Great Brown Butter Cornbread

October 15, 2020 By Boucanier

Great Brown Butter Cornbread

From the folks at Field Skillet (fieldcompany.com), a modern take on the traditional cast-iron skillet, comes this dialed-up variation on classic cornbread that’s a sweet showstopper. The team took inspiration from their pals Melissa Clark, who published the original recipe for the New York Times, and Eric Bolyard, who’s worked in some of the best kitchens in the world. “This recipe is a fusion of what we’ve learned from them,” they say. #Community!

Ingredients

Makes one pan

12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

½ cup Grade B and/or Dark Amber Maple Syrup (more flavor!)

2 ¼ cups buttermilk

3 large eggs

1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal, fine or medium-coarse grind (or mix both — all fine gives a more cake-like consistency)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

Preparation

Step 1: Preheat

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Step 2: Brown that butter

In your Field Skillet — or other cast iron pan that measures 10" or more — melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling the butter in the skillet to lightly coat sides and bottom, until the foam subsides and the butter turns a deep nut-brown color. Watch carefully to make sure not to burn the butter. You can always turn up the heat if you start too low. If you prefer the easy route, pick up some Black & Bolyard butter (that’s Eric’s preferred brand!).

Step 3: Mix the batter

Pour the brown butter into a large bowl — if there’s a little left over in the pan, all the better. Whisk the maple syrup into the butter, then whisk in the buttermilk. The mixture should be cool to the touch. If it’s warm, let it cool before whisking in the eggs. Then whisk in the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Step 4: Into the oven

If the skillet is no longer hot, reheat it briefly over medium heat on the stove. Scrape the batter back into the skillet. Bake at 375°F until the top starts to become golden brown and a toothpick inserted into it emerges clean, which should take 30–40 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the skillet before slicing — and feel free to set your Field Skillet on the table with a butter knife for people to help themselves. Cast iron doubles as both cookware and servingware.

Baked Beans are good for you

June 7, 2020 By Boucanier

This is why you should be serving your family baked beans for dinner

They're a pantry staple, but they pack a punch in the nutrition department.

Piled high on a baked potato, or severed on the side with eggs and toast - baked beans are a quick weeknight meal in many households. But just how nutritious are baked beans for you and your family? And while we're asking the big questions, what beans are in baked beans? And, are baked beans baked?

Baked beans are an international food. Versions of baked beans are found across the globe from France, home of the cassoulet, through to the USA where Boston baked beans rein (scroll down for an super quick and easy Boston baked beans recipe).

Despite being called "baked" beans, they are most commonly stewed in a tomato sauce. Canned baked beans are usually made from haricot beans, also known as navy beans.

So, what other questions do we have about baked beans?

Are baked beans healthy?

From being high in fibre to high in protein - there are many reason why baked beans are healthy.

A cup of baked beans is a great source of protein with more than 10 grams of protein equal to 50 gram steak or 11/2 eggs.
Baked beans contain energy giving, low glycaemic index carbohydrates.
Baked Beans count as a vegetable serve. A cup of baked beans is equal to more than 1.5 serves of vegetables.
Most baked beans are also an excellent source of tomato containing the antioxidant lycopene.
Baked beans contain folate a vitamin essential to release the energy in our food. One cup of Baked Beans provides more than 25% of the daily requirement (RDI 400 micrograms/day adults and teenagers).
The fibre in a cup of baked beans is 12 grams equal to more than 8 large sandwich slices multigrain bread, or 11/4 cups toasted muesli or 4 medium unpeeled green apples.

Are baked beans high in fat?

Quite the opposite!

Baked beans are low in fat (less than 1%) with less than 2 grams of fat per cup. They are super low in saturated fats.
A cup of baked beans is about 900 kilojoules or just less than 10% daily intake energy requirement for the average person

Do baked beans give you gas?

Unfortunately, it is true. Baked beans give you gas. This is because we do not have digestive enzymes for all carbohydrates including raffinose found in dried beans and legumes. Gut micro-flora break down this carbohydrate and a byproduct of this process is gas. However, raffinose can be reduced in beans that are soaked first and the water discarded.

