How to make your own clarified butter

Clarified butter is anhydrous milk fat rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat.  Having the butter in this form increases its smoking point and also extends the butters shelf life.  I like to use clarified butter in sautéing seafood as well as when cooking up my eggs in the morning.  It is very easy to make your own clarified butter in your kitchen.

Step 1: Melt the butter.  Start with 1-2 cubes of butter and place in a saucepan at medium-low heat.  Stir while the butter melts.  Once the butter has completed melting remove from heat and let sit for 3 minutes.

Step 2 Separate the solids.  Now that most the water has evaporated and the solids have separated you now need to remove these solids.  Many techniques call for carefully skimming these solids out but this had always seemed pretty tedious and I never got an much out as I wanted.  For this reason I go with a filtering method using preferably three layers of cheesecloth but in a pinch a coffee filter or even a simple paper towel can work.  Place the “filter” over your container and secure with a rubber band. 

Carefully pour the melted butter on top of the filter and allow about 5-10 minutes for the liquid to filter through.  Tip:  You may want to carefully push some of the solids to the side if the flow to the container seems to slow (or stop).

Step 3: Cool. You have now created your own nice and clear clarified butter.  Now simply cover your container and place back into your refrigerator and use as needed.

Light wheat bread recipe

Like many recipes this one was completely created by accident.  I was making my typical sweet white bread recipe but unfortunately halfway through I realized we were short a cup of white flour.  Thinking fast, I replaced it with a cup of whole wheat.  Not only did it make the bread for nutritious and was much more flavorful at the same time so this has now become my staple recipe for bread.

Simple Light Wheat Bread Dough Recipe

• 1 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 tablespoon of active yeast
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 cups of while flour

Directions:

• Dissolve sugar in warm water, followed by yeast in power mixer.  Allow to proof until contents looks like some light brown cream foam. 
• Add salt and oil and mix to combine.
• Switch to hook attachment and add flour until dough does not stick to your finger when you touch it. 
• Let the hook do some of the kneading work for you by letting it run for 4-5 minutes on a medium/low setting.
• Knead by hand for 3 minutes or until smooth (adding flour if it still sticks to your hands)
• Cover with damp cloth and allow to rise until it doubles in size. (about an hour depending on temperature of your kitchen)
• Punch down bread dough and place into well oiled 9X5 inch loaf pans allowing to rise for 30 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
• While still hot baste the top of bread with butter.
• Once cool, if there is any left by then, slice up and place into a gallon Ziploc bag.

Pumpkin cheesecake recipe

I decided to combine a couple of my favorite desserts this Thanksgiving and was pleasantly surprised with the results of my first pumpkin cheesecake (or cheesecake for that matter)  Though the prospect of making a cheesecake may sound daunting it is actually pretty simple to make.

How to make homemade chicken stock

With the holidays coming up and a half a rotisserie chicken from Costco in the fridge on the verge of having to be thrown out, I decided to try out making my own chicken stock.  Of course you can buy this stuff in a can or carton but it will never have the rich flavor by doing it yourself.  As an added bonus it gives your whole house the aroma of Thanksgiving turkey in the oven as a little foreshadow of things to come.

Homemade frozen pumpkin ice cream recipe

Looking for more ways to use up some of my pumpkin puree and decided to make some pumpkin ice cream, though technically this should be called pumpkin frozen custard, either way it tastes great.

Homemade pumpkin bread recipe

After having an abundance of cooked pumpkin after over purchasing on a couple of organic pie pumpkins I decided to make some pumpkin bread, here is the recipe I have had great success with.

First pork shoulder on the BBQ

I picked up a Brinkmann Smoke’N Grill Charcoal Smoker (El Cheapo Brinkmann aka ECB) to make some chipotle peppers but after seeing a Labor Day sale on pork shoulders (aka pork butt) I decided it was time to get this baby worked in.

Whether it is gardening or cooking I am never one to jump right into something new without thorough research so after some data gathering this is what I found:

• Have to cook low and slow.  Unlike better quality of meats shoulder/briskets are loaded with connective tissue given these are the main working muscles of the beast.  As a result cooking these fast will result in some very tough meat.  Alternatively cooking at a lower temperature over a longer period of time will result in delicious tender meat.
• 200-225 is the ideal range to cook your meat for optimum tenderness.
• After an internal temperature 145F your meat can no longer build a thicker smoke ring.
• Meat is done when the internal temperature is at least 185F

Homemade White Chicken Soup Recipe

When you think about “homemade” it is hard to not to think about some good ole homemade chicken soup.  I have made chicken soup from scratch but normally cut some corners by using some precooked chicken and skipping the whole chicken stock process.  This time I decided to do things closer to “how my grandma would make it”.

Homemade Chicken Stock Recipe

Ingredients

• 4-5 lbs of chicken breasts (skin on)
• 6 cups of water
• 1 large onion (peeled and cut in half)
• 3 bay leaves
• 12 whole black peppercorns
• 1 celery stock broken in half (3 stalks set aside)
• 1/2 lb of baby carrots
• 3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• chicken bouillon powder or concentrate to make 6 cups of chicken broth (about 1/4 cup chicken bouillon powder)

Directions

• Add chicken to pot and fill with water to just cover chicken
• Cook over high heat to bring water to boil, reduce heat and cover then simmer for 30 minutes
• Skim off and fat floating on top (with chicken breasts there shouldn’t be too much here)
• Place remaining ingredients into pot and simmer for 1 hour

• Strain solids and dispose everything but chicken which when cool enough to handle cut into bite size pieces

 

Homemade White Chicken Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• Homemade chicken stock (see above)
• 1/2 pound baby carrots (sliced)
• 3 stalks celery (halved and sliced)
• 1 tsp chopped parsley
• Cooked chicken (chopped in bite size pieces)
• Wide egg noodles

Directions

• Return stock back to pot and add carrots and celery to pot.   Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

• Add the chicken and parsley to the pot and serve over cooked egg noodles.

Note: You can also add the uncooked at the same time as chicken/parsley and boil for 10 minutes (or until noodles are soft) though this is way to much for our family to eat in 1-2 sittings so we normally freeze about 2/3 of this for a few easy meals later.

Spicy Homemade Chicken Chili Recipe

I decided to try my luck with some homemade chili.  After perusing a few different recipes it became clear that chili should be a dish you just through together and adjust as needed.  After a couple attempts here is my favorite version and a piece of cake to make.

Spicy Chili Chicken Chili Recipe

• 16 oz can Pinto beans
• 16 oz can White beans
• 16 oz can Black beans
• 10-12 oz of cooked chicken breasts
• 16 oz can of Diced tomatoes
• 16 oz can of Tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1-2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1/4 cup diced jalapenos
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 2 tablespoons Ketchup

Directions

Just dump all ingredients into crock pot and set to high for one hour. Reduce to low and cook for 6 more hours. Feel free to add remove spice to taste with the advice, much easier to add spice later than try to remove if you add too much.

If you are feeling very adventurous add a 1/4 tsp of Bhut Jolokia powder for a very unique flavor.

You can add some chips, cheese, and sour cream for a more filling meal or skip them for a pretty nutritious snack with the nutritional information below.

Homemade low carb protein bar/cookie recipe

Though many of my previous posts have been some serious fat/flour intensive creations, like many of us I have a few extra pounds to shed.  The problem is eating healthy can sometimes get expensive especially when you are out of town.  With an upcoming vacation coming and not wanting to spend $3-4 each for some convenient protein bars I set out to make my own. 

Not finding a recipe I liked or matching the final nutritional balance I was looking for I created a recipe based on my protein/carbohydrate/sugar/fiber/fat needs and left taste to chance.

