Convenience Mix #1: All-Purpose Convenience Mix

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Part of the Saving Money With Homemade Convenience Mixes Series

Originally prepared by Nellie Hedstrom, Extension Nutrition Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Revised and updated by Kate Yerxa, Statewide Nutrition Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Saving Money With Homemade Convenience Mixes provides recipes for master convenience mixes that you can make and keep on hand. These mixes are healthier and less expensive than the packaged convenience mixes you buy in the store, and allow you to control the amount of fat, sodium, sugar, and additives in your foods without sacrificing the convenience of a mix. There are 15 master convenience mixes, each with recipes you can make from the mix.

A complete index of convenience mix recipes can be found on the Bulletin #4029, Saving Money With Homemade Convenience Mixes page.

For information about UMaine Extension programs and resources, visit extension.umaine.edu.
Find more of our publications and books at extension.umaine.edu/publications/.

Index to Recipes

12-Cup Yield All-Purpose Convenience Mix

Nutrition Label for 12-Cup Yield Convenience Mix (click for details)

9 cups flour
2 cups nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup canola oil

  1. Combine flour, dry milk, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir together
  2. Mix oil into the dry mixture until smooth
  3.  Store in an airtight container
  4. Refrigerate and use within a month, or put into containers suitable for freezing and freeze

6-Cup Yield All-Purpose Convenience Mix

Nutrition Label for 6-Cup Yield Convenience Mix (click for details)

4 1/2 cups flour
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil

  1. Combine flour, dry milk, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir together
  2. Mix in oil into the dry mixture until smooth
  3. Store in an airtight container
  4. Refrigerate and use within a month, or put into containers suitable for freezing and freeze

Biscuits

Biscuits Food Recipe Nutrition Label (click for details)

Makes 9 biscuits

3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
3/4 cup water

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Combine convenience mix  and water
  3. Blend mixture lightly with a fork to form a soft dough and turn onto a floured board
  4. Knead the dough slightly and roll or pat the dough to a minimum of 1/2-inch thickness
  5. Cut with a biscuit cutter and place on a cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

Biscuit Variations

Combine ingredients according to biscuit recipe above and continue as follows:

Drop Biscuits:

  1. Preheat oven to 450°F
  2. Add a little more liquid to the biscuit mixture
  3. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto a greased pan
  4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

Cinnamon rolls:

  1. Preheat oven to 450º
  2. Roll biscuit mix to 1/4-inch thickness
  3. Spread with margarine, brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins
  4. Roll up like a jelly roll
  5. Slice into sections and place on a greased pan
  6. Bake for 10 minutes

Meat rollups:

  1. Preheat oven to 450ºF
  2. Thinly slice leftover cooked meat or fish
  3. Spread onto rolled out biscuit dough
  4. Roll up like a jelly roll
  5. Slice into sections and place on a greased pan
  6. Bake for 12 minutes
  7. Serve sections plain or with a cheese sauce

Cheese biscuits:

Biscuit Recipe Ingredients
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (or any low-fat grated cheese)

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Add 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese to biscuit recipe ingredients and combine
  3. Follow biscuit recipe above.
  4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Cheese Biscuits Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Shortcake:

Biscuit Recipe Ingredients
1 tablespoon sugar
Sweetened fruit

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Add 1 tablespoon sugar to biscuit recipe ingredients and combine
  3. Prepare as for biscuits
  4. Roll biscuit dough out in a rectangle
  5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes
  6. Remove from oven and serve at once with sweetened fruit
  7. For individual shortcakes, cut dough into rounds before baking.
Shortcake Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Fruit kuchen:

Biscuit Recipe Ingredients
Peeled, sliced peaches or apples
1/4 cup sugar (for peaches)
1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for apples)
1 teaspoon margarine

