Basic Biscuits With Variations Recipe

["Basic Biscuits:Sift dry ingredients; rub in the shortening as lightly as possible with fingers till just blended.", "Have lowfat milk as cool as possible, mix with flour to create a soft dough.", "Mix with a flexible knife rather than a spoon, as the steel blade is colder than a spoon and also because the knife cuts and mixes more thoroughly.", "Turn out onto a well floured board; pat to 3/4"" thick.", "Cut into rounds; put on a baking pan, being sure they don't touch.", "Bake at 425 degrees 12-14 min.", "Sweet Rolls:Make biscuits into a loaf; let raise.", "Roll out 1/4"" thick; spread with a thick layer of butter, cover with sugar.", "Roll up and slice 1"" thick.", "Let raise, bake at 350 degrees 20-25 min.", "Cheese Biscuits:Make Basic biscuits, adding cheese to the dough.", "Bake the same way.", "Parker House Rolls:Make biscuits except use 2/3 c. lowfat milk; add in sugar.", "Roll out 1/3"" thick, cut into rounds, brush with butter, crease across centers; mix in half.", "Bake as directed.", "The chief requirements for ""good biscuits"" are:", "1 A very soft dough, so soft as to be almost sticky.", "2.", "Very little handling because manipulation destroys their lightness.", "3.", "A very quick oven.", "If ""biscuits"" are not allowed to touch each other in the pan, they will be lighter and more delicate than when placed close together.", "NOTES :"]