I'm in the experimental mode. After 3 tries I think I'm on to something; easy donut holes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of your favorite biscuit mix; Farmer Brothers for me.
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar. Don't use granulated, the donuts will be greasy little bits of junk if you do.
1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
2 tablespoons of water. Maybe a little more but not too much, you want the dough a bit dry.

Method:
Turn on your Nesco deep fryer to 375. Don't have a Nesco? Use your Wearever, Hamilton-Beach or whatever you've got. Don't have a deep fryer? What part of the south are you from that you don't have a deep fryer? I live in northern Arizona but came from the southern half of the state, even southern Arizonians have a deep fryer. Ok, if you don't have a deep fryer, heat some oil in a pan on the stove. Slightly flatten the dough balls, that makes it easier to turn them when necessary. Put several in the fryer. Not too many at once and keep in mind that these little buggers will expand a bit. Plus you don't want to cool your oil too much. Fry them until they're (as Alton Brown would say) golden brown and delicious. Take them out with a spider or a slotted spoon and put them on a drain rack. Don't have a drain rack? Go get one. You don't want to use a paper towel; they just sit in the grease that way. A drain rack is a good purchase. While they're still hot sprinkle a bit more powdered sugar on them.

See, I said they were easy. You can use different flavorings instead of vanilla if you want; while I'm thinking about it, banana might be pretty good along with the ubiquitous almond or lemon. After a bit of experimentation I might add a little salt to the batter but at this point I don't know what it would do. As I said, this is after several experiments and I'd be glad to hear from any of you on how to make improvements. We could be like America's Test Kitchen, making 20 batches until we get it really good. If you get it better, share!

































Mix the sugar and biscuit mix together really well. Add the water and vanilla and stir until the dough is completely moistened. Add more biscuit mix or some flour if necessary; you don't want this dough sticky. Roll the dough on your granite into a ball and then form into a log. Make the log approximately the size of those large tapered candles you put out when you're trying to impress someone with a fancy dinner. (That never works by the way; if they've agreed to come to dinner they already know how you really are; fancy candles aren't gonna make a difference.) Use your bench knife and cut the roll into small pieces.