Thursday, November 20, 2014

Lottie Greer's Country Biscuits



Have you ever came across a recipe to learn that you don't really agree with the ingredients are off, and you either fix it, or just ignore it and move on to something else. Homemade Southern buttermilk biscuits are always so comforting to have served with chicken, breakfast, or just have it for a snack with fresh sweet butter slathered on it...yumm!

I have so many great cookbooks, but I always end up googleing for recipes on the Internet to get quick results. I purchased this lovely cookbook called Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader at World Thrift store for a mere $2.95...2004 edition, which is still popular and has the author's Southern family recipes which were no doubt 'hand-me-downs'...probably verbal and not all of them tried and tested before being published!

I was so thrilled that the biscuits turned out so nice, crunchy and perfectly baked out the outside, and super flaky, and delicious on the inside. Also, I want to share a little tip with you regarding the buttermilk and the self-rising flour. I must be the only one that does not particularly favor self-rising flour...only because, it tends to be too salty, and has a distinctive flavor on its own. (just my opinion)
Buttermilk is being wasted if only used in just a certain recipe; so, it's wise to use an easy substitute!
These awesome biscuits freeze well, just pop them into a plastic baggie, and when ready to use one or all, they heat up in the oven so nice, just as fresh as you made them.

You can actually see the flakiness of the biscuit, as I split it in half. Seriously, I will continue to make my own buttermilk, and save money, but not spare the flavor. As for self-rising flour, (maybe the American brand)...just not a fan of it and will stick with the all-purpose flour!
You can purchase Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader on Amazon




Lottie Greer's Country Biscuits

Chef.Foodie's picture


Ingredients
Shortening8 Tablespoon, chilled (More For Greasing The Baking Sheets)
I used 4 Tbsp. shortening and 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter...also use parchment paper to cover baking sheet (no greasing baking sheet; removed parchment paper when done, for photo shots)
Self rising flour3 1⁄4 Cup (52 tbs) (White Lily, More For Rolling Out The Dough)
made my own 'self-rising' flour from all-purpose flour, using the 'alternating method'
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
For 1 cup of all-purpose flour=1 cup of self rising flour
Salt1⁄2 Teaspoon...no additional salt needed
Granulated sugar2 Tablespoon...way too much sugar...I did use 2 teaspoons organic sugar
Baking soda1⁄2 Teaspoon...1 teaspoon
Buttermilk2 Cup (32 tbs), chilled...I used the 'alternating method' ...ONLY 1 CUP OF BUTTERMILK IS NEEDED1
For 1 cup milk...whole milk, 2 % or heavy cream
1 scant cup of milk
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
Combine milk w/ vinegar, let stand 10 min. it will slightly thicken and bubble; use in place of buttermilk
Directions
Preheat the oven to 475°F...450 degrees F. is needed
Grease a couple of baking sheets and set aside....no greasing needed when parchment paper is used.
Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the shortening is the size of small peas.
Add the buttermilk and stir until just mixed.
The dough should be very wet....THE DOUGH WILL BE JUST RIGHT IF ONLY 1 CUP OF MILK IS USED! DO NOT USE 2 CUPS...
Place some flour in a shallow bowl.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of wet dough into the flour.
Flour your fingers and sprinkle flour on the top of the wet dough.
Roll the dough gently in flour just to coat the outside.
 Try not to mix too much extra flour into the dough.

Add a handful of flour on the board or counter, and gently gather your dough patting it lightly into a disk...no rolling is needed at all!
 Shape into biscuits, using floured hands, working the dough as little as possible.Shape into biscuits using 3 inch biscuit cutter, or smaller....3 in. cutter will make 9 biscuits, and smaller will make 12. Use scraps up, gently shaping and cutting it.
Arrange the biscuits, touching each other, on the baking sheets.
Arrange biscuits...DO NOT touch together!
You can brush extra milk on the biscuits (optional) before baking.
 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until just brown on top.

 





33 comments:

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Elisabeth! Oh how I wish you would have shared the cover of that cookbook with us. Then ypou, your cookbook and these delectable biscuits could have popped on over for Cookbook Wednesday which is in full force until next Tuesday! Perhaps you can add a quick pic and link this post up:)

I'm with you on the flour thing. Mind you, I'm not baker and if I even dared tried to bake these biscuits, they would probably bounce, lol...But, I agree about the saltiness for some reason with the self rising flour.

Thanks so much for sharing these biscuits with us Elisabeth. Hope to see you back at Cookbook Wednesday!!!

claudia lamascolo said...

I am so making these! Love the recipe and yours look spectacular so glad to see you again! :) hope your well! missed ya lots! xo

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Hi Louise, so sorry for missing Cookbook Wednesday...I'm so 'out of the loop' on sharing things, perhaps I can still catch up linking this to your blog!
So glad to see that I'm not the only one that is 'hung up' on the 'salty' issue. For the longest time, I've noticed every time I really did use the 'self rising' flour that I was not happy with the salty taste, and it also altered the textured too much for my taste! Will check with your Cookbook Wednesday, now!

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Hi Claudia, so nice to see you commenting on my blog; as for me with my Google+ situation...still haven't gotten the full 'swing' of things, just trying to do my best! Missed you too as well~ xoxo

The Happy Whisk said...

