Nebraska Master Mix

4 cups unsifted, all purpose white flour (spoon lightly into cup and level off)
1 cup butter flavor or solid white shortening
1/3 cup double-acting baking powder
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
4 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt

1. Into a large bowl, sift together 4 cups white flour, the baking powder, sugar and salt. This removes lumps and helps mix ingredients.
2. Cut in shortening with 2 knives, pastry blender, or fingers until it looks like coarse oatmeal.
3. Stir in the dry milk.
4. Stir in the 4 cups of whole wheat flour; mix well.
5. Store in covered container at room temperature.
Yield: 11 cups. Keeps about 2 months. For longer storage refrigerate or freeze.

Notes:
To measure MIX: stir lightly and pile into cup (do not shake) and level off. You may use less whole wheat flour and more white flour if you wish. Just be sure the total flour used is 8 cups.


Variations
Margarine or Butter Master Mix. Reduce salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons. Use 1 1/4 cups margarine in place of shortening. Choose a margarine which lists a liquid vegetable oil as first ingredient for more polyunsaturates. Keep refrigerated. The Nebraska Master Mix can be used to make many dishes easily. Unlike a purchased mix, this homemade mix allows you to choose your own combination of ingredients. The recipe may be doubled if desired.

The Nebraska Master Mix is lower in fat than some but gives very good results. Sugar has been reduced in some of the recipes, but other ingredients have been used to enhance flavor. Thus in banana bread only 1/4 cup of sugar is used but more banana is called for than in traditional recipes.

Simple meals and leftovers can be sparked up by adding a homemade hotbread or other food made from the Nebraska Master Mix.

How to Use Dried Eggs in the Master Mix recipes If you have dried eggs on hand you can use them in the Master Mix recipes instead of fresh ones. The table below shows how to reconstitute the dried eggs. If you prefer, you may add the dried eggs to the dry ingredients and the water to the liquid in the recipe.

Dried Egg Substitutions
Dried Eggs +Water=Eggs
1/4 cup + 1/4 =cup1
1/2 cup + 1/2 =cup2
Note: Use the dried eggs only in recipes requiring thorough cooking.


You can use Master Mix in the following:
Basic Coffee Cake

2 cups MIX
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water

Combine MIX and sugar. Mix egg and water and stir into dry ingredients until just blended. Spread in 8-inch square pan and sprinkle with topping. Bake at 375° F for about 20 minutes.
Cinnamon Topping
1/3 cup brown sugar (or white)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
2 tablespoons MIX

Combine dry ingredients and cut in margarine. Spread over batter before baking.
Apple Cake:
Top Basic Coffee Cake with apple slices arranged in a pretty design. Sprinkle with a mixture of 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.



Banana Bread

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed banana (about 3)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon banana or vanilla flavoring
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups MIX
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Beat eggs and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Mix in flavoring, soda, mashed banana, and water. Stir in MIX just until all dry ingredients are coated. Pour into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in a 350° F oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until brown.



Breadsticks
1 cup MIX
1/4 cup water (about)
1/4 cup cornmeal or flour
sesame or caraway seeds (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix dry ingredients. Add water to form dough. Knead 12 times. Shape into pencil-like strands 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 3-inch lengths. Roll in sesame or caraway seeds if desired. Bake at 400° F for about 20 minutes or until brown and crisp.
For extra crispness, when sticks are brown, turn off oven and leave sticks in oven for 10 minutes or so.



Brownies
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soft margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/3 cups MIX
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat eggs, water and margarine together until fluffy. Stir in vanilla, sugar and cocoa. Add MIX and blend well. Fold in nuts. Spread in a greased 8x8x2 inch pan. Bake in 350° F oven for about 30 minutes. Makes 16.



Biscuits
2 cups MIX
1/3 to 1/2 cup water

Measure MIX into bowl; add 1/3 cup water and stir. Add a little more water if needed to form a soft dough.
Knead gently about 12 times in a bowl or on a surface sprinkled with MIX.
Roll or pat into 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into circles using a floured biscuit cutter, or cut into squares or triangles with a knife.
Brush tops of biscuits with milk. Bake at 425° F for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 8 to 12 biscuits.

Drop Biscuits:
Increase water to 2/3 cup. Stir water into 2 cups of MIX until all flour is moistened. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet by heaping tablespoons. Bake as above.



Cornbread
1 cup MIX
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar

Blend dry ingredients thoroughly. Combine beaten egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients. Pour into greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 425° F for 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 9 pieces.



Indian Fry Bread
1 cup MIX
1/3 cup water (about)
1/2 cup flour
oil or shortening for frying
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine MIX, flour and salt. Stir in enough water to make soft dough. Knead 12 times in bowl or on floured surface. Form into two balls. Pat or roll each ball out to 1/4 inch thickness; cut into 6 wedges. Fry in hot fat (375° F) until brown on one side. Turn to brown second side. Drain on absorbent paper. Makes 1 dozen.



