buttermilk biscuits & slow cooker applesauce.



One of my weekly routines is skipping breakfast at home on Saturday mornings and heading out to the downtown farmer's market. My husband usually gets a breakfast burrito or a hash from a couple of carts, but I am quite loyal in buying a biscuit with honey, whipped butter, and fresh fruit from Pine State Biscuits' stand. Sure, their restaurant is on my side of town, but there is something different about eating my warm buttery biscuit outside while watching the hustle and bustle of people going by.

Yesterday afternoon, while cleaning out my fridge, I found a carton of buttermilk that needed to be used immediately. So, of course, what came to mind? Recreating my own flaky and buttery buttermilk biscuits at home. I have made biscuits many times at home (frequently using Bobby Flay's recipe), but I am quite sure that these were the best ones that have come out of my oven.

Instead of stuffing them with fresh fruit, they were piled high with homemade applesauce that I had made in my crock pot the following day. I was quite impressed with just how good the applesauce had turned out from being slow cooked all day long. The apples cooked down perfectly and the sugar and spices added such a nice flavor. Yum.



Southern Buttermilk Biscuits: recipe from RecipeZaar

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the board
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder (use one without aluminum)
1 teaspoon kosher salt or salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold
3/4 cup buttermilk (approx.)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into chunks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal. If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistency is achieved. Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined. If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk.

Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Gently, gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2" thick. Use a round cutter (or the rim of a small glass) to cut into rounds. You can gently knead the scraps together and make a few more, but they will not be anywhere near as good as the first ones.

Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet- if you like soft sides, put them touching each other. If you like"crusty" sides, put them about 1 inch apart- these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together. Bake for about 10-12 minutes- the biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom. Do not overbake.

*Note: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough.



Slow Cooker Applesauce: recipe also from RecipeZaar

Ingredients:

4 pounds tart apples, cored and sliced thin (I also peeled mine, but it's not required)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

Mix apples (about 12 cups) with cinnamon and sugar and put into crock pot. Pour water and lemon juice over apples.

Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

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