Homemade Mixes: Dry Mixes

pancake mix, biscuit mix, cornbread mix

This post came from a bigger one that just kept growing and growing.
At length I finally had to divide it into sections to keep it manageable. Hence – the separation – sorry about any inconvenience it may have caused in your searching.

DRY MIXES

PANCAKE MIX
a basic pancake mix generally contains flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, egg and oil. The types of flour, sugar, milk, eggs and oil are up to you, but for the purpose of a shelf stable mix in my pantry I use certain ones.
Flour – if making from scratch, I always prefer freshly ground whole wheat flour, but whole wheat flour has wheat germ oil in it and is best if used fresh. So for a pancake mix I use UNBLEACHED flour. Actually I only ever buy unbleached flour – as opposed to all purpose flour which is ‘bleached’. All purpose flour goes through a chemical process to make it white, and that alone is enough for me to not use it. Yes I know it’s cheaper, and more common, in fact sometimes I can’t find unbleached flour, but the few dollars more and the inconvenience of looking for it is worth it to me.
Baking powder – is a leavening agent, and it’s the secret to fluffy pancakes.
Sugar – just a tablespoon of sugar is all you’ll need for subtly sweet pancakes.
Salt – a pinch will always enhance the flavour
Milk – as opposed to water or juice, adds moisture and richness to pancakes.
Eggs – add more moisture, richness and helps bind the batter together.
Butter or Oil – adds richness, moisture and produces a lighter, more flavourful result

Mix:
15 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup + 2 T baking powder
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 T salt
1 1/2 cup Thrive Life Scrambled Egg Mix
3 cups Thrive Life Instant Milk powder

Store mix in a large container with a tight fitting lid. Should be shelf stable for up to a year.

to prepare pancakes:
2 cups mix
1 + 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup oil
mix oil and water, pour into dry mix and stir only till moistened.
Makes 10 – 4 inch pancakes

A pancake mix makes a hearty pancake breakfast quicker and easier. But what if it could be way more nutritious than a purchased mix? and cheaper too? It can if its Homemade! Make your own shelf stable pancake mix to use whenever you want something GREAT. And the secret ingredient in this video takes it to the next level.

BISCUIT MIX

6 cups flour (you do you, but I always use unbleached flour for mixes)
1 cup shortening powder or butter powder
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 T salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 cup sour cream powder
Whisk all together till thoroughly combined.

Store mix in a large air tight container in a cool dry place for up to 4 months. This is because of the shortening powder. If you use the butter powder, you can extend that up to 6 months.

to prepare biscuits:
3 cups mix
1 cup milk
Stir only till moistened. Roll lightly on floured board till 1/2 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or knife.
Bake 425 F oven 8-10 minutes

CORNBREAD MIX
recipe makes 2 gallon sized cans (#10 cans)
6 cups cornmeal
3 cups Thrive Instant Milk (yes, it really IS better than any other milk powder you can buy)
8 cups flour (I always used unbleached)
1/2 cup baking powder
1 Tablespoon salt
3 cups sugar
* 1 cup sour cream powder (not necessary, but adding it makes it nicer and more cake like)
1 cup Thrive Scrambled Egg Mix (freeze dried eggs, and yes, this brand is the BEST tasting eggs out there. I am inserting a video below of my brother and sister who could not tell the difference between it and FRESH eggs gathered the morning of)
Whisk all these powders together completely and store in a marked jar in your pantry.

To use for a batch . . . . preheat oven to 350 degrees F
4 cups mix
1 + 2/3 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Add oil to water and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir to moisten all. Set aside for 3-5 minutes to moisten cornmeal. If you need to add a little more water, do so to get the consistency you prefer. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for approximately 40 or until center bounces back when touched. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into it.
* We really like cornbread waffles. Pour 1 cup batter into HOT and slightly oiled waffle iron. Cook for 4-5 minutes before removing. Perfect to serve alongside a bowl of chili or taco soup, or homemade tomato soup.

HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKS

This almost seems blasphemous to me, because nothing is as wholesome as a bowl of old fashioned oatmeal, but there are times (like when you’re camping) that the kids would like instant oatmeal. I confess that I buy instant oats for lots of other things, and there IS a convenience that I appreciate. I just don’t like all the sugar in the commercially boughten packs, so when I make them up for the kids, (another confession), I add 1/4 cup regular quick oats to their bowl. They don’t seem to notice and it makes me happier.
Instant oatmeal is also a great after school snack – nutritious and satisfying. So buy yourself a bunch of small 1/2 pint jars and make some up.
in each jar layer:
1/2 cup quick oats
2-3 T Instant Milk powder (Thrive Life is the BEST)
1 T brown sugar or honey granules or your choice of whatever you use
*optional: your favourite ‘additive’ – raisins, freeze dried peaches, apples, mangoes, apricots, or blueberries, crumbled cranberries raspberries, blackberries, or whatever you like. Or nothing at all.

Store them in little baggies, or jars. That’s it! To make your oatmeal, pour each package into a bowl, add 1 cup boiling water and stir. Give it a couple of minutes to thicken up and ENJOY.
* Consider: mixing up a whole quart of instant oatmeal with quick oats, powdered milk and brown sugar. When you want to make a bowl, shake up the jar (as the milk and sweetener may have settled), and scoop out 3/4 cup. Add your own fruit if you want, then boiling water. How does it get any easier? STORE in your pantry for 6 months to a year – depending on whatever fruit you may have added.

