SKILLET BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

1 12″ CAST IRON SKILLET. (NO SKILLET, EAT TOAST)  OILED

1 STICK FROZEN BUTTER, GRATED ON BOX GRATER.

2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

1 TSP KOSHER SALT

4 TSP BAKING POWDER

1/4 TSP BAKING SODA

1 1/4 CUPS BUTTERMILK

OKAY, MIX BUTTER PIECES WITH DRY INGREDIENTS AND MIX UNTIL THE WHOLE LOT LOOKS LIKE CRUMBS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A GREEN PEA.  YOU ARE GONNA BE SURPRISED ABOUT HOW MUCH BUTTER YOU SEE IN THE DOUGH.  THATS OKAY. MIX IN BUTTERMILK AND MIX UNTIL SOFT DOUGH FORMS.  DONT MIX TOO MUCH, YOU ARENT MAKING YEAST BREAD.  PUT DOUGH ON FLOURED SURFACE AND PAT OUT UNTIL YOU GET THE DOUGH ABOUT 1 ” THICK.  CUT AND PLACE BISCUITS IN THE CAST IRON SKILLET.

COOK IN 450 DEGREE OVEN FOR ABOUT 14 MINUTES.  MAKE SURE THE BOTTOMS OF THE BISCUITS ARE CRUSTY AND TOPS ARE BROWNED.  EAT WITH SOME SAUSAGE OR SAUSAGE GRAVY, 3 OR 4 HENS EGGS, SOME CLOVER HONEY, OR MAYBE SOME HONEY BUTTER.  DONT BE AFRAID TO STICK A PIECE OF SAUSAGE IN A BISCUIT AND HIDE IT SOMEWHERE IN THE KITCHEN FOR LATER USE, SAY ABOUT 10:00AM TO HOLD YOU OVER TO LUNCH.

i AM NOT SURE WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT A PIECE OF TOAST WHEN MAKING A BISCUIT WILL GIVE YOU A MUCH BETTER BREAKFAST.  NONE OF THOSE BOWLS OF CHOKIES ( DRY CEREAL) OR ANY OF THAT STUFF THEY CALL MUSLIC.  jUST A DAMNED FINE BILLOWY PIECE OF BAKED DOUGH, DRIPPING WITH BUTTER AND A BIT OF SOMETHING SWEET.  WHO GIVES A DAMN HOW MUCH COLESTERAL IS IN THIS TYPE MEAL.  DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER?  HELL, THEY MAY SERVE BISCUITS 3 MEALS PER DAY UP IN HEAVEN.

cHUY THE COOK

I am a biscuit addict.  I love biscuits.  I like them with butter and jam, sausage gravy, just about anyway you can eat one.  That causes me to be constantly on the look out for a better recipe.  Today, I may have found it.  It produced a biscuit that was moist, flaky, crispy on the bottom and tasted as buttery as you would want one to taste.  

It is Friday so have made another week.  Seems like the weeks are passing by a bit quicker each year.  Must be due to that global warming thing or El Nino.

One of our favorite activities at the ranch is sitting on the porch.  It does, however, get pretty warm.  As a remedy I purchased a portable evaporative cooler. (swamp box).  I took it out yesterday and it works, even down here where the humidity is a bit much.  I took it in the house and pointed it across my bed and it really worked there.  It also caused me to have flashbacks of summers in Pecos when I was growing up.  Did you ever lay down in front of a swamp box, let that water laden air blow across you and take a nap.  I did yesterday.  Again.

Next Friday we will leave for Ft Davis.  It is time for our annual family reunion there at the camp grounds of state park.  We have been having this annual event since the 60’s.  New additions every year and glad to say, we dont lose too many.  It is a highlight of my year as I have always loved those mountains there at Ft Davis.  That area is picnic paradise as far as I am concerned.  I know a couple of areas up there that are almost Edenish.  Private property now so limited access but I have memories.  One memory is that landowners werent always so concerned if they caught you on their land.  As long as you were being safe you could look around and they didnt care.  Have been all over west Texas and never was evicted from private property.  Big difference now.  Too bad.  My friend and I had a hunting camp on his property out near Sanderson for about 15 years.  We were broken into only once.  We put up a notice, in Spanish, asking the perpetrators not to repeat the offence.  I added a picture of a praying nun on the notice.  The note simply said that there was food and water on the porch, take what you need and rest in the shade.  We never had another problem.  I am going to use that same approach at my little rancho.

I am hoping it will be cool in Ft Davis as it usually is.  A couple of days up there is enough to recharge my battery for the remainder of the year.  The change in temp from day to night is a welcome relief.  We dont get that degree of change in South Texas.

It was nice to see that one of Pecos’s own will be recognized for past accomplishments.  I didnt know “Bubba” except by his exploits but remember listening to the bball finals on the radio while out on a boy scout campout.  I had forgotten that Pecos was such a leader in the movement to eliminate segregation in schools.  We were all better for it, I think.

In October I will get new lens in my eyes.  Cataracts.  They have finally evolved to the point where trifocals can be inserted.  Not sure what the procedure will be to make sure I am looking thru the reading portion of the new lens.  I guess I will have to stand with one leg in the air in order to see out of the bottom of the lens.  Greek to me.  I just realized just how bionic I am becoming.  Dentures, hearing aids, and now new lens.  I need new hips.  I dont think I will ever be able to leap over tall buildings but superman better get his act together cause Chuy is just around the corner.  Now if I could just lose 50 lbs before the reunion next week I would be in great shape.

GC

We are currently in the doldrums here in south Texas.  It is unusually hot even for here.  We pray for rain but we dont want a hurricane.  Such is life.  I just dont remember summers as being so hot when we were young.  I can remember days of triple digits in Pecos but I cant remember us just hibernating in the house,  We got out and played.  We rode bikes, we hiked around the edge of town, we went fishing, we did al lot of things even in the heat.  Down along the coast we blame it on the humidity.  I guess that has something to do with it but I tend to believe we have just gotten soft.

In connection to the heat, our granddaughter left yesterday to go back home and we took her to the airport.  We noticed a woman who was gettng on the same flght. She was immodestly dressed in what could not have been sold at the store as anything other than a beach coverup.  It was a short, linen lookng thing that was gauzy enough to allow full view of anything underneath.  Fortunately she was modest enough to wear something.  Dorothy commented that the first time she flew to Europe she wore a suit with a hat and high heel shoes.  Times are a changng.  I guess heat dictates what you wear on a plane.  My granddaughter made a comment about the length of the checkin line and I suggested that everyone fly naked and then there would be no reason for security.  She stated she would not be doing any flying if that happened.

I am becoming somewhat of a rabbit whisperer.  We have about 5 small cottontail rabbits that hang around the house at the ranch.  I have a a couple of areas of green grass and succulent plants located in the front of the house and keep them watered so they provide good grazing.  I also put out rabbit chow everyday for a dietary supplement.  I have slowly become able to get within 3 or 4 feet of them and it doesnt seem to disturb them very much.  Sudden moves on my part will send them scampering but mostly they pay me little attention.  I have sat on the porch and had them start up the steps.  I find this fascinating.  I talk to them and it seems to soothe them some.  I am planning on taking some carrots out there next visit and I am determined to have them eating out of my hand before summer is over.

G