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Easy sides to complete your meal! Side Dishes Beginner Baked Rice Pudding This baked rice pudding is warm, comforting, and makes for the perfect breakfast or dessert. Beginner Slow Cooker Fruit Compote I use canned goods and my slow cooker to whip up an old-fashioned treat that’s loaded with sweet fruits. It makes a cozy dessert or even a change-of-pace side dish for large parties. Beginner Cheesecake Fruit Dip This can be used as a fruit dip or delicious pudding Beginner Duchess Potatoes Duchess Potatoes are a fancy piped potato side dish that must make an appearance at your next dinner party. Rich, creamy, and cheesy with just a subtle crisp, these elegant baked mashed potatoes are unlike anything else! Beginner Homemade Hummus Homemade hummus is worth the effort! So yummy, so healthy, and best of all, so DELICIOUS! Beginner Papas Rellenas (cuban potato meatballs) Papas Rellenas are a traditional Cuban snack. The fried mashed potato balls are filled with ground beef and other fillings for a delicious appetizer or main dish. It’s easy to adjust these to your liking – no two recipes are exactly the same! Beginner Cheese Fondue Yummy! Creamy! And a fun family dish! Beginner Fruity Fluff Church Salad Delicious, delightful, easy to make, and a real crowd pleaser! Beginner Pork Cabbage Dumplings This Pork Cabbage Dumpling Recipe Is Amazing!! Beginner Easy Cheesy Pull Apart Garlic Bread This cheesy pull apart garlic bread is easy to make with store-bought bread dough and flavored with lots of fresh herbs and garlic. Beginner Fried Pickle Dip Try this creamy Fried Pickle Dip with a crunchy twist! Perfect for parties, ready in 15 mins. Your new favorite tangy, delicious snack! Beginner Guacamole This guacamole recipe gets a tasty kick from cayenne and cilantro. You can serve it smooth or chunky depending on your tastes.

Have you ever wondered how cooking temperatures were measured before thermostats? Now you know. < Back Cooking Temperature Tips Have you ever wondered how cooking temperatures were measured before thermostats? Now you know. Power in Numbers Programs Locations Volunteers Project Gallery Previous Next

The melt in your mouth part of Homemade Caramel Corn is really true, you know. It’s hard to get the perfect taste to caramel corn because all people like it different ways. But for our family? We’ve found it. This recipe is perfect for us, with sweet caramel and just a hint of saltiness < Back Caramel Corn Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 1 hour Serves: 10 Level: Beginner Ingredients 12 to 14 cups popped popcorn ¾ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup butter or margarine ¼ cup light corn syrup ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda Preparation Divide popcorn between two un-greased 9×13 pans. Cook brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt over medium heat, stirring occasionally until bubbly around the edges. Continue cooking 5 more minutes and the remove from heat. Stir in baking soda until it goes all foamy (FYI –use one of your larger saucepans or you’ll have a mess on your hands – this is from experience). Pour over popcorn and stir until coated. For crunchier corn, bake uncovered in a 200-degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. I have never had the patience to do that and so we have just always eaten it sticky and gooey and yummy! Happy food storage eating! Previous Next

Okay, so it is actually three ingredients by the time you add the flavoring, but still, it couldn’t get easier and faster if you tried! So creamy, so yummy, and it is quick! < Back Two Ingredient Ice Cream Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 3-5 hours freezing time Serves: 10 Level: Beginner Ingredients 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk Flavoring to taste (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc.) Preparation Mix whipping cream until it starts to get frothy. Add the entire can of sweetened condensed milk to whipping cream. Mix together until soft peaks form. Stir in flavors to taste at this point. Some suggestions are: 1 teaspoon vanilla ½-1 cup strawberries or strawberry jam or syrup Chocolate syrup to taste 1 teaspoon black walnut flavoring and a ½ cup crushed walnuts ½ cup cut up maraschino cherries and juice to taste Mint flavoring to taste with mini-chocolate chips (as many as you want) And the list could go on and on. Crushed Butterfingers and cut up Snickers are really good too. Put in a covered container and let freeze for about 3 to 5 hours. If you freeze for 3-5 hours the ice cream will be easy to serve. If you freeze for a longer period of time, this recipe tends to get very hard. Once you have initially served the ice cream, and if there is any leftover, put it into individual serving ice cream molds and freeze it. This is a perfect way to serve it later and you can even dip it in chocolate to make it that much better. This is definitely a family favorite. Previous Next

Make your own immune-supporting fire cider tonic with this easy recipe! Fire cider is full of health benefits from medicinal plants and herbs that are infused into raw apple cider vinegar and sweetened with raw honey. Just a couple of Spoonfuls a day will help support your immune system and overall health throughout the year but especially during cold and flu season. Please note: Posts may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying Amazon.com Services LLC purchases. < Back Fire Cider & Immune Booster Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 64 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 4 cups unpasteurized apple cider vinegar 2 cups chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped fresh turmeric or 3 tablespoons turmeric powder 1/2 cup chopped fresh ginger 1/2 cup coarsely grated fresh horseradish 1/2 cup chopped garlic or 3 tablespoons ginger powder 1 bunch fresh thyme 1/2 cup halved fresh rosehips 1 whole lemon chopped 1 whole lime chopped 1 whole orange chopped, or 2 mandarins 2 whole fresh habanero peppers chopped or jalapeno chopped Half of a pineapple with skin Preparation Start with raw apple cider vinegar You can add any immune-supporting ingredients to fire cider and the recipe I’m sharing below is just one of many out there. Get creative and change it up to your tastes. Fire cider starts with a base of unpasteurized or raw apple cider vinegar which aids in digestion, fights infection, and clears the sinuses, among other health benefits. Ingredients and their benefits Aside from unpasteurized apple cider vinegar and chili peppers, fire cider ingredients are completely flexible! The following list of ingredients is what I used when I photographed the images for this post and is what I most often use when making this herbal tonic, but the beauty of fire cider is that you can add whatever medicinal plants you like or have access to. If you can’t find some of these ingredients, like fresh horseradish root for example, then just leave them out or replace them with something else. Dried herbs and ingredients are fine to use as well. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: aids in digestion, fights infection, clears the sinuses. Hot Peppers: such as cayenne pepper, habanero increase circulation, boost metabolism, immune system support. Onion and Garlic: antibacterial and antifungal properties, high in antioxidants, detoxifying. Ginger Root: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, relieves indigestion. Turmeric: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Horseradish: antibacterial and antifungal properties, fights infection. Rosehips: high in vitamin C, aids digestion. Thyme: expectorant and antibacterial properties, supports the respiratory system. Citrus: high in vitamin C, reduces inflammation, aids digestion. Raw Honey: antibacterial and antifungal properties, soothes sore throats, use local honey if you can source it. Other common ingredients: Medicinal Herbs: Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Lemon Balm, Lemon Verbena, Tulsi, Savory, Catnip, etc. I like to use whatever herbs are growing in my garden at the time. Cranberries: powerful antioxidant properties, contain high levels of manganese and potassium and Vitamins C and A. Maple Syrup: used as a vegan-friendly replacement for raw honey. Nettles: anti-inflammatory and adaptogenic properties, supports adrenals and helps protect bones. Uva Usri Leaves (aka bearberry): anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and cleansing properties. Elderberries: antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, contain high levels of potassium, folate, calcium and iron, and Vitamins C and A. To sweeten or not to sweeten When I make fire cider at home I usually do not sweeten it and will take a tablespoon straight up or diluted in a small amount of water. It is strong and you will feel it heat you up right away starting from your throat then your abdomen and working out to your outer limbs. It might make your nose run as it clears your sinuses so I like to have a tissue ready to blow my nose right after. Raw honey is usually used to sweeten fire cider and cut the edge of the heat and spiciness. I would sweeten the fire cider I sold with maple syrup to keep it vegan friendly. The maple didn’t add any medicinal value but it tasted amazing. If you choose to add sweetener to your fire cider then wait until after you’ve strained it once the mixture has infused fully. How to make your own fire cider Step 1: Once you have all of your ingredients ready, the process of making fire cider is very easy. Fill a clean jar with the prepared ingredients, aside from a sweetener if using, and pour apple cider vinegar into the jar to fully submerge the ingredients. Step 2: Seal the jar with a plastic lid and let it sit at room temperature but away from the sun for anywhere from 2-4 weeks. During this time all of the ingredients will infuse into the apple cider vinegar along with all of their health benefits. After this time strain the vinegar through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Step 3: At this point, you can sweeten the fire cider to taste or leave it