Thursday, May 15, 2014

Lemon-Lime Biscuits


Okay...I admit it. They are the 7-Up Biscuits that have been all over the Internet for quite sometime. This is so not my original recipe but, frankly, I can't for the life of me figure out who to thank for these babies. As you will see, however, I did put a small spin on them.


A few simple ingredients and a few minutes is all it takes for awesome biscuits....

I am not a good biscuit maker. Canned biscuits have always been my friend. So what made me try my hand at biscuits? On a Thursday night? Why the monthly Improv challenge, of course. Sponsored by Kristen of Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, the monthly Improv challenges us to take two assigned seasonal ingredients and make something wonderful. This month's theme? Lemon and Lime!



Lemon-Lime Biscuits

Inspired by Several Internet Recipes
Published 05/16/2014
Lemon-Lime Biscuits
A few simple ingredients (including your favorite lemon-lime soda!) results in the best tasting biscuits ever!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 2 cups baking mix (such as Bisquick)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup lemon-lime soda
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, optional
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lime peel, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.; spread the melted butter in a 9" baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, cut the sour cream into the baking mix. Add the soda and the lemon and lime zest, and stir just until the mixture is combined (it will be sticky).
  3. Generously flour a large sheet of parchment paper or a silicone mat. Scrape the dough onto the prepared surface and sprinkle with more flour. Gently roll out the dough. Make 9 biscuits, using a 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter. Arrange the biscuits in the prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.
Yield: 9 Biscuits
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 15 mins.
Total time: 25 mins.
Tags: biscuits, easy, bisquick, 7-Up, lemon, lime


The added lemon and lime zest brightens up the flavor...


Easily double the recipe and use a 9 x 13-inch pan, if desired.





It doesn't get much better.....

Check out what everyone else is making with Lemon and Lime:


Monday, May 12, 2014

Copycat Buster Bars

Yum

If you have followed my posts for any length of time, you know that I'm a little obsessed with entering recipe contests. In fact, my long standing excuse for not updating this blog in a timely manner is because I can't share much of what I am inventing. Lately, The Pillsbury Bake-Off has been my obsession. Oh--I am dying to share some of those recipes! This, however, will be my final try for that $1 Million grand prize if I'm lucky enough to be chosen this year....so I will keep my lips sealed on that subject.

Several months ago, I entered the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Adventure Contest. The theme was bars--any kind. Plus, there were adventure ingredients that had to be used. The first thing I usually do is think of a name...silly I know, but it works for me. I thought of Dirty Blondies with Dark Roots. I still love that name but, dang it, I never did develop a good recipe worthy of the name. So, I dug around my memory for a childhood treat that I could update and the one thought I kept having was for a DQ Buster Bar. Keep in mind that when this contest was wrapping up our we were having wind chills in the negative double digits...not exactly ideal ice cream weather. I did manage to use the weather to my advantage, as the great outdoors became my freezer!


There wasn't any room in my freezer, so I covered them and froze them out on the deck....who says Minnesota winters are awful?

The recipe I entered wasn't a winner. I used a homemade bourbon ice cream and some homemade hot fudge, but perhaps I wasn't adventurous enough. Or maybe it was just a little too complicated. We happened to love how they turned out, though. In fact, I recently updated them and entered them in the Eggo Waffle Contest.


Seriously--a waffle sundae wrapped in an ice cream bar!

The recipe for these copy-cat Buster Bars is so very easy in its most basic form, that I decided I had to share. You can add the mini-waffles or leave it out---they are good either way. The cool thing is that you can make just a few at a time. Any more that that is dangerous......

Copy Cat Buster Bars (the Eggo® Waffle Sundae Bar Edition)*

Cathy Wiechert
Copy Cat Buster Bars (the Eggo® Waffle Sundae Bar Edition)*

Ingredients

  • 4 sets of 4 Eggo® Homestyle Mini Waffles
  • 1 1/4 cups hot fudge sauce
  • 3/4 cup chopped peanuts
  • 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
  • 2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Line (8) 5 oz paper cups on work surface.
  2. Microwave each set of Mini Waffles for about 10 seconds, or until soft; separate into individual waffles.
  3. Press one waffle into the bottom of each paper cup. Spread 1 tablespoon of hot fudge on top of the waffle and sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons chopped peanuts. Add 2 tablespoons of the softened ice cream, packing down. Top the ice cream with another waffle and repeat the layers of fudge, peanuts, and ice cream. Top the last layer of ice cream with a teaspoon of fudge and a sprinkle of peanuts. Push a Popsicle stick halfway down the center of each cup. Place the ice cream cups in the freezer until very firmly frozen.
  4. For the chocolate coating, melt the chocolate chips and the coconut oil over low heat. Stir until smooth. Transfer to a tall narrow container. Remove ice cream cups from the freezer one at a time. Peel off the cup and dip into the chocolate, covering completely.
  5. Wrap the bars in plastic wrap or in a plastic gift baggie, and place back in freezer until ready to serve.
Yield: 8 Bars
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 25 mins.
Total time: 25 mins.
Tags: ice cream bars, chocolate, waffles, peanuts, hot fudge





Just use a tall, narrow container (such as this 16 oz. measuring cup) for your dipping chocolate. Set down some parchment paper to rest the dipped bars, then put them back in the freezer.




You can use a jar of hot fudge sauce from the store, but this homemade version is easy to make and it's the bomb!! Homemade Dark Chocolate Hot Fudge

So, go ahead and mix up your flavors. Chocolate ice cream? Caramel Sauce? Salted pecans instead of peanuts? With waffle, without waffle....the possibilities are endless. What's your favorite flavor combination?