Bisquick Drop Biscuits (Yeast-Free Bread)

June 1, 2020 By Boucanier

This simple Bisquick drop biscuits recipe fills your kitchen with the decadent aroma of moist fluffy oven-fresh biscuits in twenty minutes flat.
February 18, 2020 By Kathleen | Leave a CommentThis

One of the most famous Bisquick recipes has got to be this Bisquick drop biscuits recipe. It makes soft fluffy biscuits in about 20 minutes. Save your voice and let the warm doughy fragrance of homemade biscuits wake the fam on the weekend. They’ll come through the kitchen with a smile on their face eagerly anticipating the results of your tasty Bisquick breakfast recipes!

These wholesome Bisquick drop biscuits can be the best part of a nutritious breakfast or you can use them to dress up dinner. These babies will make you famous!

Apron up and let’s bake some biscuits.

What I Love About This Recipe

I love that our drop biscuits is a simple wholesome recipe that tastes like a million bucks. When you put those moist tender biscuits on the table, your meal is automatically transformed into a wholesome delicious experience that makes memories.

Here are some other great reasons for you to love this recipe too.

Moist tender flakey biscuits that taste incredible
Transform your meal into a delicious experience
Super simple recipe ready in under half an hour
No crazy gadgets or hard to find ingredients
Make-ahead magic great for meal prep

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, cold butter cut into small cubes

How To Make Bisquick Drop Biscuits Recipe

Making drop biscuits starts with whisking together the dry ingredients and cutting in the butter. Blend in milk just until combined and drop onto ungreased baking sheet. Could it be any simpler?

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, prepared ingredients+

Recipe Notes

This is so easy to make. Here’s a few easy tips to make sure they come out just like you want them to.

For tender fluffy Bisquick drop biscuits, you’ll want to combine the dry ingredients separately. This is the best way to keep them from being tough like hockey pucks because mixing develops gluten. Combining dry ingredients first ensures even dispersion which requires less mixing when wet ingredients are added so biscuits come out soft and fluffy.

It’s also important to keep your butter cold, even though it’s cut into tiny pieces. It needs to be in a solid-state as it’s dispersed into the dough to get tender biscuits with the right texture.

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, whisking flour mixture and adding butter

Ingredient Notes

You’re gonna’ love the short sweet ingredient list. Just a trusty few kitchen staples and you’re off to the races!

Bisquick – I just use the Original Bisquick here, that way I don’t need any flour. It just makes the best biscuits.

Baking Powder – The little extra baking powder helps the biscuits rise nice and fluffy.

Sugar – Add just a tad of sugar to your biscuits to help concentrate the flavor.

Butter – I find that unsalted butter works best in this recipe.

Milk – Milk is your wet food item to help make your Bisquick biscuits moist and hold them together.

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, adding milk to the flour and butter mixture

Storing Tips

Storing your Bisquick drop biscuits recipe is like trying to hide cookies form the kiddos. They’re not gonna’ last long. However, feel free to toss them in a resealable bag.

They should cool completely first and it’s best if you squeeze excess air out of the bag to keep your drop biscuits from drying out. I typically put mine in the fridge.

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, mixing the dough and arranging it in the baking sheet

Can You Freeze Them?

Nothing beats a warm yummy biscuit and these little babies are perfect for make-ahead magic! You can absolutely freeze this. I like to wrap mine individually before tossing them in the freezer bag. Then I can pull them out as needed.

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, baked biscuits on a baking sheet

Make Ahead Tips

Sometimes I like to get the dough ready to go so that I can bake fresh drop biscuits any time I want. Just put these little babies on a prepared baking sheet and then toss it in the freezer instead of the oven. It’s a good idea to gently cover with plastic wrap.

After they harden you can pull your tray out and store them in a freezer-safe bag. You’ll be able to go straight from the freezer to the oven whenever the mood strikes.

How to make Bisquick drop biscuits, brushing melted butter on top of biscuits

How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?

This only makes 6 biscuits so you’re not likely to have any leftovers once the fam tastes them. But, if you happen to make a double batch, these little gems will stay good in the fridge for up to a week. Just be sure to let them cool completely before tossing them in the fridge.