Low-carb Protein Bar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups oat flour (don’t have? any just grind oatmeal with a blender)
• 1 cup soy protein
• 15 packets artificial sweetener
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tablespoons flax seed meal
• 2 envelopes Hot Cocoa Mix (No Sugar Added)
• 6 heaping teaspoons clear fiber supplement
• 6 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup of water

Directions

Add all dry ingredients and mix thoroughly, in separate bowl add peanut butter and microwave for 30 seconds then mix in remaining wet ingredients and then slowly mix in with dry ingredients.  Add water until you get the consistency of cookie dough (slightly sticky)

Drop on cookie sheet, you can place these very close since they should not spread.   Should make about 2 dozen cookies

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes

After you take them out of the oven tap them with a fork to flatten them out a little (for storage) and enjoy warm or store in air tight contain for about a week.

Results

Though I was looking at taste as a secondary quality it turns out they a tasty and a nice soft cookie.  Though they will crumble if abused but they can easily be squeezed back into whatever shape you desire.  Cooking the bars/cookies a little longer would allow them to withstand a little more abuse if you are planning on throwing these in a backpack for a long hike, etc.

Nutritional Info

Serving Size: One Cookie

Fat: 5.4 grams
Carbohydrates: 6.9 grams
Fiber: 3.8 grams
Sugar: 3.5 grams
Protein: 10.7 grams

Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese – Store versus Homemade

To teach my kids that  macaroni and cheese doesn’t always have to come from a box I decided to make some from scratch.  Here is the recipe I went with.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup American cheese (cubed)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook noodles as package dictates and set aside.
• Melt butter in saucepan until it starts sizzling at medium heat.  Stir in flour, salt, and pepper.  Add milk and constantly stir and allow to boil for 7-8 minutes.
• Reduce temperature to low and slowly add cheese and stir until cheese is completely melted.
• Combine noodles and cheese and place in a casserole dish and grate cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes (or until cheese is melted)

 

The Contender – Store Bought

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, $1.09

Ingredients: Enriched Macaroni Product (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate [Iron], Thiamin Hydrochloride [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid); Cheese Sauce Mix (Whey, Milkfat, Milk Protein Concentrate, Salt, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Contains Less than 2% of Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Calcium Phosphate, Milk, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Enzymes, Cheese Culture).

After adding the required required milk and butter the total cost of the store bought meal is $1.43.

The Challenger - Homemade

Here are the costs of making this recipe yourself:

Ingredient	Amount	Cost
Macaroni	2 cups	$ 0.12
Butter	4 tablespoons	$ 0.265
Flour	4 tablespoons	$ 0.031
Salt	1/2 teaspoon	$ 0.003
Pepper	1/8 teaspoon	$ 0.001
Milk	2 cups	$ 0.374
Cheese	1 cup	$ 1.250

All together it cost $3.01 to make this recipe. 

The Decision…

	Store bought	Homemade
Price
Taste
Difficulty

As far as cost goes it was much more expensive for the homemade on this one.  Making this recipe is much more expensive than the store equivalent.  The homemade version produces a larger meal than the store bought version though not enough to factor this into the equation.

I used both my daughters again as a judge for taste on this one.  My oldest daughter said 4 stars for homemade and one star for store bought.  Though she was sure to point out that Trader Joes Mac and Cheese was just a little better…looks like I might have another challenge on my hands.

Though this is the first time that homemade code more, I can’t argue with the creamy taste of the homemade version, when pressed for time I may still crack open the Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese though still will continue to make the homemade version when I have the time.

Homemade Pizza Lunchables – Store versus Homemade

My youngest daughter loves her Pizza Lunchables, she would eat them for every meal if we would let her.  I am not sure if it is the taste or just the fact she gets to construct her lunch.  Being out of them we decided to make our own.

