Peach Bundt Cake

During these hot, humid Southern summers of Alabama, one of my most favorite things is a juicy, ripe peach. I can remember going to the farmers market as a little girl to buy straw lattice baskets of fresh, ripe peaches with their fuzzy flesh and sweet smell perfuming the humid air. Peaches are my favorite fruit and when summer comes, I look forward to utilizing them in as many ways as I can.

I found the recipe for this delicious peach bundt cake quite by accident and I am so glad I did. Bundt cakes are so versatile and very easy to put together - you mix a batter, pour it in a pan, and bake. Although they do take a while in the oven, they are a lot less fussy than a layer cake since you do not have to worry about cooling, splitting layers, frosting, etc. This cake is just flipped out of its pan, cooled twenty minutes, and topped with a very simple glaze. It can be eaten warm or room temperature, and tastes like peach cobbler in cake form. A dense yet moist, cinnamon-scented vanilla cake studded with bursts of sweet, ripe juicy Southern peaches. Could there be anything better?

I made this cake for my Memaw's birthday and it turned out just like her - sweet and southern.

Try it soon - you won't regret it!

Peach Bundt Cake
slightly adapted from blessherheart.typepad.com

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup peach puree (1-3 peaches pureed in blender or food processor)
• 2 cups peaches, peeled and diced (about 6 peaches)

For the glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2-3 tbsp peach nectar (find it in the fruit juice aisle - I used Kearn's brand)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 10 inch bundt pan with baking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, lightly beating after the addition of each egg.

4. Add the vanilla extract and beat.

5. Add the sour cream and peach puree and lightly beat to incorporate.

6. Add the flour mixture in three separate batches, mixing on the lowest setting possible after each addition - do not over mix.

7. Gently fold in the peaches

8. Pour batter into pre-greased bundt pan, and smooth the top.

9. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake, rotating the sheet about halfway through the baking time, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert the pan on the rack to turn the cake out; let cool completely on the rack.

10. To make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk the peach juice into the confectioners' sugar, adding the juice gradually, so that the glaze is just liquid enough to pour easily but still opaque. Place a sheet pan under the cooling rack. Spoon the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing the excess to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the glaze to cool completely for 30 minutes, then serve.

Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk

I can't remember where I first saw this recipe. It was probably on one of the food blogs I read. Or maybe I saw a picture of it on Tastespotting.com. I do remember being immediately intruiged by it. Chicken in milk? Not two things you would normally put together, or that you would think would even taste good together. At least, I wouldn't. After purchasing a Staub Coq Au Vin (aka a fancy dutch oven), I knew this would be the perfect recipe for it. Granted, you do not have to own a Staub, any oven safe large dutch oven or pot will do the job just fine.

This chicken recipe is wonderful. It's comfort food at its finest, perfect for winter, or really any time you are craving roast chicken. It's moist and delcious, practically falling off the bone, and is perfectly easy to prepare. The milk melds with the garlic, lemon, and sage to make a delicious sauce. The garlic roasts along with the chicken, and is delicious on it's own. We enjoyed it spread onto toasted bread. I served this with brown rice (which we poured the sauce over), but it would be equally as good with mashed or roasted potatoes. You can use the leftover shredded chicken in recipes during the week, if you don't eat it all first! This would also be perfect for guests, as it's also beautiful looking and a great conversation starter when you tell them what it's made with.

You must try this today. It really is very easy and delicious!

Chicken in Milk

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

• 1 3lb organic whole chicken


• salt and pepper


• 1 stick butter


• 1/2 cinnamon stick


• 1 handful fresh sage


• 2 lemons, zested


• 6 garlic cloves, skin left on


• 2 cups milk
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove giblets from the cavity of the chicken (if any), and season it generously with salt and pepper. Melt the stick of butter in a dutch oven or oven safe pot that's large enough to fit the chicken. Fry the chicken on all sides in the pot, until its golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken from the pot and discard the butter, leaving the brown bits from the chicken in the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot, and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. If your chicken is over 3 lbs, add 20 minutes per pound to the cooking time. I cooked mine with the lid on for one hour and then removed it for the remainder of the time.

