breakfast

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy

Ingredients for Biscuits:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for Gravy:

  • 1 lb breakfast sausage
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C) for conventional oven or 400°F (204°C) for convection oven.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add buttermilk and stir until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Pat or roll the dough to 1-inch thickness.
  4. Use a biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter to cut out biscuits. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. While the biscuits are baking, cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a plate.
  6. Sprinkle flour over the sausage drippings in the skillet and whisk until combined. Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
  7. Cook the gravy over medium heat, whisking frequently, until it thickens to your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. To serve, split the biscuits in half and top with the sausage gravy.

A tasty breakfast right form the skillet

I absolutely love cooking breakfast, especially on my trusty cast iron skillet. There’s something about the sizzle and aroma of cooking sausage and making biscuits that makes me happy. And biscuits and gravy is the ultimate comfort food for me. Making it from scratch is not only easy, but also much more delicious than the packaged stuff.

To start, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) for conventional or 400°F (205°C) for convection. Then, in a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then add in milk and stir until a dough forms. Roll out the dough and cut it into circles, then place on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

For the gravy, cook breakfast sausage in a skillet until browned and cooked through. Then, stir in flour to make a roux and gradually add in milk, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and any additional spices you like, such as sage or thyme.

Serve the hot biscuits topped with the warm gravy and enjoy! This recipe is also easily customizable – for a vegetarian option, use mushroom or vegetable gravy instead, or add in crumbled bacon for extra flavor.

~Denny

For the Love of Biscuits:

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy
https://www.budgetbytes.com/country-sausage-gravy/

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30 April 2023 by Recipes 0

Classic Quiche: Easy and Delicious

Ingredients:

  • 1 pre-made pie crust
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup diced ham
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup diced onions
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F for conventional ovens or 350°F for convection ovens.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and heavy cream until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  3. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the onions, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.
  4. Add the diced ham and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes, or until the ham is slightly browned.
  5. Add the ham and vegetable mixture to the egg mixture, along with the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.
  6. Pour the mixture into the pre-made pie crust.
  7. Bake for 45-50 minutes in a conventional oven or 35-40 minutes in a convection oven, or until the quiche is set and the top is golden brown.
  8. Remove the quiche from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Quiche: A classic for the ages

Quiche is one of my favorite recipes to make, especially for brunch or breakfast. It’s easy to prepare and can be made with a variety of ingredients, making it a versatile dish. I usually make a large quiche and eat it for breakfast for the next few days. This way, I can save time and still have a healthy and filling breakfast.

One of the great things about quiche is that you can put pretty much anything in it. My personal favorite is spinach and mushroom, but I have also made quiches with bacon, sausage, and various vegetables. I like to experiment with different ingredients to keep things interesting. No matter what you put in it, the quiche always turns out delicious.

I also love how quiche can be served hot or cold, making it a perfect dish for any time of day. It’s great to have in the fridge for a quick breakfast or snack, and it’s easy to heat up if you want it warm. Overall, quiche is a recipe that I will always keep in my repertoire. It’s a classic dish that’s simple to make but always impresses.

-Denny

Some different angles of Quiche:

Easy Quiche Recipe

https://www.eatingwell.com/gallery/7938023/best-quiche-recipes-for-every-meal/

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25 April 2023 by Recipes 0

Fruity French Toast: Morning breakfast!

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices of bread
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • 4 large strawberries, sliced
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Powdered sugar for serving

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) for a conventional oven or 325°F (165°C) for a convection oven.
  2. In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
  3. Take two slices of bread and lay them flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a horizontal slit in the middle of each slice to create a pocket.
  4. Stuff the pockets with the sliced strawberries and blueberries, making sure not to overstuff them.
  5. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
  6. Dip the stuffed bread slices in the egg mixture, making sure to coat both sides.
  7. Place the bread slices in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  8. Once both sides are golden brown, transfer the French toast to a baking sheet.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until the filling is hot and the French toast is fully cooked.
  10. Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and extra fruit on top if desired.

My thoughts on this recipe

I have to admit, I’m not typically a breakfast person. However, this French toast recipe is something I can definitely get behind, especially when I have friends or relatives visiting for brunch. It’s a great way to start the day and have something sweet and satisfying.

What I love about French toast is that it’s a bit of a blank slate. You can add all sorts of ingredients to make it unique and interesting. In this recipe, the strawberries and blueberries bring a wonderful sweetness and burst of flavor, while the nutmeg and cardamom add a hint of warmth and spice. It’s a perfect combination that I’m sure everyone will enjoy.

When making this recipe, I recommend using thick slices of bread that can hold up to the filling. Brioche or challah are excellent choices, but you can also use other types of bread as long as they are sturdy enough. The key is to soak the bread in the egg mixture long enough to fully absorb the flavors.

Overall, this French toast is a crowd-pleasing breakfast or brunch dish that’s easy to make and sure to impress. Whether you’re hosting friends or family or just want to treat yourself, this recipe is definitely worth trying.

More French Toast resources:

  1. “Perfect French Toast” by Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/perfect-french-toast-recipe-1910604
  2. “Cinnamon Sugar French Toast” by Allrecipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241812/cinnamon-sugar-french-toast/
  3. “The Surprisingly Ancient History of French Toast” by Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-surprisingly-ancient-history-of-french-toast-154009704/
  4. “10 Best Brunch Cocktails for Any Occasion” by Liquor.com: https://www.liquor.com/slideshows/best-brunch-cocktails/#gs.z9yf1h

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22 April 2023 by Recipes 0