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4/5/2025

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Earlier last week I found myself creating a variety of recipes which my husband and I both loved. In fact, twice my husband said, put an asterisk by this one. Here’s what we ate last week: Cheese Straw Biscuits with Ham, Bourbon-Braised Short Ribs, Wine-Braised Chicken and Vegetables and, lastly, Almond Frangipane Cookies.
 
We subscribe to “Garden and Gun Magazine,” which is published in Charleston, South Carolina. Cheese straws are a popular snack in southern states. Katherine Cobbs, a cook book author from Birmingham, Alabama, re-imagined cheese straws as a biscuit and then filled them with country ham.  ​
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Unless you order a country ham from the south, it’s difficult to purchase one here in the NY/NJ area. In fact, one year my husband and I bought one and served it for Easter dinner. It’s not meant to be served as a main course. Country ham is salt-cured, aged from 70 to 200 days which preserves the ham for months or longer. Country hams have a salty flavor and is best served thinly sliced as an accompaniment on a breakfast table, cocktail party or garnish to other meats.  I used a delicious spiral sliced ham that my son gave us from Smithfield Hams. You can probably substitute good quality deli smoked ham such as Black Forest. To further enhance the biscuit, Ms. Cobbs makes a tomato chutney-mustard that is spread on the inside of the biscuit. I had difficulty locating tomato chutney in my local grocery store, but found an easy recipe on the internet to make myself. You can purchase tomato chutney online, but you need just two tablespoons for the spread.
 
For the cheese straws you’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, dry mustard, kosher salt, garlic powder, cayenne, unsalted butter, buttermilk, tomato chutney-mustard butter and thinly sliced cooked country ham.
 
The biscuits start out being made in your food processor. The dry ingredients are pulsed several times before cold butter cubes are mixed in. The butter and flour is pulsed until it resembles coarse meal. Next, shredded cheddar cheese is mixed in by pulsing it an additional several times. The dry ingredients are dumped into a large mixing bowl to which buttermilk is added. The dough is turned out onto a lightly floured surface so that you can knead it into a cohesive ball. The dough is rolled out into a 1/2-inch rectangle from which you can cut squares or use a 2-1/2 or 3-inch biscuit cutter. The biscuits are baked for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden.
 
To make your own tomato chutney you’ll need olive oil, minced shallot, minced garlic, tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ground ginger, cumin, chili powder and salt. As I was making half a recipe of the biscuits, I did the same for the chutney. The chutney begins by sautéing shallot and garlic in olive oil until softened. Diced tomatoes are added along with the sugar, vinegar, ginger, cumin, chili powder and salt. The mixture cooks for approximately one hour until it is a jammy consistency. You can either mash the mixture with your hand, pulse in a food processor or use an immersion blender. Note, if you’re making a small quantity, you may want to put your tomatoes in a tall jar, then use the immersion blender for better results.  To finish preparing the butter, you’ll add your tomato chutney to softened salted butter, along with dry mustard and grainy Dijon mustard.
 
To assemble, split the biscuit in half and spread the chutney-mustard butter on both sides, add a slice or two of ham and place other half of biscuit on top. If you’re making the biscuits ahead, which is what I did, you’ll need to preheat your oven to 350°, wrap the finished biscuit in foil and reheat in the oven for 5 to 8 minutes. My husband fell in love with the sandwich. The ham, which we had before, was moist and tender. The cheese biscuit dressed with the tomato chutney-mustard butter added a delicious flavor with the spiciness of the Dijon, the sweetness of the tomato chutney which all melted slightly from the warmth of the oven, so good! This recipe received an asterisk denoting to make again.
 
Another memorable meal from this past week was found in “Southern Living Magazine,” Bourbon-Braised Short Ribs. I hadn’t made short ribs in a while and this recipe called to me, or perhaps it was the bourbon. Besides the short ribs and bourbon for this recipe, you’ll need kosher salt, black pepper, a neutral oil, yellow onion, celery, fresh garlic, dried bay leaves, tomato paste, beef broth, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, whole-grain mustard, and fresh parsley.
 
