Yay for long weekends that allow visits from family who live away!
Alli had a few days of vacation, and came to spend a few days in Tennessee. She and her sister, Whitney have always been a great help in the kitchen, so I was thrilled to have Alli here to do part of our Sunday meal!
I put a turkey breast in the crock pot with a rub on it. It really flavors the meat nicely. A turkey breast in the crock pot on Sunday is a great meal. Throw it in, turn it on, and forget it!
I put sweet potatoes on the timer in the oven, then also made creamed peas with some fresh garden peas a friend shared with us from their lovely produce.
I also wanted to make biscuits, but didn’t have time to make up the dough before church. I left the recipe out, and asked Alli to make them when she returned home before us after the service. The truth is, I really wanted her to make them because she’s had little experience making them, and needs the practice since she’s getting married in ten months! Every husband deserves a homemade biscuit! =) She did a great job, and I think she was surprised at how easy it was!
Menu:
Turkey Breast with spice rub
Baked Sweet Potatoes with brown sugar
Creamed Peas
Baking Powder Biscuits
Turkey Rub
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1 1/2 pounds turkey tenderloin
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
1. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Stir together first 6 ingredients. Brush turkey tenderloin with olive oil, and rub with brown sugar mixture.
2. Grill turkey, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165°. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Or, place it in the crock pot on low when you leave for church – no liquid needed.
Now for those biscuits…
Low Fat Baking Powder Biscuits (No one but you will know these are low fat!)
2 Cups flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup reduced fat milk
In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening till mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add milk all at once. Using a fork, stir just till dough clings together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Quickly knead the dough by gently folding and pressing the dough for 10 to 12 strokes. Pat or lightly roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut dough with a floured 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter, dipping the cutter into flour between cuts. Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the biscuits from the baking sheet and serve warm. Makes 10 biscuits.
Here’s Alli, proudly wearing her new apron, made as an engagement gift for her by a sweet lady at church. Is this not adorable? Alli said, “Who wouldn’t want an apron with their name on it?!”
As a part of an emphasis on hospitality, our church was divided up into groups according to location, so we could get together on Sunday evening and fellowship. Our group had a wonderful time last night. We met at 6:30 at our house, and I decided to simply serve dessert. Alli volunteered to make a Brown Sugar Pound Cake from my Cooking Light Cookbook. Yummy stuff!
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup fat-free milk
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray, and dust with the breadcrumbs.
Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Beat the butter in a large bowl at medium speed of a mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add brown sugar and vanilla, beating until well-blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with milk, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean (we baked it for 55 minutes). Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack, and remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.
Note: You can use a 12 cup Bundt pan instead of the 10-inch tube pan. Just reduce the oven temperature to 325º.
This was really moist and delicious!
Do you make homemade biscuits? If not, what keeps you from making them?
Be sure to check back this Thursday – I’m planning to post a video showing how to make biscuits. Will that interest you?
From my parsonage kitchen,
RefreshHer 