. You can wash them first and then chop if you like.

Drain the water well and place the berries in a saucepan. Cook them in medium heat. Give it a stir now and then. (After around 5 minutes you will find the berries releasing their juices.)

After around 15 minutes of cooking, add some sugar to taste.

Let cook for another 5 minutes and then wait until sauce has cooled.

Strain the sauce into another bowl pressing the fruit well to give more syrup.PS: Store remainder of strawberry syrup in an airtight container. You can use the fruit pulp in another recipe (pancakes, waffles, cakes, muffins etc)

Make the Frappuccino:
Add rest of the ingredients along with your strawberry syrup (other than the whipped cream and chopped strawberries) in a blender. Give it a whirl until blended.

Drop some of the chopped strawberries in a serving glass and pour the blended mixture into it.

Add some whipped cream on top if desired and serve chilled.

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Recipe of the Day: Olive Garden Baked Pasta Romana with Beef

Olive Garden Baked Pasta Romana with Beef

Ingredients
1 5 pound flat brisket
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
16 – 32 ounces of beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 ounces of lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup Fontina cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Additional Asiago, Fontina, and Parmesan cheese for garnish
1/2 cup spinach
1 teaspoon olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a dutch oven heat saute sliced onions in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt to the onions. Saute onions until they are translucent. Remove onions from pan. Sprinkle both sides of the brisket with salt and pepper. Place brisket into pan brown on both sides. Once brisket is browned on both sides, remove brisket from pan. Pour in 1 cup of beef broth into pan, scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add two tablespoons of tomato paste, and whisk together well. Place onions, and then the brisket back into the pan, add enough broth to the pan to cover the brisket half way. Bake brisket for approximately 3 1/2 hours. The brisket is done when a fork slides into the meat easily. If the meat is still tough after the initial baking bake for an additional 30 minutes. Once the brisket is removed from the oven, let rest for approximately 20 minutes before slicing.

Prepare lasagna noodles as directed on the package. To use the noodles for the baked pasta dish, once the noodles are done, they need to be cut in half vertically, and horizontally. This way you don’t have to eat a whole lasagna noodle in one bite.

For the sauce combine heavy cream and butter in a sauce pan over medium to medium high heat. Once the butter and cream just begin to simmer, whisk in all cheeses. The sauce will thicken, remove pan from heat. Place noodles into a 2 quart casserole dish. Arrange the noodles by folding them over so they make nice curls. Pour sauce over the noodles. Toss spinach with olive olive, and then place the spinach around the sides of the casserole dish. Place 6 to 8 ounces of beef over the noodles. You may want to spoon a little of the cooking gravy from the brisket over the beef. Top with a little Asiago and Fontina cheese and place back into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese melts on the top of the pasta.

I do not recommend making the pasta and sauce portion ahead of time. You can make the brisket ahead of time.

Recipe found here: Olive Garden Baked Pasta Romana with Beef

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Recipe of the Day: Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken

Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1/2 ” thick
honey mustard
6 slices bacon, sliced in half
1/2 teaspoon McCormick’s Season All
1 cup sliced mushrooms, drained
3 cups shredded colby or 3 cups monterey jack cheese

Directions:
1 Rub chicken breast with Seasonal All and set aside to marinate for 1 hour.

2 While the breast is marinating fry bacon crisp and drain.

3 Sauté chicken breasts on medium heat in pan with just enough oil to prevent sticking.

4 Cook on both sides until a slight golden color and cooked in the middle but not dry.

5 Remove from pan and place in a 9 x 13 dish.

6 Spread chicken breast with honey mustard, cover with a layer of mushrooms, three pieces of bacon and then sprinkle with shredded Colby/jack cheese, chicken should be covered with shredded cheese.

7 Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

8 Sprinkle with parsley and extra honey mustard may be served on the side.

Recipe found here: Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken

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Recipe of the Day: Ultimate Hawaiian Volcano drink

Ultimate Hawaiian Volcano

3/4 oz Southern Comfort
3/4 oz Disaronno Amaretto
3/4 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice
3/4 oz Lime Mix
3/4 oz Grenadine

Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass. Enjoy!

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Recipe of the Day: Homemade Cream-Filled Sponge Cakes (like zingers)

Homemade Cream-Filled Sponge Cakes

Ingredients
cooking spray
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

2 cups boiling water (optional)
1 (3 ounce) package raspberry-flavored Jell-O® mix (optional)
2 cups flaked coconut (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch, or as needed (optional)

Directions
Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Cut a 12×14-inch sheet of aluminum foil. Fold it in half lengthwise, then in half again widthwise.

Wrap the foil partially around a spice jar lengthwise, bringing foil up around the jar and crushing the foil around the ends of the jar to make a boat-shaped baking form about 4 inches long, 2 1/2 inches tall, and 1 1/2 inch wide. Repeat with 15 more pieces of foil to make 16 boat-shaped baking forms. Shape the bottoms of the forms to be slightly flat so forms can stand up.

Spray the forms with cooking spray, and place onto a baking sheet.

Mix together 1 cup water, eggs, and vegetable oil in a bowl with an electric mixer set on low speed.

Beat in yellow cake mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Beat in the vanilla pudding mix until smooth, about 3 minutes more.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared aluminum foil baking forms, filling each form about 1/2 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 11 to 15 minutes. Cool in the forms for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Beat together the butter, shortening, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the confectioners’ sugar on low speed, gradually increasing speed to high until frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Mix in the marshmallow fluff, beating on high speed until light and airy.

Spoon frosting into a pastry bag equipped with a round pastry tip.

Remove the cakes from the baking forms.

With a sharp knife, cut a 2-inch slit lengthwise on the flat bottom side of a cake.

Pipe a generous amount of the frosting into the slit, holding the shape of the cake with your hand to prevent splitting. Repeat with the remaining cakes.

For the coconut-raspberry variation: Bring 2 cups water and raspberry gelatin mix to a boil in a saucepan until the gelatin dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Pour mixture into a shallow dish and refrigerate until thickened but not set, about 15 minutes.

Place coconut flakes in a food processor. Pulse until flakes are finely chopped.

Transfer the coconut to a shallow dish and stir in enough cornstarch to achieve a loose texture.

Dip a filled cake in the thickened gelatin, turning to coat all sides; roll the cake in the coconut mixture. Repeat with remaining cakes.

Arrange the coconut-coated cakes on a wire rack until gelatin and coconut are set, about 2 hours.

Recipe found here: Homemade Cream-Filled Sponge Cakes

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Recipe of the Day: Ravioli Di Portobello *National Pasta Month*

Ravioli Di Portobello

Filling
12 -16 ounces portabella mushrooms, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 dash salt & pepper

Ravioli Dough
1 1/2 cups flour
2 medium eggs
1/4 cup cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Sun-dried Tomato Sauce
2 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces smoked gouda cheese
3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Garnish
chopped green onion
diced tomato

Directions:

Filling

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft. Add mushrooms and sauté for two minutes. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are fully cooked. Set aside.

Ravioli Dough

Mix dry ingredients and eggs in a bowl. Add water a little at a time, while stirring, until it forms soft dough. Dough should be soft, but not sticky.

Roll out on a floured surface to ¼ inch thickness. If dough is sticky, sprinkle with flour.

Using a biscuit cutter or small glass, cut 3-inch circles from the dough.

Place a spoonful of the mushroom and onion mixture in the center of the circle and top with another circle of dough.

Crimp the edges with a fork, being sure to completely seal the ravioli. If needed, moisten the edge of the bottom circle with cold water before crimping the top circle over the filling.

Drop raviolis, a few at a time, into boiling water being careful that they do not touch in the kettle. When the raviolis float to the top, boil for one minute and then remove them with a slotted spoon.

Keep hot in a covered dish. Drizzling with a little butter or oil will prevent them from sticking to one another.

Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour to make a thick paste. Add cold milk, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Cook until the sauce thickens.

Add cut up smoked Gouda cheese and the chopped sun dried tomatoes. Heat until cheese is completely melted.

Serving

Arrange raviolis on a dinner plate that has a slight indentation. Pour the sun dried tomato sauce over the raviolis so that the raviolis rest in a bed of sauce. Sprinkle chopped green onion and diced tomatoes over the top.

Recipe found here: Olive Garden Ravioli Di Portobello

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Recipe of the Day: Luby’s Sausage Steak

Luby’s Sausage Steak

Ingredients
1 pound ground sausage
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 pound bacon, cooked crisp and chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup beef broth

Instructions
Divide ground sausage into approximately six patties.

Shape the patties into oblong pieces.

Place sausage into a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.

Cover the bottom of the dish with beef broth.

Broil the sausage patties in the oven.

Follow the directions on your oven’s broiler, on high this may only take 10-13 minutes.

Make sure the sausage is completely done.

Top with cheese, green onions, and bacon, place sausage steaks back into the oven for approximately one or two minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

Recipe found here: Luby’s Sausage Steak

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Recipe of the Day: Olive Garden Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

Olive Garden Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

Ingredients

Five Cheese Marinara Sauce
2 cups marinara sauce
2 cups alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup italian blend shredded cheese
1/4 cup red wine

Filling
1 egg
15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (8 ounce) mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated
1/2 cup romano cheese, grated
1 tablespoon italian seasoning, blend
salt and pepper, to taste

Noodles
1 lb lasagna noodle
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Directions:

Blend first two marinara ingredients together in a large saucepan. Add remaining ingredients and heat on medium, stirring frequently. The cheese will melt and the sauce will become creamy. Keep warm.

Set aside 1/4 of mozzarella cheese. Beat egg into a large mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients, blending well. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to use.

Cook lasagna exactly according to package directions. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water so they are cool enough to handle.

When ready to make, spread about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce in a large 9×13 baking dish. Based upon the number of noodles in your 1 lb of noodles, divide the filling accordingly. Lay one lasagna noodle in baking dish and spread with filling along noodle. Loosely roll the noodle up, jelly-roll style. Decide if this looks about right to you. If so, keep rolling the rest of the noodles. Otherwise use more filling per noodle and discard the extra noodles.

Continue with each lasagna noodle until all noodles are rolled and arranged in baking dish. Cover each roll with remaining sauce, the remaining mozzarella cheese and top with Italian breadcrumbs.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degree for about 35 minutes.

Recipe found here: Olive Garden Lasagna Rollata Al Forno

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Recipe of the Day: Pasta Carbonara Frittata

Ingredients
turkey bacon
eggs
Parmesan
garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook spaghetti until just tender, about 8 minutes, or as package label directs. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and toss with olive oil to coat. Let cool to room temperature.

Cook turkey bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of fat in skillet.

Preheat broiler to high. Whisk together eggs, Parmesan, garlic, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a bowl. Pour over spaghetti and toss to coat. Crumble bacon into bowl and mix well.

Place skillet on stove over medium-low heat and add egg-and-spaghetti mixture, spreading into an even layer with a spatula. Cook until bottom is well-browned, about 8 minutes, sliding a spatula underneath frittata occasionally to loosen.
Place pan under broiler and cook until top is golden and set, about 3 minutes. Cut frittata into wedges and serve.

Recipe found here: Pasta Carbonara Frittata

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