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Do you like to bake? This can mean anything that goes in the oven, as in casseroles, pies, cookies, meats, foul, you name it. For those of you who are gone much of the day working outside the home, taking children to school activities or going to meetings near the supper hour, it's not easy to fix meals in a short amount of time. Though we are in the "older bracket", I sometimes find myself hurrying to get supper on the table. However, I always have a box of baking mix in the cupboard...namely Bisquick. There are many, many ways of using biscuit mix, whether it's for a main meal, desserts, breakfast, quick breads, etc. Today it's recipes using Bisquick.

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Let's start out with a breakfast pizza ready in less than 25 minutes. This is also a dish that is great to serve for brunch or as an appetizer.

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE PIZZA

3/4 lb. bulk pork sausage

2 c. loose-pack hash brown potatoes (such as Simply Potatoes)

1-1/2 c. baking mix

1/3 c. hot water

1 c. shredded Cheddar

1 c. Monterey Jack Cheese

Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease 1 12-inch pizza pan or cookie sheet. In a frying pan, cook and stir sausage until done; drain off fat. Add potatoes to sausage, stirring together.

In a bowl, mix baking mix and hot water until dough forms; beat 20 strokes. Turn onto surface dusted with baking mix; knead 60 times, (yes, 60). Press dough in a pan or a 12-inch circle on cookie sheet with fingers dipped in baking mix. Spread sausage mixture over dough; sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly, 12-15 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings.

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CHICKEN STROGANOFF

1/4 c. thinly sliced green onions, using some of tops

1 clove garlic, crushed or minced

2 T. butter or margarine

2 T. baking mix

1-1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1 c. milk, heated to warm

2 c. cooked cut-up chicken

1/2 c. sour cream

1-4 oz. can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

Parsley - optional

In a large frying pan, cook and stir onions and garlic in butter over low heat until onions are soft, 2-3 minutes. Stir in baking mix, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until bubbly; remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Stir in last 3 ingredients; heat through but do not boil. Turn into serving bowl; sprinkle with snipped parsley. Serve with hot cooked plain or spinach noodles. You can use cooked rice instead of noodles if you wish.

Makes 5 servings.

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ALMOND CRUNCH BREAD

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 t. almond flavoring

1 c. baking mix

1/2 c. flour

1/4 c. chopped slivered almonds

1/2 t. ground cardamom or 8 cardamom seeds (removed from pods), crushed

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in egg, sour cream and almond until well mixed. Stir in baking mix and flour. Fold in almonds and cardamom. Pour into generously greased and floured 9x5-inch load pan. Bake at 350 degrees until edges pull away from sides of pan, 60-65 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan onto wire rack to cool completely. It's best if you wrap it in foil and refrigerate a day. It's must easier to slice and the flavors mold together.

Makes 18 slices.

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COATING FOR OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

2 T. butter or margarine, melted

2/3 c. baking mix1-1/2 t. paprika

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

2-1/2 to 3-1/2 lb. frying chicken, cut up (can substitute 6 small chicken breasts)

3 T. melted butter or margarine

Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil. Brush foil with melted butter. In a bowl combine Bisquick, paprika, salt and pepper. Put in a shallow pan (pie pan works). Coat chicken pieces on both sides; put into pan. Drizzle melted butter over chicken pieces. Bake uncovered 35 minutes. Turn; bake until done, about 15 minutes longer.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: For Italian coating: Mix 1 T. Italian seasoning and 1/2 t. garlic powder with baking mix. For Mexican coating: Decrease baking mix to 1/2 c. Mix in 2 T. cornmeal and 1 to 2 T. chili powder with the baking mix. For Oriental coating: Omit paprika and pepper. Mix 3 T. sesame seed, 1 T. soy sauce, 1 T. grated lemon peel, 2 t. parsley flakes and 1-1/2 t. garlic powder with the baking mix.

TFD: Never turn down a job because it's too small; you don't know where it can lead. (Applicable in the economy as we speak!)

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