Monthly Archives: October 2009

Market Fresh: Rutabagas

Posted by Heather in Fall Recipes, Market Fresh and tagged with ,

I feel as if the rutabaga is a neglected vegetable in the US. Countless people pass it on the market shelf and never stop to consider it a possibility for their kitchen.

Originally from northern Europe, a cross between the cabbage and turnip, the rutabaga was a common menu item until after the first World War. Having been resorted to when there was nothing else to eat, people grew tired of it and it lost its popularity. A shame, really, because nowadays it can add a pleasant change to our normal diets.

While living in Scotland, I had a greater opportunity to get to know the rutabaga. In the UK, it is known as “swede”, short for Swedish turnip. Its use is prevalent in soups and stews and when boiled and mashed is referred to as “neeps” to accompany the national dish of haggis.

If you have never tried rutabaga before, the following recipe is an excellent way to begin. Rutabaga, when mashed with potatoes, results in a sublime combination of slightly sweet, slightly tangy that is an excellent accompaniment to the Sunday roast.

MASHED RUTABAGAS AND POTATOES
(Heather)

1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped in 1/2-inch cubes
3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
cream
salt & pepper

Carefully slice away the outside peel of the rutabaga and then chop the inside into 1/2-inch cubes.

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Peel and chop the potatoes and combine all the chopped vegetables into a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer until all vegetables are tender. Drain. Add some cream (maybe 1/3 cup) and salt and pepper — or whatever you like to add to your mashed potatoes: butter, sour-cream, etc.

Serves 6.

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Ask The Cooks

Posted by The Cooks Next Door in Blog

We wanted to answer several of the questions that have come in over the last several days. Here are our answers:

Do you have a local source for maple syrup, or do you buy it from the store?
The bottle in my fridge right now came from the farm where I used to go for my raw milk (Kokomo). When that runs out I’ll probably do some price shopping and see which store has the best price (until I find another local source that is affordable). In the past I’ve gotten syrup from Trader Joe’s and Meijer. -Heather

I often get mine from Trader Joe’s – it’s very good. I think the kind I buy is tapped in Canada. I also really like the local that I have bought at the dairy farm.  -Alaina

What is a good price for pumpkins?
I paid $2 this fall for a good sized pie pumpkin at our local orchard (Anderson Orchard), which I thought was fair, but not a steal deal. Last year a friend got them for me for $1, but she was at a farmer’s market out in the country. I see that Marsh has squash on sale for 69 cents this week. That’s probably going to be the best supermarket price we see this fall and I think I’ll stock up. If I found squash for 50 cents a pound, that would be terrific. Normally I see the price hovering around $1/pound. You’re going to get the best prices deep in the country from a farmer’s market or roadside stand. -Heather

Can I bake with those big pumpkins or do I have to use the tiny, high-priced pie pumpkins?
I seem to think that I’ve baked those big pumpkins in the past. My guess is they are going to be more fibrous than the smaller pumpkins. You could still use them to make pumpkin puree and just strain out the large fibers. Probably for savory cooking where you slice the pumpkin or cube it, the smaller pumpkins are going to have better texture and flavor. -Heather

Do you have more pumpkin/squash recipes?
Stay tuned! The first week of November is devoted entirely to pumpkin and squash! We have some wonderful recipes (both savory and sweet) and several great cookbooks to recommend.

What type of roast should I buy? And how do I keep it from getting dry?
My top 3 choices for roast would probably be:
Chuck
Bottom Round
Rump or Rolled Rump

I do think the slow cooker makes a more consistently tender roast. One of the best ways to ensure a more tender roast is to add something acidic – wine, apple cider, vinegar, or tomatoes. They will help tenderize any cut of meat as it cooks. If you are baking it in the oven (which works fine as well!),  cover it and make sure there is liquid in the pan. -Alaina

How do you get your kids to eat different foods?
Here are a few of the rules at our house:
- You cannot complain about food without trying it.
- You try a bite of everything (usually they have to eat the number of bites they are old).
- There is only one meal prepared so generally everyone eats the same food (there are a few exceptions to this rule).

We also try very hard not to limit our children by telling them they won’t like something or assuming that that they won’t eat a dish. While they definitely don’t like everything, I’ve been amazed at all the things they do enjoy! Lest you think we are heartless, I do try to choose kid-friendly side dishes like applesauce when we are having a meal that is perhaps a bit more sophisticated. -Alaina

Have either of you made fruit leather?
I have not and I don’t think Heather has either. My mother-in-law has made it in her dehydrator, I believe. -Alaina

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I (Alaina) also wanted to give you another very simple way to use butternut squash since that was the market fresh vegetable of the week. My mom suggested it, I made it, and the kids and I had it for lunch one day this week. One of my sons had three helpings – I call that a success.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH & ONIONS
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chunked
1 med.-lg. onion, wedged
1-2 Tb. Olive Oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Toss squash and onion with oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until squash and onions are tender (the onions will be much sweeter than they are raw!).

Makes a great and easy side dish.

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Weekend Fare: Apple Cheesecake & Pie

Posted by Alaina in Fall Recipes, Weekend Fare and tagged with

Cheesecake is one of those desserts that always impresses, always gives the impression of difficulty, and nearly always tastes very good!  They are, however, fairly easy to make from scratch.

This is one of my favorite seasonal cheesecakes and it turns out beautifully every time.  I make sure to slice my apples very thin so they are not too crunchy. The addition of the nuts on top (which you can omit if you have an allergy or dislike of nuts) adds the perfect texture and flavor.

Apple Cheesecake is a wonderful ending to a fall meal and great for weekend entertaining. You can make it ahead at least 24 hours - just make sure you wrap it completely so it does not absorb any flavors from the refrigerator.

Impress your friends with your culinary abilities and enjoy this delightful and easy fall treat!

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APPLE CHEESECAKE

CRUST *:
1 c. graham crackers crumbs
3 Tb. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter, melted

FILLING:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon

TOPPING:
4 c. thinly slice apples**
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. chopped pecans (opt. but definitely recommended!)

Combine crust ingredients and press onto bottom of 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 min.

Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing until well blended. Add eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and pour over baked crust.

Toss apples with combined sugar and cinnamon. Spoon apple mixture over cream cheese. Sprinkle with pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan, cool before removing rim of pan. Chill for a minimum of 4 hours before serving.

10 servings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

*Crust Variation:
1 c. cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
1/4 c. butter

**Use an apple variety that bakes well like granny smith, jonathan, or gala.

Another seasonal favorite is apple pie. It is so delicious and is probably the national pie. Sometimes I make a crumb crust on mine and sometimes just a regular double crust. I like to use a couple of varieties of apples because I think the textures and flavors blend well together. Some of my favorites are granny smiths, jonagolds, jonathans, and winesaps but you can use whatever you prefer.

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APPLE PIE

DOUBLE CRUST:
2 c. flour
1 c. butter
1 Tb. sugar
1 tsp. salt
6 Tb. ice water

Combine flour, butter, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter.

FILLING:
8 c. apples, thinly sliced
2 Tb. flour (omit if doing gluten-free or use cornstarch)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Combine filling ingredients and pour into prepared crust. Brush edge with water or milk and place second crust on top, pushing together to seal the edge. Crimp edges. Cut slits (or a design) on top of pie to vent the steam. Brush with milk and sprinkle with 1 Tb. granulated sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until apples are tender and pie is bubbling. (May need to cover edges with pie guard or aluminum foil if getting too brown. Cool slightly and serve warm with ice cream or fresh whipped cream or serve at room temperature.

