Tasty Tuesday: Buttermilk Pancakes

I recently shared a couple posts about making homemade baking mix and making your own buttermilk.  In this post, I will combine those two ingredients into one of the best tasting pancake recipes you will ever try!  These are by far some of the best pancakes we have ever had, they are so fluffy and tasty!  I double this recipe for our family of 6.

Ingredients:
2 cups baking mix (or Biquick)
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg

Directions:
Stir all the ingredients together.  Pour 1/4 cup scoopfuls on heated griddle or skillet and cook until edges are dry.  Turn and cook until golden.  Serve with your favorite pancake toppings!

Blessings,

Linked up with:
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
The Better Mom
Teach Me Tuesdays
Titus 2sday
Women Living Well
A Delightful Home
Raising Arrows
The Modest Mom
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Baking Mix (Bisquick)

Since I prefer making my meals from scratch, I don't often buy mixes like Bisquick anymore.  Most of the time I don't mind, but once in a while I miss the ease of using it, especially in the morning when making pancakes or waffles.  Recently I came across a recipe for homemade baking mix, so I thought I would give it a try.  It works wonderfully! As easy and as tasty as recipes using Bisquick!  I made up a huge batch of this and am storing it in the freezer so it is all ready to go when I need it.

Ingredients:
5 cups flour, all-purpose or whole wheat (I use my freshly ground soft white whole wheat and it works great!)
1/4 cup baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar or sucanat
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup butter

Directions:
Mix all the dry ingredients together.  Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is fine crumbles.  You can use it in any recipe that calls for Bisquick or baking mix. It can be stored at room temp for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Blessings,

Linked up with:
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
The Better Mom
Teach Me Tuesdays
Titus 2sday
Women Living Well
A Delightful Home
Raising Arrows
The Modest Mom
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Buttermilk

Buttermilk is super easy to make at home.  Even easier than homemade yogurt, but similar in that you need to culture the milk.  First you will need some buttermilk culture.  You can order some from places like Cultures for Health or go the easy way like me.  I just buy some cultured buttermilk from the store.

If you start with the cultures you will need to follow the directions your receive for your first batch.  After you have some cultured buttermilk, you can use some of that to make future batches.  Place about 1/2 cup of the cultured buttermilk in a quart jar and fill the rest of the way with milk.  Put a lid on and give it a gentle shake.  Then let it sit at room temp for 24 hours. Store in the fridge.

 Here's a jar of half used buttermilk that I currently have in my fridge.

The culture kits at Cultures for Health say that some can be used again up to 8 times and some indefinitely.  I have found that using buttermilk from the store usually only works for 4-5 times for me, but I usually am buttermilked out by then and need a break from finding recipes to use it in anyway. :)  Someday I may need to invest in the starter kit and keep it going though.

Blessings,

Linked up with:
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
The Better Mom
Teach Me Tuesdays
Titus 2sday
Women Living Well
A Delightful Home
Raising Arrows
The Modest Mom
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Into the Whirlwind {Review}

I've read a few of Elizabeth Camden's books and have really enjoyed each of them.  When I had a chance to review Into the Whirlwind, I knew I would enjoy it as well. Ms. Camden does a great job including history, suspense, and romance in her writing.  I really enjoyed getting to learn more about the Great Chicago fire and how it really affected the people whose homes and businesses were destroyed. The main characters, Mollie and Zach, were very likable, but the side characters were also interesting and all combined for a great story.  I found myself constantly wondering what would happen next and couldn't put the book down!

From the Back Cover
As owner of the 57th Illinois Watch Company, Mollie Knox's future looks bright until the night the legendary Great Chicago Fire destroys her beloved city. With her world crumbling around her, Mollie will do whatever it takes to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, is a force to be reckoned with among the city's most powerful citizens. Bold and shrewd, he's accustomed to getting exactly what he wants--until he meets Mollie Knox, the beguiling businesswoman just beyond his reach.

In the tumult as the people of Chicago race to rebuild a bigger and better city, Mollie comes face-to-face with the full force of Zack's character and influence. Zack believes this may finally be his chance to win her, but can Mollie ever accept this man and his whirlwind effect on her life, especially with her treasured company on the line?

I received this book for free for review from Bethany House Publishers.

Blessings,