Wednesday, April 6, 2011

mixes

Way back when I first started ChildCare I used a Master Mix for everything.  It was a combo of flour, shortening, sugar, salt & probably baking powder, that I put together in a HUGE Tupperware bowl & kept on the fridge.  Whenever I wanted to make anything, pancakes, muffins, cookies or drop biscuits, I pulled that bowl out & dipped from it.  Adding a few other ingredients I quickly had the batter for whatever was on he menu.  This past Christmas my mom did the most awesome thing for us!  She made each of us 3 couples (my 2 brothers+wives & Tim&I) 6 mixes. (pancake, basic cookie, oatmeal cookie, basic cake, brownie & quick mix) DROOL INDEED!!  along w/those mixes, she made us each a cookbook using those mixes w/a couple of alternatives for each mix. SO COOL, RIGHT?! Well, in true perfectionist fashion, I put them beautifully on the baker's rack in the upstairs kitchen & admired them. Did I use them? NOPE. they were too pretty w/their color coordinated fabric fluff thru te canning jar lid/ring & handmade tags & gladware containers.  It was so comforting to know I had them there when I needed them. However, it was MARCH before I finally bit the bullet & pulled one off the shelf to use.  :)  I chose the oatmeal cookie mix to play w/first. thinking it had only enough stuff in it for one of the recipes I also picked up the can of apple pie filling (yes folks, she also included the pie filling & chocolate chips for the recipe options!  So I reallllllly  had no excuses for leaving them set for so long!)   I whipped up the "Peach Blossom Dessert" recipe (apples instead) happily discovering that there was enough left to make oatmeal cookies too!! Whooo Hooo!! Go MOM!! So the next day I made Oatmeal Cookies too. Every week since then I have used one mix to make a meal or snack that much easier to pull together.  I have 2 left on the shelf but so far my favorite is the Pancake Mix. It makes the dreamiest french toast batter! So, today, I made a huge batch of Pancake Mix to put in the pantry for later use! 

I managed to borrow the mix cookbook from Mom this Sunday.  Learning that she had received it as a gift from HER aunt for Christmas one year. wanna know the publishing date? :)  1978 yesssss I am way excited to be truly using something that is tried & tested & loved years ago! I have many plans to make other mixes before school is out to help w/summer cooking!

While keeping in the mix theme, I have been slurping up the Casey's White Chocolate Caramel Cappuccinos for a few weeks now. We are talking, using them as my reward on the way home from running @ the school. I would drink 1/2 that night, then chill it & warm it for breakfast. Probably not the safest but I haven't gotten sick yet ;)  well, realizing how much those are running me, I decided to find a mocha recipe today.  After surfing through a few, I found this one.  I subbed powdered milk in place of the Nondairy creamer & added a tsp of vanilla to my cup but I am loving it!!

What mixes do you use that don't come in a box? I am getting closer & closer to having box free cupboards upstairs, downstairs (childcare) has been for almost a year.

3 comments:

Brooke said...

i'm lazy - i love boxes. my rear end hates them though.

Stacey said...

Kim, another blogger just recommended this site and I think it might be right up your alley. Maybe you've already found it... but if not check it out. The link is to her recipe page, but you can follow links to 'mixes' and 'make your own'. I haven't dug very deep yet. I do notice that I will need to hit up the Robinsons dollar spices as I a sorely lacking in that department.

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/recipes.htm#Homestead%20Kitchen%20Recipes!

Anonymous said...

What is your mix recipe? It sounds very handy!

And do you have the name of the 'Mix book' from your mom? Maybe I could find one somewhere!