The Penny-Pincher's Pantry

How to make budget-friendly (and often healthier) versions of your favorite convenience foods in minutes. I found this in Ladies' Home Journal magazine. I have not tried these recipe, but I'm posting them for safe keeping.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

• Pancake Mix

• 1 3⁄4 cups flour
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  eggs
• 3  tablespoons  vegetable oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk

• Chocolate Syrup

• 1  cup water
• 1⁄3 cup light corn syrup
• 1  cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Bacon Bits

•  cooked bacon

• Pre-Chopped Garlic

•  garlic clove
•  olive oil

• Fresh Buttermilk

• 1  tablespoon white vinegar or 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 1  cup milk
• 3⁄4 cup plain yogurt (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup milk (optional)

• Packaged Croutons

•  bread
•  oil
•  salt
•  garlic salt

• Jarred Spaghetti Sauce

• 1⁄2  chopped onion
• 1  minced garlic clove
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 28  ounces tomatoes (diced or chopped)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1  tablespoon dry oregano
•  ground black pepper

• Taco Seasoning Packet

• 4  teaspoons chili powder
• 1  tablespoon onion powder
• 2  teaspoons garlic powder
• 1  tablespoon ground cumin
• 2  teaspoons paprika
• 2  teaspoons dry oregano
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• Packaged Bread Crumbs

•  bread
•  oregano (optional)
•  thyme (optional)
•  garlic powder (optional)

Directions

1. Pancake Mix: Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk eggs, and vegetable oil into milk. Add liquid to dry mixture and whisk. Don't overmix; batter should be lumpy. Makes 10-12 pancakes.
2. Chocolate Syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together water, light corn syrup, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and vanilla extract. Stir constantly until just boiling. Cool and store in the fridge for up to 2 months.
3. Bacon Bits: Finely chop leftover cooked bacon and place in a zip-top bag, pressing out all the air when you seal it. Form into a flat, thin layer and freeze; simply break off a few pieces and crumble them when you need bacon bits. Freeze for up to 3 months.
4. Pre-Chopped Garlic: Chop a handful of peeled garlic cloves in a food processor; place in a sealable container and cover with olive oil. Store chilled airtight up to 2 weeks. Once the garlic is gone, use oil to flavor pasta or salad dressing.
5. Fresh Buttermilk: For 1 cup buttermilk to use in baking, mix white vinegar or lemon juice with milk; let sit 5 minutes and use. Combining 3/4 c plain yogurt and 1/4 cup milk works, too.
6. Packaged Croutons: Cut any type of bread into cubes and coat them lightly in oil, then sprinkle with salt and garlic salt. (Add even more flavor by tossing in oil-and-vinegar salad dressing or dry herbs). Toast on a baking sheet, stirring occasionally, in a 350 oven until just golden.
7. Jarred Spaghetti Sauce: Saute 1/2 a chopped onion, minced garlic clove, and olive oil in a medium saucepan until onion is soft. Add tomatoes, diced or chopped, kosher salt, and dry oregano and simmer 20 minutes. Season with ground black pepper.
8. Taco Seasoning Packet: Stir together chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, paprika, dry oregano, sugar, and salt. Use 2 tablespoons to season 1 pound ground beef, chicken or turkey.
9. Packaged Bread Crumbs: In a 300 oven, dry slices or cubes of any type of bread about 15 minutes. Crush in a food processor or with the bottom of a pan. For seasoned bread crumbs, add dry herbs like oregano or thyme (a little garlic powder tastes great, too). To make flaky panko-like crumbs, mince fresh bread by pulsing it in a food processor, then dry the crumbs in a 250 oven.