Blackberry Buttermilk Popovers

I'm just back from my third (and final!) try for the big bucks at the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off...Holy Cow what an amazing event! No win this time for my Lemon-Poppy Seed Pull Apart Bread, but the whole experience was so over-the-top exciting that I still need to float back to reality.

One thing that I have learned from my experience with the Pillsbury Bake-Off is that most home cooks are looking for something that's not only delicious, but easy to make. Working convenience foods into a recipe and putting a homemade touch on it is a perfectly fine way to make this happen. Did you know, however, that you can make something easy and delicious and from scratch? I'm here to prove it to you with these beautiful popovers!

A few simple ingredients and ...voila!...a beautiful thing!

Blackberry Buttermilk Popovers

Printable Recipe

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup buttermilk

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 pinch sea salt

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 cup fresh blackberries

1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a non-stick, 6 cavity popover pan (or muffin tin) with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Whisk in the buttermilk, granulated sugar, and salt. Slowly whisk in the flour, stirring until smooth. Stir in the lemon zest.

Divide the batter into the popover pan. Add 3-4 blackberries into each well. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden. Cut a small slit into each popover for steam to escape. Dust well with powdered sugar and serve warm with butter and honey, if desired.

Don't have a popover pan? Use a muffin pan.

 Go ahead and sub raspberries or blueberries for the blackberries...

Now the only question is Breakfast or Dessert?

Lemon Poppy-Seed Pull-Apart Bread #Pillsbury #BakeOff

Yum

So, here's the thing. This is a fabulous recipe. Seriously. Flaky biscuits are dipped in butter, rolled in lemon-sugar and poppy seed, baked until the lemon-sugar is wonderfully caramelized, and topped with an incredible lemony cream cheese glaze. Not only that---it's easy! We are talking seven ingredient- only 20 minutes prep time-easy.

The most amazing thing about this recipe? It's a contender for the $1 Million grand prize in the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off that will take place in Nashville, TN on November 3, 2014. If you've read my blog before, you know that this will be my third and final try at the Pillsbury Bake-Off. Shock and awe, right? More than that, I am humbled by the recipes this one will be competing with. That said, this is my favorite entry to date. See for yourself.

I was excited to see Watkins™ Poppy Seed on the list of  eligible ingredients...it adds such a nice little nutty crunch to things.

I used the buttermilk Grands! biscuits...but the original works, too. It's the flaky layers that make a great pull-apart....

The seven ingredients begin with a can of Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Flaky Layers refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (8 biscuits)....there isn't a complicated yeasty dough to made, raised, and measured.  The biscuits are separated to make 16 smaller biscuits. Each biscuit is then brushed with melted butter, dredged in a mixture of lemon zest, sugar, and poppy seed and carefully placed in a loaf pan that has been lined with parchment paper.

Parchment paper makes it easy to lift the loaf out of the pan.

The baked loaf is allowed to cool for just a few minutes before it is glazed with a mixture of butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon juice. It's best served warm, but on the off chance there are leftovers, it is fine served at room temperature too. In fact, in order to prevent myself from eating a whole loaf in one sitting, I found that it also freezes well and the slices warm up quickly in the microwave or in a toaster oven.

This bread has it all...sweet, salty, tart, creamy, nutty, sticky...it is truly addicting!

Is it worth $1 Million? My fingers are crossed that it is!

Are you ready for the recipe? You can find it right here on Pillsbury's website. If you try it, let me know how you like it. In the meantime, I'll be preparing to have the time of my life at the 47th Pillsbury Bake-Off!

Fish Tacos with Lime and Cilantro Aioli #RedGold

Just in time for spring and summer, my friends at Red Gold Tomatoes have come up with some tasty sauces....Aioli for everyone! Seriously, they've revved up this garlicky mayonnaise with their awesome Petite Diced Tomatoes. Tomato Aioli. I like the ring of that. 

The recipes are ridiculously easy---there are only two ingredients: Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes and Light Mayonnaise. No kidding. Did I mention this was an easy recipe? Think about it for a minute. Red Gold Tomatoes has quite the assortment flavored diced tomatoes...you could create an aioli from any one of them. Making a flatbread? Mix together the plain diced tomatoes, the mayo, and add a little pesto. Spread this on the flatbread with some grilled veggies, pop it in the oven, and voila! Dinner! Thinking of making something Mexican? Why, yes I am...I will share with you Red Gold's fabulous Fish Taco recipe.

