Make Your Own – My Recipes

Arepas

Ingredients

2 cups pre-cooked cornmeal arepa flour (such as P.A.N. or Donarepa)
1 teaspoon salt
2.5 cups warm water (or more as needed)
Oil or butter for cooking as needed

Instructions

Combine the arepa flour, salt and water together in a mixing bowl. Mix well and let rest for 5 minutes.
Mix the dough again until smooth. It should have the consistency of playdough and not stick to your hands. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon of water and mix until smooth.
Hand form the arepas dough into 8-10 small patties, about 4-5 inches across and ½ inch thick.
Heat a grill pan or cast iron pan to medium heat and lightly oil or butter. Cook the arepas until golden brown on each side, about 10 minutes total. The outer shell will harden and form a crisp crust, with a softer or hollow interior. (NOTE: You can also pan cook them until crispy on the outside, then finish them in your oven or air fryer at 350 degrees F/177C for 8-10 minutes).
Cool slightly and serve as desired.

How to Clean an Oven With Vinegar

How to Clean an Oven With Vinegar

Let steam soften the oven mess.Fill a two-quart or larger oven-proof bowl or baking dish with cool water and add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Place it on an oven rack and set the oven temperature to 450°F. Let it “bake” for 30 minutes, or 60 minutes if especially greasy. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed until the oven has cooled completely.
Remove the racks for cleaning.Place the racks in a large, heavy-duty black plastic trash bag and spray them liberally with undiluted vinegar. Sprinkle on some baking soda, and when the foaming stops, add enough hot water to fully cover the racks. Close the bag with a twist tie and let them soak for at least one hour or overnight. You can also do this in the bathtub or a large plastic container.
Wipe down the interior of the oven.Mix a 1:1 solution of vinegar and warm water. Dip a sponge or microfiber cloth in the solution and wipe down all the surfaces in the oven’s interior. Rinse your sponge often and change the vinegar solution midway through cleaning, if needed.
Reassemble the oven.Remove the racks from the soaking water and wipe away any remaining grime with a sponge. Rinse with warm water, dry with a soft cloth, and put them back in the oven.

How to Remove Extra Stubborn Grease From an Oven

If you haven’t cleaned your oven regularly and there is burnt-on food and heavy, greasy buildup, it’s time to bring in the baking soda to help scrub the mess away.

Steam cleans the oven.Use the vinegar and water steaming method to loosen grease and follow the same rack cleaning steps.
Make a baking soda paste.Combine 1 cup of baking soda and two tablespoons of water in a small bowl. The paste should be thin and spreadable.
Spread the paste over the entire oven interior.Do not cover any exposed heating elements. The paste is safe to use on both metal surfaces and glass oven doors. Close the oven door and allow the paste to work for at least an hour or overnight.
To remove the grease and grime, use a sponge or microfiber cloth dipped in warm water. Rinse it out often as you work. To get rid of final traces of grease, mix a solution of one part water and one part distilled white vinegar in a bucket. Use a sponge or cloth to wipe away any remaining residue.
Reassemble the oven racks.Don’t forget to wipe down the outside of your oven door to remove any spatters.

4 Other Household Items to Bust Grease on an Oven

While vinegar is a wonderful homemade solution, there are a few other things in your kitchen you can use to bust that oven grease.

Dishwashing Liquid

You can boost the grease-cutting strength of the baking soda paste by replacing one tablespoon of water with one tablespoon of a dishwashing liquid that contains a degreaser like Dawn.

Lemons and Salt

The citric acid in lemons will break the bond between grease molecules and oven surfaces.

Cut a lemon in half and dip the cut edge in salt or baking soda to provide some abrasive action. Scrub greasy surfaces with the lemon. Finish by wiping the grime away with a damp sponge or microfiber cloth.

Dishwasher Tablet

Use a damp dishwasher tablet (not a pod) to scrub away grease from the inside of your glass oven door without scratching. Run the tablet under some warm water to dampen and soften it. Don’t wet too much because it should still hold its shape.

Wear rubber gloves because the cleaning ingredients are harsh, and scrub the inside of the oven door. Wipe away the residue with a damp microfiber cloth, rinsing it often. Use a clean, dry cloth to dry the oven glass to prevent streaks and spotting.

Citric Acid Powder

If you don’t have lemons on hand, citric acid powder works equally well, and it is shelf-stable in the pantry.

Add 1 tablespoon of citric acid powder per 1 cup of hot water to a spray bottle. Shake well to mix. Spray the greasy oven surfaces and let the solution work for at least 30 minutes. Wipe away with a cloth dipped in warm water. Add some baking soda to scrub stuck-on food.

Prepsteaders How to Make Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Heavy bottom pan

Med. High heat

1lb unsalted butter

Simmer boil about 8 minutes stirring every once in a while.

As milk solids start to stick to bottom, stir for another 6-8 minutes but don’t stirrup the bottom.

Ghee will become more clear and you can tilt the pan to see browning milk solids that are attached at the bottom.

Strain and pour into jars

Let cool down before sealing

Clarified Butter and Ghee

Homestead Wife Life · Clarified Butter & Ghee
Two foundational methods from the Homestead Wife Life kitchen. Both begin the same way — the difference is how far you take it.
Clarified Butter (1 lb)
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) unsalted butter
Method: Place the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
Allow it to melt slowly without stirring. As the butter melts, foam
will rise to the surface while milk solids sink to the bottom. Skim
off the foam with a spoon. When bubbling subsides and the
butterfat appears clear and golden, remove the pan from the
heat. Carefully pour the clear butterfat through a fine mesh
strainer or cheesecloth into a clean jar, leaving the milk solids
behind.
What to look for: Pale golden color · Clean buttery aroma · No
browning or nutty scent
Storage: Room temp (cool): up to 1 week · Fridge: several
months · Freezer: up to 1 year
Ghee (1 lb)
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) unsalted butter
Method: Begin exactly as for clarified butter, melting the butter
slowly over low heat and skimming off the foam. Once bubbling
slows, continue cooking without stirring. Watch the milk solids
on the bottom of the pan as they shift from pale to golden. When
the butterfat deepens in color and smells warm and nutty,
remove the pan from the heat immediately. Strain the ghee
through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean jar,
leaving all solids behind.
What to look for: Deep golden color · Toasted nutty aroma ·
Solids golden (not dark brown)
Storage: Room temp: several months · Fridge: up to 1 year ·
Freezer: up to 2 years
Notes from My Kitchen
• Clarified butter and ghee start the same way — the difference is patience at the end. • If the milk solids darken too much, ghee can taste
bitter; when in doubt, stop early. • Always use clean, dry jars and utensils to maximize shelf life. • I keep ghee on hand for flatbreads,
sautéing, and spice blooming.

Having small bubbles in your homemade ghee after straining is completely normal and safe. These bubbles are almost always just trapped air from the pouring and straining process, or residual water vapor escaping as the hot ghee begins to cool and solidify.

Why the Bubbles Happen

Trapped Air: Pouring the hot liquid ghee through a strainer incorporates a little air, which gets trapped as the fat begins to cool and thicken.

Evaporation: Even after straining, tiny amounts of residual moisture can cause gentle bubbling or a foamy layer at the top as the ghee sets.

How to Tell if It’s Safe

Harmless Bubbles: The ghee will have a uniform golden color, and the bubbles will remain stationary or slowly dissipate as the ghee hardens. [1, 2]

Spoiled Ghee: You should only be concerned if the bubbles are active, moving, expanding, or fizzing upwards. If the ghee smells rancid, sour, or has foamy spots, it has gone bad.

Ghee From RoseRed Homestead

6 qt Pot

6 – ½ pint jars sterilized -hot jar-200 degrees will sterilizes the jars and glass measuring cup. Don’t need to do the rings and lids.

3lbs butter

Boil the butter- the mixture on medium, will make brown milk solids are collected or stuck to the pot. Foam will be a lot less than in the beginning of the boil. The clarity of the butter and the brown thickness of the solids on the bottom will be the best clue the ghee is done.

You should be able to see threw the butter oil to the bottom.

When ready make the jars from the oven and pour the ghee threw strainer and cheese cloth into measuring cup. Do not let any milk solids get into the ghee as that is what can spoil the ghee. Then pour into hot jars. Wipe rims of jars and place lids on and screw the rings on tight.

