Hello … I want to start out today’s column by explaining my absence in the paper for the last three weeks.

I traveled to Xenia with my sister-in-law to attend a quilt show three weeks ago. She and I, along with several other ladies, got food poisoning from our lunch.

Within two days I was admitted to the hospital for the dehydration. While there, they discovered I had pneumonia so I ended up staying for three days.

Within a week, I got an adverse reaction from one of the medications I took and I am just getting over that. I hope I am on the road to better health.

Today I am just going to pass on some of my favorite recipes for you to add to your file. Until next week I think you will enjoy these recipes.

BASIL-PARMESAN BISCUITS

Not only are these biscuits delicious, but they are so very colorful.

2 cups flour (leveled off)

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup chilled butter, cut in small pieces

2/3 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2/3 cup 2% milk

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spoon flour in measuring cups and level with knife. Combine flour and next three ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in basil and cheese; combine milk and egg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Turn dough out onto a flour surface; pat to a 1” circle. Cut with a 2” biscuit cutter into 12 biscuits. Place biscuits onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Makes 12 biscuits.

MINI LEMON-POPPY SEED MUFFINS

Tiny little lemon nuggets of gold.

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place 36 paper miniature muffin cup liners in miniature muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in lemon rind and poppy seed; make a well in the center of the flour mixture, combine buttermilk, butter and egg, stirring well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just till moist. Spoon batter in prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees from 15-17 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack, remove muffins from pan, cool completely on wire racks. Makes 36 mini muffins.

BEST BEEF BRISKET

This brisket recipe from Texas and is fork-tender.

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pepper

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

5-6 pounds beef brisket, trimmed

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 cup Russian salad dressing

Combine first five ingredients; rub into beef. Tightly wrap beef in heavy duty aluminum foil. Place in ungreased 9”x13” baking pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 5 hours. Carefully remove foil from beef; set beef aside. Measure 1 cup of broth; discard any remaining broth. Return brisket to baking pan; mix together 1 cup broth, sugar, barbecue sauce and salad dressing; pour over the brisket. Bake, covered (with foil or lid) at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes more. Serve with barbecue sauce mixture. Serves 10-12.

Here’s to a warm weekend of food and fun.

Sheryl Sollars, a Clinton County native, is an accomplished cook and homemaker. She contributes her column “Welcome to My Kitchen” out of her love of homemaking and of sharing her thoughts with her readers. If you have cooking questions or a recipe you want to share, please contact Sheryl at [email protected].