Biscuits

2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening (kimbo/crisco)
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the shortening (use fork or pastry cutter) into the flour (mashing and cutting the shortening with the fork or cutter). The shortening should be mixed well into the flour and the mixture resemble small peas. Pour in the milk and GENTLY mix into the flour. It is important not to stir more than necessary to combine the milk and flour mixture. If you need a little more liquid to moisten the flour, add small amounts. When mixed, pat out the dough on a floured surface. Cut with biscuit cutter or round can. Put biscuits on a lightly greased pan.

Notes:
1) It is best to cut the biscuits leaving the smallest possible dough left over. Lately I've been patting the dough into a round shape and cutting it like a pie. This gives you biscuits that are triangle shaped. You use all the dough and there is no re-rolling.
2) you can substitute oil by stirring it into the flour instead of shortening. OR you can substitute butter or margarine for the shortening.

Variations:
“buttermilk” biscuits - use either buttermilk OR milk that has been soured by adding lemon juice or vinegar (I tbsp. per cup), OR part yogurt/part milk. This will substitute for the milk. You use 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda instead of the 1 tablespoon of baking powder. Dough tends to be a bit stickier.

Whole Wheat - works best with the buttermilk version. You will need to add more liquid.