Baking Powder Biscuits-Easy!

We had some leftover gravy and carrots from Sunday's roast, so I made a quick stew out of it yesterday for dinner (lunch.) The girls made these classic baking powder biscuits to go with the stew. This is a very old recipe that has never failed me. It is from the Bethany Cookbook that my maternal grandmother used. It is so old that it assumes "small" details will be known by the cook, such as the temperature you bake them at! I have expounded a bit where needed in the recipe below to help the less experienced cook. (Yes, the biscuits above are pink. It was just for fun.)


Baking Powder Biscuits

2 c flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. shortening (margarine, butter, lard, Crisco)
2/3 c milk

Sift all dry ingredients. Add shortening. Blend until like cornmeal. (Use a dough blender, large fork or two knives in a scissor fashion.) Add milk and egg. Stir just until blended. (Too much stirring can make your biscuits tough.) Roll (on flour dusted board or table/counter) to 1/2 inch thick. Cut (with flour dipped biscuit cutter or glass) and bake at 450 degrees (on ungreased cookie sheet or stone bake ware) 10-12 minutes until golden.

These can be made as dropped biscuits. We never roll and cut them. Just drop them (scrape a blob off with another spoon) from a large spoon onto your baking pan or stone. You can slightly flatten or shape them after dropping with a flour dipped utensil if you want to. Or not. (No need to grease pan.)