Buttermilk Biscuits

When making Sunday meals, I always want to make all the fixings with a main dish. With most meals, I really do like to have a side salad and a bread item. I have been pretty good about having this once in a while as I don't want to gain too much weight.

Again, the photos demonstrate a double batch of the biscuits. Making this recipe is rather easy to do as long as you sift the flour ahead of time. Sometimes, on occasion, add chives and cheddar cheese. It's a savory option, but its equally good on its own with butter and jam.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
about 3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450.

Start by sifting all the dry ingredients into a large group.

 
Cut shortening into flour mixture into pasty blender (or pastry cutter) in a large bowl until mixture resembles fine crumbles.

 
Stir in just enough buttermilk so dough leaves side of bowl and forms a ball. Please keep in mind that you need to add additional buttermilk as you don't want the dough too dry.

 

Turn dough into lightly floured surface. Gently roll in flour to coat.

Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie cutter. Reform into a ball and make more biscuits if need be.

 

 

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve hot. I have melted some butter and brush evenly.

 

Homemade Banana Nut Bread

I do love Banana Nut Bread. I have made various types of Banana Nut Bread, but its always hard trying to find the right flavor along with good ingredients. Thus far, I have found a really good recipe that incorporates good taste, flavor and keeps well. Most recipes that I have tried have bread that would keep for about no more than 4 days.

I also love to share what I make, so the pictures that I have developed actually demonstrate a double batch. This recipe does call for buttermilk and really ripe bananas. If your bananas aren't ripe yet, place into a brown paper bag for a day or two. This helps in the process. Sometimes, I have recently gotten leftover bananas from the school cafeteria. They normally have to throw this away as the kids don't eat bananas. So I make this and share with the cafeteria ladies. This is great for gifts during the holidays, which I plan to do.

Remember, some of the pictures demonstrate that I was making a double batch. Enjoy the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp all spice
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup coarse chopped walnuts (pecans will do as well)

First, start by heating the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottoms only of 2 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 or 1 large loaf pan.

Mix sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the eggs.

Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, spices and vanilla until smooth. Beat until smooth. The bananas can freeze well and you needed to thaw out and it would ripen well.

In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients through a sifter. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda into the wet mixture until the flour is moist.

 

Chop up the nuts if you haven't done so. Finally, stir in the walnuts. Pour into each of the pans. You can also make these into muffins. It's a great way to have individualized bites of yummy goodness.

Bake the loaves for about 1 hour. If cooking a large loaf, add an additional 15 minutes. The best way to check if it is ready, use a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, then it is done.

 
Cool for about 5 minutes. Loosen the sides and take out of the tins. Place onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.  

Keep in mind, you can eat it while its still warm, but you need to keep refrigerated for up to a week and a half. Hope you enjoy!