7-Up and Tots

I recently came across two recipes that peaked my curiosity simply based on their names - 7-Up Biscuits and Zucchini Tots. Now I have heard of using 7-Up to make a delicious lemony cake. In fact that is one of my favorite cakes. However, I've never heard of 7-Up Biscuits. Apparently, this recipe and similar recipes have been floating around the internet for a while. So I had to try it.

7-Up Biscuits (adapted from All Recipes)

4 cups Bisquick

1 cup sour cream

1 cup 7-up

½ cup butter, melted

1. Place butter in pan and allow to melt in the oven as the oven warms up.

2. Mix Bisquick, sour cream and 7-Up. Dough will be sticky.

3. Slowly add a little Bisquick at a time while kneading the dough until it becomes easy to handle.

4. Cut out the biscuits and place on top of melted butter. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until brown.

The second recipe's name drew my attention simply by the word "tots." I'm a huge fan of tater tots and have even made homemade tots. The fact it used zucchini was a plus. I'm always looking for different ways to use this abundant summer veggie.

Zucchini Tots (adapted from Skinny Taste)

1 cup zucchini, grated

1 egg

¼ onion, diced

¼ cup cheddar cheese, grated

¼ cup panko bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place grated zucchini on paper towel and squeeze as much access water as possible.

2. Place in a bowl and add remaining ingredients.

3. Spray a mini muffin pan and fill each section with the zucchini mixture. Fill each section to the top.

4. Bake at 375° for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown.

 

Both of these recipes made the "keeper" lists in this house.

 Enjoy...

Crazy Winter

The weather this winter has been strange. Rain one day, sunshine the next day. Freezing temperatures one day, 60s the next day. Blue skies one day, overcast the next day. Even this weekend we had rain, snow flurries, sunny skies, overcast skies, more flurries, even some thunder and hail - all in one day. Whew! I'm ready for spring.

While avoiding the crazy weather this weekend, I did some baking...

White Chocolate Lemon Shortbread(adapted from Miss in The Kitchen)

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 ¼ cups flour

1 (3.5oz bar) white chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup butter, softened

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1. Add sugar to mixing bowl along with lemon zest. Using your fingers rub the zest into the sugar.

2. Add flour, chocolate and butter. Combine until the dough begins to stick together.

3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about ½ inch thickness. Cut out into desired shape.

4. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 300° for about 20 minutes or until light browned around the edges. Cool cookies and spread with the glaze

Creamed Corn Muffins

1 cup self rising cornmeal mix

¾ cup self rising flour

½ cup vegetable oil

1 cup frozen creamed corn

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1. Combine all ingredients and stir until moist.

2. Fill greased muffin tins and bake 20 minutes or until golden brown at 375°

Sourdough Coffee Cake

1 cup sourdough starter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg

1 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour

1. Combine sourdough starter, oil and egg.
2. Stir together dry ingredients and add to sourdough mixture.
3. Put dough into greased 9 inch square pan.
4. Crumble topping ingredients together and sprinkle topping on top of batter.
5. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
Enjoy...

Homemade Bread

There is something about making bread that makes my heart skip a beat. 

The aroma of the yeast as it forms the starter, 

the rising of the dough,

the kneading and forming of the loaves or rolls, 

the smell of the bread baking in the oven. 

It's the whole process of making the bread that I love. 

Of course, I have to admit that the bonus of baking bread is its taste, appearance and texture.

Mmmm...hot fresh bread with Happy Cow butter and homemade jam!

Ciabatta Rolls (adapted from King Arthur Flour)

1 1/2 cups flour plus 3 cups flour

1 cup cool water

a pinch of yeast plus 2 teaspoons yeast

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk

2/3 cup lukewarm water

3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, water, and pinch of yeast in a large bowl until well combined. Cover and let it rest at room temperature overnight. It will become bubbly.

2. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixture and beat at medium speed for 7 minutes. The dough will be very smooth and soft.

3. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for 2 hours, deflating it midway through.

4. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough in to 12 pieces. Roll into balls and flatten into disks. Transfer to baking sheets leaving about 3 inched apart. 5.  Cover the rolls with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise for 2 or 3 hours. 6. Bake 425 until golden brown.   Enjoy...

We Are Family

I love old photos, especially old family photos. For today's Little Red House Monday Mosaic, I am sharing a few photos of my parents as young children, and young adults as well photos of my grandparents and great grandparents in their younger years.

Amazing how my great grandfather's older eyes are exactly the same eyes of my brother and the youth of my grandmother resembles me when I was a young adult. Scanning and organizing all the family photos which have been handed down to me from my parents has been a long and sometimes endless task, but a task that frequently reminds me of my connection to my family.

Guess I should post a few photos of the new recipes I have tried these last couple of weeks. 
Autumn Apple Coffee Cake
Sweet and Sour Meatballs




Have you noticed I haven't posted anything recently dealing with knitting and sewing? I need to get motivated...Christmas is right around the corner.