Bad but Good Southern Boy

By: Brandon Nichols

 
Sometimes, I am a bad Southern boy. I do not care much for sweet tea or country music. I know…it is dreadful. You would think after years in Virginia I would have acquired a taste for both. Alas, it was not meant to be.

To make up for these shortcomings, I try to be a good Southern boy in the kitchen. Quite frankly, it is not that hard. I love a good Southern meal! There is something about the food that is just so…comforting. Like all good Southern boys, I know that a meal just is not a meal without biscuits (and something fried). Biscuits are a versatile treat. You can enjoy them in the morning with butter and/or jam or for lunch/dinner with gravy (or butter, again). However, a great biscuit can be enjoyed without any accompaniment. Below, you will find such a biscuit; or at least a recipe for it.

These biscuits get rave reviews every time I make them (as if the empty plate was not compliment enough). Best of all, they are simple. No more need for the biscuits that come in the can. You will be surprised by just how easy these are to make. Give me your thoughts!

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• ¾ cup butter, cut up
• 1 cup milk (I prefer 1% milk)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 ºF. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar.
2. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk all at once. Using a fork, stir just until mixture is moistened.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surfaced (preferably a baking mat). Knead the dough by folding and gently pressing it just until the dough holds together. Pat or lightly roll dough until ¾ inch thick. Cut dough using a floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter; reroll scraps if necessary. Dip the cutter in flour between cuts.
4. Place dough circles 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden. Remove biscuits from making sheet and serve warm.

Snickerdoodles: A Reason to Start Baking Again

By: Brandon Nichols

 This Fall, I have not baked as much as you I usually do. I am not sure what accounts for this terrible occurrence. It is possible that the semi-warm weather is to blame. Generally, my baking picks up when I am able to throw on layers to hide my extra ‘layers’. Either way, I know that my lack of baking is a problem.
This weekend I decided to simultaneously fix this and take a trip down memory lane by making Snickerdoodles. It takes a lot for a cookie without chocolate to impress me; but, I have loved Snickerdoodles ever since I was a kid. I think that they are simple yet delicious. I have yet to run into a person that does not enjoy Snickerdoodles. If I did, I would quickly turn and run away.

Below you will find my favorite recipe for Snickerdoodles. Many recipes call for shortening. I do not use shortening -- it frightens me on many levels. These cookies are quick and delicious. Whip them up and watch them disappear!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine 1 1/2 cups white sugar, butter or margarine, vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
2. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Blend well. Shape dough into 1 inch balls.
3. Combine 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Roll dough in sugar/cinnamon mixture.
4. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cool.

World AIDS Day

By: Pam Giller

Mayor Vincent C. Gray with talented MAC artists

 Today Food & Friends observes World AIDS Day - an occasion for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Although we have served clients with cancer and other types of serious illnesses since 2000, Food & Friends was first established to serve people affected by HIV/AIDS in 1988. Today, nearly half of our clients live with HIV/AIDS. On one hand, much has changed across the landscape of this epidemic since our fledgling years in the late 80's. The introduction of HAART therapeutic medications have enabled many diagnosed with the virus to enjoy longer and relatively healthy lives and awareness surround HIV/AIDS has surely improved by leaps and bounds. Despite important advancements such as these, HIV/AIDS continue to plague our community. In the Washington, DC Metro in particular, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is higher than in any other major US city and still exceeds the World Health Organization's definition of an epidemic.

Hope comes from the many in our community who have dedicated themselves to fighting this disease with compassion, diligence and generosity. Understanding that raising awareness is important but not sufficient, M•A•C AIDS Fund has raised nearly $200 million to support agencies nationwide offering a wide array of services and outreach programs related to HIV/AIDS. Food & Friends is honored to be a recipient of nearly $1 million in funding over the past 13 years from M•A•C AIDS Fund . To further connect M•A•C to our work delivering nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS, 20 talented artists are spending the morning packing meals for delivery in our kitchen. Today, these volunteers will help make possible the delivery of about 3,500 meals while the support of M•A•C AIDS Fund over these past 13 years has made the delivery of hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals possible for thousands of our clients.

As an additional honor, DC Mayor Vincent Gray, spent the morning helping to package meals at Food & Friends alongside Ms. Patricia Evans, Office of Community Affairs and Mr. Steve Glaude, Director of Community Affairs. Mayor Gray also announced the launch of a DC Government employee-wide food drive which will take place during the month of December in an extended observance of World AIDS Day. Food & Friends is thrilled to have been chosen as the exclusive beneficiary of this unprecedented effort. The DC Government employees aim to collect enough non-perishable groceries to provide thousands of meals for our clients in need.

In our founding year 23 years ago, HIV/AIDS was an unknown - something feared and misunderstood. As a result, many suffered with this disease alone and without help. The earliest Food & Friends volunteers saw that this was unacceptable and over the years more have joined their ranks - more than 11,000 this year alone. As Mayor Gray noted today, we have come a very long way, but it is important to recognize that we still have a long way to go. Today we take pride and find hope in being just some of the many in this community who are dedicated to serving people touched by this virus for as long as it takes.

Mayor Vincent C. Gray, Director of Community Affairs for the District of Columbia Steven Glaude and Executive Director, Serve DC Patricia Evans lend a hand preparing meals in the Food & Friends kitchen.

MAC artists pack groceries for Food & Friends' Groceries-to-Go program.

By Brandon Nichols

 With Thanksgiving behind us, we are justified in breaking out our holiday music and decorations. Granted, many could not wait and have already done so – no harm in that. However, it is clear that our focus has changed from turkey to presents and upcoming vacations. I see that people have a little pep in their step; the holiday spirit has begun its invasion.

Now that the holiday season is here, I am sure that your inbox is over-flowing with invitations to various parties; chief among them, the Holiday Cookie Party. I love a good cookie party; it is a chance to share one of your favorite recipes and try the delicious creations of others. There are times when I get stuck in a cookie rut -- making the same cookie over and over again. Cookie parties allow me to try something new and fun! Also, it opens up conversation for one of my favorite topics: baking. People light up when they are talking about their favorite recipe and where they got it.

I want to share with you a recipe for Chai Spiced Cookies – one of my all-time favorites. These are delightful. The true beauty of these cookies comes from the symphony of flavor created by the various spices. This recipe comes from the 2007 Pillsbury Holiday Cookie Book. What is your favorite cookie to make?

Chai-Spiced Cookies

Ingredients

Cookie

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 egg yolks

Coating

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, beat butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with electric mixer on low speed until well blended.
3. Stir in remaining cookie ingredients.
4. Shape dough by tablespoonfuls into balls.
5. On an ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 1 1/2 inches apart.
6. Bake approximately for 12-15 minutes.
7. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes.
8. In medium bowl, mix coating ingredients. Working in batches, gently roll warm cookies in coating mixture.
9. Cool on cooling rack 5 minutes.
10. Fluff up coating mixture with wire whip and roll cookies in mixture again.
11. ENJOY!