Suburban Homesteading – Frugal Living

It’s no mystery that fall, and especially October, is my favorite time of year. I have written about my love affair with the season many times before, and you can read about it here, and here, and here.

The cast of an amber sun setting low in the sky throws a glow over the whole farm and bathes it in the quite serenity of a changing season. Colorful leaves carpet the ground like an artist’s painting. You can smell the coolness in the air as it pushes against the warm Indian summer breeze. Fall fruits and veggies stand out with their muted hues of red and orange; gold and plum. Even the earth takes on a new smell as the scent of fallen leaves mixes with freshly turned soil waiting to be planted with fall seeds.

But, the best part of fall.

The very best part of fall can be seen in the kitchen.

After months of summer greens, fresh salads, crispy vegetables, juicy fruits and plump berries, the kitchen switches over into heartier fare for the table. Soups and stews; roasts and chops take center stage now.

But, one of my most favorite things about fall is having a simmering pot of soup on the stove or in the slow cooker. The aroma that fills our little home is like a comfortable blanket spread over you as you lay in front of a crackling fire. It’s enough to warm the heart and soul, as well as the tummy.

On our little homestead soup is not only a mid-day snack, but a full blown meal as well. My stash of cookbooks has more soup recipes tucked in between the pages than any other kind. There are hearty fare soups chock full of chunky roots vegetables, a thick broth and bites of meat; creamy, full bodied soups with tubers, or noodles or rice; and then there’s the more brothy soups that spotlight flavorfully rich bases more than vegetables or meat. But, no soup would be complete without a little crispy biscuit to go with it.

Over the years I’ve tried many different kinds of biscuits with varying opinions, but the one we coming back to, the one that everyone keeps requesting is the Parmesan cheese biscuit. I found the recipe in a Farm Bureau long ago and it has been on our table ever since. It’s one of those recipes that you fall in love with, not for the sheer genius of it, but because it’s so dang simple. With just three ingredients, it takes no time at all to become totally addicted to the little things. Make a double batch of dough to keep in the freezer, just in case…or, just because.

Parmesan Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:

16 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, softened

2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (it’s important to use the real stuff. It is 1/3 of the ingredients after all)

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350; position racks in top and bottom third of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

2.  Fit stand mixer with the paddle attachment. In the bowl combine the butter, cheese and flour, and beat until a stiff dough forms. (For a few minutes the dough will appear dry and not come together; keep mixing and it will form).

3.  Divide dough in 3 pieces and roll each piece into a 9-inch log, about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour—this will make slicing the dough much easier.

At this point, you can freeze 2 of the logs and bake one; or if making a double batch, you can wrap each log in plastic wrap, vacuum seal it and freeze for up to 2 month. When ready to use, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.

Moving on…

4.  Slice the logs into 1/3-inch-thick rounds, and arrange on the cookies sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they turn golden brown around the edges. Shift and rotate the pan half way through baking for even browning. Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The biscuits can be stored for 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

NOTE:

These little biscuits are great for stacking on ham, smoked turkey, salmon or trout pate. Spreadable cheeses, other pate’s, or just by themselves are also good options.

You can also make Parmesan sticks by rolling out the dough into a rectangle and slicing it long and thin.