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Simple Suppers: Apples & Onions with Sausage

Posted by Heather in Fall Recipes, Simple Suppers and tagged with ,

The fall is a time for simple dishes that give one a sense of home, the fireside, and cozy evenings. Apples and Onions is one such dish that has given comfort to generations of Americans for hundreds of years. Set alongside a plump sausage and a daub of seriously good grainy mustard, not to mention mashed potatoes and perhaps a few vegetables, this easy dinner will pay big dividends for just a small amount of effort.

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1 package sausages (I used fresh mild Italian sausage)
3 large onions, sliced in thin wedges
2 apples, peeled and cut into medium slices
canola oil
potatoes
broccoli

Begin by throwing the sausages into a 350-degree oven to begin cooking. Get the mashed potatoes started by peeling and cutting up your potatoes and putting them on to boil. Heat a frying pan with some canola oil. Dump in the chopped onions and cook over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes until the onions are golden and beginning to carmelize.

Meanwhile, prepare whatever vegetable or salad you want to accompany your meal. I chose to roast broccoli in the oven (to keep the oven top for the potatoes and onions). I washed and cut the broccoli into florets, drizzled on oil, sprinkled salt and pepper and popped them in the oven to roast for about 30-40 minutes.

When the onions are beginning to carmelize, throw in the apple slices and continue to cook for about 10 minutes until they begin to soften and color.

Drain the potatoes and mash with butter, milk and a bit of parmesan cheese (or whatever you prefer).

Remove the sausages from the oven when they are fully cooked (about 30-40 minutes after you started them). If you like, you can brown the sausages in a pan on the stove top (that takes about 5 minutes).

When the broccoli is finished roasting you are ready to serve up your plates and enjoy!

This served 3 adults and 4 small children.

Depending on what sausages you use, this can be a gluten-free meal!

Off The Shelf: Apples

Posted by Heather in Fall Recipes, Off the Shelf and tagged with ,

With our focus on apples this week, it is appropriate to highlight a few apple cookbooks.

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 My favorite was Apple Cookbook by Olwen Woodier. This book gives a history of apples and plenty of helpful information on cooking with apples before delving into the recipes.

Chapter titles include: Breakfast and Breads, Drinks and Snacks, Salads and Sides, Apples Make the Meal, Apple Pies and Cakes and Apple Desserts.

Thumbing through a book like this every so often reminds me just how much variety is possible with one ingredient. There are all the expected items: apple bread, apple crisp, apple pie, etc. But then you run across something like Apple Ratatouille or Curried Apple Meat Loaf and it makes you think. Even if you don’t fancy that particular recipe, it spurs your mind onto new horizons.

I decided to try Apple Pancakes. They were delicious, especially paired with real maple syrup and some sauteed pears I put on the side. The children gave them two thumbs up.

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APPLE PANCAKES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups sour cream or 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used yogurt)
1/4 cup apple juice or cider
1/4 cup sugar or honey (I used honey)
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
2 medium apples (McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Empire)

Place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl, blender, or food processor. Add the sour cream, apple juice, sugar, butter, and eggs. Beat or blend until smooth. The batter will be very thick. Allow the batter to rest for 30-60 minutes (I only had 15 minutes).

Core and grate the apples. Stir into the batter.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and grease with approximately 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Drop the batter onto the hot griddle a few tablespoons at a time (for large pancakes, measure 1/4 cup batter).

When bubbles appear on top, turn and brown the other side. (Note: these pancakes took a lot longer to cook than regular pancakes. Just make sure the inside is cooked before you remove it from the skillet!)

Yield: 4-6 servings

IMG_7300I also found it a mind-expanding exercise to look through Apple Pie Perfect by Ken Haedrich. While I tend to like my apple pie the same way each time, it was fun to imagine what it might be like to try an apple and pear pie, or an apple cheesecake pie, or maybe a maple apple pie. I did try the apple-raspberry pie and the taste combination was wonderful, although the method for making it seemed more complicated than it needed to be. I’ll be trying my own version next time.

