Cocktail Biscuits

1/8 c Flour, unbleached

3 tb Baking powder

1 3/4 c Unsalted butter

1/4 c Plus 2 tb Crisco

1 1/2 c Milk

3 c Minced fresh mushrooms

6 Shallots, minced

1 3/4 c Ham, finely chopped

7 Green onions, finely chopped

1/2 ts Salt

1/4 ts Black pepper

-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------HERB CREAM CHEESE INGREDIENT------------------------ 16 oz Cream cheese

3 tb Half and half

1/4 c Chopped fresh dillweed

3 Cloves garlic

1 1/2 ts Fresh chives

1/4 ts Hot sauce

1/4 ts Black pepper

Biscuits: Combine flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in 1 1/2 cups butter and shortening with pastry blender until mixture looks like corn meal. Add milk stirring until mixture forms a dough. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill 8 hours. Put remaining 1/4 cup cup butter in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until butter melts. Saute` mushrooms and shallots in butter until tender. Add ham, onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook 4 minutes. Combine dough and mushroom mixture, kneading until well blended. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and put on greased baking sheets. Press thumb into each biscuit. Bake 12 to 14 minutes at 450 degrees or untill brown. Let cool and spread 1 teaspoon Herb cream cheese mix onto each indention. Yields 8 dozen. Herb Cream Cheese: combine cream cheese, half and half in a medium bowl, stirring well. Add other ingredients and mix well. Cover and chill 8 hours to mix flavors. Yields 2 cups. Note: This recipe appeared in the Waycross (Georgia) Journal-Herald 17th Annual Cookbook November 16, 1990 and was submitted by Ms. Lorraine Jacobs of Nahunta, Georgia.