Buttermilk Biscuits

One thing my mom, my husband, and Joshua all have in common...is their extreme love of my biscuits. Others like them too, but these three can about eat their weight in biscuits. I've made them...well, forever, I guess.
This is my favorite bowl to make them in. It's wide enough and large enough so I have plenty of room...I've used other bowls, but I just like this one the best. It's my 'go to' bowl.
For a single batch, 10-12 biscuits, start by dumping in 2 cups of flour. I always use unbleached...and it's organic flour, but I've made it with just regular ole Gold Medal Unbleached flour for years...

Pour in one cup, then pour in another...
There, 2 cups of flour...
Now the baking powder. I usually put in about a tablespoon...I've put in 2 teaspoons before, but I usually put in a tablespoon...and to be honest, I can't tell any difference.

Now put in 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda...
Just dump it in...

Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt...
I usually kind of stir this up...not much, but just to mix it up a little...
Now you need 1/3 cup of butter... not margarine, butter. I always use unsalted. Once upon a time, I used to use margarine, but I don't recommend it anymore. The butter needs to be cold...don't let it sit out before you use it.
I start with one knife and cut the cube in some chunks...
This will just make it a little easier in a minute...
Now grab a second knife and cut the butter into ... well, pea size, I guess.
Cut, cut, cut...kind of like scissors...only you're using knives.
I have one of those one handed things for cutting the butter up, but I prefer two knives...
It works better for me...
Here's what it looks like... you can see a few small chunks of butter...
I guess 'pea size' is about an accurate description...
Whew...sometimes my hands are tired and I need a little break at this point.
Now you need 1 cup of buttermilk. Just dump it in...
I trade my knives in for a spoon at this point.
Stir it up. You're still going to have a little unincorporated flour, but that's ok. You'll get it all up in a minute. Just stir until it's mostly together.

At this point, I usually put some flour on my hands, and knead it for a minute in the bowl. Not a literal minute, but just to get those loose pieces of flour incorporated.
Take a piece of wax paper.....
Put a little flour on it...and spread it around the wax paper. See my scoop? That was Mimi's.
Now dump the dough onto the floured wax paper...

Unfortunately for the readers of Cooks Corner, I forgot to take a photo of patting the dough out. I PAT it out, I don't roll it out, although that would probably work just fine.
You can see that it isn't all perfect, nope, just pat it out. Now take your biscuit cutter (this was Mimi's too) or use a glass, (I usually use a 8 oz Ball jar at my mom's)...and cut out the biscuits.
Sometimes I realize I didn't pat it out very evenly, so I'll pat a little inbetween cuts. Once I've cut out all I can, then grab the pieces of left over dough and re-pat it out....then cut out some more.
When you've cut out all you can, and there's STILL a little dough left, just stick some on top of the biscuits. These are soooo tastey when they're done! I don't grease the cookie sheet...I just stick the biscuits right on there.
You can see that they aren't all round. Doesn't make any difference. They'll taste just the same.
Plus, if you're trying not to eat too much, you can eat an extra one that's not a full biscuit. It's better on your conscious that way.
Now, put them in a preheated 450 degree oven...
I usually set the timer for 12 minutes. You can see it took me 4 seconds to grab the camera and take a picture once I put the biscuits in.
Oh yum... 12 minutes have passed...
See those little 'top knots'? One time in Texas, my mom wanted me to make an entire batch of just little top knots. I did...and they were definitely tastey. They would not take 12 minutes.
Now throw them into a tea-towel lined basket... you may notice a little lighter spot on the top biscuit? That's where a 'top knot' WAS before I ate it.
Add some butter...watch it melt for a split second...and then ....

Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes by Chef Joshua

"Hey Jutze, hop out of the way while I make some 'cakes. "

Those were the words of Joshua, the new Pancake Chef. Erica was delighted...I think she and Thalia will expect a bit more in the breakfast department from now on.

Chef Joshua used a recipe I've made for years... like 30 years. He figured he needed to double the recipe so he started by cracking 4 eggs.Next, he found the oil and added 5 Tablespoons. Lindsey said she never uses as much as the recipe calls for so I told him to use a 'scant 5 Tablespoons.'

We had to explain 'scant' to the new Pancake Chef.
Chef Joshua had Thalia read him the ingredients...and double it. She told him he needed 2 cups of buttermilk...no, wait, we're doubling it, so we need 4 cups.

"Buttermilk?" he asked.

"Yes, Josh."
Thalia told Joshua to stir the eggs, oil, and buttermilk together.

"Hey Jutze, where's that whisk thing?" the chef asked his blogging mother.

Next came the dry ingredients. The recipe called for 2 cups of flour... which when doubling, means 4 cups.

Notice the scoop? That belonged to my Mimi.
Chef Joshua carefully measured each cup.
Ignore the vino... I wouldn't recommend it with pancakes. Coffee or juice pairs best with pancakes.
Enter Lindsey.

She IS a master chef... I'm not sure if she was trusting that her elder brother was doing it correctly. She decided to check out the situation and I do believe it met her approval.
Along with the 4 cups of flour, Chef Joshua added: 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 Tablespoons of sugar. (Without doubling, this would be 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 Tablespoon of sugar - I figured I'd do the math for you!)
Now it was mixed together with the whisk.
"Mix it up, Josh," he was instructed.
Chef Joshua decided to test out his creation. We definitely let him know he could not do that again...at least until he washed his hands!

"Taste great, Jutze," was his verdict.
Now it was time to cook... notice the grill? It's perfect for pancakes. This grill was actually a gift from Gabe and Emily a few years ago. (Thank you again, Gabe and Emily!)
I told Chef Joshua to watch for little bubbles. Then he would know it was time to flip them.
He got a bit creative and threw some M&M's on one of them for Thalia.
Once these pancakes are cooked, some like to put maple syrup on top. This would be PURE maple syrup, none of that imitation stuff is allowed on these pancakes!

Some, like my guy, also love jam on top. (That would be instead of maple syrup, not both! Well, I guess you could put both, but I don't recommend it.)
As you can see, the Johnston home is rather quiet as all seats are filled with pancake eaters.
Lindsey checked out some oatmeal, debating on whether to eat that or some of her elder brother's 'cakes. The cakes won. Do you notice that little pooch on her? That's not from eating too many pancakes.
Here's the recipe...as I have it written in The Cook's Notebook, a cooking journal given to me over 25 years ago.
In case you can't read it very well, here's the recipe:

Pancakes via the Johnston Chronicles

Mix together:
2 eggs
2 1/2 Tablespoons oil
2 cups buttermilk

Add:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar

Mix and cook over medium heat until golden - flipping once.

Enjoy!