Anthony's Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe

A smoothie is a delicious and healthy drink  that is made in a blender.  It has ingredients such as fruit, milk, juice, yogurt, crushed ice, honey and other ingredients. Below is my recipe for making a delicious strawberry banana smoothie, that’s made with bananas, strawberries, yogurt, milk, honey and ice.

Ingredients:

2 medium bananas
1/2 cup of strawberry yogurt
1 1/2 cups of frozen strawberries
1/2 cup of 2% low fat milk
2 teaspoons of honey
1/2 cup of ice cubes

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by cutting your banana into 1 inch chunks and then placing them along with your yogurt into the freezer.  Then let them sit for about half of an hour.  After that time you will want to add in your frozen banana, frozen strawberries, strawberry yogurt, milk, honey and ice into your blender.  Then cover your blender and  blend your ingredients on a high speed until they are nice and smooth.

You can add more milk to make your strawberry banana smoothie thinner or you can add some more ice to make it thicker.  There is no set in stone recipe when making this or any  other smoothie.  Just add what tastes good and try to avoid processed sugars you have a healthy and a delicious drink.

Homemade Applesauce Recipe

There is nothing quite as delicious as fresh homemade applesauce.   By making your own you can control the amount of sugar and preservatives that go into your body.  Below is my recipe for some delicious applesauce that is made with apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar.  I suggest using granny smith apples for this recipe.

Ingredients:

4 pounds of apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of water

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a 5-quart saucepan and adding in your apples, lemon juice,  cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and water.  Then place your saucepan over a medium high heat.   Once it comes to a boil you should reduce your heat to low, cover your pot and then let it simmer until you apples are nice and tender so that you can mash them.  This should take 20 to 30 minutes.

When your apples are tender you should remove your saucepan from the heat and then mash your apples with a potato masher until you have the consistency that you want.  I like my applesauce to be slightly chunky so I do not fully mash my applesauce.  Then simply place your applesauce in an airtight container and then refrigerate until it is cold and serve.  You can keep your applesauce in the refrigerator for several weeks as long as you store it in an airtight container.

Beef and Barley Chili Recipe

I have always loved chili, especially during the winter.  Below is my recipe for making some delicious beef and barley chili that is made with pinto beans, ground beef, garlic, onion, bell pepper, carrots,  jalapeño, salsa, tomato sauce, beef broth, chili powder, cumin and paprika.  This is a great one pot meal that your whole family will love.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons of jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 pounds of ground beef
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
3 cups of hot chunky salsa
3/4 cup of tomato sauce
3/4 cup of pearl barley
1 (14 oz.) can of beef broth
2 (15 oz.) cans of pinto beans, drained

Instructions:

To begin this recipe you will want to take a Dutch oven and add your oil into it.  Then place your Dutch oven over a medium high heat.  You will want to add in your onions, bell peppers and carrots when your pot gets slightly hot and sauté your vegetables until they are tender.  This should only take 4 to 5 minutes.  Then add in your jalapeños and garlic and sauté for one minute.  Now add in your ground beef and cook it until your ground beef has browned.  Make certain that you break up your ground beef as it cooks.  This should take about 5 minutes.  At this point you will want to drain any grease from your pot.

Now add in your chili powder, cumin, paprika, salsa, tomato sauce, pearl barley, beef broth and pinto beans into your Dutch oven and bring it to a boil.  When your chili comes to a boil reduce your heat until  it comes to a simmer.  Then let your beef and barley chili cook for 45 to 60 minutes so that your flavors come together and your chili thickens.  Make certain that you stir your beef and barley chili periodically as it cooks.  Pay careful attention to it during the last 20 minutes.

Smoked Sausage and Veggie Stir Fry

The following is my step by step recipe for making a delicious sausage and veggie stir fry recipe, that is relatively easy to make and definitely delicious to eat.  It is made with andouille sausage, celery, onion, carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, green beans, mushrooms, garlic, soy sauce and your favorite stir fry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 pound of andouille sausage, sliced
2 celery stalks sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 medium carrots, cut julienne style
3/4 cup of sugar snap peas
1/2 cup of fresh green beans, chopped into 1 inch pieces
4 mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons of soy sauce,
2 - 4 tablespoons of stir fry sauce.

