Buttermilk Biscuits--but not PW's--sorry...

I was not happy with PW's biscuits, and determined the ones I make that I replicated from my Granny's much loved biscuits, are still the best. So since LouAnn asked for my recipe, I am putting it here on cookabook.  If you would like to see all the pictures of the process, you can go to my other blog at http://whatwecookcookbook.blogspot.com/

My daughter, Carissa, and I wrote a cookbook (What We Cook) of all our recipes we both cook, and this is our cookbook blog. Here is the biscuit recipe from our cookbook:

Janices' Buttermilk Biscuits~

Homemade biscuits are a favorite of mine, something that always reminds me of breakfast at my Granny’s house when I was a little girl. I have tried many recipes over the years...and finally developed a combination of ingredients and techniques that come close to the biscuits of my childhood. I like to make these up, barely brown them in the oven, then cool and freeze. When I want biscuits, I leave them out to thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes, then pop them in a 350 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes to heat through and finish browning. They are just as good as fresh made!

2 cups all-purpose flour (if desired, you may substitute ¼ cup whole wheat flour for equal
        amount of all-purpose flour, for more of a wheat taste)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
¾ cup cold buttermilk
2 tablespoons milk, if needed
2 tablespoons additional butter, melted (for brushing tops, if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pulse first 6 ingredients in a food processor, or in a large bowl cut butter and shortening into dry ingredients till mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps.

2. Transfer mixture from food processor to a large bowl. Stir in butter milk with a fork until dough forms into a soft, slightly sticky ball. (Add the milk only if dough is too dry.) Turn out onto a generously floured board or counter and turn once to flour surface of dough.

3. Gently pat dough into a ½-inch thick square. With a sharp biscuit cutter, cut biscuits close together to generate as few scraps as possible. Push scraps of dough together to make 1 or 2 more biscuits, handling dough as little as possible.

4. Place dough rounds on an ungreased baking sheet; brush tops with additional melted butter if desired. (May be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 hours.) Bake until biscuits are very lightly golden, about 9 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.