7 Up Biscuits (small batch)

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I was digging through my mom's special recipe box the other day and came across an interesting recipe for biscuits.

Who doesn't love biscuits?  I grew up on them so I grabbed the recipe card to see what these were all about.  The title was a little strange...

7 UP BISCUITS

What?  Biscuits that have 7 Up in them?  Now I've heard of using soda in baking but have never heard of 7 Up Biscuits, so I looked them up on the internet and they are e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e!  This recipe has most likely been around for a long time.  I know my mom's recipe card is probably from the 70's.

Now I'm a biscuit lover, so I was very skeptical about these biscuits, but intrigued at the same time. I decided we needed to have a good biscuit to go along with our Spicy Beef and Macaroni Tomato Soup.  There's nothing better with soup that a hot piece of bread and these biscuits were going to get a trial run.  

Boy, I have to tell you....these biscuits...these hot, tender, buttery biscuits are AMAZING!  Plus they only have 4 ingredients!  The sour cream makes them tender, but the 7 Up makes them slightly sweet and tangy.  Only 4 ingredients, (I know, repeating myself...) make these quick to pull together and easy to make.

Take is from me, a biscuit aficionado, you NEED this recipe in your life!

Enjoy!








7 Up Biscuits (small batch)

2 c Bisquick
1/2 c Sour Cream
1/2 c 7 up soda
1/4 c melted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Place the butter in a 9x9 inch square baking pan and place it in the oven to melt while the oven is coming to temperature.

In a large bowl, add Bisquick mix and sour cream.  Cut in sour cream using a pastry cutter.  Add the  7 up and stir, until just combined, to form a soft dough.

On a wooden board sprinkled with a little Bisquick, place dough on the board.  Pat dough out without kneading to about 1/2" thickness.  Using a biscuit cutter, cut dough into 9 pieces and place in the buttered pan.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Banana Walnut Pancakes

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It's the weekend and time for breakfast!

Let's make pancakes!  I have a craving for a nice homey breakfast and that would include sweet, fluffy pancakes.  But let's not make any old regular pancakes, let's make them special.

With over ripened bananas always hanging around they are a great ingredient that will make any pancake moist and delicious.  I also have some walnuts leftover from a Mediterranean snack board we had last night.  Those go perfectly with bananas and will lend the pancakes a little crunch.

These are easy to throw together.  You have your basic pancake recipe with a few add-ins to make that perfect breakfast dish!  Who doesn't love bananas and walnuts?  With a few pantry items you will have a scrumptious breakfast on the table in no time and one that the whole family will devour.

Light fluffy steaming hot pancakes laced with bananas and walnuts are doused in warm maple syrup.  What breakfast could be better than that.  Oh my these are good!  Make some this weekend and treat yourself and your family to a special breakfast...or dinner!

Enjoy!

Banana Walnut Pancakes

makes 4 pancakes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp each baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
¾ cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2)
¼ cup milk
¼ cup sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Sliced bananas
1/3 walnuts, toasted and chopped

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, milk, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry mixture; stir just until combined.  Fold in walnuts.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low; coat with nonstick spray or butter. Drop batter by 1/4 cup portions onto skillet and cook until bubbles appear and bottoms are brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until brown, 1 minute more. Serve pancakes with warm syrup and sliced bananas.  

11 Best Dishes of 2018

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Happy New Year!

2018 was a year full of highs and lows but it seems that it went so fast that it was a blur.  The food we made was a full of variety.  The most popular dishes seem to have a comfort food theme with a little bit of restaurant flair thrown in.   

I've gathered the eleven most popular dishes (there was a tie for 10th place that I couldn't break) from 2018 in one spot for you to reference and enjoy!

Enjoy all the precious moments that 2019 will bring.  We only live once!

11 TOP RECIPES OF 2018

In no particular order...

Cajun Roasted Potatoes

Chili Lime Salmon with Roasted Vegetables

Baked Honey Soy Chicken Legs

Spicy Turkey Chili 

Garlic and Parmesan Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mediterranean Rice

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Stew

Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Easy Cinnamon Peach Cobbler - Family Sized

Sheet Pan Beef Fajitas

There are plenty of dishes to come in 2019.  Lots of comfort food, weeknight meals, stir frys, southern dishes, and easy restaurant style meals.  Enjoy a prosperous holiday and I am so grateful for all of my followers.  I wish you the best to come in 2019 and will be talking to you in the new year!

