Okay, so you raised on Bisquick and you know it has dozens of uses, but do you know how easy it is to make yourself? I came across a recipe that makes all purpose, baking mix for pennies compared to the commercial stuff. I have been making this for years now and it always makes great pancakes and biscuits. I got the original recipe from a reader who sent it in to Countryside Magazine many years ago, but I have altered it over the years to suit my needs. The original recipe contained dry milk. After reading about dry milk and how through the process of making it dry, it oxidizes the fats of the milk which could lead to cancer causing problems later on, I have decided to go without it. My recipe uses buttermilk and whole milk in place and actually works better.
8 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup baking powder
2t salt
Sift all of these these ingredients into a large bowl and (I ) use a whisk to slowly mix all of these together very thoroughly. Put the mix into a large container and store for future use.
Now when you need to use this, you will need to add oil/fat to the mixture. I measure out the needed amount of mix and add 1/8 cup of oil or butter to each cup of the mix. If you do not add the fat until you are ready to use the mix, the mix will stay fresh much longer.
Additionally, here are some added items needed for different items
Biscuits: 1/3 cup milk or buttermilk to 1 cup mix, bake at 425`F
Pancakes: add 1 egg for each cup of mix, add enough milk/buttermilk (I have found a 50/50 ratio works best) to get desired consistency of batter.
Dumplings: a little less milk than the biscuit mix to make a thick dough. Roll thin and slice
Corn Bread: add equal amounts corn flour to the mix. Add 1egg to each cup of mix. Add 2/3 cup liquid (water, milk or buttermilk) to make a thick batter. Do not over mix.
Muffins: To each cup of mix add:
1t cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup milk
I find that using buttermilk will always make a better product because the acid of the buttermilk reacts better with the baking powder to make the product rise higher, making a lighter and fluffier product.
These are basic recipes, so add your own additions to it to improve the finished item.
It's all in the mix with Chef Cheapo... saving you money and helping you cook better.