maple-cornmeal drop biscuits

Hello.  My name is Jen, and I'm a carb-aholic.  I have been for over 30 years, and I am nowhere near recovery.  I'm also a Fall-aholic, and... well... you put those two things together, and everything within you says, "Make the Maple-Cornmeal Drop Biscuits."

Seriously.  Doesn't the name just pull you in?  Especially on those crisp, cool days when you have nothing but time and a cup of stone ground corn meal to spare?

I am not kidding when I say I have fallen in love with my newest cookbook.  The title stole my heart.  Baking from My Home to Yours.  Are you kidding?  Passing it up was not an option. And just as a warning.  Amazon is bad.  Really bad.  Specifically, the "one-click" purchase setting.  If your will-power is less than stellar like mine, two words for you.  

Stay.  Away.

But, I digress.  

Regarding this recipe, these biscuits are easy as can be.  There is no holding your mouth just right to get them to work.  They're tender, yet substantial.  They're slightly sweet and marvelous with a pat of butter or drizzle of honey only.  And as an aside, parchment paper is not necessary if you don't have any.  A buttered baking sheet works just fine.

Fall is official, dear readers, so the Lazy Daisy Kitchen is hopping.  Between now and December, it's full throttle!

one year ago: jen's italian gnocchi and chicken supper

Maple-Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

makes one dozen

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground 
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 6 tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut in 12 equal pieces
• 1/2 cup cold, whole milk
• 1/4 cup pure, maple syrup

~ Center rack in oven and preheat to 425 degrees.

~ Line baking sheet with parchment paper or butter surface thoroughly.

~ Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and soda in bowl.  

~ Drop in the butter, and using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces with flour. 

~ Quickly, with your fingertips or pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry

    ingredients until the mixture is pebbly.  

~ Stir together the syrup and milk in a separate bowl and pour over the dry ingredients.

~ With a fork, incorporate the liquid until it's just mixed in with the dry mixture and you

    have a very soft dough.  Do not over-mix.  It should look like this:

~ With a tablespoon, drop twelve scoops of dough onto prepared sheet and bake 15 

    minutes or until puffed and golden brown.