Homemade Spreadable Butter

Spreadable butter is delicious, convenient, and when store bought - expensive. You can make your own spreadable butter at home from stick butter and water.

Let one stick of butter soften at room temperature. Once it’s soft, slowly beat the butter and gradually add 1/2 cup of water until all the water is absorbed. Store the resulting butter in a reusable container in your refrigerator.

Note: This butter is to be used as a spread and is not appropriate to use in baking.

Easy Biscuits from Scratch

Photo by Avoir Chaud

Ingredients

2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
5 Tbsp oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and sugar.
3. Stir in egg, milk, and oil.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently.
5. Roll dough and cut 12 biscuits.
6. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes or until biscuits are done.

New Year’s Recipe: Cabbage with Bacon and Cheese

Many cultures associate cabbage with prosperity. Since it often symbolizes paper money, it has become a common tradition to eat cabbage on New Year’s Day.

A lot of people simply boil the cabbage, season it with salt and pepper, and eat it along side their New Year’s meal. Personally, I like to spruce it up a bit:

1. Fry several slices of bacon.
2. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
3. Fry chopped cabbage in a spoonful of the remaining bacon grease.
4. Transfer cabbage to a plate. Salt and pepper the cabbage. Top with crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.

New Year’s Recipe: Black-Eyed Pea Gumbo

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
5 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
4 (15 oz) cans black-eyed peas, undrained
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup uncooked rice

Directions

1. In large saucepan, saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in oil or butter.
2. Add chicken broth, garlic, rice, black-eyed peas, diced tomatoes and green chiles, and diced tomatoes.
3. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.

Note: Sauce will thicken. Additional broth or water can be added to finished gumbo to reach the desired consistency.