Southern biscuits (untested)

This recipe is handwritten in pencil and looks like it might be one of Grammy's daughter's handwriting (possibly Ann). Although there is a notation on the card saying "over for cinnamon variation" the card is blank on the back side.

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons margarine [I would use butter]
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup milk

Instructions:

1. Cut margarine [butter] into dry ingredients
2. Add milk until dough is almost sticky
3. Remove from bowl and knead lightly
4. [the instructions stop here]

I assume that once the dough has been kneaded, it needs to be rolled out and cut into biscuits using a biscuit cutter. The only other instructions are the oven temperature of 450°F and the baking time of 12-15 minutes.

Buttermilk Puffs (untested)

This recipe is written in a handwriting I don't recognize and is attributed to Lois Downey. This recipe calls for frying the puffs. Make sure you have your deep fat frying setup in addition to the ingredients below.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground Mace [a sister spice to nutmeg]
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup oil

Instructions:

1. Sift together dry ingredients
2. Add egg, buttermilk, and oil
3. Stir with a fork until smooth like a yeast dough
4. Drop by spoonful into a deep fat fryer or deep skillet of hot fat 
5. Fry for 4-5 minutes

It would be interesting to play with this recipe and see if different versions can be made with various flavor profiles (e.g., cheese buttermilk puffs, garlic buttermilk puffs, vanilla buttermilk puffs).

Biscuits (with additional buttermilk version)

This recipe is written in my mom's handwriting (Sue is Grammy's second daughter). The biscuits were a family favorite in our home when I was growing up. Based on the staining on my Grammy's copy of the recipe, I'd say it became a favorite of hers as well.

My mom would bake these biscuits at the same time as she was making a savory beef and vegetable stew or homemade turkey and rice soup. She took the time to split and pre-butter each biscuit as they came straight out of the oven, so by the time they hit the table, the butter was all melted into the insides of the biscuits. Yum!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder [depending on altitude at which you are baking this may need to be adjusted down]
• 1 teaspoon salt [a later copy of my mom's recipe shows 1/2 teaspoon salt]
• 1/3 cup butter (or other fat) [a later copy of my mom's recipe shows 1/4 cup butter]
• 2/3 cup milk [a later copy of my mom's recipe shows 3/4 cup milk]

Instructions:

1. Blend butter (or fat) with dry ingredients by cutting with bladed dough blender (aka "pastry cutter") until crumbly [click here if you need to see what this tool looks like]
2. Add milk and mix well
3. Roll out and cut into circles using a biscuit cutter
4. Place on greased baking sheet
5. Bake at 450°F for 12-15 minutes

Buttermilk version:
If using buttermilk instead of milk, use 2 tablespoons more of buttermilk. Also, add 1/3 teaspoon baking soda in addition to the baking powder.

For a flakier biscuit:
Add an egg yolk to milk so altogether the liquid mixture totals 2/3 cup