Homemade ‘Bisquick’

There’s no shame in making your life easier.

From simple home organization to major changes (like moving closer to your work and social activities), most of us try hard to make life a little less crazy/time-consuming/chaotic. Bisquick, the beloved baker’s shortcut, was created in the 1930s and is still used. The problem: hydrogenated oils, pricey for what you get, etc. If you make a big batch of homemade ‘baking mix,’ you can use a cup here and two cups there in all sorts of ways for meal/snack shortcuts. Here is how I use it:

  • Garlic cheese biscuits
  •  Pancakes
  • Chicken pot pie
  • Breading for chicken or shrimp
  • Pies
  • Muffins
  • Scones
  • Etc, etc, etc…

 So here are the ingredients in the big Yellow box:
Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Salt.
 (courtesy of http://blog.fooducate.com/2010/08/29/bisquick-a-shortcut-loaded-with-trans-fat/)

Ick. But here are two homemade recipes:

Homemade Bisquick Mix 
Thanks to Pennies & Pancakes for her recipe

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt 
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter 

 Combine the first three ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, chop up the butter in the same bowl and combine it with the flour mixture.

Transfer to an airtight container and keep in your fridge for up to 4 months. Scoop out the mix as needed.

Homemade Wheat Bisquick Mix
Thanks to Thrifty Housewife for her recipe

  • 4 Cups unbleached flour
  • 4 Cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 Cup baking powder
  • 4 Teaspoons salt
  • 1 Cup shortening or oil
  • 1 1/3 Cups dry powdered milk

In large bowl, blend unbleached flour, salt, and baking powder. Add shortening (or oil) and mix until crumbly. Stir in powdered milk, and then the whole wheat flour.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months; refrigerate if made with the oil.

***USE BOTH OF THESE MIXES AS YOU WOULD NORMALLY USE BISQUICK.

 And, on that note, a simple Bisquick recipe…that I’ve been making since high school.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits (like from Red Lobster)
Makes 8, but easily doubles
2 cups Bisquick mix (either regular or wheat version)
3/4 cup milk (or 1 cup milk for wheat version)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 TB butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except butter.

Spoon out small ‘biscuit-sized’ portions of dough on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden on top.

Once you take the biscuits out of the oven, quickly brush the melted butter on top of them. Serve warm or at room temp. 

*These go great with anything, but we usually serve them with pork, ribs, stew, or something hearty. If you’re serving with fish, you might want to add 2 dashes of dill to the dough.

Happy eating!
Laurel

~Laurel~

Strawberry Mint Muffins

It’s time for a muffin recipe! After a wonderful week with Matt’s (and my) friend, Rob, visiting from Kansas, we thought it would be fun if the guys had a golf weekend and I went to Houston to help my parents clean out part of my grandmother’s house.

It was a great weekend, including Dad surprising us with tix to the Astros game on Saturday! (Thanks, Dad!!) I ate so well this weekend! But, after rich foods at restaurants and special meals with friends and family, I was ready for a homemade ______. (fill in the blank, I wasn’t sure)

This overgrowing mint plant was a hint. (Yes, I have a Topsy Turvy, and it’s wonderful…don’t judge!)

These strawberry mint muffins are slightly sweet (not too much) and have some healthy things in them, and they’re SUPER EASY! The mint flavor is very subtle, but you can add 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract if you’d like more.

STRAWBERRY MINT MUFFINS

*makes 24 mini muffins*
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk + a splash
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
5 mint leaves, chopped
1 cup strawberries, chopped (about 7 berries)


TOPPING: (optional)
2 tablespoons margarine/butter 
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons brown sugar



In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Stir with large spoon until all ingredients are blended. Pour batter into muffin cups.

If you desire to add the topping, mix the 3 ingredients in a separate bowl until all oats are moistened. Using your hands, form quarter coin-sized bits and place on each muffin cup in the pan. 

Then, bake at 350 for 12 minutes. 
  


With and without topping
Make these when you need to take something to work for the group, to sub as a dessert or freeze and pull out when you need a little breakfast on the go. If you freeze, heat up for 25 secs in the microwave. 
Happy Memorial Day!
I am consistently amazed by the strength and sacrifice of those in the military and their families. A huge thank you to all, including my 7 great uncles who served in World War II.




 

~Laurel~

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