Recipe Variations

Bisquick is one of the all-American staples because it’s just so flexible! It brings the ultimate convenience to recipes like these Bisquick drop biscuits recipe. It’s homemade with a little help!

What Other Breakfast Dishes Can I Make With Bisquick?

Bisquick drop biscuits can go with just about any meal of the day but I think breakfast is my favorite. Bisquick pancakes and Bisquick waffles are an easy way to make breakfast special and add that personal touch.

When I’ve got family coming to town, Bisquick breakfast casserole is an easy delicious way to get breakfast or brunch on the table. I’ve even made it for dinner. I just love breakfast for dinner!

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Bisquick Drop Biscuits

This simple Bisquick drop biscuits recipe fills your kitchen with the decadent aroma of moist fluffy oven-fresh biscuits in twenty minutes flat. Prep Time10 minsCook Time10 minsTotal Time20 mins Servings: 6 Biscuits Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups Original Bisquick mix

2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon granulated sugar1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes2/3 cup milk3 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium mixing bowl whisk together Bisquick, baking powder, and sugar.
Toss butter cubes with Bisquick mixture to coat. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter
Add milk and beat just until combined and a soft dough forms (do not over mix or biscuits will become tough.)
Drop by the heaping tablespoonful onto ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden, about 8-10 minutes.
Brush with melted butter and serve.

Nutrition

More Bisquick Breakfast Recipes

There are so many Bisquick breakfast recipes, it’s hard to name them all! I love how versatile and delicious these Bisquick drop biscuits are, but I use Bisquick for all kinds of stuff. Here are some of my favorite Bisquick recipes for you to try.

Bisquick Banana Bread – Just like grandma used to make!
Bisquick Cinnamon Rolls – Fantastic Sunday morning treat!
Bisquick Muffins – Quick, easy and delicious.
Bisquick Scones – The perfect companion for that hot beverage.
Bisquick Blueberry Muffins – So good they deserve their own category.

More Yeast-Free Bread:

Conclusion

This Bisquick drop biscuits recipe is practically indispensable. It’s a totally delicious versatile recipe that’s great for meal prep. Plus, it goes from oven to table in 20 minutes.

These moist fluffy drop biscuits can take any meal to the next level. Add a savory treat to breakfast or make dinner a little more decadent.

This recipe is practically one of the vital kitchen staples you won’t want to be without!

Baked, Bisquick, Breads, Breakfasts, Fall, Spring, Summer, Under 30 Minutes, Winter

How Good Is Your Bread

February 24, 2020 By Boucanier

This Is The Type Of Bread You Should Really Be Eating

Andrew Merle

Nov 12, 2018 · 7 min read

I love bread.

There isn’t much better — or more satisfying than tearing into a freshly-baked, warm loaf of bread.

Obviously I’m not alone. People have been eating bread for over 30,000 years, and it remains the most widely-consumed food in the world.

Bread is a simple delicacy.

A traditional loaf only needs 4 ingredients: flour, yeast, water, and salt.

And yeast (as an added ingredient) is actually unnecessary with natural leavens or sourdoughs.

It’s no wonder that bread has been a reliable source of nutrition and sustenance since the earliest days.

But go into any grocery store these days and look at the ingredient label on a package of bread. You’ll see a lot more than those few basic ingredients.

To pick on an easy target, Wonder Bread’s Classic White bread has over 30 ingredients, including things like high fructose corn syrup, monoglycerides and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium peroxide, monocalcium phosphate, modified corn starch, ammonium sulfate, and calcium propionate.

I’m not sure what all of those things are, but they don’t sound much like flour, yeast, water, and salt. And I don’t really want them in my body.

Wonder Bread Classic White Nutrition Information

It’s no surprise that Wonder Bread is remarkably white and light, stays soft and “fresh” on the shelf for weeks, and presumably is quite fast and cheap to produce.

But the use of unhealthy additives is not restricted only to the likes of Wonder Bread.

Take Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread, for example. You’d think this bread would be pretty good for you. After all, Nature’s Own promises no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, and no high fructose corn syrup.