 
IMG_7301Another book that just happened to cross my path is one entitled The Magic Apple Tree: A Country Year by Susan Hill. This is a sweet little memoir of seasonal life in the English countryside some thirty years ago. It is not a fast-paced book, but is filled with descriptions of nature, hearth and home, and local customs. It’s a book to read by the fire with a hot cup of cider.

 

 

Our Apple Treeby Naslund and Digman and The Apple Pie Tree by Hall and Halpern are two lovely childrens’ books that describe the life cycle of the apple tree and would be perfect to read to young ones at this time of the year.

Winner & Ask The Cooks

Posted by The Cooks Next Door in Blog

The names (and extra entries) were compiled and a random name was drawn from the bowl by someone other than us…

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AND THE WINNER IS…

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CHRIS!!!  We sent you an e-mail – just let us know your mailing address and we will get that out to you!

Thank you all for entering and for the great post ideas. We are so excited that many of your ideas are things we had already planned to post about!

We also want to announce that this Saturday, October 17, we will have an Ask The Cooks post answering some of the recent questions we have gotten in the comments. We will be discussing squash, cuts of roast and ways to cook it, getting your kids to eat healthy food, and more. We hope to have an Ask The Cooks feature fairly regularly so keep the questions coming. And if we don’t answer your question specifically enough or soon enough, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us!

Preservation 101: Applesauce & Apple Butter

Posted by Alaina in Fall Recipes, Preservation 101
*THE GIVEAWAY WILL CLOSE AROUND 3 p.m. TODAY!*
Apples are prolific right now but won’t be in season in just a few short months. One of my favorite fall projects is making applesauce and apple butter. We enjoy the results of the preserving throughout the winter. I make an unsweetened applesauce and a sweetened apple butter.  This is a project that I usually do with my mom and or sisters.

Start with several bushels of apples – we use seconds which are less expensive and work very well. Seconds are the apples that may be bruised, funny looking, or a different shape; you can ask your local orchard if they have some available for purchase.

Wash and quarter the apples and put them in a large pot (8-10 quart) with a little bit of apple juice concentrate (about 1/2 c. undiluted) in place of sugar. Cook until the apples are softened and then pour them into a Victorio Strainer (if you do not have access to one of these, you would want to peel and core your apples before cooking them down and then you could mash them by hand or use a food mill).

The beautiful result – bowls and bowls of applesauce ready to be canned or frozen. We sweeten it with a little apple juice concentrate but no sugar.

This water bath canner holds 11 – 1/2 pints, 9 – pints, or 7 – quarts.

The apple butter bakes in the oven for several hours before being canned. We do use brown sugar in this delicious treat!

I love hearing the pop of the jars sealing and to see the rows of completed jars. But it works to freeze them as well – there are now plastic freezer jars made specifically for preserving or you could use freezer bags. If you do use jars, you must be careful to leave enough room for expansion when they freeze.

APPLE BUTTER
This makes about 1 qt. of apple butter – we adjust the recipe to decrease sweetness but it’s great with full sugar, too!

32 oz. applesauce
2 c. brown sugar (can do 1/2)
1/2 c. vinegar (if 1/2 sugar, 1/2 of this)
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine ingredients in 2 qt. casserole and bake uncovered at 350 for 2 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and almost transparent/translucent.

I use a variety of apple including Jonathans, Golden Delicious, Jonagolds, Fuji, and Winesap. The different batches are various colors based on the random mix of apples.

Market Fresh: Squash

Posted by Heather in Fall Recipes, Market Fresh and tagged with , , ,

Farmer’s Markets and supermarkets are filled with winter squashes of all kinds right now. Years ago I only remember seeing spaghetti squash and perhaps acorn squash in the stores. Now one is spoilt with variety.

I came home from a local apple orchard with a Turk’s Turban, Pie Pumpkin, Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, and a giant, green and white striped Cushaw Squash to add to the five Butternut Squash already sitting at home. I tend to buy squash in quantity when I find a good price and then use them for decorations until I need them in the kitchen.

