Normally on Friday’s I share with you some cheap and easy recipes that will feed a family of 4 for $5.00. This week I decided to mix things up a little and share a recipe that I use to create my base for white sauces, cream soups, puddings and more. I use this recipe often, so I usually make a big batch and store it in my refrigerator. This simple recipe is one of my many secrets to creating inexpensive recipes for the Feed 4 for 5 menu.
One of the keys to creating inexpensive meals is to prepare them from scratch. The ingredients tend to be less expensive, fresher and the best part is that you know exactly what you are eating. The problem with this though, is that many of us don’t have time to create a complete meal from scratch. This is why making your own mixes ahead of time, is so important to creating a meal that is cheap and easy.
A number of the recipes that I create call for condensed cream soups or white sauce. The canned versions that you buy at the store can really hurt a budget, especially if they’re not on sale. Making your own condensed cream soups or even a white sauce is really easy to do and it tastes so much better. I guarantee, once you’ve tried the homemade version you’ll never eat canned again.
QuickMix is one of the mixes that I always have on hand. It’s not only versatile but it’s inexpensive and easy to make. I use it all of the time for making gravies, Alfredo sauce, thickening soups, making condensed soups, making cheese sauce for my macaroni and cheese, I even use it for making pudding. Before I share all of the wonderful recipes that you can make using QuickMix I should probably share the QuickMix recipe with you. Here it is, pretty easy, huh?
QuickMix
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cup non-fat dry milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter room temperature
Instructions
- Using a mixer, combine all of the ingredients until it resembles corn meal. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator
Now that you have the base prepared it’s time to share with you all of the wonderful ways that you can use the QuickMix.
Gravy
Ingredients
- 1/3 –1/2 cup QuickMix
- 1 cup broth
- 1/8 tsp kitchen bouquet optional
- dash onion salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, stir together ingredients over medium heat until it boils. Stir constantly until the gravy is thick and smooth.
- ⅓–1/2 cup QuickMix
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- Dash of onion salt
- In a saucepan, stir together the water, QuickMix and onion salt over medium heal until it boils, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese until it melts.
- 1 cup QuickMix
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- Dash of onion salt
- In a saucepan, stir together ingredients over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Stir constantly, the sauce should be smooth and thick.
Condensed Cream of Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup QuickMix
- 3/4 cup liquid from canned mushrooms
- 1/8 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
- 4.5 ounces mushrooms stems and pieces, chopped
- Dash of onion salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, stir in all of the ingredients, except for the mushrooms. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until it boils. Fold in chopped mushrooms.
Condensed Cream of Broccoli
Ingredients
- 8 ounces broccoli pieces frozen
- 1 cup QuickMix
- 3/4 cup liquid from cooking broccoli
- Dash of onion salt
Instructions
- Cook broccoli according to package directions.
- In a saucepan, stir in water from cooking the broccoli, QuickMix and onion salt. Stir constantly with a
- whisk over medium hear until it boils.
- Add the cooked broccoli and use a hand blender to cream the broccoli.
Condensed Cream of Celery
Ingredients
- 1 cup QuickMix
- 3/4 cup liquid from cooking celery
- 1 cup celery chopped
- Dash of celery seed
Instructions
- Cook celery in water until tender.
- In a saucepan, combine celery water and QuickMix. Stir constantly with a whisk over medium hear until it boils and thickens.
- Add celery and celery seed.
- 1 cup QuickMix
- ½ cup sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons cocoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- In a saucepan, combine QuickMix, sugar, cocoa and water, stirring constantly over medium heat
- until it boils..
- Remove from heat and add vanilla and beat.
- Cover and refrigerate until it sets.
Once you begin creating these cheap and easy recipes using the QuickMix you’ll never go back to the canned versions. Let me know what you think and any new ways you come up with for using the QuickMix.
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Thank you so much for making these recipes available!! Not only save my money, but I am on a restricted sodium diet and these will help me sooooo much in my cooking. Most prepared foods have sodium through the roof and so are off limits to me.
Thanks again; I really appreciate your efforts.