Category Archives: pantry staples

Jan 7 2013

Introducing Make It Yourself Mondays and DIY Vanilla Extract

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For the last few years, one of my New Year’s resolutions has been to make more from scratch. While we’re not perfect, we’ve made huge improvements. It’s incredibly gratifying to make things yourself – and I’m often surprised at just how easy and doable it is. I’m starting a new series today, Make It Yourself Mondays, to highlight kitchen projects you can tackle yourself.

The first one I’m sharing is for something I use all the time – vanilla extract. Even when I started cooking more from scratch, vanilla extract is not something I thought I’d ever consider making myself. And then I learned how easy it was. There’s no cooking, and minimal prep and measuring – all you really need is some patience.

I purchased these vanilla beans from Amazon, because they were the best price I found (vanilla beans are expensive!). I got my bottles from Specialty Bottle (also the best price I found). Not only is this a great pantry staple, but it makes a really cute gift. If you want to dress up your bottles, lots of bloggers offer free, printable labels (like here, here, here and here).

Vanilla Extract
(inspired by Beantown Baker)

2 vanilla beans
1 c. vodka
Glass jar with lid

Split vanilla beans lengthwise (no need to scrape!) and place into jar. Pour vodka over the beans and cover. Place in a cool, dark place for approximately two months, shaking occasionally, before using.

Store in a cool, dark place.

Oct 29 2012

DIY Hot Chocolate Mix

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I’m not a coffee drinker. Or a tea drinker. Hot chocolate, though, I could drink by the gallon. I keep some in my desk at work and always have some in the house – even in the summer months. We could seriously go broke on cocoa mix.

Last year for Christmas, I made this mix for family members, and fell in love with it. It’s a great gift, or just great to have in your pantry.

DIY Hot Chocolate Mix
(from Brown Eyed Baker)
Makes approx. 20 servings

3 c. nonfat dry milk powder
2 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2  c. cocoa powder
1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1/4 t. salt

Whisk all ingredients together and then, working in batches, pulse in a food processor until everything in finely ground and well combined. Store in an air-tight container for up to three months.

To prepare: Mix 1/3 c. hot chocolate mix with 1 c. hot milk.

Aug 24 2012

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas and Green Enchilada Sauce

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For the latest Blogger’s Choice recipe swap, I was assigned Prevention RD. Her blog is awesome and it’s not just me that thinks so – Nicole recently announced that she’s writing a cookbook based on her blog. How cool is that!

The hardest part of this swap was settling on just one recipe. I decided on these because, as much as I love enchiladas, I’d never made them with a green sauce.  Nicole used canned enchilada sauce but mentioned in her post that next time she would try making it herself. My garden is currently over-flowing with tomatillos so I decided to make these a totally-from-scratch endeavor. The recipe I used for green enchilada sauce is below. You can see the recipe I used for the tortillas here.

These are probably my favorite enchiladas to date. The honey lime works so well and gives it a really light, summery feel. Hubby and I totally fought over the leftovers!

Honey-Lime Chicken Enchiladas
(from Prevention RD)
Serves 5 (2 enchiladas each)

5 T. honey
5 T. lime juice, from 2-3 limes
1 T. chili powder
1/2 T. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
10 flour tortillas
1 1/2 c.  Colby/Monterrey Jack blend, shredded, divided
2 c. green enchilada sauce (recipe below)
1 c. fat-free half & half

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Add cooked, shredded chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or several hours) to marinade.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Add 1/2 c. green enchilada sauce to the bottom of a 9″x11″ baking dish and spread out to coat the whole bottom.

Stir half of the cheese into the marinated chicken. Divide chicken mixture between 12 tortillas. Roll up and place seam-side down in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Whisk together half and half and remaining enchilada sauce. Pour evenly over the enchiladas.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Green Enchilada Sauce
(from Our Best Bites)
Makes about 3 cups

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and membranes removed
3/4 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered or halved
1/4 c. cilantro, coarsely chopped
3/4 t. Kosher salt
Pinch of black pepper
3/4 t. cumin
2 c. chicken broth

In a large saucepan, heat oil until shimmering and then add onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine tomatillos, green pepper, jalapeno and cilantro. Blend until smooth. (If it’s not blending well, add some of the chicken broth to help smooth things out.)

Add tomatillo mixture to cooked onions and stir in cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until sauce is reduced to about 3 cups.

Linked up with Eat at Home’s Ingredient Spotlight: Tortillas 2013

Aug 22 2012

Flour Tortillas

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I’m a self-taught cook. One of my biggest self-imposed obstacles is that I assume everything is going to be hard to make.

