Basil-Parmesan Biscuits...

I thought about getting a batch of pesto prepared and in the freezer since the basil plants were starting to get a little big for their britches, but I was out of the nuts I wanted to use. I had intended to make a different side for dinner tonight, but once I had that licorice-y aroma over my fingers after checking out the plants, I had to find a use for the basil... and these Basil-Parmesan Biscuits were just the ticket I needed.

The recipe actually called for purple basil, which at one time had a home in our herb box, but sadly it did not want to grow for us this year. I don't find purple basil to be as reliable in flavor as sweet basil though, sometimes it can be milder or more intense... it is suppose to be killer in lemonade I hear! It is a beautiful herb if you can grow or find it, so give it a try sometime if you haven't - just be sure to taste it first and adjust the amount in your recipe, if needed.

Swapping out half of the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat flour was another change we did, adding a little more nutrition, but that was probably canceled out by the extra two tablespoons of butter lumped in for good measure. Cut in four chilled tablespoons if you like per the original recipe, but biscuits are worth the extra few calories for a more light and tender texture. For a bit of cheesy sharpness, a couple ounces of fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese was added into the mix, before the biscuit dough was brought together by the addition of milk and an egg.

Now, if you want dainty little biscuits that are perfectly round, feel free to turn the dough out onto a floured surface, pat it into an inch thick round and cut out rounds. I didn't fuss around with that tonight as I just wanted to get them in the oven! Using a big 'ol ice scream scoop worked for me to portion out the dough, turning them into drop biscuits instead.

If you like the golden exterior to be on the crustier side, which we do, bake them off and they are good to go as they come out of the oven. However, if you like a shiny finish with a softer crust, right as they come out of the oven, brushing the tops once or twice with melted butter is the way to go. Flecked with the bits of fresh basil throughout, we found the herbal charge these biscuits had to be invigorating and hypnotic, meaning I knew there was no doubt we wouldn't be able to stop at just a single biscuit... portion control went out the window with our meal this evening!

Recipes
Basil-Parmesan Biscuits