Recipe: Oreo Cookie and Chocolate Ice Cream Calypso Pie

Oreo Cookies Image: Ah, childhood pleasures of licking the filling off the cookie and then dunking it in a cold glass of milk... by penguincakes via Flickr

From Denny: Severe thunderstorms in my area today and had to stop posting for the day. Apologies for getting this out so late at night...

This recipe is quite the calorie buster and a definite show-off for the holidays or entertaining! It comes from the Southern Recipe Restoration Project that the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is sponsoring. There are a lot of interesting easy recipes you can do with Oreo cookies and this cookie crust for this intriguing special pie is just one of many.

From: Ashley Leckey, a Tallahassee native and University of Georgia graduate who has lived in Atlanta since 2004. This recipe comes from her jack-of-all-trades grandmother, Cele Marcoux, who was an editor at a newspaper, had a line of luxury ties, worked in a dental lab and was even a nurse in the Army. Now that's job experience!

Marcoux often flavored this recipe with her own homemade liqueur and used the sauce recipes supplied below too.

Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
Serves: 12

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), divided

18 Oreo cookies, crushed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1 quart coffee ice cream (or 1 quart vanilla bean ice cream plus coffee-flavored liqueur to taste; see link below to separate recipe)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter. Mix crushed cookies with melted butter; press into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch pie plate and chill.

In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and remaining butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and salt. Add the evaporated milk gradually, blending well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and almond extracts.

Set aside to cool to room temperature. When the shell is chilled and the sauce has cooled, set out the ice cream to soften slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Fill the pie shell with the ice cream. Put the pie in the freezer until ice cream is firm again.

In the meantime, beat the whipping cream until it just holds a peak. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar. Spread the fudge sauce over the ice cream layer, then mound the top with whipped cream and sprinkle with pecans. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Remove and let sit a few minutes before slicing.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 482 calories (percent of calories from fat, 63), 5 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 35 grams fat (17 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 261 milligrams sodium.



Coffee-flavored Liqueur

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: Makes 1 gallon

Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar

6 1/2 cups water, divided

1 cup instant coffee

1 (375 milliliter) bottle 190-proof grain alcohol, such as Everclear (some of us might prefer a better quality vodka)

2 vanilla beans

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugar and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; simmer for 20 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile, mix instant coffee with 1 1/2 cups boiling water. Cool. Combine both mixtures; add alcohol and remaining 2 cups water. Pour into four 16-ounce bottles and add 1/2 vanilla bean to each.

Nutrition:

Per ounce: 48 calories (no calories from fat), trace protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat, no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.



Copycat Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: Makes 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, stir together sugar and cocoa. Add milk and syrup and stir until blended. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil; continue stirring and boiling for 8 minutes. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter and stir until melted, then add the cream. Return to the heat and boil an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Cool; store in the refrigerator in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. To serve, uncover and heat the jar in a saucepan of warm water for a few minutes (or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds).

Nutrition:

Per tablespoon: 73 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), trace protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 4 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 9 milligrams cholesterol, 21 milligrams sodium.


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Recipe: Okra and Tomatoes

Another version of Okra and Tomatoes yummy marriage using whole pods unsliced Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: OK, this is so Southern and well-loved in Louisiana too! I love okra and tomatoes when done right. I use dark brown sugar and Worchestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar in addition to the usual garlic, fresh parsley or coriander, a little ground cloves for sweetness, a little smokey chili pepper from New Mexico, and clarified butter or canola oil that reflect my international travel and living abroad.

This is from the Southern Recipe Restoration Project over at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where they are preserving Southern food heritage. I applaud their project! What could be better than making sure the next generation gets to enjoy satisfying soul food? :)

This is a version of Okra and Tomatoes from an Italian-American who grew up in Florida. This dish has many variations throughout the South just like Gumbo.

Okra was brought to Louisiana centuries ago by African slaves bringing the seeds from home, planting and cultivating the plants. Over time the African crop grew in popularity and is popular today. Make sure you DO NOT cut the okra into slices until just before you are ready to start cooking them as okra has a, well, slimy quality to it when improperly cooked (like in boiling). The key is to keep it dry by cooking fast as soon as its cut. I'll use canned diced tomatoes when the fresh are not available.

I'll make a meal of this dish with just a piece of buttered sourdough or ciabatti toast on the side!

Feel free to contact the newspaper to contribute your recipe to the Southern Food Restoration Project!

From: Southern Recipe Restoration Project
Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The contributor: Patricia Thomas, a journalism professor at the University of Georgia since 2005 and a native of the small Central Florida town of Dunnellon.

