I love biscuits. I especially love drop biscuits. There is no fussing about with having to roll anything out. You can just mix everything together and drop them onto the baking sheet.
They also end up with nice craggy crisp bits that I find very morish.
I also adore cornbread. It wasn't something we had when I was growing up, but it was something my mother in law always made. You cannot ask for a better bread to go with beans, unless its brown bread, but I digress.
When I discovered this recipe that combines those two loves, like this Drop Cornbread Biscuit recipe, I could not resist trying it out!!
The original recipe comes from Land O Lakes and makes 8 large or 12 small drop biscuits. I halved the recipe (which is what I am showing you) and the recipe makes four large of 6 small deliciously moreish drop biscuits!!!
My first experience with cornbread was when we visited my mother in law on Prince Edward Island for the first time after my husband and I got married. She called it corncake. You could either bake it in a round or square pan, or as muffins.
I remember my mother in law had to work this one day and she said to my sister in law Linda, who was also there, would she put the corncake in the oven before she got home from work.
Then my sister in law proceeded to go out on her own and told me to bake the corncake. And to do it now, so I did.
When my mother in law got home she was a bit upset because it shouldn't have been baked until just prior to supper, which made me feel really bad. But that sister in law had a habit of dropping me in it if she could. I learned to never trust anything she said or told me to do.
I don't know why some people are like that. I guess we are all different. In any case, the corncake is delicious, but so are these fabulous drop biscuits, speaking of dropping things!
These would make a great last minute bread recipe to bake and serve along with any kind of soup or stew, or even a salad. They would also be great served for breakfast with butter and jam, or along side of your bacon and eggs.
They are quick and easy to make and very tasty! (Even the day after!) It takes between 5 and 10 minutes to throw them together and about 15 to bake. Easy peasy lemon squeasy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DROP CORNBREAD BISCUITS (SMALL BATCH)
Simple every day baking cupboard ingredients. If you are like me you will probably always have these things on hand.
- 1 cup (125g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (56g) corn meal (coarse polenta)
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk
In the UK you can use coarse polenta instead of the cornmeal required. You can get cornmeal there, but usually only through an American grocery supply store such as Skyco. That's where I used to get it when I lived there, plus a few other odds and bobs.
Don't worry if you haven't got any buttermilk. It is very easy to make your own substitute, which is what I usually do. There are two ways of doing this. The first is to add a TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar to your measuring cup and fill to the amount of liquid you need. Leave to clabber for five minutes and then use.
The second is to mix together equal parts of plain yogurt and milk to make up the measure of buttermilk you are needing to use. Easy peasy and this is my favorite method here.
HOW TO MAKE DROP CORNBREAD BISCUITS (SMALL BATCH)
Again, nothing could be simpler. The hardest bit is incorporating the butter, but you can easily do that with a pasty blender or two knives. Don't be tempted to rub it in by hand as you will melt the butter and you don't want to do that.
Preheat the oven to 450*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Drop in the butter.
Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some bits being pea sized, but no larger.
Using a fork stir in the buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more.
Drop by fourths onto the prepared baking sheet. (Leave space in between for spreading.)
Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. When done they will be browned on the bottoms and golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and serve warm.
And that's it! Just look at all those crispy craggy bits. Inside they have the perfect crumb, with just a touch of crunchiness from the use of the cornmeal. Lots of lovely buttery flavor.
I enjoyed one of these with my dinner and quite cheekily I enjoyed one later on with some butter and honey. Oh boy was it ever some good. I froze the last two for another time. They will keep, tightly wrapped for about six months.
To use simply reheat gently in a warm (not hot) oven.
YOGURT BISCUITS WITH CARDAMOM BUTTER - These are as light as a cloud and use only three ingredients. They almost float off the plate. Like an angel's wings or an angel's kiss. They are amazing. That flavored butter is also amazing.
