Tortellini Soup & My Mom's Awesome Easy Biscuits

My Mom told me today she has been making biscuits with this recipe for 60 years! Wow! It really is good and easy. She thinks she got the recipe off Pillsbury flour. I made them today on Brady's request. He loves them!

Buttermilk Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk

Note: I never have buttermilk, so I use either 1/2 cup milk soured with 1/4 cup lemon juice or 1/2 cup milk soured with 1/4 cup vinegar. Either works well and I have used everything from skim milk to whole milk for this recipe. 

Mix flour and baking soda in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in the shortening until the mixture is crumbly. Add the buttermilk a bit at a time, stirring in. Turn dough onto floured surface, sprinkle the dough with flour and knead until no longer sticky.

Note: Only knead this about 10 times, even less if you can. The less you knead, the fluffier they will be. 

Roll out to about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch and cut to desired size. (I use metal biscuit cutters but you could use a floured upside down glass or cookie cutters).

Place biscuits touching on un-greased baking sheet or pan and bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes  or until golden brown.

Tortellini Soup

This came from the January 2013 Parents magazine and it looks and sounds awesome! 

6 cups chicken broth
1 7-to-8 ounce package dried cheese-filled tortellini
1 16-ounce package (4 cups) frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, or another veggie medley
pepper
Parmesan cheese

1. Bring broth to a boil in a 4-quart pot. Add tortellini, reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Add veggies. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes more.

2. Divide among soup bowls and top with pepper and Parmesan cheese.