Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3 T sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces or grated
1 cup buttermilk

Preparing the biscuits:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
Using a food processor, pastry cutter, or your fingertips incorporate 3/4 cup chilled butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the buttermilk and stir just until moistened. Using 1/2 cup dough for each biscuit, drop biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing mounds about 2-inches apart.

Bake the biscuits until they are golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Serve the biscuits warm.

Variations:
Bacon, Cheddar and Chive: Add 7 slices of cooked and chopped bacon, 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup chives to mixture after cutting in the butter. Serve with melted butter.

Blueberry with Lemon and Thyme: Combine 6 cups blueberries, 2/3 cup sugar, and 2 tablespoons water in large saucepan. Stir the mixture until softened and syrup coats spoon. Cover and chill. Add 1 tablepsoon grated lemon zest and 2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves to the dry ingredients. Serve the lemon-thyme biscuits sliced horizontally with sweetened blueberries served alongside.

Strawberry Shortcake with Sweet Buttermilk Biscuits: Add an additional 2 tablespoons sugar to the dry ingredients. Brush the tops of the drop biscuits with heavy cream and top with turbinado sugar. Serve with 2 pounds sweetened strawberries and fresh whipped cream

Makes 12 biscuits