Basic Mixes Ease Meal Preparations You’re in a hurry, but you don’t want to sacrifice taste for conveni ence, These recipes come to the rescue. Mix the basic mix ahead of lime and store in airtight contain ers or in the refrigerator or freezer as the recipes direct. Then when you are in a hurry, you can mix up a made-from-scratch meal in a snap. With one recipe, many varieties of cookies can be made. Your friends will think you baked for days. Only you will know the sec ret of master mixes. BASIC BAKING MIX 854 cups flour 'A cup baking powder 'A cup sugar 1 tablespoon salt 2 cups vegetable shortening In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Cut in shortening, one cup at a time, until it looks like corse meal. Put in cov ered container or plastic bag. Store at room temperature for about 3 months. For longer storage, place in freezer. To measure mix for use, lightly spoon into measuring cup, do not pack, level with a spatula. Biscuits: Spoon 2 cups mix into bowl. Make a well, add A cup cold milk all at once. Working quickly, stir vigorously with a fork just until dough follows fork around the bowl (30 to 40 seconds), turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead gently for another half minute to remove stickiness. Roll or pat out to 'A - to 'A -inch thick ness. Cut with cutter. Place on ungreased pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 12 biscuits. Drop biscuits: Increase milk to 2 A cup. Do not knead. Drop dough from a teas poon onto well-greased cookie sheet. Bake as before. Cheese biscuits: Add 'A cup grated cheese, any flavor, to dough. Onion biscuits: Add 'A cup chopped, sauteed onions to dough. Ham-bacon biscuits: Add 'A cup crisp bacon bits or 'A cup finely chopped cooked ham to dough. Pancakes: Combine VA cups milk and 1 egg. Add 2 cups mix. Beat smooth with an egg beater. If you wish, fold in 'A cup blueberries or V* cup sliced apples. Drop onto hot, light- Recipe Topics If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please share them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you include accurate measurements, a complete list of ingre dients and clear instructions with each recipe you submit. Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should reach our office one week before publishing date. May 1- High-Calcium Recipes 8- Mother’s Cooking 15- Your Favorite Recipe 22- Oriental Cooking Boie On The Range ly greased griddle. Makes 10 four inch pancakes. Quick meal or chicken pie: Pour 4 servings of canned or homemade beef or chicken slew into a buttered casserole dish. Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes. Spoon 1 cup basic mix into a bowl. Make a well, pour 'A cup milk in all at once. Stir with fork until moistened. Drop by tcas poonfuls on lop of healed stew. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more, serve. Quick muffin mix: Combine 3 cups basic mix and 3 tablespoons sugar in a sandwich bag. Seal well and label. To use: break 1 egg into a bowl and beat. Stir in 1 cup milk. Add mix from sandwich bag and stir quickly, only a few strokes until just moistened. Batter should be lum py. At this point, fold in variations. Fill tins 5 /< full. Bake 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Variations: Blueberry - 1 cup fresh, frozen or drained canned blueberries. Cranberry - 1 more tablespoon sugar, 3 /< cup raw, fresh berries. Applesauce - Cut milk to A cup, add 'A sauce, cinnamon to taste. Nut - 3 /< cud chopped nuts of choice. Raisin or date - 'A cup raisins, dates or currants. Bacon - A cup ensp, crumbled bacon. Cheese - A lo 3 A cup grated American cheese. Sprinkle with a little paprika before baking. Anonymous MASTER BAKING MIX Sift together 3 times: 5 pounds flour 3 A cup baking powder 3 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon cream of tarter 'A cup sugar Cut into consistency of cornmcal: 2 pounds vegetable shortening Stir in: 4 cups dry powdered milk Store in covered container at room temperature. Substitute for Bisquick baking mix in recipes. Judy Stayman Chambersburg BISQUICK MIX 8 cups flour 'A cup baking powder 8 teaspoons sugar, optional 2 teaspoons cream of tartar 2 teaspoons salt VA cup shortening Sift dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Mix well and store in airtight container. May store in the frcc/xr. Use in any Bisquitk recipe. Mixed-ahead biscuit mix allows you to make scrumptious desserts in minutes. BASIC OATMEAL COOKIES Master Mix 8 cups sifted flour 4 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 6 cups brown sugar, firmly packed 3 cups shortening 8 cups quick rolled oats Sift dry ingredients except oats, together 3 times. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Add oats and mix well. To use: 6 cups master mix 2 eggs, beaten '/: cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 6 ounces chocolate chips 'A cup chopped nuts Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet, greased. Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Peanut butter: omit vanilla and chocolate chips and add 1 cup pea nut butter. If desired, add raisins, mint cho colate chips, butterscotch chips, etc Barbara Kinney Tully, N.Y. BATTER FOR FRIED VEGGIES 3 / cup flour '/ cup cornstarch 'A teaspoon sugar, optional A cup water VA teaspoon baking powder 3 /< teaspoon cooking oil Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until batter is smooth and light. Dip vegetables and deep Iry. For crisp texture, deep Iry once, let food cool thoroughly When ready to cal, deep fry a second time on high heat for 1 minute and serve immediately. (Turn to Pag* B 7) *\ » So, you love rice but you don’t have time to cook it and the one minute variety does not satisfy your taste buds. Here are some tips from the USA Rice Council, which will help make rice a regular staple in your home. • Cook rice in large quantities to use in future recipes. Refrigerate cooked rice. It will keep 7 to 10 days. Cover tightly so grains will not dry out. • Cooked rice also may be frozen or reheated. It can be frozen for six months without any noticeable difference in taste and texture. • To reheat rice, add 2 tablespoons water or other liquid per cup of cooked rice and heat in a saucepan or range top 5 minutes. Stir occa sionally and fluff with a fork. Or reheat in the microwave on high pow er 1 minute per cup of cooked rice. • To reheat frozen rice in the microwave, cover and microwave on high power 2 minutes per cup of rice. If reheating more than 2 cups at a time, stir and redistribute rice midway through cooking. The USA Rice Council has many recipe brochures for your use. The latest release is Veg-able Rice, which has many recipes for a healthy diet. For a free copy, send a self-addressed, stamped, business-sized envelope to USA Rice Council, P.O. Box 740121, Houston, TX 77274. Here is a recipe that incorporates rice and popular oriental cooking tastes. SPICY THAI PIZZA 3 cups brown rice, cooked 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1 cup crunchy peanut butler, divided 1 egg, beaten Vegetable cooking spray Vi cup hot water A cup cilantro, minced 2 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons dark sesame oil, divided I A teaspoon ground red pepper 2 cups broccoli flowerets 1 medium-size red onion, chopped 2 large carrots, julienned Combine rice, 1 cup cheese, 'A cup peanut butter, and egg in large bowl. Press firmly into 12-inch piz/.a pan or 10-inch pie pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Mix remaining 3 /< cup peanut butter, water, cilantro, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and red pepper in small bowl; set aside. Stir-fry broccoli, onion, and carrots in remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until tender crisp. Spread sauce over crust; top with vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings. B.Light Lebanon Featured Recipe *