homemade – Plum Cooking.com

Simple Homemade Sour Cream or “Créme Fraiche”

Karen and Denny's Kitchen — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 02:46:51 +0000

Homemade Sour Cream

Ever notice the more expensive the sour cream the fewer ingredients it seems to contain? Some of the cheapest brands out there may contain as much gelatin as they do cream.

When you make your own homemade sour cream you not only control the ingredients, but you also are quite probably able to save money over the price of the best brands on the shelf.

The price of cream can be a funny thing though, the sky seems to be the limit on price so you will most likely need to shop around to find the best deal.

No matter what though the first thing you’re going to need when making sour cream is buttermilk so if you haven’t done so already you may want to check our homemade buttermilk recipe

Looking for meats that are a cut above? Check out these meat markets in your area.

Find Other Homemade Condiments Here

Mayonnaise Delicious Old Fashioned And Homemade

Karen and Denny's Kitchen — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 15:25:29 +0000

Mayonnaise And Salad Dressing

Were not created equal

Most people know that mayonnaise and salad dressing are not the same thing, but other than taste could not tell you why.

They are both very similar products, but fans of good old fashioned mayonnaise fans will tell you they do not like salad dressing, and the hardcore salad dressing fan will tell you they do not like mayonnaise. Yet they will both tell you their favorite, no matter which of the two it may be, is creamier or has more zip than the other.

If you’ve tried different brands, you’ve likely even noticed that some are indeed thicker, and some are thinner than others. That fact, however, applies to both salad dressing and mayonnaise.

So what is the real difference between them then?
Mayonnaise is the emulsification of eggs, oil vinegar and, or lemon juice. You’ll want to add a little salt to bring out the flavor, and most decent recipes do call for a bit of mustard flour to help emulsify the mixture and add flavor, but that’s about it. Anything beyond that becomes classified as a salad dressing.

In addition, according to the U.S. Food And Drug Administration (FDA), if the package reads “mayonnaise” on the label, it must contain at least 65% vegetable oil by volume. Anything else would be considered dressing.

Is it Miracle Whip, Mayonnaise, or is it Salad Dressing?

Miracle Whip was developed in 1933 during the Great Depression as a cheaper alternative to mayonnaise. It does contain less than 65% vegetable oil by volume. Therefore by definition, it is a dressing. Miracle Whip also uses eggs and oil, but in different proportions than traditional mayonnaise. Miracle Whip also comes with added ingredients, such as sugars and spices.

Today, Miracle Whip is just one brand out of many brands of salad dressings on the market. Many of these are now sweetened using high fructose corn syrup as well.

Honestly, I think high fructose corn syrup is in almost every product you buy in a jar or a bottle at the store. Yet, we wonder why there is an issue with obesity in America. Hmm, I don’t think any rocket scientists are needed there.

Most salad dressings contain far less oil and calories than mayonnaise and may well be the go-to choice for those watching calories and fat, but they replace those oils and fats with sugar, high fructose corn syrups, and other highly refined ingredients. So is it a good trade-off? Only you can decide that for your home.

The bottom line is both mayonnaise and salad dressings are pretty much interchangeable. It just comes down to your taste preferences.

The thing to watch for when cooking with salad dressing, however, is low-calorie and low-fat versions. They may work well as a sandwich spread but may not work as well for cooking and baking.

12.7 Uses For Old Fashioned Mayonnaise

You May Have Never Thought Of

Of course, there are too many uses for mayonnaise to list, but here is a shortlist

Want a crispy golden-brown grilled cheese sandwich? Use mayonnaise instead of butter
Coat raw chicken before baking it for a perfect golden crispy outside
Make fresh creamy dressings such as
1. Ranch Dressing
2. Creamy Cucumber
3. Thousand Island Dressing
1. Honey Mustard
2. And so many more
Use it in your chocolate cake recipe (You’ll Be Amazed)
Making Homemade Macaroni Salad
Homemade Potato Salad
Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Use it to make Deviled Eggs
Use it in place of butter and milk to make creamy, fluffy Homemade Mashed Potatoes (Surprisingly Delicious)
Classic Cole Slaw
Make your very own Cheese Spreads
Add any seasonings you want. Chipotle, Garlic, Tobasco, The skies the limit

And Use Number 12.7

Remember those squeaky door hinges you have been meaning to get fixed but can’t find the 3-in-1? Well, a dab of mayonnaise will do the job just as well.

Can I Make Mayonnaise Myself At Home

Absolutely!

Just the price alone of a quart jar of mayonnaise may be a good motivation to do so. A quart jar of mayonnaise can range anywhere from $3 to $6 or more for the very same brand depending on where you live and shop.