I’ve had this tortilla recipe bookmarked for nearly a year but making my own tortillas seemed like such a project. I finally had time last weekend to do some kitchen projects and decided to make these. Imagine my surprise when I was done in a half hour! These weren’t hard at all and they were so much better than store-bought.

Have you tackled any recipes that intimidate you recently?

Flour Tortillas
(from Confections of a Foodie Bride)
Makes 12

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 heaping t. salt
5 T. shortening, lard, softened butter, or olive oil (I used shortening)
3/4 c. warm water

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening and pulse until incorporated and the mixture is crumbly.

With the food processor running, slowly add the water until a ball of dough forms. Continue to process for another 30 seconds to knead the dough.

On a floured surface, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Cover with a towel to avoid drying out. Taking one piece at a time, roll into a 8″ circle.

In a heated pan, add one tortilla at a time, cooking for 10-20 seconds, flipping and cooking for another 10-20 seconds. Remove to a plate and keep covered with a towel to keep warm.

Jun 13 2012

Island Jerk Burgers with Zesty Coleslaw

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Oh, how I loved these burgers. There’s really not much else to say.

The warm jerk-seasoned burgers coupled with the cool, crunchy  coleslaw is not a combo I would have ever thought up myself, but it works so well. I used the homemade jerk seasoning listed below, but a store-bought seasoning would also work fine.

Island Jerk Burgers with Zesty Coleslaw
(from Pennies on a Platter)
Serves 4

2 c. shredded cabbage mixture for coleslaw
1/2 medium red onion, peeled, halved and sliced very thin
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely sliced
1/2 c. mayonnaise (homemade or store-bought)
1 t. hot sauce
Zest and juice of 1 small lime
1 t. honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1.5 pounds ground beef
4 t. jerk seasoning (recipe below)
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 burger buns

Combine the cabbage, red onion and bell pepper in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, lime zest and juice, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss it into the cabbage mixture to coat. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours.

Heat up your grill. Shape the beef into 4 individual patties. Rub each patty with the jerk seasoning, adding additional salt and pepper as desired. Grill the burgers until cooked to desired doneness, flipping once. Lightly toast the buns of the grill. Place a slice of cheese on the bottom half of the buns and heat briefly to melt. Assemble burgers on top of the cheese and topped with a pile of coleslaw.

Jerk Seasoning
(from Pennies on a Platter)
Makes 1/4 cup

2 T. dried minced onion
1 1/2 t. dried thyme
2 t. ground allspice
2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. salt

Place all ingredients in a small jar. Secure the lid and shake to thoroughly combine. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

To use: Rub surface of meat with oil and then the seasoning. Or, use in any recipe calling for jerk seasoning.

Oct 25 2011

Autumn Salad w/ Homemade Dressing

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A few weeks ago, I started taking a Monday evening yoga class.  It feels wrong to eat a heavy dinner before going, so I’ve been whipping up lighter fare. This salad has been my favorite of the lot so far.

Pears, pecans and cranberries make this perfect for the season. The homemade salad dressings, though, give it the extra special touch. I’ve been remaking this salad for lunch a few days a week because I enjoyed it so much. It would also be a perfect dish to make for Thanksgiving dinner! 

 

Autumn Salad
(from Espresso and Cream)
Serves 2

3 to 4 c. chopped romaine lettuce
1 medium pear, chopped
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. pecans
4 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 T. Poppy Seed Salad Dressing (recipe below)
2 t. Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Combine lettuce, pear, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta in a large bowl. Toss with dressing.

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing
(from All Recipes)
Makes about 1.5 cups

3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. cider vinegar
4 1/2 t. grated onion
1 T. ground mustard
1 t. poppy seeds
1/2 t. salt
1 c. vegetable oil

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Slowly add oil, while whisking briskly. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Balsamic Vinaigrette
(from All Recipes)
Makes about 1 cup

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
1 clove crushed garlic
1 t. ground mustard
1 pinch salt
Ground black pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and mustard powder. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Aug 15 2011

Marshmallow Fondant

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I first tried cake decorating with fondant a few years ago. I used store-bought fondant and was really underwhelmed with the taste. At the time, I was wedding planning  and all my fellow wedding-planning friends pretty much help the same opinion of fondant so I dismissed it as something that was pretty but didn’t necessarily taste the best.