BASIC WHITE SAUCE or CREAM SOUP BASE

2 cups Thrive Life Instant Milk powder (you’ll be disappointed if you use any other brand of powdered milk because not a one tastes as good as Thrive Life’s – just sayin’)
1 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream Powder
1 heaping Tablespoon of Thrive Life’s Chef Choice Seasoning or your favourite seasoning
2 cups Cornstarch
1/3 cup Thrive Chicken Bouillon (or your favourite powdered Chicken bouillon)
1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Chopped Onions. You cannot substitute dehydrated onions, unless you powdered them first in a blender
1 teaspoon black pepper

Sift together all dry ingredients till completely mixed and store in a air tight container.
I double the recipe and Store in 3 glass quart sealing jars for about a year.

To use for white sauce:
Whisk 1/2 cup into 2 cups water. Bring to a boil whisking all the time to prevent lumping. Reduce heat and simmer gently 3-5 minutes till nicely thickened.
To use for base of cream soup:
I prepare the same way, and just slowly whisk into your soup.

I love to make cream soups by preparing the white sauce, adding milk or broth and then adding freeze dried vegetable crumbles or powder. Lightly simmer for a few minutes to soften the vegetables and till you’ve reached the desired consistency.
Cream of Tomato Soup – whisk in a Thrive Life Tomato Powder (approx 1 T per cup of soup)
Cream of Mushroom Soup – saute some fresh mushrooms in butter (mmm), then add to the prepared sauce. OR add some Thrive Life freeze dried Mushroom pieces and some mushroom powder from the bottom of the can.
Cream of Celery Soup – add some finely diced fresh celery and simmer long enough for them to become tender to the fork and share their flavour. OR add some Thrive Life freeze dried chopped celery. I crush these pieces up in my hand because I like smaller pieces. If there is any powder at the bottom of the can, throw that in too – its loaded with flavour.
Cream of Chicken Soup – add Thrive Life freeze dried Chopped Chicken and some powder from the bottom of the can.
Cream of Asparagus Soup – add Thrive Life freeze dried Asparagus and some powdered asparagus from the bottom of the can.
Cream of Broccoli Soup – add freeze dried broccoli. Maybe add some shredded cheddar if you want.
The list goes on – you can make whatever cream soup you want.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
4 T Chili Powder
3 T Cumin Powder
1 T Smoked Paprika
2 teaspoons EACH salt, garlic powder, onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
– this combination will give you approx. 3/4 cup seasoning. I usually use 1 T at a time, in most recipes. Don’t be afraid to try new combinations of your own.

Curry Seasoning Combination (I try to have 2 small jars of this combination in my cupboard at any given time so I don’t have to dig every ingredient out to make it up for a recipe)
1 t garam masala
2 t chicken bouillon powder
1 t black pepper
1 t cumin
1 t ginger powder
1 t paprika
1 T curry powder
1 T turmeric
* 1 t cayenne powder IF you like it a little spicy
3 T tomato powder (OR substitute in 1/4 cup tomato paste when making up the recipe)
1 T brown sugar
layer seasoning in small (1 cup size) jar. Put the lid on tight, label with recipe name, and set aside to have ready. Use the whole jar in your recipe. I know, I know. But trust me.

* bonus recipe: CURRY COCONUT CHICKEN
This recipe is very similar to traditional “Butter Chicken”, and there are probably as many variations as there are Indian moms or restaurants, but this one uses coconut milk and is a favourite in our house. When you use freeze dried produce, it takes less than 10 minutes to put together.

Recipe for Curry Coconut Chicken (using freeze dried vegetables OR substitute fresh):
1 + 1/2 cup freeze dried chicken pieces OR equal amount cooked chopped chicken
2 cups water (OR if using regular chicken, only 1 cup water)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup freeze dried sliced onions
2 T freeze dried garlic OR 2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup freeze dried peas
1/4 cup freeze dried diced green chilis
1/2 cup freeze dried green peppers
1/2 cup freeze dried red peppers
1/2 cup freeze dried zucchini
spice mixture above
2 cans coconut milk – mixed well before adding
– cooked rice to serve it over –

Directions:
Cover freeze dried chicken in 2 cups warm water and set aside to refresh for about 15 minutes.
Cook rice, set aside.
In the meantime, prepare everything else – having it ready to add one right after the other.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic till aromatic, stirring all the time to prevent scorching. Add chicken and remaining water, continuing to stir. Add vegetables one at a time, stirring all the while. Add seasoning mix and stir to completely blend in. Add coconut milk and stir to completely till all is blended perfectly.
Let simmer till all is heated through.
Serve over steamed rice.

* Fun Fact: “Butter Chicken”, a chicken curry dish that is so popular outside of India, is sometimes mistakenly believed to be a western invention. It was however, originally created by the chef at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi in 1947. Although it’s name Murgh Makhani translates to “chicken butter”, its name has less to do with butter and more to do with how much yogurt and butter are used in its original recipe.
There are probably as many variations as there are Indian moms or restaurants.

HOMEMADE FAJITA SEASONING MIX
3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
2 Tablespoons Cumin Powder
2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons Onion Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
Mix all together till thoroughly combined and store in a glass jar with a lid – preferably stored in a dark cupboard.
When making fajitas, use one or two tablespoons with lime juice and pour over top the cooking fajitas ingredients.

Go ahead. Try some of them!

Let me know how they work out for you in the comments below.
Enjoy!

Cindy Suelzle