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Refreshing summertime pick-me-up drink < Back Orange Julius Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: Serves: 2 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, unsweetened 1 cup milk 1 cup water 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 large ice cubes Preparation Mix on high in a blender until all ingredients are thoroughly creamed together. Serve cold on a hot summer day. Previous Next

There is nothing “Everyday” about these waffles – not unless you want to eat them every day! Yes, they are that good. < Back Everyday Waffles Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 1/3 cups all-purpose white flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 2 slightly beaten egg yolks 1 ¾ cup milk ½ oil 2 stiffly beaten egg whites Preparation Mix dry ingredients together. Add egg yolks, milk, and oil, stir until moistened. Carefully fold in whites, leaving a few fluffs. Pour batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown. Best eaten when they are hot while they are crisp on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. Serve hot with butter and syrup. It is also good served with fruit and whipped cream, or with an easy-over egg on topped, slathered with syrup. Previous Next

< Back Danish Dumplings Better than homemade noodles and we love noodles! Previous Next

Put this Easy Shepherd's Pie on the table tonight in just 30 minutes. This Easy Shepherd's Pie includes mashed potatoes, veggies, meat and enough cheese to make your heart happy! < Back Easy Shepherd's Pie Prep Time: 30 Min(s) | 10 Min(s) Prep | 20 Min(s) Cook Cook Time: 20 Min(s) Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 pound ground beef 1 can tomato soup 1 can green beans 1/2 teaspoon fresh or garlic powder (to taste) 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage (to taste) Salt and pepper to taste Mashed Potatoes Topper 5 medium sized russet potatoes , or 6 large red potatoes 1/2 cup milk 4 tablespoons melted butter Salt and pepper to taste 1+ cup shredded cheese Preparation Heat oven to 375ºF. Brown meat in a large skillet; strain, then rinse with hot water. Return meat to the skillet. Add spices, green beans and tomato soup; mix well. Spoon into a 9x13 casserole dish. Boil potatoes in salted water until they are fork tender. Once cooked, strain potatoes, put into a bowl and mash. Mix in butter, milk, and salt and pepper until blended. Spoon over the meat mixture. Cover potato topping with cheddar cheese Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted. .

This mushroom and chestnut risotto is a warm and cozy dinner, especially during winter! It's simple, easy, low-fat and gluten-free! < Back Mushroom and Chestnut Cream Risotto Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 2-3 Level: Beginer About the Recipe This mushroom and chestnut risotto is a warm and cozy dinner, especially during winter! It's simple, easy, low-fat and gluten-free! Ingredients 2-3 tablespoons olive oil 9 oz (250 grams) white mushrooms, sliced 1 small onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, whole or minced for stronger flavor ½ cup dry white wine 1 cup rice, suitable for risotto 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth if you’re not vegetarian (you may not need it all) 7 oz (200 grams) chopped chestnuts (roasted/cooked) ½ cup evaporated milk Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup grated parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano) Preparation Who else thinks that you can never have too many risotto recipes? If you answered “me!!!” then you’re my kind of people! This mushroom and chestnut creamy risotto recipe takes advantage of the warm and nutty taste of chestnuts and combines it with some earthy mushrooms to create a simple and comforting dish. It doesn’t have any bold flavors that will punch you in the face, but it will make you love it for its subtle, mellow character which will warm your heart. Plus, it’s easy to make and doesn’t require many ingredients, so it’s perfect for this time of the year when we’re in the middle of a baking frenzy trying to get ready for the holidays! Personally, I still haven’t made not one batch of almond snow cookies (kourabiedes) or even a pan of honey-soaked cookies (melomakarona) both of which are Greek traditional cookies found in every home this time of the year. So, as you can understand, there’s a lot of work to be done! As I’ve said, this mushroom and chestnut risotto recipe is all about soft and subtle flavors so I haven’t used any dried porcini like I’d normally do with a mushroom risotto. If you feel like incorporating some into the recipe, you’ll have to soak them for a few hours and add them to the pan after you add the wine. This recipe doesn’t use any butter and all the cream is replaced with evaporated milk , so it manages to stay lower in fat than your average risotto. However, keep in mind that some fat is introduced from the grated parmesan cheese which makes this mushroom and chestnut risotto extra creamy and flavorful. Another thing that adds to the creaminess is the right type of rice used, so choose wisely! See notes/tips below for some good types of rice usually used for risotto. Some notes/tips: This recipe doubles