The story: Patricia Thomas’ grandmother, Olivia Toffaletti Shuman, combined her Central Florida upbringing with her Italian heritage with delicious results. She showed Thomas' mother, Leatrice Shuman Haffner, how to make this dish. Her mother, in turn, wrote it down for Thomas.

Recipe tester and chef Virginia Willis loved its Italian undertones, noting that it’s very important not to cut the okra until the last minute to prevent it from becoming too slimy."

Hands on time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced

1 pound fresh okra, washed

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil


Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting cover. Add onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. While onion cooks, remove caps and cut okra crosswise into 1-inch pieces.

Add okra to pan all at once, shake pan or stir gently to mix with onion, and immediately add vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Cover and immediately reduce heat. (The goal is to steam the okra gently until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes.)

When okra is tender, push to one side of the pan and increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the garlic, stirring gently until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, salt, sugar, black pepper, pepper flakes and basil. Heat for less than 1 minute, just long enough to heat the tomatoes through, then gently fold together with the okra. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Notes: Share your own heirloom recipe

You, too, can share an old family recipe and honor a loved one: Go to ajc.com/food, and under Recipe Restoration Project click on Submit Yours and fill out the form. Or e-mail it to savingsouthernfood@ajc.com. Or mail it to Southern Recipe Restoration Project, c/o Food Editor Jamila Robinson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 72 Marietta St. N.W., Atlanta, GA 30303.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 162 calories (percent of calories from fat, 44), 3 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 641 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Black Bottom Pie

From Denny: Now here's a favorite in Southern homes! The calories are a lot less than most desserts that chefs are making in their restaurants. Chef desserts run in the 600 - 900 calorie range whereas this little gem comes in at 332 for a generous slice. Give this classic a try! The description is awesome!

From: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Elizabeth Wilson, an Atlanta-born writer who lives in Stone Mountain, says she got this recipe from her mother, who said that she got it 50 years ago from a Dobbs House Restaurant. Atlanta cooking teacher Virginia Willis, who tested the recipe, says: "The chocolate layer, or black bottom, is very similar to a firm ganache, normally made from heavy cream and chocolate. . . It's rich, thick and slightly dense. The rum-flavored layer is spongy and light, and not very sweet. The combination, especially with the pillow-soft layer of whipped cream, is not only visually stunning, but a textural explosion in the mouth."

Hands on time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Serves: 2 (9-inch) pies, 6 to 8 slices each

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon fine-grain salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 large eggs, separated (see note)

2 cups whole milk

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 prebaked pie crusts or chocolate cookie crusts

1/4 cup cold water

1 1/2 envelopes (about 3 3/4 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin

1/2 teaspoon dark rum or rum-flavored extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup heavy cream, well-chilled

Sifted cocoa, grated chocolate or cacao nibs, for garnish


Instructions:

Combine 1/2 cup sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Add yolks and whisk well to combine. Slowly whisk in milk and stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally with a dry wooden spoon, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Once the cornstarch mixture thickens, pour half into the melted chocolate. Stir to combine and add vanilla. Divide mixture between the 2 prepared pie crusts; set aside. This forms the black bottom layer.

Place the water in a liquid measuring cup. Add the gelatin and stir to combine. Add this mixture to the remaining cornstarch mixture and stir to combine. Add rum or rum extract and stir to combine. Set aside for 8 to 10 minutes until the mixture just starts to set, or congeal.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With the machine on medium-high speed, whip the egg whites until foamy. Increase the speed to high, and continue beating until soft peaks form. Slowly, steadily add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.

Take about 1/3 of the beaten whites and add to the rum-flavored mixture and stir well to combine. Pour that lightened mixture over the whites and fold to combine. Once the mixture is smooth, pour the rum-flavored mixture over the chocolate bottoms in the pie crusts. Refrigerate to set, at least 1 hour.

While the pies are chilling, place a clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, making sure the cream and equipment are well-chilled, place the bowl on a mixer fitted with the chilled whisk attachment. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Top the set pies with the whipped cream and serve. Garnish with cocoa, chocolate or cacao nibs, as desired.

Note: To avoid the very small risk of bacteria contamination posed by raw egg whites, use 2/3 cup pure liquid pasteurized egg whites instead.

Nutrition:

Per serving (based on 6): 332 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 5 grams protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (7 grams saturated), 71 milligrams cholesterol, 234 milligrams sodium."

