We’ve all heard the saying “the kitchen is the heart of the home.” I truly believe this adage both literally and figuratively. In the six different homes my parents and I occupied from the time I was born until the time I graduated from high school, each kitchen in those homes held memories that I will always dearly cherish.
Being in the kitchen with our mothers always brings about special memories, and spending time learning in the kitchen from my mother was no exception. Whether it was baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies to putting sandwiches together for a picnic lunch to making Chex party mix for Christmas, being in the kitchen with Mom will be a dearly precious memory to me.
After my Mom passed away a little over two years ago, one of the ways that I wanted to keep her memory alive was through her cooking. She would be the first to say that she was not the best cook, but my waistline would vehemently disagree! It was always a special occasion on a Saturday morning when Mom would make her biscuits.
Every time I make my mother’s biscuits, I feel her loving presence right beside me.
My Mother’s Biscuits
4 cups self-rising flour (more for the prep surface)
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 large whisked eggs
3 sticks REALLY cold butter (but not frozen)
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1. In a large mixing bowl, use a pastry cutter or potato masher to mash the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and butter together. Mash or cut until the butter and flour are about the size of English peas.
2. Stir in the beaten eggs with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk until the dough comes together into a sticky mass. If it is too dry, add more buttermilk a tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until it reaches the correct consistency. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. The longer, the better.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400 degrees
4. Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface. Use floured hands to press it into a round
5. Use a floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter to cut out about 20 biscuits. If necessary, collect and pat out the scraps to cut more biscuits.
6. Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet arranging them so that they all are touching.
7. In a small dish, beat together the remaining egg and 1 tablespoon buttermilk. Brush the mixture on the top of the biscuits.
8. Bake until golden brown (approximately 15 to 20 minutes). Let cool slightly in the pan on a rack.
9. Then dig in! My favorite way to eat them is with strawberry preserves and butter.
A special education teacher during the day, Matthew is an old soul with a zeal for life. A self-described Chili King, Matthew loves a good AM radio station, the great American songbook, and sweet iced tea. He lives in north Texas with his wife, Megan, and their beautiful Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Bella. You can follow Matthew on Facebook and Instagram as BigSumBites.