BASIC SOUTHERN BISCUITS

I have tried many biscuit recipes looking for just the right one. This one is great!!

Makes 18-20 (2 1/2 inch) Biscuits

2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    Mix dry ingredients

1/4 cup chilled shortening and/or butter roughly cut into 1/4 inch pieces (I used butter)
AND
1/4 cup chilled shortening and/or butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces. (I used butter)

1 cup whole milk or whole buttermilk, divided
Butter softened or melted for brushing

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Put 2 cups flour mixture in large bowl. Scatter 1/4 inch pieces of chilled butter over flour, and work in by rubbing fingers with fat and flour as if snapping thumb and fingers together (or use two forks or knives or pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like well crumpled feta cheese.

Scatter 1/2 inch pieces of chilled butter over flour mixture and continue snapping thumb and fingers together until no pieces larger than a pea remain.
Shake bowl occasionally to allow larger pieces of fat to bounce to the top of four, revealing largest lumps that still need rubbing. (if this method takes longer than 5 minutes rechill the fat)

Make a deep hollow in the center of flour. Pour 3/4 c milk or buttermilk into  hollow. Stir with a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, using broad circular strokes to quickly pull flour into milk. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened and sticky dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl. If some flour remains on bottom and sides of bowl, stir in 1 - 4 tbsp of remaining milk, just enough to incorporate remaining flour into shaggy wettish dough. If dough is too wet, use more flour.

Lightly sprinkle board with some of remaining 1/4 cup flour. Turn dough out onto board and sprinkle top lightly with flour. With floured hands, fold dough in half and pat dough out into a 1/3 to 1/2 inch round using a little additional flour if needed. Flour again if necessary, and fold dough in half a second time. If dough is still clumpy, pat and fold a third time.

Pat dough out into a 1/2 inch thick round for a normal biscuit, 3/4" thick for tall biscuit and 1" thick for giant biscuit.

For each biscuit, dip a 2 1/2 inch cutter into flour and cut into biscuits. Start at outside edge and cut very close together, being careful not to twist cutter. Put biscuits in 2 ( 8 or 9 inch) round cake pans or a buttered baking sheet.

Bake on top rack of oven until light brown- 10-14 minutes until gold brown., After 6 minutes, rotate pan in oven. Check to see if bottoms are browning too quickly. If so, slide another baking pan underneath to add insulation and retard browning.  Continue baking another 4-8 minutes until golden brown.

When done, remove from oven and lightly brush tops with softened or melted butter. Turn biscuits upside down on plate to cool slightly. Serve hot, right side up.

Cheese Blocks

This recipe has been in my family for years. It was one of my mothers favorites. Very simple to make. They go get with soup, chop suey, and much more. You may be turned off by the thought of velveeta cheese but these are really good.

1 pound velveeta cheese
1/2 pound ( 2 sticks oleo or butter)
1 loaf homemade bread unsliced.
Let both come to room temperature. Beat throughly.
While cheese mixture is beating cut up bread. Remove all crusts except bottom crust of bread. Cut in half lengthwise. Turn on side and cut lengthwise. Cut loaf into 16 pieces.
Spread mixture on all sides except bottom. Place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.

Hamburger Hot dog buns

This is an excellent recipe for buns if you are going to use them the same day. I stored some in a plastic bag after they were completely cooled. The next day when we used them for hamburger buns they fell apart.  This would make great pepperoni bread.

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 Tbsp. dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup melted Crisco ( I used butter Flavor)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 -4 cups flour
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp water
• sesame seeds optional
• 1. Proof the yeast in 1 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
• 2. In a large mixer bowl, with kneader hooks, put 3 1/2 c flour, 4 Tbsp sugar, melted Crisco, warm milk and salt.
• 3. Add the proofed yeast, mix to creat a soft semi sticky dough that holds around the blade, adding in more flour as needed ( don't add too much as it will create a heavy bun, dough should be semi sticky.
• 4.Knead dough on mixer for 7-8 minutes
• 5. Remove dough and let rest on counter, covered with clean dish towel for 10 mins.
• 6. Knead the dough gently with hands for 30 secs.
• 7.Place dough in large well greased/oiled bowl.
• 8. Cover and let rise in warm place for 60-90 minutes or until double in size. ( I let my dough raise in the oven.. preheat oven to 170-200 degrees and then turn off. ) Takes about 1 hour to raise.
• 9. Punch dough down.
• 10. Shape into large balls for hamburger buns or shape like hot dog buns onto a large greased cookie sheet. You should get about 12 large balls.
• 11. Cover with alight clean tea towel, and let rise in warm place for 30-40 minutes or until almost doubled.
• 12. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• 13. In small bowl mix 1 egg wihte and 1 tsp water and mix well
• 14. Carefully brush the tops and sides of buns with egg/water mixture.
• 15. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds
• 16. Bake 15-22 minutes, or until golden brown.