Biscuits--New and Improved

Image via WikipediaDo you like biscuits?  They are a traditional favorite for all meals, but if you are a non-cook or a new-cook, you may have considered them beyond your capability.  Never fear!  Canned biscuits have been around for a long time, and they are easy.  They are different from the ones made from dough by your very own hands; however, you can buy the homemade ones in the freezer section at the grocery store.  They come in a resealable package.  You can remove any number you want and cook them without thawing.  They bake to perfection in about 20 to 25 minutes.  I love them.

If you want to be a little more adventurous, buy the biscuit mix.  The advantage to using the mix is that you can make a huge variety of baked items from it, including, but not limited to pancakes, shortcake, coffee cake, donuts, and pizza crust.  There are recipes on the box for many items.  Search the Internet for others.  Using the mix offers you the opportunity to experiment with baking without having to stock up on items like baking powder and soda.  You will probably have things like sugar and salt.

If you decide to try baking, buy items like spices and herbs in small containers because they loose potency over time, and you use very little in a recipe.  You can also be creative with the canned or frozen biscuits and other similar items.  Brush the top of biscuits with butter and sprinkle with garlic powder or onion powder before or after cooking.  Add Italian herbs to canned pizza crust.  Use a pastry brush to glaze the top of bread or muffins with honey while they are still warm.  You may even use this with prepared ones from the store.

Give your own touch to prepared foods to enjoy alone or with friends and relatives.

New Insights on Bread

I love to make bread.  Since the audience I am writing for may not be so enthusiastic about the endeavor, maybe we should start with some casual observations about this activity.

Bread is a metaphor for all the food we eat and even for living.  The old saying about breaking bread together really means sharing and talking over a meal.  When the Bible talks about earning your bread by the sweat of your brow, it really means your vegetables and clothes and cars and ball game tickets.  Whatever you spend money on becomes incorporated in the bread.

Getting back to food--bread may be the foundation for the whole meal.  Bread may be found in other forms--noodles, tortillas, crackers, or oatmeal. Bread is the grain based product.  Some people have reactions to some grains, but there are now substitutes available. 

The basic thought about the importance of bread is still the same:  Bread and grain-based foods provide a large percentage of the calories, vitamins and minerals we need daily.  There is no reason to allow the bread portion of our meals to be dull or boring.  Explore some of the whole grain breads; try fruit breads; check our flat breads.  Do something different with them.  Make a bread salad or use a tortilla for a pizza crust.  (There are recipes!  Search.)

If you have caught the cooking bug, you might try  something homemade.  First, buy a mix and follow the instructions.  Next time do something different like add cheese or chopped jalapenos.  Or chopped olives.  Or chopped onions.  The list is endless. 

Bread is really easy.  Read about it for a while, then challenge yourself.  It might be great!  This is my recipe Gayle's bread.  I hope you enjoy it.

French Toast--A Treat for Breakfast

French Toast is one of the truly special treats I enjoyed as a child.  Besides being very good, I also considered it slightly exotic.  My mother would let me help.  Tasks like this taught me to crack and separate eggs.  It didn't really matter if I broke the yolk since it all went in the bowl after I practiced.  Then I beat it with a whisk or a fork and added three tablespoons of milk.  A tablespoon of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon didn't hurt.  We usually got three wonderful pieces of toast unless we let one stay in the batter too long; then one piece would be extra moist and tender.  The rule was to let the last piece stay in the bowl until all the batter was gone.  I also learned to use a spatula to turn the toast.  It is easier than pancakes because it doesn't tear up or drip like they do.  To make it really light and puffy, put the slices in a single layer on a greased baking sheet after they have been browned in a skillet, and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes or less.

I always served it with bacon and jelly.  Eventually I learned that it is good with syrup and honey, too.  And maybe with ice cream or whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

French toast accomodates any kind of bread you happen to have, and it is fine for it to be slightly stale.  Texas Toast is a thick sliced bread that is really good for French Toast, but you may have to increase the batter since the thicker bread absorbs more.  French bread is excellent for French Toast.  Leftover rolls are good too, but you may want to slice them.   

Make it a special treat and make memories, too.