Pineapple Upside Down Biscuits + A Cooking Weekend in June!

UPDATE: I’m an airheaded dork! Contest time has NOT ended. Feel free to continue entering until midnight tonight. I need coffee.

Lots to cover today.

Typical Monday!

But I’ll try to make it worth your while.

 
Some time ago, I had a visitor at the ranch. It was Pam Anderson (no, not that Pam Anderson), former editor of Cook’s Illustrated and author of several fantastic cookbooks. I once said that I want to be Pam Anderson (no, not that Pam Anderson) when I grow up, and I meant it. Her cooking is elegant and accessible, her recipes straightforward and foolproof. Throw in the fact that Pam herself is personable, warm, and first introduced me to Spanx, and I’m happy to call her my best friend forever.

In all seriousness, Pam is a serious inspiration to me in so many ways. I’m so glad she exists in this world.

In a minute, I’ll show you Pam’s latest cookbook and a recipe of Pam’s that I made last night.

But first…the fun part!

THE CONTEST

Today, to celebrate cooking…

To celebrate summer…

And to celebrate Pam Anderson…

I’m giving away a cooking weekend at the Lodge in June. Pam Anderson will be there to treat three winners (and their guests) to a fantastic series of cooking lessons, all fitting under the theme “Stop Entertaining!”

When Pam suggested the Stop Entertaining theme for the weekend of cooking lessons on the ranch, I thought it was perfect. For me, the term “entertaining” has always been a tricky one. Oh, I have people over: the family on Thanksgiving, friends for dinner here and there, and anyone who wants to come on the Fourth of July. But I don’t decorate beyond sunflowers and flags in pitchers, I don’t do linens beyond cloth napkins when (and if) they’re clean. I learned a long time ago that stressing about flower arrangements and polished silver trays just wasn’t the life for me. Neither are fussy, elaborate meals that take days and days to prepare for. Who has the time for such things? I don’t even have time to tame my cowlick most days.

Pam’s approach to entertaining is similar. Keep things simple, unfussy, and delicious…and let the fun and fellowship take center stage.

THE DETAILS

Three winners will be selected.

Each prize package will include:

* Two night stay at the Lodge on our crazy ranch in Oklahoma, June 24 -26, 2011
* Airfare (if applicable) for each winner and one guest of their choice
* Transportation from the airport to the ranch (and back!)
* Cooking classes taught by Pam Anderson
* Gift basket for winners and their guests
* Lots of relaxation, eating, and bucolic bliss
* No Spanx allowed

TO ENTER

To enter the giveaway for the cooking weekend on the ranch, make sure you’re available June 24-26…then just leave a comment on this post saying something along the lines of “Enter me” or “Sure, why not” or “I’m game, man” or “Sign me up!”

Also, if you’re so inclined, leave a quick description of your approach to entertaining.

Do you stress out for weeks before having people over?

Do you wig out over the food, pulling out all the stops?

Do you starch your tablecloth?

Or are you like me and you don’t even own a tablecloth?

Just leave any ol’ thing in the Comments section of this post and you’re automatically entered to win the prize. Since this requires a weekend out of the summer, the number of entries won’t get as high as regular mixer/cookware contests. So the chances of winning should be higher than usual!

THE RULES

One entry per person, please.

Entry period will end Tuesday at midnight Pacific Time.

Winners will be announced Wednesday.

If a winner is selected and is unable to attend, an alternate winner will be chosen.

Good luck!

NOTE: This is NOT the same contest as the Bush’s Grillin’ Beans Grilling Recipe Contest, which also involves a trip to the ranch as a prize! If you’d like to try for this weekend getaway as well, enter your best grilling recipe for that contest, here: Bush’s Grillin’ Beans/PW Recipe Contest. (Thank you to Bush’s for sponsoring that contest!)

And now, back to our regularly scheduled Pam Anderson programming:

THE RECIPE

Now for the delicious part!

Pam has released several cookbooks, but her most recent one is this:

 
It’s Perfect One Dish Dinners, and I’ve highlighted it on this website before because I absolutely love it.

