biscuits and gravy

there are few things that make my husband happier than a cool fall day, a great bowl of chili and a WVU football game. if we haven't quite got to that fall weather here at the beach, there's no WVU game on and chili is out of the question, i know that a large and delicious homemade breakfast is his other love. ....besides just spending time with me of course :)

i learned early in our relationship that breakfast is our passion. we love large breakfasts filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes and sausage gravy and biscuits. we rock at breakfast. we can do it up gourmet style and feel loaded for the day. we each have our talents. my husband can make scrambled eggs that are creamy and delicious. every time i attempt them they taste like rubber. i make the sausage gravy and the bacon. apparently my bacon is perfectly crispy. we make the biscuits together because baking is much more fun with two.

saturday we didn't have the fixings for an enormous breakfast, but during our weekly grocery run my husband covertly slipped a roll of sausage in the basket as a preemptive move on a big breakfast weekend. after a long night on the ship friday night he came home, slithered into bed, kissed me and asked me if i'd make him sausage awesome, as we affectionately call it. how do you say no to that, I ask.

biscuits supreme
*from the better homes & gardens cookbook

3 c. ap flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cream or tartar
3/4 c. butter or 1/2 c butter and 1/4 c. shortening
1 c. milk

preheat oven to 450 degrees.
in a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add milk all at once. using a fork just stir until the mixture is moistened.

turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for four to six strokes or just until dough stays together.

pat our lightly roll dough until 3/4 inch thick.

cut dough with a floured 2 1/2 in. biscuit cutter (or a glass if you don't have one); reroll scraps as necessary and dip cutter into flour between cuts.

place dough circles 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden.
remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve warm with sausage gravy!

i'm back for s'mores!

it's been an abnormally long time since i last posted. i apologize. i've missed this page. it's been a long summer of traveling, job changes, and little baking. but don't worry, i'm back.

in homage to the end of summer and the beginning of my favorite season i selected a recipe that helps me to remember all the is fabulous about fall; the cool weather, football, and bonfires. who can have a bonfire without s'mores? well, who would want to anyways. so in respect to the fire cooked dessert i have created a cupcake.

i can't take full credit, this recipe originally came from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman as editted by How To Eat a Cupcake



S'Mores Cupcakes

1/2 c. ap flour
1 1/2 c. finely crushed graham crackers
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. (1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. milk
1 c. milk chocolate chips (chopped to make them finer)

Swiss Meringue Marshmallow Frosting

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
4 egg whites
1-2 tsp. vanilla extract

preheat oven to 350 degrees.
mix flour, crushed graham crackers, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
add vanilla. alternately add flour mixture and milk and beat until batter is almost smooth. fold in chocolate chips.
spoon batter into cupcake papers about 2/3 full. bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. (I only needed 18 minutes on my cupcakes, it will vary based on your oven) Remove from oven and cool.
to make the frosting: combine egg whites and sugar in the top of a double boiler (or a glass bowl over but not touching a pan of simmering water). whisk constantly over medium-high heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees, about 5 minutes. pour egg white mixture into the bowl of a stand up mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. beat on high for 6 minutes or until the mixture reaches room temperature. add additional vanilla 1 tsp. at a time until you've reached desired flavor.
frost cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs and top with a piece of chocolate.