It might just be me, but I can not come up with one good reason I should toss an extra three or four bucks at the same two-dollar jar of eggs, oil, and vinegar. Certainly not when you can make it at home in well under five minutes and be in control of the type of oil used and the quality of both the eggs and vinegar.

If you take the time to look, you will find many recipes online today telling you how to make mayonnaise. To be 100% honest here, and I am not trying to throw any of them under the bus, but I do not care for most of them.

Not because they do not work, they do, but most are so thin they seem to soak right into the slice of bread or degrade to an oily mess in your potato salad. All this before you even have the chance to serve your meal.
Deal Breaker!

That is why this recipe is for real, old-fashioned homemade mayonnaise and not for the watered-down versions they sell in the store these days or that you may find recipes for elsewhere on the internet.

K.I.S.S.

Keep It Simple Silly

When I look for a recipe to replace a storebought item, the resulting end product needs to benefit me in a way that the storebought version does not. Otherwise, why go through the trouble, right?

Of course, I would like my homemade items to cost less than the storebought version. Also, better taste, fewer preservatives, or healthier are considerations as well. My absolute number one reason for making something myself, though, is that if what I make turns out to be so ridiculously easy that I could not imagine paying for a pre-made version, I’m in.

Delicious Old-Fashioned Homemade Mayonnaise fits right into several of those, especially when it comes to ridiculously easy.

I know some recipes tell you to add the eggs, vinegar, and salt to a blender or food processor and then slowly drizzle the oil in while the machine is running.

Yes, that is true, and yes, it’s easy, but ridiculously easy comes in when you use a submersible mixer to make your mayonnaise. I’ve always just called this type of mixer a quick-stick.

I’m not sure if that was once a brand name at one time or if it just came out of my head, but the term fits and if you don’t own one, trust me, you want one. There are so many uses for this type of mixer. They are perfect for creamy soups, dips, sauces, and even smoothies.

To make mayonnaise this way, you first need to decide what eggs you’re going to use. You can use your favorite salt for this, sea salt, pink salt, or even table salt. It’s up to you. My personal preference is good old-fashioned kosher salt.

The vinegar you choose will make a difference in the overall flavor of your finished mayonnaise as well. Choose quality vinegar like apple cider or white wine vinegar, but plain white vinegar works also. You can also substitute lemon juice for the vinegar or experiment with a mixture of the two.

I would recommend using mustard flour also because it will help to emulsify and does add flavor.

Add the eggs, vinegar, oil, salt, and mustard flour to an appropriate-sized container such as a Mason Jar or a Tupperware container with a seal.

Place your quick stick down into the bottom of the container and turn it on high. Within seconds you’ll see the emulsification process begin. Move the mixer around throughout the container, making sure to move the mixer from top to bottom to blend and thicken everything. In just a matter of about a minute, you should have the thickest, richest mayonnaise you’ve ever tasted.

How Long Will It Keep

The Question I Always Get

Most Americans have been nothing short of bamboozled by expiration dates on their food these days. Many people even think these dates are required and regulated. The truth is, other than the formula used for babies, most of these dates are merely suggestions by the manufacturer.

For definitive answers on how long the food items will keep on your pantry shelves at home, I would strongly suggest a visit to my friends at Still Tasty. They are, in my opinion, the best shelf life guide you are likely to find on the internet, and I can all but guarantee you’ll discover you’ve been throwing a lot of cash in the trash over the years.

I assume the big concern with homemade mayonnaise is the fear of salmonella due to the use of raw eggs.

Sometimes I think concerns like this get exaggerated, and social media certainly has played a big part in that over the last several years.

In reality, as long as you follow a few simple rules, there should be no more concern about salmonella with homemade mayonnaise than with the stuff you purchase off the grocery store shelf.

Always work with clean equipment in a clean work area (duh)
If you are concerned about raw eggs, then always use pasteurized eggs to make mayonnaise, salad dressings, or anything else that uses raw eggs.
1. You kill salmonella with heat or acid.
2. Pasteurization is heat, and vinegar is acid.
3. As required by the United States Department of Agriculture, all egg products sold use pasteurized eggs.
  1. In the case of eggs sold in the shell, these are eggs, not egg products, and, therefore, may or may not be pasteurized.
  2. If they are pasteurized eggs, they will say so on the label.
You can use farm-fresh eggs or store-bought. If you’re concerned about raw eggs that are not pasteurized then you can pasteurize them yourself.
1. If you choose not to pasteurize them, that is your choice.
2. Personally, I have never concerned myself with this. I simply make certain to use quality eggs and have never had a problem.
3. If you’re going to pasteurize them then you need to bring the temperature of the yolk to around 138ºF. There are several ways to do this, and if you are going to be pasteurizing them often, I would strongly suggest using a Sous Vide. Owning one of these makes the job very simple to do.
4. To pasteurize a few eggs at a time, you need to place the eggs into a pan of cold water and bring the temperature up to 140ºF. Hold the eggs at that temperature for 3 minutes without letting the water get above 142ºF during the process. Using a digital thermometer is a great help when it comes to this.
5. After 3 minutes, place the eggs into cold water to stop the pasteurization process.
6. Once fully pasteurized, you can use these eggs just as you would any raw egg you purchased from the store.
The last but most important rule!
1. Whether you bought it at the store or made it yourself when in doubt, throw it out! It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than that.