The recipe begins by browning the meat in a Dutch oven (I used my Le Creuset braiser). Once browned, the meat is removed from the pan and the onion, celery, garlic and bay leaves are added and cooked until lightly browned. Next, clear a spot in the pan and add the tomato paste and cook until lightly browned followed by mixing all the ingredients together. The broth, bourbon, molasses. Worcestershire and some of the mustard is stirred in. The short ribs are added back to the pan, covered and bakes for 2 to 2-1/4 hour. When the meat is done, remove the meat and pour the braising liquid through a mesh strainer. There will be a layer of fat which you’ll need to skim off; I suggest using a fat separator. Add the strained liquid back to the pan and whisk in the remaining grainy mustard.
 
What a wonderful meal. The short ribs were fork tender, almost no need for a knife. The sauce was delicious from the heartiness of the beef stock, the molasses Worcestershire adding a savory umami flavor along with depth and complexity. This was another recipe receiving an asterisk last week.
 
Let’s end last week’s round up on a sweet note with Almond Frangipane Cookies from the website “Bake from Scratch.” I love almond croissants, but these cookies have the same flavor. For the recipe you’ll need all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, kosher salt, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract, sliced almonds and confectioners’ sugar for garnishing.
 
In one bowl you’ll add the flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl the brown sugar, melted butter and granulated sugar are combined. The eggs and extracts are whisked in then the flour is added and combined until there are no dry streaks. This will be a soft dough. Place the sliced almonds in a small bowl. While the recipe called for a 3-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, I opted to use a #40 cookie scoop (approximately 1.6 tablespoons) as I didn’t want a large cookie. I carefully placed the dough ball  in the bowl of sliced almonds and delicately pressed the almonds on. They were then placed on a parchment lined baking sheet and chilled in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour. The cookies were placed on a baking sheet and baked for 17 minutes. If you’re making them larger, it could take up to 20 minutes. However, I found after baking and cooling on the pan for 10 minutes,  my smaller cookies should have went for less time as they could have been chewier. However, this didn’t deter us from enjoying the cookies as they were fabulous.
 
​If you have a question about a recipe, click on "Contact" to reach me. Be sure to include your email address so I can directly reply to you. 

Cheese Straw Biscuits with Country Ham
Recipe by Katherine Cobbs
“Garden and Gun Magazine”
April/May 2024
 
Yield: 16 to 18 biscuits
 
Ingredients
For the biscuits
4½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1½ tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. dry mustard
2½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. cayenne
¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
1¾ cups buttermilk
Tomato chutney-mustard butter (recipe follows)
12 oz. thinly sliced cooked country ham
 
For the tomato chutney-mustard butter
½ cup salted butter, softened
¼ tsp. dry mustard
2 tbsp. tomato chutney
1 tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard
 
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade; pulse 2 or 3 times to combine. Sprinkle a layer of cold butter pieces evenly over the mixture and toss with hands or a spoon until all the pieces are lightly floured (so they don’t clump together). Pulse 10 to 12 times until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of the flour mixture in batches, tossing as before after each addition to coat with flour until you’ve added all the cheese. Pulse 2 or 3 more times to distribute cheese throughout. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. (You can also do the above with hands or a pastry cutter in a mixing bowl.)
  3. Pour the buttermilk into the well. Fold the flour into the buttermilk with a spatula until the dry ingredients are just moistened and no liquid remains. The dough will be a rough, shaggy mass. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead about a dozen times or until dough comes together, flouring hands and surface to keep the dough from sticking.
  4. Roll dough into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Fold in one short side of the dough up and over the center of the rectangle and the other short side of the dough up and over the first. Roll the dough again into a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Repeat the fold-and-roll to create a ½-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out biscuits with a 2½-to-3-inch round biscuit cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Or instead, cut the dough into squares with a chef ’s knife, cutting straight down rather than slicing. (Twisting or slicing flattens the edges of the biscuits, impeding their rise in the oven.)
  5. Place the biscuits close together on the baking sheet for a higher rise, or with room between for a wider spread. Brush tops with buttermilk, if desired. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until biscuits have risen and tops are golden. Transfer biscuits to a wire rack to cool at least 5 minutes.
  6. Make the tomato chutney–mustard butter: Beat butter and dry mustard with an electric mixer on high speed for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Gently stir in chutney and mustard. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and chill until ready to serve.
  7. Assemble: Split each biscuit in half. Spread a bit of the tomato chutney–mustard butter on cut sides. Layer the bottom half of each biscuit with ham and top with other biscuit half. To reheat before a party, loosely wrap the assembled biscuits in foil and then place them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.

