Biscuits!

Here are two nice biscuit recipes for your taste buds. Both are drop biscuits, which are very easy to make, and taste delicous! The Cornmeal Drop Biscuits are from Matha Stewart's website (and were recently on one of her shows) and the Poppyseed Rolls (which are a cross between a tea buscuit and a bun) are from "French Women Don't Get Fat". Now, I have to say about that book...I find it a little bit embarassing to have it in my collection. But I LOVE the book, from a food perspective more than a diet book perspective. I loved reading about the French and their food! So, try out one, or both, of these recipes, they are a great accompaniment to soup!


Poppy Seed Rolls

1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1-1/3 cups plain yogurt
4 Tbsp olive oil
2-1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp double-acting baking powder
1 tsp poppy seeds

Mix together the egg and water. Reserve

Whip the yogurt and olive oil to a smooth consistency. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Make a well and pour the yogurt-oil mixture into the center. Using your fingertips, mix the dough until it is homogeneous. Work the dough until it no longer sticks and has a smooth consistency.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make 12 round rolls and put on a baking sheet. Brush with the egg-water mixture and sprinkle with poppy seeds. Using a sharp knife, make a cross on top of each roll. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the rolls are golden. They are good warm, but you can, of course, serve them at room temperature once cooled.

Makes 12 rolls



AND....



CORNMEAL DROP BISCUITS

Makes 10

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger clumps remaining.

Pour in milk; using a rubber spatula, fold milk into dough, working in all directions and incorporating crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, until dough just comes together. The dough will be slightly sticky; do not overmix.

With two large spoons, drop mounds of dough (about 1/3 cup each) about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until biscuits are golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Slide parchment and biscuits onto a wire rack to cool.