Coming Clean

Okay, I’ll come clean. I don’t have the same amount of energy as you, or you or even YOU. And no, I don’t simply mean right now, because I didn’t sleep well or the other day because my son was sick or last week because I had a cold or even a few weeks ago when I was insanely busy with work and I had a cold and my son was sick and I wasn’t sleeping well. I mean every (freaking) day. I wake up tired. I go to bed tired. I am tired on the way to work, while I’m at work, on my way home from work. I’m a tuckered out wee puppy dog and I just wanted to admit it to you, the people I consider my friends.

For the most part, if you look at me you will see a relatively vibrant, healthy young woman who is happy, outgoing and (for the most part) well-adjusted. Sometimes you might remark on the dark circles I have under my eyes or the weary look on my face at the end of the day, but most people don’t even notice (at least they don’t tell me they do!). I have an energetic five year old son and by and large I am a single mother (as Facebook might say, it’s “complicated”) and I work full-time at a hospital and part-time, at home, online. I guess I’m busy; I cook, clean, take my son to and from school, take him to outings on the weekend. I do laundry and I colour with him, I watch movies and we have snuggles and talks and read stories together. But all of that is normal. It shouldn’t make me more tired than you.

But I am. And really, I don’t like to complain about it and I don’t like to bring it up as a rule, but the past few weeks have been especially difficult. I guess I just wanted five minutes to wallow, before I pick myself back up again and carry on.

This wasn’t meant to become a sob story. This wasn’t meant to make you feel sorry for me and it certainly wasn’t just me complaining or being ill-tempered or exhausted. I just wanted to explain why I was craving biscuits again the other night…and why I may or may not have eaten six of them for dinner.

Cheddar-Yogurt Biscuits

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 cups thick Greek or Middle Eastern-style yogurt*
1/2 cup shredded sharp/old cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450F. Sift of blend together the all purpose flour, ground flax seed, corn meal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. 

2. With your fingers, smudge the flour and butter together until you have pea-sized pieces of butter all mixed into the flour.

3. Stir in the thick yogurt and mix lightly with a fork to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. 

4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently only about 8 - 10 times. Roll out or pat to a 1/2" thick rectangle. Cut out biscuits (with your favourite shaped cutter) and place on parchment lined baking sheet.

5. Bake for 10 - 13 minutes or until light golden brown.

Makes 12 - 16 biscuits, depending on the size of your cutter.