Enjoy!

Quick Monte Cristo

I have two new recipes coming up for you all very soon, but before I post those, I thought I would give you this quick, easy recipe idea that makes a great simple lunch or dinner. This is a lighter version of the monte cristo sandwich, which is typically a ham, turkey, and swiss cheese sandwich that is dipped in batter and fried. This sandwich is a favorite of my husband's and is served at Bennigan's and Cheddar's. While their versions are quite delicious, my version is dipped in egg and toasted in a pan (instead of battered and deep fried) to keep it lighter. Instead of being a very occasional treat, we can now enjoy Monte Cristos regularly.

This Monte Cristo is a nice change from your typical American grilled cheese. It's almost like a savory french toast. On a cold, rainy day like this one, it would be wonderful paired with a steamy bowl of tomato soup. The egg on the outside gives it a nice crust, and the dijon provides a tangy contrast to the creamy provolone cheese. To keep it similar to the sandwiches you'd get at Bennigan's or Cheddar's, serve it with some raspberry preserves on the side... but it's just as good without them!

Quick Monte Cristo Sandwich

makes 1 sandwich

Ingredients

• 2 slices bread of your choice (I used Nature's Own Honey Wheat, whatever you have on hand is fine)
• 2 slices deli ham
• 2 slices deli turkey
• 2 slices provolone cheese (You can also use Swiss, cheddar, or whatever you like. I love provolone in this sandwich.)
• Dijon mustard
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten, seasoned with salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium low heat and spray with cooking spray.

2. Lightly spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of mustard.

3. Top one slice of bread with one slice of provolone, followed by 2 slices of ham, 2 slices of turkey, and the remaining provolone. Top with remaining bread slice.

4. Dip the whole sandwich in the beaten egg mixture.

5. Place the sandwich in the heated pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes per side or until light golden brown.

Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Photo courtesy MyRecipes.com

Okay, so you caught me. Once again, I am picture-less. But I just had to post this recipe for you, it's so good and so easy! I've been making this over and over again for more than a year now, and there are some great reasons why. First of all, it's yet another of my favorites from Cooking Light, so it's a little healthier for you than traditional Spinach and Artichoke Dip. In fact, I like this version much, much better than anything I've had in restaurants lately since it's not greasy. It's creamy and delicious, with a slight tang from the artichokes, and I promise that you won't miss the full fat cream cheese at all. Also, I dare you to find a better way to eat your spinach!

My biggest piece of advice when making this dip is to make sure that you thaw the spinach (overnight in the fridge or a few hours on the countertop works) and drain it really well. Put it in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can - this will keep the dip from being too watery.

Make this today! You won't regret it. It would be perfect for a football party, or as an appetizer at your next holiday gathering. Trust me, if you put a bowl of this out with some chips or crudites, it will be gone in no time!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

adapted from MyRecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 cups lowfat mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2 8oz blocks neufchatel cheese (or reduced fat cream cheese), softened
• 1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• Pita chips, baked tortilla chips, or vegetable crudites (optional - for serving)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Drain and squeeze the spinach dry. Set aside.

3. Drain the can of artichokes and chop them into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

4. Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, pepper, garlic, artichoke hearts, and spinach in a large bowl until well combined.

5. Spoon mixture into a baking dish and top with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it's bubbly and the cheese has melted and is slightly golden brown.

7. Serve with chips or veggies and soak up all the compliments!

Favorite Fall Recipes

Today I have been working on giving this shabby old blog a facelift! I've added a new background and a couple of new pages at the top - "About" and "Recipes". The About page is exactly what it sounds like - a description of who I am and what biscuits and honey is. I'm very excited about the Recipes page. This will give everyone a much easier way to access all the recipes I've posted here. It's a work in progress, so bear with me as I update it and categorize everything. It has been really fun working on it, though. I've loved going back and re-reading posts, looking at the evolution of my blog. In some ways, it's a little like ready a diary I wrote as a child. It's endearing yet a little bit embarrasing in a way. I've had such lofty goals and desired such big things for this little place on the web, but it seems they've never been fulfilled. But still, I am going to press on and try my best to keep it up, little by little, if I can.

