The begining of something new!

Well Hello All
Here is to the start of many many new things in my life.  On advice from my friend Pren I have decided to start a cook's blog, so to speak.  Here I will hope to give cooking tips, recipe successes and failures, along with advice.  So let's begin.

Since my unemployment I have done more cooking in my home ever.  Since I had recently been doing that at work there was no desire to do so at home. So my first endeavors in the culinary sense was a slow cooker brisket braised in grape jelly, ketchup and onion soup mix.  It was very nice I highly recommend especially if you take the braising liquid afterwards and reduce it down to a BBQ sauce consistency. But here is the recipe of the moment.  My mother sent me the recipe for biscuits made by Martha Washington.  Of course back in those times I am certain that this recipe probably used lard in place of the shortening.  Which would give it a wonderful flaky texture but will raise the cholesterol level of the modern man to a death rate if eaten regularly.  So we have substituted Crisco shortening.  Which is shelf stable and a good substitute, but if you want to raise the flavor factor do what I did and use ice cold butter. Yum.  These biscuits at first seem a little bland but once you take a second bite you will see the attributes of this breakfast delight.  So here it is the recipe for Martha Washington's Biscuits.

3 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp Sugar
4 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 tsp cream of tarter
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup shortening or butter
1 large egg
1 cup milk.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tarter and salt together.  Cut in butter with two knifes or pastry cuter until mix resembles pea size chunks.  Whip together egg and milk and add to flour/butter mix.  Mix together only until just together.  DO NOT OVERMIX.  If you do you will have tough biscuits.  Roll out on a floured board to 1 inch thick cut into desired shape.  Place on buttered sheet tray.  Bake 450 degrees for 12-15 mins or until light brown.  If you desire darker browning. brush with egg wash (one egg and 1 tbsp water whipped together).

I am going to experiment with getting this to the baking stage and the freeze them for future baking.  I will let you know how that goes.  These unfortunately do not hold for long with no real preservatives but hopefully they won't last through breakfast anyway.