easily , you’ll just need a large saucepan. To enhance the flavor of the mushrooms you must sauté them in a very hot pan, without stirring very often, until they are well browned and caramelized. When we say parmesan cheese we mean Parmigiano Reggiano! Use a type of rice suitable for risotto such as Carnaroli, Arborio, Carolina, or San Andrea . You can substitute whole milk for evaporated milk with a slight difference in the end result. Transfer the broth to a pot, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to very low to keep the broth hot. In the meantime, heat a large pan over high heat, add the mushrooms and the olive oil and sauté until well browned and caramelized, about (6-7 minutes). Reduce heat to medium/high and add the onion and garlic. Stir until the onion is translucent and soft (about 3-5 minutes). Add the rice, salt, and pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until almost evaporated, then add the chestnuts and start adding the broth gradually, about ½ cup at a time, stirring quite often and waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. If needed, reduce heat to a simmer. When you have used about 3 cups of broth, add the milk and start tasting the risotto to determine when it’s ready. At this point, you may or may not need the extra cup of broth. When the risotto is almost but not completely ready, add the parmesan and stir for 1 minute until thick and creamy. Serve immediately. Eat! NOTES If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding some grated nutmeg and a bit of lemon zest just before you take the pan off the heat. Previous Next

What to do with watermelon rind or peel? Aromatic and sweet watermelon rind jam or candied watermelon rind. < Back Watermelon Rind Jam Prep Time: Cook Time: 1 Hour 50 Minutes Serves: 2 - 3 Small Jars Level: Beginner About the Recipe What to do with watermelon rind or peel? Aromatic and sweet watermelon rind jam or candied watermelon rind. Ingredients 750 – 850 g/ 1.7 – 1.9 lbs watermelon rind weighed after preparing it granulated sugar about 500 g/ 1.1 lbs (depending on how much cooked rind you have) 1 liter/ 34 fl.oz/ 4.2 cups water 150 ml/ 5 fl.oz/ ⅔ cup white wine vinegar the juice of 1 lemon Preparation OK, I am sure you will not make watermelon rind jam out of all the watermelons you get to eat in the summer, but taking the time to do this at least once or twice, it's really worth it. You will love these sweet, jewel-like pieces of watermelon rind, you will probably not be able to eat half a jar in one go, but you will be delighted with a moderate amount of it on your toast or just being able to pop a small piece of candied watermelon rind in your mouth whenever you crave something sweet. One piece of candied watermelon rind and you will forget about chocolate, gummy bears, or candy or whatever sweets you normally cannot resist. At least it works for me, but I was never much into chocolate, gummy bears or candy... How to make watermelon rind jam? Well, the process is easy but it involves a few steps and a bit of chopping. But like I've said it before, it is well worth it! The result will be a jam the likes of you probably never had before, unless you're Romanian and grew up on a thing called “dulceata”, which is some kind of jam, but quite different from the regular jam you are used to. I think you will love those rather firm watermelon rind pieces surrounded by that sweet and heavy syrup. Dulceata or “sweetness” is a kind of preserve made with whole fruits (in this case the chopped watermelon rind) boiled in a lot of sugar, normally on a 1:1 ratio, until the liquid becomes a clear syrup surrounding those glossy fruit or fruit pieces. As dulceata is way sweeter than regular jam, you will only need a small amount of it on your buttered toast, for instance. And the fruit can be used not only to eat as it is, but you can also put it into cakes, stir it into desserts and so on. steps: Remove the green skin of the watermelon completely. Make sure to leave a tiny amount of red watermelon flesh attached to the rind pieces you want to use for the jam. It makes things prettier, however, you don't want to leave too much of it attached, I would say about 2 mm/ 0.08 inches. Chop the rind as evenly as possible, about 3-4 cm/ 1.2-1.6 inches. You should weigh the watermelon rind now and prepare more if necessary, you will need roughly 750 – 850 g/ 1.7 – 1.9 lbs, weighed after preparing the rind. If you don't have enough, prepare some more. Cook the watermelon rind pieces in water and vinegar, this step takes about an hour, but it is a necessary step. The vinegar will help the watermelon rind pieces hold their shape and not get soggy. After cooking the watermelon rind in vinegar, let drain well. When cool enough to handle, press with your hand to remove more of the excess water. Weigh the drained and pressed watermelon pieces. You will need exactly the same amount of sugar as the rind weighs, so 1 to 1 ratio. You will have more or less 500 g/ 1.1 lbs of watermelon rind pieces. Place the sugar in the rinsed pot you used before. Add 250 ml/ 8.5 fl. oz/ 1 cup water to the sugar and turn on the heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup comes to a boil, add the watermelon rind and the lemon juice. Cook until a light syrup forms, it took me exactly 38 minutes. Place the watermelon rind jam into the sterilized jars and seal well. Keep in a dark cool place. If the jars are sterilized and well-sealed the jam should be good for a very long time. How long to cook the jam? The most difficult thing for me when making dulceata is finding the perfect time to stop the cooking process. If the jam is cooked too shortly, the syrup will not form properly and the jam will be runny. If you overcook the jam, the syrup will taste too much like caramel and become too hard, I had to throw away a whole batch of cherry dulceata because I was not even able to stick a spoon in the finished and cooled product... *However, to make it easier for you, I measured the cooking time exactly, and considering you will follow the instructions and use a pot that has roughly the same size as mine, you should be able to stop the cooking process at the right time. I used a soup pot with a diameter of 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches. Of course, I don't expect you to have the exact same pot or to buy one extra for this, but a similar sized one will help you with keeping the indicated cooking time better. If your pot is wider, start checking if the syrup is formed before the indicated time is over, if your pot is narrower it might take a bit longer. The syrup should have more or less the consistency of runny clear honey. The source of this recipe is Silvia Jurcovan's Cookbook. I only made half a batch and got 2 ½ small jars. Instructions: Remove the red flesh of the watermelon, leaving only one very thin layer of red flesh attached to the rind, about 2 mm/ 0.08 inches. Remove the green skin of the watermelon completely. Chop the watermelon rind into even pieces of about 3-4 cm/ 1.2-1.6 inches. You should weigh the watermelon rind now and prepare more if necessary. Place 1 liter/ 34 oz/ 4.2 cups water and the vinegar in a pot with a diameter of approximately 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches (*See the marked paragraph above). Bring to a boil, add the watermelon rind and let cook for about an hour or a bit more until the rind pieces are glossy and somehow transparent. It is a necessary step, the vinegar will help the watermelon rind pieces hold their shape and not get soggy. Drain in a sieve, refresh with cold water and, when cool enough to handle, press with your hand to remove more of the excess water. Weigh the watermelon rind again. You should have more or less 500 g/ 1.1 lbs cooked rind. Set aside. Measure the sugar, you should use the same amount of sugar as you have of cooked watermelon rind, so about 500 g/ 1.1 lbs. Place the sugar in the rinsed pot you used before. Add 250 ml/ 8.5 oz/ 1 cup water to the sugar and turn on the heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar. When the syrup comes to a boil, add the watermelon rind and the lemon juice. Cook until a light syrup forms, it took me exactly 38 minutes, but as I have mentioned above, the cooking time depends on the size of the pot as well. I used a soup pot with a diameter of 23 cm/ 9 inches and a height of 14 cm/ 5.5 inches. If your pot has a similar size the time should be OK, if your pot is wider the cooking time will probably be shorter, if your pot is narrower the cooking time will probably be a bit longer. The finished syrup should be light in color and have more or less the consistency of clear honey. Place the jam into the sterilized jars and seal well. Keep in a dark cool place. If the jars are sterilized and well-sealed the jam should be good for a very long time. Previous Next

Canning strawberries is an easy and versatile way to put up the berry harvest. While strawberry jam may be tasty on toast, canning whole strawberries means you preserve the whole fruit for use in pies, toppings, tarts, and treats all year long. < Back Canning Strawberries Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 5 Minutes Serves: 2 Pints Level: Beginner About the Recipe Canning strawberries is an easy and versatile way to put up the berry harvest. While strawberry jam may be tasty on toast, canning whole strawberries means you preserve the whole fruit for use in pies, toppings, tarts, and treats all year long. Ingredients 4 cups strawberries, washed & hulled 1/2 cup sugar (optional - see instructions for no sugar method) 1/4 to 1/2 tsp citric acid (optional) Preparation Most people preserve strawberries by canning them as a strawberry jam, dehydrating strawberry slices, or freezing whole berries for more versatility. Living off the grid, our freezer space is limited, and shelf-stable food preservation methods are always preferred. HOW TO CAN STRAWBERRIES Canning strawberries is simple and only takes two ingredients: cleaned, hulled whole strawberries and a bit of sugar. The berries are dusted with sugar and then left to sit for about 6 hours to release their juice. This allows you to can the strawberries in their own juice, so the flavor isn’t washed out by canning water. The best strawberries for canning are firm-fleshed berries, the same varieties that are rated as good for freezing. Keep in mind that very soft-fleshed fruits will disintegrate during the canning process, and you’ll end up with more of a strawberry compote than whole canned