Angel Biscuits

So I posted on my personal blog about teaching my husband how to fry bacon. I love bacon, but I don’t love the smell, the greasy film all over the kitchen when you’re done, the extra jiggle it gives my thighs…I’m usually a turkey bacon only kind of lady. But, well. My husband asked. And he asked nicely.

The other night I went over to my best friend’s house and her husband had made dinner - nothing fancy, a very manly meat-stuffed-bread kind of thing. He sent a plate home with me for Will and as Will ate I hovered over him with questions and statements like “Isn’t that tasty?” “Jay made that, you know!” “Christy is so lucky to have a husband who will cook for her sometimes!” The tone was important – I wasn’t condescending or blaming, I was just complimentary of another man.

Apparently my husband took that to heart because the VERY NEXT DAY he practically begged me to teach him how to fry bacon and scramble eggs (I have NO IDEA why he chose this as his teach-me meal).

I jumped fast. Really fast. I knew if I let the idea linger he would forget or lose interest or even pretend the conversation never happened.

So yesterday evening we found ourselves in the grocery store picking up bacon and eggs. We got home and changed and I laid everything out for us. I called him into the kitchen, pulled my apron over his head (HEE), and pointed out all the things he would need, in what order he would need them, and what to do with them.

It was fun. It was fabulous. He never complained, he asked tons of questions, he pushed me aside and said “Let me do it!” My heart swelled and I was so happy! And I felt lucky!

So, if I post even less (is that possible?), it’s because I’ve outsourced my kitchen. I see a lot of bacon and free time in my future.

So this isn’t a post just waxing poetic about a husband who can now do what other husbands have probably been doing for ages, let me share an old time biscuit recipe with y’all that I can’t imagine anyone will ever use. My favorite!

Angel Biscuits

1 cup buttermilk
1 package active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
½ cup shortening or lard (what, you don’t keep lard lying around?)
¼ cup butter, chilled
flour
2 tbsp butter, melted

In a small saucepan heat the buttermilk to lukewarm. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yeast and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut the shortening and ¼ cup butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in the buttermilk and dry yeast until blended.

Turn the dough out onto a floured bread board (er, your kitchen table) and roll to ½” thickness. Brush the top with melted butter. Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter (a drinking glass! and place buttered side down on a well-greased baking sheet, close together but not touching. Brush the tops with the reaming melted butter. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and set aside to ride in a warm, draft-free spot for 60 minutes.

Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Serve immediately.

(Hey, y’all, last night I just mixed Bisquick and milk and made big messy drop biscuits. Please don’t ever roll out dough on a school night. Those are my words of wisdom for the day!