Cheddar and Buttermilk Biscuits

Cheddar & Buttermilk Biscuits

These are very similar to the biscuits they serve at Red Lobster. You can, of course, omit the cheddar cheese if you prefer.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated to yield 3/4 cup

2/3 cup buttermilk

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well blended. With a pastry blender or two table knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it’s texture is fine and looks a little like cornmeal with some butter chunks the size of peas. Stir in the grated cheese. Add the buttermilk and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is wet, sticky, and shaggy; small areas of dry ingredients are fine.

Turn the dough out onto an unfloured board and knead about 12 times until the dough comes together and is smooth. Lightly flour the board and pat the dough into a 1-inch-thick square. Use a sharp knife to trim the edges of the square (this helps the biscuits rise). Cut the square into nine smaller squares. Transfer the biscuits to the lined baking sheet. Place in refrigerator about 20 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bake biscuits on middle shelf of the oven and bake 18 to 23 minutes until golden brown. Yields 9 biscuits.

Rick & Mom, Me, Mom & Dad about 1956

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pancakes

This recipe was one Mom attached to the fruit syrups she made and sold at her market in Ocean Park, Washington. It was a seafood market, but for some reason she wanted to sell jams, jellies, syrups and desserts also.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pancakes

Aunt Anne and Mom

2 cups rolled oats 

   (not the "quick" or instant kind) 

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup melted butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

2 Tb sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blend oats and buttermilk in a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning beat the eggs and butter together.  Add to oat mixture and stir just to blend.  In another bowl combine the dryingredients; add to oat mixture and stir just until moistened.  If batter is too thick, stir in more buttermilk.  Spoon onto lightly oiled hot griddle.  When first side is browned, gently turn and cook until second side is golden brown.  Serve with plenty of butter and syrup.

Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole

This is good for breakfast but also makes a great dinner casserole. For dinner I usually add some chopped broccoli florets with the hash brown mixture, and serve with a green salad.

Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole

1 pound pork sausage

16 oz frozen hash browns, thawed

   (I use Shreds O'Brien which includes chopped red and green bell peppers)

about 3/4 of a can (10-3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup *

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1-1/2 cups (about 8 oz) cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350° F. and lightly grease a 2-quart casserole. Brown sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. While sausage is browning place hash browns in a large bowl (thaw in microwave on low power, if necessary). Add soup, sour cream, onion, salt, pepper and about 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Mix to combine, then place half of mixture in casserole dish, spread browned sausage in middle and top with the remaining potato mixture. Spread reserved cheese over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes; uncover an bake 10 minutes longer. Makes about 6 servings.

Grandma, Rick & Terri, Nahcotta, WA ca 1951

Crisp German Waffles

Packaged mixes are quick and convenient, but these "from scratch" waffles take very little more time. Beating the egg whites separately and then folding them gives these waffles a light interior texture with a crisp exterior. I like these topped with a banana which has been mashed up with honey and a little cinnamon, or smothered in sweetened strawberries and whipped cream, or ...

Rick on Dad's Harley, April 1964
South San Francisco, California

Crisp German Waffles

2  cups flour

2  Tb sugar

2  tsp baking powder

2/3  tsp. salt

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1-3/4  cup milk

5  Tbs melted butter

3  egg whites

Preheat waffle iron. Whisk the dry ingredients in large bowl.  Stir egg yolks and milk together, add to dry ingredients.  Stir in the melted butter.  Beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold into batter.  Bake in hot waffle iron until crisp and golden.