Sour Cream Biscuits

 From:  https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/sour-cream-biscuits/#wprm-recipe-container-51482

Servings:  10

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup brown sugar

5 tablespoons cold (or frozen) butter

1/2 - 1 cup sour cream (original recipe calls for 1/2 cup, but I like a softer dough so add close to 1 cup)

1/4 cup whole milk, butter milk, or nut milk with 1 tsp lemon juice added

Directions

Preheat oven to 425

Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper

Mix everything together through baking soda

Mix in brown sugar making sure there are no lumps

Add in butter making with pastry blender or shred butter in food processor with shredder blade.  Then add to mix until you have pea size bits.

Add rest of ingredients.

Mix until you have a soft dough.  You want to mix as little as possible so you don't warm the butter.  Cold butter makes a flaky biscuit.

Lightly four counter and put down on it.  Gently spread until about 3/4 inch thick.

Use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut out circles that are about 2 inches in diameter.  Use all the dough.  You can re-work it but add as little flour as possible and don't touch it more than needed.

(The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2-3 months. Bake without defrosting – just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)

Place biscuits on cooking sheet and bake 14-18 minutes until browned on top.

Key Lime Pie

 From:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15880/key-lime-pie-vii/

Servings: 8

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
• 3 cups sweetened condensed milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¾ cup key lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest

• Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

• Step 2

  In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.

• Step 3

  Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

Olive Garden Bread Sticks

 From:  https://www.cookingclassy.com/olive-garden-breadsticks-copycat-recipe/

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp warm water (110 - 115 degrees)
• 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
• 3 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil

Topping

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer whisk together warm water, yeast and 1/2 tsp granulated sugar until yeast has dissolved. Allow to rest 10 minutes.
• 
  
• Add in remaining 1 Tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 3/4 tsp salt and vegetable oil, then fit mixer with paddle attachment and blend mixture until well combine.
• 
  
• Switch mixer to dough hook attachment, add in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour and knead mixture on low speed, adding up to 1/4 cup additional flour as needed, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic*.
• 
  
• Transfer dough to a large buttered mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm place free from draft until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
• 
  
• Punch risen dough down, divide into 12 equal portions (2 ounces each by weight), keep them covered with plastic wrap as you work. Roll each piece into a 9 inch rope on a lightly floured surface, then transfer to two parchment paper lined baking sheets.
• 
  
• Cover and let rise 1 hour. Preheat oven to 425 during the last 10 minutes of rising.
• 
  
• Bake in preheated oven 11 - 13 minutes until golden**. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together 1/4 tsp salt and garlic powder.
• 
  
• Remove bread sticks from oven and run a stick of butter over hot bread sticks (using 2 Tbsp, or brush with melted butter) and immediately sprinkle with garlic salt mixture.
• 
  
• 
  

  Serve warm.  Let any left over cool and store in an airtight container.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket with BBQ Sauce

 From:  https://www.recipetineats.com/slow-cooker-beef-brisket-with-bbq-sauce/comment-page-10/#comments

Ingredients

• ▢1.5 – 2 kg / 3 – 4 lb beef brisket (Note 1)
• ▢1 tbsp olive oil (or a neutral oil like vegetable, canola)

RUB:

• ▢1 tbsp brown sugar
• ▢2 tsp paprika powder
• ▢1 tsp onion powder
• ▢1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢1/2 tsp cumin powder
• ▢3/4 tsp mustard powder
• ▢1 tsp salt
• ▢1/2 tsp black pepper

BBQ SAUCE:

• ▢2 garlic cloves , minced
• ▢1/2 cup / 125 ml apple cider vinegar
• ▢1 1/2 cups / 375 ml ketchup
• ▢1/2 cup / 110g brown sugar , packed
• ▢2 tsp EACH black pepper, onion powder, mustard powder
• ▢1 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste re: spiciness)
• ▢1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Mix Rub ingredients. Rub all over brisket. If time permits, leave for 30 minutes – 24 hours in the fridge, but I rarely do this.
• Combine BBQ Sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Mix then add the brisket – squish it in if needed, like I did (see video).
• Slow cook in slow cooker for 8 hours (1.5 kg / 3 lb) to 10 hours (2 kg / 4 lb). (Note 2 for pressure cooker and click here for oven)
• Remove brisket onto a tray.
• Pour liquid in slow cooker into a saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium high heat and reduce until it thickens to a syrup consistency (it thickens more as it cools).
• Meanwhile, drizzle brisket with oil then roast in a 200C/390F oven for 15 minutes until brown spots appear. Remove then baste generously with Sauce, then return to oven for 5 minutes. Remove and baste again, then return to oven for 5 – 10 minutes until it caramelises and looks like the photos. (See note for BBQ option)
• TO SERVE: Slice brisket thinly across the grain and serve with remaining BBQ Sauce. This is terrific served as a meal with sides or piled high onto rolls with Coleslaw as sliders. See Note 3 for more ideas.

Recipe Notes:

1. Beef - This recipe will work on any slow cooking cut of beef but it works best with brisket because it holds its shape once slow cooked until tender, so it can be sliced. See post for more info. Best sub is chuck beef roast that's rolled and tied. 

