I’m not originally from the south, but I’ve grown to love southern food. And that includes biscuits–especially biscuits! I love them hot from the oven with some butter or topped with sausage gravy…mmm! So of course I was excited about reviewing the new cookbook 
Biscuits: Sweet and Savory Southern Recipes for the All-American Kitchen by Jackie Garvin. This book starts off with a little biscuit history and then goes on to share tips and recipes for making all kinds of biscuits…rolled, patted, layered, or cut. Traditional favorites like Buttermilk Biscuits, Baking Powder Biscuits, Cornmeal Biscuits, Angle Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, and more. There’s a recipe for Gluten-Free Biscuits, too. As you look through the book, you’ll also find some wonderful creative recipes to make with biscuit dough–delicious-looking recipes like Raspberry Biscuit Pudding, Biscuit Donuts, Loaded Baked Potato Biscuits, and Skillet Toasted Biscuits. There’s also a section on Biscuit Toppings which includes recipes for Sausage Gravy, Bacon Tomato Gravy, Chocolate Gravy, and Country Ham and Redeye Gravy. Biscuit-related dishes and desserts for every meal are in this book too-Chicken and Dumplings, Hamburger Pot Pie, Double-Decker Strawberry Shortcake, Blackberry Cobbler, and Peach Raspberry Scones, to name a few. I decided to try the Rosemary Focaccia Biscuit Bread because, in addition to biscuits, I also love focaccia–so what could be better than a combination of both? And it looked like a simple, easy recipe anyone could make. If you’re not familiar with focaccia, it’s an Italian bread often served with olive oil for dipping. This recipe is a delicious, savory version of a biscuit in focaccia form–the fresh minced rosemary flavors it nicely with a subtle hint of garlic from the garlic powder. You will need some parchment paper for lining your pan when you make this. You’ll also notice that the recipe calls for soft winter wheat self-rising flour. Soft winter wheat is a variety of wheat that has a low protein and gluten content, often used in biscuit-making. The White Lily brand is a soft wheat flour and King Arthur Unbleached Self-Rising Flour is a soft wheat flour, too. If you can’t find soft winter wheat flour, just substitute regular self-rising flour.
ROSEMARY FOCACCIA BISCUIT BREAD from Biscuits: Sweet and Savory Southern Recipes Makes four 4-inch squares in an 8 x 8″ pan
- 2 1/2 cups soft winter wheat self-rising flour (or substitute regular self-rising flour)
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450˚F. Place flour in a large bowl. Stir in rosemary and garlic powder. Add milk and olive oil. Stir until dough is wet. Cover the inside of an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Sprinkle dough with olive oil and spread dough evenly over paper. Make indentations over the entire top surface of the dough with your knuckles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 450˚F preheated oven for 15 minutes or until top in brown and inside of bread is done. Remove and let cool on cooling rack.
This recipe is great for breakfast or brunch when you want to serve something a little different. It’s really good and I’m sure your savory-loving family and friends will love it! And it is super-easy to put together, so there’s no reason not to try it! Are you a biscuit-lover like me and what is your favorite kind of biscuit?
Linked to Full Plate Thursday, Let’s Get Real Friday, Inspire Me Monday.
This sound wonderful with rosemary and garlic powder. I love the simplicity of the recipe. Lovely post Nancy.
Thanks so much! I really like the flavors of rosemary and garlic together, too!
What an unusual recipe – for me, as a northerner, anyway … it sounds delicious!
Yes, it definitely a different way to enjoy biscuits! 🙂
Oh how I adore biscuits! I cook a lot more than I bake… but you have me inspired!
Glad this inspired you, Julie! 🙂
This sounds droooolicious Nancy… garlic powder and rosemary that a awesome combo…
Gorgeous biscuits, with the addition of rosemary – I can only imagine what the aroma in your kitchen was like.
Thanks, Loretta! Yes, the scent of rosemary was really nice in the kitchen! 🙂
This is such a fabulous recipe. Saving it! So the texture and bite was more like a biscuit or a bread?
Yes, both the texture and taste is definitely like a biscuit, but it looks like focaccia!
Awesome
I would love a slice hot out of the oven slathered in butter. I bet the texture is amazing. Pinned! Wishing you a safe holiday weekend.
Thanks, and hope you have a safe and happy weekend, too! 🙂
This sounds really yummy. Is there a big difference in the quality of the bake if you use regular self-raising rather than the soft winter wheat variety?
The regular self-rising flour will work fine–the biscuit texture may be a little less fluffy, but it will still be good!
What a yummy Focaccia, looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your post with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen
I adore biscuits, they’re my all tight comfort food for sure! This looks like a great recipe book, it must be fun to try out so many new recipes:)
Yes, I’m a big biscuit-lover, too, and I like trying new ways to make them! 🙂
Hi Nancy, love this recipe, the combination of rosemary and garlic is like a marriage made in heaven. Have a great week-end!
Enjoy your weekend, too, Cheri! 🙂
I love focaccia and rosemary as well as biscuits so what a perfect recipe! The cookbook sounds like a really good one. Peach and raspberry scones caught my eye. Thanks so much for the focaccia recipe!