unsweetened. Transfer the final product to a glass bottle or jar for storage. How to store fire cider Store fire cider in a cool dark place away from sunlight. Herbal vinegars like this should last for up to 1 year stored at room temperature. Fire cider dosage Take a shot of fire cider or 1-2 tablespoons daily for a potent punch of immune system support and increase that dosage to 3 times a day to use it as a natural remedy to help fight off common cold symptoms. As always remember to please use caution, do your own research, and consult your medical professional before treating yourself or others. RECIPE FAQ’S What are the benefits of fire cider? Fire cider is one of the best herbal remedies to help support the immune system and fight off symptoms of common colds during. Read through the ingredient list as their individual benefits above. Can I use dried herbs and ingredients? Use fresh herbs when you can but dried herbs and ingredients like dried ginger, turmeric and horseradish work fine. How long will fire cider last? Like all herbal vinegars, fire cider should last for up to one year when stored properly as detailed in this post. Instructions Layer prepared ingredients into a clean 1/2 gallon glass jar then cover them with the apple cider vinegar. Cover the jar with a lid and let sit at room temperature out of the sun for 2 weeks. Strain liquid into a bowl, pressing the ingredients with the back of a spoon to release as much liquid as possible, and discard everything else. Pour the strained liquid into a clean quart jar. Optionally sweeten the fire cider to taste with raw honey or maple syrup for a vegan-friendly version. Cover the jar with a lid and store at room temperature out of the sun for up to 6 months. IMMUNE BOOSTER SHOTS recommendations: Best to take 3 Tablespoons a day when sick or 1 tablespoon as your daily immune booster. Mix with fresh or concentrated orange juice (or juice of your choice), to your flavor preference or chase it with juice. ***DOUBLE RECIPE FOR LARGE FAMILIES!*** What to do with leftover Fire Cider ingredients: Once the juice is drained, crush everything and refill with more Apple Cider vinegar just add the powdered ingredients OR put everything into a blender with water to make a concentrate to make a juice to add to drinks or freeze for later. Or put everything in a dehydrator for 2 days until it is dry enough to blend into a powder to add to juices or put in pill capsules. Here are the items that will help make it easy and more convenient especially during sick season. Gallon Mason Jar Canning Funnel With Strainer Wide Mouth Mason Jar Lids Electric Mason Cordless Vacuum Sealer Kit 16 oz Reusable Water Bottles 36 Pack Swing Top Glass Bottles 30 Pack 4oz 120ml Plastic Mini Milk Bottles Size 00 Empty Capsules Vegetarian (100 Count) Capsule Filling Machine Kit Size 00 Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine Notes If you can’t source ingredients you can leave them out or use dried/powdered versions of items. Feel free to add other ingredients like other medicinal quality herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano, etc.), different chile peppers, or any other immune-supporting ingredients that you are familiar with. Use caution when foraging wild plants and be sure to identify plants/mushrooms correctly before ingesting them. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The information on this site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Previous Next

My Homemade Cream Cheese recipe couldn't be easier, because you likely have everything you need to make rich, creamy, and tangy cream cheese. < Back Farmers Cheese Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Serves: approximately 2 cups Level: Beginner About the Recipe My Homemade Cream Cheese recipe couldn't be easier, because you likely have everything you need to make rich, creamy, and tangy cream cheese. Ingredients 1 Gallon Of Milk ¾-1 cup vinegar 1 tbsp of salt and any herbs and spices Preparation Heat up 1 gallon of milk (until small bubbles start to form), add 3/4-1 cup vinegar. Stir until the curds and whey separate. Scoop the curds out and put it in a cloth lined sieve and push out as much whey as possible. After you have pushed the whey out, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of salt and any herbs and spices (or leave it plain and only add the salt). Finger mix everything in and then close the cloth up creating a ball. Continue to squeeze and massage it to get as much whey out as possible. Once the whey has been removed, start to knead it for a few minutes while it is still in the cloth. Remove the cheese from the cloth (you may need to scrape some with a butter knife) and pack tightly into a container with a lid. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy. This cuts nicely and it does melt a little bit. Make sure that you clean the pan and utensils you use because the cheese residue dries solid and it takes a bit of time to clean if you don’t soak it or clean right away. Rinse the cloth used immediately, or it will be easier to just throw it away. Previous Next

