Eggnog Biscuits

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…”

our inspiration
“Quick Drop Biscuits.” Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker. Vol 2. 1974.

ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp or so of nutmeg and/or cinnamon
5-6 tbsp cold butter
1 cup eggnog

directions
Preheat oven to 375.

In large mixing bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture is pea-size. Add 1 cup eggnog and stir just until dough forms a ball. (Yes, you can use a bit less eggnog–3/4 cup–and roll them as cutout biscuits.)

Drop tablespoon-size blobs on greased baking sheet.

Bake 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. (I’ve found that cooking time depends on so many factors: size of blobs, ratio of butter to eggnog, temperature of butter and oven, amount of grease on baking sheet, how hungry we are.)

Serve warm with soft butter.

our comments
Long ago in about 1997, I had already cut in the butter when I discovered there was no milk, only eggnog. Eggnog has milk. A substitution was made and a classic created. They taste like doughnuts! Now we eagerly await the annual arrival of eggnog at the grocery store!

Ricotta Cheese

“You should put your fork down between each bite.”
-William Eatwith
“Yeah, right. See if you can with this stuff.”
-Bill and Fran

inspiration
After eating homemade ricotta at an EatWith dinner in Chicago, we searched for the best recipe. Here it is. Smitten Kitchen! She’s the best!! Her link gives you the science as to why this way works best.

ingredients
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
lemon zest for serving

tools
candy or deep-fry thermometer
cheese cloth
colander
time

directions
Line colander with cheese cloth 3 or 4 layers and place colander over a large bowl.

Pour milk and cream into 3-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in salt. Attach thermometer and gently heat milk to 190° stirring occasionally to keep from scorching. Remove from heat. Gradually add lemon juice. Stir slowly one or two times.

Let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes.

Carefully pour lumpy milk into lined colander. Let strain for at least 2 hours discarding whey from large bowl as it collects.

Cheese can be eaten then or refrigerated for later. To serve, sprinkle with lemon zest and/or sea salt flakes and/or lemon-infused olive oil. Serve with crackers or toasted baguettes or a spoon.

Makes a generous cup of creamy heaven.

our comments
There are no words to describe how awesome this is. Cheese good food.

follow-up comments after several makings
I like to let this strain on the counter for about 2 hours, no longer than 3. Then I like it to refrigerate for a couple hours, taking it out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving. This gives it a firm but creamy texture.

I’ve also thought of topping with a rosemary mixture.

I’d love to try it in a pasta dish but it’s never been around long enough…though it has been good on sandwiches.