Cheddar Bay Biscuits Copycat Recipe

We've all been there, or maybe its just me. You sit down at Red Lobster and out come those steamy, soft, flakey, buttery, cheesy, garlicky biscuits and you can't stop at just one or even two. Your monster size entree arrives and you can barely finish it cause of all those darn good cheddar bay biscuits you ate pre dinner. I adapted this recipe for Red Lobsters Cheddar Bay Biscuits, from a site called top secret recipes. I have to say right off the bat, no holding back here...these biscuits were delicious. Just like Red Lobster I swear it! Super Duper easy too. Simply start with a box of bisquick....

In a large mixing bowl add bisquick mix and cold butter

 

Using a fork or your hands, mix the butter into the mix. Don't over mix, there should be pea sized butter chunks throughout. That's what makes them all flakey and soft.

Then add cheddar cheese, VE seasoning for roasted garlic aioli and milk. Mix until combined with your hands. Drop on baking tray lined with the VE silicone baking mat. Bake until lightly browned.

 

After you take the biscuits from the oven melt topping butter in your microwave. Stir in VE Herb and Garlic dip mix.

Use your herb and garlic butter to spread on top of the biscuits using a brush.

I served them warm from the oven on the side of our spaghetti dinner tonight and they were just perfect.

Ingredients 2 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix 4 tablespoons cold butter 1 heaping cup grated Cheddar cheese 3/4 cup cold whole milk 1/2 teaspoon VE seasoning for roasted garlic aioli Brush on Top 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon VE herb and garlic dip mix Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 400 2. Combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl, using a fork or your hands.You don't want to mix too much. There should be small chunks of butter in there that are about the size of peas. Add Cheddar cheese, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon VE seasoning for roasted garlic aioli. Mix by hand until combined, but don't over mix. 3. Drop approximately 1/4-cup spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with VE silicone baking mat. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits begin to turn light brown. 4. When you take the biscuits out of the oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl in your microwave. Stir in 1 teaspoon of VE herb and garlic dip mix. Use a brush to spread this herb and garlic butter over the tops of all the biscuits.

 

Sunday Supper: Pasta e Fagioli with sausage

Sunday suppers when I was growing up were always special. Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, dad always made his famous whipped smooth mashed potatoes that were like velvet. Sometimes it was ham or a big pot of simmering pasta sauce. Regardless, it was a day when no matter what was going on, we came together for a hot hearty meal as a family and the house smelled of comfort all day. I love the idea of Sunday Suppers, but it does not mean it has to be a roast with all fixings. It's about bringing the family together, enjoying comfort food. This Sunday I decided to tackle my version of pasta e fagioli.

Traditional pasta e fagioli is a vegetarian Italian soup meaning "pasta and beans." I had some Italian sausage on hand so I adapted it into the soup which did in fact make it heartier and it was a great simple, healthy and comforting Sunday supper served with garlic toast. This is one of those everything but the Kitchen sink soups where really you could use whatever beans and veggies you have on hand. For this recipe I started with a bulb of fennel, some carrots and an onion.

Chop up 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup fennel, 1 small onion

In a large pot sautée the veggies with about a pound of Italian sausage casings removed.

 

Add a generous tablespoon of VE Marinara sauce mix, typically used to season pasta sauce but has a wonderful Italian aroma that is perfect for this soup. 2 cloves fresh crushed garlic. Another generous tablespoon of VE Tomato Parmesan Cheeseball mix and some freshly ground VE Herb and Garlic Sea Salt.

Add 4 cups prepared VE chicken boullion, 1 (28 oz) can of diced or crushed tomatoes and 1 can (18 oz) of rinsed canellini or navy beans. Bring to a boil.

Stir in 1 cup of small pasta, traditionally dialini is used but I had some elbow macaroni on hand and used that. Lower the heat and simmer until al dente.

Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan, a drizzle of evo ( extra virgin olive oil) and some bread on the side for mopping up all that goodness. Hubby went up for thirds and the kids loved it too! Celebrate some old traditions or create some new ones, with Sunday Supper!