Apple Cinnamon French Toast

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Basic French toast is elevated a notch or two when topped with tender juicy apples and drizzled with a cinnamon syrup!

The best way to make your day start off right is to eat a hearty helping of French toast that is topped with soft tender apples dripping with a cinnamony syrup!  

Breakfast can be on the table in about 20 minutes with this quick Apple Cinnamon French Toast recipe.  Apples are in season right now and this is the perfect way to incorporate them into your diet.  This is indulgence at it's best!  There are so many wonderful apples to choose from so pick your favorite and enjoy a great breakfast at the start of a great day!

I love the apples and I look forward to them every year.  I also love trying new varieties of apples so I chose a Sugar Baby apple for today's dish, but use your favorite.  The apples will stew away while you cook the French toast so you want an apple that stays firm and won't fall apart.  I left the skin on the apples for the nutrients and structure but you can certainly peel them if you choose. 

This is a wonderful winter weekend end breakfast.  One that the whole family will love.  I love the combination of apples and cinnamon and this takes your basic French toast up a notch or two!  

Enjoy!





Apple Cinnamon French Toast

serves 2

Apples: 

1 large apple - choose your favorite firm apple 

1/4 cup white sugar 

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1 1/2 tbsp butter 

2 tbsp water

French Toast: 

4 slices white bread , preferably slightly stale 

2 eggs 

1/4 cup milk 

2 tbsp butter

a pinch of salt

Place the sugar, butter and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Cut the apple into 1/4" thick wedges, leaving the skin on.  Add the apple and water to the saucepan.  Allow to simmer until apple have softened and syrup thickens slightly.  Stir occasionally.  

Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and salt.  Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, over medium high heat. 

Dip the bread into the mixture, then remove, allowing any excess egg to drip off. Place in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side - about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the skillet and keep warm.  Repeat with the remaining butter and dipped bread.  

To serve, place French toast on a plate and top with the apple mixture, spooning over the syrup.

source:  Recipe Tin Eats

Farmstyle Pumpkin French Toast

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The most amazing winter morning breakfast! Perfectly sweet and spicy using leftover canned pumpkin that will melt in your mouth!

Welcome to Part II of my leftover canned pumpkin recipes.  Last week we made my delectable Small Batch Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins and today we are going to use up the remaining pumpkin in my recipe for:

FARMSTYLE PUMPKIN FRENCH TOAST

A lot of times I struggle between choosing French toast and pancakes.  My mom made both all the time growing up and I think I lean toward pancakes, but every now and then I get a hankering for luscious, decadent French toast.

So I pulled out my mom's old recipe for French toast that she got from her Aunt Grace and tweaked it a bit to create a pumpkin version.  Wonderfully pumpkin pie spiced bread that's dripping with warm cinnamon syrup will make your breakfast irresistible.  You'll have this pile of deliciousness on the table in the time it takes you to say "I'm hungry"!

My great aunt lived on a farm in Oklahoma and she came up with some great homestyle recipes.  I treasure those dearly.  To keep in that tradition use a good country bread that's on the thick side.  It's preferable if the bread is slightly stale as it will soak up all that deliscious custard better.  

Enjoy a great winter breakfast this season using leftover canned pumpkin.  It's a great staple to have in your house, and one the whole family (especially the kids) will enjoy!






Farmstyle Pumpkin French Toast

Yield: 2- 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:


2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 loaf Country bread, thick sliced 

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 

Syrup:

1/2 cup maple syrup 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Dip bread slices into the egg mixture, allowing to soak for at least 20 seconds and coating both sides.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread slices to the skillet, working in batches, and cook until evenly golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Use additional butter and repeat with remaining bread.

Meanwhile in a small pan add maple syrup and cinnamon and simmer over low until heated through but not bubbling.  Stir to combine.  

Serve immediately with maple syrup, garnished with powdered sugar, if desired.

Small Batch Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

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I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday filled with love, family, friends, and lots of good food!

