Tag: Illinois State Fair

Easy Bruschetta Biscuits

Easy Bruschetta Biscuits: this best-ever recipe takes the classic Italian appetizer for a spin…with winning results!

Do you love bruschetta? Diced tomatoes and fresh basil on top of toasted baguette slices? With its color and aroma, I remember loving it before I even tasted it.

This easy bruschetta biscuits recipe is inspired by a recipe Marty Ann Johnson won with at the Illinois State Fair (2014) in  a 2014 Bisquick best recipe competition.

Easy Bruschetta Biscuits PLATED

These biscuits are not only super delicious, but are also super easy to make. I love how it takes just 10 ingredients.

When you go to make them (highly recommended), here are a few helpful tips. After you dice and de-seed the tomatoes, lightly pat them dry with a paper towel to take away their extra moisture.

Diced fresh tomatoes

Another tip: Be sure to lightly blend the initial dough ingredients as the recipe notes. i.e. try not to over-mix. Add the cheese, tomato and basil after your dough starts to form.

Easy Bruschetta Biscuits flavorful dough

Bake ’em how you love ’em

I did tweak the winner Marty’s already terrific recipe. (She won third place and a lovely rosette ribbon on contest day.) I used plain yoghurt and lemon juice instead of buttermilk. I had a lot of basil so I increased that. I also upped the diced tomatoes. This added more color and moisture, making the biscuit even more tender and yummy! Brushing them fresh out of the oven with a combo of olive oil and garlic powder was a great finishing touch. The 1/4 cup I used–a bit less than the original–was perfect for “generous brushing.”

As a final tip-or more of a suggestion-serve these biscuits with a big leafy green salad and you have a meal. Whip up your batch soon! They are a winner!

-Cyndi

p.s. If you find yourself without Bisquick in your pantry, no worries. With flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening, you can do a homemade baking mix (scroll down to bottom of this post).  Simply adapt the ingredient amounts or make a big batch to pull from. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Quick Cheesy Herb Crackers

Quick Cheesy Herb Crackers: these 5-ingredient, savory rich crackers are all that…and easy to make! A blue ribbon winner from the Illinois State Fair, they are tender, buttery, and did I mention rich? They tasted so good I admit to daydreaming about them between samples. They originate from Carlene, an avid state fair contester and blue ribbon baker who won 1st place in a 2013 Bisquick best recipe contest that we organized.

When Carlene won, she served her quick cheesy herb crackers with a homemade tomato bruschetta to spoon on top. When we made them, I was reminded how great anything home-made can taste. Using fresh herbs in them packed in the flavor. They go great as a savory snack alongside a big plate of mixed greens or other fresh salad.

-Cyndi