strawberries. Once the strawberries have had time to release a bit of juice, prepare a water bath canner and canning jars. Wide-mouth pints or quarts tend to work best. Bring the whole strawberries and strawberry juice to a simmer, trying to stir as little as possible so that you don’t break up the berries. Simmer the berries for about 1 minute so that they’re heated through, and then pack them tightly into canning jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Pour the boiling strawberry juice over the top, still leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace and seal the jars with 2-part canning lids before processing in a water bath canner for 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts. (Be sure to adjust canning times for altitude.) The berries will shrink a bit during the canning process, so really work to get them in there if you don’t want half-filled jars. HOW MANY STRAWBERRIES WILL FIT IN A CANNING JAR? The size of the strawberries will affect the number of whole strawberries you can fit in a canning jar. It takes somewhere between 2 and 3 pounds of strawberries to fill a quart jar, or about 4 cups of whole strawberries, hulls removed. Similarly, for wide-mouth pint mason jars, it takes 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of berries to fill a jar or about 2 cups prepared. CANNING STRAWBERRIES WITHOUT SUGAR Just like any high-acid fruit, strawberries are perfectly safe to can without added sugar. The problem is, canning them directly in water means that sugar and flavor will leach into the water, washing out the flavor of the fruit. If you want to can the strawberries directly in water, add about ¼ cup of water to a pot per 2 pounds of strawberries and bring it to a simmer. Cook the berries for a few minutes until they release ample juice, and then pack into canning jars. This extra cook time will also mean softer fruit, which may lose shape more than sugared berries. Another option is to take a small portion of the strawberries and mash them in a pan, then simmer them to extract their juice. Pour the simmered strawberries through a jelly bag to filter out the solids, and then use this freshly made strawberry juice as a no sugar-added strawberry canning liquid. Canning strawberry juice (without added strawberries) is also an option, and it’s delicious. Similarly, home-canned strawberry lemonade concentrate is one of a kind. Both use extracted strawberry juice, so you can juice strawberries for your canning liquid in this recipe and then keep a bit extra for canning alone. MAINTAINING STRAWBERRY QUALITY DURING CANNING Strawberries are a soft fruit, and they will soften and discolor during long storage. If stored for more than a few months, canned strawberries will darken. Quality and flavor are best with berries canned with some amount of sugar, but beyond that, you’ll have better berries in the long term if you add a bit of citric acid to the canning liquid. While citric acid is not strictly necessary for safely canning strawberries, it will help them maintain color and flavor during storage. Add ¼ to ½ tsp citric acid per quart of fruit for the best quality after long storage. INSTRUCTIONS Wash and hull the strawberries and place them in a large pot. Sprinkle sugar over the top and stir to distribute. Allow the strawberries to stand in the sugar to macerate for about 6 hours (covered). Prepare a water bath canner and canning jars. Place the strawberry pot on the stove and add citric acid (optional but helps to help protect quality during storage.) Bring the strawberries (and their juice) to a simmer and cook for about 1 minute until the berries are heated through. Pack the berries into canning jars and cover with strawberry juice liquid, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace and seal with 2 part canning lids. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes (pints) or 15 minutes (quarts), adjusting canning times for altitude. NOTES Note - Sugar is optional, and strawberries can be preserved in either plain water or juice instead. The flavor is much better with a small amount of sugar to balance the sugars that will be lost to the canning liquids. Feel free to reduce the sugar if you'd like, but I'd suggest a minimum of 1 tablespoon per pint. Alternatively, for very sweet dessert berries, the sugar can be increased to 3/4 cup or even 1 full cup per quart of berries. HOW TO USE CANNED STRAWBERRIES The main downside to canning strawberries as whole fruits is the loss of both color and texture. The berries tend to bleed their brilliant red juice into the surrounding liquid, and that liquid soaks up a bit of their flavor too. The best way to use home-canned strawberries involves incorporating both juice and fruit into a single dish. Here are a few tasty ways to make use of your canned strawberries: Strawberry Pancake Topping ~ Start by straining fruit from the canning liquid and then cook the juice down on the stove into a rich strawberry syrup. Place the whole fruit on the pancakes and then drizzle the thickened strawberry syrup over the top. Strawberry Pie Filling ~ Similar to using them as pancake topping, strain the fruit into a pie dish and thicken the canning liquid with a bit of corn starch before pouring it over the top of the fruit in the dish. Strawberry Cheesecake Topping ~ The same process as making strawberry pie filling but make the thickened pie filling in advance and then let it cool in the refrigerator before using it to top a cheesecake. Previous Next

