SWEET POTATO OR PUMPKIN BISCUITS
About 1½ dozen biscuits
- 2½ cups sifted flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed, or granulated sugar or the equivalent of ¼ cup brown sugar or granulated sugar in granulated brown sugar or granulated sugar substitute
- 1 cup shortening or 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon cooking oil (corn, canola, or safflower oil)
- 2 eggs or the equivalent of 2 eggs in egg substitute, IE, Egg Beaters, at room temperature and lightly beaten
- 1 cup mashed peeled cooked sweet potatoes or yams or pumpkin (see note)
- ½ cup half-and-half or cream (see note)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel (optional)
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add brown sugar or sugar, mixing well. With a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal (if using oil, add oil with sweet potato or pumpkin mixture).
In a 2-cup measure, combine eggs, mashed sweet potatoes or pumpkin, half-and-half, and orange peel, if used, blending well. Add egg/sweet potato/pumpkin mixture all at once to flour mixture, all at once, stirring with a fork just until dry ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Do not overmix.
May turn out onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly 10 to 12 strokes. Roll out dough to a ½-inch thickness; cut with a floured 2-inch diameter biscuit cutter. Arrange biscuits on ungreased baking sheets and bake in a preheated hot oven (425 degrees F.) for foe 10 to 12 minutes or until done and golden brown.
Or, drop dough by tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake in a preheated hot oven (425 degrees F.) for 10 to 12 minutes or until biscuits are done and golden brown.
Note: May use canned sweet potatoes or yams or pumpkin, if desired; do not use pumpkin pie mix.
Note: For a less rich biscuit, milk or reduced-fat or skim milk may be used.