CREAM BISCUITS - Nice and light with a beautiful fluffy texture . . . perfect split and spread with cold butter and honey. They would also be lovely with some ham and mustard, maybe a bit of cheese. (That is the glutton in me talking, lol.)
Yield: 4 large drop biscuits
Drop Cornbread Biscuits
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
These are light and fluffy with lots of crispy crags and crevices. Deliciously buttery with a fabulous cornbread crunch!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (56g) corn meal (coarse polenta)
- 1 TBS granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBS baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup (60g) cold butter, cut into bits
- 1/2 cup (120ml) cold buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/ 230*C/ gas mark 4. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Drop in the butter.
- Cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some bits being pea sized, but no larger.
- Using a fork stir in the buttermilk. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more.
- Drop by fourths onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes. When done they will be browned on the bottoms and golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
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I am a great lover of pasta. I am a great lover of broccoli. When I can combine those two loves into one quick, easy and delicious creamy pasta dish, then I am in heaven!
I adapted and downsized this recipe from a blog called Savory Nothings. It now feeds only two people which is much more manageable for myself. And they are very generous servings. I took half across to my friend Glenna and kept half for myself.
I am a huge fan of all-in-one pasta types of dishes. By that I mean pasta dishes where everything, including the pasta and the sauce, all cook in the one pan.
NO fuss, NO muss and very little to clean up. You can't go wrong!
I love, Love, LOVE broccoli. Its one of my favorite vegetables. When I saw this recipe, I just knew that I had to cook it for myself. It was right up my alley. Its rich and creamy sauce belies the simplicity of it. It only looks complicated! And you can be enjoying it in about half an hour's time! BONUS!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE ONE POT CREAMY BROCCOLI PASTA
Very simple store cupboard ingredients, a few fresh bits and a small broccoli crown! That's it!
- 1/2 TBS avocado oil (can use canola oil)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine (or chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 4 ounces (1 cup, 115g) small pasta shapes (I used fusilli.)
- 2 cups chopped broccoli (1 head)
- 1/2 cup (90g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 TBS cream cheese
- 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
I've been using organic avocado oil lately. My sister says it is one of the healthiest oils. You can use any kind oil you wish. I don't recommend wasting extra virgin olive oil on it however!
My broccoli crown was about 6-inches across. I used all of it including just a bit of the stems. I chopped it all into bite sized pieces. They were al dente when done. If you want your broccoli softer, then cut the pieces a bit smaller.
Italian Seasoning is a pre-mixed herb seasoning that includes all of the popular Italian seasonings and herbs. Mine is McCormick brand.
You can easily make your own however. I like making my own seasonings and spice mixes most of the time. Its very easy. Here's how:
2 TBS dried basil
2 TBS dried oregano
1 TBS dried parsley flakes
1 TBS garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Simply combine all of the ingredients in bowl, mixing them well together. Transfer to an airtight container ad then store in a cool dark place for up to six months. Easy peasy.
HOW TO MAKE ONE POT CREAMY BROCCOLI PASTA
Nothing could be simpler. No fuss, no muss, all in one deliciousness!
Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the white wine and lemon zest. Cook and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by half.
Add the chicken broth, milk, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt. Bring to the boil and then add the pasta.
Reduce to a strong simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so as to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the broccoli. Cover tightly and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the broccoli and pasta are nearly done.
Remove the lid and cook for a further one to two minutes.
Remove from the heat. Stir in both cheeses along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Serve immediately.
I was really pleased with the results of this. You do need to eat it right away as the sauce thickens quite a bit as it stands. It still tastes good, but is not as creamy.
There was a really nice mix of textures in this tasty dish. You had lovely, perfectly cooked pasta, crispy tender broccoli and the rich creamy sauce. I will make this again for sure!
