Gloria’s recipe for Red Lobster Biscuits

The new mom was awake all night, tenderly caring for her babies, living on what I call “happy hormones.”

At 4:00, I nestled on the floor next to her hospital bed on a blanket. Up to that point, I was too happy to sleep. The twins weren't mine, but they found their way straight into my heart and I was beyond thrilled to help care for them and their new mother. God was just so good, in so many ways he was providing beyond what I could grasp.

Twenty minutes after settling down for a snooze, I heard a nurse talking to Regina about bathing the twins and weighing them. I blinked; the nap had felt good. Regina opted out on the “midnight” baths; when the nurse kindly insisted they need to be weighed I helped her place the newborns in their beds. We wheeled them out in the hall in the stillness of night with Jordan’s monitor system in tow.

Jordan was being monitored to ensure proper breathing, heart rate, and oxygen since he had to be on oxygen for a couple hours after his birth. All went well, soon we were back in our cozy little room where Regina took one baby and my mother took the other.

It was my turn for the couch. I crashed out for a few hours. By dawn we all got some sleep - that is, all but the new mom!

Breakfast time was coming up. I wanted to eat, but I admit, I had a sense of apprehension as I thought of the cafeteria. There was nothing bad about it, it was just that I had some intense moments linked to it from a couple years back when I was also at a hospital and knew I needed to eat. It was the day my husband was hanging between life and death.

Walking into the cafeteria that day in search of something I could get to go down, I thought of orange juice. The tears came; it had been one of the first times for me to be real with the heartache I felt; up to this point his excruciating pain was my focal point and anything I could do to encourage him to keep going.

There in the cafeteria of that large hospital, I had spotted the drinks. I thought of Daniel, and how he would buy orange juice for me - he knew how much I like it and how it gives me a boost. That last year, especially, he’d come again and again with another bottle of orange juice with heavy pulp.

Brother Javin told me he'd go with me to get a bite to eat. As we headed for the first floor I gave all those feelings to God. I chose biscuits and gravy, a favorite of mine, I looked at the orange juice; no, I simply couldn’t get myself to do it.

After we had paid for our items, Javin offered to eat with me at the cafeteria instead of going back to the room. It clicked, I knew it would be healing for me. There across the table from my brother, who is less than a year older than I, we discussed life before Daniel was hurt, that day at the Evansville hospital, and life today. I walked away, much encouraged. It was like another milestone. I made it, and yes, it was good. Thanks to Javin for sharing his orange juice; I even had some before heading back upstairs.

Two blue bundles awaited us as we opened the door to Regina's room.

Mom and I decided to wash the babies' hair. We each took a baby into the bathroom and proceeded to wash their hair with sweet smelling baby shampoo. We were having a time of our life when I suggested that we should see if we can see how well Javin can tell them apart. (They look much the same, but with one weighing close to a pound more, it makes the difference a bit more distinct.) Mom agreed, so we swapped babies then we swapped their hats.

In the meantime, Mom and I started laughing, and we simply could not stop! Jordan, who was Baby B, now had a cap with an "A" and Jotham's a large "B." It was evident that we had a loss of sleep, and it was coming out in the giggles. We tried to sober up before Javin came back into the room. Handing him the bundle with an A, I said, "Here you go with a clean little boy."

I turned back to the bathroom, I knew I could not keep a straight face anyway. And I don't like keeping secrets, you know - at least not for too long! About like that Javin was saying, "You are Jordan!"

Oh my, Daddy was not to be fooled. "At least I tried!" I laughed.

Okay, we'll wind up with Red Lobster Biscuits. I enjoyed the biscuits from the cafeteria at the hospital, but my aunt's recipe remains my favorite. They are a one-of-a-kind, and are moist yet flaky and cheesy.

Red Lobster Biscuits

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/3 cup butter

1 1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Mix dry ingredients. Grate chilled butter and mix with dry mixture. Next add milk and cheese. Mix just until blended.

Drop on greased cookie sheet, bake 350 for 10 minutes. Then brush with the following mixture:

Topping:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teas parsley

1/2 teas garlic salt

1/2 teas Italian seasoning

Yield: 12-15 yummy biscuits