Queso Fresco Biscuits

Sometimes I really wish there were more hours in a day. Sleep feels optional sometimes, but eventually that catches up to me. I guess I’m not in my teens anymore. That’s clearly evident by my uncanny ability to fall asleep on the couch or to nod off in my chair any time after 10pm. It’s all fun and games until I realize that my ‘To Do’ list is getting longer and the house is currently nestled under a blanket of dog hair. I’m thinking of taking up knitting just to make a sweater out of Roma’s hair. I kid.

I also haven’t been in the kitchen lately, except to make smoothies in the morning. I’m addicted to the Vitamix, that is for sure. The rest of my eating habits has been a whirlwind. I took a cheese-making class last weekend at Hipcooks [where I took the Cajun cooking class for my birthday]. That’s right, I made cheese. I’ve come a long way from the girl who had to swear off dairy for awhile, haven’t I? We made marscapone, ricotta, chevre, mozzarella, and fromage fort. The process itself is super easy. I was kind of surprised. Heat your milk, add your acid, hit the right temperature, possibly add a culture, and then wait. The longer the better. That’s where my impatience kicks in. I thought yeasty bread was bad, but it pales in comparison to cheese. While it was fun, I don’t see myself whipping up a batch any time soon. Ricotta maybe. It’d be perfect for a lasagna, but you’d still have to start it the night before. I’m just so impatient. I have a new appreciation for being able to pay a fortune for good cheese across the street.

Cheese stole the show of these biscuits I made. Queso fresco reminds me a lot of a mozzarella, actually. A little wetter, but just as mild. The biscuits come together quickly with the aid of a blender. It’s great for my impatience, and great to be able to get some cheesy, carb laden goodness ASAP for a quick meal. It’s also mostly ingredients I usually have in the house. I just need to grab the cheese and get to it. Perfection. These are totally puffy and tender and delicious. They get a ton of height as they bake. I liked them. A lot.

Inspiration: A Full Measure of Happiness

Ingredients

• 1 cup queso fresco
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray a 12 count muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Pour equal amounts of the batter into the muffin tin.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown, huge, and puffy.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before popping them out of the tin. I really liked the best the first day. Because they’re such a moist biscuit, the few that I didn’t get to eating right away molded quickly. Poor things.