Mamaw.

Happy Thursday y'all!

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. I only had a minor heart attack yesterday after logging into Blackboard to take my psych test, when around question 10, Blackboard decides to shut itself down with technical problems for an HOUR! No biggie. I was able to finish the test afterwards but geez...the anxiety. In the meantime, I made myself a turkey burger and contemplated when the site was going to come back up, then I got a craving for my Mamaw's (grandmother's) biscuits...Blackboard should shut itself down more often :). 

Let's talk about my Mamaw for a bit. Now, this is my father's mother I am speaking of...the Italian one. Basically, it's me in 50 years. 

No resemblance what so ever.

Okay, so Mamaw can cook. Now, I am not going to sit here and rave about her pasta sauce, her Christmas cookies, her Italian green beans, her Chicken and Dumplings...I could go on and on...seriously. The woman has the ability to take a can of beans and form a masterpiece within seconds. No, I am going to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart...her biscuits. 

There is not one memory that I have of Mamaw that doesn't involve her homemade biscuits. I remember standing on a stool in her kitchen as a child with one of her aprons on, helping her cut out the biscuit dough using one of her tall iced tea glasses. She still has the same glasses...no joke. I remember that she would tell me not to knead the dough to much..."give it love," she would say. Mind you, it was probably around 6 a.m. when she was teaching me how to make these biscuits, but I soon learned that it didn't matter how early it was...the woman can make these in her sleep. 

This biscuit recipe has tons of history behind it, history that begins before I was born, when she would make these biscuits for my grandfather, my dad, and his 5 brothers and 3 sisters. The legacy carried on with my generation, all 20 something of my cousins, some of us who will still, to this day, visit our grandmother early in the morning for good conversation, good coffee, and these amazing biscuits. You know times have changed when your grandmother "texts" you the biscuit recipe and says "Mangia" at the end...ha ha! 

So, I hope she doesn't mind but I'm pretty sure it's okay if I share the recipe with y'all. I must say, that for my first try by myself on the recipe, I did a pretty outstanding job. Now, I love Mamaw's biscuits with butter and grape jelly. Yes, grape jelly. Don't hate. Oh, and I also like them really, really, ridiculously crispy, but for the blog...we leave them looking pretty, fluffy, and flaky!

Like I said...this recipe is all LOVE

with some Crisco thrown in for kicks... ;)

and more love 

then some buttermilk (which makes these biscuits what they are).

Bada-bing

Bada-boom!

Then grapes...?

Yes people, I completed the memory by making my own roasted grape agave jam.

Next time, we make wine!

Look at me now.

Watch out world!

Mamaw's Buttermilk Biscuits with Roasted Grape Agave Jam:

Ingredients:

For the biscuits:

2 1/2 c. self-rising flour, plus more for dusting

2 t. granulated sugar

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 c. butter flavored Crisco (cold)

3/4 to 1 c. of low-fat buttermilk, plus 1-2 T. more, plus more for brushing

For the jam:

3  c. seedless red grapes

2 t. extra-virgin olive oil

pinch of salt

2 T. agave nectar

Instructions:

For the biscuits:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Dust a cutting board with flour.

3. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, and baking soda.

4. Cut the Crisco into the flour mixture, and use a pastry blender to distribute the Crisco evenly throughout the mix. 

5. Add the buttermilk and mix well. If the mixture is to dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra buttermilk.

6. Place the dough on the prepared board and knead gently, roll or pat to 1-inch thick and cut out, using a biscuit cutter. 

7. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, brush with extra buttermilk or a little bit of melted butter.

8. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden.

For the jam:

1. Bump up the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toss the grape with the evoo, sprinkle with salt.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

4. Let the grapes cool completely on the baking sheet.

5. Transfer to a small bowl, and using a potato masher, gently mash the grapes until they achieve a slightly chunky, yet pureed like consistency. Mix in the agave.

6. Cut one of those biscuits in half lengthwise, stuff with the jam and go to town!

Makes 6 biscuits and about 2 cups of jam.

MANGIA!!!