Marisue’s Aunt’s Biscuits

Move over Grandma, these biscuits will float by!  The Christmas Holiday Brunches are made extra special with these light and flaky biscuits.  Also great for special slow, weekend breakfasts!  So easy to make, you’ll do it over and over.

Aunt Lady’s Buttermilk Biscuits De-Lite!

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbls sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cream of tartar (secret ingredient, a MUST)
• 3/4 cup butter or 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening combined.
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Procedure:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients.  With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs.  Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and add buttermilk all at once.  Using a fork, stir just until moistened.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for 4 to 6 strokes and the dough holds together.
3. Pat or lightly roll dough until 3/4 inch think.  Do not over handle dough as it will become tough.
4. Cut the dough with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. 
5. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. 
6. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden.  Do not overbake.  Serve warm, with butter, jam, honey, you name it!

Grandma will be envious of these!

Christmas Bread Spreads

All the homemade breads around the Christmas holidays just cry for some special butter toppings.  Here are some special spreads you can prepare now.  They are best if chilled for one hour before use.

Nutty Butter:  Mix 1/2 c finely chopped almonds or walnuts with 1/4 cup softened butter.  Add 1/4 c apricot or peach preserves.  Yields 1 cup.

Citrus Butter:  Mix 1/2 cup softened butter with 1 tbls powdered sugar and 1 tsp finely shredded orange peel or lemon peel or zest.  Yeild:  1/2 cup.

Breakfast Butter:  Mix 1/2 cup softened butter and 2 tbls honey or maple flavored syrup.  Yield is 1/2 cup.

Onion-Parmesan Butter:  Mix 1/2 cup butter, 2 tbls grated Parmesan cheese; and 2 tsp sliced green onion.  Makes 1/2 cup.

Herb Butter:  Mix 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 tsp each dried thyme and marjoram, crushed or 1/2sp dried basil, crushed.  Yield 1/2 cup.

Pimiento Butter:  In a blender, combine one 4 ounce jar sliced pimientos, drained; 1 tbls anchovy paste, and 1 clove garlic, minced.  Blend well until pimientos are pureed and misture is now smooth.  Stir mmixture into 1/2 cup butter.  Yield:  1 cup.

Your buffet of butter spreads is going to be a great compliment to those warm or room temperature breads.  YUM!