Let's start with the aioli. Here it is: Drain a can of Red Gold Petite Diced with Lime Juice and Cilantro. Now mix it with 1/2 cup light mayonnaise. If you are feeling outrageous, add a few drops of Sriracha. Now put it in the fridge until you need it.

Next, mix up a simple marinade of 4 tablespoons orange juice, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil, a teaspoon oregano, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, and 1/2 cup chopped onion. 

Easy, right? Now just saute the fish over medium heat, basting along the way, for about 3 minutes per side. Then coarsely chop it, and place it on a warm tortilla. Top it with some shredded cabbage (the red cabbage is a nice colorful touch), and top it with the aioli! Boom! Tacos! 

Here's a link to the full recipe: Fish Tacos with Lime and Cilantro Aioli 

While you are at the Red Gold site, check out the rest of the aioli recipes by searching for keyword aioli!

Enjoy!

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

By Inspired by Several Internet Recipes
Published 05/16/2014

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:

An InLinkz Link-up

Old El Paso Frozen Dinners...#platefullcoop

Chances are that if you are reading this, you are the main cook and bottle washer in your family. Isn't it tiring sometimes? Don't get me wrong, I love to cook. Experimenting while I'm cooking is one of my favorite things to do. Tonight, though, I just wanted a plate of food to appear in front of me. I wanted to set my butt in the comfy chair, turn on the TV, and stuff my face with food that someone else had made. Well, cue the trumpets...I had a frozen Old El Paso Fajita Dinner in my freezer! Woot, woot! Dinner had practically made itself!

All I had to do was add the tortillas...voila...Fajitas!

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to get a few coupons in the mail so that I could give the Old El Paso Frozen entrees a try. I started with the Beef Burritos and I have to tell you that those babies were tasty! The husband and I ate them before any pictures could be taken. The same thing happened when I brought the Steak Fajitas home. As soon as they hit the pan, they were gone. Again, no pics. So, I spent the last of my coupons on another bag of Fajitas and a pack of Steak Quesadillas. It's not only that they are quick and easy to make---all of the entrees really taste good. There's a little spicy kick to them and the beef and veggies actually taste fresh. Plus, I didn't have the hassle of chopping veggies and cutting up meat.

Just open a bag of chips and pour some salsa in a bowl....

Dump the fajitas in a non-stick skillet.....

Fill up some warm tortillas and in 10 minutes you have meal!

I actually had enough to make myself some Fajita Nachos.

So now that we've polished off another Old El Paso entree, I'll have to get some more in time for Cinco de Mayo. I can't wait to actually savor these with a frosty margarita....

If you're looking for any of the entrees (there are 8 different flavors of fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, and quesadillas) you will find them in the freezer section of the grocery store. 

Visit the Old El Paso website for more information and don't forget to like Old El Paso on Facebook!

Disclosure: I was given coupons for free product in order to try the Old El Paso Frozen Entrees. All opinions are my own.

Cornbread Waffles

A few weeks ago, I was the lucky recipient of a box of cornbread mix. Not just any cornbread mix, mind you....this was an advanced, preview box of Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Cornbread Mix. I was kind of excited about it, which is not unusual for me considering how I feel about food.

I've really never had good luck with making my own cornbread, so I was happy to give this mix a try. Of course, I can't just follow the recipe on the box...or even the recipes that were sent along with the box. Perfectly good and easy recipes, I might add. No, I was in the mood for waffles on Sunday and the first thing I thought of was that box of cornbread mix. Let's see how I did....

First, I added about a tablespoon of orange zest to the mix. Orange zest is one of my favorite things..it adds a little something, no? Then I simply beat two eggs into a cup of buttermilk and added 1/3 cup melted butter and a teaspoon of vanilla. I folded the buttermilk mixture into the cornbread mix just until it was combined. Then I made my waffles. Easy stuff!

I use a Belgian waffle maker and this recipe made 8 large waffles. 

A little butter, warm syrup, and fruit...perfect combination.

The best part of making waffles out of cornbread mix is the crunchiness of it all. It's not always easy to get the right texture, but this version even froze beautifully. Go ahead and make up a batch in advance...they are great to pop in the toaster for a quick breakfast before work or school.

Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Cornbread Mix has just rolled into your local Walmart stores for a mere $1.78 per box. Plus, you can find all sorts of recipes on their website, Simply Homemade.  It looks like they have all sorts of mixes...now I want to try the Pretzel mix. How fun!

So, tell me. Would you make a basic batch of cornbread or would you mix it up?

Disclosure: I was given a box of cornbread mix to try. All opinions are my own.

Fresh Harvest Lasagna ..... #RGLasagna

With the Super Bowl nearly upon us, isn't it time we start thinking about what to feed a crowd? My friends at Red Gold Tomatoes are having a Lasagna Party with the perfect recipes to help out! They have even made it easy for you to create your own version of gourmet lasagna, by providing a fool-proof basic recipe....follow the basics and then add your own ingredients for your very own custom lasagna!

The basic Red Gold "All-In-One" Lasagna is so simple to make that even a novice cook will have no problem putting it together. It starts with regular lasagna noodles...nothing fancy...and you don't have to boil them to get it started. Then, a combination of  Red Gold® Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano, Red Gold® Crushed Tomatoes, and some Italian seasoning makes the delicious sauce (the sauce cooks up, full of flavor, right in the oven). Add your own favorite ingredients (sausage? chicken? pepperoni?) to make it your own, or choose one of Red Gold's gourmet recipe ideas. 

Since my daughter is a vegetarian, it was a no-brainer for me to choose Red Gold's Fresh Harvest Lasagna for my trial run. Oh my gosh---so easy and so good! Let's see how it's done---

Fresh Harvest Lasagna (recipe courtesy of Red Gold Tomatoes)

Printable Version

2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1  large zucchini, chopped

1  medium yellow summer squash,

1 (small, yellow) onion, chopped

1/2  red bell pepper, chopped

1  cup fresh chopped broccoli florets

1  large carrot, minced

1  (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms, chopped

3   garlic cloves, minced

1/2  cup water

1  (28 ounce) can Red Gold® Crushed Tomatoes, or 2 (15 ounce) cans

2  (14.5 ounce) cans Red Gold® Diced Tomatoes With Basil, Garlic & Oregano

1   teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt to taste

1 (16 ounce) box lasagna noodles, traditional, uncooked

1 (15 ounce) carton low fat ricotta cheese

3  cups shredded Italian blend cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add zucchini, squash, onion, bell pepper, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms; saute until vegetables are crisp tender.  Add garlic and cook for another minute, remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl combine water, RED GOLD® CRUSHED TOMATOES, RED GOLD® DICED TOMATOES with BASIL, GARLIC & OREGANO, Italian seasoning and salt.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13x2 inch baking pan with 1 1/2 cups of sauce mixture.  Arrange 1/3 of noodles on top of sauce, slightly overlapped.  Top with 1/2 of ricotta cheese, 1/2 vegetable mixture, 1 cup of Italian blend cheese and 1 cup of sauce.  Repeat layers and top with last 1/3 of noodles and the remaining sauce.

Sprinkle with remaining Italian blend cheese and Parmesan cheeses.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 to 1½ hours; until noodles are cooked. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

I followed Red Gold's recipe exactly...well almost....I did use frozen broccoli instead of fresh....but really this version didn't need much improvising. I will pass along a couple of tips, though: 

(1) You can use a regular 9X13 pan...just make sure the sides are at least 2 inches deep. If you do use a regular pan (as opposed to a larger "lasagna" pan), make sure to place a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips.

(2) Use non-stick foil to wrap around the lasagna before placing it in the oven (non-stick side down!), or spray regular foil with cooking spray, so the cheese doesn't stick.

Oh my gosh...this is so easy to make and so tasty!

Don't forget to visit Red Gold's RG Lasagna Party Sweepstakes  page on Facebook for a chance to win one of 1000 aprons or a Lasagna kit (which includes a Le Creuset lasagna pan) worth $250! The sweepstakes will run until February 5th, 2014.

Disclaimer: I was provided with the recipe and a starter kit of canned tomatoes. All opinions remain my own.