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In case you’re wondering just what I’m going to do with all those squash, I’ll give you a few ideas: the Cushaw may turn into pies (I hear they are particularly good for that), the spaghetti squash is destined to become a substitute for pasta under a good batch of meatballs and sauce, the acorn (while not my favorite) will probably be baked with some sort of sweet or savory topping, and the Turk’s Turban, which is so beautiful, may just remain a decoration since, as one book puts it, “it’s fibers and lack of flavor” suit it for looking at rather than cooking.

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I’ve used the first of the Butternut Squash in this amazing recipe:

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BUTTERNUT TARTS WITH SPINACH AND FETA
adapted from Roast Figs Sugar Snow

1 crust pastry

1 lb butternut squash
olive oil
9 oz fresh spinach (could use frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup half and half
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
freshly grated nutmeg
7 oz Feta cheese (original recipe called for Gorgonzola, if you like)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Peel the squash and chop it into 1/2-inch size pieces. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Wash the spinach and place in a large saucepan over medium heat) to wilt in the water left clinging to it (or thaw frozen spinach).
Drain spinach thoroughly.

Line a tart pan  (or 6 small tart tins) with the pastry and chill.

Make the custard by mixing together the eggs, egg yolk, cream and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Prick the bottom of the tart shell and bake blind — line the pastry with parchment paper and put ceramic baking beans or ordinary dried beans on top — in the preheated oven for 7 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and cook for another 4 minutes.

Spread the drained spinach on the bottom of the pastry. Sprinkle lightly with a tiny bit of grated nutmeg. Place the roasted squash on top of the spinach (you may not need all the squash you cooked). Dot with the Feta cheese. Pour the custard mixture over the tart and bake at 350F for 40 minutes for large tart or 25-30 minutes for smaller tarts. Let tart rest 10 minutes before cutting after removing from the oven.

Makes 1 large tart or 6 small tarts.

Gluten-Free: This can be made gluten-free by omitting the pie crust or substituting a gluten-free pie crust for the wheat pastry.

Weekend Fare: Slow Cooker

Posted by Alaina in Weekend Fare and tagged with , , , ,

Well, I had a post all ready to go for today and then I changed my mind. I’ll post it another day. Instead, I want to share a slow cooker recipe that I made this week along with yeast rolls, salad, and vanilla bean custard with raspberry coulis (we picked the raspberries at a nearby farm). Everything was delicious and received good reviews from my family and my sister who joined us for dinner and the house smelled amazing.

I’m a big fan of slow cookers. They don’t work for everything but soups, stews, and roasts are wonderfully fragrant and deliciously tender. The flavors marry so well as they cook together over lower heat for a longer time.

Anyway, I made roast with potatoes, carrots, turnips, onions, and garlic. And it must be noted that we all loved the turnips in this dish. So here’s another use for the market fresh vegetable of the week. If it’s not your cup of tea, omit them and add extra potatoes and carrots (but I really think you should try them!). The beauty of roast is that you can add pretty much any amount of vegetables and it will be good – just increase your seasonings. As you can see from the picture the meat just fell off  the bone which was so good.

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SLOW COOKER ROAST w/ROOT VEGETABLES
1 - 2-2 1/2lb. roast (I used arm because that’s what I had but any roast will do)
3 lg. potatoes, peeled and cut into lg. pieces
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1-2 turnips, peeled and also cut
2 med. onions, peeled and cut in wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. apple cider
1 Tb. fresh rosemary, chopped
1-2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Put ingredients in the slow cooker in the order listed. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Enjoy!

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YEAST ROLLS
(this recipe was adapted from a recipe a friend gave me)
2 ½ to 2 ¾ c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. butter 1 teaspoon salt
1 package regular or quick active dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp.)
½ c. very warm water
½ c. very warm milk
1 large egg

Mix 2 c. of the flour, the sugar, ¼ cup butter, salt and yeast in large bowl. Add warm water, warm milk and egg. Beat with mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping the bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Knead the dough about 5 minutes* or until dough is smooth and springy. Place dough in large greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm place about 1 hour or until double.

