Cinnamon Sugar Biscuits

     Baking home-style classics like scones, cinnamon rolls, pie, or muffins, is something I always loved to make. And since my mom was born in Europe she usually bakes desserts and pasties only from that culture. Which is something I really love about her. If you don't yet know my family comes from Ukraine, a country in Europe. So I have a deep understanding of that food and culture. But to tell you the truth I don't really like savory Ukrainian dishes. Maybe because anything my parents wanted me to eat as a kid I didn't like. And me being someone that really loves classic recipes. What better idea then to combine the best baking combination. Cinnamon and sugar, with classic home style biscuits. These flaky buttery biscuits taste even more complete with a cinnamon and sugar filling. Enjoy!

-Daniel 

Ingredients :

Biscuit Dough

• 2 cups all purpose flour 

• 3 tbsp sugar 

• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder 

• 1/4 tsp salt 

• 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter 

• 1/4 cup vegetable shorting 

• 3/4 cup milk 

Cinnamon Sugar Mix 

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon 

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 2 1/2 tbsp melted unsalted butter 

Preheat  at 450 F and bake for 8-10 mins 

Directions

1  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour,baking soda, salt and 3 tbsp of sugar. Then cut in the butter and shortening using two forks. Press into the mixture until it becomes crumbly, you can also use your hands if that's easier

2  Then pour in the milk and mix using a large spoon, until it becomes sticky. Place the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface, and kneed for about 2 mins. Adding flour if needed.

3  In a small bowl combine the sugar,cinnamon and butter. Leave about 2 tbsp of just the sugar and cinnamon for the topping. 

4.  Roll out the dough until it's about a inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter press into the dough and cut out as much biscuits as you can. Then roll them out more with the roller and place about a teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mix in the center. Cover that with another rolled out piece of biscuit dough. And pinch around the edges, then again cut out the center of the filled biscuits with the biscuit cutter. Kneed all the access dough together and repeat until no more dough is remaining.

5   Place the biscuits on a parchment lined pan and sprinkle with the dry cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 450 f for 8 - 10 mins or until golden brown. Enjoy them warm with butter.

Rustic Orange And Honey Crisp Galette

     If there's anything I love to bake its galettes, mostly because you can make them out of anything. My favorite is the apple galette, made with some amazing tart apples. Or when it's summertime a peach or black cheery galette is always a good idea. But winter is when theirs no fresh peaches or cherries around. So I though up this new recipe for orange and honey crisp galette. Fresh sliced oranges baked under a amazing layer of oatmeal crisp and topped off with honey. Sounds amazing right? Just wait till you try it, the flavors come together perfectly. 

ga·lette

ɡəˈlet/

noun

1. -a flat round cake of pastry or bread.

   • 
     

Hope you enjoy this Recipe 

-Daniel 

Ingredients

Crust :

• 1 1/2 cups flour 

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar 

• 6 tbsp cold unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup cold water 

• pinch of salt 

Filling: 

• 4 Oreages 

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar 

• 4 tbsp flour 

• 1/4 cup pure honey 

• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 

• 1 tsp cinnamon

Crisp : 

• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats 

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar  

• 3 tbsp all purpose flour

• 2 tbsp softened unsalted butter 

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Topping : 

• 2 tbsp  heavy cream

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar 

Directions:

Preheat the oven: 425 F  Bake: 45-50 mins 

1  Crust: In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, butter, sugar and salt. Then using 2 forks mix in the butter until the mixture becomes the size of peas. Add in the cold water and kneed the dough for about a minute. 

2  Roll out the dough into a 12 inch round piece. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the freezer on a pan for about 10 mins, for fast cooling. 

3  Filling: Cut up the oranges  into 1/2 inch slices, cut off the peel and gentle toss them in a bowl with the flour, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and honey. Set aside 

4  Crisp: In a medium bowl combine the Oats, sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon to make the crisp. Using your hands or a spoon press it together until well combined. 

5  Transfer the Oranges to the middle of the dough and top with the crisp. Now fold over the side of the dough about 1 1/2 inch to make a crust.

Topping: Then mix the cream and sugar in a cup and spread it on top of the crust using a brush. 

6  Cool the Galette in freezer for about 10 minutes before baking. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, let it cool for 15 minutes before serving. 

       
Another fruit tart recipe from the blog: Fresh Peach Crostata

Cilantro, Avocado And Tomato Salad

       Every New Year there's always talk about New Year’s resolutions. And this year mine was to be more creative with my photos and recipes on the blog and on Instagram. I hope I'll be posting more recipes this year with creative photos that will inspire, every one of you to bake and cook more often. And as always I hope you take a little time for yourself and relax in this New Year. Sometimes all you need in life is to simplify everything. Because everyday life, can get to complicated and stress you out.

      I've been wanting to share this salad recipe on the blog for a long time, but have never gone around to taking the photos. This is truly my favorite salad, which I eat several times a week and never get tired of. It goes best with steak and a side of potatoes or rice. And sometimes I add new ingredients to it, to change up the flavor. Like adding arugula or a spicy jalapeño sauce, which goes well with the cilantro. Any way you make it, the cilantro will always be the star of the salad...and that's how I love my cilantro. 

Enjoy this recipe and happy 2015 

- Daniel 

Ingredients: 

• 1 bushel of Green leaf lettuce 

• Half bunch of Cilantro 

• 1 Avocado 

• 2 Tomatoes 

• 3 tbsp. Olive oil 

• 1 ½ tsp Sea salt 

Optional:

• Arugula 

• Spicy Jalapeño sauce (in a bottle) 

• Or use red leaf lettuce instead of green 

Directions: 

1   Chop up the lettuce and cilantro and toss them together in a large bowl. Along with the olive oil and salt. (Mix together well.)

2   Then cut up the tomatoes and avocado, add it to the bowl, tossing them a little. 

3   Serve and Enjoy!