Cheddar Biscuits

Everybody loves those scrumptious biscuits that are served at Red Lobster tables, including me. However, I haven't indulged in quite some time because, as much as I desire those cheddar mounds of delight, I'm not fond of the rest of their menu. So I've had to go without...until now. I've finally found a recipe that replicates the Cheddar Bay biscuits very well. I decided to try the recipe because it's the first one that I've found that doesn't use Bisquik; it's a "from scratch" recipe. I got it from this food blog, Food & Whine. And it's great. The only alteration I made from the original recipe is to substitute buttermilk for the regular milk for a better texture.

Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour (unbleached or regular)
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup butter, cold, cut into chunks
2 Tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
1 heaping cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 - 2/3 cups buttermilk

3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes or 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder. Whisk together to combine thoroughly. Add chunks of butter. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut butter into flour until it is coarse, pea-sized (doesn't need to be fine). Add oil, grated cheddar cheese and butter milk. Stir together. Keep adding milk a bit at a time, just until the dough is moistened and no longer dry and powdery. (Shouldn't be sticky, just moist enough to hold together).
Drop approximately 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop or large spoon.
Bake for 15-17 minutes. While biscuits are baking, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and the parsley.
When biscuits come out of the oven, use a brush to spread this garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits. Use up all of the butter. Serve warm.

Makes one dozen biscuits.

Pecan Squares

Okay, so I've been a very neglectful Sugar Plum Fairy Godmother; I haven't shared any recipes lately. Not since Thanksgiving, actually. So I'm sorry that you didn't get any Christmas recipes or winter dishes. Here's a very belated seasonal recipe that I actually discovered while Christmas shopping last year. At one of the stores I visited, there was a table of baked goods on sale for charity that had been homemade by the retailer's employees. Everyone knows that Christmas shopping can make you very hungry, so I chose a hefty looking pecan square and made my donation. It was so good that I bought two more! And hunted down the staff member who had made them to get the recipe! She told me that she had gotten the recipe from Ina Garten on the Food Network website, but with one change regarding the honey and brown sugar, which I agree with and have already altered for you in the recipe I've published below. She also told me she couldn't tell me how much butter was in the recipe because then I'd never make it. She was almost right.

When I saw the recipe, I was SHOCKED at the amount of butter AND sugar! You will be too, I'm sure. I don't claim to cook or bake low calorie or healthy food (just natural), but even I initially couldn't reconcile the idea of cooking something that could actually bring me a little closer to cardiac arrest. But those sneaky little pecan squares just wouldn't get out of my head...they were so good!! So I decided it was Christmas and I could be a little naughty just this once. To my delight, after baking them I did discover that they were not nearly as heart attack-inducing as I had originally thought. Here's the catch...the recipe that I've published below was taken straight from the Food Network website, with the exception of the one small adjustment I mentioned earlier. That recipe, as is, makes over 50 squares! I couldn't give them away fast enough, there were so many. Once I realized how many squares the recipe made, the amount of butter and sugar didn't seem nearly as awful. In hindsight, you could easily halve the recipe and make it in a 13"x9" pan and it would still make about 30 squares.

Pecan Squares

Ingredients

Crust:
• 1 ¼ pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:
• 1 pound unsalted butter
• ½ cup good honey
• 3 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased 18 by 12 by 1-inch baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.
For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into bars and serve.

One more tip that I'll pass along to you...I used orange clover honey when I made the squares, but I wouldn't do it again. Between the honey and the orange and lemon zest, the citrus flavor was stronger than I would have liked. Stick to a high quality, preferably local honey for better results.