So, Where Are We At On This One Sparky?

With the right equipment, you can make delicious old-fashioned homemade mayonnaise in less time than it takes to make a fresh pot of coffee
It can cost you as little as just over a dollar to make about a quart jar
Healthier may be a bit of a relative term when it comes to something made almost entirely out of oil, but when you make it yourself, you are in complete control of the type of oil, the quality of the eggs, and the type of vinegar used to make your mayonnaise
There are thousands of recipes that use mayonnaise as an ingredient. So when it comes to freshness and flavor, making it yourself is a real plus
Homemade always tastes better
As for homemade lasting longer than storebought, unless you added them yourself, there are no unpronounceable preservatives in your mayonnaise, but it should still keep in the refrigerator for several weeks

Super Easy Homemade Self Rising Flour

Karen and Denny's Kitchen — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 22:33:00 +0000

Homemade Self Rising Flour

A True Kitchen Workhorse

With homemade self rising flour you don’t need to go looking for baking powder or salt. It’s built right into your homemade self rising flour. There are hundreds of uses right out of the package.

Without adding additional baking powder or salt, you can use homemade self rising flour to make favorites such as,

pizza crust
cuppa, cuppa, canna (A Personal Favorite)
coffee cake
cream biscuits
cookies
and more.

For those recipes that still need a little more lift, you can always add additional baking soda to the mix.

During my life, I’ve loved to cook for as long as I can remember. I’ve worked in numerous kitchens in every position, from bottle washer to head chef. Additionally, I’ve lived in the southwest, southeast, and northern midwest, so I’ve had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of foods, recipes, and cooking styles. I have to say, the differences in cooking methods in various regions of the country have always amazed me.

While it’s available all over the country, my northern friends are far less likely to have self rising flour in their pantry. My southern friends would tend to ask, how the heck do you make fried chicken without self-rising flour? I have to admit I tend to lean southern on my personal cooking preferences.

Substituting Self-Rising Flour for All-Purpose Flour

Different brands of self-rising flour do vary slightly in the amount of leavening (baking powder) they add to their self-rising flour. In general, you can substitute self-rising flour right out of the bag for all-purpose flour in any recipe that calls for between, say, 1/2 teaspoon and 1 1/2 teaspoons per cup of flour.

If I’m using a store-bought brand, I will usually assume that it contains about 1 tsp per cup. That measure seems to work out pretty well when deciding if I need to add more.

That said, I do love the grab-and-go convenience of self-rising flour, but the variable from one brand to the next is one of the reasons I prefer to make mine rather than buy it.

Homemade Dry Mixes Save Time And Money

The truth is, whether you choose to start from scratch every single time or you choose the time-saving convenience of using homemade self rising flour, they both work. When you get used to having self-rising flour in your pantry, you’ll find it very quick and convenient to use in your kitchen.

If you’re going to use a store-bought brand, here are a few that get the Plum Cookin’ Recommendation

You can make self-rising flour yourself. It’s not difficult at all, but sadly, most of the recipes you’ll find will only tell you how to make a cup or two when you’re in a pinch.

Seriously, if you’re going to take the time to make a cup or two, why on earth would you not just make a pound or two? Or five, for that matter?

All you need is a large bowl, a whisk, an air-tight container, and a couple of minutes. It works just as well, keeps just as well, and will probably cost you less to boot.

At the very least, you’ll have a supply in the pantry when you need it, even if it’s months down the line.

One big bonus to having self-rising flour on hand that no one ever mentions is that now, you have a mix you can build upon to create dozens of other ready-made dry mixes. Some great examples are,

Preseasoned coating for fish
Preseasoned coating for chicken
All-purpose baking mix
Buttermilk Biscuit Mix
Pancake Mix
Waffle Mix
Hot Roll Mix
Bread Mix
All can be made by starting with self-rising flour as a base, to name just a few.

Once you find that perfect seasoning blend the whole family loves, turn it into a pre-made dry mix. The possibilities are endless, and the taste and consistency of your recipes will improve.

Easy How To Make Brown Sugar Recipe

Karen and Denny's Kitchen — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 01:09:00 +0000

How To Make Brown Sugar With Just 2 Ingredients

Seriously, just 2 ingredients to make brown sugar? Can it really be that easy?

