Biscuit Sunday

I've tried for some time to find a good biscuit recipe. I like my biscuits buttery flaky and easy to make and I don't cook with shortening. This recipe has never failed me yet and is easy to experiment with. Try it out and let me know if you like it.

2.5 cups of all purpose flour (I like King Arthur)
2.5 teaspoons of baking powder
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick) chilled and firm.
3/4 cup of milk
1 egg lightly beaten

Pre-heat the oven to 400 F. In a large bowl mix your dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Depending on my mood I use up to one cup of whole wheat flour in this mix, but the recipe is great with all white flour too. Cut the butter up into small pieces and add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, break up the butter into pea sized pieces (similar to a pie crust method) and incorporate evenly into the dry mix. It should look like crumbs. Add the milk and stir with a fork, pulling the dough off of the sides of a bowl. The dough is pretty dry at this point. Add the egg and using your hands incorporate it evenly into the dough, pulling up all the dry bits from the bottom of the bowl.

Don't get overzealous in your kneading, just a few folds will do it. The less you worry the dough the better! Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Use a biscuit cutter if you are so inclined, I just use an inverted juice glass. Remember to roll up the dough scraps and keep cutting out more rounds. Biscuits from the second pass will not rise as high as the first so try to be as efficient as possible in your first cutting.
Place them on an ungreased baking sheet and pop them in the oven. Bake until tall and lightly browned 15-20 minutes.



I have no recollection as to where I found this recipe, but props to whomever posted it first!

The Best Roast Chicken Recipe Ever To Battle Your Winter Blues

I know, it is the silent, dark, dreariest part of winter. The holidays are over and there aren't any festivities on the horizon. We are all on diets, or at least watching our plates. We are tired and grumpy and exhausted after work. What's that you say? A quick, thoughtless recipe that will provide me with victuals for at least two days? And it's healthy? Nonsense!
No really, I'm quite serious, and if you're a good little kitchen mouse you can get the added bonus of a great broth by boiling down the leftovers! (and if you are just too tired, throw that carcass in the freezer for up to 6 weeks) Chicken soup to defeat your winter sniffles? Yep it is all here.
We get most of our groceries from the 32nd St. Farmer's Market, and we have a great meat vendor. Once a week I buy a roasting chicken. It seemed daunting at first, but I tried a few different recipes and found one that knocked my socks off. It doesn't require any fancy spices or doodads that normal people don't have in their kitchen's and it is absolutely delicious. This recipe is casual enough for a weeknight and fancy enough for guests. Just remember that you need at least one hour of roasting time. The secret bonus to this recipe is that the enchanting aroma of roast chicken will pervade your entire house, free aromatherapy! This recipe was found on Epicurious.com Actually I just double checked and the original recipe is titled, "My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken Recipe" Courtesy of Thomas Keller, ok now I understand. (Thomas Keller is the famous chef/restaurateur of French Laundry fame) But let's get on with it.

Okay, here is the ingredient list:

One 2-3 pound farm raised chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Butter, optional
Dijon Mustard, optional

Here are the directions

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird.
Now, salt the outside of the chicken— (about 1 tablespoon). Just sprinkle it liberally all over and don't bother to rub it in. Season to taste with pepper and a dash of your favorite spice mix, if you want.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven and leave it alone— don't baste it, don't add butter. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes.
Feel free to use this time to take a long soak, handle some overdue chores, do a jigsaw puzzle or have a glass of wine or two. I mean it, it really is 1 hour of free time, don't feel obligated to linger in the kitchen. After your lengthy break and the ding of the timer, remove the chicken from the oven. Baste the chicken with the juices, let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Now here is my favorite part of the directions! Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Portion up the rest of the bird to fit your dinner needs. Slather the meat with fresh butter and serve with mustard on the side. This recipe is idiot proof, and goes well with many different sides. We have this about once a week, it is especially good in the colder months because the oven toasts up the kitchen quite nicely. Try it out, I promise that you won't be disappointed.

Johnnie's Pastrami

Throughout my time in LA, I ate as many enchiladas, tamales, breakfast burritos and tacos as possible, per my usual custom. However my father is obsessed with the West Coast pastrami, also called a hot pastrami, so we ended up at Johnnie's Pastrami in Culver City, CA. First of all the diner is tiny, they only accept cash and they give you a bottomless dish of delicious pickles while you choose your order. Picnic tables are located on both sides of the building for overflow. There are dogs and burgers on the menu but I only have eyes for the hot pastrami. At 10.95 it seems expensive but when it arrives you know why. Almost as large as a loaf of bread, piled high with moist, thinly sliced pastrami, served piping hot. The sandwich is best shared or hoarded for a second meal, but it is nearly impossible to finish alone. I am an avowed pastrami hater and Johnnie's has converted me. If you are ever in the area check it out.