What's cookin in Utah?

posted on: Wednesday, January 23, 2008



I left my Kitchen for a couple days and drove out to Utah with some friends to go to the Sundance film festival. As I mentioned in an earlier post our classmate Tad Nakamura's film Pilgrimage was selected for the Documentary Showcase of Sundance Film Festival shorts. We were super proud of him and his film Rocks! I had a wonderful time hanging out with new friends, old friends, and even family. My sis-in-law and her husband made me biscuits and gravy. I had never tasted this southern dish and loved it. I am a huge fan of biscuits and having warm gravy with sausage over it was the perfect combination.

Biscuits and Gravy Dittmer Style
  • 1/4 lbs sausage roll
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • warm biscuits
Gravy- according to Tony
crumble and cook sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned. Stir in flour until dissolved. Gradually stir in milk. Cook gravy until thick and bubbly. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot over biscuits.
Sienna was in charge of the biscuits. I thought they tasted great but she said she used a recipe that she didn't really like. So I'll just put my favorite recipe here.
Betty Crocker's Baking Powder Biscuits

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup shortening (Sienna used butter in hers, much healthier!)
  • 3/4 cup milk
  1. heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Cut shortening crisscrossing 2 knives (I'm too cheap and don't have pastry blender) until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Stir in milk until dough leaves side of bowl.
  2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat 1/2 inch think. Cut with floured 2 to 2 1/4-inches round cutter. (in other words a glass cup). Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart for crusty sides, touching for soft sides.
  3. bake 10- 12 min or until golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm
Tony said his sister in Oklahoma buys the ready made biscuits and just makes the gravy. The gravy was definitely the novelty for me so if making biscuits seems too hard try the already made stuff in the supermarket and make the gravy!
Documenting Through Picture
Unfortunetley the photographer in the group didn't come. I'm taking a digital photo class this quarter and really hope to improve some (any) techniques. Here are some pictures I took of the trip keeping the theme of food in mind.











Sundance and Slamdance film Festival



the cool thing about these festivals is that not only do you get to watch interesting films but the directors are usually there for a Q+A. My favorite film was "My Mother's Garden"
I really hope it gets distribution. It's about a documentary about a mother who has compulsive hoarding disorder and her daughter (the film maker) trying to help her. It was beautifully done. Both the mom and the daughter were there for the Q+A and it made the whole experience so much more personal. Enjoy the trailer.

4 comments:

  1. woooow... those biscuits and gravy look so good!!! hope to try the recipe out soon!!!!
    that trailer for "my mother's garden" was awesome... i wish i had been able to see the entire film... i hope it gets distribution soon too so i can see the whole thing!
    nice foto of me with the grapefruit! haha!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey a shout out to everyone. Please check out my friend's blog www.natalienortonphoto.blogspot.com
    this is one amazing mom, person, photographer! I love her stuff and she's starting to post tips. I will test out her tip and hopefully mu food picture taking skills will improve.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow. That is really crazy. The trailer shows a lot though== What else happens?

    ReplyDelete
  4. gotta watch to find out. hehee. naw for real you really do have to watch it.

    ReplyDelete

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