Ham hocks, baked beans, Georgia biscuits, etc

Cassie sent me a picture of some potatoes baked in a skillet and I saw an Asian person do some mushrooms that looked good so they were on my list of things to try.  Then I got to thinking about doing some ham hocks and beans but instead of the usual way, why not glaze and bake the hocks like a ham and make baked beans.  Then before I knew it I was adding other stuff and ended up with a holiday size meal. I added Georgia fluffy biscuits and a cole slaw made with apples and carrots instead of cabbage.

Ham hocks and navy beans were boiled until done then refrigerated until the next day. I used a Boston Baked recipe to finish the beans but I didn't save the recipe. The hocks were glaze with Honey, soy sauce, brown sugar and peach jam and baked until the glaze set and hocks were heated through.

Georgia Touch of Grace biscuits. 10 biscuits light and fluffy

Cream is the KEY to flaky biscuits. This recipe makes a feather light biscuit.

Non-stick cooking spray

2 C. Southern self-rising flour (Or 1 1/2 C national self rising flour plus 1/2 C Wondra

-or 1/2 C. cake flour- plus 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4C. sugar

4 Tbs. shortening

2/3 C. heavy cream or whipping cream

approximately 1 C. buttermilk, or until dough resembles cottage cheese

1 C. bleached all purpose flour for shaping

2 Tbs. melted butter

1. pre heat oven to 425ºF. and spray 8 or 9-inch round cake pan with non stick spray

2. Combine the self rising flour, salt and sugar in a small mixing bowl. With fingers or pastry cutter, work shortening into flour until there are no lumps larger than a large pea.

3. Stir in the cream and buttermilk and let stand 2 or 3 minutes. This dough is so wet that you can not shape it in the usual manner. It will look like cottage cheese. (YOU do NOT want it to be stiff enough to shape)

4. Pour the cup of all purpose flour onto a plate or pie tin. flour your hands OR spray a 2-inch ice cream scoop with non stick spray and gather a biscuit sized lump of dough and place it the flour. Roll to coat. shake off excess flour. The dough is so soft it will not hold it's shape so place them tightly side by side so they will rise up, not out as they bake. Continue until all dough is used up. 

5. Bake just above the center of the oven until lightly browned. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes, then brush with melted butter. Cool 1 or 2 minutes in the pan, then dump them out, cut them apart, split and butter while hot. Eat!

Note: you do not want to make a biscuit with self rising flour that you can shape because the outside of the biscuit will likely be bitter from the leavening used.

POTATOES

Brush bottom and sides of a baking dish or cast iron skillet with olive oil.

Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice potatoes crosswise into desired thickness. Arrange potato slices vertically and loosely in prepared dish or skillet.

Sprinkle garlic and Italian seasoning on top of potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dot potatoes with butter. Cover skillet or dish with foil and bake in a 375 F oven for about 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Remove foil, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp.

APPLE COLESLAW Makes 4 servings Norm's note, I used 1 1/2 Cup mayo and I think 1 cup would have been enough. 

2 Granny smith apples

1 large carrot

2 C. mayo

1.2 C. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp celery seed

grated beet, for garnish

Mandoline cut apple into julienne. Peel carrot and grate into shreds.  Rinse shredded carrot in cold water until no more orange water is visible. in a mixing bowl combine apples, mayo, carrots, sugar salt and celery seed.  Refrigerate or serve immediately.

MUSHROOMS came from an Asian Guy I know on line. Here is his recipe:

Couldn't be simpler. A couple of cloves of garlic sliced thinly, a similar amount of ginger grated. Wash fresh shiitake under running water and remove stems. Heat oil in and add garlic and ginger; stir until fragrant. Add mushrooms and continue to stir fry. If it looks like burning, add a splash of water. When mushrooms are cooked, season and add enough Oyster sauce to coat the mushroom. Finish with chopped Chinese chives.

Eat.