It has happened to all of us right in the middle of making your favorite banana nut bread or chocolate chip cookie recipe. You reach up for the brown sugar only to discover the bag is empty. Or, if you have kids, the bag is just missing altogether. No need to ask who, because you already know it was the mystery kid down the street named Not Me. In my house, the kid was here so often I threatened to set a dinner plate out for him, but I digress.

At this point, you may think about using plain old granulated sugar instead of brown sugar, but you know it will not come out the same. So what do you do? Run to the store, skip the recipe altogether?
Why not learn how to make brown sugar at home and on the spot? Yep, as long as you have two common pantry staples in your pantry, you have brown sugar.

Are You Using Fresh Brown Sugar

I mean really fresh brown sugar, not the stuff you find in the bag at your local grocery store. In fact, if you’ve ever learned how to make brown sugar yourself, you have probably never tasted fresh.

The difference between the brown sugar you buy off the grocery store shelf and the homemade 2-ingredient brown sugar is stunning.

Honestly, this recipe is the real thing and not a substitute recipe. This no-fail recipe is so easy to make and makes the best around. This brown sugar will work in any recipe and will store perfectly well in an airtight container kept in your pantry. If you want moist, aromatic, brown sugar, rich in both flavor tones and color? I believe homemade is the only way to go

So How Do I Do This

Even though they are not, we tend to think of sugar and brown sugar as two completely different things. Whether you are looking to learn how to make brown sugar light, or dark, this is probably one of the easiest recipes on the site because it requires just two ingredients!

Granulated sugar. Yep, plain white sugar. We can talk about the differences between cane sugar, beet sugar, and raw sugar later.
Unsulphured molasses.
These two ingredients are all it takes to make brown sugar yourself and creates both its moist texture and distinct flavor.

When making just a cup or two at a time, you need no fancy equipment. All you need is a mixing bowl, a spatula, a spoon, or a sturdy whisk.

Add the granulated sugar and molasses to a mixing bowl.
Stir the sugar and molasses together until they are well combined.
When you see no lumps, no clumps, and everything is one even color, poof, you’re done.

Better Still

Once you discover how to make brown sugar you’ll also discover that it stores every bit as well as the store-bought version. So as long as you have a mixer of any kind. Be it a hand mixer, stand mixer, or a child who was silly enough to say they are bored, you can make brown sugar by the pound.

Personally, my preference these days is the stand mixer, and you can check out that process in the video below. But then my kids and grandkids all learned long ago never to tell me they were bored. Your preference may vary.

FAQ’s

How should I store this?

You are going to want an airtight container. Here is what I use, and I will always recommend storing things like brown sugar in because they work. These are incredibly durable containers that can last a lifetime. The best part, when I open one up months later, my brown sugar is still perfect.
What I would never recommend for store-bought brown sugar or for your fresh when you make brown sugar yourself, is a plastic bag. Even when you squeeze the air out, sooner or later, the bag will get torn, then leak, and eventually attract critters. Worst of all, at some point, end up in a landfill or the ocean.

Will this work as a brown sugar substitute?

Beyond Yes, when you make brown sugar yourself, it is the real thing, not a substitute. This is what’s in the bag at the store. It’s just fresh!

Does brown sugar go bad?

Whether you choose to make it one cup at a time or five pounds at a time, storing it in an airtight container will keep it fresh.
As for how long it will last? When properly stored and kept free from contaminants, when you make brown sugar it has an indefinite shelf life.
We tend to think of sugar as a sweetener, and it certainly is. Not only is it sweet, but it can also be a preservative.
- The Big Six Methods of Preserving.
  - Freezing Food – Preserves food by lowering the temperature at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
  - Dehydrating – Reducing moisture of food to low levels
  - Pickling – preserve (food or other perishable items) in vinegar, brine, or a similar solution.
  - Canning – Storing, properly, cooked food in a vacuum-sealed jar or can)
  - Curing – Using salts to draw the moisture from food for preservation
  - Candying – Cooked in or with sugar, or syrup, to preserve

Why does my brown sugar become hard?

Air hardens brown sugar. Airtight containers help prevent this.

How do I soften brown sugar?

If you use a bag or a container that is not airtight to store your brown sugar, sooner or later, you will own a doorstop. Don’t panic! Place a slice of bread in the package with the brown sugar, and within a few hours, the bread will harden, and the sugar will be nice and soft again.

What’s the difference between light and dark brown sugar?

The only difference between light and dark is the amount of molasses added to the sugar. Dark has more molasses.

A Few Things You Can Make With Brown Sugar

Frosting
Cookies
Syrup
Caramel Corn
Muffins
Pineapple Upsidedown Cake
Apple Cake
The list goes on and on

Your Great Grand Parents Were Wiser Than You Think

They Bought In Bulk
Stored In Bulk
They realized surviving tomorrow, just may depend on it