Cheese and Chive Biscuits

This is another recipe that I found in my Everyday Food Magazine, but we decided that it needed more cheese and more butter (bad, I know...) to really enhance the cheddar flavor.  Use fresh chives to bring out the flavor in these biscuits, but dried chives can work in a pinch.  Excellent with our Easter ham dinner!  The leftovers would also be delicious as breakfast biscuits. 

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooke time: 15 mins

Makes: 16

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups All-Purpose Flour

2 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 3/4 tsp fine salt

8-10 oz sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

4 tbsp chives

1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.  Add cheese, butter and chives and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.  Transfer dough into a large bowl and add cold buttermilk.  Mix together until just combined (do not over mix).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it just comes together.   With a floured rolling pin, roll out dough 3/4 inch thick.  With a  floured 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 16 rounds (re-roll and cut scraps).  Place biscuits, 1 1/2 inches apart, on a baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden, 13-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.  Serve warm or at room temperature.