Credit and thanks to our wonderful bookkeeper, Doris Craig, of Elkton, for this month’s recipes. In true accountant fashion, Doris streamlines her cooking by the way she plans. Here is a baking mix and a cake mix with several ways to use them.
Basic Recipe for Quick Mix
10 c. flour
1¼ c. dry milk
⅓ c. baking powder
1 T. salt
2 c. vegetable shortening
Measure flour into a large bowl stir baking powder, dry milk, and salt into the flour. Mix well. Using a mixer or pastry blender take the shortening and mix into the flour mixture until all particles resembles coarse cornmeal. Store in a closed container.
Quick Mix Pancakes or Waffles
2 c. Quick Mix
1 egg
1 t. sugar
1¼ c. water
Combine all ingredients together. More water may be added for thinner pancakes. Fix on preheated griddle or skillet. Variations: fruit pancakes – add to the batter sliced ripe banana or half apple, chopped or grated apple or ¼ cup blue berries or ¼ cup chopped peaches.
Quick Mix Biscuits
2 c. Quick Mix
½ c. water
Add liquid to mix Stir to form ball, turn onto lightly floured board and knead Roll out to ½ inch thickness cut your biscuit with cutter. Place on ungreased baking pan; bake at 425°F for 10 min. Makes 12 biscuits
Cheese biscuits: Add ⅓ cup grated cheese to recipe.
Pizza crust: roll to ¼ inch thickness place on pan and bake 5 -7 minutes before adding toppings, then bake 12 – 15 minutes more. I sometimes add grated cheese and diced onion to the crust before rolling out – this requires adjusting the water a little unless also including mushrooms.
Quick Mix Breads – Bar Cookies – Muffin Cupcakes
2⅓ c. quick mix
½ c. sugar
½ c. chopped nuts (optional) fruit or vegetable variations
3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla ¼ cup vegetable oil
Combine Quick Mix and sugar. Add fruit or vegetable variations. Add oil, eggs, and vanilla beat with fork until moistened. Grease loaf pan or cake pan. Bake at 350°F for a loaf pan, 55–60 minutes; cake pan 30-35 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Banana Bread – Add 1½ cup mashed bananas (about 3 small bananas) and ¼ cup more sugar.
Pineapple Bread – Add 1 cup well-drained crushed pineapple.
Applesauce Raisin Bread – Add 1 cup applesauce and ½ cup raisins.
Pumpkin Bread – Add 1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin and ¼ cup more sugar.
Quick Mix Fruit Crisp
2 c. (16 oz.) canned fruit
¼ t. cinnamon
¼ t. nutmeg (optional)
1 c. Quick Mix
2 T. sugar
¼ t. cinnamon
Pour fruit into 2 qt. baking dish add cinnamon and nutmeg. In small mixing bowl, combine quick mix, sugar, and cinnamon; mix together, spoon over fruit. Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
Quick Mix Coffee Cake
3 c. quick mix
1 egg
½ c. sugar
¾ c. water
½ c. brown sugar
1 t. cinnamon
2 T. chopped nuts
Combine quick mix, sugar, egg, and water. Pour mixture into an oiled 8×8 inch pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Bake for 25 minutes at 400°F.
Blueberry Muffins
1 c. water
1 egg
2 T. sugar
3 c. quick mix
1 c. fresh berries or thawed frozen berries
Mix egg and water together with fork. Blend in sugar and quick mix until batter is moistened throughout. Gently fold in blueberries. Bake in greased muffin tin for 20 minutes at 350°F. Makes 12 muffins
Master Base Recipe
13 c. flour
⅓ c. baking powder
1½ T. salt
8 c. sugar
3 c. Crisco
Stir flour, salt, and sugar to blend. Sift 3 times. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or electric mixer until blended. To measure mix, pile it lightly into a cup and level it off with a knife or spatula. Makes about 23 cups of mix. Keeps 3 months without refrigeration.
General directions: Have ingredients at room temperature. Use a large mixing bowl and at low speed on an electric mixer or beat vigorously by hand. While using mixer continually scrape batter from sides of bowl into beaters. Add ½ cup of the milk; beat 2 minutes. Add remaining milk, eggs, and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Pour into two 8-inch pans or use regular cake pan. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes or until done.
Apple Cake 3⅓ c. Master Cake Mix; 1 t. cinnamon; ½ t. cloves; ¼ c. milk; 1 c. tightly packed grated apples; 2 eggs. Stir spices into Master Cake Mix. Add milk and apples; beat 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat 2 minutes. Pour into an 8×12 inch pan. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes.
Banana Cake 3 ⅓ c. Master Cake Mix; 1 t. cinnamon; 1 t. allspice; ¾ c. mashed banana; ¼ c. milk; 2 eggs. Stir spices into mix, beat 2 minutes. Add milk, eggs, banana, beat 2 minutes.
Pour into either two 8-inch round pans or 8×12 pan. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes.
Burnt Sugar Cake 2T. sugar; ¾ c. boiling water; 3 ⅓ c. Master Cake Mix; 2 eggs. Burn sugar in a small pan until the entire mass foams. Carefully add boiling water and allow sugar to dissolve. Cool at room temperature. There should be between ⅔ and ¾ c. liquid once it dissolves. If not, add water to make up the difference. Add eggs, then add the cake mix; beat 2 minutes. Pour into pan or pans and bake at 350°F about 20 minutes.
Chocolate Cake 2 egg whites; ¼ c. sugar; ⅓ c. cocoa; 3 c. Master Cake Mix; 1 c. milk; 2 egg yolks. Make meringue by beating egg whites until nearly stiff and beating in sugar. Beat until very stiff. Stir cocoa into mix. Add ½ cup milk; beat 2 minutes. Add remaining milk and egg yolks; beat 2 minutes. Blend the meringue into batter with either mixer or spatula or wire whip.
Pour into two 8-inch pans. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes.
Spice Cake 3 ⅓ c. Master Cake Mix; 1 t. cinnamon; 1 t. allspice; 1 t. nutmeg; ½ t. cloves;
¾ c. milk; 2 eggs. Stir spices into Master Cake Mix, add ½ cup of milk to the mix and beat 2 minutes. Add the remaining milk and eggs and beat 2 minutes. Pour into two 8-inch pans or 8×12. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes.
White Cake 3 ⅓ c. Master Cake Mix; ¾ cup milk; 3 egg whites; 1 t. vanilla. Add ½ cup of the milk to mix and beat 2 minutes. Add remaining milk, egg whites and vanilla and beat 2 minutes. Pour into two 8-inch pans or 8×12 pan. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes.
Yellow Cake 3 ⅓ c. Master Cake Mix; ¾ c. milk; 2 eggs; 1 t. vanilla. Add ½ cup of the milk to mix beat 2 minutes add remaining milk, egg whites and vanilla beat 2 minutes Pour into two 8-inch pans or 8×12 pan. Bake at 375°F about 20 minutes.
Homemade Whipped Topping ½ c. cold water; 1 t. vanilla; 6 envelopes artificial sweetener (I would use sugar -SW); ½ pkt. plain gelatin; ¾ c. dry instant milk; 1 T. lemon juice. Combine water, gelatin, lemon juice and vanilla. Sprinkle dry milk over the liquid; add sweetener. Beat until stiff, about 10 minutes. Makes 2 ½ cups. Put in refrigerator.