Recipe: Real Man's Cajun Quiche

Traditional Quiche Lorraine version Image by Marylise Doctrinal via Flickr

From Denny: This is a delightful meaty version of how a Cajun would make one of those prissy French quiches. Lots of sausage, hot peppers and cheese, a winner! (no photo from the site)

A quiche is so easy to make and bake and can feed a whole family with a salad on the side too. Great way to use up those little bits of leftovers like meat and veggies. I often have some leftover sauteed red or green bell peppers that I like to include on my omelets or quiches. A little warmed salsa would be a nice finish with this too, complimenting the egg and cheese flavors. Don't forget your hot Tabasco sauce to put on your eggs, Cajun style! :)

From: Andy Steinmann, father of four, of Gainesville, Georgia and published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 store-bought or homemade pie crust

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2 pound precooked andouille sausage, sliced 1/4-inch thick

4 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed

5 eggs

3 ounces ( 3/8 cup) milk

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line pie pan with crust, crimp edges, prick with fork and prebake for 10 minutes.

Heat butter in small frying pan and saute onion until translucent. Scatter half of sausage over pie crust, sprinkle with half of onions, 1/3 of pepper jack cheese and half of cubed cream cheese.

Repeat order with remaining sausage and onions, another 1/3 of pepper jack cheese and remaining cream cheese. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Pour over filling. Top with remaining 1/3 of pepper jack cheese and jalapeno slices. Bake for 45 minutes or until quiche is set and top is golden brown.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 484 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 18 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 38 grams fat (17 grams saturated), 228 milligrams cholesterol, 701 milligrams sodium.

Recipe: Incredible Cajun Greens

mustard greens Image by rachel is coconut&limevia Flickr

From Denny: OK, WOW! Now this is a dressed up greens recipe that men will happily eat in large quantities! There won't be any whining about eating vegetables at the table when you serve this outstanding recipe. Why? It has lots of meat in it in the form of smoked sausage as well as pork butt along with incredible seasonings.

Why eat greens? Are you kidding? Besides the fact they just taste good (Tabasco pepper white vinegar dabbled on it to tamp down the intensity), greens are stuffed full of the mineral calcium! If you can't drink milk or don't like it this is another way to get easily digestible calcium, fiber and B vitamins for your nervous system and liver. Give this recipe a try at your house!

R. L. Greens by R. L. Holmes

From: R.L.'s Greens - from R.L.'s Off the Square Cajun restaurant, 1113 Floyd St., Covington, Georgia, published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. R. L. Holmes is from Alexandria, Louisiana, almost northern Louisiana, far from New Orleans. The man can cook!

Hands on time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

Serves: 16


Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 pound pork butt, diced

Salt and pepper

1 pound smoked sausage, diced

1 pound bacon, diced

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2 cup diced carrots

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 head cabbage, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 bunch collard greens, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 bunch mustard greens, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 bunch turnip greens, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 quart chicken stock

1 ham hock

1/4 cup Tabasco sauce

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup meat seasoning (such as Chef Paul Prudhomme's Pork and Veal Magic Seasoning Blend)

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan or baking dish with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the diced pork butt, season with salt and pepper, and roast 20 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown. Add the sausage and cook an additional 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until meat is browned and sizzling.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside; drain off most of the grease but reserve about 1 tablespoon, leaving it in the skillet. Add the onions. Cook slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown but not burned, about 30 minutes. Add the carrots and garlic and saute an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

In a large stockpot, heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the cabbage, stir lightly and then cover the pot and cook about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent scorching. Add the collard, mustard and turnip greens and the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then add the pork butt and sausage, bacon, onion and carrot mixture, the ham hock, Tabasco sauce, vinegar, meat seasoning and brown sugar. Cover and cook about 45 minutes, until greens are tender and flavors are well-incorporated. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Notes:

The quantities in this recipe are reduced from the much larger batch that Holmes makes at his restaurant, so the proportions are just a bit off. If you want to reproduce his version exactly, increase the pork butt, smoked sausage and bacon to 1 1/4 pounds each. Holmes also makes his own meat seasoning, which can be purchased at the restaurant.

For simplicity's sake, this recipe uses store-bought chicken stock and a ham hock. The greens are well-seasoned with hot sauce and vinegar, so Martin always advises restaurant patrons to try them before they start dumping on the condiments.


Nutrition:

Per serving: 367 calories (percent of calories from fat, 69), 21 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 28 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 70 milligrams cholesterol, 1,338 milligrams sodium.

