Buttermilk Biscuits

Trying to mix up our dinners, with adding some different types of bread. We typically stick to our go to of Focaccia, but we had some buttermilk in the fridge (a new staple I'm trying to keep on hand because...well it's amazing in pancakes, waffles and buttermilk chicken). So we attempted our take on a biscuit. I can tell you we should have doubled the recipe because they were gone so fast, but I can also say I plan to make breakfast ones soon with cinnamon and sugar because these were so good.

Buttermilk Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp fresh rosemary (optional)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, cut into cubes (then place in freezer for 2-5 minutes before using)
3/4 cup - 1 cup cold buttermilk

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees, place parchment paper on cookie sheet (or use cooking spray)
2) In food processor with blade attachment, add flour, sugar, 1 tsp rosemary, baking powder and baking soda. Pulse a few times
3) Add in cold cubes of butter. Pulse until mixture resembles pea sized shapes within the flour
4) Add flour mixture to a bowl and add buttermilk, stir until just combined
5) Pour mixture onto a lightly floured board and knead a few times to finish incorporating the buttermilk into the flour.
6) Press down with your hands to create a round dough about 1/2" thick
7) Cut dough into circles with a floured round cutter (I used a ramekin). ***When cutting try not to twist/wiggle the round cutter as this will not allow your biscuits to fully rise***
8) Brush the top of the biscuit with buttermilk (option to add rosemary sprigs, herbs de provence on the top)
9) Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown
Serve warm
Mangia!

Instant Pot---Bone Broth

When I make bone the first thing I do is collect all my vegetables and herbs that I'm going to use. I cut the entire bottom off of a head of celery and cut the tops off to all go in my broth. I cut the tops off my carrots (no greenery) and bottoms off. Then go get fresh rosemary and thyme from our garden. Then I get my garlic ready, an entire head sliced in half skin on and all. Lastly I grab my onion and slice it in half as well, skin on. Now I don't have any pictures, because I forgot. But here's the basic recipe. What I love most about the Instant Pot is something that used to take 24 hours, now takes 2. Now seriously, what am I going to use those other 22 hours for...oh I have plans.


Bone Broth

Chicken bones (or beef bones)
Celery, use all of it the heart, leaves
Carrots, tops (no greens) all of the carrot
Onion cut in half skin on
Garlic, whole head cut in half skin on
Sprig of Rosemary (or if using dry 1 tbsp)
Sprig of Thyme (or if using dry 1 tbsp)
Bay leaf
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Water to cover

I start by adding my bones to the Instant Pot and adding the vinegar. This is a very important step as the acid helps make the nutrients in the bones more available. Add water to cover. Let this sit for 10 minutes or so. Then add all other ingredients, Cook on high pressure for 120 minutes.

That's it.
We actually go through so much bone broth we make it weekly, and now that it's only takes 2 hours instead of 24 I can fill my freezer for Fall/Winter.
Enjoy!

Whole Chicken

I've finally mastered cooking a whole chicken. Now that it's Fall and we use our bone broth almost weekly in meals, we quickly run out of bone broth. In order to get the bones for bone broth, I need to cook a whole chicken.  This recipe took some work to perfect, but the last 3 times it's turned out perfect. So now it's time to share my secret.

Whole Chicken
2-5 lb whole chicken (I love the Organic, pre-brined chicken from Trader Joes)
4 carrots chopped
4 celery stalks chopped
5 red potatoes chopped (I sometimes substitute, sliced butternut squash, acorn squash or delicata squash)
1 whole onion (red or yellow) cut into quarters
1 large rosemary sprig
1 large thyme sprig
1 garlic head (peel each clove individually)
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Turn on oven to 275 degrees
Place Whole Chicken in cooking pan large enough for chicken and the vegetables
Put potatoes (or squash), celery, carrots, onion and whole garlic cloves around the chicken
Pull some rosemary and thyme off the sprigs and sprinkle around the vegetables
Drizzle top of chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper
Place in oven (no foil necessary) @ 275 until chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit
We then save the bones and that same night make our own bone broth (you can find that recipe in my archives on September 29, 2013). That broth I use for the base of all my soup recipes.
****Mix it up a little bit by substituting the potatoes for a squash, either sliced butternut, sliced acorn, or delicata squash.

Enjoy!