Biscuits for two, and Sparky's new trick

Monday things that make me happy: 

1. Alberta. Sunshine in the winter.

 2. This dang cat, brother to my princesses.

3. Cats on fence posts. Also this dang cat, the other brother to my princesses.

If my princesses don’t stop meowing at pigeons at 7AM they’re going to be demoted to duchesses, though.

4. These candies from Planet Organic and their ridiculous rhizome-man logo. Actually, rhizomes in general. Like ginger. And hops! Not poison oak, though. Sorry, poison oak.

Monday things that make me unhappy:

How the hell did my flour jar get so empty?!

Okay. Maybe I have some idea. 

Over the weekend I may or may not have accidentally taught Sparky how to make biscuits. That he can make biscuits by himself. That biscuit-making is not only not rocket science, but that he can go from measuring flour to hot flaky baked goods in less than twenty minutes with minimal effort. 

I have created a biscuit-making monster.

...and that's why my flour jar is empty, and I have no photos of flaky baked goods for you today. 

But if it's any consolation, these biscuits are fantastic, and if Sparky can do it, by golly you can too! I scaled down the recipe to yield exactly two medium biscuits, and, um, the conversion got tested a lot this weekend. A lot.

So maybe make these for your sweetheart for Hallmark Appreciation Valentine's Day? A couple's breakfast with strawberry jam and coffee, or with fried eggs and crispy bacon stacked on top? 

And if you're single this February, hey, no need to feel sorry for yourself. Who needs Cupid when you know how to make freakin' biscuits from scratch? Get cracking. These babies are better than love potion #9. 

A Perfect Pair (of Biscuits)
adapted from Mad Hungry

yields approximately 2 4-inch biscuits

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 tablespoons butter (I used salted, if you use unsalted add an extra pinch of table salt) 

1/3 cup cold milk, give or take a teaspoon

Preheat your oven to 450F. 

Stick your butter in the freezer until it's very cold and firm. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

When your butter is very cold, grate it into the flour mix on the largest holes of a box grater, working quickly to keep the butter from melting from the warmth of your hands. Use a fork to combine the butter shreds and the flour, and then add approximately 1/3 of a cup of milk. Your dough shouldn't be sticky, but dribble in another teaspoon of milk if it won't come together. 

Turn your dough out onto a clean surface and roll it to about 3/4 of an inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter (mine's 4 inches across) or the rim of a clean glass to punch out your biscuits, rerolling the scraps if you need to. Place biscuits on an ungreased, unlined baking sheet.

Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes. Serve warm!