Frigid Sunday..... Baking and Soup.

We are experiencing  frigid Arctic weather.... Daytime temperatures on Sunday  -20C. It was a bright day with blue sky and sunshine  but oh my so cold......This morning checked and it is -27..

  One would think we wouldn't be getting snow but a fine snow  fell about 2 inches which   meant  more shovelling. So after that chilly   job was finished decided   what was needed .
Comfort food!
Out comes the  crockpot......
 First up,  a simple boneless  beef  short rib soup with caramelized onions,  peas and potatoes ,  touch of garlic....
This makes enough for  4
1 1/2 lb. short ribs  dredged in flour ,salt and pepper  browned til golden in saute pan  with 1 TBSP. oil.
Remove, put in crock pot  , Caramelize   3 cups of onions thinly cut   takes about 20 minutes add to beef.   
Cover beef and onion with beef stock (I used Campbells 900ml. beef  broth)  1 bay leaf , 1/2 cup celery leaves, 1  elephant garlic cut in thin slices,salt and pepper to taste.  Start on high until  bubbling then turn down to low for  4 hours. At the  4 hour mark add  3 large  potatoes   cut in smallish cubes ,  add frozen peas about  1 cup   about 2 hours before you want to eat this soup..
Option  one could add some barley   about 1/2 cup..just did not have in cupboard and wasn't going back outside again.

To go with  this  hearty soup a  cheddar spring onion  biscuit .
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup butter, cold, cut into chunks
1 heaping cup grated old  cheddar cheese
1 spring onion cut in  small pieces
 2/3 cups milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and dry mustard. Whisk together to combine thoroughly. Add chunks of  cold butter,cut butter into flour until it is coarse.
Add , 1 cup grated cheddar cheese stir to coat cheese with flour then  add  milk. Stir together til binds together in a  ball..

Turn ball out on lightly floured surface, knead  2 or 3 times then pat into a square.
Score into squares. No waste this way and a softer   biscuit.

Bake for 17 -22minutes. About  5 minutes before the biscuits are done top with remaining cheddar.

The pantry has bits and pieces of leftovers from Christmas baking,so threw together  a kitchen sink muffin  based on  honey bran muffin filled with   leftover macadamia nuts, fresh cranberries and dried cherries....
1 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup  bran
1 egg
½ cup honey or molasses
1/4 cup cooking oil
½ cup milk
1/2 cup nuts(used macadamia)
1/2 cup dried fruit( combo of frozen cranberries and dried cherries)

Combine dry ingredients,  in a medium mixing bowl. In another bowl, beat together remaining ingredients. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; pour liquid mixture into well, blending to just moisten.Add  nuts and fruit.

 Spoon into greased muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Wanted jumbo muffins so filled 3\4  full.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit  for 15-20 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Nice and warm  fresh  from oven  with a touch of butter. .
So good.

 As if this wasn't enough  while rooting around in the pantry there was   half a box of rice krispies  and    3\4 bag of  mini marshmallows what else could I do  except  rice krispie squares.....

By the way more snow is forecast for later today....
Only 6 to 8 more weeks of winter.  Groan........I know I am whining.