Lentils are a traditional part of an Italian New Year celebration: Their coin-like shape expanding as they cook is said to bring good fortune. But this hearty, healthy, veggie-packed lentil soup is useful well beyond your end-of-year menu! Nourishing and comforting in all the best ways, this flavorful recipe is easy to make, comes together in 40-ish minutes, and freezes well. Good fortune indeed! < Back Italian Lentil Soup Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 4 large garlic cloves, minced 2 carrots, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped Kosher salt Black pepper 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes (I like San Marzano) 5 cups vegetable broth 1 dried bay leaf 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup green lentils, rinsed (or brown lentils) 2 cups baby spinach 1 cup chopped parsley leaves Splash red wine vinegar Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional) Preparation 1. Sauté the aromatics. In a large Dutch oven, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the veggies are fragrant and somewhat tender, about 5 minutes. 2. Simmer. Add the tomatoes and lightly crush with a potato masher or the back of a fork. Stir in the vegetable broth, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and lentils. Season with another pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and partly cover the Dutch oven, leaving a little opening. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are very tender and cooked through, but still intact. 3. Finish and serve. Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach, parsley, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Taste and season with more vinegar, salt, and pepper to your liking. Transfer to serving bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan cheese, if using. Notes If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of broth to 4 cups. Leave out the parmesan cheese to make this lentil soup vegan. To store leftovers, hold off on adding cheese. From there: Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If you’re freezing soup, always leave some room at the top to allow it to expand in your freezer. Defrost in your microwave or allow the soup to thaw in your refrigerator overnight. Reheat over medium-low heat, stirring until steaming and delicious, then top with freshly grated parmesan. Previous Next

Thanksgiving leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving. We’ve created countless creative recipes to use up the rest of your leftover Thanksgiving! < Back Turkey Tetrazzini Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 8 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Thanksgiving leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving. We’ve created countless creative recipes to use up the rest of your leftover Thanksgiving! Ingredients Cooking spray 1 lb. spaghetti 6 tbsp. butter, divided 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. sliced baby bella mushrooms 1/2 c. white wine 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth 1 c. heavy cream Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 lb. leftover roast turkey, chopped (about 5 cups) 1 c. shredded white cheddar 1 c. frozen peas 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 c. panko bread crumbs 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Preparation Thanksgiving leftovers are the gift that keeps on giving. What is turkey tetrazzini? Turkey tetrazzini is an extra-comforting, baked spaghetti casserole filled with turkey, mushrooms, and cheese. Like most casseroles, this tetrazzini is totally versatile: add in your favorite veggies or switch out the protein (chicken tetrazzini is one of our go-to choices). Although you can switch out the protein, we love making this casserole post-Thanksgiving to use up all of our leftover turkey. Use your leftover classic roast turkey, or switch up the flavor profile with air fryer tandoori turkey, apple cider brined turkey, or harissa spiced turkey breast. The difference between tetrazzini and spaghetti: To start off: spaghetti refers to a type of pasta, while tetrazzini refers to a specific baked dish that often uses spaghetti. That being said, if you’re curious as to what the difference between dishes like chicken tetrazzini and chicken spaghetti is, think of baked spaghetti as the slightly creamier, slightly cheesier version of tetrazzini. In the end, they’re very similar recipes. Serving ideas for turkey tetrazzini: This casserole is a full meal all on its own, but if you’re looking for pairings, why not pair this recipe with your other leftover Thanksgiving sides? Parmesan roasted green beans, mashed potato casserole, or classic stuffing would all be welcome pairings here. Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 9”-x-13” baking dish with cooking spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Step 2 In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add mushrooms and wine and cook until most of the wine is absorbed and mushrooms are soft, 5 minutes. Step 3 Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter to skillet, then whisk in flour and cook until golden, 3 minutes. Slowly add broth and cream and whisk until no lumps remain. Simmer until thickened, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Step 4 Add turkey, cheese, peas, and oregano and toss until combined. Add cooked spaghetti and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper then transfer mixture into prepared dish. Step 5 In a medium bowl, toss to combine panko, Parmesan, and oil. Top baking dish evenly with panko mixture. Step 6 Bake until the top is golden and the cheese is melted, 25 minutes. Step 7 Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Previous Next