AUSTRALIA: Best to get it from a butcher so you can ask for a thick cut which is best. Woolies and Aldi sell rolled brisket which is thinner. Harris Farms also sells brisket but they are small pieces. Recipe will work for these, see notes below for cook times for different weights.

2a). Cook time - The cook times provided yields a tender brisket that is sliceable but tender so the slices tear easily, as demonstrated in the video. Don’t stress too much about cook time - brisket is a cut of beef that holds together pretty well even cooked to the point of being shreddable. So even a 1.5kg / 3 lb brisket slow cooked for 10 hours should still be sliceable. Brisket that isn’t tender is tough and chewy but if you pull it out too early, don’t worry, just keep cooking!

SLOW COOKER on HIGH: Same recipe, 4.5 hours for 1.5 kg / 3 lb or 5 hours for 2 kg / 4 lb. Follow same directions.

PRESSURE COOKER: Same recipe, 1 hr 15 minutes for 1.5 kg / 3 lb or 1 hr 30 minutes for 2 kg / 4 lb. Follow same directions. If you've got an Instant Pot, add 1 cup water (otherwise you get the burn notice) and might need to reduce sauce slightly at end. Natural release, or wait 15 minutes then quick release

OVEN: Click here for directions.

2b) DIFFERENT SIZES: For a 800g - 1 kg / 1.6 - 2 lb piece of brisket, I would still slow cook for 7 to 8 hours on low because the cook time is more about brisket width rather than length. 

For a 2.5 - 3 kg / 5 - 6 lb brisket, I would slow cook for 10 hours on low.

3. How to serve - See in post for what to serve this with. For Sliders, I use soft rolls (brioche buns are pictured in the post) with Coleslaw (or try this No Mayo Coleslaw - it's excellent!)

4. Finish on BBQ: fantastic chargrilled flavour: Brush grills with oil, then preheat BBQ to medium. Place beef on the grills and leave until browned, then turn the beef over and brown the other side. Baste the beef generously and turn, then baste again. Do this repeatedly until there is a nice caramelised glaze on the brisket, then remove.

5. MAKE AHEAD: Slow cook the brisket but do not bake, then transfer into a storage container with the cooking liquid (don’t reduce it down) and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, transfer brisket only into a baking dish and cover. Bake at 180C/350F for 20 minutes or until warmed through. Then turn up oven to 200C/390F, remove cover and proceed with recipe to brown and baste the brisket surface. Transfer sauce into saucepan and warm – you may not need to reduce. Use for basting per recipe.

6. SERVINGS: I usually budget for 250g/8oz of raw meat per head, to err on the side of caution. This shrinks to about 200g / 6.5 oz per head once cooked. That's a generous pile on rolls!

7. Nutrition per serving, assuming a 2 kg / 4 lb beef brisket with some fat on the surface (i.e. not trimmed of all fat), 10 servings, assuming all the sauce is consumed.

Chantals New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce

 From:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/8350/chantals-new-york-cheesecake/

Servings: 12

Ingredients (Strawberry Sauce Recipe Follows)

12 Graham crackers, crushed

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

4 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3/4 cup milk

4 eggs

1 Cup sour cream

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan, and double wrap with aluminum foil to keep water from the water bath out.

• Step 2

  In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.  Do not pre cook crust.

• Step 3

  In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Mix everything else as little as possible.  Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

• Step 4

  Cook in water bath.  Use a roasting pan and fill with 1/2 - 1 inch of hot water.  Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR once it is in oven, not even to peek.  Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

Strawberry Sauce

From:  https://natashaskitchen.com/strawberry-sauce-recipe/

Ingredients

Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 lb Strawberries, rinsed, hulled and thickly sliced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice, from 1/2 Lemon

Instructions

How to Make Strawberry Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Strawberries will release juice without any mashing required.




2. Reduce heat and simmer 20-23 min or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Keep in mind sauce will thicken up slightly as it cools and even more with refrigeration.

Smashed Potatoes - Garlic Butter

From:   https://cafedelites.com/garlic-butter-smashed-sweet-potatoes-with-parmesan/

Sweet Potatoes:

4 medium sweet potatoes (or 3 large sweet potatoes)

3 tablespoons olive oil + more for brushing cooking sheet

garlic powder

onion powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Trim off the ends of the sweet potatoes. Cut each sweet potato into quarters (or 1 1/2 - inch pieces).
• Place sweet potatoes in a large pot of salted water. Bring to the boil; cook, covered for 20 -25 minutes or until just fork-tender. Drain well.
• Brush olive oil onto large baking sheet.
• Arrange potatoes on sheet, and lightly smash with a fork.
• Brush the potatoes with olive oil.
• Sprinkle potatoes with spices.  I am pretty generous with these.
• Bake for 30 -40 minutes, then broil until browned or crispy.  If you want to add cheese, place on potatoes and put in oven until melted.

NOTES

*Look for long sweet potatoes that are fairly wide in diameter. I found the fatter, the better (larger smashed sweet potato pieces)**I prefer the boil method first, as they seem to almost caramelise in their own natural sweetness, before baking. But either method works.