View o' the Dude

Biscuits from Scratch: Dude Ranch Style

Ingredient List:

2 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup shortening or butter

2/3 cup milk

1 egg

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cut in shortening. This means you add the shortening to the dry ingredients and with a butter knife cut the shortening into tiny pieces (by doing so the shortening should be mixed well with the dry mix).

Now, add the egg and milk and mix gently. Once the batter holds together and looks more like dough, empty onto a floured surface.

IMPORTANT! Only knead the dough five times! This will guarantee light and flaky biscuits.

Finally, roll out the biscuits to desired thickness.

Use cookie cutters or a biscuit cutter and place shaped dough on a greased cookie sheet.

Place the biscuits close to each other on the tray so they are barely touching.

Once all your dough is shaped, place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy with butter or jam.

*From the kitchen of Shauna Colvin, T Cross Cook, 2009.