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Ellen's Better Buttermilk Baking Mix Name

HOMEMADE BAKING MIX-- BISQUICK SUBSTITUTE

If you make a baking mix yourself, it can be fresher and much more nutritious than Bisquick at about 1/3 or less the cost. The buttermilk makes baked goods more tender and improves their texture. Read the Flour Facts before you make a big batch of homemade baking mix. If you want a wheat-free blend, go here for a pretty handy gluten-free baking mix.

You will be using this for a while, so use fresh ingredients, take the time to measure carefully, sift and mix thoroughly, especially when cutting in the fats. Make only about as much as you'll use in a month, and store the all-butter mix in the refrigerator.

Ellen's Better Buttermilk Baking Mix

Even with the added flours, this makes a golden white biscuit unless whole wheat flour is added.

10 cups unbleached flour (may use up to 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour)
1 1/2 cups cake flour (may substitute 1 cup 2 tablespoons flour PLUS 6 tablespoons cornstarch)
1/2 cup Kal nutritional yeast, or other good tasting nutritional yeast
1 cup oat flour (whiz regular oatmeal) OR part packed oat bran**
1 2/3 cups dried buttermilk powder ("Saco")
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking soda
6 tablespoons baking powder
2 cups (16 ounces) shortening
OR
2 1/2 cups (1 pound, 4 ounces) unsalted butter or margarine
PLUS 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter or margarine

**Oat bran fact: 1/3 cup oat bran = 4.6 grams fiber, about 3x oatmeal

This can be made in 3 batches in a large food processor.

Whiz regular oatmeal, measure 1 cup, whiz in the nutritional yeast. Mix thoroughly with cake flour or substitute, then carefully mix in salt, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. Blend this with the buttermilk powder until it is uniform- a sifter is handy here if you aren't using a food processor.

In the food processor or a large bowl, cut together 1/3 of the flour mix, 1/3 each of the shortening and butter until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Set aside and repeat until all is used, then mix the three batches together before you divide it for storage or use. Store in tightly closed covered container or zippered plastic bags with the air pressed out.

To use, spoon into cup, don't sift and don't pack. Store remainder in refrigerator or freezer.

Reduced fat variation: you can reduce the shortening in this mix by 1/4, results will be a bit less tender, but still tasty. With reduced fat baking recipes, smaller sizes muffins, biscuits and pancakes will give better results. Fat may be reduced in most baking recipes by one-third. Fat makes baked goods tender and crisp, so lowering the amount of fat will change the texture as well as the flavor. With pie crusts, the fat may be decreased to one part fat to four parts flour. Some have had success also with replacing some of the fat in quick bread recipes with the same amount of applesauce. I have found it does work but the texture is tougher than the original recipe.

Basic Baking Mix Recipes

Biscuits- 475 o, 10-12 minutes. 3/4 cup water for each 3 cups Ellen's Baking Mix

Impossible Pies
Impossible Dinner Pies
Impossible Vegetable Pies and Quiches
Impossible Dessert Pies- Baking mix classics! Sweet or savory, these quick and easy "crustless quiches" are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner, store in the refrigerator and can be grabbed for a homemade "takeout". There are so many choices they have three pages! Ellen's impossible pie recipes have added ingredients for better flavor and nutrition, and some new variations.

Cobblers- per 4 servings. 400o for 30 minutes. Butter a 1 quart casserole, pour in 2 cups of pie fruit OR partially precook sliced fruit 2 apples, for example) with liquid, for about 6 minutes. Mix crust and spread over the fruit. For crust, mix 3/4 cup Ellen's Baking Mix, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking spices to taste and 3 tablespoons water. With apples, mixing 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese into the crust is tasty.

Muffins- 12 regular size, plain- Preheat to 425o. For 2 cups Ellen's Baking Mix, beat together 2 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 2 tablespoons honey or molasses, mixed with 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir together till barely moist, batter should be lumpy. Use paper muffin cups or grease cups, fill half full, bake 18-20 minutes, till golden brown.

Pancakes- 8 medium- beat 1 egg foamy, add 2 tablespoons oil (optional), 3/4 cup cold water, 1 1/3 cup Ellen's Baking Mix. Preheat griddle till a drop of water dances. Bake until bubbled and dry looking on the top side, turn once, cook until done.

Wheat Waffles- 3 large (12 small) squares or about 5 8" round waffles- 1 egg, separated, white whipped; 2 cups baking mix PLUS 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons sugar (for golden color), 1 1/2 cups milk, mixed with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for tenderness) and the egg yolk. Barely mix milk blend and flour, fold in the egg white. Use 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter, bake on a Pam'd or greased preheated waffle griddle until steam stops rising.

Here is the link for original Bisquick brand recipes. Try any with your Ellen's Better Baking Mix.

Once you start collecting baking mix recipes, sometimes you will run out and need a quick substitute, such as in an Impossible Pie recipe. To make 1 cup biscuit mix quickly, mix 1 cup flour, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons shortening.

Baking Mix Orange Breakfast Biscuits

3 cups biscuit mix
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons grated orange peel (finely grated)
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup ricotta cheese or 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup orange marmalade
coarse granulated sugar, optional

Combine biscuit mix with sugar and orange peel. Stir in orange juice. Mix thoroughly.
Place on a lightly floured surface (may use additional biscuit mix to dust board) and knead gently 10 times. Roll or pat dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut biscuits. Place half the biscuits on ungreased cookie sheet. Using the center of a doughnut cutter or similar smaller circle, cut centers out of half the biscuits and stack them on the other half, making a bowl in the top of each biscuit.

Mix together ricotta or cream cheese and marmalade. Divide the cheese among the biscuits, placing mixture in bowl of each biscuit. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. Bake in a preheated oven at 450o for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.