Baked Spanish Rice with Chorizo

 https://food52.com/recipes/75260-spanish-baked-rice-with-chorizo-and-chickpeas

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
  
• 10 ounces chorizo, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes (fully-cooked Spanish or smoked, Spanish-style chorizo)
  
• 1 whole head of garlic, rinsed but not peeled
  
• 1/2 cup currants (raisins can be substituted)
  
• 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes, including juice
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (smoked or regular)
  
• 1 16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or double the chickpeas if you like them!)
  
• 2 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice (or Carnaroli rice or Spanish paella rice)
  
• 5 cups chicken stock (ideally homemade; unsalted or reduced sodium if purchasing)

1. Heat oven to 400° F. 
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide, ovenproof braiser or cazuela with at least a 3 1/2–quart capacity. (Alternatively, use a Dutch oven with an equivalent capacity, or start the dish in a large pot and transfer to a baking dish that holds at least 3 1/2 quarts). Add the onions, season with a pinch of salt, and saute until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook until it starts to brown and render a bit of its fat, stirring occasionally, another 2 to 3 minutes. 
3. Stir in the whole head of garlic and currants, stirring well to integrate and coat in the fat, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and chickpeas, and cook until the tomatoes start to gently simmer. Add the rice, stirring well to evenly coat, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes to toast the grains. Add the chicken stock and position the garlic in the center of the rice. Bring the stock to a boil, then put the pan (uncovered) in the oven.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all of the stock has been absorbed. (Check at 25 minutes.) If using a Dutch oven, the cook time will be closer to 40 to 50 minutes.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature, making sure everyone gets a few garlic cloves.

—— skipped the chickpeas, measured nothing, added corn

Cream Cheese Frosting

 

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2017/08/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe.html

• 3 1/2 ounces sugar (about 1/2 cup; 100g); see note
• 5 ounces heavy cream (shy 2/3 cup; 140g)
• 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume
• 8 ounces plain, full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, cold (one 8-ounce brick; 225g)

1. With kitchen temperatures above 74°F (23°C), start by refrigerating the mixing bowl and sugar until they have cooled to 70°F (21°C). At elevated temperatures, these ingredients and equipment can act as a heat source to the cream, preventing full aeration.

2. 2.

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, combine sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix at medium-low speed until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue beating until cream is about as thick as Greek yogurt, about 2 minutes longer. Begin adding cream cheese 2 tablespoons at a time; this should take about 30 seconds all together. Once it is incorporated, shut off the mixer. The frosting will look a bit curdled, like cottage cheese; this is the result of incomplete mixing rather than over-whipping, so don’t be alarmed.

   Thoroughly scrape bowl and whisk, then continue whipping on high until frosting is smooth and light, with only a few small flecks of cream cheese (they will disappear into the frosting over time). This may take 2 to 3 minutes with a stand mixer, or more if using a hand mixer. After whipping, the frosting should be about 60°F (16°C). Use immediately or refrigerate until needed.

   
   

   
   

Alton’s southern biscuits

 https://altonbrown.com/southern-biscuits-recipe

• 12 ounces all-purpose flour (plus an additional 1/2 cup for dusting)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ounce unsalted butter (chilled*)
• 2 ounces shortening (chilled)
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk (chilled)

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Whisk together all the dry, powdery stuff (except the flour for dusting, of course) in a large mixing bowl.
3. Using your fingertips, rub the butter and shortening into the dry goods until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Make a well in the middle of this mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir with a large spoon until the dough just comes together. Then knead in the bowl until all the flour has been taken up.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then start folding the dough over on itself, gently kneading for 30 seconds, or until the dough is soft and smooth.
6. Press the dough into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut out biscuits, being sure to push the cutter all the way through the dough to the work surface before twisting to “punch” out the biscuit. Make your cuts as close together as possible to limit waste.
7. Place the biscuits on a half sheet pan (preferably aluminum, which is highly conductive) so that they just barely touch. Reroll scraps and punch out as many biscuits as possible.
8. Use your thumb to create a shallow dimple in the top center of each biscuit**, and bake until the biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the biscuits out into a kitchen towel-lined basket and let cool for several minutes before buttering and devouring.

Skillet Dark and Stormy Banana Bread

 https://joythebaker.com/2016/04/one-skillet-dark-and-stormy-banana-bread/

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup lightly packed muscovado brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• heaping 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. 
   
2. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Melt butter in an 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Melt until the crackling subsides and the butter begins to brown. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined. The mixture may seem broken as the butter won’t completely absorb into the sugar just yet. Allow mixture to stand and cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. The mixture will begin to emulsify, be glossy and no longer greasy. Whisk in the vanilla and rum. Add the mashed bananas, fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger and stir to combine.
5. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir carefully until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and spread the batter evenly across the pan.
6. Place in the oven and bake for 18-25 minutes until mixture is dry on top, but still slightly soft in the center. I like to slightly under-bake this cake.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you’d like and enjoy warm.