Sweet Onion Relish

This one has been the most requested recipe on our channel, and once you taste it, you’ll understand why. Sweet onion relish made with apple cider vinegar—sounds strange, tastes incredible.

Small about 4 pint batch size recipe

Ingredients

Onions: 5 lbs. sweet onions (e.g., Vidalia), finely chopped
Vinegar: 2 cups apple cider vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
Sugar: 1 to 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (adjust to your sweetness preference)
Salt: 2 tablespoons sea salt or canning salt
Spices: 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon celery seeds, and ½ teaspoon turmeric

Instructions

Prep & Drain: Combine chopped onions and salt in a large bowl. Massage lightly and let sit for 30 to 60 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid using a colander or cheesecloth and discard the liquid.
Simmer: In a large pot, combine the drained onions, vinegar, sugar, and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.
Jar & Process: Ladle hot relish into sterilized half-pint or pint jars, leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, and place on lids and rings
Water Bath Canning: Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 to 15 minutes (adjust 1-2 minutes for higher altitudes). Carefully remove and let cool undisturbed overnight

——————————————————————————-
We made 24 pints last June and they lasted our family almost exactly one year. So this is the batch size my recipe is built for.
You’ll need:
• 25 lbs onions (weigh with skins on)
• 10 tbsp salt (for drawing out moisture)
• 10 cups apple cider vinegar
• 5 cups sugar
• 5 tablespoons mustard seed
• 5 teaspoons dry mustard powder
Pay close attention here: That’s 5 TABLESPOONS of mustard seed but 5 TEASPOONS of dry mustard powder. I made the mistake of using tablespoons for both one year and ruined the entire batch.
Run the onions through a food processor to mince. Salt them and let them sit 45 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and drain well.
Bring the brine to a boil, add onions, return to boil, and simmer 20-30 minutes. You’ll notice the relish takes on a pink-orange hue during cooking. That’s totally normal.
Fill jars to ½ inch headspace and water bath can for 15 minutes.
We use this as a mix-in for cold pasta salads, but it’s also fantastic on burgers and hot dogs.

Roasted Tomatoes for water bath canning

Roasted Tomatoes for water bath canning
Canning tip: 1 tb vinegar to canning water keeps hard water scum off lids.
Flash freezing makes it easy to peel them. Save peelings to dehydrate and make tomato powder. Let the frozen tomatoes thaw over a bowl to save liquid. (Peel then at this time.)

Roasted Tomato Sauce
Yield: 7 half pints
Ingredients
• 12 lbs tomatoes (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon canning salt
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Bottled lemon juice (for canning)
Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Measure out 12 lbs of tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, cut them in half for even roasting. If using frozen tomatoes, you can use them whole. Set them aside. You’ll place them on top of all the other ingredients below.
3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil equally between two roasting pans.
4. Add all ingredients except the tomatoes and bottled lemon juice, divided evenly between your two roasting pans.
5. Place the tomatoes on top of the seasoned vegetables, again divided evenly between the two pans.
6. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid level and remove excess liquid if necessary.
7. After roasting, let the tomatoes cool slightly, then remove the skins from the tomatoes.
8. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a large pot. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until smooth.
9. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
10. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.
11. Fill jars with the sauce, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
12. Add bottled lemon juice to each jar:
½ tablespoon for half-pints
1 tablespoon for pints
2 tablespoons for quarts
13. De-bubble the jars and wipe the rims clean. Apply lids and rings, tightening to fingertip tight.
14. Process the jars in a water bath canner: 35 minutes for half-pints and pints, 40 minutes for quarts.
15. Remove jars and let them cool for 12-24 hours before checking the seals.

Vegetable Fry Coating

Veg. fry coating for squash and okra or any other vegetable you want to fry.

You can have this recipe or double it. You will be coating the veg. with buttermilk. If out of buttermilk, mix 1Tb per cup of white vinegar into regular milk and it will curdle into buttermilk.
2 C flour
2 TB Arrowroot powder (makes it crispy) or cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
A bit of salt and pepper
A little garlic powder
Some onion powder

Mix well. Clean veg., cut into frying size you want and soak into 2 cups of buttermilk mixture. Ake sure all veg. are coated well. Transfer veg. into flour mixture.
Coat all pieces with flour mixture.
Either fry now, or flash freeze and bag for later.
Don’t thaw out before frying or it will get mushy. The frozen veg. are fryer ready frozen.

Dehydrating Tomato’s, Potato’s and Cabbage and More

Dehydrating Tomato’s, Potato’s and Cabbage and More Veg.

Tomato’s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnI-U5Vf-Uo&t=276s can make tomato paste, sauce, juice and catsup.
Sun Dried Tomato’s

Directions:
2 qts water 1 cup vinegar to boil the tomatoes 2 minuets.
Pat dry and place on tray.
Sprinkle with salt (no iodized)
Dry (make take up to 4-5 days in sun) and pack in oil with dry spices.
Check Jars in a couple of days and oil if needed. Only use a clean utensil to pack tomato’s down with.
Leave in oil at least 2-3 weeks before opening. Dried in the sun with a little salt taste the best but looks the worst. When taking tomatoes from oil always use a clean utensil, to fingers or what you are cooking other food with.
Save oil to use again in cooking.
Tomatoes 3 kg
Salt NOT iodized
Water 1 liter
1/2 cup white vinegar
5 laurel leaves
Oregano
Garlic 1 clove
Extra virgin olive oil 1/2 liter

Making tomato paste, sauce and juice with tomato powder. Very Good

Paste: 6 Tb tomato powder – ½ Cup Water.
Sauce: 1/3 Cup tomato powder – 1 Cup hot water. a pinch of salt & sugar. ½ pint Jar
Juice:1/2 Cup Tomato Powder into qt. jar and fill with water and shake very well. A pinch of salt if you like.

BBQ sauce (1 Quart)
½ cup powder to 1 ½ cups of water in a pan. Wisk all together and on med.
Heat add 1C brown Sugar.
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar. 1
TB Worchester
sauce.
3 TB lemon juice
Stir and add
½ TB prepared Mustered
½ TB onion powder
1 TB paprika (smoked is good)
½ TB sea salt
1tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
Stir and bring to boil and 1 TB arrowroot powder of cornstarch. Boil till it is the consistency you like.

Potato’s:

½ cup peroxide and a sink full of water to scrub potatoes. No green potatoes.
Soak ready potato’s about 10 min.
Blanch 2-4 min. (don’t start timing until water comes back to a boil) Timing depends of shredded or
diced, and size of pot and how full.
Put in ice water as soon as you take them out of blanch water, so potatoes stop cooking process.
When cooled down a little run under cold running water to remove as smutch starch and cool the potatoes more.
Drain and spread on trays. You can pat dry as much as possible.
Dehydrate at 125 about 12 or more hrs.

Diced potatoes:
Dehydrating diced potatoes is a great way to preserve your harvest for long-term storage. To ensure they retain their natural color and rehydrate well, you must par-boil or steam them to deactivate the enzymes before drying.
Here is the quick process:
1. Prep: Wash, peel (optional), and dice potatoes into uniform ¼ to ¼ inch cubes.
2. Blanch: Steam for 5-6 minutes or boil for 3-4 minutes until fork-tender but not fully cooked.
3. Shock: Plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, and then drain well.
4. Dehydrate: Spread in a single layer on dehydrator trays and dry at 125°F (52°C) to 135°F for 8 to 12 hours. They are finished when they are completely crisp and shatter when snapped.

Cabbage:
Outer leaves powder only they are tough.
Clean, core, I blanch it so it rehydrates easily
1 head cabbage fills a quart jar
Re-hydrate with boiling water is far better than warm. Side dish is cabbage, bacon and onion.
Frozen mixed vegetables. They are ready to dehydrate. Just open bag and spread on tray. Great for pot pie filling. Rice and vegetables, just add to the rice with a little more water.
Maurepas
2 parts onion
1part carrot
1 part celery
Re-hydrate 1 part Maurepas 2 parts hot water.
Sauté it in butter or bacon fat, for recipes.

Cajun Trinity
Ingredients:
2 large yellow or sweet onions, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
3–4 cloves garlic, minced (traditionally added near the end, referred to as “the pope” or holy trinity.
Sauté it in butter or bacon fat for recipes.

