Wonderful creamy tasting biscuits that you can whip up almost as an afterthought. They always turn out tall and golden and they are great with jam, honey, country gravy or just some butter.

MAKES: 1 dozen biscuits
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 tablespoons shortening
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk, low fat or fat free is fine

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until crumbly.
3. Stir in milk until mixture comes together.
4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 5 or 6 times just to form a ball.
5. Pat down then roll to about 1/2 thick with a rolling pin.
6. Cut into circles and place on a baking sheet.
7. Bake 15 minutes at 400F.

TIP:

• If you wish you may add 1/3 cup of sugar to make sweet biscuits that are good shortcakes for sweetened fruits or berries. In the winter try using sweetened mixed berries that have been frozen from summer. Top the shortcakes with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
• I have also used hot sauted apple rings and a sausage pattie in the sweetened hot biscuits for a winter week end breakfast. Just cut the apples into 1/4 inch rounds and saute in some butter until tender crisp. Be sure to use a sweet apple like a Fuji.

Tags: Biscuits, breakfast biscuits, dinner biscuits, savory biscuits, sweet biscuits