When you’ve got young children, no matter how old they are, you’re always faced with the problem of having good, healthy food options on standby for snacks, morning snack at school and afternoon teas. As much as I try to do my week’s baking on a Sunday, I often run out during the week or even more disastrous is when company is expected and all I’ve got on hand is a box of stale crackers.
I love my bulk pancake mix for times like this. You can make sweet, fruit or savoury pancakes, pikelets or fritters. Make smaller pikelets and top with jam and cream. Grate apple and add cinnamon to pikelet batter. Any vegetables like grated zucchini, corn, capsicum, carrot etc or chopped ham or bacon makes a great savoury option.
There are many recipes on the Internet for make your own cake mixes but I liked this one the best. I’m going to test out my No Fuss Fudge Cake and see if I can’t work out the quantities required to have that already premixed, just to add wet ingredients to when I’m in a hurry.
I first heard of this recipe a few years ago to make 120 cookies for less than $5. I tried it and although it’s not the most ‘perfect’ biscuit, that is, the way I like them, they are great to have on hand for the kids. Just about any biscuit recipe can be made up ahead of time, rolled into a log, wrapped in cling film and frozen. Just defrost and slice in rounds when ready to bake.
There’s always the good old frozen premade puff pastry as well to make sweet or savoury tarts. Something as simple as a puff pastry tart shell filled with jam and topped with a dusting of icing sugar or mini quiches of bacon and cheese, ham and corn or grated vegetables will keep the little ones full until dinner time or unexpected company satisfied with a hot cup of tea or coffee.
PS I must confess to having the odd 60 cent homebrand cake mix on hand around the November birthday month. With cupcakes for school, Girl Guides, Kindy and the birthday party, it’s often the cheaper option and the kids only lick off the frosting!
Great ideas… they look yummy…
This is great!
Thanks for the bulk pancake mix, have been wanting to make that up for a while now.
I know I'm publicly and advocate for baked from scratch but I always tell my friends to embrace the packet mix when it comes to kids' birthday cakes. I've lost count of how many un-appreciated cupcakes I've swept into the rubbish bin, licked clean of their icing crowns! 🙂
Cookie dough freeze really well so making up a double batch when you have time is a great time saving idea. Roll dough into balls or slice them, flash freeze on trays and then transfer them into freezer bags or containers for bikkies ready to bake at a moments notice. It's what keeps me sane.
I've frozen cookie in dough into ready made balls so they can just be plopped onto the cookie sheet to bake. But my family finds them in the freezer and likes to snack on them…LOL! Maybe if I did it into a log it wouldn't be so easy to snack on!
When our kids were at home and growing up I did make up those type of mixes and they are terrific! A couple of questions for you. First, what is a 'Pikelet?' And second, when you refer to 'biscuits' under the cookie photo does that mean cookies in american terms?
Love your post Anne. As always its so informative and helpful!!
Hugs,
Nann
The kids only do lick off the frosting, don't they. My husband swears he went to a party when he was a kid where the mom just served the kids bowls of frosting. I don't believe him! Or that mom was nuts, one or the other. He thought it was the best idea ever.
Great ideas!