Showing posts with label homemade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homemade. Show all posts
Saturday, April 12, 2014
SANDRAS HOMEMADE YOSHIDA SAUCE
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| A very tasty Asian flavored sauce that I use in many, many of my recipes... |
Prep: 10 mins. |
Cook: 20 mins.
Posted by Sandra
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups low-sodium soy sauce
¾ cup dark brown sugar, divided
¾ cup white sugar, divided
½ onion, grated
1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
1 garlic clove, grated
1 cup honey (for homemade recipe click here: Alaska Fireweed-Clover Honey)
METHOD:
Combine soy sauce, ½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup white sugar, grated onion, ginger, and garlic to a large saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour the remaining dark brown sugar and white sugar, and honey into the saucepan. Bring to a boil (the mixture will rise and foam), when it doubles in size, remove the pan from heat, and cool.
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Tip: You can use this as a marinade for most types of meat, poultry, or seafood; as a sauce addition, or where I incorporate this in many of my recipes. – Enjoy!
Friday, April 4, 2014
Homemade Ketchup Because You’re Crazy Like That
This tweet I posted yesterday sums things up nicely, “Making some homemade ketchup. Sure it costs more, and doesnt taste as good as store bought, but at least it takes a really long time to do.”
Of course, we’ve made lots of things that are generally better not homemade, like French fries and fried chicken, but this is much different. For most Americans, ketchup is one of our first taste memories, and if the flavor profile is even the slightest bit off, our brain computes this as “ketchup fail.”
Having said that, I’m very proud of how close this ketchup does come to those name brands in terms of taste, texture and color. I’ve never had a tomato paste-based ketchup that I liked, so I decided to cook down crushed tomatoes instead. This would require many hours of stirring on the stove, but by using the slow cooker, we take most of the labor out of the process. Sure itll still take many hours to reduce down to a ketchup, but it will only require giving it a quick stir every hour or two.
As I joke about in the video (not really a joke), you’d have to be crazy to make your own ketchup, but despite my warnings, I know in my heart that many of you will give this a try nonetheless, and that makes me happy. Enjoy!
Ingredients to make 3 cups of Ketchup:
2 cans (28-oz) ground tomatoes (you can also used crushed, or just crush whole plum tomatoes)
2/3 cups white sugar
3/4 cup white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder (not salt!)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not salt!)
1 3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
1 whole clove
* Cook on the high setting in an uncovered slow cooker until the mixture is reduced by about half and very thick. By the way, my “high” setting isn’t very high, so it took like 10 hours, but don’t rely on a time. Simply cook until it looks like mine did before I strained it.
View the complete recipe
View the complete recipe
Friday, March 7, 2014
Cheesy Crackers – The Simple Joy of Homemade Crackers
I’m happy to report that they are better anything I’ve ever had out of a factory-sealed package. They have a much better texture with more crunch, and way more real, cheesy flavor. The only thing they have less of is ingredients; like by 45 to 5.
As far as the cheese goes, I went with three parts sharp cheddar to one part Parmigiano-Reggiano. I’m giving the cheese measurements below in weight, as the proportions to the rest of the ingredients are critical, and as you’ll see in the clip, measuring by cup is highly inaccurate. Since I used a fine grater on the very dry, hard cheese, it looks like well over a half-cup of cheese, but in fact was only one ounce.
Okay, I feel better. I hope you give these delicious homemade cheese crackers a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 36 crackers:
(Note: This is a half recipe, you should double to make enough for a party)
Based on this recipe from Joy the Baker
2 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter
3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup lightly packed)
1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about 1/3 cup lightly packed)
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (2.25 oz by weight)
1 tablespoon cold water
Saturday, February 8, 2014
SANDRAS HOMEMADE BAKING MIX Recipes
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| I always have this mix on-hand so breakfast and other recipes are a breeze to make by adding only a few wet ingredients... |
Prep: 10 Mins.
Posted by Sandra
INGREDIENTS:
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups powdered milk
2 cups shortening
METHOD
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, nonfat milk, and shortening together in large bowl. Add shortening about a half cup at a time, cutting in well with two butter knives after each addition, until there mixture consists of pea-size crumbles.
Place in an air-tight container and store in refrigerator or at room temperature, and use within about 3 months.
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Tip: Here are some recipes you can use this baking mix for (including many other recipes that call for bisquick):
***BISCUITS:
Mix 2 cups of Baking Mix with 1/2 cup water. Bake at 450 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.
***MUFFINS:
Mix 2 cups of Baking Mix with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 beaten egg, and 2/3 cup milk. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.
***PANCAKES:
Mix 2 cups of baking mix with 1 beaten egg and 1-1/3 cup milk.
***WAFFLES:
Mix 2 cups of baking mix with 1 beaten egg, 2 Tablespoons oil, and 1-1/3 cup milk.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
SANDRA’S HOMEMADE DECADENT CHOCOLATE on CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM CUPCAKES
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| You will think youve died and gone to heaven when youre eating these luscious cupcakes... |
Prep: 10 Mins. |
Bake
+ Make Frosting: 18 Mins. | Cool Cupcakes: 30 Mins.
INGREDIENTS
*Cupcakes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or instant coffee)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup buttermilk*** (or milk)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
**Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons buttermilk*** (or milk)
2 cups of confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened Hershey’s cocoa powder
--6 semi-sweet chocolate morsels, for garnish
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 6 muffin cups with silver and paper liners.
For the cupcakes, in a large bowl, sift through a sieve the flour, cocoa power, instant espresso coffee, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt, using a spoon to coax through sieve.
In a medium bowl, beat with a hand mixer the buttermilk, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and egg, just until a marbled texture is achieved. Pour into dry ingredients and gently fold with spatula until ingredients are combined (maintain aeration while doing so for moist-tender cupcakes).
Distribute batter evenly into prepared muffin cups by filling each with a regular ice cream scoop scraped against the side of bowl for even cupcakes. Bake for 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
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| Cupcakes cooling on rack... |
Meanwhile prepare the frosting in medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, then add sifting through a sieve atop the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and beat on low speed (to prevent powder sugar from blowing into the air), and then increase mixer to medium speed until smoothly combined.
Add the frosting to a piping bag placed in a tall glass (for ease), or a large Ziploc, fitted with a large round tip.
To decorate the cupcakes: begin piping in the center of cupcake, and work outwards in a circular motion, and then work back to center making a rise ending in the middle. Finish each by placing a semi-sweet chocolate morsel on top. ~ Enjoy!
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***Tip: I purchased a 12 oz. canister of ‘Cultured Buttermilk Blend’ in the baking section of the market (low fat and low cholesterol), which I mix with water so I always have buttermilk on-hand for cooking, marinating, and baking at all times.
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