Making Laundry Soap Powder

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-make-your-own-laundry-detergent-1387952#toc-what-to-avoid-in-a-laundry-detergent

When supplies run short see 2nd recipe amounts below*

1 Cup Zote or Castile flakes or grated bar.

2 Cups Borax laundry booster

2 Cups washing soda (sodium carbonate) laundry booster

You can add one cup of baking soda to the recipe to increase the cleaning power of your homemade laundry detergent. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the detergent mixture, stirring it thoroughly.

Mix well with a wooden spoon and promptly seal the container. Do not vacuum seal or us oxygen absorbers.

Add the detergent directly to the washer drum before loading the dirty laundry. Do not use it in an automatic dispenser, as the soap flakes may cause clumping that can clog the dispenser.

To soften clothes safely when using homemade laundry powder, add white vinegar to the rinse cycle

Bleach

Avoid adding bleach to homemade laundry detergent. Bleach can unintentionally stain or discolor clothing and cause skin irritation, especially in sensitive people.

When handwashing, add one tablespoon of homemade laundry detergent to one cup of hot water to help the mixture dissolve. Then, add the water and detergent solution to a sink filled with warm or cool water before adding the dirty clothes.

Washer Type	Load Size	Amount of Detergent
Standard Top Loader	Small	2 tablespoons
Standard Top Loader	Medium	3 tablespoons
Standard Top Loader	Large	1/4 cup
Front Loader & HE Washer	Small	1 tablespoon
Front Loader & HE Washer	Medium	1 tablespoon
Front Loader & HE Washer	Large	2-3 tablespoons
Handwashing	Small	1 tablespoon

The powdered laundry detergent generally will not expire or lose effectiveness unless exposed to excess moisture.

If the detergent becomes hard or develops clumps due to moisture, discard it. It will not dissolve well in the washer and can leave soap residue on your clothes.

How to Make DIY Laundry Powder

Smaller amounts used for hard to get supplies

How to Use

Use 1 heaping tablespoon for a regular load of laundry.
Use 2 tablespoons for large loads, extra-dirty clothing, or if you have hard water.
For best results in cold water: Dissolve your DIY powder in a cup of hot water before pouring it into the washer drum, or add the powder directly to the empty drum before loading your clothes

Ingredients

1 cup Borax (boosts cleaning and brightens whites)
1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (cuts through grease and hard water)
1 cup Baking soda (deodorizes and softens fabrics)
1 cup Zote
Optional: 1 cup of Oxygen bleach powder (like OxiClean) for tough stains
Optional: 10 to 20 drops of essential oils (such as lavender, lemon, or tea tree) for scent

Instructions

Grate the Soap if using zote bar: Use a fine cheese grater or a food processor to grate your bar of soap until it resembles fine crumbs or coarse powder. Finely processing the soap is essential so it fully dissolves during your wash cycle.
Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, or a large sealable bag (like a 1-gallon Ziploc), thoroughly mix the borax, washing soda, baking soda, and your grated soap. If you are using oxygen powder or essential oils, add them in at this step and stir until evenly distributed
Store: Transfer your finished mixture to an airtight glass or plastic container. Store it in a cool, dry place out of reach of children and pets.
To soften clothes safely when using homemade laundry powder, add white vinegar to the rinse cycle

High Protein No Bake Snack

No-Bake Protein Balls
Serves 18

3 C whole rolled oats
½ C chia seeds or ¼ C ground Flaxseed
½ C protein powders (vanilla)
Pinch of salt
———————————————
1 C peanut butter powder or 3/4C reg. peanut butter
¼ C water if using peanut butter powder
———————-
2/3 C Honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C chocolate Chips

Mix together and form 1 inch balls or bars

Recipe #2

Ingredients

1½ cups whole rolled oats
1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
¼ cup ground flaxseed
¼ cup honey
2 scoops protein powder, ¼ cup (I use 365 Organic Pea Protein, Unflavored)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Pinch sea salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, peanut butter, flax, honey, protein powder, vanilla, and chocolate chips. The mixture will be thick.

Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the mixture, then use your hands to roll it into balls.

Chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours, or until firm.

The protein balls keep well in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well.

Easy Mayo Reicpe

Easy Mayo Reicpe | Creamy Homemade Mayonnaise in 2 Minutes

Melissa Norris
Skip the store-bought jar and make this easy mayo recipe at home in just 5 minutes. Rich, creamy, fresh, and perfect for sandwiches, dips, dressings, and salads with simple pantry ingredients.
16 servings Calories 93 kcal

Equipment: immersion blender
Ingredients

1 whole egg
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon organic white vinegar
3/4 cup oil

Instructions

Crack an egg into a pint-sized wide-mouth Mason jar.
Add mustard, salt, lemon juice and white vinegar.
Add oil on top and allow it to sit for a few seconds so the ingredients separate and the oil floats on top.
Gently place your immersion blender into the jar until it’s to the bottom.
Turn the immersion blender on and leave it at the bottom until the mayonnaise begins to emulsify.

Slowly bring the immersion blender up and back down, incorporating the remaining oil until all the contents are thick, creamy and completely emulsified.
Add a lid to the jar and store it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (see my tips on storing below).

Recipe Tips:
Use room temperature ingredients to prevent the mayo from breaking
Start blending from the bottom to help the emulsion form quickly
If your mayo is too thick, add a teaspoon of water to loosen it
If it doesn’t emulsify, try blending in another egg yolk to bring it back together
Choose a mild oil for the best flavor

Serving Suggestions:
Spread on homemade sandwiches or wraps
Mix into chicken, egg, or this red potato salad recipe
Use as a base for homemade buttermilk ranch dressing or garlic aioli
Add to burgers for extra richness
Stir into deviled eggs for a creamy filling
Use as the secret ingredient in this velvety, delicious chocolate mayo cake recipe.

Storage Instructions:
Store your homemade mayonnaise in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Because this recipe uses raw egg, it’s best enjoyed fresh and kept properly chilled. Do not freeze, as it will separate and lose its creamy texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Tablespoon
Calories: 93kcal

Peanut granola bars

Peanut granola bars

Ingredients:
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
3/4 cup natural unsweetened peanut butter
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional, see notes

Directions to Make Bars
1 Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, or use parchment paper.
2 Spread the oats and chopped peanuts onto a baking sheet, bake for 5 minutes, stir, and bake another 3 to 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Allow to cool.
3 While the oats and peanuts bake, make flax eggs by stirring three tablespoons of flaxseed meal with six tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. During this time, the flaxseed meal will absorb most, if not all, of the water.
4 In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and flax eggs. If using salt, add it now.
5 When the oats and peanuts have cooled, stir them into the peanut butter mixture. The mixture will be sticky. Thoroughly mix everything so that all the oats are well coated. Add up to 1/4 cup more peanut butter if the mixture seems dry.
6 Stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips. Save the remaining tablespoon for topping the bars.
7 Transfer the granola bar mixture to the prepared pan, and then use a rubber spatula or damp fingertips to press it into the pan firmly so the bars stay together once cooled and cut. One trick is to add a sheet of parchment paper on top and then use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to press the oat mixture down into the pan.
8 Scatter the remaining tablespoon of chocolate chips over the pressed granola mixture, using a rubber spatula to push them into the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. If you are in a rush, you can freeze them for about 30 minutes. The bars will be too soft if cut before they are thoroughly chilled.
9Remove the chilled block of granola mixture from the pan, then peel away the foil or parchment. Cut into 12 bars.
• Storing
1Store granola bars in an airtight container for up to one week. For the softest bars, keep them at room temperature (note that room-temperature bars may fall apart more easily than cold bars). For slightly harder bars, store them in the fridge (this is what I do). When wrapped well, bars will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
• While we have had the best results with peanut butter, you can try substituting it for another nut butter, like almond or cashew butter. You should also be able to make them nut-free and use sunflower seed butter (you will also need to remove the peanuts for nut-free bars).
• Honey works well in these bars. Use the same amount of honey as maple syrup called for in the recipe above.
• If the nut butter is unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the granola bar mixture.
• The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 bar (12 total) / Calories 262 / Total Fat 12.7g / Saturated Fat 3.2g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 4.5mg / Carbohydrate 27.4g / Dietary Fiber 4.3g / Total Sugars 10.1g / Protein 8.4g

Calabacitas with zucchini & Hominy

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons butter
2 medium zucchini squash, cubed
2 medium yellow squash, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 fresh poblano or Anaheim pepper, seeded, diced or 1 can diced green chilli’s
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 can (10 ounces) corn, drained or (1 1/4 cup freeze dried corn)
1 Cp Hominy(cooked or freeze dried)
⅓ cup half and half
1 Tb flour
½ cup Colby jack cheese, shredded

Instructions:

Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté squash and onion in butter for 3-4 minutes.