As many discoveries are found by mistake, I found that my tortillas had a similar (but better) taste to the Lunchable “pizza crust” if I cooked them too long at low heat.  Though there are better instructions on the original post here is the recipe I used for my pizza crusts:

Lunchable Pizza Crust Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup milk

Directions: Add dry ingredients to mixer and set to low speed.  Add wet ingredients to separate bowl, whisk briefly and slowly add wet ingredients to mixer.  If the dough is still sticky when you touch it add about a teaspoon of flour at a time until it no longer sticks to your fingers.

Cover and let dough rest for ten minutes.  Separate into 8 equal pieces and cover and let rest for 20 minutes. 

Use a roller to spread the dough out to about 6-7 inch circular shape.  Cook on a dry skillet on stove (or electric griddle) at medium-low heat for until sides are lightly browned on both sides and set aside.

Lunchable Pizza Sauce recipe

• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar (more or less depending on children/adult’s tastes)

Directions:  I give the above amounts as a baseline but pizza sauce is fun to play with and adjust by personal taste.  Be sure to include the kids to give their culinary opinions on what to add next.  Add water or let reduce to get the right constancy, of well pizza sauce.

As for the final construction the kids should be able to figure this part.  Take a pizza crust, spread on a little sauce (preferable still hot/warm) and sprinkle on some cheese and you are done.  You can also throw it in an oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes to fully melt the cheese.

The Contender – Store Bought

Lunchables Pepperoni Pizza, $1.99 (contains 3 small pizzas)

Ingredients: Pizza Crusts: Wheat Flour (Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour [Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Wheat Flour), Water, Soybean Oil, Glycerine, Sugar, Contains 2% or Less of: Yeast, Vital Wheat Gluten, Mono- and Diglycerides, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Guar Gum, Carboxymethylcellulose, Datem, Calcium Propionate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Enzyme, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sorbic Acid.    Pizza Sauce: Water, Tomato Paste, Sugar, Contains Less than 2% of Modified Food Starch, Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Spice, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate as a Preservative, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor. Pasteurized Prepared Mozzarella Cheese Product: Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Water, Whey Protein Concentrate, Milk Protein Concentrate, Milkfat, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Sorbic Acid as a Preservative, Enzymes, Cheese Culture. Pepperoni Flavored Sausage: Pork, Water, Pepperoni (Pork, Salt, Spices, Dextrose, Garlic Powder, Lactic Acid Starter Culture, Sodium Nitrite

The Challenger - Homemade

Here are the costs of making these yourself:

Pizza Crust

Ingredient	Amount	Cost
Flour	2 cups	$ 0.249
Baking Powder	1.5 teaspoons	$ 0.048
Milk	3/4 cup	$ 0.140
Salt	1 teaspoons	$ 0.007
Vegetable Oil	2 teaspoons	$ 0.017
Total Cost		$ 0.462

Pizza Sauce + Cheese

Ingredient	Amount	Cost
Tomato sauce	15 oz can	$ 0.69
Onion powder	1 teaspoon	$ 0.043
Garlic salt	1 teaspoon	$ 0.041
Sugar	1 teaspoon	$ 0.001
Olive oil	1 tablespoon	$ 0.176
Cheese	1/4 cup	$ 0.313
Total		$ 0.951

 

All together it cost $1.73 to make eight  7 inch pizzas, given the Lunchable variety contain three 5 inch pizzas, going by surface area it takes two Lunchable pizzas to equal one homemade pizza so the homemade recipe makes the equivalent of 5.33 packaged Pizza Lunchables.

The Decision…

	Store bought	Homemade
Price
Taste
Difficulty

As far as cost goes it was much cheaper to to homemade on this one.  For only $1.73 I was able to create the equivalent of 5.33 packaged Lunchables which would have cost $10.61 to buy in the store.

I used both my daughters a a judge for taste on this one.  My oldest daughter said 5 stars for homemade and one star for store bought.  My youngest daughter (who is very partial to Lunchables) stated that this was a little better.  So giving homemade another win.

Though we only had one leftover pizza crust for our family of four, these easily could be added to a school lunch using a nice partitioned Tupperware, to not only save money but also creating less waste.