Homemade Caramel

Homemade Caramel

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons corn syrup
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt

Mix sugar, water and corn syrup in a small saucepan.
Bring the water and sugar mixture to boil over medium heat, but DO NOT STIR. (Stirring encourages crystallization). Let the mixture cook until it caramelizes into a golden brown color. It happens quickly, so keep an eye on it.
Remove the caramelized sugar syrup from the heat and slowly mix in the cream. Pour in just a tiny bit at a time, especially at the beginning, and mix to combine. You can start adding more and more as you go along.
Mix in salt and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Hot Fudge

One thing on our Summer LIVE List this year was to have an Ice Cream Bar. We had one for Father's Day! I made a few sauces for the bar, the easiest being 

Strawberry Sauce

Wells Freezer Jam (or your favorite)

Water - add 1 Tbsp at a time until it's a good consistency

Lemon Sauce 

Bon Maman Lemon Curd

Water - add 1 Tbsp at a time until it's a good consistency

Use plastic squeeze bottles to squirt them on your ice cream!!

Hot Fudge
3/4 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla

In a medium-sized saucepan, place butter, sugar, milk and chocolate chips. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Mixture will thicken as it cools.
Serve warm. Or store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 3 ½ cups.

Kneaders Sandwich Spread

I'm trying make ahead sandwiches again this year - I found out last year that my kids just WON'T take them to school but I'm going to try them as after school/before practice snacks. We'll see if I have any success.

I took a 24 pack of King's Hawaiian rolls and split it in half (so I had 12 rolls split x 2) Then I cut them in half horizontally. I layered one side with pre-cut cheese squares, topped with Kneaders Sandwich Spread and then deli ham, sliced and finally with the top of the Hawaiian rolls. Then I cut the rolls into sections of 2, set them in ziplocks and into the freezer they go.

I have a timer that goes off about an hour before the kids get home so I can pull a couple bags out and they'll be thawed by the time they get home - ready to eat!!

Kneaders Sandwich Spread
1/2 c mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 tsp yellow mustard
dash of salt

Mix! It's really delicious!

Alfredo Sauce

Welp - I went to look up my recipe for alfredo sauce and waddya know? It's not there!! I wanted to make Pasta Primavera - but I can't use Alfredo Sauce from a jar bc my son is allergic to eggs. So...

Alfredo Sauce
4 t chopped or minced garlic
2 t diced shallots
1 1/2 c chicken stock
2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c grated parmesan
4 oz cream cheese
salt and pepper

*I am PARANOID about burning garlic - so I always make sure not to put myself in a position to...

Add chicken stock to warm pan. Allow to heat up a bit. Add garlic and shallots. Add heavy cream 1 cup at a time. Add grated parmesan and allow cheese to melt. When that has come up to temperature, add cream cheese - 2 oz at a time. Allow it to melt and incorporate before adding the second one. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In this case - I steamed a bunch of veggies in the microwave, and cooked pasta according to package directions on a separate burner. Once everything was ready - I added the veggies to the sauce - making sure to coat them completely - then added the fettucine. Smiles all around.

Chicken and Mushroom Sauce

I almost always serve this over pasta - but I've served it over rice and quinoa too. So good.

Chicken and Mushroom Sauce
4 T butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp shallot, minced
2 small cartons of white button mushrooms (sliced)
Rotisserie chicken cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups half and half
Salt and Pepper to taste

To thicken if desired:
1 T cornstarch
1 T water

In a large pan add butter and allow to melt over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sautee for a few minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook for about a minute. Add soup and half and half. Cook a few more minutes until the half and half is up to temp. Add chicken and salt and pepper to taste.

If you like the consistency as is. All you have to do is cook it for a few more minutes to make sure all the flavors are incorporated and your done!

*I like this sauce on the thick side, so I whisk 1 T cornstarch with 1 T until combined and then add it to the sauce.

Ham Sauce

I saw this on Pinterest and was curious. The original post is HERE - she also has an idea how to baste your ham - but I skipped that and went straight for the Ham Sauce - 

Good golly this really kicked our Easter ham up a notch!!