Add the green pepper and garlic, then sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to burn. Add salt, pepper, corn , cooked hominy and half and half. Sprinkle on flour, stir to combine.

Sauté on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork.If using freeze dried corn and hominy you may need more cream.

Remove skillet from burner. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover skillet for 2-4 minutes and allow to rest until cheese melts.

Serve warm. Optionally, sprinkle with more cheese (queso fresco is great) or cilantro!

Corn Nuts Recipe

Servings: 4

Crunchy, easy Corn Nuts are simple to make and can be spiced up with your favorite flavorings!

Ingredients:

16 oz bag hominy, large white corn kernels

4 cups water

4 cups peanut oil – for frying, digital thermometer recommended

3 Tablespoons canola or vegetable oil – for baking or air frying

2 Tablespoons salt

3 Tablespoons seasoning – optional like BBQ, Ranch or Old Bay

Instructions

In a large bowl put the corn kernels then pour in the 4 cups of water and let them soak overnight.
Drain the water and spread out on a cooking sheet and pat dry.
Let the kernels air dry for at least an hour.
In a deep pot, add the peanut oil and heat on medium/medium high to 350 degrees.
Once 350 degrees is reached, add about 1=-½ cups at a time and add the dried kernels to the oil and fry.
The oil will boil slightly violently when the corn is first added in, but will cook as directed to a nice golden brown.
Fry for 9 minutes per batch, adjusting the temperature up or down if needed to maintain close to 350 degrees frying temp.
Be very careful when frying as the kernels will pop.
Remove cooked corn nuts from the oil to a paper towel lined sheet, and toss with salt and optional seasoning while still hot.
Serve and enjoy immediately or at room temperature.Tips for the Best Corn Nuts
- When you first add the hominy to the hot peanut oil, it’ll boil like crazy! Don’t worry, though. As long as the temperature of the oil is 350°F, the hominy will cook to golden brown perfection and shouldn’t burn.
- Be very careful not to burn yourself. The hominy kernels may pop as they cook in the oil.
- When frying the Corn Nuts, be sure to keep your eye on the thermometer. It should always read 350°F. If it goes too high, you’ll burn the hominy. If it’s too low they won’t cook properly.
- Work in batches! There should only be about a cup and a half of hominy in the oil at a time. If you overcrowd the pot, the temperature of the oil will decrease.
- Enjoy your seasonings! One of my favorite ways to add some flavor to these Corn Nuts is with Easy Homemade Ranch Seasoning.

Cooking Dried Hominy

Check for debris like you would beans.
Soak kernels 6-8 hrs
Rinse till Clear – Drain

in a pot cover kernels with 3 inch waters and boil.
Turn down to simmer for 2 hrs.

Natchez Nation Fried Hominy Cakes Recipe

Ingredients:

10 ounces frozen/defrosted chopped spinach (may substitute 12 ounces fresh baby spinach)
4 ounces best-quality sliced bacon
2 cups whole milk
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried, quick-cooking grits
20 ounces canned hominy, broken up into separate kernels (3 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
1/4 cup flour, for coating
3 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
3 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

Grease a 9-by-13 baking dish with cooking oil spray.

Cook the spinach according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water and squeeze the water out of it. The yield is about 3/4 cup. (If using fresh spinach, cook in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse with cool water, squeeze the water out of it and chop.)

Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until nearly but not quite crisp. Blot on paper towels and chop. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat.

Combine the milk, garlic, onion powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.

Slowly stir in the grits and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are quite thick and bubbling.

Add the spinach, hominy, Parmigiano and chopped bacon and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish. Refrigerate to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees; put a serving dish in it to warm.

Spread the flour on one plate; line another plate with paper towels. Have a third empty plate at the ready.

Use the biscuit cutter to cut the hominy into 12 rounds. Push together the remaining hominy so you can cut out 8 more cakes.

Coat them in flour on both sides, shaking off any excess and transferring them to the empty plate as you work. Discard any unused flour.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Once the mixture shimmers, arrange 7 of the coated hominy rounds in the pan; cook for 3 minutes, until quite brown. (Be careful; the hominy might pop.)

Turn the cakes over and cook for 3 minutes on the second side, until browned and crisped.

Transfer to the paper-towel-lined plate to blot briefly, then transfer the cakes to the serving dish in the oven. Blot the cakes on the paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm in the oven.

Wipe the pan out; repeat the process twice with the remaining bacon fat, oil and coated hominy cakes (the last batch will have 6 cakes).

Serve warm.

Southwestern Hominy

Taste of home Yield:6

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) golden hominy, rinsed and drained
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a saucepan, sauté onion and green pepper in butter until tender. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Southern-style sautéed hominy

Recipe 1:

Southern-style sautéed hominy is a quick, savory side dish often featuring bacon grease, onion, and garlic, typically cooked until the hominy is hot and slightly browned. Common variations include Cajun seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilis, or butter and black pepper. [

Classic Southern Fried Hominy (Appalachian Style)

Ingredients: 6 slices bacon (chopped), 2 cans (16 oz) hominy (drained), 2 scallions (diced), salt, and pepper.
Instructions: Fry bacon in a heavy skillet until crisp. Stir in drained hominy and salt; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pepper and scallions, stirring for another 5 minutes until browned.

Cajun Hominy Skillet

Ingredients: 2 slices bacon (cooked, crumbled), 2 tbsp bacon drippings, 1/2 cup onion (chopped), 1/2 cup celery (chopped), 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilis, 2 cans hominy (drained), 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning.
Instructions: Sauté onion and celery in bacon drippings until tender. Add drained hominy, tomatoes with chilis, garlic powder, and Cajun seasoning. Simmer for 15 minutes, then top with crumbled bacon.

Other Popular Southern Sauté Variations

Simple Buttered: Sauté drained hominy in 1 tbsp bacon grease and 1 tbsp butter, seasoned with plenty of black pepper.
Cheesy Hominy Casserole: Melt butter, garlic, and add flour to form a roux, then add evaporated milk and cheese. Mix with hominy, jalapeños, and bacon, then bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
With Pork Chops: Sauté hominy in leftover pork chop grease until hot.

Tips for Success

Drain Well: Ensure the hominy is well-drained to allow it to fry properly rather than steam.
Yellow vs. White: Both work, but yellow is often preferred for a richer flavor.
Iron Skillet: A cast-iron skillet is ideal for developing the best flavor

Recipe 2

Yield: 4-6

1 1/2 Pound Bacon, Cut into Lardons
1 lb Bag of Frozen 3 Color Pepper & Onion Strips Blend Vegetables
Hot Pepper, to Taste (Optional)
2 Cans Yellow Hominy, Drained and Rinsed
2 Cans White Hominy, Drained and Rinsed
Sea Salt, pepper to Taste
Water

On high heat, fry out your bacon in a large skillet. As the bacon begins to brown, reduce the heat and cook slowly until the bacon is perfectly brown and crisp. Remove bacon from the skillet onto a paper towel-lined plate. Toss in the pepper and onion medley blend (sometimes marketed as fajita blend). Toss in your (optional) cut-up hot pepper (Ken used a red Hungarian Wax Fruit pepper since it has the ideal level of heat for this dish and phenomenal flavor). Raise heat back to high and cook until the onions are translucent and begin to brown. Toss in the drained and rinsed hominy. Cook the hominy until the kernels start to turn translucent. Toss in the bacon. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add water until the hominy is no longer translucent, the oil is no longer visible, and the ingredients of the dish start to come together from the release of the starches out of the corn. Serve hot.

Hominy Casserole

Easy, creamy and cheesy Hominy Casserole is a side dish.
Servings: 8

Ingredients
1-15 ounce cans hominy; rinsed and drained I used one white hominy can and one golden hominy
1 cup sour cream or can use heavy cream
1 6 ounce can diced green chilies or fresh anaheim diced
2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground garlic

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine hominy, sour cream, green chilies, and Monterey Jack cheese in a medium-sized bowl. Spread evenly into a 2-quart casserole dish.
Make the topping. Blend eggs, crema, and butter until light and airy, then whisk in the dry ingredients just until combined.
Spread over top of casserole
Top with Parmesan Cheese.
Bake until top is puffy, golden and bubbly about 45 min. to 1 hr.

