A Message from Chef Regina Charboneau, Culinary Ambassador
No Thanksgiving feast is complete without delicious buttery biscuits. But not just any biscuit recipe will do. To guarantee that you serve only the best buttermilk biscuits, Chef Regina Charboneau is letting us in on her famous Natchez butter biscuit recipe. Not only is this recipe her signature biscuit recipe, but it got featured on the Hallmark channel. Now, you can cook her famous buttermilk biscuits from the comfort of your home or enjoy them on a Thanksgiving cruise.
Natchez Buttermilk Biscuits
4 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup baking powder
¼ cup sugar
½ cup salted butter, chilled, and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 ½ cup salted margarine, chilled, and cut each stick in 3-inch cubes
1 ¾ cups buttermilk, chilled
- Put all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Turn the machine on low and blend for 15 seconds. Add the butter, margarine, and buttermilk to flour mixture before turning mixer on. Turn mixer on low and count to 10. Do not overmix the dough. There will be large chunks of margarine, in the dough- that is a good thing.
- Scrape dough from the bowl onto a floured tea towel and shape into a long vertical rectangle about 2 inches thick. The dough will seem rough and messy in the beginning. Using the edges of the towel, fold the lower part of the dough (about one-third) toward the center, then fold the top portion down. After folding in thirds, turn and repeat 7 times (roll, fold in thirds and turn).
- After the eighth time of rolling, roll dough to 1-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds. Punch cutter into dough cleanly, without twisting. When refolding and rerolling the dough, gently stack it to retain the layers. Do not overwork.
- Place biscuits on a baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen, transfer biscuits to
plastic bags. The unbaked biscuits can be frozen for 2 months. To bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place frozen biscuits in the cups of muffin tins. (you do not have to grease- there is plenty of that already in the dough! Bake until golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes.
For vegan biscuits – use almond milk and with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to curdle it (does better if you do the day before) then replace butter and margarine with 4 sticks of vegan butter sticks.
Spend Your Holiday on the River
Thanksgiving is a time for joy and delicious food. However, you don’t need to be home to experience the holiday fun. If going out on the river for the Thanksgiving holiday is on your bucket list, join the American Queen Voyages™ team on a Holidays on the River cruise during Thanksgiving. Sail from Memphis to New Orleans on a Lower Mississippi River adventure and visit iconic ports of call, including Cleveland (Terrene Landing), Vicksburg, Natchez, Mississippi; Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Nottoway, Louisiana.
On American Queen®, enjoy a traditional turkey dinner with stuffing, trimmings, and pumpkin pie, among other delicious dishes. As you sail, see winter wonderland river towns pass you by. In port, explore awe-inspiring destinations that range from cultural and historical to artistic, all while wandering around quaint towns reminiscent of a snow globe. Embark on inspired excursions that add some edge to the Thanksgiving season. In Nottoway, Louisiana, an AQV exclusive port, visit the Grand Southern Plantation, known as the most picturesque plantation in the South. Go back in time with a tour as you learn more about the history of the South.
In Natchez, Mississippi, Chef Regina Charboneau’s hometown, explore the charming streets lined with crape myrtles. Admire the historic architecture to discover why more than 1,000 buildings in Natchez are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Venture to the Old South Trading Post to browse unique souvenirs, drug store items, and traditional Southern muscadine juices, dips, jellies, and salsas. Then head to the Rosalie Mansion to see artifacts that bring you to a different era.
Plan Your Thanksgiving Cruise Today
Set sail on a Thanksgiving adventure with American Queen Voyages. Enjoy familiar Thanksgiving traditions on your Thanksgiving voyage while also creating new ones. Spread the holiday joy as you sail to spectacular ports of call, where discovery is never-ending. Book your Thanksgiving sailing today!
New Orleans