So Last Minute - Gift Mixes!

Two days before Christmas, and I finally put together a gift for my sister-in-law and her family. Gift mixes are so awesome because they can be done at the last minute, and don't take hardly any time at all. I did up four mixes - two of them are just enough for one packet, and two made enough for us to have plenty as well.

Biscuit Mix - Makes 7 cups
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup instant nonfat milk powder
1 cup plus 2 tbsp. shortening

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, and milk powder. Stir with a wire whisk to blend. Using a pastry blender to blend in shortening until evenly distributed. Store in airtight container.

Gift Mix:
Measure 3 cups biscuit mix into baggie and seal. Attach these directions:

Combine mix with 2/3 cup milk or water. Blend. Let dough stand 5 minutes. On a lightly floured board, knead dough about 15 times. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter. Place about 2 inches apart on unbuttered baking sheet. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with Chocolate Gravy.


Chocolate Gravy Mix - Makes 1 packet (from Southern Plate)
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp. flour (I increased to 2 1/2 because I like it thicker)
1 tbsp. cocoa

Mix all ingredients and stir well. Place in baggie and seal. Attach these directions:

Pour contents into heavy saucepan. Add 1 1/4 cups milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Once boiling, turn heat down to lowest setting and stir for one minute more, until thickened. Take off heat and stir in 1 tbsp. butter or margarine. Pour over hot biscuits.


Brownie Mix - Makes 8 cups
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
4 cups sugar
4 oz. cocoa
1 cup shortening

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add sugar and cocoa. Blend well. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Store in airtight container.

Gift Mix:
Measure 2 1/2 cups mix into baggie and seal. Measure 1 cup chocolate chips into separate baggie and attach. Attach these directions:

Combine mix, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour into greased and floured 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over warm brownies. Warm in oven until melted. Spread evenly on brownies. Cool. Cut into bars.


Fruit Crisp Mix - Makes 1 packet (from Southern Plate)
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine ingredients, place in baggie and seal. Attach these directions:

Empty mix into bowl. Add 1/3 cup softened butter or margarine. Cut in with fork until well mixed. Sprinkle over top of fruit of choice, such as 1 can drained peaches (you can include a can of fruit with the mix as part of the gift). Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until topping is browned.


The mixes I took from Southern Plate (Chocolate Gravy and Fruit Crisp) have cute little tags that Christy made. To print them out, visit the links I included by each mix recipe. I don't have a printer so I didn't print them out, I just wrote out the directions for each mix on index cards and scribbled some cute little designs on them.

Christy also has instructions on how to package the gift mixes. There are ideas on each of her gift mix posts, here. I used the one given with the Chocolate Gravy Mix, wrapping the mix in festive fabric and twisting the ends. So cute! Then I just packed all four mixes in a gift box for a quick and easy gift!