Appetizer: Thibodeaux Shrimp

Another version of bacon wrapped shrimp appetizer Image by mhaithaca via Flickr

From Denny: OK, this is quite typical of what you can find in Louisiana restaurants for a shrimp dish! Yum! It's horseradish-stuffed and bacon-wrapped oven-baked black Tiger shrimp served with Cajun tangy mustard barbeque sauce.

The name Thibodeaux is pronounced as Tibb-oh-doe, not as difficult as it looks. Very common name in south Louisiana too! People even affectionately name their dogs and cats Tibodeaux. There are also Cajun Thibodeaux jokes, thought the majority are Boudreaux jokes.

From: Front Page News Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, where this is their most popular appetizer, published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, no photo.

Hands on time: 20 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Serves: 8


Ingredients:

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup yellow mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

16 large shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled down to first segment, deveined and cut halfway through

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

8 bacon slices, cut in half

1 teaspoon chopped green onion, garnish (optional)

1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley, garnish (optional)


Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, corn syrup, garlic powder, onion powder, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water and add to mixture, stirring well to combine.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Fill shrimp with horseradish, wrap a half slice of bacon around the shrimp to hold the filling and secure with a toothpick. Bake 25 minutes.
Pour sauce on a plate. Place shrimp around the sauce and garnish with green onions and chopped parsley.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 183 calories (percent of calories from fat, 22), 14 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 5 grams fat, 92 milligrams cholesterol, 359 milligrams sodium.

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Recipe: Richard Blais’ 14-Hour Brisket

Image of Richard Blais! by bionicgrrrl via Flickr

From Denny: Can I tell you that brisket is a huge favorite in the South? Definitely it is in Louisiana as it feeds a lot of people inexpensively, often employed for football season in the fall yet enjoyed for family reunions and summer barbeques too. With the global economy the way it is currently this is a great recipe to share with your friends in many countries!

While it is a dish that is slow-cooked for hours it is not labor intensive, one of those "wrap it up to cook and forget it" situations - my favorite! This recipe comes from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

From John Kessler: Here’s a version of the brisket that won Richard Blais high marks on “Top Chef.” For garnish, you may want to forgo the star anise mashed potatoes his teammate served alongside and instead opt for some plain boiled new potatoes or noodles to soak up the ample sauce. Also, a vinegary pickle or salad would be welcome with this sweet dish.

You’ll need to find a brisket untrimmed of its fat, which bathes it during the slow braise. Your best bet is to find a butcher who will unwrap a fresh whole brisket and cut you a lengthwise half, which makes for a beautiful presentation.

Richard Blais’ 14-Hour Brisket

Hands on time: 30 minutes

Total time: 14 hours and 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

1/2 of a whole untrimmed brisket, cut lengthwise (about 6 pounds)

3 tablespoons Cajun seasonings

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup spicy brown mustard (such as Gulden’s)

3 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed

Instructions:

Coat the brisket liberally with the Cajun seasonings and salt. Fire up a grill and grill the surface of the brisket aggressively, searing it well on each side for maximum flavor. Place the brisket, fat side up, on a large length of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Combine the mustard and sugar and slather it well over (and under) the brisket. Close it tightly in the foil and then double wrap in a second piece of foil. Place in a roasting pan with sides at least 1 inch high. Place in the oven.

After 12 hours, carefully unwrap and check the brisket. While some clear molten fat will have collected in the pan, the sauce should be trapped inside the foil. If the brisket isn’t fall-apart tender, then return to the oven for 1 or 2 hours. Slice and serve with the pooled sauce.

Notes: Total time includes 12-plus hours of oven time.

Nutrition:

Per serving: 877 calories (percent of calories from fat, 28), 73 grams protein, 85 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 28 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 211 milligrams cholesterol, 1,751 milligrams sodium.

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Recipe: Hot, Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: OK, yum! We Southerners love our biscuits which to the uninitiated or folks in Britain, Australia, India and the like, these are little breads not the sweet cookies you call biscuits. What a confusion! :)

Usually, they are basically a baking powder-risen (though some versions are risen by yeast) quick bread cut into 3-inch rounds. They are a close cousin of the scone and can take anything on them but most often it is butter and jam of choice. At our house we even enjoy them with lemon curd!

Southern biscuits are the stuff of legends in many an eatery across the Southeast of America. Few homes make them any more so most people go out to eat them at breakfast with a side of ham or sausage and over-easy fried eggs.