Ham Sauce

1 egg
5 Tablespoons water
5 Tablespoons vinegar
Then add:
¼ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon of flour
1 Tablespoon of dry mustard
¼ teaspoon (or to taste) celery seed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Cook and stir on LOW heat until mixture thickens.
Cool completely to room temperature, covering with saucepan lid.
Whip ½ cup whipping cream

When cool, fold in whipped cream.

Homemade Butter

My kids are on Spring break this week and because this is the first time we haven't taken a vacation during Spring break, I've been challenging myself to come up with fun and interesting ways to keep my kids entertained. We've been reading the Little House on the Prairie series and I thought it would be fun to tie this into that time period.

Today, we made homemade butter!! We used my KitchenAid for a big batch - and while that was churning, each of the kids had smaller amounts of this recipe in jars with 3 marbles in the jars to help agitate the butter and make it easier for them. It was a good lesson as they each shook their jars to realize how much effort went into making butter "in the olden days" when people used a churn instead of an electric device.  

Homemade Butter
1/4 c milk
1 shredded carrot*
1 qt heavy cream
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp table sugar

1. Peel & finely grate a carrot (*or do what I did and just buy shredded carrots and use about 1/2 c from the bag). Heat in small saucepan with 1/4 cup milk until milk is bubbly. Put the carrots in a clean cheesecloth (I actually used a cloth napkin) and pour the hot milk over the carrots into the bowl of your stand mixer. Squeeze all the milk out of the carrots. Discard shredded carrot.

2. Pour cream into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add salt and sugar. Cover mixer with a towel it will be a little messy. Set mixer on low (2) and let the paddle do the work.

3. Continue mixing, checking on mixture frequently. It will first turn to whipped cream, then begin to get grainy and separate into butter and buttermilk. The butter is ready when it sticks in a clump to the paddle.

4. Strain the buttermilk off of the butter.

5. Using your hands or a spatula, press out excess buttermilk under cold running water until water runs clear. Shape into stick or ball. Butter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Serve with bread and enjoy!

**The butter we shook in jars didn't turn out as firm as the butter from the KitchenAid - not enough elbow grease I guess.

Number of servings (yield): Approximately 1 pound of butter + 3/4 cup of buttermilk

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and initially made it about 5 weeks ago and I've made it twice since then. For someone who doesn't repeat meals very often - this should tell you how delicious this is!!

I use Kirkland brand salmon steaks. They are individually wrapped so I can get the right amount of portions I need quickly and defrost them in the sink fairly quickly too. 

Teriyaki Salmon with Sriracha Cream Sauce
1 c Teriyaki sauce per salmon steak (I love yoshida's)
Salmon steaks (1 per person)
2 T Sriracha sauce (asian food aisle)
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 1/2 T sweetened condensed milk

Combine sriracha, mayonnaise and sweetened condensed milk. Set in the refrigerator until service. Marinate the salmon in the teriyaki sauce for at least 30 minutes up to 4 hours.

You can cook your salmon the way I do (easiest fastest delicious) OR you can cook the salmon in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Serve over a bed of rice and garnish with green onions (not pictured!)

Honey Mustard Sauce

I made this Honey Mustard Sauce to go with the Alice Springs Chicken copycat recipe. Deeeelish.
Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 c mayonnaise

2 T dijon mustard

1 t garlic powder (less if your not a fan)

1 T white vinegar

5 T honey

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate about 30 min before serving.

Chive Butter

One of my favorite ways to make a simple ingredient like butter and turn it into a craveable must have component. Couldn't be easier.
Chive Butter
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 c diced chives (as small or as large as you want them)
1 t salt

Combine all ingredients using a spatula (or spoon) gently until incorporated. Serve on baguettes, sour dough toasts, veggies, grilled ciabatta, or Perfect Fingerling Potatoes.

