think i need a vita.mn!

Chicken 'n' Biscuits

Sometimes I'd rather cook for 2 hours than go to the store to get ingredients for something easy. I got started at 4:15. First I measured everything. 

I rarely have shallots in the house so I that instead of a stinky onion.

I used 3 chicken breast halves (1.25 lbs). The recipe called for 3 lbs!

First you saute the veggies. 

The recipe is great because you simmer the extra large chucks of chicken in the sauce for 10 minutes. This eliminates that extra step of pre-cooking chicken and burning your fingers when you shred it. 

While the sauce is cooking, you make the biscuits. Which cookie cutter to use? 

For some reason, I always choose the heart cutter for biscuits.

I used my large IKEA gold casserole dish.

It bakes in a very hot oven, 425˚ for only 16 minutes.

It's now 6:15 pm. MMMM. Worth every minute.

The recipe I used is from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook, page 323 called "Chicken Pot Pie". I topped with "Buttermilk Biscuits" from their recipe on page 482. I didn't have any buttermilk so I used regular milk and it worked out just fine. For flour I used Costco's newest White Whole Wheat. Love the bit of extra grittyness it gives food. AND it's good for you.

mr. salty must have retired

Remember these as a kid? Very thin with great chunky salt.

Rold Gold just didn't cut it. Not even worth the calories. Too thick and have a strange glossy coating. 

Bingo! HK Anderson are the most like Mr. Salty that I've found.

At  Lunds/Byerlys. 

Drawing from others...

Today on designsponge, there is a woman who draws houses and makes rubber stamps. Here is the link. I too had this idea many years ago. My homes are a little more whimsical. So if you want me to draw your house in the good 'ol USA and not the UK, just e-mail me.

 

As Holmes would say: Take It All Down!

Here's a storage idea for xmas garlands: Cut a gift wrap tube in two. Cut a slit up the end to secure one end of the garland.

Wrap until it's full and secure the other end.

The dish towel is by one of my favorite illustrators in Minnesota, Faye Passow. You can find her dishtowels at many gift shops throughout the state or you can order online.

The Off-Season, Part II: Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Surprised to find a half bag of kisses left in the cupboard in February, I whipped up a batch of cookies ususally only seen during the holidays. Too lazy to go to the basement to fill up the flour jar, I used one cup regular flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour. Tasters were none the wiser.

When I ran out of kisses, I used Swedish Pearl Sugar that I got from my mom for Xmas. Here is a tip from my mom: Hint for pearl sugar:  Put a ball of cookie dough in pearl sugar that is in a small bowl. Flatten slightly. Coat only one side. Sugar will be evenly spaced as cookie spreads while baking. -MOM 

You can make really cook marks in the cookies with this crazy fork.

It's from my "Meaball Magic" set. But that's another story...

Equipment Tip

What do you do with your corn-on-the-cob dishes in the off-season?

Makes a great butter dish:

Or a nice spatula rest: