Buttermilk Biscuits

Where I grew up, biscuits came out of a can or from bisquick...so I never learned a very important lesson...there is an art to making biscuits...and I have been searching high and low for THE PERFECT biscuit recipe...I know you all have your faves...for me the BEST biscuit is high and light and soft...Well, I think I have THE recipe now...
I think the most important factors to a good biscuit are: Don't handle the dough too much and don't add too much flour...So if you did not learn the ART of biscuit making, there is the condensed version of it...
So without more commentary...THE recipe:

Buttermilk Biscuits

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2-1/4 cups self rising flour
2-1/2 cups buttermilk

If you do not have self rising flour, for each cup of all purpose flour, add 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt.

Cut butter into flour until crumbly. Cover and chill 10 minutes. Add buttermilk, stirring only until just moistened. Turn out dough onto floured surface and knead 3-4 times, adding additional flour as needed. Press to a 3/4 inch thick rectangle and sprinkle lightly with flour. Fold dough over on itself in 3 sections like you would fold a letter to put into an envelope. Repeat this process 2 more times.
Press to 1/2 inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into 2-1/2 inch circles and place close together on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet- if they are close together- so they touch- they will rise higher.
Bake at 450 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter.

I hope this is THE recipe for you too!
C~

Cookie Dough Truffles

Okay, So I am not a real big into eating raw cookie dough...to me, it is just really not that good...but I know people...and I know MANY of them really like to eat it...a few in particular that live in my house! So when I saw THIS Recipe over at the Idea Room, I knew I had to try it out...These were SO easy to whip up and leave as a treat for my family after they got home from Bible Study...and to those of you who are concerned about the dangers of eating raw cookie dough...let me put your mind at ease...these do not contain any eggs! So go ahead, eat your cookie dough! Even though I am not a cookie dough lover, these were tasty...only one truffle tasty for me, but that, also has it's blessings! Maybe I should make these moer often!
Let me know what you think...

Oh, and I made the pork stew and served it over the apple mashed potatoes...and I have to tell you...I really hope that photographer or food stylist..or whoever make it look that good wins an award....cause...it wasn't as good as it looked. Still waiting to try some Pumpkin Challah though....and REALLY loving my new biscuit recipe...I'll post that tomorrow.
C~

Dinnertime: Potato Pierogies

I really love making something special from time to time...something you really don't make very often, so when I made mashed potatoes for dinner the other night and their were leftovers...I decided to make Shepherd's Pie...that is ALWAYS a really great way to use up leftovers. After making a really large pan of the Shepherd'e Pie, there were still quite a few mashed potatoes left over...and I KNEW EXACTLY what I was going to make...Pierogies...they are SUPER easy to make...just take a little bit of time, but for every once in a while, it is just the thing to make us smile. The recipe I like is nothing very special...Martha Stewart's recipe, but boy are they yummy. Tonight, we will be having them with a German style chicken...I still need to figure that out...but here is the recipe for the Pierogies...Thanks Martha!

AHHHH...

A REALLY BIG Thank you to Alicia for telling me WHY that photobucket box was on my blog...that was making me SO crazy...AND I was wondering WHY my background wasn't showing up...I just thought that it was because of Bessie (my dinosaur computer), to my friend Lanita, for telling me how to fix it...and my techy guy...for doing it! You guys have really blessed me today!
C~

ARGH....

Ok, So, I have been trying to figure this out, but I cannot...so I am asking all of you with blogs who know much more about all of this than I do for some help...you know that Photobucket box that has been on my page for QUITE SOME TIME NOW????? Well, I would like to know how to get rid of it...I tried right clicking on it, I tried looking for whatever was deleted, but couldn't find it (maybe I should look again)...anyone have any thoughts that I haven't thought of yet? I would be SO appreciative if someone could figure it out for me!
Thanks!
C~

Homemade chalkboard paint

Surfing around reading blogs, I came across this on Amy's blog and I am DEFINITELY going to try it...Chalkboard paint is SO expensive and this looks very economical and easy...and FUN...I LOVE what she did with these cups...I may be trying this SOON!
Love,
C~