Momma's Biscuits *101*

check it out here: Southern Plate Meal Plan Monday


Momma's biscuits have been a favorite of family, customers and friends for years...here is a step by step process from this morning's breakfast.

Of course this is the finished product...

I always use White Lily Self-Rising Flour...lard, shortening, baking powder, confectioner's sugar and buttermilk.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a cast iron skillet or two (I normally use 2 so there are extras for Rick's Sausage Biscuits during the week.

Prepare work surface with flour and have biscuit cutter on hand.
In large bowl, add appx. 4 cups White Lily Self-Rising flour, 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder & 1 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar.

Next, add 1/3-1/2 cup lard and 1/3-1/2 cup shortening.

Work in shortening and lard with hands until crumbly texture. You can't overwork dough at this point.

Add appx. 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, gently working into dough until it is a moist (not overly moist) consistency.

This is the consistency that I'm referring to...moist but not overly moist like a batter.

Turn dough onto floured surface and gently knead by hand, pat dough into large rectangle about 3/4" thickness and cut biscuits, placing in prepared skillets.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden on top. Brush with melted butter and return to oven. I usually turn to broil for just a minute or two.

Hot from the oven they are ready to serve with your favorite breakfast foods!

This is a typical weekend ritual here. Rick says this is the meal that he looks forward to all week!

Peanut Butter Extravaganza!!!

For the peanut butter lovers! This first recipe is a pie that is reminiscant of the signature Peanut Butter Pie served at Little Joe's in Oneonta, AL. And, of course, we ALL know that "Choosy Mothers Choose Jif!"

PEANUT BUTTER PIE
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups milk
3 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For meringue:
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Crust:
1 (9 inch) deep-dish pastry shell(baked)
Combine peanut butter and confectioner's sugar until mealy. Sprinkle 1/2 of
mixture in bottom of baked pie crust.
Custard:
In heavy saucepan, combine sugar, flour, salt, and milk. bring to boil over
medium heat, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat,
blend 1/2 cup hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; return egg mixture to custard.
Return to heat and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and add butter and
vanilla. Pour 1/2 custard in pastry shell. Top with remaining peanut butter
mixture and then remaining custard. Prepare meringue. Top pie and bake at 350
for 12-15 minutes until golden.
Meringue:
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, 1
Tbsp. at a time until stiff peaks form. Stir in vanilla and top pie.

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Old-Fashioned Potato Candy

• 1/4-1/2 cup mashed potatoes (1 sm. potato)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 dash salt
• 1 (1 lb) box powdered sugar
• peanut butter

 

1. Mix together all ingredients, except peanut butter.
2. Add sugar until it's of dough consistency.
3. Refrigerate to chill dough for an hour or two.
4. Roll out onto powdered sugar dusted bread board or waxed paper.
5. Spread peanut butter over potato dough.
6. Roll it up like a jelly roll loaf.
7. Refrigerate for about an hour, then slice into pinwheels.

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Peanut Butter Frosting

 

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

 

1. Combine the sugar, milk and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and place the pan in a larger pan of cold water.
4. Add the margarine, peanut butter, and vanilla flavoring.
5. Beat until mixture thickens to spreading consistency.

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Double Peanut Butter Cookies
from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• Additional peanut butter

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Cut in
• shortening and peanut butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Beat in corn syrup and milk. Shape into a 10-in. roll; wrap in waxed
• paper or foil. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• Unwrap dough; cut into 1/4-in. slices; place half of the slices 2 in.
• apart on ungreased baking sheets. Top each with 1/2 teaspoon of
• peanut butter. Top with remaining slices; seal edges with a fork.
• Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for
• 2 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Yield:
• 20 cookies.

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon milk 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

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Peanut Butter Blossoms

from Pillsbury

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
Sugar

48 Hershey's® Kisses® Brand milk chocolates, unwrapped

 

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, shortening, peanut butter, milk, vanilla and egg; mix with electric mixer on low speed until stiff dough forms.
• 2 Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.



• 3 Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately top each cookie with 1 milk chocolate candy, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edge; remove from cookie sheets.

For the baking challenged, a great shortcut is to use Pillsbury Peanut Butter Cookie Dough found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.

In preparation for Christmas...

Some might think this is a bit early...but while packing I found the recipe for Brandied Fruit Starter and Friendship that I used several years ago at Christmas...I began with making the Brandied Fruit Starter that takes several weeks, at least 4 weeks and can be divided and used for baking Friendship Cakes, served over ice cream or pound cake. I actually did two batches so that I would have several to give as gifts. Gifts were a jar of the Brandied Starter, the actual cake in a Christmas tin, and the recipe printed in a homemade Christmas card containing the recipe.

Friendship Cake with Brandied Fruit Starter
Brandied Fruit Starter:
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (16-ounce) can sliced peaches, drained
1 (17-ounce) can apricot halves, drained
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup brandy*
Brandied Fruit Starter should last indefinitely if handled properly. Use clean equipment and keep it covered.
Combine all ingredients in a clean, nonmetal bowl; stir gently. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 weeks, stirring fruit twice a week.
Serve fruit over ice cream or pound cake when desired, reserving at least 1 cup starter at all times.
To replenish starter, add 1 cup sugar and one of the fruits, pineapple chunks, peaches, apricot halves or maraschino cherries every 1 to 3 weeks, alternating fruits each time; stir gently. Cover and let stand at room temperature 3 days before using again.
Makes 6 cups.
*Apricot or peach brandy may be substituted, if desired.

Friendship Cake Mix:
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Brandied Fruit Starter
1 (32-ounce) can sliced peaches with juice
Combine in a gallon glass jar and stir all together; stir several times the first day, thereafter stir once each day. Keep covered and at room temperature.
On Tenth Day Add:
1 (32-ounce) can chunk pineapple with juice
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Stir once a day for 10 days.
On Twentieth Day Add:
1 (32-ounce) can fruit cocktail with juice
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries with juice, diced
Stir once a day for 10 days.
On Thirtieth day:
Drain liquid from fruit. Divide the juice into 1 1/2 cups each. Place in jars with tight lids and give to a friend with a copy of recipe as soon as possible. Divide fruit into thirds. Makes 3 cakes.
Cakes can be frozen after they are baked. Juice or fruit cannot be frozen.
FOR ONE CAKE:
Friendship Cake Mix Recipe:
1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 (4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup nuts, chopped
1/3 of fruit
Combine all ingredients together, mixing well.
Bake in greased and floured Bundt pan at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes before removing. Cool completely on wire rack.
Makes 12 to 15 servings (prepared cake).

A bit time consuming but much appreciated by friends to receive!