Making Hominy

Making Hominy & Processing

Nixtamalization process for corn. Can dry the hominy and grind up for grits, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8nBFr-AwNM

Keep corn frozen till using or use dehydrator. Test: Properly dried corn should shatter when broken, not bend.

Use stainless steel pot and any metal utensil used are stainless or wood.

4 cps corn
Gal water
2Tb pickling lime (cal or calcium Hydroxide)

Mix lime in water and pour in corn.
Bring all to a boil. Simmer with lid ajar for hour or so till water starts to turn yellow and hearts (dark tips start coming off). The Kernels need to swell up and kernels are soft.

Remove from heat and let set from 12-24 hrs. or overnight.

Drain lime water off and get rid of it outside, not the drain.

Wash off kernels till corn and skin is separated and rinsed off.

Dump in a bowl or pot, and cover with water. Use hands to rub skins off.

Rinse thoroughly, several times. Water should be clear. Yellow corn takes more rinsing than White corn. Don’t skimp on the rinsing.

Pressure Can or Cook up a

Dry Corn to Tortillas

This recipe only required four ingredients; corn, fresh water, pickling lime (cal), and salt. The salt is in fact not necessary, or particularly traditional, but we find it enhances the flavor of the tortillas without compromising them in any way. The basic process is to mix the corn with the water and lime, boil the corn till the seed coat (pericarp) slips easily from the kernels, then leave the corn to soak for a minimum of 8 hours. After soaking, the corn is rubbed to remove the softened pericarps, and rinsed several times to remove them and lower the pH and remove the unreacted alkali/lime. Then the corn is drained, the salt is added, and it is ground in the masa grinder. If you don’t possess a masa grinder, a food processor or meat grinder can be used. Traditionally the corn would be ground by hand on a mano and metate stone grinding mill, but these are almost completely unavailable outside Mexico, and are rather labor intensive to use. Once ground to sufficient fineness, the resulting dough is called masa. The masa dough is shaped into balls the size of the desired tortillas and baked/roasted on a hot griddle till cooked thoroughly. All of the steps of the process can vary a bit depending on a number of factors, so they should be considered as general guidelines vs a hard and fast recipe. Different corns nixtamalize at different rates, and are perhaps best suited to specific cooking styles. This can only arrived at by a bit of trial and repetition.

Italian Seasoning

8 tablespoons dried basil
4 tablespoons dried oregano
4 tablespoons dried rosemary
4 tablespoons dried marjoram
4 tablespoons dried thyme
4 tablespoons Parsley
3 Tablespoons Sage or Savory, Optional
3 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
3 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Blend all in a food processor

Store in Amber, Mason jar.

Sour Cream

Sour Cream

1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar.

How to Make Sour Cream

Combine heavy cream and lemon juice or vinegar in a clean glass jar. Stir with a clean spoon.

Cover the jar loosely with a paper towel or coffee filter. This allows proper airflow while protecting the cream as it sits out.

Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. After about 24 hours the cream will have thickened slightly. Overnight might work.

Store in the refrigerator. Give the cream a stir and move it to the refrigerator for longer storage.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

What Can You Substitute for Sour Cream?

If you don’t have 24 hours to devote to thickening cream on your counter, try one of these other sour cream substitutes.

Plain regular or Greek yogurt. Plain yogurt is an obvious swap for sour cream, given they are both creamy and tangy dairy products. Keep in mind that regular yogurt has a thinner consistency, while Greek yogurt has a texture closer to sour cream.

Cream cheese. Soften cream cheese at room temperature or in the microwave. Then add enough milk or cream to thin it out to your desired consistency. You may also want to add lemon juice or vinegar to boost the acidic flavor.

Mayonnaise. Although mayo isn’t a cultured dairy product, its creamy consistency can be an acceptable substitute in dips and dressings. This substitute works best when mayo is mixed with yogurt or buttermilk.

Buttermilk. When you’re looking for a creamy tang, buttermilk can be just the thing. While it does not have the thickness of sour cream, it is useful for adding the flavor of cultured dairy.

Garlic Granules & Powder

Take off the root part and 1 layer of skin
Break apart
Place chosen Skin and garlic in blender to chop it up.

Put on dehydrator tray
100 degrees or less if keeping all medicinal and nutrient purpose.

Grind to consistency that you want, and place back into dryer to be sure it is totally dry.

If making powdered garlic use coffee or herb grinder and put back in dryer to be sure all is dry.

For Antibiotic, antimicrobial ( effective against parasites, viruses and bacteria) or expectorant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOqLPr2WyiE

3-4 raw cloves for 1 dose antibiotic and expectorant
Lightly steamed to soften, twice as much.
Full of vitamins also good for diabetic’s.

Ranch Dressing

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
When you are ready to make a batch of Ranch simply add 1 tablespoon of the dried mix with 1/3 cup sour cream
To Make Ranch Dressing:Combine 1 tablespoon dried mix with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk and stir well. Pour over salad.
To Make Ranch Dip:Combine 1 tablespoon dried mix with 1 cup sour cream and mix well. Refrigerate before serving.

Growing Mushrooms Indoors

How to store & prepare your fruiting block kit
If you need to store your blocks, most can be kept in the refrigerator for up to six months. However, pink oyster blocks should always be stored at room temperature.

1. Side-fruiting is ideal for mushrooms that form dense clusters and prefer smaller openings, such as oyster mushrooms (including blue, pink, golden, and Italian), lion’s mane, and chestnut mushrooms. Despite the name, side-fruiting doesn’t refer to the direction of growth but to the cuts made on the sides of the bag where mushrooms emerge.

Side-fruiting golden oyster mushrooms.

2. Top-fruiting is best suited for species that thrive in humid, CO2-rich environments with a broad surface area for growth. This includes king trumpet, black king, nameko, pioppino, and reishi mushrooms. In top-fruiting, mushrooms grow from the substrate’s surface at the top of the block.

To prepare your kit

• Use a sharp, clean cutting tool and a stable surface.
• Keep tape and rubber bands handy if needed.
• Set up your fruiting space, such as a Boomr Bin monotub or BoomRoom II grow tent, before opening your block.

How to side-fruit your fruiting block kit
1. Prepare the Block: Unfasten the taped top of the bag. Fold the top flap tightly over the block, keeping the filter patch facing up. Press out any excess air to minimize side-pinning. You can place rubber bands around your block to help with this.

2. Secure the Flap: Either tape it down or flip the block so the flap stays in place.

3. Orient the Block: Choose a position that fits your growing space, usually with the cut side facing up for stability.

4. Cut the Bag: Make an ‘X’ cut on the bag, starting an inch or two from the corner. Slice diagonally across the plastic. Cutting into the block is fine.

5. Set Up for Fruiting: Place the block in a suitable environment and mist it 2-4 times daily, adjusting for humidity levels. You can place rubber bands on fruiting blocks
You can option to place rubber bands on your block to prevent side-pinning.

levels.

you can place rubber bands on fruiting blocks

You can option to place rubber bands on your block to prevent side-pinning.

Cut an ‘X’ in the bag.

Special steps for shiitake

1. Identify Readiness: Shiitake blocks form a thick white wrinkled layer called ‘popcorning’ as they colonize. If you order a block from us, it may arrive this way. After a few weeks, the block should turn mostly brown, indicating that it is ready for fruiting. If pins are visible, you can begin fruiting regardless of block color.

2. Cold Shock: Place the block in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

3. Physical Stimulation: Give the block a firm slap to encourage growth.

4. Remove the Bag: Eliminate the bag completely or leave a bit on the underside to reduce bottom fruiting.

5. Soak the Block: For extra hydration, submerge the block in cold water for 4-12 hours.

6. Maintain High Humidity: Ensure humidity around 90% until pins form, preferably in a grow chamber for moisture retention.

‘Popcorning’ vs. early pinning.

A shiitake block ready to be cold-shocked.

Soak your shiitake block in cold water for 4-12 hours.

Curry

Curry is a generic name for a whole class of Indian spices. You will find many variations in flavor from one curry blend to another. Common ingredients found in most curry powders include coriander, turmeric, cumin, and some kind of chili powder.

Once you start making your own curry powder you will find endless flavor possibilities. Adding a sprinkling of curry powder to your food to boost its fat burning potential.

½ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Cumin seed
2 TBSP Coriander Seeds
½ tsp Cayenne powder
1 tsp Fenugreek
½ tsp Ginger powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Cardamom
½ tsp Black pepper

Place seeds and powders in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Mix until the spices are ground. Store in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon to flavor a meal for four people.

Taco Seasoning

Servings servings

Calories 22cal

AuthorJohn Kanell

Ingredients

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until combined.

Store in an airtight container or glass jar in a cool dark place like a spice drawer, cabinet, or pantry. Best if used within 3 months.

Notes

Be sure your storage container is truly airtight. If it isn’t, the spices will lose their flavor quickly, or the mix can clump up in the pantry.
Store the jar away from direct light. Sunlight can damage the color and flavor of spices, so it’s best to keep them in a drawer or cabinet.

Nutrition

Mayonnaise fool proof Recipe

Servings cup

Calories1518cal

AuthorJohn Kanell

Ingredients

1 whole egg
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup light or neutral oil (180mL), (such as light olive oil, vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in the order listed in a tall container or wide-mouthed mason jar. (Be sure the opening of the jar is wide enough to fit the top of an immersion blender.)

Press the head of the immersion blender into the bottom of the jar. Hold it touching the bottom and blend for 15 seconds. Begin to move the immersion blender up and down throughout the mixture, but not breaking the surface, until the remaining oil has been emulsified into the egg, and the mixture is thick and off-white. Season with more salt or lemon juice to taste. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes

If you don’t have an immersion blender, make this in a regular blender or the small bowl of a food processor. Blend all of the ingredients except the oil together. With the blender running on low speed, add a few drops of the oil at a time through the center opening of the lid to the mixture until it starts to look creamy and thicken. Then, add the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream until it is very thick and creamy.

Nutrition

Salsa Verde

Servings servings

Calories47 cal

AuthorJohn Kanell

1 ½ pounds tomatillos (675g)
½ white onion cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves peeled
¾ cup packed cilantro
1 lime juiced
1 jalapeńo or serrano pepper, seeded (optional)
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Remove and discard the husks and rinse the tomatillos in cold water.
Position an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler. Preheat the oven to High broil (500F). Line a baking sheet with foil or lightly brush with oil.
Cut the tomatillos in half and place cut side down in an even layer on the baking sheet. Scatter the onion and garlic around the tomatillos.
Broil for 5 to 6 minutes or until the tomatillos are starting to char and turn black.
In the container of a food processor or blender, combine the charred vegetables, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, and salt. Blend until finely chopped or desired consistency. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Transfer to an airtight container and let the salsa sit for at least 1 hour before serving. Salsa can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Notes

The ribs and seeds of jalapeno carry the most heat. Removing them before adding the jalapeno to your dish keeps the salsa from being overly spicy. You can also include them for a spicier salsa. Also, wearing gloves will help keep your hands from burning from the jalapeno.
If the salsa verde is too thick for your liking, you can add a tablespoon of water at a time to the blender until you reach the desired consistency.
When buying tomatillos, try to purchase ones that are similar in size, so they roast evenly in the oven.
While this salsa verde tastes delicious immediately, I highly recommend giving it some time in the fridge so the flavors can meld.

Nutrition

Basil Pesto

Ingredients

2 cups basil leaves packed (70g)
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts (30g)
¼ cup coarsely chopped Parmesan cheese (30g)
1 garlic clove peeled
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper½ cup olive oil (120mL)
Lemon juice to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, nuts, cheese, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Process for 10 to 15 seconds, until coarsely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Season with more salt and black pepper to taste.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice.

Notes

If you aren’t using the pesto right away, hold the lemon juice and stir it in right before using. Otherwise, the acid from the juice can turn the pesto brown. The zest is fine to blend into the pesto as directed.

This makes enough pesto to coat 8 to 12 ounces of pasta. Use a little bit of the pasta water to loosen the pesto and create a silky sauce, if desired.

Nutrition

Homemade Caesar Dressing

Servings servings

Calories179 cal

AuthorJohn Kanell

Ingredients

⅔ cup mayonnaise (160g)

2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic finely minced or grated

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste

½ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more to taste

⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (20g)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, anchovy paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk together until smooth.

Sour Cream (make your own)

Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream ($1.40)
1 Tbsp vinegar ($0.02)

Instructions

Add the cream to a mason jar or other airtight container.
Add the vinegar to the cream. (Or whatever acid you decide to work with.)
Close the container and shake it for a minute or two, until the cream thickens.
Use the cream right away or leave the jar on your counter overnight to ferment and thicken.*

Notes

*Leave it out on your counter overnight if you want tangier, thicker sour cream. I usually shake it and pop it in the fridge, where it will thicken in a few hours.

Nutrition

Rice & Other Grains Ratio Guide

Make your own instant rice

1. Cook the Rice:

Cook regular rice according to package instructions, ensuring it’s fully cooked and tender.

2. Drain Excess Water:

If any water remains after cooking, drain it thoroughly to avoid any remaining moisture.

3. Dehydrate:

Dehydrator: Spread the cooked rice in a single layer on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 125°F (52°C) until the rice is fully dry and crispy. This process can take several hours, so monitor the rice and adjust the drying time as needed.

Oven: You can also use your oven to dehydrate the rice. Spread the rice in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Heat the oven to the lowest setting and leave the oven door slightly ajar to allow moisture to escape. Dehydrate for several hours, checking periodically, until the rice is dry and crispy.

4. Store:

Once the rice is fully dehydrated, store it in airtight containers or resealable bags for long-term storage.

Rehydration:

When you want to use your homemade instant rice, you can rehydrate it by adding a ratio of rice to water. For example, mix 1 cup of dehydrated rice with 1 cup of boiling water, cover, and let it sit for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender and rehydrated.

Yogurt Quart Jar Maker

Pre-heat Jar and maker with warm, not boiling water. Dry jar with paper towel before pouring mixture in.

Ingredients

1 qt whole dairy milk, you can use lower fat milk, but whole milk gives the creamiest results. If you use skim milk, you can whisk in 1/2 cup of dry milk powder.

1 Yogurt packet or 3-4 tbsp. plain, whole milk yogurt

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat milk slowly over low heat to 194 F, or until it is steaming and at a bare simmer with bubbles around the edges, but not boiling. Stir the milk occasionally as it heats.

Remove milk from heat and cool milk down to 113 F or lower. (5-10 min. in sink with cold water) It should be warm, but not hot. If you stick your finger in the milk for 10 seconds, it should feel pleasantly warm, but not hot.

Transfer ½ cup of the warm milk into a small bowl and whisk in yogurt or yogurt culture packet until it is well combined. Add this yogurt milk mixture back to the rest of the milk and whisk to make sure it is well combined.

Place mixture into a warm yogurt maker and set the time for 8 hours, until it is thick and tangy.

Transfer the jar to the refrigerator and chill for at least another 4 hours. It will continue to thicken as it chills.

Notes:

You can substitute low-fat milk – the higher milk-fat, the creamier and thicker the final yogurt.

If you use skim milk, you can whisk in 1/2 cup of dry milk powder or 1 teaspoon of gelatin in step 3 to make a thicker yogurt.

You should heat the milk slowly – don’t rush step 1.

You can cool the milk quickly in step 2, if you are in a hurry. Ways to do this include: use an ice bath, transfer the milk into a cool bowl, and stir the milk frequently.

The longer the yogurt sits, the tangier it will become.

If you’d like to make Greek yogurt, set a calendar or sieve over a bowl and line the colander with cheesecloth or coffee filters. Take your finished yogurt (either chilled or not) and pour it into the colander. Allow to drain in the fridge for 4-6 hours until it is as thick as you like. If it gets too thick, you can whisk some of the whey back into the yogurt. Transfer the yogurt to containers. The whey can be used for smoothies, soups, lemonade, or bread baking.

Your final yogurt will taste like the yogurt that you used to start this batch with, so be sure to use a yogurt you like.

You can save a few tablespoons to your finished yogurt for future yogurt making. I do this by freezing some of the chilled yogurt in ice cube trays and storing in a ziplock bag in the freezer.

If you find you enjoy yogurt making, you can also find heirloom starter cultures on line or at some health food stores. These starter cultures typically have a wider range of cultures in them vs. the 3-4 that you find in store-bought yogurt, so they can have a better flavor and may be considered healthier as a pro-biotic food. Follow the directions on the package to active the powdered cultures and once you have a good batch of yogurt going, you can freeze small amounts for future batches of yogurt – it’s a continuous loop of yogurt!

