RECIPE FOR BISCUITS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.
• Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)
• Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 F Mix first 4 ingredients together in a bowl.
• Cut in butter with a pastry blender or a fork, or two knives, until crumbly.
• Add milk.
• Stir until it forms a ball.
• Add a bit more milk if necessary to make a soft dough.
• Roll or pat to 1 inch thick. (I usually pat the dough).
• Cut into circles with a biscuit cutter or a floured glass.
• Arrange on a greased baking sheet.
• Bake in 425 F for about 10- 12 minutes or until risen and nicely browned. (in my oven it usually takes 15 minutes).
• This is supposed to make 12, but I almost always only get 11 biscuits, with the size of the glass that I use.
• Variations: Try adding some fresh or dried herbs. Some good pairings are basil and oregano, or parsley and fresh ground black pepper, or thyme and garlic, or add some grated sharp or old cheddar cheese.