Back Pocket Biscuits

Happy Friday, friends! Thanks for all your insightful comments on the Garbage Bowl post -- part II about our composting process will be coming next week. On another homesteading note: I had no idea so many of you have backyard chickens. I'm not sure what the rules + regulations are in our new area, but I'd love to learn more about your process and experiences raising and caring for chickens in more urban and suburban settings.

Onto today's post. I'd like to s art giving some of my fall meal tips as the summer -- sadly -- draws to a close. This way, you'll be armed with all my secrets when school is back in session, vacations are only memories, and the weather starts getting nippy. First on that list? Having some quick and easy "back pocket" biscuit recipes in your memory bank.

// BACK POCKET BISCUITS

• Biscuits go with a wide variety of meals. Most notably soups and stews benefit from a little side bread action. In fact, one of my most frequently cooked meals involved Pumpkin Chili and basic "buttermilk" biscuits. I write that in quotes because I make ours with Earth Balance or olive oil and usually (homemade) almond milk.
• They're also incredibly versatile and can be made sweet or savory, cheesy or veggie, etc. Baking powder is what gives them a quick and powerful rise, which is why there's no need to wait long hours from mixing to baking.
• As for tools of the trade, it's quite simple. I use a bowl, a spatula, some dusting flour, and -- the KEY -- a standard Ball jar lid ring to do the cutting. If you'd like to make jumbo biscuits, the larger rings work well, too. But of all my tools, it's the most important.
• As for toppings, I often go with standard butter or Earth Balance. For breakfast I sometimes toast biscuits and top with peanut butter or broil with cheese. Biscuits are so adaptable, they can turn into anything you want them to be pretty quickly.

// RECIPES

What you see in the photos are the Yogurt Drop Biscuits. I'd say I make those most often with the Whole Wheat "Buttermilk" being a close second. Whatever you do, feel free to explore these recipes. Add in your own ingredients from cheeses to different purees (for example, the Applesauce Biscuits could easily be made savory by substituting the applesauce with sweet potato or other veggie puree).

• Whole Wheat "Buttermilk" Biscuits
• Vegan Chocolate Biscuits
• Black Pepper + Basil Biscuits
• Yogurt Drop Biscuits
• Cornmeal Drop Biscuits
• Cheesy Beer Biscuits
• Cheesy Old Bay Biscuits
• Spiced Applesauce Biscuits

And today on Writing Chapter Three, I'm telling you guys all about turning 31 (plus how my first year in the 30s went). I have fewer friends these days, my baby fever has reached new heights, and all sorts of other things are running around in this mind of mine. If you're in the same boat, be sure to check it out!

Speaking of boats, this is our last day at the shore! Ahhh!

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Black Pepper + Basil Olive Oil Biscuits

I've tweaked my biscuit recipe, and now I can't get enough! I've made variations of this batch three times in the past week, one of which is  sweet chocolate dessert biscuit -- so get ready for that recipe tomorrow! I love biscuits because they are simple enough to make and require only a few, inexpensive ingredients.

Plus, they go great with breakfast, lunch, and a Miso Split Pea Soup dinner. 

BLACK PEPPER + BASIL OLIVE OIL BISCUITS 

What you'll need . . . 

• 2-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons dried basil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup soy or almond milk

Method . . . 

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line with parchment.
2. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, pepper, and dried basil.
3. Then pour in the wet ingredients and mix until dough forms. Knead a few times until everything is moistened.
4. Lightly flour a work surface and roll with a pin or flatten with your palm the dough until it is around 1 inch thick. 
5. Using a round cookie cutter (I used a Ball jar lid ring), cut dough into 12 biscuits.
6. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until biscuits are lightly browned. Be careful not to over-bake or they will get dry.
7. Let cool a few minutes before serving warm.