Jack o lantern pumpkin recipes This recipe has affiliate links in it, if you click the link and purchase from me I earn a commission at no extra cost from you < Back Jack o lantern pumpkin Prep Time: N/A Cook Time: N/A Serves: Level: Beginner About the Recipe Jack o lantern pumpkin recipes This recipe has affiliate links in it, if you click the link and purchase from me I earn a commission at no extra cost from you Ingredients PUMPKIN Preparation Jack o lantern pumpkin recipes – yes you can eat Halloween pumpkins! No doubt you’ll have bought pumpkins to carve for Halloween at some point in your life but have you ever wondered whether the insides are edible and if so what you can do with them? In the UK, 95% of all pumpkins that are grown locally, are turned into Halloween lanterns. And a staggering 8 million pumpkins are thrown away each year after Halloween. And yet, these fruits are perfectly edible, but not many people know that. To me, chucking away food is a dreadful waste. But I honestly don’t think people see Halloween pumpkins as food. In this blog I’m hoping to change that by telling you all about the awesome benefits of the inside of a Jack-o’-lantern and share some yummy recipes too. What parts of the pumpkin can you eat? Did you know that just about every part of the pumpkin is edible? Ok so you might not want to eat the woody stalk but it’s quite alright to eat the seeds, and skin as well as the flesh that’s usually scooped out and discarded. Both the seeds and the skin are best roasted in the oven and the fleshy part can be steamed, boiled or roasted or even baked into cakes! The skin actually crisps up beautifully, if drizzled in oil and roasted in a hot oven, it makes for a really nice texture and adds interest to salads and risottos. When it comes to the seeds, my advice would be to rinse well and pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and some warming spices such as paprika, or cumin, then spread in a single layer on a baking tray and roast in the oven at 180 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes until they are crisp and golden. What do they taste like? Halloween Pumpkins are milder in flavor than pumpkins that are grown for food, and that’s because they’re grown for their size, rather than their flavor. Pumpkin growers know that they’re likely to be carved then discarded and so they are not engineered for flavor. Because of their mild taste, they will take on the flavor of other foods in a dish, so my suggestion is to add pumpkin to dishes with bold flavors such as curries, a veggie chili or a smoky winter stew. And another benefit to their mildness is their versatility, meaning that you can make sweet dishes with leftover pumpkin flesh too. Pumpkin pie anyone? I’ve listed my top 10 favorite recipes for leftover pumpkin below and there are a mixture of both sweet and savory options. How to store leftover pumpkin? What happens if you’ve got a load of pumpkin leftovers, maybe you had a Halloween party or you’re a large family where everyone wanted to carve their own Jack-o’-lantern? Good news! Pumpkins can also be frozen. My advice would be to cube up the fleshy parts and par boil it. And then once it has cooled to room temperature you can freeze in biodegradable freezer bags. Frozen pumpkin won’t spoil, you can keep it in your freezer indefinitely. However, after three months or so you may notice frost beginning to build up which may affect its quality, so using it within a 3 month window is a good idea. How to reheat frozen pumpkin Pumpkin chunks are best cooked from frozen. Simply coat in olive oil, sprinkle on your favorite herbs and spices and roast in the oven at 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your cubes. You can also steam from frozen, (although because they have a high water content they may go a bit soggy), then mash with the back of a fork, this works beautifully if you plan on stirring through a risotto. Alternatively chuck a handful of frozen pumpkin cubes directly into a casserole or stew and let it slow cook with the rest of the dish. What else can you do with leftover pumpkin? Not keen on eating pumpkin but you can’t bear the idea of leftover jack-o-lanterns going to landfill? Here’s a couple of further ideas. Enrich your compost. Because pumpkin is nutrient rich, it will really boost the quality of your compost. Scoop out the seeds and put them to one side. You don’t want to add these into the