 
 
 
It’s a gorgeous, colorful cookbook.

 
 
 
And the recipes are grouped as complete meals, with the appetizers, salads, main dishes, and desserts all appearing together.

 
 
 
I whipped up these last night. They were utterly, without question, divine.

 
 
 
The recipe calls for pineapple, but I didn’t have a fresh one. So I just peeled some apples instead.

 
 
 
You’ll also need brown sugar…

 
 
 
And unsalted butter.

 
 
 
Throw the brown sugar and butter into a saucepan and melt them together.

 
 
 
When it’s all dissolved and runny, do not eat it with a spoon. It will burn your tongue, and you’ll have to get more butter and more brown sugar and start all over. And your time is way too precious!

 
 
 
Pour the mixture into a round cake pan. Tip the pan to allow the mixture to run and coat the surface.

 
 
 
I actually waited a little too long and had to spread it with an offset spatula.

Don’t be like me.

 
 
 
Chop up the apples and measure a cup and a half…

 
 
 
Then sprinkle them over the butter/brown sugar mixture.

 
 
 
Next, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.

 
 
 
Grate some frozen butter…

 
 
 
And measure some buttermilk. I didn’t have buttermilk (of course) so I just did the milk/vinegar trick.

 
 
 
Take the cold grated butter…

 
 
 
And throw it into the flour mixture.

Next, work the butter into the flour (or the flour into the butter, depending on your political affiliation) with your fingertips until it’s all combined.

I didn’t take a photo of this stage because my hands were covered in flour and butter.

Or butter and flour. Depending on your astrological sign.

 
 
 
Pour in the buttermilk…

 
 
 
And stir it with a fork until totally combined. Pam says to splash in a little more buttermilk if the mixture’s too dry, but mine didn’t need it.

 
 
 
Turn the dough out onto the work surface.

 
 
 
Divide the dough into ten pieces…

 
 
 
And slightly flatten each piece.

 
 
 
Arrange the over the top of the apples/pineapple. This cake pan was a little smaller than the recipe called for, so I had a little dough left over. But if you use a 9 or 10-incher, it’ll be fine.

 
 
 
Bake it in a hot (450 degree) oven until the biscuits are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

 
 
 
Stick a platter or cake pedestal on top, upside down…

 
 
 
Then flip it over…

 
 
 
And carefully remove the cake pan. Gorgeous!

 
 
 
It’s like a normal upside down cake, but the cake is separated into neat, easy-to-separate rounds.

 
 
 
You can serve up one biscuit at a time…but I felt called to serve myself two.

 
 
 
Ice cream would be great, but I whipped up some cream. Yum.

 
 
 
Wait a minute or two to give the cream time to melt and drip and have meaning.

 
 
 
Divine. This is an incredible recipe. I loved it.

If you want to make these pineapple upside-down biscuits, here’s the handy dandy printable:

 

Ingredients

• Pineapple
• 3/4 cups Packed Brown Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 1-1/2 cup Chopped Fresh Pineapple (I Used Chopped Peeled Green Apples)
• Biscuits
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons Salt
• 3/4 sticks (6 Tablespoons) Unsalted Butter, Frozen
• 1 cup Buttermilk, Plus Extra If Necessary

Preparation Instructions

*From "Perfect One Dish Dinners" by Pam Anderson.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Pineapple: Heat brown sugar and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat to a spreadable consistency. Pour into a 9-inch round cake pan, tilting to coat pan bottom; top with pineapple.

Biscuits: Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt with a fork in a medium bowl. Using a box grater, coarsely grate frozen butter into dry ingredients, mixing quickly with fingertips to evenly blend. Stir in buttermilk with a fork, adding extra droplets of buttermilk over any dry patches, if necessary and mix until dough just comes together.

Turn dough onto a floured surface. With your fingers, pinch dough into 10 rough rounds and arrange over pineapple. Bake until biscuits are golden brown and pineapple topping is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

Posted by Ree | The Pioneer Woman on May 16 2011

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