Easy Peach and Blueberry Galette

It's been so hot and humid in Minnesota the last few days that it is hard to imagine that Autumn is nearly upon us. One telling sign, though, is the sound of acorns falling on the roof. It is literally raining acorns in our yard. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen so many acorns. What's up with that? It must have to do with the strange weather pattern this Summer....hot, cool, hot, cool...sheesh.

Amazingly, as soon as I wrote "hot and humid", it cooled down to 60 degrees. I will welcome pumpkin season, but not just yet. Shoot...there are still some good peaches to be had! I found a couple in the fridge that had to be dealt with and came up with this very quick and easy galette.

Ok..I'll admit that this is the same formula as my Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe...fruit, jam, pie crust..so easy!

Peach and Blueberry Galette

Printable Recipe

Make it easy, but elegant, with this Peach and Blueberry Galette.

Ingredients

• 1 refrigerated pie crust, softened per package directions
• 1/2 cup reduced sugar apricot preserves
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 egg yolk
• 1-2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unroll the pie crust on the pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the jam, flour, and cinnamon. Carefully, fold in the peaches and the blueberries. Spoon mixture onto the crust within 2 inches from the edge. Fold edge of crust over filling, pleating as necessary. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with two teaspoons of water. Lightly brush crust edge with the egg mixture; sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake for 17 to 23 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 23 mins.
Total time: 33 mins.
Tags: blueberries, peaches, easy, summer, dessert, pie crust, sparkling sugar, tart, galette, crostata

Love the sparkly sugar....

It's hard to beat a Pillsbury pie crust when you need something quick...I keep them in the fridge for that very reason. Go ahead and try some different fruits and jam...the combinations are endless. Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries....they are all good!

What's your favorite end of Summer fruit?

Orange Cardamom Blueberry Crostata

WooHoo! I done did it! Well---almost. You are looking at a semifinalist finalist (!) in the 46th Pillsbury Bake-Off®! Have you heard of this contest? It is probably the most famous cooking/baking contest in the history of cooking/baking contests. No lie. Take a look at this:

This year's contest is a little different from before....the public gets to vote on the recipes! Pillsbury actually chose 60 recipes in this round of Simple Sweets and Starters, but only 34 of us will get to go to the finals. One thing that hasn't changed is that the grand prize is still $1 MILLION. You heard right. I said $1 MILLION. Before I beg for your vote, let me tell you a little bit about my recipe.....

The theme this year is simple. We can only use a maximum of seven ingredients, two of which have to come from the Pillsbury list. Regular table salt, pepper, and water are free. Oh...and prep time is limited to under 30 minutes, not including baking or cooling time. Whew. Tricky stuff, but not really so hard.

One of my favorite Pillsbury products is the pie crust. Seriously, I always have a box or two in the fridge. I do know how to make my own pie crust, but I don't always have the time. Plus, it's a lot less messy to roll out a Pillsbury crust. I'm all for less messy....so that's what I started with.

Start out by softening the crust for a few minutes, just like the package says. Then roll it out onto a parchment lined baking pan. Oh...and set the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Next, measure out 1/2 cup of Smucker's Orchard's Finest Pacific Grove Orange Marmalade Medley (Have you tried this stuff? Wow...it's so good!) into a medium sized bowl.  Then, stir in 2 tablespoons of flour and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom.

Blueberries might just be my favorite fruit....

Carefully fold 2 cups of fresh blueberries into the preserves......

......and spoon it all in the middle of the pie crust dough, leaving a 2" edge.

Next, fold the crust over the filling, pleating the dough as necessary. 

Slightly beat one egg yolk with a couple teaspoons of water and lightly brush it over the edges of the crust. A sprinkle of sparkly, coarse sugar is the finishing touch. Who doesn't like sparkly?

Bake the crostata for 17 to 23 minutes or until the edges are browned and the filling is bubbly. Cool for a least 30 minutes.

How's that for a quick dessert that is fit for company? I think you need to go vote right now, don't you? You can get a printable recipe and show your support by visiting BakeOff.com. You will need to register and there is only one vote per recipe. If you see another recipe you like, go ahead and vote for that, too. Voting is open until 11:59 a.m. CST on June 27, 2013. Feeling inspired? On July 4, you can enter your own recipe into the Quick Rise and Shine Breakfasts category.

Update: This girl is meeting the Doughboy in Sin City---I'll keep you all posted!