Instructions:

You will want to heat a pan or wok with about a tablespoon of oil.  When the wok is hot you will want to put the sausage into the wok and stir fry it until the sausage browns.  Since your wok is hot you will want to make certain that you keep the sausage moving as it cooks.  This should only take about 2 minutes since the sausage is already cooked and you just want to lightly brown your sausage.  When your sausage is done, set it aside for use later.

Next add 1 more tablespoon of oil into the wok and add in your onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and carrots and stir fry for about 3 minutes making certain that you stir and toss while they cook.  You will then want to add in your sugar snap peas, green beans and mushrooms and stir fry for an additional 2 minutes.  Then add in your garlic and stir fry for an additional minute.

Now add in about 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and your sausage into the mixture and continue to cook about two minutes more.  The amount of soy depends on your taste.  If you like more you can add a bit more.  At this point you should now pour about 2 tablespoons of the stir fry sauce over the sausage and vegetables and continually stir and toss while your sausage and veggie stir fry finishes cooking.  The exact amount that you pour in will depend on your taste.  You will only have to cook for about another two minutes, making certain to continually move around your food in the wok as it cooks so that they do not burn. After this time, you are now finished and you now have a healthy and very appetizing sausage and veggie that you can serve with pride.  I will usually serve this with some freshly made steamed rice.

Chicken And Rice Recipe

One of my favorite simple meals is Chicken and Rice made all together in one pot.  My recipe for making chicken and rice is very flavorful and very simple to make.  In this dish you have your chicken, rice and vegetables all cooked together in one pot.  Simply serve with a salad and you will have a wonderful and easy meal.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
2 chicken wings
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 1/4 cups of water
1 Knorr tomato bouillon with chicken flavor cube
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon of a Cajun Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups of long grain rice
3/4 cup frozen carrots and peas

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a Dutch Oven over medium high heat. Add in your chicken pieces to the pot and brown them, turning them several times until browned on all sides.  This will take about 5 minutes.  When the chicken is browned nicely, transfer the chicken to a plate and then set aside.

Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the Dutch Oven and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook  your onion until they have softened.  This should take about 6 minutes.   Then add in your garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Now, stir in about 1 cup of your water, making certain to scrape off any of the chicken pieces that are stuck on the bottom of the pot.  This will add a lot of flavor to your dish by incorporating them into your liquid.   When you have finished deglazing your pan add in your remaining water along with your bouillon, paprika, Cajun seasoning, pepper, rice and your frozen carrots and peas.

Bring the rice to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and bring it to a simmer.  At this point you will want to return your chicken to the Dutch Oven by placing your chicken pieces on  top of your rice.  Make certain that you add any juices that are on the plate that your chicken was on.  Then cover the pot and let simmer on the stove for about 25 minutes until the rice is tender and the rice has completely absorbed the liquid.  After your chicken and rice has cooked for 25 minutes, remove your top to your pot and fluff your rice with a fork.  Then cover your pot and let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes.  After that time your chicken and rice is done.  Serve while still hot.

Baking Powder Biscuits Recipe

Below is my recipe for making some light and flaky baking powder biscuits that are simply made with flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter and milk.  The trick to making light and flaky biscuits is to handle the dough as little as possible and to use cold ingredients.  That means cold butter and yes even your other ingredients such as your milk and flour should be cold.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of sugar
6 tablespoons of cold butter, diced
1 cup of cold milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of water

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a food processor and then place your flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into the food processor and pulsing your ingredients together a few times.  Then add in your diced cold butter and pulse your food processor until your mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  The reason I do this with a food processor instead of b hand is to keep the butter cold and using your warm hands could melt the butter.

You should now place your mixture into a large mixing bowl.  I found that if I mix the milk into the ingredients in a food processor it will over mix the dough and create tough biscuits, so I add in the milk into the bowl and mix the ingredients together with a large spoon.  Stop mixing when your dough just comes together.