Well, I do know how to make them and quite well. No one else in the family ever got the hang of it. This recipe is a bit different than what I use because I don't use lard but rather clarified butter or canola oil for the cholesterol benefit. But lard, well, it tastes divine and you ought to try the original version at least once in your life! :)

When I make them I often pop the unbaked extras into the freezer. They live to feed us the Divine for another day, baking up beautifully from freezer to oven!

The bonus in this recipe too is that it teaches how to make your own baking powder - which is a first for me, cool!

Kneading Note from Denny: Since he does not mention here, and I rarely see it in biscuit recipes, is a trick I learned a long time ago. When making this bread you don't want it to be too tough but rather light and fluffy. To achieve that, when kneading the dough, slowly and carefully flipping it over, gathering it up and folding down onto itself, make sure you don't allow but a sprinkle of flour to be found inside that fold.

Many people put too much flour into the fold and then wonder why their biscuits are hard as rocks and tasteless. Less is definitely more! I don't use a rolling pin either, too much work, just use my hands like most cooks as it gives you that tactile awareness of how the dough is developing and when to stop working the dough.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution they offer a version closer to the historical. Here's Scott Peacock's comments from the article: "Biscuits are the stuff of legend. The mere mention of them conjures images of hearth and home, kindly grandmothers and good-smelling kitchens. A particularly well-made biscuit has been known to inspire proposals of marriage.

People love eating biscuits. They love talking about biscuits.
But when it comes to making them, the sad truth is that many people, even Southerners, are often too afraid to try ...
Experience has taught me that, in the end, a good biscuit really boils down to a few basics: mainly a hot oven, cold fat and a gentle but knowing hand.

But it’s the details that make a great biscuit, and simple as they are, they are important and should be followed closely.
To my taste, a biscuit should be crusty and golden brown on the top — and even lightly browned on the bottom — with an interior that is soft, light and tender but not too fluffy. It should be slightly moist, but not so moist that it becomes gummy when you eat it, and dry enough to absorb a pat of good butter as it melts. It should be flavorful and well-seasoned, with a slight buttermilk tang, pleasing on its own but an excellent vehicle for other flavors as well.

Ratio of crusty exterior to soft interior is important, and I’m no fan of those big, Hollywood-pumped-up-on-steroids-looking biscuits. I prefer a biscuit no larger than three inches or so in diameter and not much more than an inch in height."

Hot, Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits

From: Scott Peacock

Hands on time: 10 minutes

Total time: 22 minutes

Serves: 15

Ingredients:

5 cups sifted White Lily flour (measured after sifting)

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons homemade baking powder (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 cup packed lard, chilled

1 3/4 cups chilled buttermilk, plus a few tablespoons more if needed

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat over to 500 degrees. Put the flour, homemade baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk well to thoroughly blend. Add the lard and, working quickly, coat in flour and rub between your fingertips until about half the lard is coarsely blended and the other half remains in large pieces about 1/2 inch in size.

Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk. Stir quickly, just until the dough is blended and begins to mass. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky and there should not be large amounts of unincorporated flour in the bowl. If dough is too dry, add a few tablespoons more buttermilk.

Turn the dough immediately onto a generously floured surface, and with floured hands knead briskly 8 to 10 times until a cohesive dough is formed.

Gently flatten the dough with your hands so it is of an even thickness. Then, using a floured rolling pin, roll it out to a uniform thickness of 1/2 inch. (If the dough begins to stick to your rolling pin, dust the pin — not the dough — with flour. Flouring the dough at this point will result in dusty-looking biscuits.) With a dinner fork dipped in flour, pierce the dough completely through at 1/2-inch intervals.

Lightly flour a 2 1/2- or 3-inch biscuit cutter and stamp out rounds. (Do not twist the cutter when stamping out biscuits.) Cut the biscuits from the dough as close together as you can for a maximum yield. Arrange cut biscuits on a heavy, ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet so that they almost touch. Do not re-roll the scraps. Just bake as is and enjoy as a treat.

Bake in upper third of the oven for 8 to 12 minutes until crusty golden brown. (Check about 6 minutes into baking and rotate the pan if needed to ensure even cooking.) Remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Serve hot.

Notes:

Homemade baking powder recipe: Sift together three times 1/4 cup cream of tartar and 2 tablespoons baking soda. Transfer to a clean, dry, tight-sealing jar. Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, for up to four weeks. Use in any recipe calling for commercial baking powder.

Nutrition:

Per biscuit: 234 calories (percent of calories from fat, 38), 5 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 10 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 14 milligrams cholesterol, 553 milligrams sodium.

Yet another easy version of the famous humble biscuit:

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