I have high standards when it comes to biscuits—I can’t help it. I like ’em tall, fluffy, and golden brown. As long as you keep the butter chunky and cold and don’t overwork the dough, these biscuits will live up to their name and rise high with flaky layers of buttery goodness. Mix the dough just until the ingredients come together and you’ll be golden. Or rather, your biscuits will be golden. But you get the idea.

3½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons sugar, preferably organic whole cane sugar

½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

1½ cups cold buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives (you can also use a food processor) until pea-sized crumbs form in the dough; this will ensure that the biscuits turn out flaky and light. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough just comes together; don’t overmix.

Lightly flour the countertop and pat the dough to ¾ inch thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut the dough into rounds. Place on a baking sheet or stone and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned.

If you open your refrigerator in the midst of making these biscuits only to discover you’re out of cultured buttermilk, you can mix up this quick substitute instead: Put 1½ tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar in a 2-cup measuring cup, then fill with milk to the 1½-cup line. Stir until you see small curdled bits on your spoon, then add to the recipe.

Soft Flour Tortillas :

Be prepared—it’s extremely hard to go back to store-bought tortillas after tasting homemade ones. I started making tortillas at the very beginning of my homestead journey, back when I was still stocking the cupboards with margarine, boxed mac ’n’ cheese, and cans of cream of chicken soup. Thankfully, I’ve come a long way since then, and so has my tortilla technique. The only downfall of the homemade variety is that they dry out rather quickly. Place them in a resealable plastic bag lined with paper towels while they are still hot to increase their shelf life, then briefly reheat in a skillet to restore them to their original, freshly made glory when ready to serve.

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

3 tablespoons lard or coconut oil, melted

¾ cup hot water (100°F), plus more if needed

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Mix the melted lard into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. Add the water and knead for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough comes together and is smooth and pliable. (Add another 1 to 2 teaspoons of water if the dough seems too dry and crumbly.) Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Divide the dough into eight evenly sized balls and roll each one as thinly as possible. My tortillas are never perfectly round—thankfully, irregular shapes don’t affect the taste at all. You can sprinkle a little flour on the counter if they start to stick, but I find I rarely need to do that.

Preheat a skillet or griddle over high heat. Cook each tortilla for 30 seconds on each side, or until a few light brown spots show.

Remove from the heat, wrap in a clean kitchen towel, and serve warm. If storing for later, place the warm tortillas on a paper towel inside a resealable plastic bag. If the tortillas become stiff, reheat them for several minutes in a hot skillet until they soften.
Ham & Cheese Pockets :

Ever had one of those hams that just won’t quit, no matter how much you eat? When you can’t swallow any more ham sandwiches or ham soups, toss the remaining bits with some cheese and make these gooey pockets. Honestly, they really should be called leftover pockets because they are the perfect way to use up bits of this and that in the fridge and still get happy cheers from the family. I’ve made dozens of batches of these with regular pizza crust but discovered we prefer this soft dough made with milk and butter instead.

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

½ cup warm water (95–110°F)

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

¼ cup sugar, preferably organic whole cane sugar

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 large eggs, beaten separately

3½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour

2⅔ cups cubed cooked ham

2⅔ cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water and stir until dissolved.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the milk, butter, sugar, and salt and heat until the butter is just barely melted. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the dissolved yeast.

Mix in 1 beaten egg, then the flour ½ cup at a time. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Punch down the dough and divide it in half. Divide each half into four evenly sized balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 7-inch round. Spoon about ⅓ cup each ham and cheese onto half of each circle. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling and crimp to seal the edges. Brush each pocket with the remaining egg. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

To freeze for later, let cool completely, then wrap in foil and freeze in a resealable plastic bag. To reheat from frozen, place foil-wrapped pockets in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Filling Variations

Pockets can be filled in an almost infinite number of ways. Let your imagination run wild! Here are a few variations we’re fond of at our house:

• Pepperoni or sausage and mozzarella

• Leftover steamed broccoli and cheddar

• Mushrooms and Swiss cheese

• Leftover scrambled eggs and pepper Jack cheese.

Soft Pretzels :

Sunday is the day we press pause on our hectic homestead life. Generally, I’m not in the mood to cook elaborate suppers on Sundays, although everyone still wants to eat. (Funny how that works.) In the winter, pretzels are our ritual. I mix up the dough and let it rise while we nap, then the kids and I shape the twists and boil them in the baking soda slurry later in the afternoon. They’re chewy, salty, and satisfying, and you must try dipping them in cheese sauce. Seriously, you MUST.

2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar, preferably organic whole cane sugar

1½ cups warm water (95–110°F)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

3½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour ½ cup baking soda

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Coarse sea salt, for topping

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Mix in the fine salt and enough flour to form a soft dough that doesn’t stick to your hands as you work it. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic, before placing it in an oiled bowl. Cover and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or put a baking stone in the oven to preheat. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 4 cups water and the baking soda to a boil.

Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 evenly sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 12-inch rope and twist it into a pretzel shape. Immerse the pretzels one at a time in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them on the prepared baking sheet or stone.

Bake the pretzels for 14 minutes, or until they are a rich shade of golden brown.

Brush with melted butter immediately after you remove them from the oven and sprinkle with coarse salt. These pretzels are best if eaten warm from the oven, but are definitely still edible the following day if kept in an airtight container overnight.