Yogurt

To Make Yogurt

• Heat a scant 4 cups of whole milk to 185ºF (85ºC). Cool to 105ºF (40ºC).
• Meanwhile, place 4 tablespoons of plain, whole-milk yogurt that contains live and active cultures in a quart jar. Cover.
• Once the milk has cooled, pour it into the jar and stir to mix the yogurt and milk together.
• Screw on the lid firmly and place the jar in a crockpot. Fill the crockpot with water and turn to “warm” or the lowest setting.
• Check the yogurt after 6 hours. Gently tilt the jar to see if it is set to your liking.
Once the yogurt is fully set, place in the refrigerator to cool completely.

To make Greek yogurt:
• Place a colander in a large bowl. Line the colander with cheesecloth, thick paper towels, or a clean tea towel.
• Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined colander and fold the cheesecloth on top.
• Place a small plate over the cheesecloth and put something heavy (like a stack of bowls) on top.
• Put the whole thing into the refrigerator for a few hours.
• Discard or save the whey and scrape the yogurt into a storage container.

Ricotta Pie or Farmer Cheese pie

2 cups farmer cheese, or ricotta
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup honey or light corn syrup, *brown sugar is also an option, see below.
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 Frozen or homemade pie crust or*Graham cracker crust parbaked or not, is good also.
Parbake frozen pie crust: Remove the pan from the freezer and use a fork to prick holes throughout the dough. (This is called “docking,” which helps maintain the shape as the crust bakes.) Cover snugly with aluminum foil. Fill the shell with ceramic pie weights; push them toward the edges, which keeps the crust from shrinking as it bakes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the crimped edges are set but not browned. Remove from the oven and lift the foil and pie weights out of the shell. Let the shell cool. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F.
Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine farmer cheese and milk. Stir well to remove large lumps. Add honey and salt, and stir well. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl, add to cheese mixture, and whisk until well blended; then stir in thyme.
Assembly: Pour the filling into the shell and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35–40 minutes.
* Brown sugar A low sweetener that can be used as a 1 cup to 1 cup ratio for honey, but you may need to add 1/4 cup of liquid to the recipe.
*Graham Cracker Crust
9 graham crackers (1 sleeve), finely crushed (about 1 1/4 cup) can be crushed in a Ziploc baggie.
1/4 c. granulated sugar
5 Tbsp. butter, melted
Pinch kosher salt
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, sugar, melted butter, and a pinch of salt.

Mix until mixture resembles wet sand and holds together when pressed.

Pour into a 9” pie plate or spring form pan and press into an even layer, going up the sides. Use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to help pack firmly.

If baking, bake at 350° until golden, about 12 minutes.

Knife Sharpener

This unit is designed to work with both straight-edge and serrated knives. For best results, it is recommended to sharpen your knives at a 20-degree angle, ensuring that both sides of the blade receive equal attention.
1-Sharpens – 3-4 times more if knife is really dull up to 8-9 times. Carefully ck for burr on blade .

2- Hones –if there is a burr pass though 3-4 times.

Turn off machine for manual polishing stage.

3- polishing – Pull back and forth 3-4 times creates a polished finish to straight-edge and serrated knives.

Serrated Knives

If very dull make 2 fast pulls in stage 2 only.

Mostly use manual polishing stage to sharpen serrated knives, pulling back and forth 6-8 times or more, up to 25 times.

Roasting Garlic

You’ll laugh when you hear how easy it is to roast garlic. The result is smooth, spreadable garlic that has mellowed in flavor. It’s tasty as a spread, but you can toss the roasted cloves into sandwiches or mashed potatoes to add a zippy flavor.

You don’t even have to peel the cloves.

Just chop off the top of the head of garlic. I used two and crammed them into a small lidded baking dish I have. You can use any small dish. I had to separate a few cloves from the mother just to fit them, but it works fine.

Drizzle over the oil and season to taste with freshly ground pepper and kosher salt.

Cover and bake for an hour at 350°.

Home made bug spray

Recipe for bug spray

•1 cup water
•1/3 cup witch Hazel
•30-50 drops lemon grass essential oil

Shake well before each use.
Or
Homemade Mosquito Repellent {Just 3 Ingredients}

2oz water or distilled water
2oz Apple Cider Vinegar or Witch Hazel (I used Witch Hazel)
20-55 drops of Bug Off Oil (Plant Therapy Nature Shield Essential Oil Blend) depending on the level of protection you need

You might consider 20 drops for children or to spray clothing and furniture and stuff and up to 55 drops if you are going to a heavily infested area.
And one important note- we all know normal bug spray can smell horrible. I find this spray much less offensive- it does have Citronella but I find the scent to be very mild.

Mennonite Egg Noodles, Shelf Stable Pasta.

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Mix with blender or whisk
12egg yolks6 whole eggs
3/4cup water
1 T.oil (I use melted tallow)
1 tsp. salt
Add:6-7 cups all-purpose flour
Mix by hand like bread dough until dough is like a soft playdough. If it’s too dry add more water, if it’s too sticky, add more flour. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest on counter for 2-3 hours for gluten to develop. Alternately, refrigerate the dough for up to 12 hours and then allow to come to room temp on counter for a few hours. Cut off golf ball size pieces of dough and cover them in flour by dropping them into a dish of flour. Smash the piece flat with your palms and then put them through your pasta machine on the thickest setting, then on a thinner setting. On my pasta machine I use setting three for the final dough sheets. Allow the pasta sheets to dry for1 to 2hours and then run them through the cutter. Alternately, Iron the dough sheets until they are partially dry before running through the cutters. Place cut pasta on clean surface (I use bed sheets for easy clean up)to dry for 2-3 days. When dry, place in tightly closed containers and store in a cool dry place (or store in freezer)*How to video on our YouTube channel: Homesteading with the Zimmerman

Herbs de Provence

Mix with olive oil to coat chicken, fish, tomatoes and vegetables chunks for roasting. You can also use to season salads, soups, stews, sauces and cheeses. I like a Tb dried orange zest added to the mix for chicken.

3 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried savory
1 tablespoon dried oregano
3 teaspoons dried rosemary
2 teaspoons dried marjoram

Optional: Depending on the dish you want to flavor.
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers
1 tablespoon dried orange zest
1 pulverized bay leaf. Bay leaf is great, but powder it as it can choke people easily if just crumbled.
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon basil
½ tablespoon fennel

1. I should say here that some cooks leave all the dried ingredients like rosemary un-ground and prefer whole seasonings in part for presentation. Grind or not to grind is a personal preference. I prefer the following procedure as I use the herbs on roasted vegetables and don’t care for the large pieces.

2. Grind whole seeds and mixtures like Mexican oregano and rosemary in a spice grinder, or food processor, just enough to make them “flaky” if possible. Don’t totally pulverize the herbs. I have used a small mortar and pestle, but it is slow going if making a good size batch of the herb mixture. Stir in already ground spices and store in air tight jar.

Seasoned Salt

Ingredients

¼ cup kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tb smoked paprika
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional, to prevent caking)

Place all ingredients in a spice or coffee grinder and pulse until finely ground and thoroughly combined (it’s essential that the ingredients are ground finely in order to pour out of the shaker in an even ratio). Store in an airtight jar in a dark, cool place. Will keep for several months.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Turkish yogurt and mayo sauce

Ingredients
1 garlic clove pressed or minced
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ cup mayonnaise see note for substitutes
¼ cup Greek yogurt see note for substitutes
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional:
2 medium cucumbers, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint or dill
Instructions
Place minced or pressed garlic with the salt in a shallow bowl. Mash it together to combine.
1 garlic clove,⅛ teaspoon salt
Add mayonnaise and Greek yogurt and mix well.
½ cup mayonnaise,¼ cup Greek yogurt
Taste test and season with ground black pepper.
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Greek yogurt can be swapped for another neutral, unsweetened, yogurt, like Turkish yogurt, or sour cream
Greek yogurt and mayonnaise can be swapped for just crème fraîche
Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, for the flavors to deepen
If you’re making it in advance keep in mind that it will taste more and more of garlic the longer you let it sit
Make ahead: you can make this sauce up to 48 hours in advance
Store leftovers in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 4 days
Nutrition
Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat:

Everyday Tahini Sauce

Tahini: I like to make sure to buy toasted tahini. Regular, untoasted tahini can be pretty bitter, so definitely go with one that’s toasted for a more robust, smooth flavor.

