Cheddar and scallion biscuits

While I was eating one of these leftover biscuits with my salad for lunch today at work, someone asked me "Don't you ever just eat anything that comes out of a box?" The answer is that I really try not to. I mean, of course there are times when I need a pizza, but most days I try to eat real food. To me, that means as little processed ingredients as possible and making most things myself (within reason). I don't grind my own flour and I buy things like pasta (but never macaroni and "cheese" - I make that myself with real cheese). I do these things not only because I want my husband and I to be healthy, but I really want to know what I'm putting in my body. My stomach and health issues are a large driver of this because many fats, oils, and other things bring on great distress to my system. This blog is something I developed to help me document the food I'm making and to track the progress I make towards eating better and feeling better.

Sometimes, you just want a warm, cheesy biscuit. These delicious biscuits came from a recipe in my Gourmet Today cookbook. I made them large and sandwich-sized because I filled them with turkey sloppy joes (recipe to come). You can make them smaller to eat as a side as well. They'd be perfect with barbecue chicken, chilis, soups, etc. Or, you can make them large like me and use them as sandwich rolls. I bet they'd also be great for a breakfast egg sandwich. So, depending on the size, this recipe will make 6-8 sandwich-sized biscuits or 10-12 side dish/snack-sized biscuits. 

Cheddar and scallion biscuits
1-3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup cornmeal (not coarse)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small cubes
6 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 1-1/2 cups)
3 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
3 scallions, finely chopped
1-1/3 cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Butter a large baking sheet (or line with parchment paper).

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in the butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal (I cheated and pulsed these all in a food processor and then transferred the mixture to a large bowl - it worked fine).

Stir in the cheeses and scallions with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.

Divide the dough into equal amounts for as many biscuits as you want to make. Drop them onto the baking sheet and flatten them slightly if using for sandwiches. Bake until golden (about 10-15 minutes for large biscuits, so less time for smaller ones). Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly and serve warm.

What was I cooking one year ago: Jasmine rice pudding