Baking Mix....

Home made Baking mix, so good and versatile...easy to make and better than store bought...makes the best butter biscuits (recipe to follow)...

Baking Mix

6 c. all purpose flour
3 Tbs. baking powder 
1 Tb. baking soda
1 Tb. salt
3 Tbs. sugar

Sift all these ingredients together and hopefully you have a Kitchen Aid...if not, a hand mixer will do, it will just wear your arms out a bit.

Put your sifted ingredients in the mixer bowl and add:

1 c. vegetable shortening (butter-flavor will work here, as well)

With the whisk attachment, start slowly, increasing speed a bit as the shortening incorporates into the flour.
You may have to stop the mixer and scrape off the whisk and sides once or twice.
But, in the end, you should have a powdery mixer with no lumps.
I like to keep this in a large storage bag in the frig.
Use it just like you would Bisqui....your favorite baking mix!

just start with these few ingredients, I chose the butter shortening...don't you just love those shortening cubes they have now? you don't have to get your knuckles all yukky and dirty a measuring cup....

put all dry ingredients in a sifter or mesh strainer and sift.......

very fine and help to make a fine and tender product...

get out your mixer and put the dry ingredients and cup of shortening together (break the shortening up a little before you start)..and mix slowly at first...

use your paddle and mix for about 3 minutes.....will look like this...

very crumbly......

put in a bag and store in fridge......

This is a great start to the best biscuits you have ever had, promise, criss cross my heart.....

Butter Biscuits......

1/3 cup butter or margarine (firm)

2 1/2 cups mix
2/3 cup milk
Butter or margarine, melted

1. Heat oven to 450ºF.
2. Cut firm butter into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss mix and butter pieces with fork until coated. Add milk; stir just until milk is absorbed (do not overstir).
3. Turn dough onto surface dusted with  mix. Knead 5 times. Pat to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut with 3-inch cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet with sides touching for soft sides or 2 inches apart for crispy sides.
4. Bake about 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter

start with your baking mix, butter and milk...

mix the butter in with your pastry blender or fork....

add milk a little at a time, I did not use all the milk...just use enough until it all comes together....

put out on board and pat until about 3/4 inch high....

cut into rounds, a glass will work for this....

place in pan and bake.....

brush with melted butter.....and mmm...so good.....you won't believe this.....

these are so tender and soft and buttery, very reminiscent of the Scones at the Fair.......truly the best biscuit I have ever enjoyed....you will be so proud to serve these....and they take maybe 3 minutes to stir up and pop into the oven to bake....

Cheers to Happy  !!