Plum Cobbler with Cinnamon Biscuit

I found this recipe off Epicurious. I ended up making a half batch and used black raspberry ice cream. It turned out yummy and not too sweet.

Filling

4 pounds plums (about 12 large), halved, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 large egg


Vanilla ice cream (I didn't have vanilla when I made this so I used black raspberry)


Preparation

For filling:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss plums, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla in large bowl to coat. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Bake until thick and bubbling at edges, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare biscuits:
Whisk flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in large bowl to blend. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until coarse meal forms. Whisk 3/4 cup whipping cream and egg in small bowl to blend. Stir cream mixture into flour mixture just until blended. Gently knead in bowl until dough comes together, about 5 turns.

Remove plums from oven and stir gently. Break off golf-ball-size pieces of dough and arrange over hot plums, spacing apart. Brush dough with remaining 2 tablespoons cream. Mix remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle over dough.

Bake cobbler until fruit is bubbling, biscuits are browned, and tester inserted into center of biscuits comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve hot or warm with vanilla ice cream.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

These turned out sooo tender and yummy. A family favorite now.

6 pork chops (bone or boneless)
pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
flour
oil
1 med onion
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth

Season the pork chops and then dredge in flour.

Heat up a little oil in a pan and fry the chops on both side until they are browned.

Place chops in crock pot and place onion on top.

Dump chicken broth over chops and cook 6 hrs on high or 8 hrs on low.

Great deals at Target

I know my blog is about food but I've been busy with school that I haven't had a chance to try many new recipes. I thought I would start adding some of the great finds I find.

Cheap Huggies Diapers:
There is a link going around Facebook for $1.50 off but if you share the coupon on your wall it will give you a $3 coupon. When you print, hit the back button to print another one (you can only print 2).

On Targets website, there is a coupon area where you can print a huggies coupon for $2.50

Combine both of these to get a great deal on a box or bag. The way this works is that you can use a manufactures coupon along with a target coupon.

Purex crystals:
In the Sunday paper (2 weeks ago) there was a $2 coupon, combine this with the printable $1 target coupon and get it for $1-$1.50 (depending on your local Target store price).

Dill dip for fish

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dried or fresh dill

Mix all together. Very tasty on fish

Easy Chili

This is a simple easy recipe that can be easily modified to suit your taste

1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 onion
1 can Rotel (don't drain)
1 large can tomatoes - diced (don't drain)
1 can light kidney beans (don't drain)*
1 can dark kidney beans (don't drain)*
1 can great northern beans (don't drain)*
garlic - fresh or powder
3 bay leaf
chili powder - to taste
oregano - to taste
thyme - to taste
basil - to taste

Cook hamburger with onion. I season with garlic and chili powder. After browned add Rotel, tomatoes, kidney beans and seasoning. Cook for about 1 hour on medium or 2-3 hours on low.

*I like a variety of beans in my chili but you can add which ever ones you like most and if you don't want as many, you can use 2 cans or if you want more, add 4.

Have fun with the seasoning, add whatever ones you like most and to your taste, the ones I mentioned are the ones that I use in mine.

Creme Chantilly (Chantilly cream)

1 qt heavy cream - chilled well
3 oz powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Using a balloon whisk, whisk the cream until slightly thickened.
2. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue whisking to the desired consistency. The cream should be smooth and light, not grainy. Do not over whip
3. Creme Chantilly may be stored in the refrigerator for several hours. If the cream begins to soften, gently re-whip as necessary.

Creme Anglaise

2 lbs whipping cream
6 oz egg yolks
8 oz sugar
Vanilla or Vanilla bean - to taste

Tools:
Ice bath
Stainless steel sauce pan
fine chinos
High heat spatula

1. Use clean, sanitized equipment and follow strict sanitation procedures. Egg mixtures are good breeding grounds for bacteria that cause food poisoning.
2. Bring cream to a boil - add vanilla bean at this time
3. In a separate bowl mix yolk and sugar - just before needed
4. Slowly beat the hot milk into the beaten eggs sugar. This raises the temperature of the eggs gradually and helps prevent curdling.
5. Heat the mixture slowly, stirring constantly, in order to prevent curdling.
6. To test doneness there are 2 methods
- Check temp - 185 degree (never let it hit 190 or above)
- When the mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon instead of running off.
7. Immediately cool the sauce by setting the pan or bowl in ice water. Stir occasionally to cool. Strain through a fine chinos.
8. if the sauce accidentally curdles, it is sometimes possible to save it. Immediately stir in 1 or 2 oz cold milk, transfer sauce to a blender and blend on high