BAKING POWDER BISCUITS

1/3 cup shortening
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour *
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut shortening into flour, baking powder and salt with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in just enough milk so dough leaves side of bowl and rounds up into a ball. (Too much milk makes dough sticky; not enough milk makes biscuits dry.)
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.
Knead lightly 10 times. Roll or pat 1/2 inch thick. Cut with floured 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart for crusty sides, touching for soft sides. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet immediately.

About 1 dozen biscuits.

* If using self-rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Variations
Biscuit Sticks: Heat 1/3 cup margarine or butter
in square baking pan, 9x9x2 inches, in oven until melted; remove from oven. Roll dough into 8-inch square. Cut dough into halves; cut each half into eight 1-inch strips. Dip strips into margarine, coating all sides. Arrange strips in 2 rows in pan. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
16 sticks.

Buttermilk Biscuits: Decrease baking powder
to 2 teaspoons and add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the flour mixture. Substitute buttermilk for the milk. (If buttermilk is thick, it may , be necessary to add slightly more than 1/4 cup.)

Cheese Biscuits: Stir in 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese.

Cornmeal Biscuits: Substitute 1/2 cup cornmeal for 1/2 cup of the flour. Sprinkle cookie sheet with cornmeal; place biscuits on cookie sheet and sprinkle with additional cornmeal.

Rye Biscuits: Substitute 1/4 cup rye flour for 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour.