Master Mixes

I collect recipes for master mixes and thought I'd share some with you.  Originally, Master Mix was a homemade baking mix - a convenient, make ahead mix of flour, baking powder, salt, dry milk powder, and shortening that you use to make fast and easy homemade muffins, cakes, quick breads, pancakes, and other good stuff.    Now "master mix" is used as a more generic term for all kinds of homemade mixes that will save you time and money. 

• Master mix recipes usually produce large amounts.  You may want to cut the recipes in half if you don't bake frequently.  (Though you may find you bake more when you have a handy mix available!)
• Always stir master mixes before using in recipes.
• If made with vegetable shortening, the master baking mix can be stored in a cool cupboard for a couple of months, but should be stored in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 3 months.  If made with whole wheat flour, store in the refrigerator.
• I like to bake with butter so I sometimes omit the shortening from the master mix.  I then use about 2 tablespoons of butter per 1 to 1 1/2 cup of mix when I prepare one of the other recipes.

 I haven't tried all these recipes so I make no guarantees that they work, but you can usually trust extension services to have good, economical, everyday recipes.

1. Stretch Your Time and Money with Master Mixes from West Virginia University Extension Services.  This 4-page pdf booklet contains recipes for the Master Baking Mix and muffins, biscuits, and waffles.   It also has recipes for Granola, Veggie Rice Mix, Herb Salad Dressing Mix, and Creole Seasoning Mix
2. Better Baking Mix from Washington State Extension Services. This booklet contains oats and is a little healthier, but may not be as versatile as other baking mixes.  It contains recipes for cookies and pizza as well as biscuits, muffins, and pancakes.
3. Family Nutrition Program  from Mississippi State University Extension Services.  This booklet contains recipes for the Master Mix, Lower Fat Master Mix, and Master Mix with Oil.  Recipes that use the mix include biscuits, pancakes, brownies, snacking cakes, and pizza.
4. Making and Using Master Mixes and Freezer Meals from Utah State University Extension Services; Making and Using Master Mixes is a 24 page booklet that contains recipes for dressing mixes, cookie mixes, meat mixes, soup mix, master mixes, and a lemon pie filling mix.  It's hard to believe such a little book could have so many recipes.  Freezer Meals is a "cook-once-a-month" booklet that uses master mixes.
5. Master Mix Recipes for Special Needs from Purdue State University Extension Services.  This pdf file contains recipes for Gluten Free Master Mix, Dairy Free Master Mix, Magic Mix (I  can't find recipes using this mix, but I think it's for making a lower-fat roux for white sauce and soups.  You would use about 1/3 cup of mix to about 1 1/4 cup of water or broth.  Cook and stir until thickened.)
6. Homemade Mixes from Virginia Agriculture Extension Services archives; This booklet on Master mixes was printed in 1952.  (Warning: I have found that flours have changed over time and older recipes don't always give satisfactory results when made with modern flours.  You may need to adjust the amount of mix used in some recipes.  For the most part, recipes like biscuits and quick breads are rather forgiving about such things.)
7. Master Bread Mix booklet from University of Idaho Extension Services contains recipes for 5 cups of master mix, dumplings, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, tortillas, fruit cobbler, pizza, cornbread, brownies, and snacking cakes.
8. Baking Master Mix and Milk Master Mix from North Dakota State University Extension Services.    The Baking Master Mix is a two page pdf booklet that contains a recipe for the mix plus banana bread, zuchinni bread, and pumpkin bread, muffins, and peanut butter refrigerator cookies, The Milk Master Mix creates puddings, cream soups, and white sauces. 
9. Mix It Up - Food Mixes in a Jar from North Dakota State University Extension Services. Four different mix recipes with suggestions for gift giving. You can view a slideshow about using mixes on the NDSU Cook It Quick page.
10. Food Preparation and Recipes from North Dakota State University educational materails lists several other Magic Mixes and other helpful publications.

Hot biscuits topped with creamy butter and sweet strawberry jam. 

How rich can one old lady be?