Marisue’s Aunt’s Biscuits

Move over Grandma, these biscuits will float by!  The Christmas Holiday Brunches are made extra special with these light and flaky biscuits.  Also great for special slow, weekend breakfasts!  So easy to make, you’ll do it over and over.

Aunt Lady’s Buttermilk Biscuits De-Lite!

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbls sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cream of tartar (secret ingredient, a MUST)
• 3/4 cup butter or 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup shortening combined.
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk

Procedure:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients.  With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs.  Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and add buttermilk all at once.  Using a fork, stir just until moistened.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough by folding and gently pressing dough for 4 to 6 strokes and the dough holds together.
3. Pat or lightly roll dough until 3/4 inch think.  Do not over handle dough as it will become tough.
4. Cut the dough with a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter. 
5. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. 
6. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden.  Do not overbake.  Serve warm, with butter, jam, honey, you name it!

Grandma will be envious of these!

Perserving Your Beautiful Tea Things

The china, silver, and linen you use for tea are worth some risk, but they also deserve loving care.  Here are some ideas for perserving your beautiful tea things.

1. If you have lace tablecloths that have been stained or yellowed, put a cup of enzyme bleach, such as Biz, in a bucket of water and soak cloths for about three days, them put through wash cycle.  Regular bleach can yellow the delicate fabric or cause it to even fall apart.
2. To clean your silver, try rubbing with toothpaste.  Or place aluminum foil in bottom of sink, fill sink with water, and add 1 cup Tide detergent (don’t use another kind).  Dump in silver pieces and let set for eight to twelve hours, or until tarnish free.
3. If the inside of your china teapot turns brown, clean with bleach.  Be sure to rinse thoroughly before using.
4. To get the sticky price tag off a new cup or saucer, use nail polish remover.