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF
  2. Spread the biscuit dough in a prepared pie pan so that the dough comes up the sides
  3. Fill dough with peeled, sliced peaches or apples
  4. For peaches: sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and drop 1 teaspoon margarine on top
  5. For apples: sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and drop 1 teaspoon margarine on top
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes

American pizza:

3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1/2 cup water
1 cup spaghetti sauce
Grated mozzarella cheese
(Other toppings as desired)

  1. Preheat oven to 425ºF
  2. Combine 3 cups convenience mix and 1/2 cup water
  3. Roll out dough into a 15-inch circle, 1/4-inch thick
  4. Spread dough with 1 cup spaghetti sauce
  5. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese
  6. Add other toppings as desired
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges are brown

Hint: if using pepperoni, reduce fat by laying the slices on paper towels and microwaving for 20 seconds before placing on pizza

Cheese Bread

Cheese Bread Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

1 egg
1 1/2 cups water
3 3/4 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Beat egg
  3. Add in water to beaten egg and stir in convenience mix and cheddar cheese
  4. Beat until well blended
  5. Pour into greased loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inches)
  6. Bake for 1 hour
  7. Let cool for a few minutes and slice 1/2-inch thick and serve warm
  8. Or cool thoroughly, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate overnight — slice thinly to serve
  9. Also good toasted

Dumplings

Dumplings Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
3/4 cup water

  1. Put a medium pot of water on the stove to boil
  2. Combine convenience mix and water
  3. Stir about 30 strokes
  4. Once water is gently boiling, drop mixture with a tablespoon into water
  5. Cook for about 20 minutes
  6. Keep pot tightly covered during the last 10 minutes

Basic Muffins

Basic Muffins Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup water

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF
  2. Combine convenience mix and sugar
  3. In a separate bowl, beat egg and add in water
  4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients
  5. Stir just enough to mix in dry ingredients
  6. Fill greased muffin tins about 2/3 full
  7. Bake for 18-20 minutes

Basic Muffin Variations

Raisin muffins:

Add 1/2 cup raisins

Raisin Muffins Food Nutrion Facts Label (click for details)

Date muffins:

Add 1/3 cup chopped dates

Date Muffins Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

Blueberry muffins:

Add 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Blueberry Muffins Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

Pineapple muffins:

Add 1/2 cup well-drained, crushed pineapple

Pineapple Muffins Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

Oatmeal muffins: See Rolled Oats Convenience Mix

Bran Muffins

Bran Muffins Food Nutrition Facts Label (click for details)

1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup whole bran cereal
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix

  1. Preheat oven to 400ºF
  2. Place egg in a bowl and beat
  3. Add sugar, water, and oil to the beaten egg
  4. Continue beating
  5. Blend in whole bran cereal
  6. Add convenience mix
  7. Stir quickly and vigorously until just mixed — batter will look lumpy
  8. Spray or rub muffin pans lightly with oil
  9. Fill greased muffin tins about 2/3 full
  10. Bake for 18-20 minutes

Pancakes

Pancakes Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 12 medium pancakes

1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup water
1 egg, well beaten

  1. Preheat hot griddle
  2. Blend convenience mix and sugar
  3. Stir water and egg into the mix until well blended
  4. Drop batter onto lightly greased hot griddle
  5. Cook on the first side until bubbles form
  6. Turn and cook on the other side
  7. Serve immediately

Waffles

Waffles Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes about 4 to 5 waffles

1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup water
1 egg, well beaten

  1. Preheat waffle iron
  2. Blend convenience mix and sugar
  3. Stir water and egg into mix until well blended
  4. Mix thoroughly
  5. Pour about ½ cup of the mixture onto a heated waffle iron and bake

Variations: top each waffle with your favorite fruit or vegetable. Try blueberries, apples, corn, broccoli, or nuts.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 egg
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup mashed bananas
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Beat egg and water together. Add sugar and bananas and mix. Stir in Convenience Mix and beat until blended. Add wheat germ and/or nuts. Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350°F. Let cool before slicing.

