Buttermilk Biscuits

One of my favorite things that my mom made when I was growing up was her biscuits.  She made them every Sunday.   I have discovered that if I mix my dry ingredients and put them in the freezer until cold, it makes even better biscuits.

BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
(makes 10-12)

Ingredients:
*2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
*2 tablespoons baking powder
*1 teaspoon granulated sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*1/2 cup butter, frozen (or very cold)
*1 cup buttermilk
*1 tablespoon melted butter (optional)

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
~Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl.
~Cut in frozen butter with a pastry cutter until mixture resembles small crumbles (I use the whisk attachment on my kitchen aid mixer, or food processor for this step).
~Add buttermilk and stir until dough comes together (dough will be sticky)
~Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
~Roll or press out dough out into a bout 1-inch thickness.  Fold over and repeat for 5-6 times.
~Roll out one more time and use a floured biscuit cutter or glass and cut dough into biscuits.
~You will have to re roll the dough out a couple times to use up all the dough.
~Place onto a baking sheet or cast iron pan, having the biscuits touch each other.
~Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
~Remove from oven and using a pastry brush, brush the melted butter over the top of the hot biscuits. 

Hint:

~Having all of your ingredients cold, makes for better, fluffier biscuits.  I put my measured ingredients in a bag and put them in the freezer for an hour or so.

Mexican Meatball Soup

Nice hearty soup.   You can make it spicy by adding chopped jalapeño peppers to it.  Once you serve it up in bowls, add toppings of your choice (cheese, sour cream, green onions etc)

Meatball Ingredients:

*cooking spray

*1 pound ground beef

*1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

*1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

*1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

*1 large egg

*1 tablespoon milk

*1 teaspoon cumin

*1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

*1/2 teaspoon chili powder

*1 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

*1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (optional)

*juice squeezed from 1/2 lime

Soup Ingredients:

*1 tablespoon olive oil

*1 medium/large yellow onion, chopped

*1 red bell pepper, chopped

*2 medium carrots, chopped 

*1-2 jalapeño peppers, chopped (only if you want to make it spicy)

*1 teaspoon cumin

*1 teaspoon chili powder

*1/2 teaspoon salt

*1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

*6 cups beef stock

*1 quart stewed tomatoes

*1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

*1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

*1 cup frozen corn

Meatball Directions:

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

~Spray a sheet pan with cooking spray.

~In a large bow, mix all of the meatball ingredients (do not over mix).

~Form 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared sheet pan.

~Bake for 10-12 minutes.  

~Remove from oven and place meatballs on paper towels to soak up any grease.

~Set meatballs aside.

Soup Directions (stovetop):

~In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.

~Add onions, red peppers and carrots, (and jalapeño peppers if using them) cook for around 5-6 minutes, stirring often.

~Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper for about 20 seconds.

~Add beef stock, tomatoes and tomato sauce.

~Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.

~Simmer for 10 minutes.

~Add meatballs, beans and corn and simmer another 5 minutes.  

Intant Pot Directions:

~Make meatballs as directed above (you can cook them on sauté mode if you prefer.  Just add a little oil to pan before cooking.  Remove from pot and set aside).

~Turn Instant pot to saute mode.

~Once "hot" add olive oil.

~Add onions, red peppers and carrots, (and jalapeño peppers if using them) cook for around 2-3 minutes, stirring often.

~Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper for about 20 seconds.

~Add beef stock, tomatoes and tomato sauce.

~Put lid on and seal vent.

~Put on pressure cook mode for 3 minutes.

~Do a quick release.

~Add meatballs, beans and corn.

~Put lid back on and seal vent.

~Pressure cook for 1 minutes.

~Do a quick release.