Buttery & Flakey @AbbyLVandiver #THANKSGIVING

 ABBY L. VANDIVER Of course, I’m talking about biscuits!

When I was in fifth grade, I participated in the spelling bee contest. I was excited to be one of the finalists. Then I was given the word “biscuits” and I misspelled it! But in my defense, why is there a “u” in it. Lol.

I vowed I’d never spell the word incorrectly again, and I haven’t, but for a long time I had a love hate relationship with the word and the food. But who can resist the buttery, flaky anytime goodness of a biscuit? With a big pat of butter smeared inside and atop. Mmm-mm. And I like to drag them through a pool of maple syrup, or fill them with grape jelly until it oozing out the sides. In fact, I love them so much, I patterned a book with them in it.

In my latest cozy mystery series, Books & Biscuits, I tell the story of fraternal twins who open a bookstore and soul food café and their signature dish? You guessed it, biscuits.

I do sometimes buy biscuits from the grocery, those layered grand biscuits are good, but nothing beats the one you can make at home. A biscuit recipe is quick and easy—five or six ingredients that you will have in your kitchen at any given time.

Do you have a go-to biscuit recipe? Tell me about it in the comments below, please. Meanwhile, here’s my recipe, hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/3 tsp. baking soda (optional)

6 tbsp. of cold butter

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sugar (optional)

2/3 cup whole milk or buttermilk

Directions

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients. Mix well with a fork. I like to put sugar in mine. My recipe calls for such a small amount that you almost (I say almost) can't taste the difference. So, if you don't want to put it in, it's okay to omit it. Also, I don't always use baking soda if I don't have it in my cabinet. If you don't, just use one tablespoon of baking powder instead. And be sure to use all-purpose flour!

Cut the butter into the flour mixture. Make sure your butter is cold! I usually put it in the freezer when I know I am making biscuits (or pie dough). Combine with a fork or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Then pour in the milk. 

On a floured surface, use your fingertips (not a rolling pin) to work the dough into a manageable, not so sticky, rectangle shape. It's important not to overwork the dough. Fold the dough in thirds and gently flatten the lays. Repeat the folding stop four or five times (this is how you make layers!). On the last go round, flatten the dough to about 1" thick. 

Use a biscuit cutter (I sometimes use a glass) and cut out your biscuits. Don't twist the cutter into the dough, that will seal the edges. Cut out the biscuits close to each other to get as many biscuits as you can.

Gently work your leftover dough scraps together and get as many biscuits as you can out of it. It should yield about seven or eight biscuits. Put your biscuits close together in your lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking pan.

Biscuits should bake on high heat. Set your oven for 425 degrees Cook until they are slightly browned. Let the butter you brush on top finish them off.

And there you have it! (Now, fingers crossed I didn't misspell biscuits anywhere in this post!)

Biscuits are good eating and my Books & Biscuits Mysteries are good reading. Pick up a copy and see for yourself!

 Body and Soul Food by Abby Collette (Yes! That's me)

Soul of a Killer by Abby Collette

Abby L. Vandiver is a novelist and editor who is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today
bestselling author. She also writes as Abby Collette as well as Cade Bentley. When she isn’t writing, Abby enjoys spending time with her grandchildren all of whom are her favorite. She resides in South Euclid, Ohio. 

Find me here:

Website: www.authorabby.com
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