// MORE BISCUITS

• Yogurt Drop Biscuits
• Cornmeal Drop Biscuits
• Cheesy Beer Biscuits
• Cheesy Old Bay Biscuits
• Spiced Applesauce Biscuits

// HENNA HAIR COLOR

I know some of you who don't normally read Writing Chapter Three said you are interested: I colored my hair with Henna and made a little video documenting the experience. I doubt I'll go back to chemical box dyes again. I love how it turned out!


And a big thanks to RedEnvelope for sending me this gorgeous monogrammed birthstone pendant necklace (in Ada's November birthstone -- maybe someday I'll pass it along to her!). I've been smitten with RE since I first got a catalog way back in college, and I now have several pieces of their jewelry in my collection. Whether you're shopping for a friend or yourself, their Favorites for Her is a great place to scope out pretty gifts. 

RedEnvelope sent me this necklace. I was not compensated otherwise. My opinions are my own.

ALSO: Don't forget to enter our Taste of Nature snack bar #giveaway!

Like what you just read? Browse more of our posts + recipes on Pinterest. You can subscribe to the feed of these posts or follow us on Twitter or Facebook to be the first to know what the (never home)makers are up to. And we’ll love you forever!

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Cheesy Old Bay Biscuits

I struggle with my identity as a "food photographer" -- which sounds like a ridiculous statement to make at all (because who really cares?), but it's true.

Do I want my photos to be fun + brightly colored?
Do I want to make quirky doodles all over the place because I'm feeling insecure?
Or how about some simple + moody shots. Food. Is. Serious. Business.

I honestly think it has more to do with the cloud cover on any given day than it does with my mastery of any sort of tone. Or use of props. Or editing. We'll see what things look like tomorrow, next week, etc.

Nothing new here. Just cut up Brussels sprouts, an onion or two, and a couple portabellas. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Roast for about a half hour, stirring every once and again.

Set aside and drop the oven temperature to 350 degrees F to make these!


CHEESY OLD BAY BISCUITS
Just like the ones at Red Lobster, except not at all. Makes 12.

What you'll need . . . 

• 1-1/2 cups white + whole wheat flour 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon baking powder 
• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning 
• Heaping half cup shredded Colby-Jack cheese
• 1 cup almond milk

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a standard size muffin tin and set aside. Alternatively, you can just make these drop biscuits and bake on a lightly greased baking sheet.
2. Pour your flour into a large bowl, then add the olive oil in the center and mix around with your hands + fingertips. You want the texture to become crumbly, almost as if you're cutting in butter. I just didn't have butter, but this worked well.
3. Then add the baking powder, Old Bay, and cheese and mix. 
4. Stir in the almond milk until everything is juice moistened. Do not over-stir.
5. Divide evenly into muffin tins. I found heaping tablespoons worked well as a measure.
6. Then bake for between 15 - 18 minutes. Or until the tops are golden brown on the edges. The centers may feel a bit soft, but that's OK. There's CHEESE!

We'll definitely be making these again. Baking powder biscuits in general are so easy to throw together. And you can improvise. I usually just stick with around 1 to 1-1/2 cups flour with 1 tablespoon baking powder, and the rest can be fun to play with.

Like even sweet ones! I made Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits for breakfast yesterday. I didn't get good photos and our strawberries are now long gone, but I will share the recipe soon. Ada helped!

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Carrot Soup w/ a Kick

From start to finish, this recipe takes about 30 to 40 minutes of chopping, stirring, seasoning, blending, and taste testing. As far as soups go, it's pretty basic. We have made variations using different seasonings, so I encourage you to play around.

Ginger goes famously with carrots, though. I highly recommend using fresh whenever possible. Our ginger was moldy, however. Story of my life this week.

But enough about me. Soup's on!

CARROT SOUP w/ a Kick

What you'll need . . . 

• 8 medium-large carrots, peeled + chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance (or olive oil)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 32 ounces vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon raw sugar
• salt + pepper to taste

Method . . . 

