Last weekend, my husband had to work both Saturday and Sunday. As he headed out the door on Saturday morning, I asked him what he wanted for dinner.
“Anything?” he asked.
“Anything,” I replied.
“I have been craving fried chicken.”
“Okey-dokey.”
“With mashed potatoes and peas and carrots?”
“Sure.”
🙂 And, unfortunately, this would be our Valentine’s Day dinner too. (Busy times!)
What better to go with this meal than biscuits. I had some buttermilk in the fridge so I decided to whip up some. My mom makes a version of these but I found my recipe in my 1976 The Dallas Jr. League Cookbook. (Remember my rant last week “Has the internet taken the fun out of cooking?“? I decided to vow to use at least one post a week to highlight a recipe from one of my many cookbooks.)
One of my classics.
I have always thought biscuits were a hassle, but I basically dumped everything in the food processor. This was pretty easy-peasy.
I took this heirloom recipe (attributed to “The Cookbook Committee”), halved it, and updated the directions.
Angel Biscuits
2 1/2 c. flour
1/8 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. fine sea salt
1/2 c. shortening, cut in cubes
1/2 T. dry yeast
1 T. warm water
1 c. buttermilk
2 T. butter, meltedPreheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor equipped with the blade. Pulse two or three times to mix these dry ingredients.
Add shortening and process until crumbly.
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let set five minutes. Add yeast and buttermilk to flour/shortening mixture and pulse until incorporated. Do not over mix.
Dump contents on a floured surfaces and knead briefly to make sure it is all mixed. Roll out to about 3/4 ” and cut with a biscuit cutter. (Or, in my case a jar ring.)
I can never find the biscuit cutter!
Place biscuits on a prepared baking sheet. Top each biscuit with melted butter.
Ready for the oven!
Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with the remaining butter.
Ready for more butter and jam.
These are just slightly salty and sweet and very delicate. We loved them.
(They were also delicious for breakfast the next morning with melted butter and homemade blackberry jam.)
I’ve found some great recipes in Jr. League Cookbooks and love to browse through them from time to time. Love that all the ingredients can go into the processor bowl. Good fried chicken has to have a plate of homemade biscuits as a side. Yum, that sounds good.
I would not part with my JL cookbooks for anything! These biscuits were really tasty and much better than my fried chicken. Mine never stacks up to Grandmother’s.
I just pinned this recipe the other day. I need to stop in and get some buttermilk now. LOL.
Also, if I asked my wife what she wanted for dinner, and I told her she could have anything her heart desired, her first response would ALSO be fried chicken.
I wish I could make good fried chicken. I always cheat and use chicken tenders or boneless breasts.
Haha, I also have trouble finding my biscuit cutter and often resort to using a glass! I’m not a good fried chicken maker…I envy those that are!
Seriously, I can never find it. My mom chastised me when she was here at Thanksgiving and made donuts. Hubby even started to build a donut cutter and wounded himself! I still can’t find either!
these biscuits look so delicate and fluffy! i would totally love to eat one of these right now!
Wish I could send you one!
I am so tickled that you commented on my blog…..you see, now I found your blog!!! This blogging community is amazing and I am thrilled to be able to visit you. I have 2 very favorite Jr. League cookbooks…both from Denver JR. League. THey are excellent. Please stop by again, and bring Eliot!!! Susan
I actually have the Denver JL “Colorado Cache Cookbook.” Thank you for stopping by.
These look delicious! Would you believe that I cook about 95% of the time from my cookbooks? I have SO many and they are such a joy to take down from the shelf and look at! To me – it’s all part of the fun!
I need to take a lesson from you. I hope to have time to day to peruse a few and cook!
Your Angel Biscuits do look very enticing. Love the blacjberry jam idea 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
My husband works every other weekend, but he rarely answers that question definitively. He just says whatever! Sometimes it more fun to peruse the cookbooks than the blogs! Also, the club cookbooks do have some gems and by the looks of these biscuits, you did find a great recipe. They look perfectly light and fluffy-yum!
Hubby is working again this weekend (non stop) so I am trying to think of something to surprise him. I think I will go read some cookbooks!
That cookbook is classic. How cool that you have such a collector’s item!
Love these biscuits – they remind me of the ones my grandmother made.
I can’t live up to either one of my grandmother’s biscuits. 🙂
I love the name of these biscuits-it gives the idea you will be eating a very light and fluffy biscuit-like your description of them being delicate. <3 You are such a nice wife! I hardly ever ask my husband what he wants and give it to him the same day. If I ask him, he might get it within the next month. 😉
I think the yeast makes them so fluffy. You give me too much credit. 🙂 He doesn’t get fried chicken very often (and less often does he get biscuits!)
Light and lovely, these biscuits look delicious 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru