February 2006

Great. My inner coffee addict is smiling (as always), but my inner Diet Dr. Pepper addict is kinda nervous.

Harvard researchers (and if you’re going to trust any researcher, make it a Harvard researcher) tracked 155,000 women for 12 years. They discovered that the more cola, regular or diet, they drank, the greater their risk of high blood pressure.

Coffee drinkers had no increased risk, even when they drank four or more cups daily….my neck of the woods.

Experts believe that caffeine can cause blood vessels to constrict, leading to hypertension. But coffee also contains heart-healthy antioxidants, which seems to balance out what cola cannot. They also believe that the sodium in colas - especially the diet variety - may also contribute to the risk.

I see lots more tea bags in my future - since tea also contains healthy antioxidants but not the sodium. Heart problems kind of run in my family, so I think I’ll cut waaaaay back on the Diet Dr. Pepper. Maybe I’ll cut back to 2 two liters a day.

Okay, one.

Okay, one can.

Joi

4 cups flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS shortening
2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sift flour, soda, and salt. Cut in lard and add Buttermilk. Knead with hands until texture is smooth.

Pinch off wads of dough about the size of a small egg and roll into balls and place in a greased jelly roll pan, or any shallow metal pan of suitable size. Flatten out biscuits with fingers and bake until golden brown. Don’t over-flatten, though!

These are really special buttermilk biscuits. Their flavor is what cooking with buttermilk is all about.

Joi

2 TBS cocoa
2 TBS flour
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups milk

Sift cocoa, flour, and sugar into a small bowl. Add the milk, a little at a time. Stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into a heavy skillet and place over low heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is the texture of smooth gravy. (Add a little water if necessary to keep it from getting too thick.) Serve over biscuits!

This one’s also from “More than Moonshine.” When I make meat gravy, I’ll also make Cream Gravy or Cocoa Gravy for my daughter, Brittany, who’s a vegetarian. I was glad to come across this recipe because it gives her a break from the Cream Gravy and it gives all the chocohaulics in the family a reason to smile.

Joi

7 TBS ground coffee
1 egg white
1/2 cup cold water
6 cups boiling water

Stir coffee into egg white and cold water. Add boiling water and let boil for about 10 minutes.

Pour off liquid and serve hot.

*Use freshly ground coffee, if possible.

This is one of those recipes from the old cookbook I was telling you about in a post or two ago. (”More than Moonshine : Recipes from the mountains of Kentucky”)

You gotta give this one a try when you have the time and inclination to wait for your coffee. Me? I tried this while my Mr. Coffee was full - buying me a little time.

The kitchen smells so incredibly glorious when you’re making this recipe!

Joi

Could I love these vases any more? Only if they had glads in them! I love keeping fresh flowers in the house - in the kitchen, dining room, bathrooms, bedrooms….okay every room but the laundry room. I don’t think they’d appreciate the war zone that 5 people make out of a laundry room!

These adorable, original, Joi’s gotta have us vases are from Uncommon Goods.com……how appropriate is that?! They’re found here, in the following department: HOUSEWARMING - Housewarming gift ideas….Go take a closer look.

Lovin’ them muchly.
Joi

Earlier I received an email from a sweet gal who said that she loved all the buttermilk recipes, but that where she lived, the Philippines, buttermilk wasn’t readily available. She wanted to know what substitutions were available.

I thought I’d post about it here, in case there are others wondering the same thing.

One substitute is to combine 1 cup of milk plus 1 tbsp. of lemon juice. Let it stand 5 minutes, then beat well. White vinegar could also be used, in place of the lemon juice…to sort of substitute the substitute!

Also, in the states at least, dried buttermilk is available - you just mix with water. It’s a little easier to keep on hand than refrigerated buttermilk. Of course, with the way I love the stuff for cooking - I keep my refrigerator and pantry stocked up.

I looked online and found The Baker’s Catalogue - they have dried buttermilk for only $4.95. In the kitchen, this stuff’s golden, so at $4.95, it’s a steal!!

I recently made some wonderful buttermilk biscuits from an old cookbook I got my (cooking) mitts on called “More than Moonshine” - It’s a collection of recipes from the mountains of Kentucky. Every recipe I’ve tried has been awesome, from Chocolate Gravy to Boiled Coffee.

I’ll post the biscuits recipe, as well as the chocolate gravy and boiled coffee recipes here this weekend. I’ll also type in a few other surprises from the book.

Have a great weekend!
~Joi

2 sticks margarine
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-1/2 cups flour, divided
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
6 TBS lemon juice

Melt margarine and mix with sugar and 2 cups flour. Press into 9 x 13 inch pan and bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

While baking prepare lemon layer. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add sugar and mix well.. Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, and lemon juice and mix until blended.

Pour over cookie layer and return to 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until set. Cool and cut into squares.

2 TBS butter
10 apples, cored, peeled, and Sliced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add sugars, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add apples and “fry” slowly, stirring often. Cook until apples are tender and light brown.

In a word? Perfect.
Joi