Biscuits With A Smoky Twist

I made these biscuits for dinner to go alongside a bowl of garden-fresh soup and a pile of salad, but they would be equally wonderful for breakfast or to grab on the way out the door for a quick lunch also. They're light and flaky while still being somewhat whole grain. If you can find granulated maple sugar, use it in place of the turbinado sugar called for in the recipe.

Smoky Bacon and Cheese Biscuits

1 cup whole barley flour

1 cup cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt (smoked or regular)

1/2 tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar, or granulated maple sugar

4 tbsp cold butter

1/3-1/2 cup grated smoked cheddar cheese, such as Tillamook

3 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, cooled, and chopped

2 tbsp fresh chopped chives

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the barley flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the cheese, chives, and bacon pieces.

Whisk together the sour cream and milk. Pour into the dry mixture and stir to combine. Turn out onto a floured cutting board and knead a few times. Pat into a rectangle and cut into 8 squares. Place biscuits onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake 12-16 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. Serve warm.