Solstice Biscuits

We celebrated the Winter Solstice last night with Butternut Squash soup and sweet potato biscuits. The golden biscuits were shaped like the sun to remind us that now the days will be getting longer as we head into winter.

The biscuits are easy to make and really yummy. Even people who don't like sweet potatoes (like Larry) enjoy them. They're not too sweet, but they are fluffy and absorb butter well.

Plus the sweet potato adds beta carotene, a good boost to the immune system at this time of year when viruses make the rounds along with the holiday cheer. Make sure to buy an orange sweet potato so you get the pretty color.

Because I don't drink apple juice, when I buy a bottle I freeze the remains in 1/4 cup containers, ready to use in recipes like this or the ever-popular tofu teriyaki.

Solstice Biscuits
1 large orange sweet potato
1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup white flour (plus a little more as needed)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup apple juice

Pierce the sweet potato a few times with a fork and bake it on a cookie sheet at 425° until it is very tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the peel and any hard bits. Mash enough to make 1 cup. Reserve any remaining for another use (or just eat it - chef's perks!).

Stir together the flours, baking powder and salt. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut in the butter until it makes fine crumbs. Stir in the mashed sweet potato and apple juice.

Knead gently to form a soft dough and turn out onto a lightly-floured board. Divide into 16 pieces and roll each into a ball. Put each on a cookie sheet and flatten it slightly.

Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter.

Makes 16 biscuits.