Old family favorite. < Back Sausage Junk Casserole Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 pound regular or Italian sausage (I prefer Jimmy Dean) 1 large onion, diced 3 stalks celery, sliced 2 packages Lipton dry chicken noodle soup mix 3 cups boiling water ½ cup long grain rice, uncooked 1 small can mushroom stems and pieces 1 small can pimentos (optional 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional) Preparation Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until meat is browned and onions are clear. Add Lipton chicken noodle soup mix, rice, mushrooms and pimentos (optional). Mix well. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour the 3 cups of boiling water over all, gently mixing with a fork to combine. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Top with shredded cheese before serving (optional) Previous Next

The Best Egg Drop Soup EVER! < Back Egg Drop Soup Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth ½ teaspoon sesame oil (to taste) ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic (to taste) ¾ teaspoon salt (to taste) 1/8 teaspoon pepper (to taste) ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional for taste and color) 1-3 tablespoons cornstarch (depending on preferred thickness of soup) (pre-mix with about a half cup cold broth or water to make a slurry) 2-3 eggs (lightly beaten) 2-3 tablespoons oil (1 tablespoon per egg) 1 scallion (chopped) Preparation Bring the chicken stock to a low boil in a medium soup pot. Stir in the sesame oil, turmeric (optional), salt, and pepper. Add the cornstarch slurry into the boiling broth until desired consistency. Lightly beat the egg and oil together (1 T. oil to 1 egg) Use a spoon to stir the soup in a slow circular motion, and slowly drizzle in the egg to delicate make strings. If you want more egg, add more egg/oil mixture. Add the chopped-up scallions to the soup and serve hot. Note: To make the crispy noodles that they serve on top of the soup in restaurants, cut up some won ton wrappers about ¼” thick, and fry in hot oil until golden brown. Place a small amount on top of the soup as a garnish just before serving. Previous Next

Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian-American dish that's crowd-pleasing, quick, and irresistible. The slightly sweet and savory sauce made of mushrooms, aromatics, and Marsala wine is straight-up drinkable, thanks to the not-so-traditional addition of heavy cream. It's the perfect weeknight dinner, and we don't even feel guilty making it three nights in a row. It's a real plus that this dish comes together in just 35 minutes. < Back Chicken Marsala Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 35 Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Chicken Marsala is a classic Italian-American dish that's crowd-pleasing, quick, and irresistible. The slightly sweet and savory sauce made of mushrooms, aromatics, and Marsala wine is straight-up drinkable, thanks to the not-so-traditional addition of heavy cream. It's the perfect weeknight dinner, and we don't even feel guilty making it three nights in a row. It's a real plus that this dish comes together in just 35 minutes. Ingredients 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3) 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 shallot, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme 3/4 c. Marsala wine 1 1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 c. heavy cream 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley Preparation What kind of chicken works best for chicken Marsala? There’s a reason boneless, skinless chicken breast is the traditional choice for this dish. Chicken breast is the perfect canvas for adding a ton of flavor, and the lean cut helps to balance the heavy sauce. Halving the chicken before frying also ensures that it’ll cook quickly while still yielding a golden brown crust on the outside. What kind of mushrooms are best for chicken Marsala? The most common choices are cremini or white button mushrooms, which will yield a delicious result every time. What kind of wine is Marsala? Marsala is a Sicilian fortified wine, which is a wine that has had a distilled spirit like brandy or cognac added. The fortification process lends a deep brown color and a distinct blend of richness and caramelized sweetness to the wine, making it an ideal match for the umami-rich mushrooms here. That sweet and savory flavor combo is what makes chicken Marsala so delicious and irresistible. If you can find it, opt for real Marsala wine instead of the cooking wine you might find next to the vinegar and oil in the grocery store. Look for a dry Marsala wine rather than sweet, so that the final sauce is balanced. If you can’t find Marsala wine, try another dry fortified wine like vermouth, Madeira, dark sherry, or port. Chicken Marsala serving ideas: Angel hair pasta is our go-to for this dish: The thin noodles soak up all of that yummy Marsala sauce. If you’re not feeling pasta, you can also go for any side that serves that same purpose. Try fluffy mashed potatoes, herby wild rice, or even toasted crusty bread. Directions Step 1 Pat chicken dry and remove tenderloin from breasts. Butterfly each breast, then separate butterflied halves to create 4-6 thin pieces; season both sides of chicken with pepper, Italian seasoning, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Step 2 Pour flour into a shallow dish. Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, coating both sides, and tap off any excess. Step 3 In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil, then melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add half of chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of oil and remaining chicken. Step 4 In the same skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add shallot and remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth and cream and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce starts to thicken, about 15 minutes. Step 5 Stir in remaining 2 tablespoon butter until melted. Return chicken to skillet spoon sauce over chicken until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Top with parsley. Previous Next

Love coffee creamer, but hate all the chemicals and added sugar? Here’s how to make homemade coffee creamer that’s healthy and free of refined sugar plus how to make flavored coffee creamer with just 5 ingredients. Enjoy a cup of your favorite flavored coffee guilt-free plus I’ll share my top 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers! < Back How to make coffee creamer Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 4 cups Level: Beginner About the Recipe Love coffee creamer, but hate all the chemicals and added sugar? Here’s how to make homemade coffee creamer that’s healthy and free of refined sugar plus how to make flavored coffee creamer with just 5 ingredients. Enjoy a cup of your favorite flavored coffee guilt-free plus I’ll share my top 5 Healthy Flavored Coffee Creamers! Ingredients For the Homemade Condensed Milk: 2 cups milk of choice (I prefer almond milk, whole milk or coconut milk) 1 cup raisins For the Homemade Coffee Creamer: 1 1/2 cups condensed milk (see recipe above) 1 cup milk of choice 1 tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tsp arrowroot starch 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract For French Vanilla Creamer: 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract For Peppermint Mocha Creamer: 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder 1/8 tsp espresso powder 1 tsp peppermint extract For Hazelnut Creamer: 2 tsp hazelnut extract (can also use almond extract) For Chocolate Creamer: 2 tsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract For Cinnamon Creamer: 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon extract) Preparation Is Coffee Creamer Bad For You? Unfortunately, most store-bought coffee creamers are very unhealthy for you. They contain high amounts of sugars, fats, and chemicals. Even the sugar-free and/or fat-free options contain bad stuff so they’re no better. Ideally, you want to get yourself into a position where you’re drinking clean coffee and creamer, both. What’s in (Store-Bought) Coffee Creamer? Here are the ingredients in what was my favorite brand (Coffee-Mate Hazelnut Creamer): Water Sugar Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative) Phosphate Disodium Phosphate Mono- and Diglycerides Cellulose Gel Cellulose Gum Color Added Natural and Artificial Flavors Carrageenan Overall, not a very pretty picture. First off, there are way too many ingredients here for a very simple mixture. Second, there is partially hydrogenated oil which is very bad for you, along with a slew of very processed ingredients. Now, here are the ingredients for my healthy homemade creamer recipe: Almond milk (or any unsweetened milk of choice) Raisins Pure maple syrup Arrowroot starch (or tapioca starch) Pure vanilla extract All the whole ingredients are way better for you. All just as tasty as the fake stuff you’ve been used to. How to Make Homemade Coffee Creamer You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to make homemade coffee creamer. What once was a magical solution of sweet goodness is really just a few simple ingredients for coffee bliss. Here are the easy steps for how to make homemade coffee creamer: Prepare homemade condensed milk using raisins and milk Combine condensed milk with more whole milk, pure maple syrup, arrowroot starch, and vanilla extract Refrigerate Enjoy! That’s seriously it. Have it ready for your morning coffee or an afternoon iced coffee. So easy and so simple. How to Make Different Flavors of Coffee Creamer In this post, I share a base homemade coffee creamer and 5 other variations for homemade coffee creamers. If you wanted to make your own homemade coffee creamer with your fave flavors, you could replace the vanilla extract with any of the following for more flavor options: Hazelnut extract Chocolate extract Peppermint extract Maple extract Coconut extract Almond extract I think you get the idea – add any flavor you like or even combine flavors, like almond and chocolate or chocolate and peppermint. You can also not add any extract for a plain flavor, if you’d prefer. Check out below for some great options to get you started! HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE CREAMER LAST? Homemade coffee creamers can last up to a week in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. I store mine in reusable milk bottles and mason jars and always make sure they’re properly tightened. Then, I just grab them, give them a shake to mix all the flavors together, and then pour a little into my coffee. Perfect, right? So, let’s get to the homemade coffee creamer recipes, shall we? Homemade Coffee Creamer Recipes 1. FRENCH VANILLA CREAMER Nothing goes better together than coffee and vanilla. It’s a good thing that making Healthy Homemade French Vanilla Creamer is super easy! (See recipe below!) 