FireFly

Acknowledgments
Introduction

• Tools and Equipment
• Common Ingredients
• Fast and Easy Biscuit Mix

Appetizers

• Blue Cheese Mushroom Caps
• Cheese Fondue
• Butterfly Shrimp
• Cheese and Leek Scones
• Clam con Queso Dip
• Corn Fritters with Honey Sauce
• Coconut Chicken Pieces with Salsa
• Cornbread Dogs
• Crab Cakes with Mustard Dill Sauce
• Double-Baked Savory Herb Toasts
• Fried Greek Olives
• Hot Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing
• Herb Focaccia Breads
• Mini Pizza Bites
• Mini Herb Muffin Bites
• Ricotta Spinach Crêpes
• Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• Smoked Salmon Muffins
• Spicy Shrimp with Honey Mustard Sauce
• Tempura Vegetables
• Fried Zucchini Bites with Savory Dill Sauce

Chicken

• Chinese Coconut Chicken Salad
• Chicken Corn Chowder Pot Pie
• Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
• Barbecue Chicken Pizza
• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Baked Buttermilk Chicken
• Herb-Crusted Chicken Breasts
• Southern Pan-Fried Chicken
• Asian Lemon Ginger Chicken Breasts
• Curry Chicken
• Chicken Étouffée
• Thai Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Beef

• Beef and Sausage Pizza
• Chiptole Tamale Squares
• All-Star Chili
• Firehouse Chili with Cornbread Topping
• Lasagna Loaf
• Three-Cheese Lasagna Loaf
• Swedish Meatballs
• Beef and Cheese Casserole
• Beef and Pork Casserole with Three Cheeses
• Italian Cheese Squares
• Mexican Taco Squares
• Emapanadas
• Tarragon Swiss Steak
• Beef Loin Stew with Vegetables

Pork and Lamb

• Bean and Bacon Chowder
• Canadian Bacon Quiche
• Prosciutto and Onion Quiche
• German Potato Dumplings
• Almond Peach Pork Chops
• Blue Cheese-Stuffed Pork Chops
• Citrus-Scented Pork Chops
• Italian Pork Chops
• Tuscan-Style Stuffed Pork Chops
• Honey Pork Loin
• Muffulettas
• Grilled Five-Spice Asian Ribs
• Lamb Scaloppine
• Layered Irish Stew
• Provençal Rack of Lamb
• Spicy Lamb Brochettes

Fish and Seafood

• Caper-Crusted Salmon
• Crunchy Herb Fish Fillets
• Dill-Crusted Trout
• Thyme-Crusted Scallops
• Tuna Cakes with Pickle Relish
• Shrimp and Almond Quiche
• Rich Clam Chowder
• Crispy Fried Fish Fillets

Vegetables

• Potato Cheese Soup
• Cream of Caramelized Mushroom Soup
• Provençal Pizza
• Roasted Onion and Feta Pizza
• Caramelized Onion and Feta Pizza
• Mushroom and Blue Cheese Quiche
• Roasted Vegetable Quiche
• Real Cornbread

Breakfast

• Blueberry Almond Pancakes
• Chocolate Chip Pancakes
• Maple Walnut Pancakes
• Classic Buttermilk Pancakes
• Old-Fashioned Diner Waffles
• Pear Almond Nutmeg Waffles
• Pecan Bananas Waffles
• Caramelized Onion Platter
• Sausage and Egg Pepper Platter
• Three-Cheese Platter

Quick Breads

• Banana Walnut Muffins
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
• Perfect Blueberry Muffins
• Raspberry Macadamia Muffins
• Chocolate Chunk Scones
• Citrus Scones
• Island Scones
• Peach Scones
• Cherry Nut Coffee Cake
• Lemon Cherry Coffee Cake

Cookies, Bars and Brownies

• Cherry Almond Butter Cookies
• Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Cookies
• Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
• The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Triple Chocolate Bar Cookies
• Blackberry Oat Bars
• Lemon Macadamia Bars
• Orange Cream Cheese Bars
• Rich German Chocolate Bars
• Chocolate Raspberry Bars
• Creamy Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies
• Deep Rich Fudge Brownies
• White Chocolate Blondies
• Caramel Chocolate Chunk Squares

Desserts

• Crunchy Pecan Cake
• Easy Peach Cobbler
• Easy Carrot Pineapple Cake
• Hot Fudgey Pudding Cake
• Mocha Chocolate Chunk Cake
• Moist Almond Pound Cake with Warm Strawberry Sauce
• Strawberry Pecan Shortcake
• Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
• Cranberry Orange Cake
• Ultimate Chocolate Chunk Cake
• Pumpkin Pecan Cake
• Chocolate Fudge Cake with Rich Glaze
• Lemon Mist Cake with Glaze

Sources
Index

Excerpted from the Introduction Introduction

Time. We do not have enough of this ingredient. My first pastry job was at a big hotel, and, to save time, we had a large bin filled with a flour mixture that was used for many different recipes. I was surprised at the versatility of this flour mix. We used it for every baked good, from cookies to muffins, just adding the required perishable ingredients to create a tasty treat. Now, at home, you can stir up a batch of biscuit mix and keep it on hand. When you need to save time in your busy day, just add a few ingredients to this mix and you'll have a main dish or a batch of cookies in no time.

-- Fast and Easy Biscuit Mix

There are many brands of biscuit mixes available. In this cookbook, I tested the recipes with Bisquick®. If you are using a biscuit mix other than this or the homemade one below, be aware that the results may differ depending on the active ingredients within the mix. As a general rule, low-fat biscuit mixes will produce a drier texture in baked goods. If you prefer to make your biscuit mix from scratch, here is my homemade version for you to keep on hand.

Makes about 8 cups (2 L)

Tip:
Place in an airtight container in your pantry. Use within 3 months.

• 4 1/2 cups (1.125 L) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) instant nonfat dry milk
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp (7 ml) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
• 1 cup plus 1 tbsp (265 mL) vegetable shortening

In a large bowl, using a fork, blend together flour, dry milk, sugar baking powder, salt and baking soda. Using a pastry blender, blending fork (see page 13) or two knives, blend in shortening until well dispersed.

 

Simple yet clever ways to use homemade or commercial biscuit mix to make everything from cheese and leek scones to tempura vegetables.
- Linda Cicero  Miami Herald  2004 04 29

Helping little fingers produce quick, carefree dishes... Fabulous new book... puts biscuit mix to more uses than you may have dreamed possible.
- Janet Groene  Family Motor Coaching  2004 06

Very simple... It isn't difficult to find selections that will please the family as well as the busy cook.
- Myrna Collins  Appleton Post-Crescent  2004 07 14