Shelly's Recipe

SAVORY HAM AND CHEESE BISCUITS

Category: Breakfast and Brunch

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
8 oz chopped, cooked ham
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tps cayenne pepper or black pepper
3 tbsp chilled solid vegetable shortening
2 tbsp chilled butter
2/3 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp buttermilk

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 4 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in ham. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 450. Grease 2 baking sheets.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cayenne pepper. Using a pastry blender or 2 sharp knives, cut shortening into flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Stir in ham mixture and cheese. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add buttermilk all at once to well, tossing with a fork until dry ingredients are just moistened and a dough forms.

On a floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough to a ¾ inch thickness. Using a 2 inch round or fancy biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits. Gather trimmings, roll to a ¾ inch thickness, and cut out more biscuits. Place biscuits, 1 inch apart, on prepared baking sheets. Bake biscuits until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool slightly.