Some other pasta dishes in The English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
PASTA E PISELLI - Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
MARTHA STEWARTS ONE PAN PASTA -One thing I love about this tasty pasta dish is that everything cooks in one pan, even the pasta (linguini) . . . you just add the dry pasta and other ingredients, including water, and it cooks all-together in the pan. No fuss, no muss, no faffing about with having to drain this or that . . . the water, tomatoes, etc. condense along with the starch from the cooking pasta to create a delicious sauce.
Yield: 2
One Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This easy and delicious creamy pasta dish cooks all in one pan and is perfectly sized for two people.
Ingredients
- 1/2 TBS avocado oil (can use canola oil)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) dry white wine (or chicken stock
- 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (180ml) whole milk
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 4 ounces (1 cup, 115g) small pasta shapes
- 2 cups chopped broccoli (1 head)
- 1/2 cup (90g) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 TBS cream cheese
- 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the white wine and lemon zest. Cook and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add the chicken broth, milk, Italian seasoning, onion and garlic powder. Season to taste with salt. Bring to the boil and then add the pasta.
- Reduce to a strong simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently so as to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the broccoli. Cover tightly and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes until the broccoli and pasta are nearly done.
- Remove the lid and cook for a further one to two minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in both cheeses along with the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
- Serve immediately.
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Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, or pancake day as it is lovingly referred to throughout the Christian world. This is the last day before Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of Lent. Traditionally on Shrove Tuesday families would use up the last of their flour and eggs before the Lenten fast by making pancakes for their families.
When I was growing up, this was the only day of the year where we got pancakes. My mother never cooked them at any other time. Hers were the big fluffy ones that you associate with North American pancakes and they were very good.
One year though, when we were visiting our French Grandmaman, we children all got very excited because our Grandmaman said she was making us pancakes.
They were not the pancakes we were used to however, they were French crepes. We were a tad bit disappointed because they were not what we were expecting! Naughty children.
As I got older I used to long for some of my Grandmaman's pancakes. Imagine my delight when I moved to the UK and on the very first Pancake Day discovered Traditional English Pancakes! These were just like my Grandmaman's pancakes! Heaven, heaven, heaven.
These are light and thin and ruffly and golden brown and delicious! Thinner and much larger around than the North American pancake, these have been gracing British tables since the 1400's, traditionally served with lemon and sugar.
I suspect perhaps they are a throw back to William the Conqueror and the Normans from France, but don't quote me on that. I am no historian!
It is said that more than 135 million pancakes are scarfed down every year in British households on Shrove Tuesday. I was surprised at just what a huge tradition is Pancake Day is there!!! Its a very popular thing and the shops advertise all the makings and trimmings for a few weeks in the run up to the day.
Communities have pancake flipping contests and races and everything. I loved it! A day celebrating one of my favorite foods!!
For the recipe I am sharing today I have taken the cheek of borrowing the best from two British cooks, Mary Berry and Delia Smith. There were only slight differences in each recipe.
Delia used two full eggs. Mary only one egg and an egg yolk. I have always thought Delia's to be a bit eggy in flavor and so opted to use Mary's measurements for the eggs.
Delia added butter to her batter however. I am not one to turn up my nose at the addition of butter to anything and so added butter to mine, with most delicious results.
What you have here is a very tasty mish-mash of the best! I hope you will give them a go and if you are very brave you may even want to try flipping them in the pan!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AUTHENTIC ENGLISH PANCAKES
Very simple everyday ingredients. There is nothing complicated here. I have converted from British Measures to North American and shown you both.
- 1 cup plus 2 TBS (125g) all purpose plain flour
- 1 large free range egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- pinch salt
HOW TO MAKE AUTHENTIC ENGLISH PANCAKES
Don't be afraid. They are really very simple to make. The first one is always a bit of a throw away as you adjust your temperature and amount of batter, etc. They get better as you go along! (Even the duds taste good!)
Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt. Make a well in the center.
Start to whisk in the egg and egg yolk, pulling a bit of flour from around the edges of the well as you go along.
