Chicken Biscuits 'n' Gravy

Go get your fat pants. You'll put on a few pounds just looking at this one! I can put this recipe way up there with my favorites. Probably just under chicken and dumplings. When I was young, I used to walk home from school wondering what my Mom was cooking for dinner and hoping it was this dish. It is amazing.  It is the ultimate comfort food.  

Chicken Biscuits 'n' Gravy 

Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon fine salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup cold buttermilk

 Whisk together the measured flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the cold butter pieces and toss to just coat them in the flour mixture. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 

 

Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, and working quickly so as not to soften the butter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s in pea-size pieces. Drizzle in the buttermilk and stir just until moist and dough comes together.

Generously dust a work surface with flour. Scrape the dough out onto the surface and dust the top with more flour. Using floured hands, gently pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick circle. Using a 2-1/2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut out as many biscuits as possible (press straight down through the dough—do not twist the cutter, or the biscuits will not rise properly).

Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps into a ball, pat it into a 1-inch-thick circle, and cut out more biscuits. Repeat as needed until you have 8 total. Discard any remaining dough. Bake until the biscuits have risen and are golden brown on top, about 15 to 16 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack. Meanwhile, make the gravy.

Gravy

3 potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

3 1/2 cups whole milk or half and half

1 rotisserie chicken, torn into pieces (breast or thighs or both)

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain well and set aside. 

Heat butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour, salt and pepper. You can add a pinch of cayenne here if you’d like to kick it up a bit. Cook, stirring frequently, until the raw taste of the flour has cooked off, about 1 minute.

Gradually stir in the milk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Continue simmering, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 1 minute more (the gravy will continue to thicken as it sits). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Add the torn chicken pieces and the potatoes and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat for about 20 more minutes stirring every few minutes.  Serve in bowl or plate and top with a biscuit!

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Easy Oven Baked Short Ribs

 

 

There is nothing…..and I mean nothing….as delicious as slow cooked short ribs. Nothing.  Tender, succulent, fall off the bone perfection that just melts in your mouth with every bite.  I keep it as simple as I can and slow bake them in the oven first. Then I slather them down with a sauce to die for.  Guaranteed to get to get plenty of oohs and ahhs.

Easy Oven Baked Short Ribs

4-6 pounds meaty boneless beef short ribs

Lipton Onion soup

Beef broth

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Pat dry ribs with paper towel. Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper and then arrange in baking dish. It’s okay if it is a tight squeeze. Pack them in.  Sprinkle each rib with a generous amount of the soup mix.

Next, pour your beef broth on top and all around the short ribs.  Make sure that ribs are wet with broth.

 

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for at least 3 hours. While ribs are cooking, make the sauce.

NOTE:  This recipe can also be made in a slow cooker.  Turn the heat on high and slow cook for at least 6 hours.  

  

Sauce

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

3/4 teaspoons garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all of the ingredients for the BBQ sauce in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate until ribs are done. Uncover ribs and make sure they are fork tender. Pour off excess drippings in bottom of dish.  

Note: the meat will look unappetizing at this stage; don't worry, it will look much better when it’s finished.

Next, spoon 1/3 of the sauce (about 1/2 cup) over the short ribs. Using tongs, flip the ribs over and spoon another 1/3 of the sauce over top. Reserve the remaining sauce to spoon over ribs later.

    

Bake for 30 minutes more, uncovered until sauce is sticky. Transfer the short ribs to a serving platter. Spoon the reserved BBQ sauce over the short ribs and serve.

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Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad

When you don’t really feel like cooking but still want something delicious and filling, why not go for a pasta salad with that left over rotisserie chicken you have in the fridge?  Tonight, I made a quick trip to my garden for a fresh ripe tomato and some green onions. Then a quick snip of some chives from my herb garden and I’m ready to begin!  

Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad

1 box of Rigatoni pasta

6 slices of bacon, chopped and fried

2 cups of chicken, cubed (I used a rotisserie chicken)

1 large tomato, chopped

2 spring onions, both green and white sliced

Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 package (1 oz.) dry ranch dressing mix

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup chives chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dressing mix, garlic powder and milk. Add in the chives and whisk until smooth and creamy.  Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Cut the bacon into bite sized pieces and fry until crisp.  Drain and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain very well in a colander.  Transfer the pasta to a large bowl.  Add the bacon, chicken, and tomatoes.  

Add the dressing and toss well.  Sprinkle with green onions and extra bacon.  YUM!

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