So since I've had this nostalgic time of re-living recipes and blog posts, I wanted to re-visit some of my favorite fall recipes. I just adore fall - the changing of the leaves, the crispness, the flavors, football, and gatherings of family and friends. It's the ushering in of sweater weather and the busyness of the holiday season. I hope one of these recipes gives you an idea and makes it a little easier for you to get dinner on the table this week.

Chicken Corn Chowder - I love this soup. It's easy and light, with a hint of cayenne to warm things up a bit. It tastes like something from Atlanta Bread Company or Panera, so it's sure to impress.

Taco Soup - Who doesn't love Taco Soup? It's super easy to make and perfect for any gathering. I love to make this in the Crock Pot on Mondays and then we have it for lunches for the rest of the week.

Spicy Chili with Cornbread Waffles - Now this is a great recipe! I never would've thought to pair waffles and chili, but it's such a great combination. This would be absolutely perfect for a football party. Your guests will be so impressed with the creativity and deliciousness of this recipe, and you will love how easy it is!

Dorie's Devils Food Cake

Until I get into my Ready for Dessert challenge, I wanted to share this easy, delicious devil's food cake recipe with you. This is actually the cover recipe from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours (which I highly recommend, by the way). I made this cake for my uncle for his birthday, but this cake would be wonderful for any occasion. Paired with a tall glass of milk, its dark but mild chocolatey flavor would brighten up any day. I actually made this cake with a basic cream cheese frosting instead of Dorie's marshmallow one, but I know either would be good. This is a great recipe that makes a very sturdy, easy to work with cake that won't fall apart on you. The addition of buttermilk is what makes it characteristically devil's food and makes it very, very moist.

So, to tide you over until the real blogging begins, you can find the recipe for the cake here. However, I do recommend buying Dorie's wonderful book.

Changes & A New Challenge

Hello again. Is there anyone out there? I would definitely be surprised if anyone was still aware of my little blog out here. Life got in the way, and my posting ceased. I've been mulling over what I wanted to do with this blog for a long while, and I've missed writing in it terribly.

After much thought, I've kind of settled on making biscuits & honey a blog not just about food, but about my life. Since I stopped writing, we've made some changes in how we approach food at my house. I've always been a proponent of homemade and gourmet, but now we are trying to incorporate as much natural, organic, and local food into our diets as we can. It hasn't been easy, especially on our budget, but I am thoroughly convinced it's more than worth it.

Also, as you may or may not know, I made the decision not to participate in the same local farmer's market that I sold baked goods at last year. I've missed it, but I have to say the break has been nice. I've been cooking and baking mostly for my family, friends, and church, and it's been really nice. And so many times, I've wanted to share those things with you.

I had the opportunity to meet with a local business owner here in town who has her own restaurant and catering business and has been in the food business for over thirty years. While I don't think the timing is right to open my own business right now, she suggested a project I had actually thought about and had been wanting to tackle for a while: to cook my way through a cookbook. And since baking is my thing, I am going to try to bake 1 recipe a week from a cookbook from now until whenever I finish. This is going to be a huge challenge for me, since we lead such a busy life, but I really am going to try hard to do it! The book I've chosen is Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes by David Lebovitz. He is very well respected in the pastry world, and I believe the book is the right skill level for me - just the right mix of challenging and fun recipes. I am really looking forward to tackling this!

In other news, we got a puppy. Her name is Tallulah Mae (we call her Tallulah, Lulah, or Lulah Mae), and I couldn't imagine my life without her. She is the cutest little red and white basset hound. You'll probably be hearing a lot more about her on here.

I am so excited to return to the world of blogging! I can't wait to share my stories and creations with you.