Monday, September 17, 2018

Toaster Oven Food: Buttery Pan Biscuits

I think we are finally drying out.  We were supposed to be pummeled by another storm, Olivia, but we (most of the Big Island) were lucky enough to emerge virtually unscathed.  I was also relieved to hear that D1's bf's family on Maui also made it through the storm okay.  I am eagerly awaiting the end of this hurricane season.

The storms disrupted work flow.  I was scheduled to attend a 2-day training, but the training had to be postponed.  I also needed to sort out my pacing guide, as missing work due to training, compounded with the storm days, meant altering my lessons.

In spite of the multiple storms (Lane, Miriam, Norman and Olivia), TheHelp and I managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Honolulu to see the eye doc. The trip occurred somewhere during those few days of rest between Norman and worrying about Olivia.

Since this past weekend was the first somewhat-typical weekend I've had in weeks, I decided to make us something good for breakfast...I was already in the baking mood since D2 voluntold me to make lemon bars for a Japan Club concession.

These biscuits are not your typical biscuits.  They are sweet and buttery and can be eaten out of the pan without any additional accompaniment.  They are quick to throw together, and most people have these common ingredients on hand.  Because they are portioned prior to baking, they are true pull-apart biscuits and do not need to be cut.  I find it easier to use a disher rather than my hands to portion the dough into golf-ball sized balls, but if you don't mind touching sticky dough, then there's no need to get a disher dirty.  My favorite part is not having to grease the pan (I always dread that part!).
click on recipe title for printable recipe

     3/4 c butter
     2 c Bisquick
     1/3 c sugar
     1/3 c milk
     1 egg
     1/3-1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees if using a dark, non-stick pan).  Place butter into 8" square pan.  Place pan in preheating oven and leave in oven just until butter melts.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Whisk Bisquick and sugar.  Make a well and add milk and egg.  Mix well.  Using a #50 disher (goal is golf-ball sized portions), scoop dough and drop into flour.  Turn to coat.  Dust off excess flour and place dough atop melted butter in pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Cool pan on a wire rack until cool enough to eat.  Makes 12 biscuits.  Although I have never tried this, recipe can supposedly be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13" pan.

As I mentioned above, TheHelp and I took a short trip to Honolulu.  What was unusual was that we did not go to our usual eating places.  All meals were taken at new-to-me places.

We had breakfast at Bogart's Cafe.  This was completely by accident, as TheHelp was actually trying to go to Cafe Morey's.  We used the Bogart's parking lot to spin around to do another pass at Cafe Morey's, but decided to that the parking availability there as a sign to patronize one of the businesses.  We chose Bogart's because the only other place looked like they only did acai bowls.  Bogart's turned out to be really good.  I had their loco moco, which was thinly sliced ribeye (not the usual burger) with a rich port gravy.

After my appointments were over, we headed to Piggy Smalls for lunch.  I had not summer rolls, which was assorted chopped veggies tossed in a sweet-spicy peanut dressing.  Instead of being wrapped in rice paper, the veggies are meant to be eaten in endive cups.

For dinner, MamaHelp treated us to a fine meal at the Signature Prime Steak and Seafood.  It was THE best steak I have ever had.  Since it was dark, I wasn't able to get a picture of the steak, but I did manage to get a picture of the dining area.  I had not been to this place for over 25 years (when it was called Nicholas Nickolas).   I hope I can go back to the Signature another time to try the seafood...I would prefer NOT to wait another 25+ years before I go back again.