You now want to create an egg wash to brush on the tops of the biscuits before they go into the oven.  To make your egg wash you will want to take a small bowl and quickly mix together your egg and 1 teaspoon of water.  

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Now, take your dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough a few times until it becomes a mostly a cohesive ball.  Now take a wooden rolling pin and roll out your dough evenly to about 3/4 of an inch thick.  Then take a biscuit cutter or the rim of a small glass and press down to create your biscuit rounds.  You will have scraps left over after you do this, so gather your dough scraps and kneed a few times to create a circle.  Be careful not to overwork the dough since overworking it makes tough biscuits.  Now roll our your dough to 3/4 of an inch thick and then stamp out the remaining biscuits.   You will want to brush the top of your biscuit rounds with your egg wash and then place them on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Now place the baking sheet with your baking powder biscuits into your preheated oven and bake at 450 degrees F. until your baking powder biscuits are golden brown.  This should take between 12 to 15 minutes.

Banana Meringue Pie Recipe

One of my favorite deserts for the holiday season or in fact at any time of the year is a delicious banana meringue pie.  Below is my recipe for a very tasty banana meringue pie that is packed full of sliced bananas that are surrounded by a delicious custard that is made from eggs, milk, sugar, butter, vanilla extract and almond extract and then topped with a sweet and tasty meringue topping.

Ingredients:

1 (9 inch) pie crust
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 cups of whole milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons of butter at room temperature
3/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon of almond extract
4 medium bananas
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
6 tablespoons of sugar

Instructions:

You will want to begin by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.

Line your pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with dried beans.  Then place your pie crust into your preheated oven and bake your pie crust until the crust is set.  This  should take 12 to 14 minutes.   Then remove the paper and weights from your pie crust and then continue to bake until golden brown.  This should take 8 to 10 minutes.  Now, remove your pie crust from the oven and cool on a wire rack.  Then reduce the temperature of your oven to 350 and leave your oven on.

To make the custard you will want to whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk until smooth in a heavy large saucepan. Cook and stir the mixture over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. You will then want to reduce the heat and cook while stirring for 2 minutes longer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and then stir in a small amount of hot mixture into a bowl that you have beaten your eggs in.  This is called tempering the eggs and you do it so that you don’t create scrambled eggs in your mixture.  Once the eggs are tempered return the mixture to the saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Your next step is to remove the saucepan from the heat and then gently stir in the butter, almond extract and vanilla extract.   Then, after your custard has cooled slightly you will want to slice your bananas into the custard and mix them in.  Then immediately pour your custard into the pie shell that you baked.  Most cooks simply slice the bananas into the bottom of the pie shell and then pour the custard over top but I found that I like the bananas throughout the custard not just on the bottom of the pie and doing it this way better achieves that result.  Then set your pie aside while you make your meringue topping

You will now want to prepare the meringue by taking a medium mixing bowl and add in in your egg whites and cream of tartar and beat your ingredients with a hand mixer on a medium speed until soft peaks form.  Then gradually add in your sugar a tablespoon at a time while you beat your mixer on high speed until stiff glossy peaks form in the meringue and your sugar has completely dissolved.   Then spread your meringue completely over your banana filling that will still be hot.  I think curly peaks give a great texture to a banana meringue pie’s top so use a spoon to swirl and twist the meringue until you achieve this result.  Make certain that you seal the edges of the meringue to the crust of your pie shell.  If you do not then the meringue will shrink a bit as it bakes.

Now place your banana meringue pie into your preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees F. until the meringue is golden brown.  This should take 10 to 15 minutes.  Keep an eye on it after 10 minutes to make certain it doesn’t over brown   Then cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.  After that time place your pie in the refrigerator and chill your banana meringue pie for 3 to 4 hours or overnight before serving.  enjoy

Garlic Tea Recipe

Garlic tea is a very healthy drink.  It will help you with your sore throat and since garlic stimulates the immune system, is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory it can help your body fight off the symptoms of a cold.  Below is my recipe for making a delicious and healthy garlic tea that is simply made with water, garlic, ginger, lemon herbal tea, honey and lemon juice.