Grease 9×13 pan. (I also used an 8×8 because it made a few more than the 9×13 would hold.)

Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Pull off small portions of dough (enough to make one roll), shape into balls and place in pan. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until double.

Heat oven to 375. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately butter tops so that they will shine.
Makes 16-20 rolls.

*I use my mixer’s dough hook and let it do the kneading.

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I made the same salad that Heather posted earlier this week except that I made balsamic and olive oil dressing. You can use regular balsamic or white balsamic. I use about equal parts of the vinegar and oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer it less vinegary, you can use the traditional 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

VANILLA BEAN CUSTARD w/RASPBERRY COULIS
6 beaten eggs
3 c. milk
2/3 c. sugar
1 vanilla bean, cut in half and scraped to remove seeds (you can substitute 2 tsp. vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds. Beat until well combined but not foamy. Place 8 - 6 oz. ramekins in a roasting pan. Ladle egg mixture evenly into ramekins (custard cups). Place pan of custards carefully in oven. Pour hot water in the pan to 1 inch of ramekins. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Serve warm or chilled. (We prefer chilled.) Makes 8 servings.

To serve, you can run your knife around the inside of the ramekin to loosen custard and invert onto a plate. Top with raspberry coulis or your choice of sauce.

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RASPBERRY COULIS
(adapted from Chez Panisse Fruit by Alice Waters)
2 c. fresh raspberries
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice

Combine in blender and blend until smooth. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer unless you don’t mind the seeds. Serve over custard or another dessert. *You can adjust sugar and lemon juice for your taste.

Giveaway: Cookbook

Posted by Alaina in Giveaways and tagged with

**THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!**
Winner will be announced 10/13 in the evening. 

What would a blog launch be without a giveaway!  After looking at several options, we decided to give away Back to the Family by Art Smith. The pictures are inspiring, the recipes are down- home, comfortable, and perfect for the home cook. The title and the idea of this book definitely echo our own ideals – bringing people together around the table and sharing excellent food.  We hope you will enjoy this cookbook as much as we have.

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Just leave a comment letting us know something you would like to see featured here at The Cooks Next Door (a recipe, ingredient, etc.). One comment per person and please make sure we have a way to contact you!  We will randomly draw the winner next Tuesday, October 13 and post the results.

As a thank you to those of you who have added us to your links, mentioned us on facebook, or written about us on your blog, we will give you an extra entry for each of those! So you could have up to 4 entries. Just let us know in your comment which ones apply to you! (And you can still do any or all to receive the extra entries until the giveaway closes on Tuesday.)

Here is a recipe I tested out from the book - they were a hit! They cracked a little on top but were not dry. They were delicious and cheesy and all of my boys loved them!

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YOGURT CHEDDAR BISCUITS

2 cups self-rising flour*
1/4 cups (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
1/4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cups plain yogurt**

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a food processor***, add the self-rising flour, butter, and cheddar cheese.
3. Pulse until the butter and cheese are well incorporated into the flour.
4. Add the yogurt and pulse until it forms a ball.
5. Remmove the dough from the food processor and add additional flour if needed to hold the dough together.
6. Roll the dough into 12 small balls using your well floured hands. Place the balls close together and bake until lightly browned and puffed.  Serve immediately.

*If, like me, you don’t keep self-rising flour around, here is a substitute:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt

**I found that I needed to add an extra 1-2 Tb. of yogurt when making my own self-rising flour.

***Okay, I also don’t have a food processor…so I use a pastry blender to cut in the butter and then a fork (and clean hands) to bring it all together. I have done it for years and it works out although a food processor might be easier for this recipe.

These are perfect served with soup for a cool fall or winter evening.