Home-Made Bisquick Mix and Pancakes

In my humble opinion, regardless of your nutritional needs- there should be a minimal variation in cost.  It just doesn't seem right that just because you change the dominant grain, the price doubles or triples.  In a perfect world- right? Well, while the prices are high, I will still seek substitutions that are more economically sound for the wallet.  No offense Betty Crocker, but I can make an equivalent much cheaper...

Home-Made Bisquick Mix:

12 Cups Rice Flour

5 1/2 Cups Tapioca Starch

1/2 Cup + 2 TBSP Sugar

1/3 cup + 2/3 TSP Xanthan Gum

7 TBSP Baking Powder

2 TBSP + 1 1/2 TSP Baking Soda

2 1/2 TSP Salt

You'll need a 6 qt container to store it in and an even larger bowl to mix it all together in. I use the 2 gallon buckets that you can find in the painting section at Lowe's.  I measure out the ingredients first and then mix small amounts of each together til all the ingredients are combined.  You can use it for any recipe that you would usually use the Betty Crocker Gluten Free BisQuick for.

My Pancakes:

1 Cup mix

1 TBSP Sugar

3/4 TSP Pumpkin Spice (Spice mix containing Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, etc)

1 Cup Rice Milk

1 Egg

1) Mix dry ingredients in a bowl making a well in the middle.

2) Add egg and lightly mix with some of the dry ingredients before adding the Rice Milk.

3) Make the Pancakes and enjoy!  Serves 1 or 2.

Breakfast Casse-ROLLS

I don't know what came over me tonight, but whatever it was it was GOOD!!  In fact I will let you be the judge of exactly how GOOD it was!!  It goes something like this. . .

I was sitting at the computer surfing the world wide web and visions of tomorrows breakfast were consuming my thoughts.  I was supposed to be bagging pre-made brownie mixes tonight while the boys watched Star Wars AH-GAIN, but I wasn't.   After a couple queries of the internet, my mouth was watering and I was undecided.  Cinnamon Rolls, Cheese, Eggs, Ham, bacon, CHEESE, then an idea struck me and I ran to the kitchen!!  It was a disaster I had made dinner, but had not yet cleaned up, but I could not let go of the idea and I did not have time to write it down.  I quickly cleared a space on the counter so I could get to work. Some of this and some of that, more of this and more of that.  A little twist here, roll it out there.  Almost done I called my husband in to see my near complete creation. Disturbed as he had to leave Star Wars. He looked and with a simple smile on his face said, "You're Weird." And he returned back to watching the 5th episode of Star Wars. . .Whichever one that one is.  I am girl.

So anyhow, the following is as far as I have gotten with my creation.  

Breakfast Casse-ROLLS

2/3 cup Rice Flour

1/3 cup Sorghum Flour

1/4 cup Vanilla Pudding (Jello brand sugar free- fat free is GFCF)

1 TBSP Potato Flour (flour, not starch)

2 TBSP Sugar

1/2 oz Gelatin (abt. 1 TBSP + 1 scant tsp)

2 1/2 tsp Guar Gum

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda, rounded

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

*  *  *  *  

2 tsp Yeast**

1/2 TBSP sugar

2 TBSP Warm Water

*  *  *  *

2 TBSP Butter

2/3 cup Warm Rice Milk

1 TBSP Vegetable Oil 

2 eggs, Room Temperature

**If you prefer yeast free, leave out 2nd set of ingredients, along with 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup flour, and use 2/3 cup of starter.  Make a note that starter adds a sourness to your baked goods (quite sharp compared to commercial sourdough bread) and will affect the final taste of baked goods.

1) Mix each set of ingredients in separate containers.  Making sure the dry group is in the largest bowl.  

2) When the yeast mixture has grown into a frothy airy mixture, combine all ingredients into the Large bowl.

3)  When the dough is mixed, roll out to roughly a 10-12 inch rectangle between two pieces of Saran Wrap.   Very important that you use Saran wrap.

4) Brush flattened dough generously with melted butter. 

