Biscuits

One of the things I used to love about my childhood was family time. Grandmothers are often the glue that holds the family together and the Johnson family was no exception. My grandmother used to gather everyone together on Sundays and holidays so we could enjoy family time. And sadly, since her transition, those moments of family, food and fellowship rarely take place any longer.

During my childhood, I spent a lot of time at my grandmother's house. I must say that initially I would go with dread, because as a young child I always wanted to go outside to play. And there were no kids around her house, nothing to do in her neighborhood and just not many things to get in to, other than the sweets she always kept around the house. To make bad matters worse, my piano instructor lived across the street from her. And I always felt like I had to hide from her lest she make me come over and start rehearsing for my next audition. Because there was nothing for a young person to do, I ended up spending a lot of time bonding with Nana at the kitchen table, watching her tidy up around the house and learning how to find my way around the kitchen.

My grandmother was a serious baker and did most, if not all, of her baking from scratch. I used to love watching her cook and bake. Breakfast at her house would often consist of homemade cinnamon buns, biscuits, scrambled eggs, livermush, grits and/or applesauce.

So today I had a healthier version of grandma's breakfast and, I must say, my biscuits might give Nana a run for her money! She would be proud.

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup of buttermilk

Whole Wheat Biscuits

2 c white whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 packet stevia
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c cold unsalted butter
1 c milk (I used unsweetened hemp milk)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together. Cut the stick of butter into pieces, and work into the flour mixture with your hands or a pastry blender until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Add milk, mixing until a bit loose and sticky.

Pour dough out on a floured surface and knead for a minute. Create ball with dough and roll it out. Do not knead too much or biscuits will be tough.

Using a round cutter, cut out your biscuits and place on baking sheet. Do not twist cutter from side to side when cutting biscuits. Bake until tops are browned, about 12-15 minutes. Brush each biscuit with melted butter and serve warm.

Spending time with Nana, having Sunday and holiday dinners, catching episodes of the Edge of Night and As The World Turns at the kitchen table, watching how she cooked with love and soul...and not to mention the soft peppermint sticks and Brach's candy mix in her living room candy jar...Priceless.

All photographs are actual pictures of the recipe listed, prepared by Virtually Everything Sweet, and cannot be used without the owner’s consent.