Tomato Chutney
“The Recipe Critic” website
Recipe developed by Alyssa River
 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil                               ½ T
1 shallot, minced                                     ½ of a shallot
2 teaspoons garlic, minced                       1 tea.
4 large tomatoes, diced                            2 large
1/3 cup brown sugar                                5-1/3 T
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar                       2 T
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger                      1/8 t
1/2 teaspoon cumin                                  ¼ t
1/2 teaspoon chili powder                          ¼ t
1 teaspoon salt                                         ½ t
 
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, add the olive oil, shallot, and garlic and heat over medium-high heat. Gently sauté until they begin to soften.
  2. Add in the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, ginger, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Stir until combined.
  3. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until the chutney reduces to a jammy consistency.
  4. Once cooked, remove from heat and mash by hand or pulse in a food processor or blender. I prefer chutney on the chunkier side, but feel free to make it chunky or smooth.
  5. Allow to cool and serve, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
 
 
Measurements in red is for half recipe

cheese_straw_biscuits_with_country_ham.pdf
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tomato_chutney.pdf
File Size: 44 kb
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Bourbon-Braised Short Ribs
“Southern Living Magazine,” December 2024
 
Active Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours to 2-1/4 hours
Servings: 6 to 8
 
Ingredients
5 lb. beef short ribs (about 8 to 10 short ribs)
1 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
4 celery stalks, finely chopped (1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 dried bay leaves
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup bourbon
3 Tbsp. molasses
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard, divided
Chopped fresh tender herbs (such as parsley or tarragon)
 
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place beef on a baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering. Working in batches, sear short ribs, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Return to baking sheet, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in Dutch oven. Discard remaining drippings.
  2. Add onion, celery, garlic, and bay leaves to Dutch oven; cook over medium, stirring often, until onion is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste, and stir until vegetable mixture is coated, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, bourbon, molasses, Worcestershire, and 2 tablespoons of the mustard.
  3. Nestle short ribs into Dutch oven, meaty sides down. Bring liquid to simmer over medium. Cover and transfer to preheated oven; bake until short ribs are tender, 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes.
  4. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer short ribs to a serving platter. Pour braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or measuring cup. Gently press on solids to extract any liquid; discard solids. Skim and discard any fat. Stir remaining 1 tablespoon mustard into braising liquid.
  5. Transfer braising liquid to a bowl; spoon over short ribs just before serving. Garnish with herbs, if desired.
 
Make it Easier: You can prepare these short ribs in your slow cooker for equally tasty results. Follow the recipe as directed through step 2. Omit step 3; transfer onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle short ribs into broth mixture in slow cooker, meaty sides down. Cover and cook on LOW until short ribs are tender, 8 to 9 hours. Proceed with Step 4 as directed. 
bourbon-braised_short_ribs.pdf
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Almond Frangipane Cookies
From the website “Bake from Scratch”
 
Yield: 18 large cookies
 
Ingredients
 2¼ cups (281 grams) all-purpose flour
1 cup (96 grams) blanched almond flour
¾ teaspoon (3.75 grams) baking powder
½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking soda
1¼ cups (275 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar*
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs (100 grams)
2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
1 teaspoon (4 grams) almond extract
1½ cups (170 grams) sliced almonds
Garnish with confectioners’ sugar
 
Instructions
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  3. In another medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, and granulated sugar until well combined. Whisk in eggs and extracts until smooth. Stir in flour mixture until just combined and no dry streaks remain. (Dough will seem soft.)
  4. In a small bowl, place almonds.
  5. Using a 3-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough (about 60 grams each) directly into almonds. Roll dough in almonds, gently pressing to adhere, making sure to pack almonds on as much as possible. Place on prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared pans.
  8. Bake, one pan at a time, until edges are set and golden brown, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool on pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
almond_frangipane_cookies.pdf
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    ​meet donna

    A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners.

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