Baking-Powder Biscuits Recipe

Preheat oven to 450F.
Sift flour with baking powder and salt into medium bowl.
Cut shortening into flour mixture, with a pastry blender or 2 knives (used scissors-fashion), until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
Make a well in the center.
Pour in 2/3 cup milk all at once.
Stir quickly round the bowl with a fork.
If mixture seems dry, add a little more milk, to form dough just moist enough (but not wet) to leave side of bowl and form ball.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, to knead.
Gently pick up dough from side away away from you; fold over toward you; press out lightly with palm of hand.
Give the dough a quar- ter turn.
Repeat ten times.
Gently roll out dough, from center, to 3/4-inch thickness.
With floured 2-1/2-inch biscuit cutter, cut straight down into dough, being careful not to twist cutter.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet; bake 12 to 15 minutes.
Makes 8 (2-1/2-inch) biscuits.
Note: To prepare ahead: Make biscuits through first part of Step 7; refrigerate up to 3 hours.
Let warm 15 minutes to room temperature, while pre- heating oven; bake as directed.
Serve at once.
Drop Biscuits: Make Baking-Powder Biscuits, increasing milk to 1 cup.
Do not knead or roll out.
Drop dough, by tablespoonfuls, onto lightly greased cookie sheet; bake at 450F for 10 min- utes, or until golden-brown. Makes 20.
Cheese Biscuits: Adding 3/4 cup grated sharp
Cheddar cheese to sifted dry ingredients, make
Baking-Powder Biscuits.