Bisquick Biscuits & The Brick Factory

The first thing I learned how to cook was biscuits.

I remember my mother letting me make them when I was about 9 or 10 years old and wanted to help in the kitchen.

Now that I look back on it, I greatly appreciate my mother's patience.

Even though she was busy getting dinner on the table for 7 hungry family members, she still let me help her in the kitchen by giving me the job of making the biscuits.

I remember her telling me not to play with the dough too much otherwise the biscuits will become tough.

I wanted them to look just right, so I took my time getting them to the right shape and size.

That must be why my brothers called them "bricks".

I played with the dough too much and the biscuits were hard.

As bricks.

My brothers Gordon and Warren used to pick up the biscuits and drop them on their plates so they could hear them "THUNK" on their plates.

My youngest siblings Margaret and Ken were too little to join in on the fun of teasing me.

The first biscuits I learned to make were made from Bisquick.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup Bisquick

2/3 cup  to 1 cup milk

Pour the milk into the Bisquick and stir lightly with a fork to combine the ingredients just until moistened.

When the Bisquick is moistened, stir vigorously and count to 30.

2/3 cup milk will look like this--a stiffer dough.

I like a softer dough, so I use 1 cup milk.

Beat this vigorously and count to 30 too.

Then turn out onto a surface that you've sprinkled a little of the baking mix onto, gather into a ball and knead 3 times.

Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness. 

The softer dough will be really soft, you'll be able to just pat it to 1/2 inch thickness.

Cut into desired shapes, you can even cut them square.

After you've cut the first biscuits, gently gather the scraps and lightly press them into a round biscuit shape, being careful not to handle them too much.

Put them on a baking sheet and bake in a 450ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Bake until just lightly browned.

I am thankful my mother had the patience to allow me to learn by doing-- and gain experience, confidence and proficiency by repetition.

I still remember sitting down to dinner and my brothers saying,

"I can see The Brick Factory is open today!"

You could also put 2 tablespoons chopped chives and 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese in the dough, that makes a good biscuit too.

I think we'll have biscuits when everyone comes over for Thanksgiving dinner next month.

Itadakimasu!

***

This is my family that had to suffer through The Brick Factory.

Now they all come to my house for holiday dinners.

I was about this age when I started to learn how to make biscuits.

My sister Margaret and my brother Ken were too little to tease me.

This is one of my favorite photos of Ken when he was little.

I used to carry this one in my wallet when I was in high school.

Ken's the youngest and was the most fun.

He was always happy and laughing.

He loved sports.

Football.

Basketball. 

Baseball.

That's Ken on the top row, second from left.

He's an Angels fan.

Ken used to have a mullet.

He's musical, too.

He was the only one that got to take music lessons--he took accordion lessons from Milton Mann.

We see him on holidays--all the kids look forward to seeing Uncle Ken.

I wonder if he still has his accordion...

The time he brought it over for Christmas and played Christmas carols on it was such a treat!

His nieces and nephews liked to make Uncle Ken play Guitar Hero with them.

They liked to make him sing Michael Jackson songs.

This is a favorite photo of mine of Ken as an adult.

He'll always be my baby brother.

Love you, Ken!

***

Bisquick Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup Bisquick

2/3 to 1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Pour the milk into the Bisquick and stir lightly with a fork to combine the ingredients just until moistened.

When the Bisquick is moistened, stir vigorously and count to 30.

Then turn out onto a surface that you've sprinkled a little of the baking mix onto, gather into a ball and knead 3 times.

Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes. Gently gather the scraps and lightly press them into a round biscuit shape, being careful not to handle them too much.

Bake in a 450ºF oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Variations: crumbled bacon bits, chopped chives, grated cheese, chopped olives or chopped jalapeños.