Friday, June 2, 2017

Home made Bisquick Mix...

                                                                                     

Today was one of those rainy days where I didn't feel much like doing anything, except sit and listen to the rain hit the roof. I love those days. They relax me, help me think more clearly. They also remind me of my childhood where everything was so easy. Today takes me back to the tree house I built out of scrap lumber my dad no longer needed. It was in a tree close to our house, nestled in the woods between ours and the neighbors. I use to love laying on the rough wooden floor as the rain fell, protected from its drops from the leaves above. Oh the memories. Memories of fresh made bread on Fridays, homemade meatballs, pancakes, and strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries from the farm down the road...

My mom used bisquick quite a lot when we were growing up. Something that was taboo when I first started on my gluten free adventure. Now you can buy a gluten free version in the store, but I find it just a little staggering in cost, so I don't buy it often. So what if I make my own??????? I told you that rainy days help me think clearly....or maybe they just give me to much time to think...well either way it got me up and moving!

I started browsing the web and found several recipes to make a homemade bisquick mix. Mostly with regular flour, but I was now in a experimenting stage, so out came the pans, and my basic gluten free flour mix. I have to say I was a bit skeptical. I mean bisquick mix has been around for generations, but what the heck...

After blending the mix I had to give it a test run. After all, why make it if I am not going to use it. My first choice was strawberry short cakes. My son in law had mentioned them just a few days prior and had planted the seed in my mind. I didn't have a bisquick box to follow the recipe, so I went to the Betty Crocker web page. I must admit that these turned out pretty close to the real deal. The recipe said to bake for 10 to 12 minutes, and although I left them in for the full 12, and they were just a smidgen over browned on the bottom, they still tasted great!

OK...So how would pancakes hold up to the "mock bisquick" test? I had to know being the inquisitive person that I am. Delish!!!!!  I devoured them all before I ever thought to take a picture, sorry! I probably would have kept going, as there are a few other recipes I want to try,  but I had used up all the mock bisquick mix I had made, so I will have to share other recipes in the future. Until then, please enjoy these two.
                                                                               
The mix is soooooo easy to make. Keep a empty bisquick box around to keep your mix in it. When company comes you can make pancakes and I bet you they won't even know its not the real deal!

Enjoy,
Sharon Lee

Homemade GF Bisquick Mix:

384 g Basic GF Multi Purpose Flour Blend  (posted 4-11-17)
1 1/2 T baking powder
1/2 T salt
1/2 c "cold" vegetable shortening, coconut oil, or butter (I used vegetable shortening)

Place dry ingredients in a food processor. Drop cold pieces of shortening, coconut oil, or butter on top of flour mixture. Process until the consistency of a dry crumbly mixture.
Use this as a cup for cup replacement in all recipes that call for a bisquick mix!


Pancake Recipe:

128 g mock bisquick mix
1/2 c milk
1 egg

Stir mixture with a whisk until thoroughly blended.
Cook over a med high heat. I waited until the tops were very bubbly to flip, which worked best for me, however, check the underside often to see if they are browned enough before flipping according to your heat temperature setting. The first few always seem to take longer than the others.

The strawberry shortcake recipe can be found at https://www.bettycrocker.com along with some other recipes you might like to try with this mock blend.
 

Buckwheat - Gluten Free -- Grass Free

 Buckwheat, which is actually not in the wheat family at all, has somehow gotten a bad rap over the years. I personally have avoided it basi...