Thrifty Thursday: Trying Two Biscuit Mixes to See Which Wins!!!

We were out of biscuit mix. I had to buy dry milk powder so that I could make some more homemade biscuit mix and it was on my list for a long time.  We had been out of the homemade mix for awhile and I got some Bisquick for free at the store (which was also gone).  It was about time that I got to making it but which recipe to choose.  I finally put the dry milk powder in my shopping cart at Aldi's and bought it.  It seems expensive for a $7 item to save money but I know that in the long run, it will save me lots.

There were so many recipes that I made it's own folder on pinterest!!!  It was hard to narrow down all of the options.  I made the one from Miserly Mom's before (details here).  I really liked it so I decided to whip up one of those for a stand by and comparison.  The other one that I found which was from Budget Savvy Diva which seemed even more easy and lots different because there was no vegetable shortening.  Might as well try two that are totally different and I didn't have that much vegetable shortening left (something else that needs to be added to the list).

I pulled out all of the ingredients that I needed for both and got them on the container so that I wouldn't have to dig for the ingredients in the cupboards after I got started with messy hands.  I also had found two containers that I found when I was searching the popcorn machine which I cleaned and put in the kitchen.  These seemed like the greatest first use for them.

First, I made the Budget Savvy Diva's mix which was super easy.  I dumped all the ingredients into the container and my son stirred it.  He said it was really tough to stir but it was super easy and I probably could have just shut the top and given it a good shake but have to keep little helpers busy.  I gave it a stir afterwards just in case but super easy.  I popped on the top and labeled the container.

Then, I mixed up the other one which was a little more involved.  I mixed all the dry ingredients with the help of my son who decided that he would count in Spanish and then lost track (I think) of where he was at so if the biscuits don't turn out great then I am missing a cup of flour.  I added the Vegetable Shortening which I measured the way that I learned in home ec but I need to make a note to do one cup at a time because the container gets so filled that the shortening is no longer floating like it should.  I decided to make a big mess and measure with a dry cup just in case and it was exactly two.

I added the vegetable shortening to the dry ingredients and it looked like this.

I mixed it all together and it resembles a fine cornmeal crumble just like in the instructions.  I got a great work out because of all of the mixing and I should have used a bowl instead of this container.  I put the top on and then gave it a good shake to make sure that it was mixed well.  That helped a lot!

I now have two containers of Biscuit Mix to test out.  If you want to make them too, the recipes are below.

I am going to use them to make our favorite biscuits which are the 7UP Biscuits.  I have made them with sour cream or greek yogurt based on what I have at the house (click on either link to get the recipe with that ingredient).  I also keep some flat Sprite in the fridge so that I can use that at any time!!  It is a great tip for using up flat soda.  I am sure that we are going to be having lots of fun tasting both of them!!  I will let you know what I think when we have tried them both.

There are tons of other great recipes to make with biscuit mix like:

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits (don't seem have ever posted this one)
Biscuits 
Cheesy Garlic Pizza Bites
Rosemary Chicken 
7UP Sour Cream (or greek yogurt) Biscuits

I am going to work to find out some great other recipes but here are the recipes to make your own baking mix but it is usually gone before I know it.  I know that we are glad to have ours now and hope that you use one of these to make your own.

Miserly Mom's Cookbook Biscuit Mix

Makes about 10 cup mix, or 5 batches of 8 biscuits each

8 cups all purpose flour

1 ½ c powdered milk

¼ c baking powder

1 tbsp salt

1 ½- 2 c vegetable shortening

Combine dry ingredients.  Add shortening and mix by hand or with a pastry blender (or fork) until well combined and looks like coarse corn meal

Store, tightly covered, in an airtight container.

Budget Savvy Diva's Biscuit Mix

3¼ cups unsifted all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
½ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons salt

Mix all the ingredients together well and store in a sealed container.


** Okay, I made biscuits with first mix and they turned out good.  I made Cheesy Garlic Pizza Bites with a little of both and they were good.  I need to make the biscuits with just the second biscuit mix and see how it works out.  I think that they are both good so I am interested to keep trying recipes to see how they turn out.  Did you try one or both?  How did you like them?

Shared at Follow Thrift Week at Cleverly Simple
and Homemade Mondays at Frugal by Choice