You can tell comfort food from the way it makes your kitchen smell: warm, hearty, mouthwatering and, most importantly, cozy. A simmering stew does that, or a roasting chicken. A pie in the oven, surely qualifies.
But perhaps the most decidedly comforting of all the comfort foods is bread, and the quickest route to this happy state of affairs is the dinner roll or biscuit. You can spend an afternoon making a yeast dough or you can cut the labor drastically without sacrificing aroma, goodness or satisfaction.
Keep some refrigerated biscuits or prepared baking mix on hand and use them to whip up these tasty variations. You’ll find how easy it is to transform a cold, darkened day into a warm, comfy feeling with a little kitchen magic.
PARMESAN KNOTS
Make, bake and serve these tasty rolls in about 15 minutes.
1 tube (12 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 C canola oil
3 Tbls grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
Cut each biscuit into thirds. Roll each third into a 3-in. “rope” and form into a knot, tucking ends under. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add the warm knots and gently toss to coat. Dry on paper towels. Yields about 2-1/2 dozen.
Tip: Reduce parmesan cheese to 1-2 tablespoons and double the garlic powder – or more, to taste – and these become garlic knots.
PARMESAN AND HERB CRESCENT DINNER ROLLS
Savory and quick, this recipe is from sixsistersstuff.com.
1 can (8 oz) crescent roll dough
3 Tbls parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg ( beaten )
1 tsp. parsley ( dried flakes )
1/2 tsp. oregano ( dried )
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Separate dough into 8 triangles. Sprinkle each triangle with a pinch of parmesan cheese. Roll up each crescent roll and place, point side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush each roll with beaten egg. In a small bowl, combine parsley, oregano, basil, garlic powder and any remaining Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle mixture on top of rolls. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serves 8
CLASSIC DROP BISCUITS
Versatile, very easy, inexpensive and a family favorite.
2 C all-purpose baking mix (not pancake mix)
2/3 C milk
Preheat oven to 450. Mix ingredients in a bowl until dough is blended and thickened, about a minute or so. Drop a tablespoonful (more or less for larger or smaller biscuits) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. The smaller the biscuit, the less baking time is needed. Serve warm. Makes 6 to 8 biscuits.
Note: Customize your biscuits: Add raisins, dried cranberries, craisins or currants to the dough before mixing. You can make apple drops by cutting a medium apple into small chunks and adding to the mixture. Go ahead, experiment — use blueberries, canned, drained pineapple, nut pieces, grated cheese, grated carrot, lemon or orange zest (add white or brown sugar to taste if using a sour taste like the zests). You can even color the dough with food coloring for a festive look.