 

Filling 

 

1/2 batch (1 cup) fresh Cream Soup substitute

1/2 - 3/4 cups thin slices of ham, chopped in 1/2 inch squares

2 TBSP Fresh Green Onion, chopped 

1/4 cup Rice Milk*

1 TBSP Non-Dairy Sour Cream

3 Eggs, scrambled and finely chopped (undercooked is better than over cooked)

1/4 tsp Pepper*

*I did not add these this time, but next time I am going to try it with these.

 

5) Combine all filling ingredients and spread evenly over dough, leaving about 1 inch of dough at the outside end (this will allow the roll to seal filling in as rises and bakes)

6) Prepare a 9 inch pie pan/round cake pan  by heavily buttering it.

7) Using the bottom Saran wrap to help you roll the dough, roll dough into a loose roll.

8) Using a Serrated Knife and cleaning after each cut, cut into 8-9 equal pieces, and place each in pie pan/round cake pan immediately after each cut.  

9) Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes then bake 375 for 20-23 minutes.

White Gravy Topping

1 1/2 TBSP Butter

1 TBSP Cornstarch

1 1/3 cup Rice Milk 

1/4 tsp Pepper

1/4 tsp Salt

  

1) Melt butter in a pan over the stove and then add the cornstarch and stir feverishly so no lumps can form.

2) After well mixed, add milk and stir constantly til it starts to thicken, then add pepper and salt.

3) Remove from heat and let cool for 10 mins.
4) Drizzle over the top of your Rolls and ENJOY!!

Basic Pilsbury Refrigerator Dough Substitute (for sweet uses)

Pilsbury Style Refrigerator Dough

2/3 cup Rice Flour

1/3 cup Sorghum Flour

1/4 cup Vanilla Pudding (Jello brand sugar free- fat free is GFCF)

1 TBSP Potato Flour (flour, not starch)
2 TBSP Sugar

1/2 oz Gelatin (abt. 1 TBSP + 1 scant tsp)

2 1/2 tsp Guar Gum

1 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda, rounded
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

*  *  *  *  

2 tsp Yeast**

1/2 TBSP sugar

2 TBSP Warm Water

*  *  *  *

2 TBSP Butter

2/3 cup Warm Rice Milk

1 TBSP Vegetable Oil 

2 eggs, Room Temperature

**If you prefer yeast free, leave out 2nd set of ingredients and use 2/3 cup of starter.  Make a note that starter adds a sourness to your baked goods (quite sharp compared to commercial sourdough bread) and will affect the final taste of baked goods.


1) Mix each set of ingredients in separate containers.  Making sure the dry group is in the largest bowl.  
2) When the yeast mixture has grown into a frothy airy mixture, combine all ingredients into the Large bowl.
3)  If you need to knead it into a ball for what you are using it for, use a plastic baggy over your hand or some saran wrap.
4) If you need to roll it out for whatever you may be using it for, it is best to roll it out between two sheets of saran wrap.
5) Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes 
6) If you are making a stuffed or cinnamon roll style pastry, then bake 375 for 20-23 minutes.  Anything shorter than a cinnamon roll or un-stuffed will take less time. Check for done-ness by poking with a toothpick and checking that it comes out clean.  Golden brown is also a good indicator of done-ness.

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon Rolls.  Shall we just call it a work in progress?  I have been creating this recipe now for the last 5 years.  Seriously, no simple modification for Cinnamon Rolls, you really need to know your gluten free flours and dough enhancers to create a cinnamon rolls recipe.  The down side is that likely, now that I have finally got my final bits together,  Betty Crocker is going to come up with a boxed mix to handle the stress!!  But on the upside, this is an accomplishment and I really did it!! I am so glad that I keep my recipes in a hand scrawled notebook so I can easily check back on past failures and current modifications.  

Most recently I attempted Cinnamon Rolls at Christmas time with failure and again a couple weeks ago.  Both times we landed with a cinnamon casserole in a pie pan.  Don't mistake me, it WAS good, just not rolls.  Just not the same look.  But too bad the glory be in the roll!!  For you have not cinnamon rolls if there be no roll.

So today as I prepped for Valentines Day I died my pizza dough pink with a box of red jello and cut it into heart shapes on top of a piece of saran wrap.  And the moment of awe was supplied!! In indulging in the creations I discovered it is far easier to manipulate rolled out dough using Saran Wrap, so I had to try it.  The final piece to successfully roll a cinnamon roll.  

Cinnamon Rolls


2/3 cup Rice Flour

1/3 cup Sorghum Flour

1/4 cup Jello Brand Vanilla Pudding 
               sugar and fat free (this one is GFCF) 
1 TBSP Potato FLOUR (not starch)

1/2 oz Gelatin (abt. 1 TBSP + 1 scant tsp)

2 1/2 tsp Guar Gum

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Baking Soda, rounded
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

*  *  *  *  

2 tsp Yeast**

1/2 TBSP sugar

2 TBSP Warm Water

*  *  *  *

2 TBSP Butter

2/3 cup Warm Rice Milk

1 TBSP Vegetable Oil 

2 eggs, Room Temperature

**If you prefer yeast free, leave out 2nd set of ingredients and use 2/3 cup of starter.  Make a note that starter adds a sourness to your baked goods (quite sharp compared to commercial sourdough bread) and will affect the final taste of baked goods.


1) Mix each set of ingredients in separate containers.  Making sure the dry group is in the largest bowl.  
2) When the yeast mixture has grown into a frothy airy mixture, combine all ingredients into the Large bowl.
3)  When the dough is mixed, roll out to roughly a 10-12 inch rectangle between two pieces of Saran Wrap.   Very important that you use Saran wrap.
4) Brush flattened dough generously with melted butter .


Filling

1 cup Brown Sugar
1 TBSP Cinnamon
1 TBSP Melted Butter
1/2 tsp Salt


I don't recommend nuts for these rolls.  I found that nuts really act as knives with the dough and causes the dough to fall apart as you roll and cut the dough. If you must have them, you can try the finely chopped pecan/walnut chips that are a bit smaller than lentils.  You could try sprinkling them over the flattened dough after spreading the filling.  OR you could try sprinkling them in the crevices of the rolls after placing the rolls in the pan.

4) Combine all filling ingredients and spread evenly over dough.
5) Prepare a 9 in pie pan/dish  by greasing it, then sprinkling 1/4 cup brown sugar over the bottom and evenly drizzling 3 TBSP melted butter over the sugar.
5) Using the Saran wrap to help you roll the dough, roll dough into a loose roll.
6) Using a Serrated Knife and cleaning after each cut, cut into 9 equal pieces, and place in pie pan immediately after each cut.  
7) Let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes then bake 375 for 20-23 minutes.
8) Top with your  favorite glaze

Tips to Better Baked Goods

Had a friend comment to me that it should be rather easy to modify any recipe to fit a gluten free diet.  I was taken aback.  Easy??!!  No!!  Not really, in fact not at all!! Of course, when we first started the allergy free dieting, we had the same impression.  That is until the first few DOZEN loaves ended up in the trash.  It was a hard change.  There was not alot of information on the internet that had many GOOD recipes to offer or tips. AND there is no flour like wheat that has a protein with the same characteristics as gluten.  Gluten is so flexible and stretchable and makes for light and airy breads.  Not to mention taste, I mean try a loaf made of pure Garbanzo bean.  OH, GAG!!! The flavor is just not something that you seek.  Or perhaps straight buckwheat??  SAWDUST ANYONE??  Really, its that bad!! Now maybe if I was raised on the stuff I might feel differently about it, but I was not and my kids knew the 'better' life too, so we DO need to worry about how things taste for success with the way of life. 

After losing so many loaves, I took us down to a local Natural Food store and bought a teaspoon sized sample of every gluten free flour they had.  I walked out with about 10 samples.  My kids and I tasted every sample and chose several we liked.  I then built my recipes around those flours and bought a food storage with all the flours and every dough enhancer I could find. I am not sure any Gluten and Dairy Free person ever cared about flavor and texture so much as I do.  But I wanted my kids to eat, not just fake like they did. 

Because it really is not an easy task to modify a gluten free recipe and failure is highly likely at first, I thought I might write out what I have learned in writing my recipes.

1) Rule number one DO NOT substitute the flour called for in a recipe for only one type of gluten free flour.  I always use AT LEAST 4 different types of flours.  The more the types of flours the less distinct the flavor and the more 'normal' tasting the outcome.  For Dessert breads, use about 50% starches or lighter flours.  For a sandwich bread use 50% medium flours.  For a Whole Wheat type bread, use at least 25% heavier flours and minimal starch/lighter flours.

2) Always use spices that fit the baked good you are making.  Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, in sweet goods and breads; Onion powder, garlic, pepper, etc in items that are not meant to be sweet.  This brings the concentration of flavor to familiar items while distracting your senses from any new flavors.  Pudding is a good choice for sweet breads too.

3) NEVER pre-mix your flours.  You never know if a flour is not going to work for you, or has poor flavor, or if you might develop an allergy to it.  Once it is mixed, you cannot take it out; only throw it out.  I like being able to choose what flours go into my bread rather than being forced into using one I don't like the flavor of.

4) Always use dough enhancers unless you are intentionally trying to create a rock :o)  Dough enhancers can seriously lighten your loaf.  They won't create that airy pull-a-part soft dinner roll that Gluten creates, but it will at least make the goods better than what a 100% whole wheat flour could create.

5)  Don't like grittiness?  Let your dough set out over night (I used to do a few hours, but overnight is truly superior.  Thanks C.M.)

6)  Usually bigger is better, but with Gluten Free breads, it is the opposite!!  I just RE-learned this lesson a couple weeks ago (yes, I forgot for a brief time, but quickly remembered when my toddler toddled a pre-sliced bagged loaf off the counter).  Big bread means less crust and more crumbs, so save your self the headache or perhaps backache.  Smaller bread stays together a lot better.  I use a commercial hamburger bun pan for regular sandwich bread.  

7)  Did you know that a Gluten Free Diet tends to be more calorie dense??  It truly is!  But think about it, less air and more rock to the breads, not to mention the items we add to alter the natural flavor.  So yes, be careful with your portions and what you put into your breads.  This is one of the reasons you will see lots of vegetables in my breads, over the fruits.  Fruits usually have upper of 2 times the calories as vegetables.  Likewise, vegetables are good fillers in bread, because they are less calorie dense than flour is.  (Knowing this you might want to be careful with using pudding liberally in your sweet breads.) 

8)  Gluten Free breads need more 'glue', truly in need of anything that can help it stay together.  Vegetable purees do wonderfully, fruits too (especially banana or applesauce), eggs, flax, gelatin, guar or xanthan gum.  Typically if a recipe calls for 2 eggs I will add 3 in my gluten free items.

9) 1/4 cup of flax in a recipe for a 9" loaf has equivalent nutrients to a 9" whole wheat loaf.  (Need I say more)

Clean Value - High rise, low crumbs!

This beautifully worn commercial hamburger pan was my absolute first purchase upon adopting the Gluten Free lifestyle.  I think I spent 15 dollars for shipping and all in EBAY. It came to me 36 inches wide and of course, it could not fit in my oven as was.  I took a hack saw and cut it in half so that I would be able to use it. I LOVE this pan!! 

My intentions for it was hamburger bun/English muffin substitutes, however, it has definitely paid its way and proven its value being used for everyday bread too. Several benefits result from using these pans.

• All bread of course is pre-portioned
• The smaller amounts of dough allow for a better rise, because there is no weight of dough 'on top' preventing it from rising and there is also greater absorption of warmth.  Just look at the large air pockets in the picture below!!
• The soft crust all over prevents crumbs; WONDERFUL when you have many little munchkins feasting on gluten free bread!! (imagine a less crummy floor w/o getting rid of your kids :o) 
• I pre-slice these before putting them in the fridge (or freezer) and my kids self serve.  I don't have to cut the loaf for them and I don't have to stress about them crumbling a pre-sliced loaf either.  These are durable, yet soft crusted and just as tasty as a gluten free loaf too. 
• The only down side is that it takes a little more work to get them on trays vs. bread pans.
• One of my kids did not like to have a 'round' sandwich in his lunch at school.  Yeah, it is a little different, but. . .???  To each his own!