compost heap (unless you are planning on growing your own pumpkins for next Halloween). Smash up your pumpkins, strangely children of all ages seem to love this part, then chuck on your compost heap. Because it’s a fruit with a high water content, it will compost down relatively quickly providing you with lots of lovely nutritious garden food for the next growing season. Grow your own If you save the seeds, why not try growing your own pumpkins next year? Wash away any fleshy bits from the seed, pat try on kitchen roll and let them dry out completely on a sunny windowsill till you are ready to plant in May next year. You’ll need to sow indoors initially and then plant outside once they have started to shoot. Feed the birds Pumpkins make a novel bird feeder, simply pack in a load of bird seed mixed with a hard fat like lard and hang in the trees. You may want to carve a few additional holes around the pumpkin so that the birds have easy access. And of course the seeds make great bird food too. Is pumpkin good for you? Different parts of the pumpkin contain different nutrients. The fleshy insides are high in water and contain a variety of vitamins and minerals. It is especially high in Vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, and beta carotene which is converted into vitamin A. Children need a fair amount of these nutrients and in fact in the UK it’s recommended that children are supplemented in vitamins A and C because it’s feared they don’t get enough through their diets, so eating pumpkin is a great way to ensure a nutritional top up. A lot of the same nutrients are found in the skin, but because there is less water here it means a higher concentration of those nutrients. And the skin is also a good source of fiber, which is good for our bowels. And the pumpkin seeds, these are amazingly nutrient dense. They too are high in fiber, and they also contain protein, as well as iron, another critical nutrient for children. But the seeds are also a natural source of tryptophan, the amino acid that is a building block of the sleepy hormone melatonin, so eating pumpkin seeds may help improve sleep (although you’d have to eat an awful lot of them). Pumpkin is basically a winter squash from the same family as cucumbers or melons (and technically a fruit), therefore, you can use it in cooking in exactly the same way as you would use butternut squash. Previous Next

Family Favorite Pecan pie is easier than you think, and oh so decadent! < Back Pecan Pie Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 50 min Serves: 8 Level: Beginner Ingredients 3 eggs 2/3 cup white granulated sugar 1 cup light or dark corn syrup 1/3 cup melted butter or margarine 1 cup pecan halves Preparation 1. Beat 3 eggs thoroughly with 2/3 cup sugar, dash salt, 1 cup light or dark corn syrup (Hint: spray your measuring cup with a vegetable spray first and the corn syrup will just slide out without any scraping) and 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted. 2. I just throw it all in the blender and blend it for just a few seconds, just long enough to mix it. 3. Spread about 1 cup pecan halves or pieces in the bottom of a 9” unbaked pastry shell and pour the liquid over the pecans (they will rise to the top). 4. Bake in moderate oven, about 350°, for about 50 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between the center and the edge comes out clean. 5. Cool and eat. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. So rich and yummy – and easy! Previous Next

Cottage cheese is having a moment right now, so I figured it would be the perfect time to share my cottage cheese bread — a tender, delicious sandwich bread with a little extra protein. Depending on the cottage cheese and bread flour you’re using, each slice could contain up to 15+ g of protein. I’m not the biggest protein girl, hence why I try to sneak protein in foods I eat all the time, i.e. bread, and that’s how this recipe came about. < Back Cottage Cheese Bread Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 10-12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 1/2 teaspoons (5 g) active dry yeast 1/3 cup (75 g) lukewarm water 1 cup (250 g) egg whites or 7 to 8 egg whites 1 cup (255 g) cottage cheese 4 2/3 cups (582 g) bread flour, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon (10 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt Preparation Step 1 In a large mixing bowl, combine the active dry yeast and lukewarm water and set aside to hydrate. In a blender or food processor, combine the egg whites and cottage cheese. Blend until smooth. Add the blended mixture to the yeast mixture and whisk to combine. Step 2 Whisk the flour with a dry whisk in its container to remove any lumps and aerate the flour. Measure it and add the flour and salt to the wet mixture. Whisk using a Dutch whisk or fork to combine. You will be left with a shaggy, sticky dough. Step 3 Dust the work surface with more flour and dump the dough on it. Knead the dough for 5 to 6 minutes, or until it starts looking smooth. You can also knead the dough using a stand mixer, until smooth. Dust