Making your own Homemade Corn Bread Mix...no more pricey prepackaged stuff!!

Convenience is a BIG thing!  But typically it comes at a cost.  I am a BIG fan of making my own dry mixes.  They save me time AND money…not to mention they are healthier!! 

My family loves corn bread & corn muffins!  I used to buy the packages when we 1^st got married…but found a “mix” recipe that I LOVE and have never gone back to the grocery store prepackaged ones.  This mix produces FLUFFY and light corn bread and muffins.  Try them!  You won’t be sorry!

1^st you make the DRY mix…and store it in an airtight container.

Corn Bread Basic Dry Mix

I store my dry mix in a #10 in the cupboard...

This is what the dry mix looks like.  Can you see the resemblance to the prepackaged stuff at the grocery store?

4 c. all-purpose flour
4 c. yellow cornmeal
2 c. instant dry milk
2/3 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking soda

When you desire corn bread or muffins…here are the additional WET ingredients to add to the dry mix.

Corn Bread  (makes 6 muffins)

1 egg, beaten (or 1 Tbsp. dehydrated egg + 1/8 c. water)

2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 c. water
1 1/4 c. Corn bread mix

1.    Preheat oven to 425 F.

2.    Butter a 5 “x 3” pan.

3.    Wisk together all wet ingredients. 

4.    Slowly add “mix” and stir until moistened.

5.    Bake 20-25 min.

a.    (Muffins bake 15 min.)

 Happy Stretching Pennies...

TIME is MONEY: Freezing Tastier Hamburger Patties for less than prepackaged ones!!

When ground beef goes on sale, I REALLY go nuts with preparing things for the freezer to save time and money!  As I said in my last post, Savemart had ground beef on sale for $1.69 a pound.  I decided I was sick of the premade pre-frozen hamburger patties…and decided to see if I could make my own.

I tried some recipes from www.ourbestbites.com  and froze them.  I couldn’t have been more pleased!! 

My favorites:
Samburger
Southwest Chipotle Burgers

1.       I followed the above recipes. 

2.       Prepared a cookie sheet with saran wrap.

3.       I wore plastic gloves, since I was going to be up to my elbows in meat for a while.  I scooped up a handful of prepared meat (about the size of a baseball) and made it into a nice ball…and the squished it.  I made the hamburger patties bigger than the anticipated buns…preparing for them to shrink on the grill. 

4.       I placed them on the plastic wrap and dabbed the edges until looked like a nice circle.

5.       Place them in the freezer to “flash freeze” for an hour or two.

6.       Remove from the freezer.  Spread out saran wrap, enough for 3 hamburgers.  Place 3 evenly across.  Fold the top half over the hamburgers, and roll them up.

A picture after I froze them and before I packaged them for storage.

I took these out of my freezer for this picture.

7.       Place in a labeled Ziplock baggie and place in the freezer. 

This is my SMALL bag of burgers....just READY-to-be grilled!

8.       Prepare just as you would the pre-frozen ones from the grocery store.  (Place the frozen patty directly onto hot grill and cook!!)

Happy Stretching Pennies...

TIME is MONEY: Preparing Meatballs in BULK can save you money AND time!!

Preparing your ground beef in bulk does NOT need to end with plain crumbled ground beef!!   There are so many varieties to enjoy!
Consider making meatballs in bulk too!  Whether you are making them for spaghetti sauce OR stews, you will find it will save you time and energy!!

A couple of months ago, Savemart had a GREAT sale on hamburger at $1.69 a pound.  I went on a cooking binge and my life has been simplified because of it.  In one afternoon, my family’s meatballs needs were met for over 6 months!!   My freezer is FULL of all sorts of things already prepared and ready to go. 

When I typed my “Bulk” recipe for meatballs, it seemed overwhelming…so I thought I would post the “regular” recipe 1^st.    Even using the “regular” recipe gives me extra meatballs for the freezer…so don’t think you need to do “bulk” recipe.  Make it the size of how much ground beef you purchased!

Regular Recipe Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef

½ c. soft or ¼ c. dry bread crumbs

1 egg
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

1.       Heat oven 400 F.

2.       Large bowl combine all ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

3.       Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil

4.       Pinch off approx 1 inch pieces of beef mixture to make 30 meatballs.

5.       Bake 10-13 min. or until centers are no longer pink. 

BULK  Meatballs

5 lb. ground beef

2 ½ c. soft OR 1 ¼ c. dry bread crumbs

5 eggs

10 Tbsp. finely chopped onion

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 ½ salt

½ tsp. + 1/8 tsp. pepper

1.       Heat oven 400 F.

2.       Large bowl combine all ingredients, mixing lightly but thoroughly.

3.       Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil. 

4.       Pinch off approx 1 inch pieces of beef mixture to make meatballs.

 5.      Bake 10-13 min. or until centers are no longer pink. 

6.    Remove from pan with a fork and put into a bowl.  When meatballs are to desired amount, dump into labeled freezer ziplock baggies. 

  

7.  Clean up couldn't be EASIER!  Just roll up the aluminum foil...and throw it away.         

 

8.   Your next Stew or Spaghetti Sauce recipe is simplified beyond belief!!   

Happy Pinching Pennies...