Delicious Herb Biscuits

My family really likes to have a side with their dinner. I usually always try to have at least one side, if not two (typically a carb and a veg).

However, when I am making a casserole or one-pot type dish, something that already includes pasta, or potatoes, or a biscuit topping, I feel like an additional carb-type side dish is a bit overkill. But my husband (who never met a carb he didn't like) and my kids still expect a side dish. So if I am making Shepherd's Pie, or Lasagna, they still want a side on their plate. A casserole AND a side? Hoo boy. Sounds like a lot of work. The solution - bread.

Most of the time if I am making a casserole or one-pot dish the easiest thing is to get bread or rolls at the supermarket. A loaf of fresh baked Italian bread or sourdough is always a big hit, as are a package of snowflake rolls. It's fresh baked that day, so it's as good as a bakery if you ask me, you really can't go wrong.

But if I don't happen to have any bakery bread on hand, it is super easy to make up some home made biscuits. Biscuits are perfect to serve with a casserole, it doesn't feel like carb overkill and they are comfort food, just like casseroles! A perfect complement. Here is a very easy recipe that you can whip up while your dish is cooking.

2 cups of biscuit mix (like Bisquick)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine the biscuit mix, milk and cheese until a soft dough forms. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine basil and garlic powder with melted butter and brush over hot biscuits after removing from oven. Makes 12 biscuits.

These take minutes to make and are fabulous. Also this recipe is easy to make in half if you only want 6 biscuits, I do it that way all the time. Enjoy!

Product Review - Sprinkles Cupcakes!!

A couple of weeks ago I was in Williams-Sonoma checking out their display of Easter serveware (beautiful) and trying samples of their jellybeans (good!). Whenever I am shopping there for anything I always check out the packaged foods, I like their quick bread and cake mixes, and my hubby buys me their hot chocolate for Christmas every year. As I was looking around I noticed something new that I had never seen before. It was cupcake mixes branded with the name Sprinkles. If you don't know the name Sprinkles, they are a cupcake shop that started in Beverly Hills and they have since opened locations in several other cities. I have seen them featured on Martha Stewart and also in a few of the magazines I read, so the name jumped out at me. I knew immediately I wanted to try them.

The store I was in carried just 4 different cupcake flavors, Vanilla, Banana, Chocolate, and Red Velvet. Red Velvet is all the rage now, and I have never made it before in any form, so I chose that one to try.

The cupcake kit comes with the cake mix, recipe instructions on how to make them, the recipe for the frosting, and those adorable little color-coded candy circles that are the trademark of Sprinkles bake shop. The ingredients that you need to purchase like eggs and butter were clearly listed on the outside of the package like most cake mixes do, so you don't have to open it to know what else you will need.

The mix was super easy to make and let me tell you - red velvet is no joke, this batter was RED RED RED. Wear an apron. Unfortunately for me my stand mixer does not have a shield and the red powder went everywhere in my kitchen as soon as the dry mix was added. Oops. I had a terry hand towel nearby I was using to wipe my fingers on and at the end I looked at it and it was completely smeared red. Rest assured it doesn't stain though, everything came out.

The batter was so yummy tasting, I just knew these would come out great and they did. Really delicious, moist enough, the perfect subtle cocoa taste, and totally red. I topped them with cream cheese frosting per the included recipe, and pressed the little circles on top just like the real Sprinkles cupcakes. Like having a little piece of LA in my suburban kitchen. Fantastic!

I served these to my family and everyone loved them. They were a huge hit! I definitely recommend trying them in Red Velvet or any of the other flavors. $14.00 at Williams-Sonoma stores. For more information on Sprinkles check out their website at http://www.sprinkles.com/.