Your secrets for enhancing mixes.

[Dirty Hippie]

We all use them. Admit it. And we know we can do better than "Almost Homemade" chick Sandra.

I'll start:


I enhance Near East Mediterranean Curry CousCous by adding chopped pecans and dried cranberries. Also, I'll cook in chicken broth if I have it.

[htuttle]

1. When I use curry paste from a jar...

...I throw in a small bit of fresh garlic, fresh ginger and maybe a serrano pepper. It seems to wake up the spices that are already in the paste.

I do pretty much the same as you with instant couscous. We tend to use pan-roasted pine nuts and dried cherries. Chicken broth is the best in there, too.

[The empressof all]

2. I love to play with cake mixes

When I'm binging on wheat I love to make cake mix brownies.

Take any flavor cake mix and combine with a stick of melted butter and two eggs. This will give you a very thick batter you can press into a brownie pan. These are very dense and "fudgie" textured bars. My current favorites are:

Chocolate cake mix brownies topped with a bag of coconut mixed with a can of sweetened condensed milk. We call these mounds brownies.

Pina Colada Bars: Use a yellow cake mix, about 3/4 a bag of coconut and a shot of rum. Very yummy!

Spice Bars made with Raisins and butterscotch chips

The combos are endless.......

We also love Ricotta Cake:

2 lbs. ricotta cheese
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (18 1/2 oz.) pkg. yellow or lemon cake mix with pudding

Mix together the ricotta cheese, sugar and eggs. Set aside. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour into a greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan. Carefully spoon the ricotta mixture over the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until cool. When the cake is done, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

[displacedtexan]

3. Yum!

I add 1/4 cup flour and twice as much clear vanilla to white cake mix. It cuts that industrial taste.

I'm still searching for a great white cake recipe. The French cakes are too heavy/spongey for
most people (who are used to mix cakes).

[The empressof all]

4. PS: Too late to edit...If you are making PinaColada Bars

Add a can of crushed pineapple. If you don't drain it the bars will be lighter and more cake like. If you drain it the bars will be denser and chewier. Whatever you prefer is good!!

[eleny]

5. Ricotta cake - oh my gawd but that sounds great

And I have a cake mix for red velvet cake. I bet they'd make some wild looking "brownies". I suppose I could add the coconut to that since it's basically a yellow cake mix. Or peppermint at the holidays for peppermint brownies.

[The empressof all]

8. Red Velvet Pepperment Brownies

With Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting. You've inspired me! Guess what I'm making for V-Day! I wonder if I can find a Red Velvet cake mix here in WA....No worries..I'll just use the red food coloring in a white cake mix if I have to.

Mmmmm I think I have a red and black something in the top drawer...wonder if it still fits? God knows it won't if I keep baking.

[Richard Steele]

6. For chocolate cake or brownie mixes, I replace the water with black coffee.

It enhances the chocolate flavor without standing out, IMHO.

[Richard Steele]

7. I like to substitute vegetable broth for water whenever it's appropriate.

Adds more flavor to just about any "prepackaged mix" item.

For anything with an "italian" flavor, I add some fine-ground thyme.

Anything "mexican" gets a big pinch of ground coriander.

[eleny]

9. Yes, especially for cooking rice

Vegetable or chicken depending on my mood and pantry. :)

[hippywife]

10. I honestly can't think

of a single mix I buy anymore. I still buy some frozen convenience items like meat replacements and a few frozen veggies but no mixes. Used to buy lots of them but not in a long time now.

On edit: My husband did think of one! Pamela's Pancake Mix because it is a mix of different flours and meals and tastes so nummy! I do enhance it by adding a little vanilla and using soy milk or soy nog instead of water.

http://www.pamelasproducts.com/index.html