For the past three weeks I have received these beautiful frozen blueberries in my CSA box.  They have been sitting in my freezer calling out to be included in some recipe.  Now these are not blueberries that you will find in the frozen section of the grocery now or fresh ones that you might find shipped to us from across the sea.  These are gargantuan blueberries from this past summer right here in my area of Georgia.  We are talking beautiful blueberries, so these muffins were just perfect for them.  They will be great to take to work or eat on the way to the  gym before working out.  And they are fabulous because  I just have eaten one.  WOW! 

The recipe for the muffins you will find here.  It is one that I posted awhile back.  I took out enough batter to make 18 large muffins.  It was about 6 cups of batter.  Before you take out the batter measure about 6 cups of water into the bowl that you are using to get an idea of how much batter you need.  It is just easier than measuring out the batter.   I used about 3/4 cup for each muffin.  I folded in 2 cups of the largest blueberries I have seen in a long time.  DO NOT THAW the berries.  Fold them in frozen.  Allow at least 20 minutes to bake.  Then enjoy them for the next couple of weeks by heating them in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Yummy!

• One Year Ago  Meat Sauce Made by Rosco
• Two Years Ago Beef Stroganoff Made Easy

Looking for an easy way to make biscuits?  This is just the recipe for you.  I don’t really think that you can mess this one up unless of course you add more milk than you should and you end up with Garlic and Cheese pancakes.  That doesn’t sound t0o appetizing does it?  I have had a couple of groups to do this!    No seriously, this is a no-fail recipe for those who are inept at kneading the dough.  In the time that it takes the oven to preheat all the grating (if you choose) and mixing can be done.  The baking time is quick, too, 8- 10 minutes.   This is a winner no matter how many times you make it.

Click here for the original post of the recipe and check out the results of our lab.  We pulled this off in our new 45 minutes of class time.  If we can do it, you surely can without a hitch.

• One Year Ago   Banana Pudding
• Two Years Ago  Sweet Potato Bread

First period Kitchen 1

First Period Kitchen 2

First Period Kitchen 3

First Period Kitchen 4

First Period Kitchen 5

First Period Kitchen 6

Second Period Kitchen 1

Second Period Kitchen 2

Second Period Kitchen 3Second Period Kitchen 4

Second Period Kitchen 5

Second Period Kitchen 6

Third Period Kitchen 1

Third Period Kitchen 2

Third Period Kitchen 3

Third Period Kitchen 4

Third Period Kitchen 5

Third Period Kitchen 6

Fourth Period Kitchen 1

Fourth Period Kitchen 2

Fourth Period Kitchen 3

Fourth Period Kitchen 4

Fourth Period Kitchen 5

Fourth Period Kitchen 6

Biscuit making always floods my mind with childhood memories of watching my mother put together a beautiful pan of biscuits.  They were perfectly rolled out with her hands into small mounds of fluffy white dough that when baked would just seem to melt in your mouth.  When I was about 13 I tried my best to make them the same way, but mine were anything but fluffy.  You could best describe them as rock hard!

It took me awhile but I did get the hang of it.  In my classroom when teaching the art of biscuit making I give them as many tips as I possibly can so that they can be successful.  Some this semester were better than others, but most of the results were excellent.  It takes awhile to get the concept of rolling the dough out without handling it too much and adding too much flour.  In a couple of more tries they will all be able to put some great biscuits on their table.  I’m guessing there will be some proud parents.  Not everyone can make good biscuits!

Check out the results here and tell me what you think about my new biscuit makers.  If you are interested in the steps for making good biscuits and the White Lily recipe that I use check it out here.

You might be interested in these biscuits:

•  Butter Biscuits
• Garlic and Cheese Drop Biscuits
• Cheese Biscuits
• Pimento Cheese Biscuits
• Buttermilk Biscuits

The results of the White Lily Biscuit Bake-Off

Here are the wonderful biscuits from 1st Period:

1st Period Kitchen 1

1st Period Kitchen 2

1st Period Kitchen 3

1st Period Kitchen 4

1st Period Kitchen 5

1st Period Kitchen 6

Now here are 2nd Period’s wonderful biscuits:

2nd Period Kitchen 1

2nd Period Kitchen 2

2nd Period Kitchen 3

2nd Period Kitchen 4

2nd Period Kitchen 5

2nd Period Kitchen 6

The results of 3rd Period’s  fabulous biscuit making :

3rd Period Kitchen 1

3rd Period Kitchen 2

3rd Period Kitchen 3

3rd Period Kitchen 4

3rd Period Kitchen 5

3rd Period Kitchen 6

Fourth Period’s beautiful biscuits:

4th Period Kitchen 1

4th Period Kitchen 2

4th Period Kitchen 3

4th Period Kitchen 4

4th Period Kitchen 5

4th Period Kitchen 6

This school year has been quite a challenge for me for many reason that I won’t go into because  I am working so hard  to be a positive influence in my classroom. My students are absolutely wonderful!  With the exception of a handful,  all of them signed up for my class to learn how to cook.  I have a large number of seniors that will be leaving their families for college next year and they want to be able to cook for themselves.  I applaud them!

I found the perfect quick bread recipe in a Southern Living cookbook.  I have never baked using mayonnaise, but when I saw that  Hellman’s was on sale two for one at Publix I had to try it.  It is very good and so quick to make.  The prep time is about 8 minutes and the cook time 15 minutes.  Perfect for my 45 minute class period.  I was very pleased at the results for these novice cooks.  They did a very nice job.

If you want some really moist rolls give these a try.  You won’t be disappointed.

Here are some hints that I discovered while making this recipe 29 times.

• Use White Lily flour because it is made with a softer wheat resulting in a softer texture.
• Sift the flour.  When the flour was not sifted it resulted in lumps of flour in the cooked rolls.
• Use a fork to stir the batter.  It will break up the dry ingredients better than a spoon.
• All muffin pans are not created equal.  If you have less than 6 rolls fill the space with water for even cooking.
• If dark pans are used reduce the temperature 25 degrees.
• The recipe can be doubled easily for 12 rolls.
• I did not think that the leftovers were good heated the next day, but many of my students disagreed.  They found the leftovers to be very good.

Mayonnaise Rolls  from Southern Living

Yield 6 rolls

• 1 cup self-rising flour ( I use sifted White Lily)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise ( I use Hellmann’s)
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar

1. Whisk together flour and sugar.
2. Add mayonnaise and milk and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.  I found that a fork was better than a spoon for stirring.
3. Spoon batter into a lightly greased muffin pan, filling three-fourths full.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

1st period Kitchen 1

1st Period Kitchen 2

1st Period Kitchen 3

1st Period Kitchen 4

1st Period Kitchen 5

1st Period Kitchen 6

2nd Period Kitchen 1

2nd Period Kitchen 2

2nd Period Kitchen 3

2nd Period Kitchen 4

2nd Period Kitchen 5

2nd Period Kitchen 6

3rd Period Kitchen 1

3rd Period Kitchen 2

3 rd Period Kitchen 3

3rd Period Kitchen 4

3rd Period Kitchen 5

3rd Period Kitchen 6

4th Period Kitchen 1

4th Period Kitchen 2

4th Period Kitchen 3

4th Period Kitchen 4

4th Period Kitchen 5

4th Period Kitchen 6

This was the first demo for my new students this year and it was hit for all 128 of them.  Even the one student that I have that does not like chocolate!  I can’t imagine not liking chocolate.  What do you have planned for this weekend?    Why don’t you put these together for your weekend breakfast?  Your family will thank you.

Here are some baking tips that we discussed in class that will help inexperienced cooks be successful in the kitchen:

• Always preheat your oven when baking cookies, cakes, pies, and breads.
• Make sure that the rack is in the center of the oven.  Most ovens have seven slots of rack placement so three or four slots from the bottom will work fine.
• It matters what your baking pan is made of and what color it is.  It may take several times to figure out if you should turn your oven temperature up or down to get the correct results.
• If it is a dark pan always turn your oven down 25 degrees.
• Parchment paper is a good cooking tool to use.  It saves clean up time, but it also is coated with silicone which will keep food from sticking.
• When setting your timer for cooking time always use the shortest time.  You can always leave the food in the oven to cook longer.  Your oven is probably not the same as the test oven.  It could cook faster and no one is happy with burned food.
• When buying cooling racks choose those that don’t sit so close the counter.  If you have more space between the cooling rack and the counter more air can get to the food.  It will cool faster and you won’t have moisture to form underneath.  This could make the product soggy.

Roll out the crescent roll dough without tearing it apart.  Cut each triangle in half and place 6 or 7 chocolate chips in the center of the triangle.

Fold the ends over the chocolate chips forming a small ball.  Place the folded side down on the cookie sheet.

Dust with powdered sugar after baking for 13- 15 minutes.

Crescent Rolls filled with Chocolate from Pillsbury

Yield 16 small servings

• 1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• powdered sugar for dusting

1. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Open can and place the entire roll of dough on the baking sheet.  I did not separate them until after cutting in half.
5. Cut each triangle in half.
6. Place 6 or 7 chocolate chips in the middle of each small triangle.
7. Fold dough over and pinch together.
8. Place pinch side down about an inch or two apart.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Place on a cooling rack and dust while warm with powdered sugar.
11. Enjoy!

The Teacher Cooks

This bread appeared on the front cover of Southern Living January 2005.  After you try it you will know why.  It is fabulous as I and many of my baking friends can attest to that fact.  I’m pretty sure that there are many reasons for this perfect tasting bread.  Here is what I learned while baking banana bread.  Bananas have a lot to do with it.  Some have written that the more ripe the bananas are the better, but I really think that freezing the bananas is the trick.  I always freeze bananas that would not be good to eat otherwise.  Just peel them and pop them in a freezer bag.  When taken out of the freezer and brought to room temperature you have bananas and some great banana “extract”.  That’s what I think adds the great  flavor.  Next there is a mixture of cream cheese and butter that without a question leads to the moistness and nice crumb of the loaf.  Lastly,  the toasted pecans just add that next depth of flavor.    And yes they are added to the batter and then as a topping.  Nothing could be better.

In my attempts to make this recipe I have failed in my eyes many times.  But, in the eyes or should I say mouths of GI Joe and The Athlete they think that all my attempts were fabulous. That is just because they love me and don’t want to hurt my feelings.  Really they are afraid if they complain that they will have to cook!  They would then starve!  Using my large Kitchen Aid mixer did not work well.  It is a mixer with a lot of power and easy to work the dough too much.  Using my small hand mixer resulted in a better product.   In testing three  different types of loaf pans I found that my Wilton pans with a dark finish worked best if I lowered  the temperature by 25 degrees and reduced the cooking time to 55 minutes.  Using my Pyrex and my corningware loaf dishes seemed to dry out the bread even when I reduced the temperature and time.   You have to remember that your pans and oven are going to differ from the recipe, so you too may have to play around with the recipe until you get it right!  Here are the step by step photos:

Mix together butter and cream cheese until fluffy.

Add sugar and add 2 eggs one at a time .  Mix well after each egg.

Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Last stir in bananas, toasted pecans, and vanilla.

Pour batter into to greased and floured loaf pans.

Place 1/2 cup toasted pecans on top of the batter.

Bake for about 55 minutes.

Top with icing made with powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice after cooling for 10 minutes.

Then try with all your might for an hour before cutting so you will have perfectly sliced pieces of cream cheese banana bread!

Cream Cheese Banana Bread from Southern Living

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 8-oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas about 4 medium
• 2 cups of toasted pecans, divided  Toast nuts at 325 degrees in a rimmed pan for about 15 minutes.  Watch carefully they can burn easily!

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy.
2. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, 1 at a time.  Beating well after each egg.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  gradually add to butter mixture.  Beating just until blended.  Do not overbeat.  You will make the bread tough if you overbeat the mixture.  
5. Stir in bananas, 1 cup of chopped nuts, and vanilla.  
6. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.   I used 9×4 inch pans.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of toasted pecans to the top of each pan
7. Bake at 350 degrees.  Reduce temperature by 25 degrees if using dark  or glass pans.
8. Bake for about 55 minutes.  Adjust your time according to what  type of pans that you are using.  Dark colored pans as well as glass pans cook faster.   I used dark pans.  Other types may take a longer cooking time. 
9.   Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
10. Stir together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest until blended.  Drizzle evenly over warm bread.
11. Cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack.

Last week we had the wonderful opportunity of having Rosco from Sam and Rosco’s Restaurant here in Douglasville to be a guest speaker in my classes.  I am not exaggerating at all when I tell you that I had more administrators, teachers, and students than ever before stopping by my room to see what was being prepared.  The aroma of garlic, peppers, and onions was everywhere.  You can just imagine how the best Italian restaurant smells when you walk in and that’s what was permeating the entire back hall. It was amazingly good.  My students were in awe of Rosco’s expertise in cooking and his life story of how he ended up in the restaurant business.  He came here from the Northern part of Iran and graduated from Southern Tech as an engineer.  In college he worked at many great restaurants in Atlanta such as Pano and Paul’s and The Fish Market.  After graduating he taught college for a few years.  As he was offered a Doctorial Program his life took a different turn and he and his college friend Sam decided to open an Italian restaurant that was named Aldo’s.  That restaurant grew from one to several others in the Atlanta area.  Being in the restaurant business is hard work with long hours. When both Sam and Rosco wanted to spend more time with their families all the Aldo restaurants were sold.  Now they operate the one and only Sam and Rosco’s.     

Rosco opened it for my students to ask  questions.  As a teacher I am never surprised at what they ask. This list will give you an idea of how teens are thinking.

• Do you eat out a lot?
• Where do you eat out?
• What do you like to cook at home?
• How did you learn to cook?
• How can I get a job in your restaurant?
• Will you come and take Mrs. Lupo’s place and cook for us every day?

Rosco put me to shame cooking in more ways than one!  When I give a demo I make the recipe just as it is which usually makes 4-6 servings.  This means for everyone to get a taste it is divided 28 ways.  The students complain that I make this delicious food and serve them just morsels which is a form of slow torture.  Rosco on the other hand served a generous serving and more if they wanted it.  They were in heaven.  It was a delicious meat sauce served over penne pasta.  The garlic bread was heavenly.   I am telling you that I could not wait to get the recipe and make it at home.  It is so simple yet different from any meat sauce that I have had.  As I am writing this now I can smell the sauce.  Delicious!

As a home cook with no restaurant experience here are a few of my observations as I watched Rosco prepare the food for my class.

• He was very calm and did everything with such ease.
• He talked a lot about food safety and how important it is to be safe and clean in the kitchen.  I preach that to my students all the time.
• And another thing that I stress and he did also is to clean as you go.  I loved it!
• He used a dish towel to take the bread out of the oven just like every food show I have ever watched.  I was taught to use a pot holder.
• He stressed  that you should be creative with food.  Open the refrigerator and pantry and see what you can come up with.
• Eat healthy.

It has been a week since Rosco spoke to my classes and the students are still talking about what they learned and that it was a fantastic cooking experience.   So here are the recipes that brought down the house.  Now you can turn your kitchen into a great Italian restaurant.

Meat Sauce from Roozebeh Sayyar

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced yellow, red, and orange peppers ( May use green if desired)
• 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
• 2 1/2 lb. ground beef or turkey
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
• 1 cup Parmigiana cheese grated
• 1 cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 lb. penne pasta

1. In a large Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium high heat.
2. Saute onions, peppers, and garlic until onions are opaque.
3. Add salt and pepper and tomatoes. Cook for another few minutes.
4. Add ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink.
5. Add sliced mushrooms, tomato paste, and water.
6. Bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer until most of the water has evaporated. * Rosco cooked it for only 30 minutes but he stated he cooks it much longer when there is time.
7. Cook pasta according to directions on the box.
8. Add the fresh basil and cook a few minutes.
9. In a large bowl or the pan used to cook the pasta mix pasta, cheese , and sauce together.
10. Serve and enjoy!

*Some side notes here.  Half of the recipe will feed 5 to 6 .  I made the entire sauce recipe and cooked only 1 box of penne pasta.  We had 5 servings with leftovers.  I did not add fresh basil to the entire sauce and froze the remaining sauce for future use.  I really think that the recipe will feed 12 – 15 people easily.

Here is the bread before and after baking.

Garlic Bread by Roozebeh Sayyar

1. Cut french bread into 1 inch slices.
2. Rub one side with olive oil.
3. Spread minced garlic on the bread.
4. Top with Parmigiana cheese.
5. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 5 minutes.  We then turned the broiler on until the cheese started to change colors.  Watch carefully.

I am really enjoying this food!

Thanks to Rosco!

Happy Cooking,

The Teacher Cooks

Being  the Southern Girl that I am I have had my fair share of fried chicken, deviled eggs, buttermilk biscuits, red-eyed gravy and pimento cheese!  With that said I have just made the best Southern biscuits that I have ever had in my entire life.  Yes, that  is correct- my entire life!  Oh, my gosh you have got to make these.  I am telling you that they are so good that you will skip the rest of your meal. 

I have written a post about the Buttermilk version and I thought that would be the best of the best, but no I was so very wrong.  These biscuits win the blue ribbon.  I don’t know where I have been , but I have never had these nor have heard about them.   Just take my word and make these little cheesy jewels and you will be loved by all including your enemies , that is if you have any.  In fact I might just have to stop right now and have another.  Oh, I forgot I can hardly zip my jeans now.  Maybe tomorrow for breakfast.  Yes, like that will make a difference!

Here is the original recipe.  You will need a cup of sharp cheddar cheese  and 4 oz. of diced pimento.  After cutting in the butter add the cheese.  Reduce the buttermilk to 1 cup.  Add buttermilk along with the pimento undrained.  Continue with the original recipe and enjoy!

Pimento Cheese Biscuits from Southern Living    Click  here for the  how to Pictorial 

Yield 2 dozen

• 1/2 cup cold butter cut in 1/4 inch slices
• 2 1/4 cups White Lily self-rising flour
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1 4 oz. jar of diced Pimento undrained
• 1 cup (4oz.) shredded sharp cheese
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter

1. Cut butter with a sharp knife or pastry blender into 1/4 inch slices.
2. Sprinkle butter slices over flour in a large bowl.  Toss butter with flour. 
3. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas.
4. Cover and chill for about 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
6. Add grated cheese to flour and butter mixture.
7. Make a well in the center of flour and cheese.  Pour buttermilk and undrained pimento in the center.
8. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
9. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times, gradually adding additional flour as needed.
10. With floured hands, press dough into a 3/4 in. thick rectangle about 9 x 5 inches.
11. Sprinkle top with additional flour.
12. Fold dough over  onto itself in 3 sections, starting with 1 short end . Fold as if you were folding a letter size piece of paper.  See the photos here. 
13. Repeat this process 2 more times.
14. Press dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut with a 2 inch round cutter or just cut in squares with a knife or pizza cutter.
15. Place side by side on a parchment paper-lined or lightly greased jelly-roll pan.  (Dough rounds should touch)
16. Bake at 450 degrees for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
17. Remove from oven; brush with 2 Tablespoons melted butter.
18. Count to 10 before you inhale the entire pan.  

Now for the biscuit lab…   I am so pleased to say that all of the biscuits were very good.  They were much better than my first ones that would have been good rocks to break out windows.  You be the judge.  Just look at what they cooked up.  I think that they were fantastic, especially since only about 3 out of 28 students had ever had biscuits made from scratch.  What a dying art!!!  Now they all can make these at home and save money as well as have better products. 

For those of you that are thinking about the health issue, I covered that.  Biscuits are not a healthy choice and should be included in your diet only a few times a year.  Yes, not evey day as a breakfast item.  Even so you still need that biscuit card that you can deal when it is crunch time in the kitchen. 

So here is what we did in class and as you can judge for yourself they did very well!

1st B lock Kitchen 1 Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 2 Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 3 Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 4 Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 5 Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 6 Biscuits

2nd Block Kitchen 1

2nd Block Kitchen 2 Biscuits

2nd Block Kitchen 3 Biscuits

2nd Block Kitchen 4 Biscuits

2nd Block Kitchen 5 Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 1 Cheese Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 2 Chesse Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 3 Cheese Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 4 Cheese Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 5 Cheese Biscuits

1st Block Kitchen 6 Cheese Biscuits

These little jewels are easy to make, but still many cooks get impatient and handle the dough too much resulting in very compact little biscuits.  Just be aware that you should not hurry up the process.  It takes awhile to work in the flour mixture.  The sausage balls should be light and fluffy not dense and hard.  If you follow these steps your product will be something that is great to eat and not a tool for breaking up ice on your driveway.

This is all that you will need.

1 lb. of sausage ( I like to use hot), 3 cups of Bisquick , 1 lb. of sharp sausage and if you like 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper or hot sauce

Finely grate cheese.  I use this to get mine really fine.  

Just a little advice to make the mixing a little easier.  Take the sausage out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before mixing with the other ingredients.  Measure out 3 cups of Bisquick, but don’t add all of it at once.  Work in about 1/2 cup at the time with a wooden spoon.  Here is cheese, sausage, and 1 cup of Bisquick.

Here is how it should look with all 3 cups of Bisquick added.  Now you are ready to roll.

Using your hand  lightly roll about a tablespoon of the mixture.  Don’t mash the ingredients together with a heavy hand.  You will end up with a bunch of rocks!

Ready to bake.    

Yum! Right out of the oven.  Here you go with the very simple recipe that I am sure will please all.

Sausage and Cheese Balls

• 1 lb. sausage ( I prefer hot)  allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes
• 12 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 3 cups Bisquick
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper or hot sauce , optional

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix finely grated cheese, sausage, and 1/2 cup of Bisquick with a wooden spoon.  Be patient.  As the Bisquick is worked in with the sausage and cheese add the rest of the Bisquick about 1/2 cup at the time until all is worked in.
3. Roll about tablespoon in the palm of your hand.  Do this carefully so as not the pack the mixture.  It should be lightly mixed. 
4. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes. 

Yield about 3 dozen fantastic sausage and cheese balls

Happy Cooking,

The Teacher Cooks