This simple tahini sauce is something you can use with everything. It’s quick to make, it delicious and it’s oil-free and sugar-free too.

Course: CondimentCuisine: AmericanKeyword: sauce, tahini Servings: 8 Author: Alyssa

Ingredients

½ cup tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon salt & pepper
¼ – ½ cup of water

Instructions

Add all the ingredients into a blender or bowl, starting with 1/4 cup of water. Stir or blend it together until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency (I like mine the consistency of ranch dressing).

Pour into a sealed glass container and keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Nutrition

Mexican crema

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For Mexican crema: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup sour cream, 1 cup heavy cream and 1 tsp. salt (or to taste). Cover and let sit at room temperature for several hours. Serve or refrigerate until ready to use. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

CREMA MEXICANA

from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen

Many crema recipes call for a bit more of the active culture to be added to the cream in order to encourage rapid thickening. Using a mere two teaspoons will still thicken the cream considerably and the 24 hour slow culturing process will encourage more complex flavor development. Using buttermilk will lend the finished crema a slightly nutty flavor and a beautiful texture that is perfect for drizzling on just about anything. Using more than 2 teaspoons of the active culture will simply produce a thicker final product. Once the cream has thickened, feel free to add any flavor components that interest you. I will sometimes add a bit of lime juice, salt, chile or even ground cumin depending upon its eventual application. Covered and refrigerated, the crema will keep for about 10 days or so.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons buttermilk, crème fraîche, sour cream or plain yogurt

METHOD:

Pour the cream into a small saucepan set over low heat and stir just until the chill is off. Do not heat the cream above 100° (lukewarm).
Remove the saucepan from the heat, stir in the buttermilk and pour into a clean glass jar.
Place the lid on the jar but don’t tighten it, and put in a warm spot. Allow the cream to develop for 12 to 24 hours, until noticeably thicker. Stir gently and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to chill and complete the thickening process.

Batter For Deep Fried Onion Rings or Vegetables Appetizers

(This is not a diet-type recipe)

Jan Nelson gave me this recipe in 1976, she called it Chinese batter. She used it mostly for onion rings, but it works equally well for just about any vegetable (Mushrooms, Onion Rings, Squash, or Fried Green Tomatoes) you want to fry. Jan also liked to use this recipe for frying chicken. I added the crushed plain melba toast somewhere down the line.

1 C cornstarch
3/4C flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/8C oil
1/8 – 1/4 cup sugar
salt & pepper to taste

Optional:
½ C crushed plain melba toast or unflavored bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and add water a little at a time until you have the desired thickness you want. I make it as thick as I can and still coat the vegetable.

Dip vegetable or chicken into batter and deep fry, in hot oil, until golden brown.

Serve with ranch, BBQ, onion or cheese dipping sauce.

Mild Curry Powder

Put aside the usual preground powders and commercial blends. It’s time to get more out of your spice collection.
SERVES Makes about ⅓ cup
TIME 10 minutes
Mild, aromatic, and sweet, this curry powder has a unique flavor due to the combination of savory and sweet spices. Starting with whole coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds was the key to building a potent base. Turmeric added earthiness and a brilliant yellow color while ginger and cinnamon gave the mix a sweet finish.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 ½ tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns
1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions:
Grind coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in spice grinder until finely ground, about 30 seconds; transfer to small bowl. Stir in turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.
HOW TO USE: Add to curries; mulligatawny soup; or egg, chicken, or tuna salad

Brining

Since we brined our first turkey several years ago, we have been captivated by the benefits of brining. Brines are featured in many of our recipes, which, given the particular time constraints and the nature of the food being brined, recommend a rather wide variety of formulas. We decided to get scientific and come up with a single, all-purpose formula. To start, we reviewed all of our brining recipes and calculated an average ratio of water to salt to sugar as well as an average brining time per pound of meat. Using this new standard formula, we cooked our way through various cuts of poultry and pork and several types of seafood, and it worked in all but a few situations. High roasting (roasting at 450 to 500 degrees), broiling, and high-heat grilling all require a brine with less sugar to ensure the skin or exterior won’t burn. (After brining a turkey or fresh ham, rinse well to remove any remaining sugar.) To keep the flavors of the high-heat brine balanced, we also reduced the amount of salt.

Stir the salt and water in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Make enough brine to submerge the meat completely. There is generally no need to rinse the meat after using either brine listed above, just pat dry with paper towels.

Basic Brine:

4 cups cold water
Salt (6 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt OR 4 and 1/2 Tbsp. Morton’s kosher salt OR 3 Tbsp. table salt)

4 tablespoons of kosher salt per 1 quart (4 cups) of water.
If you are using fine table salt, reduce the amount to 3 tablespoons.

Combine 1/2 cup table salt with 1 gallon water to brine

Combine 1 cup Kosher salt with 1 gallon water to brine

Stir the salt and water in a non-reactive container until dissolved. Make enough brine to submerge the meat completely. There is generally no need to rinse the meat after using either brine listed above, just pat dry with paper towels.

Kosher Salt Measures Differently Than Table Salt

Table Salt	1 cup
Morton Kosher Salt	1-1/2 cups
Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt	2 cups

How Long To Brine

Whole Chicken	1/2-1 hour
Chicken Pieces	1/2-1 hour
Whole Turkey	6-12 hours or overnight
Turkey Breast – Bone-In	3-6 hours
Cornish Game Hens	1/2-1 hour
Pork Chops	1/2-1 hour
Pork Tenderloin	1/2-1 hour
Whole Pork Loin	2-3 hours

Roasts: Figure 1 1/2 to 2 hours per inch of thickness.

Freezing Brined Meat

Meat can be brined and frozen for later use. As with any meat that is frozen and thawed, some texture and moisture is sacrificed because ice crystals damage the meat cells in the freezing process. The issues of freezer burn and changes in color and taste with prolonged freezing also apply.

Brining “Tips & Tricks”

Tip: Because water is a heat conductor you will typically find that a brined item will cook faster than an non-brined item

Tip: If you want your poultry to have a golden and crispy skin it needs to sit in the refrigerator for several hours after you remove it from the brine so that the meat can absorb the moisture from the skin. Whole poultry is the exception however. To get a crispy, brown skin whole birds should be removed from the brine, wrapped in foil or plastic and put in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 12 hours.

Tip: The saltier the brine, the shorter time is required. And the brine will penetrate a chicken breast or pork chop much faster than a large thick muscle like a whole pork loin or turkey.

Tip: Water is optional. Any liquid will do for brining; just keep in mind my discussion about being too acid. You can substitute some or all of the water with whatever you heart desires. Wine, beer, fruit juices (especially good is apple), or vinegars all make a good liquid base for your brine. Just remember our discussion about making the brine to acidic. If you add more acid to your mixture, I would decrease the brining time.

Tip: Any herb, spice, sweetener, fruit, vegetable will work; let your imaginations run wild. Think of a brine as a soup, there can be a lot of complexity in soup or just simple ones.

Tip: You need enough brine to completely submerge the meat without any part being out of the liquid. Some items might need to be weighted down to stay under.

Tip: How much liquid will you need? Take the meat you plan to brine and place it in the container. Cover with liquid. Now you know! Measure the amount and you’ll know how much brine to make.

Tip: Almost any container will work as long as it’s non-reactive to salt.

Tip: You don’t want the brine cooking the meat, always add your meat to a cold brine, not a hot one.

Tip: You don’t need to boil the entire gallon of liquid to create your brine. Start with a quart, add your salts and sugars and create a super saturated solution. After boiling, mix your remaining liquid, thoroughly; this way you don’t have to use a really big pot to boil with. If you need to cool this super solution down quickly, mix with ice water.

Tip: Lighter more tender meats needs less brining time.

Tip: Denser meats like pork, need longer times.

Tip: Remember that the longer you brine the stronger the flavor will be.

Tip: You do not need to rinse unless you were using a high salt concentration in the brine.

Tip: Want to preserve the color of the meat? Add 1 tablespoon of Cure (Saltpeter, Tenderquick, Prague Powder) per gallon of liquid This will help. Another trick used by chefs is to add 1 tablespoon of Saltpeter per gallon of liquid. If the color is important to you, consider the cure.

Ingredients

Instructions

Arepa Flour Substitute

Serving Arepas

Storage & Reheating

Special steps for shiitake

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition