Peaches and Cream Brown Betty Biscuits

Breakfast sweets- I don't know if I can trust people who can't enjoy a good rush of sugar first thing in the morning. I have seen apple skillet biscuits around, and while I am down for a good apple treat, my heart really belongs to peaches. There is little more satisfying than biting into a ripe juicy peach...and nothing quite as disappointing as biting into a totally unripe peach, amirite?!

Totally avoiding that possibility by using premium peach pie filling here, paired with a sweetened blend of cream cheese and sour cream, over fluffy cinnamon sugared biscuits, with a buttery crumble on top. When I dreamt this up, I knew it would be good, I just didn't know HOW good it would be.

And though I made this recipe with breakfast in mind, it would actually make a really amazing dessert too, especially with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.



What you'll need for 9 servings:

Lemon Oreo Cheesecake Doughscuits

I have heard through my foodie friend in Los Angeles, that Doughscuits are the next big thing (and apparently he heard it from NPR).  Like the Croissant Doughnut, the Doughscuit is a hybrid of a doughnut and a biscuit, and I feel confident in telling you, they are DELICIOUS!

They taste a little like funnel cakes, but are much more filling. And today, I have them for you filled with a no bake lemon cheesecake filling, coated with a thick lemon glaze, and dipped in crushed Lemon Oreos.

If you've not tried Oreo's new lemon flavored cookies, go out and get some now. After tasting them last night, I realized I needed to get a recipe done with them really quickly or I was going to eat them ALL before I had a chance.

Dinner at the Improv - Bacon, Chowder, Pizza Pizzazz!

I like to improvise sometimes, which means I just throw things into the pan and wing it. Every once in a while, it is horrible, more often though, it turns out pretty darned well. I wanted to share these improvisations to inspire other cooks who feel comfortable cooking by taste.

For episode two of Dinner at the Improv, I've made Cheesy Sage Corn Chowder and Bacon Ranch Pizza.

Like the rest of the country, it has been ridiculously cold and snowy here in Montana. That means, I want something warm and comforting, without having to spend too much time outside my bed, where I would like to be, covered by every blanket that we own. That means, perfect night for soup and pizza.

This pizza is really less pizza and more fancy bread sticks. I use a store bought can of pizza dough. Spread it out on a sheet pan lined with non-stick foil until the crust is fairly thin, and then slather that in homemade ranch dressing. It is a mix of mayo, sour cream, dried dill, chives, granulated garlic, a touch of onion powder, and some salt and pepper. Over that goes Italian cheese blend to cover, and then 6 slices of crispy bacon (that I baked in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes), crumbled over the top. That bakes according to the directions on the dough canister, for about 10 minutes (according to mine- which was Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust).

Next, in a large soup pot, I melt 4 tablespoons of butter (that's half a stick in America, usually) and about a tablespoon of sage, to bloom the herbs, which lets out the oils and makes it very fragrant. Once that is bubbly, I add a can of drained premium white corn. Once the corn has warmed a bit, I add 4 tablespoons of flour, let that cook, stirring, until it smells nutty, and add 3-4 cups of chicken stock, a cup at a time, whisking to make it smooth. During this time, I salt and pepper the soup to taste and then let it come up to a boil. 

A few minutes before the pizza is ready, I lower the temperature on the soup to low and add a handful of that Italian cheese blend (cheddar would be great also), about a cup of milk, and a half a cup of heavy cream. I stir that until the cheese is melted, careful not to let it boil once the dairy is added so we don't get a curdled soup, taste, and re-season as needed. It couldn't be much easier.

Then, serve it up in a bowl with crumbled bacon over it, and maybe a little extra cheese if you like, with a slice of the tasty Bacon Ranch Pizza on the side. It's perfect for sopping up the rest of that creamy soup before you have seconds!

Strawberry Tres Leche Cupcakes

Am I the only thing who thinks immediately of Latin lovers when I think of romance?

I have one heck of a romantic cupcake for your Valentine.  Growing up in Miami, having latin pastries was one of my favorite treats. So when I was thinking of other things to do with my Pillsbury Valentine Funfetti cupcakes, the first thing that came to mind was Tres Leche. Tres Leche, (pronounced trace-LAY-chay) is a central american dessert that consists of a spongy cake soaked in three different milks, that turns the cake into a spongy pudding. It is usually topped with whipped cream (or sometimes marshmallow fluff). Of course, to make this recipe extra Valentine-y, I added some sweet red strawberries.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cupcakes

It's time for Valentine sweets. Now, the name on this one is a little bit deceiving. I went shopping and came upon Pillsbury's Valentine Funfetti cake, and everyone who knows what's what, knows that confetti cake is the best, so the actual cupcakes in this recipe are confetti, but the frosting is all cherry chocolate love!

That is not to say that you couldn't use a different flavor cake mix (though seriously, FUNFETTI!!!) like chocolate or cherry chip, or gluten free anything, if you dig on that. This is all in the name of love, so make what YOU love.

Me? I love funfetti (I think you might have caught onto that by now)!