Old Fashioned Biscuits

I'm on the quest for the perfect biscuit!

Biscuits bring to mind farmhouses, pioneers, kitchens full of flour, big breakfasts, lots of family gathering around, and hot melted butter.  They also remind me of my mom's biscuits and gravy and my mom's Aunt Grace's kitchen back in Oklahoma.  Everyone trying to help with cooking, a kitchen crowded with people, and my Great Uncle Howard riding up on his horse to come to breakfast.  Such memories of country life for a child that grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles.

So on my quest for the perfect biscuit I steal, (I'm mean write down) every old recipe my mom has every time I go visit her.  Not nearly done...cause she has sooo many!  This one I found tucked in a drawer paper clipped to a stack of special recipes.  She can't remember which relative these came from but knew they had been made many many times.

So I decided to make these today.  The key to these is baking powder.  A small amount of butter in these.    They are very easy to whip up and I had them in the oven in no time.  They were not the most moist biscuit, but they certainly would do in a pinch.  All in all a good standard biscuit.  I'm still on my quest.  One of my favorite's so far are these. 

Try some this weekend and give a taste test to these biscuits.  Old timer's swear by them (or at least my family tree did!)

Old Fashioned Biscuits

Makes 6 biscuits

1 1/2 c All Purpose Flour
½  t salt
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t sugar   
3 T butter
½ c milk

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 

Mix together the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or two knives cut in the butter until you have pea sized bits.  Add the liquid, mixing quickly and gently for about 20-30 seconds until you have a soft dough. 

On a lightly floured board, pat dough into a rectangle about 3/4-inch in thickness.  Cut into squares using a knife or bench scraper. 

Bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown.