Gloomy Boise

So what does one do in Boise on a cold, "looks like snow" day? We could go to Manleys for Biscuits and Gravy. Oh .... I forgot. Manleys closed about 10 or 12 years ago. Boo Hoo! 4 of their biscuits would fill a pie plate and they were probably 2" or so high. So, maybe I should make my own. No Bisquick? No problem!!

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Yield: 12 Biscuits, or so

1¼ c Cake flour
¾ c All-Purpose flour
1½ t Baking Powder
½ t Baking Soda
½ t Salt
¼ lbs Butter, cut into small chunks
¾ c Buttermilk

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 500° F
2. Prepare ingredients: Cut butter into small chunks, place in a bowl and return to fridge. Measure out buttermilk and set aside. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and have extra flour nearby for your hands and biscuit cutter. Have biscuit cutter and an ungreased baking sheet handy
3. Mix dough: In a medium-large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt until very well blended. Add butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and stir lightly until dough comes together in a ball.
4. Knead dough and cut biscuits: Dump dough mixture out onto floured work surface. With floured hands, lightly knead dough a few times until it is fairly well blended. Pat out into a circle, ¾ – 1 inch thick. Dip cutter into flour and cut biscuits without twisting the cutter. Form the dough scraps into an extra biscuit-like shape instead of re-rolling the dough. Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that the sides are touching. Brush tops with melted butter, if desired.
5. Bake biscuits: place baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 500° F oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove biscuits to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

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OK, so now I have the biscuits. (I really need to cut them to 1" thick before baking. They would be higher.) How about an old stand-by: Biscuits and Sausage Gravy? Sounds good to me. Just break up some sausage links, or use ground sausage - I would not use an Italian sausage for this - some butter and flour for a roux, salt and pepper, some nutmeg and whole milk. Mix all together with the sausage until it thickens and serve on the biscuits you just made. A hearty cup of El Pico coffee and you are set!!! What a delightful way to spend this gloomy day (even Buddy is gloomy!). Make some fresh and homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy for my blushing Bride!! Yup! That'll work. Cheers!