For 10 weeks, I’ll be making one recipe from each chapter in our Comfort Food Cookbook. We’re dubbing it “10 Weeks of Comfort Cooking.” Follow along for easy weeknight recipes, dishes worthy to share at the Thanksgiving table or as gifts for the holidays, and more. Want to win a copy of the Comfort Food Cookbook? Just make one of the recipes we share and post a photo of it in the comments section of this blog. (We’d love to know what you thought of it, too.) We’ll choose random winners throughout the 10 weeks. If you can’t wait to get your very own copy of the Comfort Food Cookbook, I don’t blame you. Simply see our shopping section.
Easy, Cheesy, Elegant or Everyday
That’s exactly how I’d describe the Cheddar Herb Biscuits in GRIT’s Comfort Food Cookbook. After spending the weekend working the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR (and finishing up the 400 Applesauce Doughnut Holes I wrote about last week), I was looking for a no-fuss recipe to share with you. I’m the queen of the 10-minute project that really takes two hours. These tasty treats only take about 20 minutes from the time you measure your first ingredient to the time they come out of the oven. Even for me. No waiting for yeast to do its thing, no kneading, rolling or cutting. Since they’re drop biscuits, they probably won’t all be the same exact size or shape, but that’s part of their charm.
Another great thing about this recipe is that it only takes eight ingredients – all of which are probably already in your pantry or fridge.
What would you serve these with? Their herby flavor and flaky yet slightly chewy texture would make them a great sidekick for a nice steak, roast or chicken dinner, or they’d pair well with a host of soups. I could see them topped with a thick chili to make a hearty meal, too. If you’re looking for something to replace the standard rolls at your Thanksgiving meal, these guys are quick and easy. You’ll look like a rock star – and no one will have to know that you didn’t slave away all night!
The recipe makes about 1 dozen, but you could easily double or triple the recipe – there aren’t any odd measurements, or make the biscuits smaller to be used as dumplings in a soup.
When Mr. Meat and Taters, my husband, tried them, he exclaimed, “Wow, these are really good!” (I’m not sure why he sounded so shocked. I’ve only maimed a handful of recipes since we’ve been married.) My 7-year-old loved them, too. In fact, he wolfed down three biscuits while my back was turned. So, they’re “I-don’t-care-about-bread”-husband- and kid-approved!
Without further ado, the Cheddar Herb Biscuit recipe:
Cheddar Herb Biscuits
Yields 1 dozen.
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 cup butter (I used unsalted since the recipe already calls for plenty of salt)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (you can use sharp for a more pronounced cheese flavor)
3/4 cup milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
Heat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, basil and oregano. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheese.
Combine the milk and garlic. Stir milk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix.
Using a spoon drop the dough in 12 equal balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. (If you can wait that long!)
Give these biscuits a whirl and let us know what you think. Remember to post a photo of your finished product for your chance to win a copy of the Comfort Food Cookbook! Do you have other biscuit or bread recipes that make your everyday meals to extraordinary? Please share those, too!