As many of you know, I am a bread lover. Matters not whether it’s rye bread, sourdough, biscuits, bagels, quick bread, cornbread – you name it. If it smacks of bread, I am all over it. So, the other evening having just received my latest A1C blood test results and learning that I am no longer classified as a diabetic, I celebrated. I fixed these delicious rolls to go along with Duck Sausage and Bean Soup. (Recipe already on site.) And the combination of these biscuits and the soup turned out to be perfect! And thank you Pam from 101milekitchen.com for this great recipe.

And the best part. (Well, almost the best part, was how easy the biscuits had been to make.) (The actual best part was how wonderful these biscuits tasted. And how delicious they still were the second and third day!) One bowl and hardly any prep time. In fact, the oven took longer to come to temperature than it took for me to mix and shape the biscuits. How cool is that!

And cleanup was a snap. So, all in all, a recipe destined to be prepared and served over and over at Chez Carr. And each time I plan to make them a bit different. As examples, next time I make these biscuits, I’m going to use grated sharp cheddar cheese and a pinch of chili powder. Or crumbled blue cheese, granulated garlic, and a pinch of dried thyme. The possible variations are truly endless.

So, if you too like soft, flavorful, and easy to prepare biscuits, this is the recipe for you.

Well, the weather Goddess doesn’t seem to be able to decide what to do regarding precipitation around here. Mixed rain and snow are being threatened by the weather forecasters. But looking out the den windows, the mountains are in the sun’s spotlight. All the new snow that has fallen over the past week has turned even the low foothills into a snowy wonderland. Grey clouds are high in the sky, but the mountains themselves look Christmas card worthy. Truly beautiful to behold.

Speaking of Christmas, how did it come around again so soon? I sincerely hope you were paying more attention than I was, because so far, I haven’t given Christmas gifts and goodies even the slightest thought. Perhaps I should work on Christmas this weekend. But first there are World Cup matches to watch. And I do have my priorities after all! Christmas will just have to get sorted out between games. Besides, after all the Christmas’s I have withstood, I know everything will work out just fine in the end. It always does!

May you too adopt a more cavalier attitude towards the holidays this year. We are all so blessed and have so much to be thankful for. If all the cookies don’t get baked as planned, or a tree doesn’t get decorated this year, or you decide to go away for the holidays, so be it. Just be joyful and thankful for what was accomplished. If you are like me, you sometimes set the bar too high. Lowering the expectations you set for yourself could be the best way to truly enjoy this wonderful time of the year.

Peace and love to all.

1¾ c. unbleached all-purpose flour, fluffed

1 T. baking powder

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper (just a smidge)

⅓ c. finely grated Parmesan cheese or grated cheese of choice

½ tsp. Italian seasoning or favorite combination of dried or fresh herbs

1 c. whole milk or half whole milk and half buttermilk

6 T. extra virgin olive oil  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning together. Pour the milk and olive oil over the dry ingredients. Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Don’t overmix.

Using a #24 (3 tablespoons) ice cream scoop, drop the biscuits onto the prepared pan. Bake in a pre-heated 425-degree oven for 14-16 minutes or until the bottom side of the biscuits are a nice golden brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately or allow to cool and warm just before serving.