I’d heard that marshmallow fondant was better but I didn’t have a good reason to try again – until I saw a picture of a Mystery Machine cake online. I knew it would be the perfect birthday cake for my brother-in-law. I used this recipe from Chef Mommy – she’s got a great step-by-step tutorial and other helpful tips. This fondant really was better than any other I’d had before. I was pleased – I’ll definitely use this for cakes from now on.

For this cake, I split the cake batter between two loaf pans and inverted one on the other for the van shape. The wheels were Oreos and the lettering was gel icing. The rest of the decorations were made with the fondant.

This was a huge hit at the birthday party – it looked fun and tasted great!

Marshmallow Fondant
(from Chef Mommy)

16 oz.mini marshmallows
2 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 c. water
1/2 t. vanilla
Vegetable shortening

 Lightly grease a microwave safe bowl with shortening. Add the marshmallows and the water. Microwave at 30 second intervals until all of the marshmallows are melted. In between intervals, stir the marshmallows with a lightly greased rubber spatula.

Lightly coat the inside of a heavy-duty stand mixer bowl and the paddle attachment with shortening. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl, reserving about a 1/4 cup. Carefully, pour in the melted marshmallow into the bowl. Turn the mixer on to low speed, add the vanilla and let mix until most of the powder and marshmallow comes together – about three minutes.

Lightly grease the stand mixer’s dough cook with shortening and switch from paddle to dough hook. Knead on low until smooth – about five minutes.

Once your fondant is completely smooth and pliable, form it into a ball and tightly wrap it with plastic wrap that has been lightly greased with shortening. Then place inside a plastic Ziploc bag and store at room temperature until ready to use. The fondant can be colored with gel coloring – just add the desired amount and knead until the color is disbursed throughout the ball.

Jul 20 2011

Classic Strawberry Jam

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My Mom has a strawberry patch in her yard so for a few weeks in the early summer they’re completely inundated with strawberries. This year, they ended up being really busy during strawberry season so when I stopped in one day she passed off several pounds of strawberries to “do something with” - so I decided to make up some jam.

This was my first time making jam – and only my second time canning – but it went incredibly well. I recently picked up Put ‘em Up! and it’s an excellent guide for anyone learning to can. This took a bit of time to make, but it was very much worth it – I’ve been loving having the fresh jam on toast for breakfast!

Classic Strawberry Jam
(from Put ‘em Up!)
Makes 7 half-pint jars

8 c. strawberries, hulled and halfed if large
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. bottled lemon juice

Toss the strawberries and sugar in a large bowl and let sit in the refrigerator overnight to coax out the fruit’s juice.

Transfer the mixture to a large nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring and crushing to release the juice. Stir in the lemon juice. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the jam reaches the desired gel, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release air bubbles. Skim off any foam.

Use the boiling water method to can: Ladle into clean, hot half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on the jars and screw on the jar bands. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

May 25 2011

Bam Fries

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This is the most-used seasoning in our house – our go-to for just about everything. It’s perfect for chicken, steaks, vegetables – really anything you want to put it on. We always have some on hand.

It’s also the crucial ingredient to our go-to side when we make burgers or sandwiches for dinner. As the weather warms up and we start grilling more and more, these get made at least once a week. They’re easy-peasy, delicious and a better alternative to their deep-fried inspiration.

Emril’s Baby Bam Seasoning
(from ABC’s Good Morning America)

3 T. paprika
2 T. salt
2 T. dried parsley
2 t. onion powder
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. ground black pepper
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried basil
1 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. celery salt

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to three months. (For a spicier mix, add in 1/4 t. cayenne pepper.)

Bam Fries

1 medium potato per person
1 T. olive oil per potato
Baby Bam Seasoning

Preheat oven to 425F degrees.

Cut potatoes into fry-shaped wedges and place in a small bowl. Add in olive oil and toss to coat. Shake seasoning over (as much as you want) and toss to coat again.

Transfer potatoes to a baking sheet and bake for twenty minutes or until golden brown, turning halfway through.

Sep 29 2010

Refrigerator Pickles

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I kept seeing these pop up in other blogs and was hesitant to try them. I’m a big pickle fan and was afraid they wouldn’t meet expectations – but they totally did.

Refrigerator Pickles
(From The Nerd’s Wife originally from Annie’s Eats)

3 c. water
6 T. white vinegar
3 T. salt
minced garlic
fresh dill
cucumbers

Mix together water, vinegar and salt until salt is dissolved to make brine.

Slice cucumbers.

Add fresh dill to the bottom of the glass jar. Fill halfway with cucumbers. Add more dill and fill the rest of the jar with cucumbers. Add minced garlic to top and pour brine over until jar is filled.

Refrigerate for two days and enjoy!