[VGary]

Sometimes I have reflective moments remembering the past and the good things which came my way. We grew up with less than others but always had good food because Mama and Grandma spent much of the summer canning tomatoes, making Peach Jam. Blackberry Jam, Strawberry Jam, Apple Jelly, Drying fruit, making pickles and Sauerkraut. But most of all I loved the Cat Head Biscuits Mama and Grandma use to make for us when we were children. You can have these at any meal. We use to have them for a Supper Meal sometimes with Cream Gravy and a few other things like scrambled eggs, Cold Biscuits left over made good snack or sandwiches. Onion and mustard on a cold biscuit for me was a real treat after school. smile


Cat Head Biscuits
2 ½ cups of plain flower
¾ tea spoon of Salt
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Double acting Baking Powder
1 cup of Buttermilk
4 ½ Tablespoon of Shortening or unsalted butter


Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit


Mix the flour, salt, soda, and baking powder together in a medium size mixing bowl.
Add the shortening or butter a piece at a time, then mix it into the dry mixture thoroughly with a fork or two butter knives slicing in a scissor fashion. The finished mixture should have the consistency of course-ground cornmeal..


WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS NOT MIX TOO MUCH
Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add all of the milk. Using a spoon, stir the mixture. Pay special attention to scraping the edges of the bowl so that the dry flour there has a chance to get wet. You only want to stir until the milk is incorporated into the dry mix and there are no large areas of powdery flour remaining. Don't over-mix here. The dough after mixing should be lumpy, sticky in places, and a bit shaggy in the driest areas. Using your hands, leave the dough in the bowl and carefully knead it about three times. Just lift it out as best you can, fold it in half, then press it down. You may want to sprinkle some flour over it to keep your hands from getting coated. It does get sticky!


Cat Head Biscuits are large--about the size of a cat's head. Pinch off a ball of dough about 2 1/2 inches across and pat it into a thick patty. Put the shaped biscuits spaced into a baking sheet or cookie sheet.. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are a light golden brown.
We had these buttered with Jams and Jellies, Apple Butter, Mama and Grandma would make each summer. We usually had a good supply of Sorghum Molasses. My favorite and always has been was Blackberry Jam/Jelly. I keep it in the Fridge all the time to bring back good memories of the “berry” patch. When I don’t have biscuits I have Peanut Butter and Blackberry on Crackers. And, yes I do have a slice of onion on a cold biscuit from time to time. smile