Spiced up Cheese Biscuits

My MIL and my Mom (pretty ladies, great cooks)

Mother in-laws seem to get a bad rap especially with their daughter in-laws, but I was fortunate to inherit one of the most amazing MIL's when I married my husband Johno (and I am not just saying that cause she could read this, I am pretty sure she doesn't know how to check my blog). I think I was dealt a great mother-in-law because the universe realized we've got our share of crazy's in the combined Harris-Miller family and we couldn't take any more...So when I married into The Clark clan I married a whole new brand of crazy, but the fun drinking red wine til 4 am and laughing til you can't breathe kind of crazy.

Dorothy and my own mother, Marilyn, are amazing cooks and as Johns lived with both of them I have quite a standard to live up too. So as my fav. cook in Zambia, George, used to say I've started "pinching recipes for my collection."

Chef George

Chamilandu gang

So in the spirit of my new family I'll give you Dorothy's recipe for chili cheese biscuits which are a perfect compliment to red wine or tea, but this yank can never seem to get her act together to serve afternoon tea. Though it's my favorite thing to do in the bush, but I think being able to watch elephants cross adds a certain excitement to afternoon tea.

Ele's in the Luangwa

Dorothy's Cheese Biscuits with a Caribbean Twist

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup butter or 2 oz (if you are using the metric system)
4 oz of grated cheddar cheese
pinch of chili powder
pinch of salt
and a teaspoon of Baron's West Indian hot sauce (or grated chilis)


Cream the butter mix in the flour and cheese and mash it up (as the West Indians say) continue mashing while you add the chili powder, hot sauce and salt. Once you have formed a dough transfer to a floured surface and and shape the dough into a log. Roll in wax paper and place in the fridge for an hour. When the dough has firmed up take it out and slice into thin pieces put on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes (until golden brown) on 180 C or 356 F.

Take out and enjoy with tea or our favorite red wine!

Much to be thankful for

After a rough October which was plagued by car problems, money problems etc... I decided to shake it off with a trip to Barbados to start the process that will officially make my husband an African-American. Of course a girl can't go all the way to Barbados without having some fun so I enlisted Suzette and Kathy to help me brave the US Embassy and explore Barbados. While I was waiting at the embassy they kicked off our girlie lime with Pims on the golf course later followed by Champagne (veuve of course) when the embassy allowed me to pay them a small ransom for the privilege of filing John's paperwork. That was cause for celebration as we weren't sure they would let me file the paperwork in Barbados and I was a nervous nelly going in! Just last week we got the checklist of what they need next and besides the 6 background checks John needs it doesn't look too bad!


We had a blast in Barbados and it was one of the best girlie limes to date!


Recently we celebrated our first Thanksgiving together with some friends from school and it really was an amazing feast! Great friends, great food and a beautiful view. You can't ask for much more on Thanksgiving!



Now it's December and we are so excited for our trip to Africa where we'll go from the beach back to the bush. John and I absolutely can not wait. We have so much to be thankful for and look forward to a spectacular end to 2009 and an amazing start to 2010!