Ozark Living

Eats By Chef Erin Rowe It's the most wonderful time of the year! Here comes December…decorated in tinsel, lights and a spray of light snow. At least one can hope for all of that here in Northwest Arkansas. But if snow and white Christmases don't make a foray onto our calendar this month, we can still be assured to celebrate the holiday season with all the trimmings, regardless. I've found so many wonderful food celebrations this month, some of which would be pretty pertinent and applicable to all your visitors this season. I personally love pfeffernusse cookies because my grandmother used to make them up for us every visit at Christmas. eir national day is December 23 with all cookies inclusive on December 4. ese little hard cookies, rolled in powdered sugar, lasted a lot longer than a peanut butter or chocolate chip because you'd have to crunch through the nutty exterior. With maple syrup (17th), bacon (30th) and cupcakes (15th) all having a separate holiday this month, it made sense to combine them in one glorious recipe sure to suit even the menfolk (guys eat cupcakes, right!?) Biscuits and gravy takes my own Ozark slant with chocolate gravy and can be celebrated any morning this month, but especially December 14, its national day! Wash it all down with some homemade eggnog on Dec 24 for Christmas Eve (also its national day) and you'll be able to wrap December up and tie it with a bow this holiday season! For the cupcakes: • 1 box white cake mix plus ingredients called for on the box • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract • 3 ½ tablespoons maple syrup For the Frosting: • 1 cup unsalted butter so ened • 4 cups powdered sugar • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ cup maple syrup • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 6 slices bacon, cooked til crispy 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a cookie sheet with non-stick foil. Lay the 6 slices of bacon onto the foil and then bake for 15 minutes until the bacon is crispy. Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon onto paper towels to soak up the grease. Set aside. to make the cupcakes: 2. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F or whatever temperature the boxed cake mix calls for and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Prepare the cake batter as instructed on the box, and then mix in the cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup in mix until well combined. 3. Pour the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup ⅔ of the way full, and bake for the suggested amount of time on the box. Remove cupcakes from oven when inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting. to make the Frosting: 4. Beat the so ened butter in a large mixing bowl until it is creamy. en mix in the powdered sugar, salt, maple syrup, and vanilla until well combined. To get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar to make the frosting thicker or a little milk to make it thinner if needed. Now frost the cupcakes. 5. Crumble the bacon strips or break into small pieces into small pieces and then gently press the pieces of bacon onto the frosting to make them stick. Serve and enjoy! December Delights For the biscuits: • 3 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon baking powder • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits and chilled • 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk For the gravy: • 3/4 cup sugar • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1/4 cup cocoa powder • 2 cups milk • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1. For the biscuits: Heat the oven to 500 degrees . Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray and set aside. In a bowl, combine 2 cups of the flour, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk and gently mix until just combined; use enough buttermilk so that the dough is very wet and looks like cottage cheese. 2. Place the remaining 1 cup flour in a shallow bowl. Spray a medium ice- cream scoop or tablespoon with nonstick spray. Scoop up some biscuit dough and drop it into the flour. Sprinkle flour over the top and roll the dough gently in the flour. Shake off excess flour and shape the dough into a round. Place it in the prepared cake pan. Continue process until all the dough is used, making 8 to 10 biscuits and pressing them snugly next to each other in the pan. (is will keep them so and tender.) Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool just slightly. Serve warm. 3. For the chocolate gravy: Meanwhile, in a medium heavy saucepan, whisk together the sugar, flour and cocoa until no clumps of flour or cocoa remain. Whisk in the milk until well combined. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture begins to boil and then thickens like gravy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter until it melts. Spoon warm gravy over biscuits once baked. biscuits and chocolate gravy (8-10 biscuits) bacon maple cupcakes (2 dozen) 24 • december 2022 • OZArK LIVING

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