Fast and fabulous taco biscuits

A fun new way to enjoy a family favourite!

Biscuits could be a food group in our house. We love them in their simplest form (with jam or Nutella, of course), made with buttermilk, studded with cheddar and apples, or popping with coconut and mango. This recipe consists of easy to make, buttery biscuit dough stuffed with salsa, taco-seasoned cooked ground meat and cheese and I could honestly eat these things all day long. Unlike some savoury filled bun recipes which rely on yeasted dough, there’s no rising time needed for quick biscuit dough, made with baking powder. You can even make these rolled-up beauties with a gluten-free biscuit dough if you prefer! These biscuits are great for tucking into lunchboxes and they freeze beautifully as well.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (225 g) ground beef, chicken or turkey
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) taco seasoning blend
• 2 cups (500 mL) flour
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 4 teaspoons (20 mL) baking powder
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) cold butter
• 1 cup (250 mL) cold milk
• 1 – 2 tablespoons (15 – 30 mL) extra flour, for work surface
• 2/3 cup (160 mL) salsa
• 2/3 cup (160 mL) grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

To serve: guacamole, sour cream, additional salsa

Method

• Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium-sized frying pan, cook ground beef, turkey or chicken over medium heat, stirring often to break up clumps. Once cooked (about 8 minutes), add taco seasoning and cook for 2 minutes longer, stirring often. Transfer cooked meat to a broad, shallow dish and put in the refrigerator to cool while you make the biscuit dough.
• Make dough by combining flour, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Using a box grater, shred the cold butter into the flour mixture. Toss with a fork or your fingers to evenly distribute butter into the flour.
• Add milk and stir until just combined.
• Scatter a little flour on your work surface and turn the dough out onto the floured area. Knead 8 – 10 times until dough comes together; note that it will still be somewhat sticky.
• Lift up the dough and scatter a bit more flour on the work surface. Use your hands to flatten the dough into a rectangle approximately 9 x 14 inches (22.5 x 35 cm). Lift the dough up as needed and scatter a bit more flour to keep it from sticking to the work surface.
• Working with a long side of the rectangle closest to you, spread the salsa on the dough, leaving a 1 inch (2.5 cm) border free at the top.
• Scatter grated cheese over the salsa, followed by the cooked meat.

• Starting with the edge closest to you, roll up the dough into a cylinder, pressing on the border to seal the roll.

• With a sharp knife, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) slices; lay them flat on the parchment-lined baking sheet, about an inch apart.

• Bake for 18 – 20 minutes, until biscuit dough is puffed and brown and filling is bubbly.
• Serve hot or at room temperature, with sour cream, guacamole and salsa.

Makes 14 pizza biscuits.