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Muffins

Delicious with a chocolate twist, these muffins can be used for breakfast or as a snack.  They are also easy to freeze, so you can make lots now and freeze them for later.  Makes life lots easier when you have 'grab' foods available for when you are on the go.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/2 cup Coconut Milk or Cream

1/2 large Lime or Lemon, Juice

* * * * 

1/2 cup ground Flax Seed (grind in a coffee/spice grinder)
1/2 cup Rice Flour

1/2 cup Amaranth

3/4 cup Sorghum

3 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

1/2 tsp Salt

1 TBSP Fresh Ground Cinnamon (cinnamon stick ground using
       Coffee/spice grinder, you can use 1 TBSP pre-ground if
       you do not have a cinnamon stick)

* * * *

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Honey

1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Rice Milk

1 cup mashed roasted Pumpkin or other winter
        squash, sweet potatoes, bananas, applesauce, mango etc.
        with excess liquid removed (My favorite is Butternut or
        Acorn Squash)*

3/4 cups Pecans

1/2 - 3/4 cups Chocolate Chips

*to roast a squash/pumpkin, slice in half long ways and place face down on a baking tray .  A medium sized Butternut Squash takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.  An average sized Acorn squash takes about 50 minutes.  When it is finished you should be able to scrape the meat from the skin with a spoon. If you are in a time crunch, you can use canned pumpkin.   

1) Mix 1st list in large cup and set aside; you can set it aside for up to 12 hours or as little as the time it takes you to follow this recipe.  What it will be doing is becoming 'live' increasing enzymes and good bacteria naturally.

2) Mix 2nd list, dry ingredients, in Large bowl and set aside

3) In medium bowl combine 3rd list and then add 1st and 2nd mixtures all at once.  Mix well til combined, do not over mix.

4) Bake 375 for 25 minutes in preheated oven.  When they are done baking you should be able to push on them with your finger and bread will bounce back without leaving an impression.

**Makes 15

Dinner Rolls or Biscuits

It bewilders me as to why these rolls are SO good though they are so dark in color.  Wheat is such a different story.  With wheat the darker the flour or bread the less appealing the flavor and usually texture too.  However, with these rolls, as dark as they are, the taste is a beautiful thing!!  

You can take care in forming the balls of dough to create a smoother round ball for dinner rolls or you can just put random globs of dough on the pans to make a biscuit.  A very flexible recipe.

Dinner Rolls or Biscuits

1 cups Sorghum Flour

1 cups Oatmeal, ground in coffee/spice grinder

1/2 cup Tapioca Flour

1/4 cup Flax, ground in coffee/spice grinder

1/4 cup Sugar

1 TBSP Guar Gum

1 tsp Gelatin

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

*  *  *  *

3 tsp Yeast*

2 TBSP warm water

1 tsp sugar

*  *  *  *

1/2 cups Butter

1/2 cup Rice milk

1/3 cup Water

2 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Egg, beaten

*  *  *  *

2 cups Puree (Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Applesauce, Bananas, Mango, etc)  

1) Combine all dry ingredients (1 st group) in medium bowl

2) Combine 2nd group of ingredients (for yeast mixture) in a small cereal bowl or cup

3) Combine all wet ingredients (3rd group) in a large bowl.

4) When yeast mixture becomes bubbly and thickens, combine groups 1 and 2 along with the fruit/vegetable puree in with the wet ingredients (if you use applesauce remove 1 TBSP of liquid per 1/2 cup used).

5) Let rest in warm place for 1/2 hour

6) Place in 2 inch balls on cookie sheets and bake 350 for 22-27 minutes or until you notice the color more golden in appearance.


Makes about 20.


*If you prefer not to use yeast, you can use 1 cup starter instead.  Just remove the  yeast and 1/2 cup flours and a 1/2 cup liquids. I recommend that you reduce several flours rather than removing only 1 type of flour.