Then start to add in small quantities of the milk gradually, whisking continuously and pulling flour from around the edges as you go. Don't worry if you see a few lumps, they will be whisked out.
Once all the milk has been added scrape around the edges with a rubber spatula to incorporate any stubborn bits of flour. Whisk until the batter is smooth and has the consistency of thin cream.
Whisk in the melted butter.
Heat the pan over medium high heat until hot. Brush the pan with a bit of oil or butter. Ladle in about 2 to 3 TBS of the batter, tilting the pan to coat the bottom of the pan evenly with the batter.
Cook over medium high heat until little bubbles appear on the surface and the underside has begun to brown (45 to 60 seconds.) Carefully flip over, using a palate knife or flexible spatula. Cook on the other side for about 30 seconds until golden.
Slide the pancake out of the pan onto a plate.
Heat and lightly grease the pan as before. Repeat for each pancake, until all the batter is used up. Don't worry about stacking them on the plate. If they are hot when you stack the, they will not stick together.
Serve as per your desire. (I like to sprinkle with lemon juice and granulated sugar and roll them up or fold them into quarters. Rolling them up is very traditional.)
And there you have it, authentically English pancakes in all their glory. Thin and lacy, golden brown, deliciousness. Cousin to the French Crepe.
You can fill them if you want. Nutella is a favorite filling in the UK, and more people are embracing the use of Maple syrup. I like them in the more traditional way, sprinkled with lemon juice and scattered with a bit of granulated sugar. Its an incredibly simple but very moreish way to eat them! I highly recommend!
Now that I have whetted your appetite for pancakes perhaps you may enjoy some of these other recipes. All of them are delicious! I promise you!
APPLESAUCE PANCAKES WITH A SPICY APPLE SYRUP -These delicious pancakes are moist and fluffy, with a slightly sweet and spicy apple flavour. The apple syrup makes the scrummiest topping.
FLUFFY RICOTTA PANCAKES. These fluffy pancakes have a deliciously creamy texture. They make a particularly scrumptious breakfast for that special someone in your life, but they also make a delicious dessert when topped with sweetened whipped cream!
OATMEAL COOKIE PANCAKES - Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes are the best! You get all the wholesome and nutty flavour of a tasty Oatmeal Cookie . . . except in the glorious deliciousness of a breakfast pancake!
Yield: 12 pancakes
Traditional English Pancakes
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
These are very similar to French Crepes. Thin and lacy around the edges. Beautiful sprinkled with lemon juice and sugar, then rolled up to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 TBS (125g) all purpose plain flour
- 1 large free range egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a bowl along with the salt. Make a well in the center.
- Start to whisk in the egg and egg yolk, pulling a bit of flour from around the edges of the well as you go along.
- Then start to add in small quantities of the milk gradually, whisking continuously and pulling flour from around the edges as you go. Don't worry if you see a few lumps, they will be whisked out.
- Once all the milk has been added scrape around the edges with a rubber spatula to incorporate any stubborn bits of flour. Whisk until the batter is smooth and has the consistency of thin cream.
- Whisk in the melted butter.
- Heat the pan over medium high heat until hot.
- Brush the pan with a bit of oil or butter. Ladle in about 2 to 3 TBS of the batter, tilting the pan to coat the bottom of the pan evenly with the batter.
- Cook over medium high heat until little bubbles appear on the surface and the underside has begun to brown (45 to 60 seconds.)
- Carefully flip over, using a palate knife or flexible spatula. Cook on the other side for about 30 seconds until golden.
- Slide the pancake out of the pan onto a plate.
- Heat and lightly grease the pan as before. Repeat for each pancake, until all the batter is used up. Don't worry about stacking them on the plate. If they are hot when you stack the, they will not stick together.
- Serve as per your desire. (I like to sprinkle with lemon juice and granulated sugar and roll them up or fold them into quarters. Rolling them up is very traditional.)
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