Homemade Baking Mix

I've been really trying to get back into the swing of things blogging and cooking.  I've even started a little redesign process for this blog that I hope will freshen things up a bit!  I went on a bit of a cooking spree last week and was able to write 5 recipes and take photos of all of them.  Woo hoo!

Two weeks ago, we had the old standby of breakfast for dinner and I made biscuits and gravy.  I used up the last of my Bisquick mix and put it on my shopping list that I needed to buy another box.  I use baking mix for a lot of my quick dinner needs.  I have always wanted to make my own however, because with grocery prices increasing, I knew that this was one area I could cut back.  I have been mixing up and rolling out biscuits with the store bought baking mix for a long time now instead of using the canned biscuits, and let me tell you...it is SO worth the extra 5 minutes, I promise!  I still felt though that there was no reason that I couldn't make the mix on my own.  I looked up a lot of recipes for homemade baking mix and most of them contained shortening.  I'm not a huge fan of shortening, because I think it lacks flavor...butter is my weakness.  It adds so much more of a depth of flavor...and if I am going to add inches to these thighs, it better be because of some flavor!  I found a recipe over at allrecipes.com and adapted it a bit and I think this mix is going to be something that I end up making regularly and keeping in my fridge for a very long time!  I have also listed some extra recipes below that are typical "back of the box" type recipes.  Enjoy!

Homemade Baking Mix
Printable Recipe
Yields: about 36 drop biscuits

Ingredients:

5 cups flour

1/4 cup baking powder

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 cup cold butter

Directions:

1.  Mix together all dry ingredients.  Use a food processor to "cut" in the butter until the butter is well mixed in the dry ingredients.  If you use a pastry cutter, this will take longer but you want the butter to be mixed in well. 

2.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for longer. 

Adapted from All Recipes

Biscuits

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups baking mix

2/3 cup milk

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 450°.  Stir ingredients until soft dough forms. 

2.  Turn onto surface dusted Bisquick mix.  Knead 10 times.  Roll dough 1/2 inch thick.  Cut with a biscuit cutter.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3.  Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 cups baking mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Directions:
1.  Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°.  Grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil, or shortening.
2.  Stir all ingredients until blended.  Pour by about 1/4 cupfuls onto hot griddle.
3.  Cook until bubbles appear and edges are dry.  Flip; cook until golden.