Steph's Chicken Strips

Ingredients:
Self-rising or all-purpose flour

Ranch dressing powder

Southwest Ranch dressing powder

Goya Adobo (red) seasoning

Black pepper

Chicken strips/tenderloins

Buttermilk

Hot sauce

Preparation:

1) Remove the white tendon from each chicken tender.

2) Combine buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl with a lid. 

3) Place chicken tenders in buttermilk mixture, put on lid, and then shake until all tenders are coated.

4) Refrigerate tenders for at least 4 hours to marinate.

5) Mix flour and seasonings in a flat bowl in this ratio, sifting together, then adjusting to taste:

    6 parts flour

    1 part Ranch powder

    1/2 part Southwest Ranch powder

    1/8 part Goya

    Black pepper, to taste

6) Dredge each chicken tender well in the flour mixture and set on a plate. 

7) When all tenders are dredged, heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or saucepan until hot, then drop in tenders, one by one, until a single layer of tenders is cooking in the oil. Tenders should be cooked in small batches.

8) Reduce oil heat slightly, so tenders cook until crisp, but don't burn before they are thoroughly done. Tenders should take about 8 minutes to cook each batch. Turn several times while cooking.

9) When cooking is complete, remove tenders from oil and place on paper towels to drain. Lightly salt tenders.

10) Continue cooking until all tenders are done, keeping cooked tenders warm in low-heat oven or in warming drawer.

Easy and Best Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, very cold
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour, plus more for kneading and work surface
1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Preparation:
1) Slice the butter into 1/4" thick slices.

2) Put the 2 1/4 cups of flour into a large bowl and toss in the butter slices. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture is crumbly and resembles small peas.

3) Cover dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

4) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

5) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

6) Remove dough from fridge, and add buttermilk, stirring gently with a fork just until the flour is moistened. The dough will be very sticky.

7) Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead it three or four times, adding flour as needed.

8) Press or pat the dough into a 3/4" thick rectangle (about 9" x 5"), then sprinkle it with a little more flour.

9) Fold the dough over onto itself in three sections.

10) Again press dough into a 3/4" thick rectangle and fold over itself into three sections. Repeat the press and fold two more times (4 total).

11) Press or pat the dough to 3/4" thickness, then cut with a 2" cutter. 

12) Place biscuits, sides touching, onto the prepared baking sheet.

13) Bake biscuits for 13 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Do not overbake, or biscuits will dry out.

14) Optional: brush tops of biscuits with melted butter.

Makes approximately 12 biscuits.