Orange Nut Bread

Orange Nut Bread Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
3/4 cup chopped nuts

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Mix sugar, egg, orange juice, rind, and convenience mix and beat vigorously
  3. Stir in nuts
  4. Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inches)
  5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of the bread comes out clean
  6. Cool before slicing

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Bread Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin pie filling or cooked pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Combine all ingredients together and mix well
  3. Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inches)
  4. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of the bread comes out clean
  5. Cool before slicing

Yeast Rolls

Yeast Rolls Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 16 rolls

1 package dry active yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix

  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water
  2. Stir in sugar, oil, and convenience mix — beat vigorously
  3. Turn dough onto a floured surface
  4. Knead until smooth — about 20 times
  5. Cut off small sections of dough and shape into rolls
  6. Arrange in a lightly greased baking pan so that the rolls are packed tightly and touching each other
  7. Cover with a damp cloth and let them rise in a warm place until double in size — about 30 minutes
  8. Preheat oven to 400ºF
  9. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown

Hamburger-Onion Buns

Hamburger Onion-Buns Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

1 package dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
2 tablespoons onion flakes

  1. Dissolve yeast in water
  2. Add sugar and half of the convenience mix
  3. Beat with a mixer for two minutes at medium speed, scraping sides and bottom frequently — or 300 strokes by hand
  4. Add remaining convenience mix and onion flakes — blend well with a spoon
  5. Cover with a cloth and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size — about 30 minutes
  6. Stir down by beating 25 strokes
  7. Drop dough by spoonfuls, forming 12 mounds, about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet
  8. With floured fingers, flatten mounds into rounds about ½-inch thick
  9. Let them rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes
  10. Preheat oven to 400ºF
  11. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until nicely browned

Italian Bread Sticks

Italian Bread Sticks Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

3/4 cup warm water (110-115º)
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix

  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water
  2. Mix in convenience mix and beat vigorously
  3. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth — about 20 times
  4. Divide dough into 16 equal parts
  5. Roll each piece between your hand to form pencil-like strips, 8 inches long
  6. Put strips of dough onto a greased baking sheet
  7. Sprinkle with caraway seeds, poppy seeds, celery seeds, sesame seeds, or garlic powder
  8. Cover with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour
  9. Preheat oven to 425ºF
  10. After 1 hour — bake for 15 minutes or until light brown

Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake with Topping Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 9 servings

1 egg
3/4 cup water
3 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1/2 cup sugar

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons margarine

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
  2. Mix the egg and water together in large bowl
  3. Add convenience mix and sugar
  4. Mix until all ingredients are blended and pour into a lightly greased, 9-inch baking pan

 For the topping:

  1. Mix the sugar, cinnamon and flour thoroughly
  2. Add the margarine and mix until fine and crumbly
  3. Sprinkle topping over the cake mixture
  4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes

Fruit Surprise

Fruit Surprise Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 9 servings

2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup fruit juice or water
1 cups canned fruit, pineapple or peaches, well drained

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
  2. Pour convenience mix into a bowl and add the sugar, eggs, and fruit juice or water
  3. Stir until well mixed
  4. Put the fruit on the bottom of a greased, 9-inch baking pan and spread the batter over the fruit
  5. Bake for 35 minutes

Apple Rolls

Apple Rolls with Syrup Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon margarine
2 cups diced tart apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Syrup

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons margarine
1 cup boiling water

 Preheat oven to 450ºF

  1. Put convenience mix into a bowl and create a well in the center
  2. Add water and stir with a fork about 25 strokes
  3. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into an 8×8 inch rectangle
  4. Spread with margarine, diced apples, sugar, and cinnamon
  5. Roll up like a jelly roll and pinch and seal edges well — cut into 1-inch slices
  6. Combine and boil brown sugar, white sugar, margarine and water for 2 to 3 minutes
  7. Pour syrup into an 8x8x2-inch pan and place dough cut side up in the syrup
  8. Bake for 20 minutes
  9. Serve warm with the syrup from the pan or top with low-fat ice cream