2. PEPPERMINT MOCHA CREAMER Once you try this Homemade Peppermint Mocha Creamer, you’ll never put another store-bought creamer in your coffee again! (See recipe below!) 3. HAZELNUT CREAMER The rich flavor of hazelnut will make any cup of coffee taste like a treat. Good thing is making Homemade Hazelnut Creamer is crazy simple! (See recipe below!). 4. CHOCOLATE CREAMER How is it possible that your favorite chocolate flavored coffee drink tastes amazing and is also actually good for you? This healthy Homemade Chocolate Creamer is so rich and chocolatey! (See recipe below!) 5. CINNAMON CREAMER Spice up your coffee by adding some Homemade Cinnamon Coffee Creamer to your coffee. Yum! (See recipe below!) Instructions For the Homemade Healthy Condensed Milk: In a sealable container or mixing bowl , combine the milk and raisins, and then place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 4-5 hours. (You can also cook over medium-low heat on the stove-top, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes). Note: this process will work to naturally thicken and sweeten the milk. You can use soaked raisins as a topping for oatmeal or to sweeten smoothies so as not to waste, if you'd like). Strain the raisins from the milk using a fine mesh strainer ; discard the raisins. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/2 cups of the homemade condensed milk, additional milk, pure maple syrup, and arrowroot starch. Cook the mixture for 6-8 minutes, or until the mixture stars to thicken and almost begins to bubble. Remove from heat and add in the pure vanilla extract, and stir to combine. You can transfer this base creamer recipe to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. As is, it keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. French Vanilla Creamer: Add additional vanilla extract to base creamer recipe and stir to combine. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. For Peppermint Mocha Creamer: Add cocoa powder, espresso powder, and peppermint extract to base creamer recipe and stir to combine. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. For Hazelnut Creamer: Add hazelnut extract to base creamer recipe and stir to combine. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. For Chocolate Creamer: Add vanilla extract and cocoa powder to base creamer recipe and stir to combine. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. For Cinnamon Creamer: Add vanilla extract and cinnamon to base creamer recipe and stir to combine. Transfer this to a sealable container and store in the fridge until ready to use. Previous Next

A deliciously sweet Poppy Seed Dressing made with 6 pantry staples! Perfect for fruit and vegetable salads, this makes any side dish taste like dessert. < Back Poppy Seed Dressing Prep Time: 1 Minute Cook Time: 1 Minute Serves: 1 cup Level: Beginner About the Recipe A deliciously sweet Poppy Seed Dressing made with 6 pantry staples! Perfect for fruit and vegetable salads, this makes any side dish taste like dessert. Ingredients 1/2 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil (see note 1) 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (see note 2) 1/4 cup granulated sugar or less to taste (see note 3) 1 teaspoon dried mustard (see note 4) 1 teaspoon poppy seeds Salt Preparation In a bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, dried mustard, poppyseeds, sugar, and salt. If you’re making a salad right away, keep the dressing out at room temperature to let the flavors mingle while preparing the salad. (However, you can make it up to 4 days in advance.) Instructions In a small bowl with a whisk, or in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, add the vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, dried mustard, poppy seeds, and salt to taste (I like 1 teaspoon). Stir or shake to combine. Allow the flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the salad. Notes Oil: Use something neutral such as vegetable oil, light olive oil, vegetable oil, or grapeseed oil. Red wine vinegar: Substitute white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or champagne vinegar if you prefer. Sugar: Add sugar or your favorite sweetener to taste, or leave it out entirely. Dried mustard: Ground mustard powder balances out the sweetness and adds another layer of flavor. If you don’t have it, use an equal amount of Dijon mustard instead. Yield: About 1 cup Storage: Store the dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Blender: For the smoothest, creamiest dressing possible, emulsify the dressing in a blender. Previous Next