Flaky Biscuits

(this would be great in chicken & dumplings)

• 2 c. sifted flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil
• 2/3 c. skim milk

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Blend in vegetable oil with fork or a pastry blender. Add milk and mix until dough forms. Gently knead on a lightly floured board, 15 to 20 times. Roll our or pat to 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter (or rim of a glass). Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees until lightly browned 12-15 minutes. Makes about a dozen.

For soft biscuits, arrange on baking sheet with sides touching. For crusty biscuits, place well apart.

Buttermilk biscuits: add 1/4 tsp. baking soda to dry ingredients and substitute buttermilk for regular milk.

Cheese Biscuits: add 1/2 c. grated cheese to sifted dry ingredients.

Tea Biscuits

• 2 c. sifted flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 c. shortning
• 2/3 c. milk

Mix together all dry ingredients, cut shortning into it until mixture resembles course crumbs (crumbs about pea size). Add milk all at once and stir until dough follows fork around bowl. Dough should be soft.

Pat or roll dough about 1/2 to 1" thick - cut with floured biscuit cutter, or rim of glass. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees, makes about 16 biscuits.

For drop biscuits: increase milk to 1 cup and just drop dough by the tablespoonful onto the cookie sheet.