Homemade Bisquick

If there's one food item in particular that I'm known for, it's my pancakes. People love them, and I'm pretty sure my husband proposed to me based solely on my pancake preparation skills. ;) I'm always complimented on how thick, fluffy and perfectly round they are. I beam with pride. But I have a secret....there isn't one. I use Bisquick. So what makes my Bisquick pancakes any different than everyone else's? Well, if I told you it wouldn't make mine so special would it? BUT, what I do have for you, my lovely readers, is exactly what you asked for: more frugal living tips. So here ya go: a recipe for Homemade Bisquick! The best part? It measures cup for cup to boxed Bisquick, and since most people don't have a box of Bisquick just sittin' around, I'm going to provide you with the measurements to go along with it. I hope you enjoy!

What you'll need:

10 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups shortening

1/3 cups baking powder

1/4 cups sugar

4 tsp. salt

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except shortening. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Makes 12 1/2 cups. 

Store-bought Bisquick: $6.38

Homemade Bisquick: $2.80

Total Savings: $3.58 or 44%!

Homemade Bisquick Measurements 

Pancakes                                                             Waffles 

2 cups homemade mix                                           2 cups homemade mix

1 cup milk                                                             1 1/3 cups milk

2 eggs                                                                   1 egg

Yield: about 14 pancakes                                      2 tbsp. vegetable oil

                                                                             Yield: About 12 (4-inch) waffles

Bisquick

2 cups homemade mix

1/2 cup milk 

Yield: 10

 Recipe adapted from cooks.com. Measurement info adapted from bisquick.com 

Autumn Inspiration

Autumn is here! The air is crisp, the leaves are falling and the spirit of all things fall surrounds us. The warmth of my thick, cozy sweater, the scent of the leaves as they crunch beneath my boots...it's nostalgic for me in many ways. As a child growing up in Texas, fall was the first sign that yes, finally there was a glimmer of hope that relief from the thick humidity and the sweltering heat was in the near future. As a teenager living in Vermont, it meant winter was on it's way - the air was brisk, the leaves were absolutely breathtaking, and we sat by the fireplace sipping hot apple cider and munching on spiced cider donuts, wondering if the first snowfall would hold off until after Halloween. As an adult living in North Carolina, I can't wait for my first sip of a Pumpkin Spice Latte (from Starbucks!), for that first trip to the pumpkin patch with the family where Mackenzie will pick out the perfect little pumpkin family to represent us, that first bonfire in the back yard, raking leaves up in the yard with the family and coming in at the end of a long day with our cheeks rosy, our noses cold and fresh apple bread right for the oven waiting for us...and memories of meeting my husband -how the first time our eyes met, there was a connection like I can't describe...and we spent all night talking, dancing, laughing...how I had to tell him to take me on our first date because he was too shy to ask me out, and how I haven't gone a day without him by my side since. And then of course, there's the decorations... the ones that kick off the season and inspire me to begin all of these wonderful traditions - and reminisce of memories from the past, enjoy the ones of the present and look forward to many in the future. I would like to share with you some of the pumpkin decor that inspired me this season...I hope you enjoy.

Pumpkin Floral Arrangement

Antique Key Fall Pumpkins

"From Halloween to Thanksgiving" Pumpkin Planters

Pumpkin Filled Lanterns

DIY Dryer Vent Pumpkin

Pumpkin Fireplace Display

"Mumpkin" with Decorative Bow

Leafy Centerpiece

Pumpkin Candle Holder

Pumpkin House Number Sign

Natural Table Runner

Glitter Pumpkin Topiary

Fall Inspired Wagon

And there ya have it, 13 Pumpkin Inspired Fall Decorations. I'd love to hear your feedback..which one is your favorite? 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL! 

Homemade Febreze

When it comes to making your house smell good, there's nothing like some Febreze to do the job for you. It makes my stinky old couch that traps every odor imaginable smell like a spring meadow. I go through about a bottle a month, sometimes more if I'm being honest (What can I say, the couch really does stink). But at over $5.59 per bottle, my pocketbook isn't as fond of it as I am. Until now. So when a friend of mine stumbled upon a recipe for homemade Febreze awhile back, I was over the moon when she shared it with me. In fact, there's a little story that goes along with my first attempt at homemade Febreze. Would you like to hear it? You would? Great! *ahem*

Once upon time, I was all proud of myself for making my first batch of homemade Febreze. I was so excited to try it out that I was acting silly and skipping across the living room towards the couch. I get halfway across the room when the nozzle of my spray bottle separates from the bottom, flies across the living room with my homemade creation glugging out all over my clean floors. I run over to the bottle to scoop it up as quickly as I can, slip on the Febreze concoction and go into a full split eventually landing flat on my hiney. Then I got up (slowly, I was a little...er, sore) and made another batch. Because it doesn't cost $5.59 a bottle for me anymore. Instead it costs $0.15 cents. Yep, you read it right. $0.15 cents! If that isn't worth a slide across the floor and a sore hiney I don't know what is! 

What you'll need:

1/8 Cup of fabric softener (I used Downy April Fresh)

2 tablespoons Baking Soda

Hot tap water

Spray bottle (I used my empty 27 oz. Febreze bottle)

Preparation:

Using a funnel, pour fabric softener and baking soda into your spray bottle. Fill spray bottle with hot tap water and shake well. Don't forget to twist the nozzle over to the LOCK position if you're using a Febreze bottle, or you might fall on your hiney. Now go spray every fabric surface in your house and take a nap on your very comfortable and now un-stinky couch. :)

Store-bought Febreze: $5.59

Homemade Febreze: $0.15

Total Savings: $5.44 OR  97.3%!

Edit: I love and appreciate having my blog shared with anyone and everyone, I only ask that you credit the source of what you post back to my blog if you decide to share. Thanks! 

Original recipe from http://fakeitfrugal.blogspot.com/2011/07/fake-febreeze.html