Becki posted 02-28-99 4:11 PM
Biscuit and Baking Mix
8 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbl. salt
2 cups vegetable shortening
In a very large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Use a pastry blender, or two knives or your fingertips to cut in the shortening, one cup at a time, until the mix looks like coarse meal. Put in a covered container or plastic bag: Store at room temperature for about 3 months. For longer storage place in freezer.
Biscuits:
Spoon 2 cups of baking mix into a bowl: make a well; add 1/2 cup cold milk, all at once. Working quickly, stir vigourously with a fork just until dough follows fork around the bowl---this should take 30-40 seconds. Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead gently for another half minute. to remove stickiness. Roll or pat dough our to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Dip a 2-inch cutter or an inverted glass tumbler in flour; cut dough straight down to form biscuit. For soft biscuits, place dough rounds close together in shallow, ungreased bakin pan; for crusty biscuits, place the rounds 3/4 inch apart on a cookie sheet. Prick biscuit tops with fork. If you wish, brush tops with milk or melted butter. Bake in 450' oven for 10-15 min. Makes about 12 biscuits.
Drop Biscuits:
Increase milk to 2/3 cup. Don not knead. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto a well-greased cookie sheet. Bake as directed.
Cheese Biscuits:
Add 1/3 cup grated cheese, any flavor, to dough.
Onion Biscuits:
Add 1/4 cup chopped, sauteed onions to dough.
Ham-Bacon Biscuits:
Add 1/3 cup crisp bacon bits or 1/4 cup very finely chopped cooked ham to dough.
Pancakes:
In mixing bowl, combine 1 1/3 cups milk and 1 egg. Add 2 cups of lightly spooned baking mix. beat smooth with an egg beater. If you wish, fold in 1/2 cup blueberries or 3/4 cup sliced apples. Drop mixture in 1/4 cup measurements onto a hot, lightly greased griddle. Makes 10 four-inch pancakes.
Shortcakes:
Use a fork to lightly beat 1 egg in a mixing bowl; add 1/2 cup milk, 3 T. sugar and 3 cups of lightly spooned baking mix. Stir quickly with fork to moisten, about 30 strokes. Turn onto a floured surface and knead well, 8 times. Roll out dough 1/2 inch thick. Using a floured cutter or
inverted glass tumbler, cut dough into and equal amount of 2 1/3--3 inch rounds. Brush one round with melted butter and place another round on top. Repeat until you have 5 or 6
shortcakes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, gently prick tops with a fork; butter them if you wish. Bake in apre-heated 425' oven for 12-15 minutes.
The above is from "Make Your Own Groceries" cookbook.