Brownies

Brownies Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 9 servings

1 cup All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1/4 cup softened margarine
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease an 8-inch square pan
  2. Put convenience mix into a bowl, add margarine, and mix with a fork
  3. Mix in the sugar and cocoa
  4. Add the egg, water, and oil and beat 25 times
  5. Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan
  6. Bake for 20 minutes

Molasses Cookies

Molasses Cookies Food Nutrition Facts Label

Makes 5 dozen

4 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 egg
1 cup molasses

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
  2. Stir sugar, cinnamon, and cloves into the convenience mix
  3. Beat egg and combine with molasses
  4. Add egg and molasses mixture to the mix and blend well
  5. Chill mixture for 1 hour
  6. Shape dough into balls and roll in sugar
  7. Flatten dough balls onto a greased baking sheet
  8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes about 2 dozen

1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup All-Purpose Convenience Mix
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
  2. Mix the rolled oats, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon with convenience mix
  3. In a separate bowl, beat egg and add vanilla and water — add to the dry mix
  4. Mix until the dough cleans the side of the mixing bowl — it will be stiff
  5. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto a greased cookie sheet
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

Oatmeal Cookie Variations

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies:

Add 1/2 cup raisins with oats, sugar, and cinnamon

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view

Oatmeal Banana Cookies:

Add 1 cup mashed bananas with the vanilla, water, and egg (cookies will be softer and moister)

Oatmeal Banana Cookies Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 3 dozen small cookies

1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
  2. Put sugar and peanut butter into a bowl and mix well
  3. Add egg, vanilla, water, and stir together
  4. Add convenience mix and mix until you have a smooth, soft dough
  5. Make 1-inch balls and place balls 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet
  6. Flatten balls with a fork dipped in flour
  7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown

Potato Skillet Cakes

Potato Skillet Cakes Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes about 25 cakes

1 egg
1 cup cold mashed potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups All-Purpose Convenience Mix

  1. Beat egg with mixer
  2. Add potatoes, milk, and vegetable oil — beat until smooth
  3. Mix in convenience mix
  4. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto hot griddle
  5. Bake over medium heat until golden brown — about 5 minutes each side
  6. Serve hot with syrup or jelly

Tuna Biscuit Squares

Tuna Biscuit Squares Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Biscuit dough
1 can (6 1/2 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise

  1. Prepare biscuit dough, divide in half, and roll half into a 9-inch square and place onto a greased baking sheet
  2. Preheat oven to 450ºF
  3. Mix tuna, relish, salt, yellow mustard, and mayonnaise and spread over dough square
  4. Roll the remaining biscuit dough into a 9-inch square and place over filling
  5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes
  6. Cut into squares

This is good served with white sauce over the top. For added flavor and nutrition, add leftover vegetables to the white sauce.

Tuna-Broccoli Casserole

Tuna Broccoli Casserole Food Nutrition Facts Label (click to view)

Makes 6 servings

Biscuit dough
2 cups frozen chopped broccoli
1 can (6 1/2 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
1 can (10-1/2 oz) low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup water

Cook broccoli until almost tender, drain well. Place broccoli in greased 9- x 9- x 2-inch square pan. Cover broccoli with tuna. Mix soup and water together and pour over top. Make biscuit dough according to the recipe. Beat 20 strokes. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls over mixture in pan. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

  1. Preheat oven to 450ºF
  2. Make biscuit dough according to the recipe and beat 20 strokes
  3. Cook broccoli until almost tender and drain well
  4. Place broccoli into a greased 9x9x2-inch square pan
  5. Cover broccoli with tuna
  6. Mix cream of mushroom soup and water and pour over top
  7. Drop biscuit dough by tablespoonfuls over mixture in pan
  8. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown — serve hot

Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.

© 2003, 2011

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