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 

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

Grocery List - Week of 6/17/12

DAIRY

1 DOZEN EGGS

½ GAL. MILK

2 8 OZ.  BLOCKS REDUCED FAT CREAM CHEESE

1 8 OZ. PKG. KRAFT  ITALIAN BLEND CHEESE

1 CONTAINER GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE*

1 8 OZ. PKG. REDUCED FAT CHEDDAR CHEESE

1  8 OZ. PKG. PART-SKIM MOZZARELLA CHEESE*

1 CAN CINNAMON ROLLS

1 CAN CRESCENT ROLLS

MEATS

3 LBS. BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS

1 LB. 93% LEAN GROUND BEEF

1 PKG. HORMEL MINI PEPPERONI*

DELI

1 LB. DELI HAM

FRUITS/VEGGIES

1 BAG GRAPES

1 PKG. BLUEBERRIES

2 PKGS. STRAWBERRIES

1 CUCUMBER

1 PKG. FRESH SPINACH*

1 BAG SALAD MIX

CANNED GOODS/CONDIMENTS

1 (14.5 OZ.) CAN VEG-ALL

1 (4 OZ.) CAN SLICED BLACK OLIVES*

1 (4 OZ. CAN) SLICED MUSHROOMS

1 PKG. EGG NOODLES

1 BOTTLE WORCHESTERSHIRE SAUCE*

1 BOTTLE BBQ SAUCE

2 CANS 98% FAT FREE CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP

2 CANS PROGRESSO CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

1 CAN SLICED CARROTS

2 CANS PEACHES IN 100% JUICE

1 LARGE CAN CHICKEN, IN WATER

1 CAN BAKED BEANS

BAKING

1 BOX BISQUICK

SNACKS/COOKIES/CRACKERS

1 BOX  SALTINE CRACKERS*

PASTA/RICE

1 (26 OZ.) JAR SPAGHETTI SAUCE

BREADS

1 LOAF SANDWICH BREAD

1 PKG. HAMBURGER BUNS*

1 PKG. BAGEL THINS*   

FROZEN FOODS

1 PKG.  SUPER SWEET FROZEN CORN

1 PKG. FROZEN BROCCOLI FLORETS

1 (1) LB. PKG. FROZEN CHEESE RAVIOLI (NO SAUCE)

1 LOAF PEPPERIDGE FARM CRUSTY GARLIC BREAD

*ITEMS MARKED WITH AN AN ASTERISK WERE ALREADY ON HAND IN MY PANTRY AND/OR FRIDGE/FREEZER. THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED IN MY $100 BUDGET. PRICES ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO LOCATION & SALES OF THE PRODUCTS.

Menu - Week of 6/17/12

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs, Toast
Cinnamon Rolls, Strawberries x2
Bagel Thin w/Cream Cheese, Blueberries
Homemade Banana Bread
Oatmeal w/blueberries x2


Lunch
Ham & Cream Cheese Roll-ups, Cucumber Slices w/Ranch Dressing, Grapes
Chicken Salad Sandwiches w/Grapes and Walnuts, String Cheese, Sliced Peaches
Chicken Noodle Soup, Saltine Crackers, Salad
Grilled Ham & Cheese, Tomato Soup, Mandarin Oranges
Leftover Creamy Chicken & Cheese Rollups, Salad, Grapes 
Leftover Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Pringles, Pickle, Strawberries
Leftover Beef Stroganoff, Corn, Applesauce 




Dinner
Crock-Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, Maple Baked Beans, Salad, Sliced Peaches
Baked Ravioli Casserole, Salad, Garlic Bread
Chicken & Biscuits, Salad
Beef Stroganoff over Egg Noodles, Corn
Grilled BBQ Chicken, Salad, Baked Potatoes w/Butter, Cheese, & Sour Cream 
Homemade Pizza, Salad
Creamy Crescent, Chicken, & Cheese Casserole, Sliced Carrots