 

Currently Craving: Poutine Chips

There's this magical time of the day when the children are nestled inside of their beds, and last night mama had visions of potato chips dancing in her head. I have a weakness for chips, I admit I am simply powerless over them. Pop open a bag and it's over. For that reason, I don't allow myself to even enter the chip aisle at the grocery store. So what does a girl do when it's late night and she's craving a salty crispy snack?

I first met the chipster when I attended an epicure party back in February. At that moment I heard the angels sing! You mean I can have chips, without the fat!?! It's not possible...oh but it is. If you're new to Epicure Selections I'll explain the chipster. This silicone tray makes fat free chips in the microwave in 5 mins. No seriously! crispy and delicious. For this snack you'll need only three things: your chipster, your slicer and your poutine seasoning.

Chipster, Ceramic Slicer and Poutine Seasoning for Chips

Slice your potato

Lay flat and even on the chipster, sprinkle liberally with the poutine seasoning. Put in the microwave for about 5 mins. Depending on your microwave it could use about 7 to get crispy.

Add your favourite late night tv show and enjoy all the taste of poutine without the heart attack!

 

Rainy Day Mushroom Cheddar Soup

 

It was a cloudy rainy cool September day. It seems like just yesterday it was summer and we were sunning ouselves at the cottage. Just like that, mother nature turned a switch. The air smelled of fall comforts and and family. We were all a little restless being cooped up, so as an activity I recruited little J and R to help make dinner. I always think of soup as a perfect fall dish, so here's my mushroom soup recipe.

 

We started with 2 cups of mushrooms.

Lovingly cleaned with a dry cloth by little J. Did you know that you aren't supposed to wash mushrooms with water?

Little hands got busy chopping up the mushrooms, R with a butter knife.

In the meantime I got busy sautéing one small onion in 2 tbsp of butter till onions were soft. Adding 2 tbsp of Roasted Garlic by ES, 1 tsp of herb and garlic sea salt and 1/2 tsp of fresh Ground pepper.

I added the mushrooms and continued to sautée for 3-5 mins.

Add 2 tbsp of flour and cook for about 5 mins.

Then stir in 2 cups of prepared chicken stock and 2 cups of milk.

Simmer on low-med for about 20 minutes.

Back at the kids corner...Ruby was eating all the cheese I asked her to grate.

J was there slowly but surely chopping some parsley for garnish.

I made some herb and garlic croutons for the soup, chopping up 2 slices of bread. Toss the bread chunks in a drizzle and a half of olive oil, and a teaspoon of Herb and Garlic Dip Mix. Mix with your hands to coat the bread pieces with the oil and herb and garlic. Toast in the oven on 350 for 8-10 mins.

 

At the end of cooking, stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese just to melt. Give it a taste, add some more salt if you please. Then it's ready! Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley and a few croutons and enjoy! This soup was so delicious, even picky pants R ate some of it.

Till next time lovelies!

 

Roasted Maple Bacon Squash

As the weather gets cooler and fall approaches we think comfort food. For me, roasted butternut squash is the epitome of comfort. I love it cause it's warm and earthy and sweet and savory and I find it filling enough so I can eat it as a main entree. My main squeeze, A, is a carnivore so when daddy's away the vegetarian will play. Thursday nights A works late so we usually have a meatless meal. Excited to experiment with my new Maple Bacon Sea Salt, I figured that the butternut squash I had on hand would be the perfect companion.

Start by cutting your squash in half lengthwise, with a pretty sharp knife and scoop out all the seeds. Lay cut side up in a shallow baking pan with a bit of water on the bottom so your skins don't burn.

Put a tbsp of butter, a tbsp of brown sugar and a nice sprinkling of the Maple Bacon Sea Salt in the center.

Roast squash at 400 degrees for about an 1 hr to 1 hr 15 min. Squash should be very tender and tops are browned.

Scoop out the squash

Mash up all that buttery brown sugar maple bacon goodness. Season with a touch more maple bacon to finish.

Serve with a fresh salad and dressing made with Epicures Balsamic Vinaigrette Seasoning. Yum! Or, if your dining with a carnivore like my hubby, serve them a nice piece of roasted chicken with it.


Visit www.tammychase2.myepicure.com to order some Maple Bacon Sea Salt.  You can check out my facebook page for more ideas and promotions www.facebook.com/tammysepicurepage