your hands with more flour to prevent them from sticking to the dough or oil your hands a little bit of oil. Use a bench scraper to help lift the sticky dough from your work surface and continue kneading. Shape the dough into a ball and place it back in the mixing bowl. Cover and proof in a warm spot for 1 hour, until almost doubled in size. Step 4 Line a 10 x 4-inch (26 x 10 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper (if needed) — a smaller loaf pan such as the standard 9 x 5-inch loaf pan won’t work, the dough will ooze out on the sides. If you don’t have a pan with those exact measurements, no problem! Use a larger one, such as 10 x 4-inch loaf pan, 10 x 5-inch loaf pan, or simply divide the dough in 2 halves and make 2 loaves of bread. Those can be baked in smaller loaf pans. You could also bake the dough directly on a baking sheet, though it won’t be as tall as a sandwich bread, but it will still work. After an hour of proofing, punch down the dough to deflate. Roll it into a log, stitch the ends by pinching them together. Proof the bread in the loaf pan for 20 to 25 minutes, until visibly risen and puffed up. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400°F. After proofing the dough, make a slit in the middle using a sharp knife or razor blade. Step 5 Bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The bread will brown on the top pretty quickly — to prevent it from burning, cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil as soon as it turns crusty and brown. You will be able to tell the bread is done baking when the bread sounds hollow after a gentle tap on the crust. Cool completely, then slice and serve. I like to slice it, store it in the freezer in a ziplock bag and toast each frozen slice before serving. Previous Next

So much better than accidentally pouring it on cereal. < Back Use Sour Milk to Make Cheese Prep Time: 10 Cook Time: 20 Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe So much better than accidentally pouring it on cereal. Ingredients Milk 3 tbsp white vinegar (cottage cheese ONLY) stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt (cottage cheese ONLY) fresh whole milk or cream by the tablespoonful until the cheese reaches your desired texture Preparation Have you ever wanted to be one of those rustic homesteader-types and make cheese yourself? Turns out, you probably have everything you need to make cheese in your kitchen right this minute. When faced with a carton of old milk and a few tablespoons of vinegar you can actually repurpose the liquids into a snack: in this case, a crumbly or creamy cheese. Mind you we’re not talking about the gallon of chunky 2 percent milk you opened before a two month-vacation—when milk curdles on its own due to age, it is rotten and should go directly into the trash—but if you take a whiff and the milk smells akin to something slightly less than fresh, it’s the ideal time to make cheese. Before you get out the crackers, there are a few things to know about the type of milk to use for this cheese. Although pasteurization kills most of the bacteria present in grocery store milk, small amounts of a harmless bacteria known as lactobacillus still lives in milk. The lactobacillus eat the lactose, or milk sugar, and produce a byproduct known as lactic acid, which creates the sour smell. Though it is best to avoid trying to make cheese from ultra-pasteurized milk (sour or not), standard pasteurized milk typically begins to sour after the carton has been opened for two weeks or so, while raw farmer’s milk sours faster. As mentioned earlier, if your milk has already curdled and smells rancid, do not try to make cheese from it. Look for just the first signs of souring (and for raw milk, a slightly thicker liquid). Pour 1 half-gallon of sour milk into a heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. While the milk comes to a boil, place a cheesecloth-lined colander over a large stockpot or in a clean sink. When the milk comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and stir in 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. Immediately pull the saucepan from the heat and stir the mixture until the cheese curds and whey begin to separate. Pour the milk mixture into the cheesecloth-lined colander, gather the edges of the cheesecloth together and squeeze out the excess liquid. At this point, you can either eat the cheese as is (it will most closely resemble the firm yet crumbly Indian paneer or Latin American queso fresco) or turn the cheese into a softer cottage cheese. This firmer cheese can be used in any recipe that calls for feta, chèvre, or cotija. To make cottage cheese, break up the ball of cheese curds into small pieces in a clean bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon kosher salt and fresh whole milk or cream by the tablespoonful until the cheese reaches your desired texture. Serve as you would any cottage cheese: sandwiched between two slices of French toast, blended into a smoothie, spread on toast with fresh berries and chopped nuts, or even just scooped onto a spoon. Previous Next