Ingredients:

4 cups of clean fresh water
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half
1 (2 inch) piece of ginger
1 individual lemon herbal tea bags
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of lemon juice

Instructions:

You will want to pour your water, garlic and ginger into a 3-Quart Saucepan and bring the water to a boil.   When it comes to a boil turn your burner off and take your saucepan off the heat and add in your tea bag, lemon juice and honey and give it a stir.

Then place your lid on your saucepan and let your garlic tea steep for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how strong you want your tea.  After that time strain your tea and enjoy your garlic tea throughout the day until you are feeling better.

Garlic & Parsley Mashed Potatoes Recipe

These garlic and parsley mashed potatoes get their intense and delicious flavor from the roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese and parsley along with the butter and cream that is mixed into the mashed potatoes.  They are a great addition to any meal and are not difficult to make.

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and quartered
Kosher salt, to taste
3 tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
Black ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:

You will want to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

You should cut off the top 1/2 inch of the head of garlic.  Place the garlic on piece of aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil over the garlic cloves and then close tin foil and make a pouch to roast your garlic in.   Now place your garlic in your oven and roast it for 30 minutes or until the garlic has completely softened.  When its done remove the pouch of garlic and let it cool completely.  When its cool squeeze out the garlic cloves and then crush the garlic cloves into a paste.  

While your garlic is roasting place your potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a large saucepan and cover with cold water.  Now  place your saucepan over a medium heat and bring your potatoes to a boil.  Now reduce your heat to a medium low and let your potatoes simmer until they are tender when pierced with a fork.  This should take about 20 minutes.  Drain your potatoes when finished.

When your potatoes are done place your butter, cream and Parmesan cheese into a small saucepan over a low heat and heat your ingredients until the butter just melts.  You just want to melt your butter and warm your cream.  Then remove your saucepan from the heat and set aside your Parmesan cheese mixture.

Now place your boiled potatoes, garlic paste, Parmesan cheese mixture and parsley into a large mixing bowl and beat your potatoes with a hand mixer until your potatoes are the consistency you want.  Do not over beat them or they will become gummy.

Now, taste your mashed potatoes and then season them with salt and pepper to your taste.

Curried Split Pea Soup Recipe

I love split pea soup on cold days or any day of the year.  There are many ways of making split pea soup.  Some recipes use water, some use some kind of broth and some add some milk so it’s creamy.  Cut up ham, a ham or pork hock and a variety of vegetables can also be added in.  Below is my recipe for making a curried split pea soup where I have added in some curry powder, cayenne pepper and cumin seasonings into my normal split pea soup recipe to create a different and delicious curried split pea soup.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 1/2 pounds of smoked pork hocks
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried basil
5 cups of chicken broth
3 cups of vegetable broth
2 potatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoon of curry powder
16 ounces of green split peas
1 cup of half and half

Instructions:

You will want to begin this recipe by taking a Dutch Oven and melting the butter in it over medium-high heat. Next, add your onion, celery and carrots and sauté them until the vegetables begin to soften  This should take about 8 minutes.   Then add in your pork hock, thyme, and basil and stir for a minute.   You should then add in your chicken broth, vegetable broth, potato, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, curry powder and peas and then bring your soup to a boil.  Now, reduce the heat and bring the soup to a simmer over a medium low heat.  Now partially cover your Dutch oven and simmer your soup until your split peas are soft and tender.  This should take about 1 hour and 15 minutes.  You will need to stir your curried split pea soup periodically during this time so it does not burn.

When your soup is done cooking you should remove your pork hocks from the soup.  Place the pork hocks in bowl and set them aside for use later.  You now want to puree about half of your soup in batches in a food processor.  You should then return your soup to the Dutch oven. Your next step is to cut off the pork meat from the pork hocks and then dice your meat.  Place the pork back into your soup.  You will want to finish your soup by slowly adding in the half and half into the soup, making certain to stir it in.  You will need to heat your soup over a medium low heat until your soup is once again hot, making certain not to boil your soup.  You will now want to give your soup a taste and adjust your seasonings if needed.

Turkey and Bean Chili Recipe

I have always loved making chili on a cold wintry day.  It warms the body, fills the stomach and is a great one pot meal.   Below is my recipe for making a very delicious and somewhat spicy turkey and bean chili that is made with onions, garlic, jalapeños, bell peppers, tomatoes, ground turkey, pinto beans, kidney beans, tomato paste, beef broth, chicken broth, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and pepper.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
1 karge green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded & diced
6 tablespoons of jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 tablespoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 cups of beef broth
1 cup of vegetable broth
1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
2 (15 oz.) can of pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1 (15 oz.) cans of kidney beans, drained & rinsed

Instructions:

You will want to being this recipe by taking a large pot and adding in your oil.  Then place your pot over a medium high heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer you will want to add in your onions and green bell peppers and sauté your vegetables until they become tender.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Then add in your jalapeños and garlic and sauté for one more minute.  Your next step is to add in your ground turkey and cook it until it has browned.  You will want to make certain that you break up your ground turkey as it cooks,  Browning your ground turkey should only take about 5 minutes.   When your ground turkey has browned you will want to use the lid of your pot and drain any grease from your pot.

Your next step is to add and stir in your seasonings of oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, black pepper and sugar.  Then add in your tomatoes, beef broth, vegetable broth, tomato paste, pinto beans and kidney beans.  Cook until your chili begins to a boil and then reduce your heat and bring it to a simmer.  Then simmer your turkey and bean chili for about 60 minutes so that your flavors can come together and your chili can thicken.  Make certain that you stir your chili regularly as it cooks and pay careful attention to your chili in the last 20 minutes to make certain that your turkey and bean chili doesn‘t burn.

Barbecue Meatloaf Muffins Recipe

There are many comfort foods that Mom used to make for us when we were young but nothing says Mom better then meatloaf.  Below is my recipe for some delicious barbecue meatloaf muffins that are cooked in a muffin tin so each person has his own individual miniature meatloaf.  They are made with lean ground beef, ground pork, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, onion, celery, garlic, parsley and other herbs and seasonings.

Ingredients:

1  pounds of lean ground beef
3/4 pound of ground pork
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
3 tablespoons of milk
11 tablespoons of barbecue sauce, divided
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves finely minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4  cup of finely chopped celery
1/4 teaspoon of Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of freshly minced parsley
1 teaspoon of dried thyme

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

You will want to begin by taking a large mixing bowl and adding in your ground beef, ground pork, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, 2 tablespoons of your barbecue sauce, mustard, garlic, onion, celery, salt, pepper, parsley and thyme and mix your ingredients together with your hands.  Then, take a 12 muffin tin and brush the inside of the tins with some vegetable oil.  You will want to divide your meat mixture into the 12 tins.  Then take your thumb and press it into the top of each muffin loaf and finally place 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce over top of each individual loaf.

Now, place your muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake until your barbecue meatloaf muffins are cooked through and your instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F.  This should take 18 to 22 minutes.  When done, remove your barbecue meatloaf muffins from the oven, let them rest for about 5 minutes and then take a knife and cut around the edges of each meatloaf muffin and remove them from your muffin tin.  Then serve and enjoy.

Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe

Making pancakes can be tricky if you don’t know what your doing but once you know the trick of making pancakes they are easy to make.   Below is my recipe and my step by step instructions for how to make some delicious and fluffy buttermilk pancakes that your whole family will love.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoons of baking soda
3 tablespoons of sugar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups of buttermilk
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of butter, melted and cooled
Vegetable oil for griddle

Instructions:

Take a medium mixing bowl and add in your flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt and whisk your ingredients together.  Now take a large mixing bowl and add in your eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and butter and mix your ingredients together until they are fully mixed together.   Now, take your dry ingredients and slowly add them in a little at a time and mix your ingredients together until all of your dry ingredients are mixed in with your wet.  Do not over mix or your batter will be tough, so mix just until your ingredients have come together and you have a nice batter.

Now preheat your oven to 175 degrees F.

Now, take a griddle and pour just a bit of vegetable oil on the griddle and use a paper towel to coat the griddle lightly. Now place your griddle over a medium heat. When your surface is hot take a ladle and pour about 1/3 of a cup of your batter onto the griddle and spread your batter into a circle using the back of your ladle.  Spread your pancakes about 3 inches apart. You will have to work in batches.

