We're veering off the beaten path this week. Hang on tight.

When pondering what to whip up next for Whipped Up Whimsy I was at a standstill. My imagination was on overload. For once in my life, I was not craving a sugary treat. This has never happened. I think it must've been a full moon or something. I needed inspiration! What recipe could I share and stay true to my baking roots? Then it hit me.

Biscuits.

I know, I know. A biscuit isn't a dessert but I assure you it's an indulgence none-the-less. A very dear friend of mine has a slight obsession with biscuits which I can't say I ever really understood. They're usually dry and flaky and pretty much exclusively served with fried chicken. That is until now.

Mmhmm. That's right. Rich, buttery, flaky, herby goodness. Don't you want to take a bite of that screen?

My mouth is watering staring at these pictures, y'all.

We've got cheese. We've got butter. We've got FRIED SAGE. The only thing that would make this more perfect would be a poached egg nestled right in between those flaky layers. with a large cup of coffee. I guess I know what I am having for breakfast tomorrow!

But getting down to brass tacks guys... these biscuits are easy-peasy to mix up and take little time to cook. If you've got a dinner party coming up and need to offer up a side dish, here's an simple way to impress your friends. Isn't it weird how little green specks (herbs!) make something so much fancier?

My biscuits bring all the boys to the yard. Ew. Never mind. That's just creepy.

Fried Sage:

1 package sage (usually around 4 oz)
1/4 cup olive oil

Heat olive oil in small skillet on medium heat.

Wash sage leave and trim off stems. Dry completely with a paper towel. Seriously. Get those leaves bone dry.

Toss (gently) sage leaves into hot oil and cook for one minute or until slightly brown. Remove with tongs and place on paper towel to soak up oil.

Sage and Gruyere Biscuits:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
fried sage, crumbled
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
4 tablespoons shortening, chilled
1 cup buttermilk, cold
2 oz gruyere, shaved (I used a vegetable peeler)

Preheat oven to 400°

In a large mixing bowl whisk together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking power, baking soda, sage) until well combined.

Using a pastry cutter, or two butter knives, dice in the chilled butter and shortening. It may sound crazy but these ingredients HAVE to be cold. If you want flaky biscuits, you need cold fats. Biscuit fact.

Once you have a crumbly, pebbly looking base stir in the cold buttermilk. The mixture will be sticky, but reach your hands in there and knead that lump o' dough for about 3o seconds. The dough should look somewhat uniform but don't sweat it if you've got a few small lumps of butter or shortening here and there. This isn't rocket science. Mix in about 3.4 of your shaved gruyere saving a few shavings for the tops of your biscuits.

Roll out dough on a well floured surface and use a wide-mouth-mason-jar/circle-cookie cutter/juice-glass/whatever-you-darn-well-please to shape your individual bisckies (that's short for biscuits). I ended up with about 10 biscuits and one lump all together. Sprinkle the last of your gruyere shavings on the tops.

Place biscuits in oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool for 10 minutes before biting in or you will burn your mouth. Just trust me.