MKC's Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

My husband loved me just a little bit more after the first time I made these.

Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, chilled 
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

1. Heat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a silpat liner.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a 2-cup liquid measure, stir together the chilled buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture slightly pulls away from the edges of the bowl.
3. Using a greased ¼-cup measure, scoop out mounds of the dough and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 ½ inches apart. Bake the biscuits until the tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with additional melted butter. Serve warm.

Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie
Adapted and simplifed from Alton Brown

2 T canola oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 lbs ground beef
salt/pepper
3 T flour
1 t garlic powder
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1 c chicken broth
1 c peas
1 c corn
3 cups mashed potatoes
2 cups shredded cheese

Saute onion and carrots in canola oil.  Add beef and salt/pepper/garlic and cook until browned.
Sprinkle meat with flour and toss to coat.  Add Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth and simmer 10 mins to allow to thicken.
Spread meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x11 pan.  Layer with peas/corn mixture.  Spread mashed potatoes over the vegetable layer.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and potatoes begin to brown.

Ham Chowder

A friend brought me this last fall when I was sick and I immediately demanded the recipe.  It was an immediate hit at Grandma Day when I finally made it this week.

Ham Chowder
from Emilie Sallee and her mother, Annette Tingey

2 c boiling water
2 c diced potatoes
1/2 c sliced carrots
1/2 c sliced celery
1/4 c chopped onion
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
2 c milk
2 1/2 c shredded cheese
1 (17 oz) can cream style corn
2 c cubed ham

Combine water, vegetables, salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer 10 minutes (or until veggies are done).  Do not drain!
In another saucepan, melt butter, add flour.  Add milk, stirring constantly with a wire whisk over medium heat until thickened.  Add cheese, stir until melted.  Add cheese sauce, corn, and ham to cooked veggies.  Heat until hot but not boiling.