1. Place the Earth Balance in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it's melted, saute the onions and garlic until they become glassy. Then add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the paprika, thyme, and ginger. Cook another five minutes. 
2. Then pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Until the carrots are tender.
3. Let cool for 10 minutes and then blend in your blender. Return to the stove over low heat and season with the sugar, salt, and pepper.
4. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for a week. Freezes great, too!

In other news, Stephen and I both dropped to the half marathon from the full for Wineglass last night. I'm simultaneously disappointed + thrilled. My goal is to get as close to 1:40 as possible. But I'll be writing more about this decision and my training plan soon. Ultimately, I know it was the right decision.

I've also recovered really well from the half marathon last weekend. My IT band is all better -- even after a few recovery runs. I think it was a warning sign. I don't take it lightly . . . but I am definitely on the mend. Still stoked about my 2-minute PR, too! I think trying to take 4+ minutes off this time is ambitious, but possible. Who knows!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's Weekend Things post. My favorite of the week :)

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(Baked) Sweet Potato Fries

For the past four nights, we've eaten Spook Fork Bacon's Spicy Black Bean Burgers slathered with Vegenaise, avocado, and lots of mustard. "Beefy" vegan burgers between two impossibly thick slices of sourdough toast.

And what's a.l.w.a.y.s on the side?

These guys . . .

So much for variety in my diet, right?

There's not much difference between these sweet potato fries and roasted sweet potato cubes. It's all in how you slice them. The thinner, the crispier they get while baking. We're partial to spicy fries anything, so I tossed on a teaspoon of different spices I found lurking around the cabinets. The usual suspects, as you'll see below.

(BAKED) SWEET POTATO FRIES
Serves between 2 and 4, depending on the size of your sweet potatoes

What you'll need . . . 

• 2 large sweet potatoes 
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• Salt + pepper to taste
• Optional: curry powder, turmeric, paprika

Method . . .

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. (Hot, yes -- but unlike with roasting, you want to SHOCK them to crisp as much as possible.) Find a rimmed baking sheet. Doesn't have to be rimmed, but makes things easier.
2. Cut sweet potatoes in half and then each half in half. Then cut into fry shapes, as shown above. You don't want them too thin or too thick, if that is helpful at all.
3. Place chopped sweet potatoes onto the baking sheet and then drizzle with oil -- just enough to coat them. 
4. Sprinkle on your salt, pepper, and other spices. I didn't measure how much I used, but it was a good 1/2 teaspoon of each.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over/stir around. Bake another 10 minutes -- again, stir + turn over. Then bake another 5 to 10 until you've reached your desired brown. We like ours rather dark.
6. Serve with ketchup or mustard or a sauce of your own creation.

// Random Tip:

Like I said, we've made these a lot recently. Some times, I refrigerate uncooked fries (just the chopped sweet potatoes) for the next day. I find when I bake them right out of the refrigerator, they get slightly crisper. It may very well be my imagination.

// Also:

I feel like tossing in some whole wheat breadcrumbs might add to the crunch in an out-of-this-world sort of way. I am planning on trying that soon.

And I'm sure this method would work well with other types of potatoes, too!


Check out the inexpensive + festive Valentine's Day DIY --||--> STAMPED ARROW T-SHIRT <-- b="">today on Writing Chapter Three. I'm off to make one for myself . . . and then I'm going running outside . . . where it "feels like" 4 degrees F. 

Do I win a prize? Probably not. But the shower after will feel amazing.

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Stuff & Chickpea-Miso Gravy

If you read Writing Chapter Three, you got a taste for why I didn't write anything yesterday. Things were crazy. But they eventually got much better. Today was much the same, but I can't let that paralyze me all the time.

My new mantra is "roll with it" . . . we'll see how that works! I'm staying optimistic that thinking positively has the power to impact my actions and feelings. I got that idea from some of your comments.

Which brings me to a BIG THANK YOU for your positive response to my last post. It means a lot that you all are with me as things change and evolve. And if you haven't yet entered the giveaway(s), there's still time!