Mahogany Chicken

My cute friend Jenny gave me this recipe. She made it as the directions say except that she used bone in chicken legs - not 'wings' as specified. Her 3 boys couldn't get enough of them! I was over at her house while her hubs and 2 sons were eating dinner and with all the yummy sounds, I asked her for this recipe. She did it the right way and served it with a little sauce on the side. This recipe is intended for chicken wings - next time I have wings, I will definitely try this marinade on them. I didn't have any on hand and I thought this sounded delish (right up my hubs alley) and as I have said I try to cater to him when he is in town (he has been travelling A TON lately and will be out of town all week this coming week - so - I'm a sucker)
I served this with one of our family fav's Roasted Carrots , if you haven't tried roasted carrots or roasted squash - you are missing out! Your kids will LOVE these veggies - and I can guarantee they won't be feeding them to the dog!

Since I wouldn't be baking the chicken in it's juices in the oven (hubs prefers grilled chicken) so I used boneless skinless chicken breasts and marinated them overnight in this sauce. It turned out very good - I can't wait to try this with wings! I think doing the sauce on the side as well (like Jenny did) is key - super delicious!

Mahogany Chicken
3 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons chile sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Place chicken in a shallow, medium dish. In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, molasses, chile sauce, ground ginger and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate approximately 1 hour, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 50 minutes, brushing with remaining soy sauce mixture often and turning once, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Yum. Nice and sticky, a little sweet and full of flavor - with the option of even more flavor if you add the sauce on the side.

Buffalo Wings - 2 ways

We made wings 2 different ways for a tappas event this weekend. We made buffalo wings with Honey Chipotle Using the recipe here - These were my favorite - yummy - see by the time I realized that I should take a picture - there were only 2 left!!
We made these with the Hot Sauce I made the other day - they were good too:)

You can use both of these 'sauces/dressings' for pretty much any protein - yeah baby.

Home Made Hot Sauce

I have a cayenne plant in my back yard that is on fire - pun totally intended. When we planted the garden - my husband insisted we plant cayenne and jalapeno peppers. Now that they are ready to pick - I had no idea what to do with the cayennes - especially that many of them!
I decided to make hot sauce. It was really easy and the hot sauce turned out great - and I am not a hot sauce kinda girl. I found the recipe here.

Home Made Hot Sauce
1 or two handfuls of cayenne peppers
Apple cider vinegar
Tomato paste
Lemon juice (optional)
Kosher or Sea Salt

Remove stems and caps from peppers and chop into 1 inch lengths
Place into a saucepan and add enough vinegar to just cover the peppers
Simmer covered for 30 minutes, until the peppers are extremely tender
Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Place peppers and vinegar into a food processor and process until smooth (I LOVE my immersion blender!!)
Taste on a starchy carb (corn chip, bread, rice) or a cucumber slice
Add salt to taste
Add tomato paste for sweetness as well as to temper the heat to your desired taste
Add lemon juice if desired

Tomorrow at the store, I'm going to pick up some buffalo wings - and we'll whip us up some hot sauce n' wings!! Stay tuned...

*I am chicken, so I added 1/2 can of tomato paste before tasting it. I ended up using the whole can of tomato paste and about 1 T of lemon juice. It has good heat - but isn't scorching hot.
**Have a glass of cold milk nearby just in case. If you are like me - you'll need it. It has been scientifically proven that milk is the best thing to curb heat:)

Blackberry Syrup

This recipe is so easy! You can do this with any berry you have! My kids absolutely love it - and have asked to have it on top of everything they've eaten since I made it (anything from chicken to pasta salad) they've settled for having it on pancakes and toast. Blackberry Syrup
3 c. fresh blackberries

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. water

1. In heavy 3 quart saucepan, combine blackberries, sugar and water. Mix gently. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolved.
2. Bring to boiling over medium high heat. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft.
3. While cooking 2 to 3 more minutes gently mash fruit against pan with wooden spoon.
4. Cool to lukewarm. Strain fruit mixture by pressing through a sieve to remove all the seeds.
5. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

I doubled this recipe and ended up with 4 small jars of syrup. One to eat this week - and 3 to freeze!

What a fun way to use up fruit - it makes breakfast an extra special occasion!