2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable shortening
2/3 c. milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Put the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour with a fork or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the milk all at once and stir just until the dough forms a ball around the fork.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead slightly (too much kneading will make your dough rubbery and your biscuits hard and tough). Pat until about 1/2 inch thick. (Too thin and the biscuits will be hard.) Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or glass. Place in the pan touching each other for smooth topped biscuits. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

For crusty, browner topped biscuits, place biscuits 1 inch apart and bake at 450 degrees for 12 minutes.