I've received some questions about why I won't just merge (never)homemaker with Writing Chapter Three. Originally, I wanted to avoid bombarding this audience with baby photos and anecdotes. That's not what this blog is about. Some content does overlap, though, and many have told me that they just read both blogs anyway. But I don't know if that's the majority.

For the time being, I will continue to keep them separate and see how it goes. But if you feel strongly either way, please let me know!


It feels weird posting Thanksgiving recipes now. I hope to have my act together next year . . . but this one in particular is worth it, as I'll surely be making again to go with dinner or lunch or even breakfast. It was great on the mashed potatoes, stuffing, and just alone.

Like with many of my recipes lately, the flavor combination was a result of using what we have versus buying extra ingredients.

MISO & CHICKPEA GRAVY

What you'll need . . . 

• 1 small onion, chopped 
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon white miso 
• Black pepper and thyme, to taste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Method . . . 

1. In a small saucepan, heat some olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until glassy.
2. Add the miso, black pepper and thyme cook until coated.
3. Add the stock and flour and whisk for a couple minutes, until thickened.
4. Then add in the chickpeas and cook for a couple minutes.
5. Then toss everything into your blender and blend until smooth.

I'll get on with the rest of the Thanksgiving recipes tomorrow (some of them are really short and some of them are just links to other sites).

Have a great night!

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The NEW 5-minute Naan

I know I say this a lot, but I truly, truly mean it. This is my favorite recipe . . . ever. I came up with it on a whim this past weekend while I was toying around with our 5-minute naan. Thing is, that naan is good. But there has always been something missing. If we aren't eating quinoa or couscous as a side at dinner, I often mix together a quick bread of biscuit. And -- as you might expect -- naan makes a regular appearance at our dinner table.

The secret ingredient to this recipe is yogurt. Plain, low-fat. It adds a flavor and texture that's incredible. The secret method to this recipe is chill time. It gets better with each day it's in the fridge.

THE NEW 5-MINUTE NAAN

What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup bread flour 
• 1/2 cup rye (or whole wheat) flour 
• Pinch of salt 
• 1 teaspoon -- heaping -- baking powder 
• 1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt 
• 1/2 cup water

Method . . .

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Then add in the water/yogurt. Stir until combined. 
2. Then place atop a generously floured work surface and knead. 
3. Refrigerate overnight (at least -- 2 days is better). 
4. Divide into balls (I made 6) and -- again -- generously flour a work surface. 
5. You'll want to flatten each of the balls until it's as thin as you can get it without holes. 
6. Heat a fry pan over high heat and spritz a bit of olive oil in there. Then toss one dough disk on the hot pan and let cook for 30 seconds or so. 
7. Flip over and then press down with a tea towel (photo above) to get all the nooks and crannies. Flip over again and then again. Until browned. 
8. Repeat. 
9. Slice and enjoy.

OK. We're obsessed with naan. Check out these other recipes if you are, too:

Fried Naan for Dessert
5-minute Naan
Banana Naan
3-hour Naan

And check out Writing Chapter Three for our most recent $5 dinner recipe: Stuffed Peppers. Also the best time we've ever made them. We were on FIRE this weekend!

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Rutabaga-Carrot Soup

Another simple soup recipe to round out the afternoon. And what's best is that I can show you how to transform something ugly it into something beautiful (and yummy, too). I'd never eaten a rutabaga (also known as a yellow turnip) before. In fact, I don't even know if I'd ever stopped to look at one until last weekend. But there I was. Walking around the produce aisles at Wegmans . . . when I discovered they'd run out of asparagus.

Then this thing caught my eye. It was calloused, bruised, waxy, and misshapen. Almost like a diseased toe . . . or something equally grotesque.


Image Credit
I hear you can make a mashed rutabaga. Originally, that is what I set out to do. However, we had a bunch of carrots we needed to use up. Then I got the idea to make soup. The taste of it is actually VERY good. In fact, it may be the best soup I've ever made. Give rutabagas a chance if you haven't already. You'll be pleasantly surprised. As well, you'll benefit from enhanced nutrition.

What you'll need . . .

• 1 large rutabaga, peeled and chopped into 1/2" pieces
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 large white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cups soy milk (or regular milk)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method . . .

1. If you have a slow cooker, throw in the rutabaga, carrots, onions, and vegetable broth. Cook on high for approx. 3-1/2 hours or until the rutabaga and carrots have softened enough to mash.
2. If you don't have a slow cooker, soften the rutabaga, carrots, and onions in a large pot of boiling water until the are soft enough to mash and all the veggie broth later.
3. Lightly mash the softened veggies. Then, throw them in a blender and add the soy milk -- first add 1 cup, then 1/2 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
4. Transfer the soup to the stove to heat and add the salt and pepper to your liking.

And if you haven't already -- be sure to enter our giveaway, which ends this evening at 9PM EST.

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Pumpkin Garlic Knots

Good morning, everyone. I'm celebrating 300 posts today, 400 twitter followers, and only being 4 people away from 900 subscribers! (And I don't believe I mentioned last week that we made it onto Ellen's StumbleUpon -- and webpage! -- for "favorite vegan recipes" and our chocolate-peanut butter whoopie pies) Woah. A lot of milestones -- all at once! Of course, this calls for a bread recipe. Garlic knots, specifically. But not just any garlic knots: Pumkin Garlic Knots.

I developed this pumpkin dough recipe mostly for its moisture content. As you know, we like grilling pizza . . . but often the crust burns quickly due to lack of moisture. Throw in a little canned pumpkin, and the crust stays good and moist, with only a hint of extra flavor. This dough recipe makes enough for one pizza and one hefty order of garlic knots.


What you'll need . . .

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (I used an herbed variety)
• 1-1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 3-1/2 cups unbleached bread flour (I used King Arthur)

First, you'll need to make the dough:




STEP 1:
Pour the warm water into a medium bowl and whisk in the yeast. Let sit until frothy -- about 10 minutes. Then add your agave nectar, olive oil, and pumpkin -- whisk until smooth.



STEP 2:
Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. With you fist, make an impression in the center -- a "bowl" that's big enough to pour your wet ingredients into. Then pour in your wet ingredients.




STEP 3:
Start pulling everything together with a spatula. When you can no longer mix, use your hands to start kneading the dough. Keep kneading -- and adding more flour as necessary -- until you have a ball that's elastic, but not sticky.

STEP 4:
Lightly oil another large bowl and put your dough ball inside it -- flipping over once to coat both sides (again -- lightly) with oil. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours. Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F, put in a pizza stone (you may use a pan, too, but it works best with a stone), and divide the dough into two equal pieces. If you're planning to use the other half the next day, just put it in a large Zip-Lock bag and store in the fridge. You may also freeze the dough for up to three weeks.


STEP 5:
To create the garlic knots -- just take off sections of dough (about the size of two tablespoons, if that makes sense) and roll them into a snake shape. Then tie that snake in a knot. Set aside and continue with the rest of the dough. Once you've made all your knots, put them on your stone (or on your pan) and let bake until golden brown on the tops (anywhere between 10 and 15 -- or more -- minutes, depending on how big your knots are).

STEP 6:
While you're waiting, in a large bowl mix together 1/3 cup olive oil with 3 to 5 cloves of minced garlic . . . as well as some salt, pepper -- and if you're feeling cheesy, Parmesan or nutritional yeast -- to taste. There's really no right or wrong mixture, just what you like. Feel free to taste test. When the knots are done, dump them into the bowl and mix well to coat. Stephen likes to crush the knots a bit to let the oil seep in.

Enjoy -- and check back tomorrow because I'll give you a super gourmet grilled pizza recipe that involves brie, a balsamic-tomato-walnut sauce, and lots of roasted veggies!


And if you haven't already -- go check out this month's Blog Love Fest. It's a special edition because we're not only sharing the links in a list this month. We're creating a categorized blogLOVEroll. For all the gooey details, just visit the BLF post.

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