Tea Biscuits

My husband’s mother (deceased before we ever met) was a stay-at-home Mom who ran her home in such an organized way that the family lovingly called her Sergeant Major. That was the kind of household the Hubby grew up in, roast on Sundays and hamburgers every Saturday, you get the idea.

He liked to know what we were having for dinner, before he left for work in the morning, or would ask when he called home during the day. As I wasn’t that kind of organized, I’d throw out something and hope for the best.

Too many times I would get caught up in my art work or some craft project and forget about dinner until the kids came home from school. Oops. Then I would have to quit what I was doing and grab some meat out of the freezer and ad lib.

In a kind of apology for not serving what I’d said I would serve, I would jazz the meal up with homemade tea biscuits. It’s hard to resist that kind of baking, light and fluffy biscuits, hot from the oven so the butter just melts on them. My husband would eat them with butter, along with his meal, and with jam as a kind of dessert, with his after dinner tea. A win-win for sure.

Every once in a while I try my hand at tea biscuits, but the result is never as good as I remember. I don’t bake as often, and wonder if my baking powder has lost its oomph, as I read once it has a definite shelf life.

I’m sharing this recipe for TRADITIONAL TEA BISCUITS, from the Laura Secord Canadian Cookbook

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

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Sift or blend together. 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

                                    4 tsp baking powder

                                    1 tsp salt

With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in until crumbly. ½ cup shortening

Stir in 1 cup milk

Mix lightly with a fork to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times.

Roll out or pat ½ inch thick, cut with a floured 1 ¾ inch cutter.

Bake on ungreased baking sheet in 450 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until light golden brown.

Serve hot or cold, with butter and jam. Makes 18 to 20 biscuits.

Soup and tea biscuits sound good for dinner.