Miss Jackie's Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
2 tablespoons chilled shortening, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk
Butter for brushing, if desired

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a medium-size baking sheet, set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and sugar (optional) until just combined.  Cut in the shortening and the butter or until moxtire is crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk until all is moistened.  Form  mixture into a ball and shape into 6 to 8 balls.  Place balls onto prepared baking sheet and flatten each one to 1/2-inch thick, making sure that each one is apart from each other.  Brush with melted butter, if desired.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with butter, jelly or honey.  These biscuits are great with eggs, sausage, bacon and ham.  They're also great split in half horizontally; place a cooked sausage patty on top of one biscuit half, pour a little honey on top of the sausage patty and top with remaining biscuit half.  Serve biscuits warm or at room temperature.  Yield:  6 to 8 biscuits.