Biscuit

Thyme adds a holiday touch to these light, buttery biscuits.

It's hard to believe that there are only three tablespoons of butter in these biscuits, which are flaky and very tender. Malted milk powder is an interesting addition to the dough.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This is a surefire Southern way to use leftover ham and either leftover or freshly baked biscuits. Sometimes the biscuits are large and the ham pieces merely roughly cut chunks. In this recipe the biscuits are made the size of silver dollars, the ham is thinly sliced and neatly trimmed, and the biscuits are served with tiny dollops of spicy mustard and freshly grated horseradish. Voilà! The "grab 'em and go" breakfast treat that has been imitated by many popular food chains is transmuted into an elegant hors d'oeuvre. Large or small, they're mighty good eating. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Silver dollar - size biscuits are the quintessential African-American breakfast bread. They can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Almond paste in the shortcake biscuits and fresh berries glazed with red currant preserves give this dessert a Swedish accent.

A delightful new take on shortcakes. Adding a bit of gelatin to the cream helps maintain its volume when whipped.

Also great topped with butter and jam.

My long-time friend, colleague, and fellow Southerner, Jean Anderson, relates in her wonderful American Century Cookbook how her mother came up with this delightful variation on old-fashioned sticky buns as a way to avoid having to fool with yeast dough. Contrary to what the long list of ingredients might imply, the biscuits are quick and easy and perfect for a stylish brunch.

Serve these versatile biscuits with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon for breakfast or brunch or as an accompaniment to almost any dinner. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"My boyfriend and I were vacationing in Boulder, Colorado, when we discovered Dot’s Diner, a cozy place that serves wonderful breakfasts," writes Kimberly McClain of Harris, Iowa. "The biscuit that came with my meal was baked to perfection. I would drive all the way to Colorado just to go to Dot’s again." This classic recipe produces biscuits with a lovely light texture.

Lorraine Stevenski of Clearwater, Florida, writes: "I cook just about every weeknight for my family. To speed things up, I do my grocery shopping on weekends, along with making quick breads, cakes, and other baked goods. My 12-year-old son, Billy, is also a big help in the kitchen. He has practically become my personal sous chef with all the chopping and grilling he does."

For an extra burst of orange flavor, mix some unsalted butter with grated orange peel to accompany these homespun biscuits.

Making one large shortcake is impressive and lot of fun — especially when chocolate is added to the basic combination.

"There's a terrific place called Grand Central Cafe and Bakery in Portland, Oregon. I tried their Jammers, which are luscious buttermilk biscuits filled with jam," says Lori Stiffler of Butte, Montana. These home-style biscuits look like giant thumbprint cookies. Freezing the dry ingredients contributes to the biscuits' flakiness.