Whole Wheat Honey and Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits {Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off}

I'm back for week 2 of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off!
Can I say it's been so much fun checking out this cookbook! Sooooo many recipes that I want to try.

Next up were these tasty biscuits. I'll admit, I had never used whole wheat flour before and was leery about it. But they turned out pretty good. I didn't taste too much of the honey or goat cheese in the biscuits, so next time maybe I'd increase the amount. 

These are best served warm from the oven. I sliced them open, slathered them in some butter and honey, and I was set! 


That's how I love my biscuits. With butter and honey.

Whole Wheat Honey and Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits

from Joy the Baker Cookbook

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes, plus more for pan
• 4 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
• 1 cup buttermilk, cold
• 2 tablespoons honey, plus more for topping if desired

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven as it preheats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With your fingers, quickly incorporate the cold butter and goat cheese until the flour resembles coarse meal. Some of the butter and cheese chunks will be the size of small pebbles; others will be the size of oat flakes. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

Whisk together buttermilk and honey. Honey may not completely blend into the buttermilk, that's okay. Pour the buttermilk into the well of the flour mixture. Use a fork to blend together the wet and dry ingredients. Mix until all of the flour is incorporated and no dry flour remains. Set aside.

Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add 1 tablespoon butter. Swirl the butter around the bottom and sides of the pan until butter is melted and pan is coated. Spoon batter by the 1/4 cupful into the hot skillet. About 6 biscuits will fit into the 10-inch skillet. Biscuits should have about an inch of room separating them, but will bake up to touch one another. That's great!

Place in the oven to bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until golden and tops appear dry and slightly firm. Remove from the oven. Let rest for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining batter. For a glossy finish, brush the biscuits with slightly warm honey. These biscuits are best served immediately, but will last for up to 3 days, well wrapped, at room temperature.

Printable Recipe

  

These biscuits would also work nice on a breakfast sandwich... some bacon, egg, and cheese on these biscuits.... next time I'm doing that!

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*

Peace, and bacon grease!

February's Secret Recipe Club - Southwestern Deviled Eggs

Hey there! I've missed you.

We skipped January, but we're back this month for The Secret Recipe Club. And boy am I glad... I was having minor withdrawals. I'm so excited to spread the news... I had the wonderful blog The Freshman Cook, which meant I had tons of recipes to choose from! So many that I'll eventually make anyways I'm sure, like S'mores Rice Krispie Treats, Pecan Bars, and a Mashed Potato Bowl like KFC's. I'll take em all, please! But I finally settled on a side item... these delicious Southwestern Deviled Eggs.

Cuz I love deviled eggs.

I liked the flavors in these. I used two green onions instead of one because there can almost never be too many. We also left out the paprika and avocado. Avocado would be extra nice, next time I think I'll try that.

Southwestern Deviled Eggs

adapted from The Freshman Cook

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 chopped green onions
• fresh cilantro

Place 6 eggs in a pot of cold water and place on the stove. Bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes. Put the pot under cold running water to cool the eggs and stop them from cooking.

Peel each egg, and then cut them in half lengthwise.

Put the yolks in a medium bowl, and put the whites to the side. Smash the yolks with a fork. Add the mayo, spices, and green onion. Mix together. Stuff the filling into each egg. Garnish each egg with cilantro.

Printable Recipe

I really enjoyed stalking Teri's blog for the past month or so. So many fantastic recipes to get lost in. And we found a keeper for sure!

Linking up here.

Peace, and bacon grease!

Menu Planning - Week of 2/20/12

Hi guys. Another lame weekend in these here parts. What about you? I spent most of my weekend studying for midterms and working on a paper. Fun times, fun times.

So I don't have much to speak on, except that I did watch the Whitney Houston funeral. Well, I DVR'd it and only watched the parts I cared about. I mean, it was pretty long! And sad. I can't devote that much time of my day to being sad!! But man was that Alicia Keys performance touching. So heartfelt.

And I did feel bad for Ray J as he touched the casket and broke down crying. Too much, too much! I'm getting teary-eyed now. And I realize that I was one of the billions who didn't even know her, but still felt saddened by her loss. Sometimes it feels like we know em.

Life goes on, though.

As does menu planning. A couple roll over meals from last week. You know how it goes.


Monday 2/20/12:  pick something up


Tuesday 2/21/12:  use Mokka groupon

Wednesday 2/22/12:  Cold Avocado Soup with Sweet Corn and Bacon


Thursday 2/23/12:  Bacon Cheeseburger Potato Pie


Friday 2/24/12:  Buttermilk Chicken Tenders


Saturday 2/25/12:  Buttermilk Cornbread Topped Chili


Sunday 2/26/12:  Asian Pork Tenderloin

Have a happy week, my friends! Hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later to share some more goodies with you. Possibly a Mardi Gras-inspired recipe? :)

And nope, still haven't made PJ go see The Grey with me again. Tis my goal this weekend.

Peace, and bacon grease!

Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting {Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off}

Hi there my lovelies! 

Today, and for the next few weeks, I'm participating in the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off hosted by Heather at Girlichef.



I am so stoked to be participating in this challenge, as I love Joy's blog. Can you say AH-MAZING and INSPIRING!? If only I could come within an ounce of her baking talents, I'd be a happy girl. That woman can bake her butt off.

Insert these brownies. You see, I'm used to brownies from a box mix, which I was never crazy about. Thanks to Joy, now I've seen the light and now know how brownies are really supposed to taste.

Rich, topped with a velvety frosting, and homemade!

Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

from Joy the Baker Cookbook


*Makes one 8-inch pan

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 3 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. In a medium heatproof bowl, add butter and unsweetened chocolate. Place the bowl over, but not touching, the simmering water and allow to melt. Stir to incorporate. Once melted, remove the bowl from the simmering pot. Whisk in brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk in eggs, yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once to the chocolate mixture. Fold together with a spatula until well incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the brownie comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

Frost with half recipe of The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see below) when cooled. Brownies last, well wrapped, without the frosting, at room temperature for up to five days.

The Best Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

from Joy the Baker Cookbook

*Note: this is the full recipe, the  brownies only call for a 1/2 recipe 
*Makes enough to frost one 2-layer 8-inch or 9-inch cake or 24 cupcakes

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2.5-3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• scant 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup Ovaltine

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, cocoa powder, and salt. Mixture will be very thick, but cream for about 3 minutes at medium speed.

Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on low to incorporate 2.5 cups powdered sugar while adding the milk and vanilla. As the sugar incorporates, gradually increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat until smooth.

In a 1-cup measure, stir together cream and Ovaltine. Turn the mixer to medium, and pour the cream in a slow steady stream until the frosting reaches your desired consistency: smooth, creamy, and spreadable. Add more powdered sugar to adjust consistency. Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cakes or cupcakes (or brownies). 

*Note: Putting the frosting in the fridge for about 30 minutes makes it harden just a little and makes it easier to spread as a frosting.

Frosting will last well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. 

Printable Recipe

I didn't put the frosting in the fridge first before frosting. But I did refrigerate the brownies once they were frosted. You can heat them in the microwave if you like them warm, or let them sit out at room temp for a bit before serving or eating if you like them at room temperature.


I don't think I'll ever eat brownies without frosting again.

Our host Heather is doing an interview with the ever-so-talented author of this cookbook, Joy the Baker herself. I suggest you head on over there, cuz you can enter to win a copy of the cookbook yourself! Do it!!

*This post is part of the Joy the Baker Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef*


Also linking up here and to Cookbook Sundays.

Peace, and bacon grease!