Monday, September 8, 2008

Apples and Grandma Toot's Biscuits

I have posted the last three years about going outside of Wickenburg, AZ to pick apples from a orchard out in the middle of the desert. We did that on Saturday so I am busy making my Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce that I posted last year. Most of this will be for the freezer. There will be a pie or two plus apple crisp. I love the feeling of using fresh fruit now and having the results mid winter.

There weren't many apples this year. The lady said they had a late frost. Too, a lot of them had worm holes, as these apples are not sprayed in anyway. We did get quite a few though. Colin loves to take Nana's applesauce in his lunchbox so I need to make a extra this year.

My Colin also loves homemade biscuits. So what is a Nana to do but make sure that a little boy has things that show him how much Nana is thinking about him? Julia likes the biscuits too, but it is not as big a thing with her as it is with him. He told the pre-school teacher last year, that his Nana could make anything. That is a high standard he has set for me! I am working hard to live up to it.

I grew up with biscuits made from Bisquick about twice a year. When they put them in a pop open can, we had them more often. I was amazed when the great white hunter told me that his mother made biscuits almost every day. I was even more amazed when I saw how she made them. I thought the main ingredient in biscuits was shortening but these are big and fluffy, and have two ingredients!

She makes them by pouring flour in a bowl, adding enough MOCHA MIX coffee creamer to make a dough, cuts them, and adds them to a pan that she has poured a little vegetable oil in, turns them to coat on both sides and pops them in the oven. I had to stand there and watch several times just to get the feel of the process. Then my kids wanted me to write it down because they said it was no good to them in MY head. I took the time one day to measure and this is the result. I use buttermilk because we don't use coffee creamer. I do use buttermilk in my cornbread so I don't waste what I don't use for biscuits. We also don't have these everyday. They are the big draw for Christmas breakfast with gravy and I have been making them a couple times a month for Colin to take home and have for breakfast.

Grandma Toot's Biscuits

2 to 2 1/2 cups SELF RISING flour (do not use all purpose)

1 to 2 cups buttermilk (today I used about 1 1/2 cups)

Mix about 1 cup buttermilk into flour, keep adding buttermilk a little at a time until you have a dough that is moist but not really sticky.

Flour a surface and place the dough on the flour. Knead dough a few times into flour until it no longer sticks to your fingers. ).



Flatten out and cut into circles. I used a 11" by 7" by 1.5" pan but a 8" square pan works as well. Pour about 1/4 cup oil in the pan, lay each biscuit in oil, then turn over to coat. Bake at 375 until golden brown. (about 40 minutes for my pan today.)







Now for some reason, I sometimes end up with a tough bottom crust, don't know why and I am sure there is someone out there who could tell me, but, I have my own solution. When I take these out of the oven, I immediately cover them with foil. That seals in the steam and it keeps them moist and makes the bottoms soft.

Serve with butter for Colin, butter and honey for my great white hunter and Julia, and gravy for my great white hunter son and my son in law.

9 comments:

Amelia said...

This is similar to the recipe I use - but I add some Crisco to mine. They are sure good eating with just anything on them.

Just keep on letting Colin think that his Granny can do everything.ha.

Enjoy your apples...our tree did not produce but a very few this year either...we don't spray...so have a few worm holes to contend with.

Belvie said...

I don't blame Colin for loving Nana's biscuits. Those look delicious! I'm copying the recipe and adding it to my favorites....especially because it doesn't have shortening!

Teresa said...

Oh, how I wish my biscuits would turn out that nice. I have tried and tried, yours sure do look yummy.

QuiltingFitzy said...

Do you always use the same pan? That looks like a non-stick, and they tend to get hotter than a good ol' fashioned metal pan.

They look wonderful. My biscuits could break your foot, I don't even try any more.

Lucky grands!

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

I'm with Colin. It appears YOU CAN make anything.

MMMMM, I can smell the apple crisp from here. My mom used to make the best apple crisp and has since lost the recipe (I suppose). I now have to rely on my sister who I THINK goes from no recipe. I so need to find a recipe and make some apple crisp.

My mouth is watering already.

Patty said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Patty said...

I deleted my comments because I added the wrong link. Let me try this again. The biscuits sound great! And, I don't know if you ever got my email about transfer pencils but there's a post on The Purl Bee about fabric markers that you might find interesting. http://www.purlbee.com/

Granny Lyn said...

Us Granny's are the best, aren't we? we really can do anything in their eyes!

I sent Mr. Wonderful the recipe, so maybe I will have some for supper tonight?

yum

Hunter said...

Oh my gosh. My mouth is watering.

What a day to start "blog reading" again. :)

I'm off to catch up reading your archives.

Best regards,
Darilyn