JoJo's Biscuits (From Magnolia Table Cookbook)

 Ingredients

• 4 cups self-rising flour, plus more for the work surface
• 2 Tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 lbs (3 sticks) salted butter, cold, cut into 1/2 inch pieces or grated
• 2 large eggs, beaten, plus 1 large egg for brushing
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, or as needed, plus 1 Tablespoon for brushing
• Optional: strawberry jam or gravy

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the pieces are even and about the size of peas. 

Stir in the beaten eggs with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in 1 1/2 cups buttermilk until the dough comes together into a sticky mass. If it is too dry, add more buttermilk 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until it reaches the correct consistency. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. 

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Scrape the dough onto a floured work surface. Use your floured hands to press it into a round roughly 14 inches across and about 1/2 inch thick. 

Use a floured 2 3/4 inch round cutter to cut out about 20 biscuits. If necessary, collect and pat our the scraps to cut more biscuits. 

Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, arranging them so that they are all touching. 

In a small dish, beat together the remaining egg and 1 Tablespoon buttermilk. Brush the mixture on the top of the biscuits. 

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cook slightly in the pan on a rack. 

Biscuits are best the day they are made (and ideally fresh out of the oven!). Serve with strawberry jam or gravy, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

Enjoy! 

Note: For longer storage, arrange the biscuits about 1/2 inch apart on two parchment-paper-lined baking sheets and free until solid. Transfer them to a zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks. There is no need to thaw them before baking. 

Tuscan Sausage Pasta

 Ingredients

• 8 oz. uncooked pasta (fettuccine) 
• 10.6 oz. Italian sausages, crumbled
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1.5 cups baby spinach
• Small handful of fresh basil (chopped finely)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste

Boil a salted pot of water and cook pasta al dente according to package directions. 

Take the sausages out of their casings and crumble the meat into a skillet. Saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's nicely browned on the outside. 

Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. If there's a lot of fat, discard most of it. 

Add the garlic, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, flour, and lemon juice to the pan. Stir until well combined and let it bubble for a minute or two. 

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cream to the pan. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Add the sausage back into the pan. Cook for another few minutes until the sauce has thickened a bit. 

Stir in the basil and spinach. Let it cook for a minute or so until it wilts. Give the sauce a taste and season with extra salt and pepper if needed. 

Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Serve immediately with some freshly grated parmesan. 

Enjoy!