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.

Pumpkin Brownies

We first had these at a family gathering with RoRo's birth family.  They're now a fall family favorite, and they always remind me of the love I felt at that party.

Pumpkin Brownies
1 cup cooked pumpkin
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp baking soda
12 oz package white chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts (walnut, macadamia or favorite) - optional

Cream butter and sugars.  Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin.  Combine flour, soda, and spices; add to creamed mixture.  Add 1 1/2 cups of chips, and add nuts.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in 9x13 greased pan, then cool completely.  (They tend to be gooey in the middle, so keep baking.)

Put remaining chips in a ziploc bag and microwave to melt on medium for about 30 seconds.  Knead until all lumps are melted.  Snip small hole in corner of baggie and drizzle over cut bars.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Because October.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cup shortening
2 1/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
15 oz. can pumpkin
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. ginger
3/4 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, i guess)
11.5 oz bag chocolate chips

Cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, and pumpkin.
Stir in remaining ingredients. (Dough will be sticky.)
bake at 400 for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mmm, fall.

Baked Spaghetti

My mom found this recipe on a blog somewhere and made it, then gave it to me.  So thank you, recipe blogger, and I'm sorry I can't credit you here, but we love your recipe.

Baked Spaghetti

Mix these ingredients together and place in a 9x13 baking dish:

12 oz angel hair pasta, cooked

1 egg

1 cup parmesan cheese

2 T chopped basil

Mix these together and place on top of the pasta:

1 lb hamburger, cooked

1 (13 oz) container ricotta cheese

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (save 1/2 c for the top)

1 jar pasta sauce

Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese over top of sauce.  Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until the cheese starts to bubble.

Manicotti

Manicotti

1 box manicotti shells

1 jar pasta sauce 

8 oz mozzarella

1 lb cottage cheese

1 c parmesan

2 T italian seasoning

1 T dried parsley flakes

2 eggs

1/2 lb ground beef, cooked (optional)

Put a little bit of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 glass pan.  Combine cheeses, seasonings, eggs and beef in large bowl.  Stuff shells with cheese mixture and place in pan.  Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining cheese mixture over top.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 60 minutes.  Add water as needed -- do not let shells dry out while baking.   

Goes well with a green salad and garlic toast.