Plenty of people seem to be buying into this promise — The Nature’s Own website says their Honey Wheat bread is the #1 selling loaf of bread in the U.S.

But look a bit deeper, and you’ll notice that in each loaf of that bread you’ll get inflammatory-fat-laden soybean oil, monoglycerides, and DATEM — a shelf-stabilizing emulsifier that is often made from artery-clogging partially hydrogenated oils.

Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread Ingredients

Nature’s Own shouldn’t feel so bad, though. Both the 100% Whole Wheat bread from Arnold and the 100% Whole Wheat bread from Pepperidge Farm also include soybean oil, monoglycerides, and DATEM. Buyer beware.

There is just a lot of junk in mass-produced bread these days, even in the supposed “healthy” stuff. It is affecting the way that we feel on a daily basis and impacting our long-term health.

I believe over-processing and unhealthy additives are to blame for the spike in “gluten sensitivity” in recent years, and not actually the gluten itself (excluding the small percentage of people who have Celiac disease). Gluten gets a bad rap, but we should really be looking elsewhere.

But instead of obsessing over all of the bad stuff that is put into our bread, and how it’s making us sick and tired, I’ll instead focus on the type of bread we actually should be eating.

For starters, aim to get as close to the original recipe for bread as possible. If you can find bread with only the four original ingredients (flour, yeast, water, salt) — or close to it — you’re well on your way.

If you can buy that bread from the person who actually baked it (and can tell you how they baked it), that’s even better.

But you also want to make sure that the flour used has not been bleached, refined, or “enriched” — which is typical in most commercial bread today — otherwise the nutrition content has already been stripped out. Enriched white flour causes your blood sugar to spike, and can lead to weight gain and a range of diet-related diseases.

On the other hand, true whole grains (those not bleached, refined, or enriched) are nutrient-dense, keep you full longer, and have a milder effect on blood sugar.

We know that whole grains are healthier than white flour, but we also know that the front of bread packaging cannot be trusted. Words like multigrain, whole grain, and whole wheat show up on nearly every package of bread these days, and it is very misleading.

Instead, you need to look on the back of the label and perform some basic math to ensure you are really getting whole grains without the additives.

Specifically, look at the label and make sure the serving size ratio of carbs to fiber is equal to or less than 5-to-1 (for example, if you divided 15 grams of carbs by 3 grams of fiber, that would equal 5 and would be acceptable). Authentic whole grain bread is naturally high in fiber because the wheat germ and bran are still included.

Following the 5-to-1 rule is the way to buy healthy bread, according to Dr. Michael Greger, author of the groundbreaking book How Not To Die.

Ezekiel 4:9 is a great, healthy bread option

I am a big fan of the Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted whole grain bread from the Food For Life brand. The low sodium version of that bread is arguably the healthiest bread in the grocery store.

With 15 grams of carbs and 3 grams of fiber, Ezekiel 4:9 bread passes the health test. The science on the potential benefits of sprouted grains is still in its early stages, but available data points to many health benefits.

Mack’s Flax is another approved bread option

Mack’s Flax bread from Silver Hills Bakery is another tasty and approved option (18g Carbs, 5g Fiber, 3.6 ratio).

Eating just 3 portions of whole grains a day (equivalent to 3 slices of the above-approved bread) appears to be as powerful as high blood pressure medications in alleviating hypertension.

Just 3 portions of whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of getting a heart attack by 15%, and the risk of getting a stroke by about 25%.

In case you are wondering, none of the “offending” bread mentioned in the previous section passes the 5-to-1 test. Wonder Bread Classic White (29g Carbs, 2g Fiber, 14.5 ratio), Nature’s Own Honey Wheat (14g Carbs, less than 1g Fiber, 14 ratio), Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat (23g Carbs, 3g Fiber, 7.6 ratio), and Arnold 100% Whole Wheat (22g Carbs, 3g Fiber, 7.3 ratio) all clock in with more than a 7-to-1 ratio of carbs to dietary fiber. Some are better than others, but all should be avoided in favor of healthier options.

