Hardee's Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

I wanted to show you what I've been baking lately, because I'm so excited to be baking again. I also want to hurry and post this, because I keep baking new things every few days, and they are really starting to pile up. Part of the problem is that I can't think of a dessert without wanting to bake it. I don't know what today's thoughts will bring me. I've been kicking around brownies and oatmeal cookies in my head for a while.

At the bottom of my deliciously blatant self-promotion is the recipe for a knockoff version of Hardee's Cinnamon Biscuits. I made mine without raisins, because I didn't have any. I used to love these biscuits when I was a kid, but Hardee's fled my home state out west, and left me with a hollow place in my heart. I had them a few times when we moved east, but I've been abandoned by Hardee's once again here in Greece. This recipe supposedly comes from a woman who used to work at Hardee's, and appropriated the secret formula for her own personal use. I believe it. They are pretty darn close to the restaurant version.

Okay, here are my brags:

Christmas cookies (I told you I was behind):

Aren't they so delightful? I'm really, really thrilled by them.
I feel like I need to make a couple real-world disclosures, though:
First, they took me an incredibly long time to decorate. My entire afternoon was shot.
Second, the powdered sugar I used is not my favorite, so the icing wasn't fabulous.
Has anyone else had problems with the bulk powdered sugar from Costco?

Sourdough starter, and the bread that came from it:

I'm proud of this starter. It's my first-ever. I used a recipe from my online recipe bible, Allrecipes.
It's great, but you have to feed the starter regularly.
I've had mine for about a month and a half now, and it's just starting to get nice. 

Look at this. Will you just look at this? It's amazing.
Maybe I'll give you the recipe in another post. Maybe I'll make you beg for it.

Cupcakes I made, and immediately devoured:

I'm not kidding. I frosted the one, took a picture for my friend, and then plowed it down my face.
I later frosted the rest, and systematically worked my way through them.
Maybe Phil had one.

Not Pictured (because I don't photograph everything I eat): Caramel Corn, Key Lime Pie, Spritzar, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and, I know this isn't "baking," Onion Rings. 

Hardee's Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits

Makes about 14.

Preheat the oven to 400F. 

The Mixing Part:

First:

Mix together:

2 cups self-rising flour*

1 teas. baking powder

1/2 teas. baking soda

1/6 cup sugar

*If you don't have self-rising flour (I definitely didn't), mix together 2 cups of regular flour with 3 teas of baking powder and 1/2 teas of salt. That whole mixture will count as your 2 cups of self-rising flour. 

Second:

With a fork, blend in:

6 TB shortening

Your dough should be powdery at this point.

Third:

Add:

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup buttermilk

Stir the dough until the milk is just mixed in. Don't overmix it.

Fourth:

Mix in:

1/2 cup raisins

Swirl 1 and 1/2 teas. of cinnamon into your dough

The Cutting and Baking Part:

Dump it all out onto a floured counter. 

Cut biscuits so they're about 2 inches round, and 1/2 an inch thick. 

Bake for about 12 minutes on a well-greased pan, then pull them out and glaze them.

The Glazing Part:

Slowly add 3-4 TB milk and 2 teas. vanilla to 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Lovingly, generously, and gluttonously pour half the glaze over the still-warm biscuits. Let them cool for just a short while, then pour on the rest.

.......shoutout to Pam-I-Am for the original recipe, which makes a lot more biscuits, here........