A couple of things. First, I do know you can substitute soured milk for buttermilk and I've done that for some recipes. The taste is nowhere near the same. The chemical content of the acid works in whatever recipe I'm using but the deep buttermilk taste only comes out if you use real buttermilk. ( and thanks bells for letting me know it freezes! I'm going to try that)
Second. Biscuits here at my house are a staple. (This could be one reason going to the gym is a necessity). They are breadlike products that are sooooo good with almost any meal. You can buy biscuits in a can by Pillsbury but they're only ok. Truly good biscuits can be made quickly and easily. They're good with butter and honey or jam or jelly or gravy or (insert your favorite substance here). I thought I'd share my recipe for biscuits in case you live in one of those places where biscuits are not part of the cuisine.
Baking Powder Biscuits
4 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup shortening (you can use butter or margarine or Crisco)
Milk
Put the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until it's small and well mixed.
Add enough milk to form a soft dough. Knead the dough gently until it is not sticky and then pat it out on the counter until it's about 1/2 inch thick.
Using a cookie cutter or a glass dipped in flour, cut the dough into rounds. You can also just use a knife and have square biscuits.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 mins or until browned.
Slather with butter and enjoy.
You can also make drop biscuits by adding extra milk and then dropping the dough by large tablespoonsful onto baking sheets or into muffin tins. Bake the same.
If you want to use buttermilk, add 1/4 tsp baking soda to the dry ingredients and then substitute the buttermilk. They're wonderful.
These are especially good with sausage gravy on top.
Third. Last night I did something I have been promising myself I would do for a long time. I almost chickened out at the last minute but I realized that if I didn't just jump in, it would never happen. What was this momentous event? I went to a knitting group and introduced myself to a small group of strangers.
I got a PM on ravelry last week from a woman saying that they had a group that met on Wednesday nights in the area and she invited me to go. They're not an organized group. It's all very casual. I thought I can do this. So, after the gym last night, Pk and I had dinner and then he drove with me (he didn't want me to go alone. For some reason he was worried that things might not work out) and we found the bookstore where the group meets. I found the new Vogue Knitting to look at and then I found them. It was a bit awkward since the woman who had issued the invitation wasn't there. But, they invited me to sit down and I did. It's a small group, only 7 women and they've been together for a time so there was lots of conversation about things I didn't know.( someone explained some of the back stories for me so I could follow along ) Everyone was either knitting or crocheting things and it was all very pleasant. Finally the woman who had issued the invitation came and it seemed to make it ok with everyone else.
It's hard to be the new person in an established group. Especially a small group. I wasn't sure how I felt most of the time and wasn't sure how they felt having a stranger invade their space. All the way up to the time we went in the front door, I was sure I should just go home. Even if nothing ever comes of this, I'm glad I went. Next week Kate wants to go too so it'll be different again. And who knows? Maybe this will be a group that I can fit in with and enjoy.
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16 comments:
good on you for going to the group. the first couple of times are always hard, then one day you will start to look forward to going and it will be like youve always gone! and thanks for the biscuit recipe, i am definitely going to try them this winter!
It's like fitting in at a new job. It takes time but you genuinely LIKE people, so they will surely respond well. You are a delight, and they are lucky to have you join them. And it will be splendid to have Kate go with you. Be sure to talk to the other kids at the party though. Maybe think about some topics to bring up before you go. Like, "What do you think about using mohair for a summer cardigan?" or the eternal debate, "Wooden, plastic or metal needles?"
Bravo to you for making new friends!!
I think it's sometimes hard for us introverts not to be paranoid, thinking "they don't like me" or "they don't want me here" when actually they just don't know you. I hope you do go back and give it a chance. You'll soon know if the group is a good one for you or not.
I think after a certain age making new friends is just so hard! I don't mind so much going to places where I don't know anybody, but it takes me a very, very long time to actually make a friend. I guess I can mingle well, but that's the extent of it. Still, I'd like to go to a knitting group some day, too! I think even without a close friend there it would be nice to knit in company every now and then.
I remember the first time I went to my now regular snb, I felt quite similar to you. And then gradually I got to know people (and more new people joined too) and now it's a highlight of my week (and I will really miss it when Teddy arrives). I hope you will keep going and have the same experience as I've had.
Thanks for the biscuit recipe! Sounds very similar to our scones. But we'd never eat them with gravy! (although to complicate things further, I think our gravy and your gravy is different too, and our sausage and your sausage is also not entirely the same!!)
Anything new is a little awkward at first. Give it a couple of times and you may just find the group gets more comfortable.
Good for you to take the risk and go!
The biscuit recipe is almost like mine, but I add spices and cheese. Grilltech loves it when I make dumpings out of it.
yes I think they are scones. More or less. I've heard of biscuits compared to scones before!
New groups are hard. Very hard. Sometimes I just need one little flash of connection with one person and I'm ok. The whole group can take a while but if there's a hint of connection with one person, it feels like a way in for me. I hope you try again!
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Baking powder biscuits, yum! My mom always made them to go with fried chicken and served honey from Dad's bees.
You know, I did the same thing the last time I went to the local LYS's evening thing! I caught myself thinking, "What if they don't like me!" just like a kid.
I caught myself and said, "If they don't like me, I guess I'll go spend my money somewhere else." But of course they were fine, and everyone was nice.
When I was about 21, I worked at a Summer Camp in the USA for a summer.
One of the meals was 'biscuits and gravy'. Well, blow me down if the Australian and English counsellors didn't bring the house down in hysterics with what we did in the face of a huge bowl of white liquid and a plate of baked goods.
We got side plates, put the 'scones' on them and put them aside to have with a cup of tea after dinner with butter and jam on them.
Then we got bowls and ate the soup.
I know now what it is, but back then it was the most foreign thing in the world.
Our gravy is dark brown, and made by adding water to the juices and scrapings from the roast meat tray (or at least the best gravies are), thickened with a little flour and is quite runny compared with your white saucey styly 'gravy'.
I was an instant convert to the 'biscuits' (not so much the gravy) and therefore delighted to find you could buy them in KFC! They should do that here - YUM.
Good on you for going to a knitting group for the first time - I'm an extrovert and even I don't find it that easy sometimes. I agree you have to give things a chance, and if you liked them you can bet they liked you too.
Gee I've left a very long comment now ... so I'll leave the discussion of Irishness off this time ..
I think its hard to join a group but I hope you keep on with it - I belong to a group and I like when we have new people join - its so nice to make new knititng friends. I hope you enjoy the group!
Have a good weekend!
Hello. And Bye.
There is nothing better than baking powder biscuits. My life's mission is to make them like my great aunt does. If I have to eat a billion biscuits to do it, I will!!!
Good for you going to knitting group. I am terrified of meeting people and have missed so many opportunites because of it. I'm always impressed when others have the courage!
You're right, baby-- that was brave. I'm so incredibly awkward in social situations--you did good!
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