I will not use self-rising flour as it is rubbish.

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Elisabeth!
Thanks for linking to Cookbook Wednesday. I'm working on fixing your link. I think the problem may have been with the URL. I've tried to fix it but now it seems the Linky Tool is working in slow motion, lol...I'll try it a bit later and see if they have fixed it on their end. Thank you SO much for joining in. I'll let you know when all is a go:)

Patty Magyar said...

Those look so beautiful, Elisabeth! I do not have very good biscuit making skills! I was watching Guy Fieri on the Food Network...make biscuits. He didn't cut them but put all the dough on a cookie sheet and then cut them into big fluffy squares!

scrambledhenfruit said...

My grandson has already requested sausage gravy and biscuits for Christmas, and these look like they'd fit the bill perfectly. :) I have that cookbook, but I've never tried the recipe. Love the improvements you've made in the original recipe!

Liz Berg said...

Your biscuits look so flaky and perfect! Wish I had some to go along with my chili for dinner tonight :) Have a terrific Thanksgiving, Lizzie!!! xoxo

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Thanks, glad I'm not the only one that feels that way!

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Patty, that is such a great idea; the same method goes for chocolate chip cookies...as well! I still like the 'biscuit' look, but when I'm in a hurry, it seems like a great idea!

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Hi Betty, so nice to hear from you...such a great idea...'sausage gravy biscuits'...will have to make this! I love this cookbook and already found 2 other recipes that I want to make; Cythia's Pumpkin Pie, and Louella's Coconut Cake, for Thanksgiving! Some recipes do require a little adaptations!

Angie Schneider said...

I am just like you, always look for the recipes online!! These biscuits so beautifully golden and melt-in-mouth, Elisabeth.

The Happy Whisk said...

No, you're not. The leavening agents are often stale and don't work proper and the salt in the sack of flour is not needed. I never buy the stuff. It's vile.

Horrid.

~~louise~~ said...

Hip Hip Hooray! It's fixed Elisabeth and it looks terrific! Thank you so much for sharing...

Cathleen said...

I LOVE biscuits! Yours look amazing!

Mae Travels said...

So glad you made it into Cookbook Weds. And the biscuits look great.

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Thanks Louise, I finally linked up properly...it's been a while since I linked up; come to think of it it was also with you for the 'picnic'...which was also a lot of fun!

Illéskrisz Konyhája said...

Nekem is van bőven receptes könyvem, néha sütök belőlük. Van hogy pont olyan lesz, mint a képen, de van, hogy egyáltalán nem sikerül. Ez a zsemle nagyon finom lehet, főleg, hogy édes és sós ízzel is lehet fogyasztani. Nagyon szép a belseje is...

Phong Hong said...

Hi Elisabeth! Up until now, I have not eaten these biscuits. The biscuits that I know this side of the world are those crunchy ones like cookies. Must make these one day since they can be frozen!

Gloria Baker said...

These biscuits look beautiful!

C. Hawkins said...

They turned out wonderful! I need to try this!

kitchen flavours said...

Lovely biscuits! Crunchy and golden on the outside, flaky and delicious inside, my kinda biscuits!

Emma said...

Your biscuits look so fluffy, really lovely. I've only ever made scones but these seem quite different and much nicer. I would definitely just have them with butter and a cup of tea!

I don't use self raising flour anymore either, it's easier to just buy one kind of flour and add raising agents as needed.

http://www.asplashofvanilla.com/

Katalin said...

Nagyon szépek lettek a pogácsáid!

mangiabella said...

mmmmm I love biscuits!!!! Been thinking about you a lot, sending all my love sweet bella!

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Köszönöm Katalin, remélem már jobban vagy...nagyon kedves vagy hogy vettél időt kommentálni, hiszen még nem is vártam hogy ilyen hamarosan postolnál!

Elisabeth Foodandthrift said...

Thank you bella,..haven't been checking things on FB in the last few days, I know you have been so very busy with your 3 sweet children! xo

Zoe said...

Hi Elizabeth,

I'm with you... It is always a painful thing to throw away leftover buttermilk. Please don't laugh at me but I did try drinking some to avoid further wastage :p

Very beautiful biscuits... Nice that they freeze well too.

Zoe

Daiana Molineris said...

Hi darling!!! <3
Sono deliziosi e pronti per essere farciti con qualche buona marmellata,complimenti Eli!!!:-))
10000 Kisses to you

mangiabella said...

Sweet Bella, you brightened my day with your visit and comments on my blog....I think of you so often!!! Stop by again today if you have a chance, i've just posted a big announcement this morning....eeek! so excited!!!!

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Elisabeth!
I wanted to pop over and wish you and yours a Bountiful Thanksgiving. Be safe and eat lots and lots, lol...It's funny you mentioned the Picnic Game. I was just thinking about it today. It seems so far away especially since it has been snowing all day, lol...Happy Thanksgiving, Elisabeth!

Ivy Sew said...

Hi Elisabeth, Hi5! I am with you too! I have a big collection of good cookbooks too and yet I still goggle for quick recipes! Funny isn't it? hahaha.... Yeah, love this country biscuits of yours. Look so delectable and awesome. Thanks for sharing and warmest regards. Hugs:)