Biscuits

Ingredients
2 c flour
4 t baking powder
1/2  t cream of tartar
2 T sugar
1/2 c shortening
2/3 c milk

Optional
1/2 stick cold unsalted butter, in 1/16" slices

Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Baking sheet (I cover mine with foil for easy cleanup.)

Blend dry ingredients.

Add shortening and blend with a pastry blender until it looks like coarse bread crumbs. 

Make a well in the center.

Add the milk and mix just until it comes together, folding with a spatula.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Coat top with a bit of flour. Flatten with your hands to an 8x10" rectangle. Fold in half and pat back to an 8"x10" rectangle. Repeat coating with flour, folding, and reshaping to a rectangle several times. (This makes for flaky biscuits.) 

Optionally you can add slices of butter between layers for extra buttery layers.

Flatten the dough into a 3/4" thick layer. Cut with a 2 1/2" diameter biscuit cutter and place touching together. Reform remaining dough and continue cutting I til done.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and browned.

(This is my tweaked version of 'Biscuits Supreme' from an ancient copy of the Betty Crocker cookbook...)