Blue Cheese Scallion Biscuits

 There must have been a time when I did not like blue cheese, but if there was I cannot remember it. The ripely pungent, extremely boldly flavored moldy cheese doesn't seem like it would appeal to young children and I admit that it is something of an acquired taste. Yet I only know that the first time I remember eating blue cheese--smeared on crostini with roasted garlic--I couldn't get enough.

Blue cheese is good in salads, in mac n' cheese, on crackers--well, when isn't blue cheese a good idea? Now I know that it is also fantastic in these biscuits from Smitten Kitchen. The salty, savory flavor of blue cheese really shines in these craggy drop biscuits, but is not over powering. I served these biscuits with a subtly spiced roasted red pepper soup, but they would be a great accent to any dish that could use a hint of blue cheese. These are so quick and easy you can throw them in the oven right before you serve dinner. You will not regret it.

What a second, did I just say BISCUITS? Savory, cheesy biscuits?! So fluffy, so flaky, so rich and toasty!  Honestly, who doesn't love biscuits?!  I love them a bit too much, so I must very intentionally limit my biscuit making or things would very easily get out of hand. (And by things, I mean my girth.) Luckily, I had some friends over for dinner who love biscuits maybe even more than I do. They took the remaining biscuits safely out of my reach. (My scale and I thank you, D & K.)

One year ago: homemade tortilla chips, guacamole
Two years ago: chocolate cream cheese cupcakes, easy d.i.y. sushi
Other blue cheese recipes: roasted pear salad with blue cheese and walnuts,  stuffed burgers

Blue Cheese Scallion Biscuits

~Print Recipe~

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 of a stick) cold, unsalted butter cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to blend in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Stir in blue cheese and scallions. Add buttermilk and stir until just combined. 
3. Drop dough in 12 equal portions about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden, 16 to 20 minutes.

Makes 12 biscuits

Vegan Nut Roast

Here it is... That tasty dish I served on Thanksgiving. Super easy and simple.

Ingredients:

The roast:

two tablespoons oil or margarine
2 large onions, chopped fine
5 cloves (or an entire bulb) garlic, minced
3 cups raw cashews
1 1/2 cups bread
1 cup soup stock (or water)
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons lemon juice

The "stuffing":

3 cups bread cubes, toasted
two tablespoons margarine, melted but not hot
1/2 to 3/4 cup finely-chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon sage
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt to taste

Method:

(From the first list:) Cook the onion and garlic in the oil or margarine until tender, and remove from the heat.
Chop the cashews by hand or in a food processor; cut up the bread as well. Add the cashews and bread to the onion, then add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Put half of this mixture into a small, non-stick loaf pan (or line a regular loaf pan with parchment paper if a non-stick pan is unavailable).
Mix together all the ingredients from the second list. Put the mixture on top of the stuff in the loaf pan, and add the rest of the first mixture so that there are three layers of food in the pan.
Place the pan on a baking sheet or in a larger loaf pan (in case it overflows while cooking), and bake at 400 degrees F for half an hour. The top should be browned.
Let the roast cool for a few minutes, then turn the pan over and serve the roast on a plate (or simply serve it out of the pan). Serve with gravy if desired, keeping in mind that it is a very rich dish.

Notes:
The roast will take about an hour to prepare.
The stuffing works well on its own -- and I often make extra!
The roast refrigerates well and can be frozen for a few months and microwaved back to life.
As shown, recipe makes roughly six servings.
Vegetable stock is often available in concentrate or as bouillon cubes, in health-food stores and in general grocery stores. If you really can't find it, use water.