While the pancakes cook you will see some bubbles form in the batter. When the bubbles begin to pop, your pancakes are ready to be flipped so take a spatula and gently flip them over and then cook until golden brown on the bottom. This should take 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove your buttermilk pancakes and place them on a baking sheet and place your baking sheet in your preheated oven to keep warm.  Now, continue to make your pancakes as shown above until you have used up all of your batter.  Serve your buttermilk pancakes with butter and maple syrup.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe

When you make biscuits you want them to be light and flaky.  The way to do this is to keep the dough cold so I always handle the dough as little as possible with my hands and I used cold ingredients.  The reason for this is that you will have small little bits of butter throughout your dough so when you bake your biscuits your butter melts and you will then have little air pockets throughout your biscuits, which will make them light and flaky.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
6 tablespoons of cold butter
1 cup of cold buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of water

Instructions:

You will want to take a food processor and add in your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar and pulse your ingredients together a few times.  Then add in your cold butter and pulse until your mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  I think at this point its important for me to explain why I am using a food processor.   One of the important things in making biscuits is to keep the butter cold so touching it with your warm hands as little as possible is important and using a food processor allows you to handle the dough as little as possible.

You will now want to then dump your mixture into a large mixing bowl.  I found that if I mix the ingredients with the buttermilk in a food processor it will over mix the dough and create tough biscuits, so add in your buttermilk into the bowl and mix together with a large spoon and stop when your dough just comes together.

Now take a small bowl and quickly mix together your egg and 1 teaspoon of water.  You are creating an egg wash to brush on top of your dough before it goes into the oven.  

This is the point you want to preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Now, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough a few times until it is a mostly a cohesive ball.  Now take a wooden rolling pin and roll out your dough evenly to about 3/4 of an inch thick and then take a biscuit cutter or the rim of a small glass and press down to create rounds.  You will have scraps left over when you do this, so gather your dough scraps and pat into a circle, being careful not to overwork the dough since overworking it makes tough biscuits.  Now roll our your dough to 3/4 of an inch thick and then stamp out the remaining biscuits.   You will want to brush the top of your rounds with your egg wash and then place them on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Now place your baking sheet into your preheated oven and bake at 450 degrees F. until your Southern buttermilk biscuits are golden brown.  This should take 12 to 15 minutes.

Herb Crusted Chicken Breasts Recipe

One of my favorite meals is fried chicken.  The crust that you get from frying your chicken is very crispy.  Unfortunately, frying is not the healthiest way to cook chicken.  Luckily you can get the same crispiness from baking your chicken.  My recipe for making some delicious herb crusted chicken breasts uses some flour, panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley and other seasonings to create an extremely crispy, crunchy and delicious crust when baked in the oven.

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves
Salt and pepper to taste
3 eggs
2 tablespoons of milk
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1/2 cup of flour
1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon of finely minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
2 teaspoon of salt

Instructions:

Your first step is to season your chicken breasts.  Take each breast and lightly sprinkle each side with some salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. and lightly coat a baking sheet with some cooking spray.

You will now want to take a medium bowl or pie pan and add the eggs, milk and mustard to it and whisk your ingredients together.   Then add your flour, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder, cayenne and salt into a second bowl or pie pan and whisk together.  Now lay your 2 bowls side by side on the counter

Then take each chicken breast, one at a time, and place it in the bowl with the egg mixture.  Then, dip the breast into the second bowl with your breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture, pressing lightly to coat on all sides.  You should repeat this process until all of your chicken breasts have been coated.  To keep your hands from getting sticky place your breast into the wet ingredients with your left hand and use your right hand to coat them with your dry ingredients.

Now place your herb coated chicken breasts on your prepared baking sheet and then place your baking sheet in your preheated oven and bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.  This should take 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breast.  You can tell they are cooked through by using a digital thermometer.  If it registers 165 degrees F. they are done.  You will want to turn your herb crusted chicken breasts halfway through cooking.