Sausage and Cheese Biscuits

This is one of those recipes that I've been holding out on you guys.  My pal Elly posted these biscuits almost two years ago, and I've made them at least dozen times since.  I make them when we have house guests.  I make them and freeze for quick and easy breakfasts.  They have become my go-to breakfast item when attending a pot luck breakfast or brunch.  I take a batch to new moms or friends who need some TLC.  And I make them when I go out of town for the weekend, leaving Joey in charge of all the kids for four days (ahem, like right now).  They are pretty much his favorite breakfast, so it's an easy sell.  All that is to say that these biscuits, without a doubt, belong on my very favorite recipes Pinterest board.

So what makes them so great?  Well, they're biscuits, for starters.  And they are stuffed with sausage and cheese.  And they are flaky, and tender, and buttery.  I'm sure you're familiar with the ubiquitous sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits from a certain fast food chain, and these biscuits without a doubt put them to shame.  Psst.  They are also pretty fabulous topped with a fried egg.

I know many of you will have house guests in the next week, so I'd highly recommend baking up a batch of these biscuits.  I actually prefer to make them the night before, freeze, then bake in the morning.  It helps them rise and get even taller, fluffier, and flakier.  Plus, this makes them an even easier sell in the morning.  You can stumble downstairs, tired and bleary-eyed, and just pop them in the oven.  And um, not that I would know, but I venture to guess that they'd be pretty great with a mimosa as well.  Hey, it's the weekend, and it's almost a holiday!

Sausage and Cheese Biscuits
adapted from King Arthur Flour, via Elly Says Opa!

• 3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 Tbs baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 cup very cold butter, cut into pats
• 1 cup buttermilk, plus more as needed
• 12 oz breakfast sausage, crumbled, cooked, drained of excess fat, and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese (about 4 oz)

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,  garlic powder, and oregano. Pulse a few times.  Add the butter and pulse 8 to 10 times, until the mixture is crumbly and resembles coarse sand.  

Dump into a large mixing bowl and stir in the buttermilk, sausage, and cheeses, mixing evenly to distribute (but not overworking the dough). If dough seems very dry or crumbly, add another tablespoon or two of buttermilk.

Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper or a lightly floured work surface, and knead a few times to form a cohesive dough. Pat and roll the dough into a rectangle about 3/4″ thick. Cut the dough into 20 squares  using a sharp knife, or use a biscuit cutter to cut out the pieces. 

Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced at least 1 inch apart.  At this point, the biscuits can be frozen or chilled in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook, bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes or until medium to deep golden brown.