One of the first things I ever made from scratch were whole-wheat biscuits from an old Rodale cookbook by Paulette Mitchell called The New American Vegetarian Menu Cookbook: From Everyday Dining to Elegant Entertaining. It was a recipe for herbed biscuits. Making those biscuits taught me that making things from scratch was not only easy, but also filled my family and myself with love...and filled our bellies. I realized that making something nourishing could help you show love to your body and yourself--and feel good, too!
I recently updated the recipe to my own standards (simpler, more buttery), and using only fresh herbs, not dried) and tried cutting the biscuits into heart shapes. They were totally yum, very moist, and simply delightful. Perfect for Valentine's Day, a romantic dinner, or just whenever you want to feel some love for yourself, too.
Herbed Biscuits
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup white flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 2/3 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular)
- Salt
- 2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley will do)
- ¼-½ cup milk, half-and-half, or cream
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Sift and mix the flours and powders together in a bowl.
3. Add the butter and gently mix with your hands until it's a bit dispersed. (Leaving a few chunks is good! That makes pockets of buttery goodness!)
4. Add the yogurt, salt, herbs, and milk (I used half-and-half) and mix together so the mixture forms a dough that is moist yet sticky.
5. Put the dough on a floured surface and flatten gently with your hands and either cut into heart shapes, round biscuit shapes, or squares, depending on your creativity and preference.
6. Bake for 12 minutes or so, until the biscuits look golden and delicious!
Note: These are always best fresh out of the oven! So maybe make only as many as you need now and save the batter to make for breakfast the next morning.
For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com