Baking Mix Blueberry Muffins

 

These muffins use baking mix or Bisquick. They are moist, and so easy to prepare. By the time the oven is done preheating, your muffins will be ready to put in the oven. 

 Ingredients

2 1/4 c. baking mix
1/2 to 3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
3 Tbs. butter melted or  vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. frozen blueberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°. Grease the bottoms of 12 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry baking mix, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients to hold the wet ingredients.

Add egg, milk and vegetable oil to dry ingredients. Mix only enough to moisten flour. The batter will be lumpy. Do not over mix or the muffins will be spongy.  

Gently fold in the blueberries.

Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.  Sprinkle some granulated sugar or brown sugar and cinnamon over the tops of the batter. 

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Notes:

This recipe can be doubled. If doubling the recipe, you can use a baking dish instead of the muffin pan if you desire.

 You can also use more blueberries. 

You can add 2 teaspoons lemon zest for more flavor.  

The amount of sugar varies depending on how sweet you like or want your muffins.  You can also use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar.

 Homemade Bisquick Baking Mix

 

Instead of buying a box of Bisquick, try making your own. With just a few ingredients that you would already have on hand, you can easily and quickly mix up your own. You'll save a lot of money in doing so and this recipe is just as good. You can use it in any recipe that calls for baking mix, and it does not need refrigeration.

Ingredients

9 c. flour
1/3 c. baking powder
1 Tbs. salt (optional)
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. dry milk
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 c. shortening

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, dry milk, and cream of tartar together.

Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly.

Store in an airtight container. Use the same amount as you would Bisquick in your recipes.

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Cream Pie piled high with meringue. This classic dessert is a family favorite going back through the generations. It was always a special treat when we got a cream pie, especially a chocolate flavored one.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. milk
3 squares unsweetened chocolate (3 oz.), cut up or 3 Tbs. baking cocoa
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 9-inch pie crust

Meringue

3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
6 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

In a heavy saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and chocolate or baking cocoa.

Gradually stir in the milk.

Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens and is bubbling. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Gradually whisk in about a cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Stirring constantly gradually pour the egg yolks into the mixture in the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.  Remove from heat.

Blend in butter and vanilla. Pour immediately into baked pie shell.  Top with meringue.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Meringue

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until the mixture is frothy.  With the mixer at high speed, gradually add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is stiff. But don't beat the egg white too long, or they will be stiff and dry, and you don't want that. When you lift the beaters out, it will leave a peak in the meringue. The peak should hold its shape.

Beat in vanilla.

Spread the meringue lightly over the top of the warm chocolate pie, making sure you seal the edge of the pie crust to prevent shrinkage. 

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned.

One Pot Dinner 

When you don't have time to cook, the crock pot comes in handy.  For this recipe, brown the ground beef and bacon and then add the rest of the ingredients into the crock pot.  Turn the crock pot to low and go about your day. 

This meal is so easy to do, and your family will love it.  My recipes call for a cast iron skillet, but you don't need to use that if you don't have one.  Use the skillet you like best when frying meats.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces2 (15 oz.) cans pork and beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can butter beans
1 c. ketchup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. liquid smoke
3 Tbs. white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Brown ground beef and onion in a cast iron skillet. Drain off excess fat. Put the beef in a crock pot.

Brown bacon and drain off fat. Place in the crock pot with the ground beef.

Add the pork and beans, kidney beans, butter beans, ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, and white vinegar. Stir together well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the crock pot with the lid and cook on low for 4 to 9 hours. If your crock pot is 2 quart size, cut the recipe in half.

Tips

You could also make this to bake in the oven. Instead of using a crock pot, put the ingredients in a Dutch oven. Set the oven to 200° and bake it for 4 to 9 hours.

This recipe did call for the kidney beans and butter beans to be drained, but we do not. It adds flavor to the dish. It is personal preference on whether you want to drain them or not.

Sausage Stroganoff

 Sausage Stroganoff is a quick and easy meal to prepare. Just brown the sausage and onion, then add the rest of the ingredients. Your family is sure to love this dish and best of all, it doesn't take a lot of time to prepare.

Ingredients

1 lb. bulk pork sausage
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (4 oz.)  can mushrooms, undrained
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. potatoes, cooked, cubed
1 c. sour cream
10 oz. can buttermilk biscuits
1 (15 oz.) can peas, drained or 1 c. frozen peas, cooked

Directions

Heat oven to 375°.

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown sausage, onion and garlic together. Drain off excess grease

Add mushrooms and flour, stirring for a minute or two to remove the flour taste.

Turn the heat to low. Stirring constantly, gradually pour in the milk. 

Add potatoes and heat until mixture is bubbly. 

Stir in sour cream. 

