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Mix It Up!

© Kerri Bazzell

Convenience foods are popular because they save time in the kitchen. The down side is that they also add extra cost to our grocery bill in most cases. Making your own mixes can save both time and money. They can also be customized for your own specific needs. Your mixes can be low fat, salt free...anything you or your family needs.

In most cases you will need a large bowl to prepare your mix - as well as a good storage container. Make sure the storage container is air tight to keep your mix fresh. If you are not sure, you can line your container with a large, self-sealing freezer bag - you should have a lot of those on hand from all your freezing! Choose a container that is not too bulky if space is a concern. A rectangular container saves more space than a round canister.

Here is a recipe for a good biscuit mix. The recipe is simple and can be doubled if needed:

Master Baking Mix

6 cups flour
2 ½ tbsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
¾ c. shortening

Sift together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening with a pastry cutter until dry and crumbly. Store tightly covered in a cupboard.

This mix can be used like any biscuit mix that you buy at the supermarket. You can use in any recipe that calls for biscuit mix. Here are a couple of examples:

Pancakes

2 cups baking mix
1 egg
1 1/3 cups milk

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. For each pancake, pour ¼ cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until dry around the edges, then turn and cook on the other side until golden brown.

Shortcake

2 ½ cups baking mix
3 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. margarine, melted
½ cup milk

Stir all ingredients together to a soft dough. Form dough into a ball on floured surface. Knead 10 times. Roll dough ½ inch thick. Cut with 3-inch cookie cutter. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 - 12 minutes. Split shortcakes while warm. Top with fruit and whipped cream.

White sauce can be used as a substitute for cream soup in many casseroles. The following mix is great to have on hand, and costs much less than canned soup.

Flavorful White Sauce Mix

2 cups powdered nonfat milk
¾ cup cornstarch
¼ cup instant chicken bouillon
2 tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 tsp. basil leaves
1 tsp. thyme leaves
½ tsp. pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. To use: Stir 1/3 cup mix into 1 ¼ cups cold water in a saucepan. Stir while cooking over medium heat until thickened. Recipe makes equivalent of 9 cans soup.

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