Let's talk about leftovers.  One of the best things about the Thanksgiving feast is all the leftovers that you can eat for days! Don't you agree?  Some just love having another plate of that turkey dinner with all the sides and a slice of pie.  Some want to re-create those leftovers into a totally new dish like my Turkey Tex-Mex Quesadillas, Turkey and Swiss Panini, or my Turkey Wild Rice Soup.  These are great ways to use that leftover turkey, but what do you do with extra cans of pumpkin?

Well, I have several ways that you can use a can a pumpkin!  Let start out with a breakfast dish.

SMALL BATCH PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

These are perfect to whip up on the weekend or anytime over the cold winter months.  The kids LOVE them, and they are great for quick breakfasts on the go, or as a little sweet something with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon.  This is a small batch of 6 muffins which is just perfect when you want just a little something.  

The pumpkin flavors pop in this moist muffin that's studded with mini chocolate chips.  Heaven!  The combination of pumpkin and chocolate is hard to beat.  I used mini chocolate chips so that the chocolate flavor is plenty throughout the muffing although you can use regular chips if you like.  Dark chocolate chips would be awesome as well. 

What equipment do I need?  I always keep this six cup muffin tin on hand for small batches.  It works perfectly.  I also can't make muffins with out my trusty scoop.  This is a "necessity" for even sized muffins in my house! Other staples such as this and this help make baking easier.  

This recipe won't use up that whole can of pumpkin, so make sure to save the rest in a sealed container in the refrigerator so you can make my next pumpkin recipe coming up!  

Enjoy a hot breakfast and the flavors of the season.  These muffins will leave you wanting more!




Small Batch Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

yield: 6 muffins

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 tin muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, egg, and vanilla.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.  Stir to combine.  Add wet ingredients and mix until the flour is just blended.  Don't overmix.  Fold in mini chocolate chips.

Scoop batter into 6 muffin tin wells.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Remove from the oven an cool on a wire rack.  Serve with butter if desired.

This post contains affiliate links to items you can purchase, in which I get a small amount of compensation for at no cost to you. I bring you items that I actually use that are of great quality that I can pass along suggestions to you.

Peach and Apple Oatmeal

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This might be one of the most comforting breakfast I've had in a long time.  The seasons are surely changing and we are in that period where it is hot one minute then cold the next.  Blustery winds are everywhere (my umbrellas can attest to that!) and Fall is in the air.  

The best part of October as a produce month we are still transitioning from late summer fruits and vegetables to fall ones.  Peaches are still in abundance and soooo ripe and juicy, yet I'm craving warm Fall apple flavors as well.  What to do?  Mix them!

Oatmeal is a great way to make a quick, comforting breakfast  and when you load it up with spices and fruit you get something that's a kin to a warm fruit pie.  Oh yum!  Who wouldn't love a warm piece of pie for breakfast?  I will admit that I'm sure I've snuck a piece once or twice in my life!  But this is much healthier than that.  All that sweet, cinnamon-y, warm notes of apple and peach pie rolled into one bowl of breakfast comfort!

PEACH AND APPLE OATMEAL

What are the ingredients?  The main star is the oatmeal.  You can use your favorite, but for the sake of time I used quick cooking oats for this dish.  Oatmeal is full of good for you fiber and carbohydrates.  They help keep you full for hours!  Another fall flavor I used is maple syrup which is mixed with the softened peaches.

Is there a secret ingredient?  Yes, there is.  I came across boiled cider here, and it's been a wonder of a product.  It's apple cider that been boiled down until it forms a thick condensed syrup with loads of apple flavor.  It adds intense apple flavor to anything you use it with. (So worth the purchase) In this case I put it with the water when cooking the oatmeal and I used it along with butter and maple syrup when cooking the peaches.  Sooooo delish!  If you don't want to use this then you can substitute apple cider instead, however, the flavor will not be as intense.

Enjoy this spectacular breakfast that will leave you feeling warm and comfy all over!




Peach and Apple Oatmeal

serves 2


1 cup oatmeal (instant or regular)
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 boiled cider
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:
2 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon boiled cider
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a medium saucepan add water, boiled cider, raisins, and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil and then add the oatmeal.  Turn heat to medium and cook until thick and creamy.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet heat to medium heat.  Add butter and allow to melt.  Add sliced peaches and cook 2 minutes until tender.  Add maple syrup, boiled cider, and cinnamon and stir until mixed well and peaches are tender.

Spoon oatmeal into 2 bowls and top with peaches.