Breakfast Biscuits

I am a regular at our local library. I tend to pick up foodie reads. The last trip to the library I came home with The Baby Food Bible and How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?. Of course the latter was for me itty bitty.

The Baby Food Bible was filled with very useful information on providing proper nutrition for your newborn on to the "high chair cuisine" ages (toddler years). There were also plenty of recipes and I bookmarked a few I wanted to try. While this book would have been helpful to have when I was pregnant, over three years ago, I found it was still helpful as a reminder as to how to fuel my toddler's little body.

One of the first recipes I knew I wanted to try were the Breakfast Biscuits. I got to thinking about how I have never made a plain biscuit. I made those delicious Cheddar Bay Biscuits but sometimes a comforting straight forward biscuit is what I need and biscuits and gravy is what I have in mind.
These biscuits are obviously made with tiny mouths, tiny hands, and tiny appetites in mind. They are the perfect size for an itty bitty or as a side dish. If a larger biscuit is what you are wanting than you would need to double the amount dropped per biscuit.



Breakfast Biscuits

The Baby Food Bible

Makes 12 2 inch biscuits

Stars of the Show:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

And Action:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients. With fingers or a fork blend the butter in to the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. In a separate bowl combine the milk and maple syrup. Pour the milk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until all the flour is moistened. Avoid over mixing; a few lumps are okay. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased baking sheet and bake the biscuits for 15-18 minutes or until the biscuits start to brown.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

We all know those infamous Cheddar Bay Biscuits from Red Lobster. You know those ones that the dietitians tell us to run away from and while we're at it to reduce our sodium intake and do another 50 crunches. Those ones. While Mr. Sideline Chef would tell you these are the main reason he goes to Red Lobster I sing a different tune and look forward to their Caesar Salad without croutons and drool over the menu options before settling on something that isn't probably the healthiest choice.

Just last month Mr. Sideline Chef requested I make rolls for dinner. I made those Honey Yeast Rolls that I thought were incredibly delicious but missed the mark for him. He was referring to something similar to what Red Lobster made. Rolls, biscuits, oh hell, in his mind what's the difference.

I searched the Internet and decided to make the recipe I found first since it sounded simple and I already had all of the ingredients on hand. Simple this recipe is. Flavorful as well. How do these compare to Red Lobster's? Close. The difference is that these are a cheese biscuit with the garlic butter topping. Their biscuits seem to have the cheesy garlic taste baked in and brushed on top as well. When I make these next time I will be sure to mix the topping ingredients into the biscuit mix and then top with extra garlic butter goodness. Then they would be perfect.

Now I know when Mr. Sideline Chef requests rolls for dinner I'll have a go-to recipe. Now if only I could recreate their Caesar Salad and any one of their seafood dishes. Crave worthy!

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Allrecipes.com

Makes 20 Servings



Stars of the Show:

• 4 cups baking mix - I used Bisquick Heart Smart.
• 3 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp dried parsley

And Action:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl combine the baking mix, cheese, and water. Mix until a firm dough forms. Scoop dough onto the baking sheet using two spoons. Be sure to leave space between each dough scoop. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and dried parsley in a small bowl. Brush over the rolls immediately out of the oven.

Don't forget about the Culinary Smackdown Battle! There are 3 great entries so far and would love to see more of what my fellow foodies have or will come up with! Looking forward to tasting and judging and announcing the winner on February 28th, 2011.

Parmesan Parsley Biscuit Flatbreads

This one had me laughing to myself and shaking my head. Wanting to continue on with my vow to try and eat up the contents of our food items on hand before heading back to the grocery store before our vacation I decided to give this recipe a try.

Flatbreads make me giddy. They make the perfect vehicle for pizza toppings and sandwiches and such. Much to my disappointment these did not turn out to be flatbreads but instead biscuits that were smooshed down with a flavorless Parmesan cheese-parsley topping. What made these refrigerated biscuits amazing was the fact that the original recipe called for the biscuit to be dipped in olive oil on both sides. When the biscuits came out of the oven the bottoms were beautifully browned and crisp. That was the addicting part. It was like biting into Pizza Hut's pan pizza crust.

Okay so the results were nothing like I expected. No flatbread. What lesson I did learn was this: anytime refrigerated biscuits are made they will take a quick dip into an olive oil bath before baking for that crisp bottomed effect. Lip smacking deliciousness. Probably explains why I ended up eating four of them. Slapping hand and jumping on the treadmill now to burn off the calories I just inhaled.

Thoughts on a redo would include a dip in olive oil on both sides, the tops being sprinkled with more Parmesan cheese than the original recipe calls for and adding garlic as well. I could see these being served in a pinch to go along with a pasta dish.

Parmesan Parsley Biscuit Flatbreads

MyRecipes.com and Southern Living, March 2008

Makes 8 servings

Stars of the Show:

• 1 (16.3 oz) can refrigerated jumbo biscuits - I used Pillsbury Grands Butter Tastin' Jumbo Biscuits.
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh parsley - I used dried parsley.
• pinch of salt and black pepper

And Action:

Preheat oven to 400°. Dip both sides of the biscuit rounds in the olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. *I would skip the following step if I was to make these again.* Using fingertips, press each round into a 4-inch free form flat round. Sprinkle each biscuit top with the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

On to more exciting news!... I got my first shout out on another food bloggers page! After suggesting that she turn her guilty pleasures into healthier versions to enjoy whenever she wants she took my idea and did so. You can click HERE to check it out and give Alexandria kudos for a healthier swap!