I choose to eat my Ezekiel 4:9 morning toast with olive oil, which has also been shown to have a range of health benefits.

Another option for healthy bread is to do as the Ikarians do.

You may have heard that Ikaria, Greece is one of the world’s Blue Zones — the places around the world with the highest life expectancy. Ikaria has been called the island where people forget to die. Residents of Ikaria stay healthy into their 90s and 100s with very little risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia, or any other diseases of old age.

Ikarians eat true sourdough bread that does not contain bakers yeast. Instead, their sourdough bread utilizes a lactobacillus (a beneficial strain of naturally-occurring bacteria) based starter culture, which “digests” the starches and glutens while making the bread rise. This process creates an acid that gives sourdough its slightly sour taste. The resulting bread actually has less gluten than even bread labeled “gluten-free,” and has a naturally longer shelf life. True sourdough bread is slow-burning and nutrient-rich.

However, most “sourdough” bread found in stores are actually fakes, containing yeast and/or a sweetener. Go to your local bakery or grocery store and ask how they make their sourdough to ensure you get the real thing (made from real sourdough starter instead of yeast). Or bake your own Ikarian-style sourdough bread using this Blue Zones recipe.

The bottom line is that bread can play an important role in your diet, but you have to pay close attention and select wisely.

Choose bread with the fewest number of ingredients (ideally baked fresh, locally).

Make sure you are getting nutrient-dense 100% whole grain bread by following the 5-to-1 carbs-to-fiber rule.

Or opt for true sourdough bread like the centenarians in Ikaria eat.

Follow these simple rules and you can continue enjoying all of the pleasures of bread without the negative health consequences.

How to Get the Perfect Coleslaw for Your Cookout

January 28, 2020 By Boucanier

Written by Derrick Riches

Updated 11/05/19

Everything Slaw — haoling / Getty Images

The coleslaw was most likely brought to the United States by Dutch emigrants well over one hundred years ago. Cabbage had been brought from Europe a hundred years before that. Coleslaw became popular in the early 1900s with the advent of mayonnaise in a jar. Today, coleslaw is one of the most popular salads around and one of the top side dishes of barbecue.

Most traditional coleslaw is not made with mayonnaise but that’s the most popular form today. The combination of coleslaw and barbecue goes back a long time. Traditional Carolina style barbecue sandwiches are typically topped with shredded cabbage or coleslaw.

Making Coleslaw

The real secret to coleslaw is to remember that this is basically a cabbage salad (that’s actually where the word comes from). You don’t want coleslaw that needs to be served in a bowl. Coleslaw shouldn’t be a runny mess that soaks through your paper plate. The problem many people have is that they shred the cabbage too fine. Cabbage tends to be pretty low in water, but if you run it through a food processor you’re going to get a wet, drippy mess. Cabbage for Coleslaw should be chopped with a sharp knife and kept coarse enough that the water stays in the cabbage. Don’t grind your slaw into a soup.

The next point is to only add similarly dry vegetables to your coleslaw. Tomatoes, citrus fruits, avocados, and other mushy, wet vegetables need to stay out. Carrots, onions, celery and similar veggies are great. As for the dressing, remember that it is a dressing and not the primary ingredient of coleslaw. No matter what you mix together to dress your slaw it needs to be used in moderation. This means just enough to coat it and not drown the coleslaw. You can use most anything for your dressing including mayonnaise, vinegar, fruit juices, and oils.

Lastly, you need to season your coleslaw. Traditionally, people tend to use black pepper, salt and some herbs and spices. Caraway seeds, sesame seeds, red pepper flakes (if you want some heat), fennel, garlic, parsley, dill, oregano, and basil are all used in Coleslaw. Remember that you will want plenty of flavors because you don’t really want the taste of the cabbage to be all you get.

Once you have chopped the cabbage, the other vegetables, and the dressing ready, all you have to do is mix it together. The thing that makes Cole slaw different from other salads is that you want to mix it all together ahead of time. Coleslaw is best if it has had an hour or two in the refrigerator for the flavors to combine.

Now there are a lot of recipes out there so if you’re picky about your coleslaw I’m sure you can find the right recipe for you.