Muffins
3 cups MIX
1 egg, beaten
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon flavoring such as vanilla or lemon

Combine MIX and sugar in a bowl. Blend egg and water; add to MIX and sugar. Stir gently, just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fill well greased 2 1/2" muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake in a 400° F oven for 20-25 minutes. Makes about one dozen muffins. To make six muffins, half ingredients, but use one whole egg.

Variations:

Apple: Add 3/4 cup chopped, peeled apples and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to muffin batter.
Bran: Reduce MIX to 2 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup unprocessed bran flakes to dry ingredients.
Blueberry: Add 1/2 cup drained canned, fresh or frozen defrosted blueberries to batter.



Pancakes
2 cups MIX
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cups water or milk

Combine all ingredients; stirring just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls onto a hot non-stick or greased griddle or fry pan. Turn when bubbles appear on the surface of the cakes. Cook until well browned. Makes about 12 to 16 pancakes. For waffles add 1 tablespoon melted fat or oil to pancake mixture. Makes 4 small waffles.



Peanut Butter Refrigerator Cookies
2 cups MIX
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Combine MIX and sugar. With a fork blend in rest of ingredients. Shape into rolls about 1 1/2" thick. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate until firm or until needed.

Slice 1/4" thick and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in moderate over (375° F) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.



Pizza Crust
1 1/3 cups MIX
1/3 cup water (about)
2 tablespoons cornmeal

Combine MIX and cornmeal with enough water to make soft dough. Knead in bowl 12 times. Roll or pat out thin on a greased cookie sheet into an 11-or 12-inch circle or into a rectangle. Turn up edges of dough. Bake in a 425° F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until partially baked and starting to brown.

Filling
1 cup homemade or canned spaghetti sauce
4 ounces cubed or shredded mozzarella cheese or process cheese food
Grated parmesan or romano cheese (optional)

Spread spaghetti sauce over partially baked biscuit crust. Sprinkle with mozzarella and then with some parmesan. Bake in a 375° F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is hot and crust is brown. One-half pound of cooked seasoned ground beef, drained, and 1 cup diced, raw or cooked vegetables may be added before the cheese is sprinkled on if desired.



Pumpkin Bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin or cooked, mashed pumpkin or squash
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cup MIX
1/4 teaspoon ginger

Beat eggs and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Mix in soda, spices, water and pumpkin. Add MIX and stir until dry ingredients are coated. Pour into a greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350° F for 45-55 minutes or until brown.



Self-Crust Spinach-Cheese Pie
Paprika
1 1/2 cups lowfat
3 eggs
cottage cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (10 ounce) pkg frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons grated onion
or 1 tablespoon onion powder
2/3 cup MIX

Grease well a 9" pie plate; sprinkle paprika on bottom and sides. The paprika helps the soft, self crust to brown.
In a bowl, beat with a fork the eggs, salt, nutmeg and onion until blended. Stir in cottage cheese and spinach. Blend in the MIX.
Pour batter into prepared pie plate. Bake in preheated 350° F oven for about 45 minutes until a knife inserted 1" from center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes 6 servings.



Tortillas
1 cup MIX
1/2 cup warm water (about)
1 cup flour

Combine MIX and flour. Add enough warm water to make a soft dough. Knead in the bowl or on a floured surface for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Form into 1" balls. Cover balls and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each ball out between plastic wrap or on a floured surface to form 5" circles.

Bake on a moderately hot non-stick or lightly greased griddle or frying pan. Cook each tortilla on one side for 15 seconds; turn and bake on second side until lightly browned. Turn again to brown first side. Makes 8 tortillas.



Turnovers
1 recipe Nebraska MIX biscuit dough (tasty made with vegetable cooking liquid instead of water for meat fillings)
Choice of filling

Cut dough into 6 equal parts. Form each part into a ball. Roll or pat out into a circle 5" or 6" in diameter. Put on ungreased cookie sheet. Place two or three tablespoons filling on one side of circle. Fold dough over filling. Press edges of dough together firmly. Prick top with fork. Bake at 400° F for 18 to 20 minutes or until brown. Makes 6.

Fillings:

Hamburger-Cabbage:
Brown one small minced onion in 1 tablespoon oil. Add 1/2 pound ground beef and brown. Mix in 2 cups shredded cabbage, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain off liquid. This makes enough for 12 hamburger/cabbage-filled turnovers.

Hash:
Mince equal parts cooked meat or poultry with cooked vegetables. Small amount of gravy may be used to moisten mixture. Chili:
Use drained canned or homemade chili.
Fruit:
Use sweetened thick applesauce; any canned fruit pie filling, drained; or fresh cut-up and sweetened fruit; or canned mincemeat. Try fruit juice instead of water in Nebraska MIX biscuit dough with fruit fillings.


Zucchini Bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 cups MIX
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (leave the skin on)

Beat eggs and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Mix in soda, cinnamon, vanilla, zucchini and water. Add MIX and stir until dry ingredients are coated. Fold in nuts and raisins. Bake at 350° F oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until brown.