Remove from heat. Place the biscuits around the outer edge of the skillet. 

Spoon the peas into the center.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.

Serve and enjoy.

Beef With Dumplings

Here is another way to make pot roast and give it a different flavor. You can bake it low and slow or cook on the stove top for 2 to 3 hours.

Ingredients

1 3-4 lb beef roast
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced into half rings
2 large carrots, sliced
2 sweet pepper, sliced
1/4 c. water

Dumplings

1 c. flour
2 Tbs. parsley
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/4  c. milk
2 Tbs. melted butter

Gravy

water or beef broth or stock
1 beef bouillon cube (optional)
3/4 cup cold water
2 Tbs. cornstarch

Directions

Trim some excess fat off the meat.

Place the beef roast in a Dutch oven.  You can brown the beef roast in 2 tablespoons of shortening on all sides if you like, but I don't always take the time to do that. 

Add the tomatoes, red wine vinegar, salt, sugar, pepper, garlic, carrots, sweet peppers  and water. Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. When the meat is almost tender, prepare the dumplings. (You can also put the pot in the oven.  Bake at 200° for 8 to 10 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 145°.)

In a large bowl, stir together flour, parsley, baking powder and salt. 

In a small bowl, combine egg, milk and melted butter.  Make a well in the center of the flour, stirring until just blended.

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto meat in bubbling broth. Return to boiling, then reduce heat. Cover the pot tightly,

Simmer until dumplings are done 12 to 15 minutes. Do not lift the cover. 

Remove the dumplings and roast onto a serving platter. 

Pour enough water in to the Dutch oven to make 2 cups of liquid. Bring the liquid to a bubble.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the 3/4 cup of cold water. Slowly pour this into the bubbling liquid in the Dutch oven.  Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.  Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with roast. 

Powdered Sugar Doughnuts

One of my dads favorite foods was home-made doughnuts.  We used to make them for him on his birthday or anniversary. My dad passed away, but we still make a batch of doughnuts on those special days. It brings back warm and wonderful memories of a man who worked hard to support his family and loved us dearly. 

Ingredients

1 Tbs. yeast or 1 pkg.
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/4 cup milk, scalded
1 stick butter or 1/2 c. margarine or shortening
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
4-5 cups flour
vegetable oil for frying

 Directions

In a large mixing bowl, mix the yeast, warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar together.  Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes in a warm location to bloom or to see if the yeast is active.

In a small saucepan, warm the butter and milk to 90° or 105° over low heat. Butter does not need to melt. 

Pour the warmed milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and 1 cup flour in with the yeast mixture.  Stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes. You can also use the mixer with the dough hook attachment.

Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can until a dough forms.  The dough will be sticky. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead the dough for 10 minutes adding more flour as necessary. Knead until the dough is no longer sticky. The dough should be smooth and elastic. If you touch the dough with your finger, it should bounce back.

Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil the bowl that you mixed the dough in and place the dough ball inside. Turn the dough over so that all sides of the dough is lightly oiled. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or a tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm location and let rise until doubled in size. This takes about an hour.  

Punch the dough down and place the dough onto a well floured surface. Roll the dough out until it is 1/2-inch thick. Cut doughnuts with a doughnut cutter. 

Place the doughnuts and round doughnut holes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave 1-inch of space between doughnuts. Let rise in a warm location for about an hour or until doubled in size. 

**  I usually put the doughnuts on one cookie sheet and the doughnut holes on another cookie sheet so everything gets done at the same time. You can also save the doughnut holes and reroll them out to just make the large circle doughnuts.  

Decide if you want to bake the doughnuts or fry them. 

Baking

Preheat oven to 375°. 

Fill a paper sack or a bowl with powdered sugar. 

Bake the doughnuts for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and puffed up. Let the doughnuts slightly cool on the cookie sheets, then dip the warm doughnuts into the powdered sugar, turning the doughnut to coat all sides. Sometimes, you may want to redip the doughnuts in the powdered sugar for a second time after they have cooled more. 

If the powdered sugar does not want to stick, lightly spray the doughnut with cooking oil or melted butter and then dip in the powdered sugar. 

Deep Fry

You can also use this same recipe to deep-fry the doughnuts too, if you prefer. 

Heat a few inches of oil in a large heavy bottomed pan, a heavy large cast iron skillet or an electric fryer.  Heat the oil to 350° to 375°.

Carefully place the doughnuts in the hot oil and fry until golden brown about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  The doughnut holes take less time to fry about 30 per side. Do not crowd the doughnuts or the oil will cool down too much and then, instead of cooking the doughnuts, they will soak up the oil.

Remove the doughnuts with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain off excess oil. Dip the hot doughnuts into the powdered sugar turning to coat.

Whichever way you choose to make doughnuts, serve and then enjoy.