Cheddar Garlic Biscuits and Maple Apple Sausage

The Diva had a veterinarian appointment on Friday morning, which meant there was a kitty smackdown in Shaw. To say she doesn’t like getting into her carrier is an understatement, especially considering the scratches I now have on my calf. I just feel sorry for the ears of everyone in the waiting room this morning. After that harrowing ordeal, I dropped off the drugged little bundle of joy and went for a long run up P Street, leaving me very, very hungry. I had intended on making some cheddar dill scones since I had today off, but for some reason I couldn’t locate the dill I had gotten in my CSA box, so I had to improvise. And what better replacement for dill is there than garlic?

The biscuits were an easy enough thing to make, but I didn’t want the bacon I had in the refrigerator. I remembered a friend’s recipe for homemade sausage and decided to add a few of my own embellishments. It turned out to be a great breakfast that I strongly suggest for this weekend! Or for anytime you need to block out the sounds of a howling cat at your feet.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

2 cups self rising flour

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (this can be reduced to 1/2 cup depending on your obsession…I mean preference for cheese)

Egg wash (1 egg, 1 1/2 tablespoons water or milk)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and get out a large non-stick baking sheet.

In a large bowl sift together the flour and salt. With your hands, work the butter into the dry ingredients until a crumbly meal is formed. Add in the cheese and garlic and stir to combine. With a large fork, whisk in the milk. When fully incorporated, take a heaping tablespoon of the batter and drop it onto the baking sheet. Continue doing this until all of the dough has been used. Depending on how large you made the tablespoons, you will have at least 6 but no more than 10 biscuits on the baking sheet.

Whisk together the egg and water and brush the tops of each biscuit lightly with the egg wash. Place the biscuits in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. While waiting for the biscuits, prepare the sausage.

Maple Apple Sausage

1 lb mild italian sausage

1 granny smith apple, finely diced

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon cardamom

Squeeze the sausage out of it’s casing and into a mixing bowl. Peel and core the apple and then finely dice it. Toss the apples into the bowl with the sausage. Pour in the syrup and add the cardamom. With your hands (using a spoon for this is just illogical…like trying to find a straight man in a gay bar), mix everything together. Form small patties, placing them on a plate. After all the patties are formed, spray a frying pan with cooking spray and place it on medium high heat. Add four patties at a time to the pan, making sure not to overcrowd it. Cook the patties thoroughly, flipping them halfway through. Transfer the first batch to a plate topped with paper towels to soak up the grease. Repeat these steps until all the patties are cooked.

As a side note, this was a very easy and quick meal to make. The prep time for both the biscuits and the sausage was only about 20 minutes total! So if you want a quick breakfast without having to resort to a restaurant, I’d suggest giving this a try. And the crazed cat is not a requirement…