Toppings – Simply Made Kitchen and Crafts

and sauces, appetizers/snacks, Food, Toppings

Cowboy Candy

Posted on January 29, 2023January 29, 2023 by lmc

Cowboy Candy serves as a delicious condiment to slather over crackers with cream cheese, spoon over burgers or spicy sausage links, or to top a crispy baked flatbread crust. The sweet and spicy pickled combination makes this a winner every time! Watch out… It’s addictive!

Cowboy Candy

3 pounds jalapeño peppers

6 cups sugar

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Slice jalapeños into rounds. (We use the slicing blade on our food processor.)

Combine the remaining ingredients in a pot on the stove. Bring to a hard boil over high heat. Reduce heat and keep at a low boil for five minutes.

Add jalapeños and heat through for 3-5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, ladle jalapeños into clean jars. Then top with the spicy juice to fill jars within a 1/2” from the rim.

Wipe rims. Twist on lids and store in the fridge for up to one month.

appetizers/snacks, breakfast, Food, Toppings

Homemade Farmer Cheese

Posted on October 6, 2019 by lmc

When my children were young, I used to watch all of the PBS cooking shows during their afternoon nap. I’d fold clothes, wash dishes, clean-up the toy rooms, or catch up on laundry while some of my favorite TV cooking personalities demonstrated current techniques along with new and unique recipes. When I saw a recipe that I wanted to try, I quickly jot down the main ingredients and search the library for similar recipes to combine and develop. One such recipe, Homemade Farmer Cheese…

I recently ran across this hand-written recipe in my recipe binder and decided to revisit the idea of making my own cheese. I had pots of beautiful fresh herbs that needed to be trimmed and used before the cold weather made its way to the Midwest. The result was a creamy, flavorful, spreadable mixture that beats the flavor of any store bought variety.

A word of caution… Don’t use ultra-pasteurized milk as it will not curdle as needed for this easy recipe. Also, use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the milk.

Homemade Farmer Cheese

1 gallon whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup lemon juice or vinegar

Pour the milk into a large pot, and stir in the salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot.

When the milk begins to simmer and then reaches 190 degrees, turn off the heat. Stir lemon juice or vinegar into the milk. The acid will make the milk curdle. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Line a sieve or colander with a few layers of cheesecloth, and pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds. The solid within the cheese cloth is the cheese (curd) and the liquid released from the mixture is the whey. Gather the cloth around the cheese, and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. Tie up the cloth to form a cheese ball or disk, refrigerate in cheesecloth for several hours. Remove from cloth and wrap in plastic, or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Before serving, drizzle with good quality olive oil, sprinkle with course salt and fresh chopped herbs of your choice. I usually use basil, rosemary, and oregano. You can also use crushed red pepper flakes or chopped green onions. Serve on toasted Italian bread or hearty crackers.

For a sweeter flavor, drizzle with honey and serve with bagels, jam, and fruit.

appetizers/snacks, Canning, Crock pot, Gifts, holiday, slow cooking, Toppings

Slow-Cooker Bacon and Onion Jam

Posted on December 23, 2018December 24, 2018 by lmc

Every year, I try to identify a unique recipe to give to friends and relatives for the gift-giving season. I’m always looking for a recipe that highlights the deep rich flavor of our own homemade maple syrup. This year was no different… I found a great, sweet and savory recipe that sautés delicious ingredients that are eventually added to the slow-cooker, then left to reduce for several hours. Mix this delicious jam with a bit of cream cheese and spread on hearty crackers. Or, warm the jam to top a protein like a chicken breast or a beef burger for an extra boost of flavor. The bacon, grilled onions, maple syrup, and coffee combined together in the slow-cooker add a depth of delicious flavor. This is so good!

You can find this exceptional recipe here:

https://www.marthastewart.com/326881/slow-cooker-bacon-jam

Slow Cooker Bacon and Onion Jam

Adapted from the above recipe…

1 ½ pounds sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

2 medium yellow onions, diced small

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 heaping tablespoon pure maple syrup

3/4 cup brewed coffee

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.

Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool, then refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 4 weeks.

appetizers/snacks, Canning, Home Food Preservation, Kids in the Kitchen, Toppings

Lemony Strawberry Jam

Posted on August 27, 2017August 27, 2017 by lmc

I was recently asked to do a food demonstration at a local county fair. I thought it might be fun to showcase some of the new home food preservation products and make some lemon and strawberry jam. I bought a bag of lemons, some sugar, pectin and fresh strawberries for the occasion. A few portable appliances were easy to load into the back of my car and plug into the electrical outlet at the Home and Family Arts Building. I had a blast making jam for all of the folks visiting the fairgrounds. I was happy to answer questions and drum up some new found interest in canning. If you have never preserved food or if you’re looking for a fresh new way to can fruit with ease, check out some of the new items on the market and get busy canning nature’s bounty!

Sprinkle in the pectin…

Add the crushed strawberries…

A fresh additon… lemon zest

Time to give this a stir…

Add sugar and bring to a rolling boil… This is an amazing little appliance. Portable, electric, and easy to clean… Small batch canning is highlighted with this jam and jelly maker.

Getting ready to process…

Set to “canning mode”…

Simply delicious!

Lemony Strawberry Jam

Strawberries

Lemons

Sugar

Pectin

Check out the recipe at the link below. Follow the recipe exactly as written. This is a must when preserving foods. No substitutions, unless directed. Always use reputable, tested recipes for home food preservation.

https://www.freshpreserving.com/lemony-strawberry-jam—ball-auto-canner-recipes-br1393.html

Baked goods, Baking, Bread, Food, Gifts, Toppings

Homemade Triple Berry Jam

Posted on March 11, 2015 by lmc

Our family loves the taste of homemade jam. In fact, store bought jam or jelly products just don’t cut it in our household anymore. While it might seem a chore to cook and carefully process the product, new tools and techniques have truly made canning your own food quite easy. Making freezer jam is also a great option for those wanting to assemble their own recipe in far less time.

While I’d love to tell you that this is a secret family recipe, home food preservation involves a careful balance of ingredients and it’s something that I never fool around with. I always choose and carefully follow a reputable recipe when I’m canning foods for my family. The reason…these recipes have been well tested for food safety. Processing times, ingredient quantity, and acidity levels have all been checked and rechecked to eliminate the possibility of food borne illness in the products we hope to safely store on our shelves.

Our favorite way to enjoy this scrumptious treat would be to have the jam slathered all over a great big slice of Irish Soda Bread. While I’m fond of butter and jam, others in the family love the peanut butter and jam combination. You can find the recipes for my Irish Soda Bread/Scones here and here.

Getting back to the homemade jam, this delicious recipe is one that was carefully tested by Sure Jell, which is a fruit pectin company that makes a product to be used to thicken jams or jellies. You can find the recipe here.

I’ve always had great success with this low sugar recipe and the large fruit pieces in the jam make for a lovely texture and add to the delicious fresh flavor of the product.

Canning, Food, Gardening, Homemade Mixes, Toppings

Perfect Peach Freezer Jam

Posted on August 14, 2014 by lmc

While I have always been a traditional jam and jelly maker, I’m thrilled to find so many new products on the market that are meant to make jelly making so much easier and less time consuming. One such product is the instant pectin that Ball has developed specifically for freezer jam. I’ve made several jars in as little as 30 minutes. Those of you with young children can let them take a bigger role in the jelly making as there is no cooking involved. And the process is quick and simple. I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for home made goodness that is quick and simple.
I have included several screen shots of the peach freezer jam recipe calculator from the Ball/Fresh Preserving website so that you can see just how easy this is.
First, go to the Fresh Preserving website…
Here you will find a pectin calculator for your chosen jam or jelly flavor.
Now, find the fruit that you wish to use for your jam or jelly.

Once you have chosen a fruit, choose whether you would like to make jam or jelly.

Next, choose the type of pectin you will be using.

The calculator will then calculate a recipe for you to follow. Super simple!

Remember, you’ll want to use Instant Pectin…

Also, this process is only meant for freezer jam. Store these jars in the freezer until you are ready to use them. Store them in the fridge after opening.

Bread, breakfast, Food, Homemade Mixes, Pancakes, Syrup, Toppings

Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes with Homemade Maple Flavored Syrup

Posted on January 7, 2014January 7, 2014 by lmc

For the last several days, we have been experiencing record-breaking low temperatures in our part of the world. On the positive side, forecasters had given us plenty of warning, so I was able to head out to the local stores last week to stock up on lots of food before the arctic blast set in. All in all, I did pretty well. I purchased lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, plenty of oatmeal and other breakfast items, baking supplies to make fresh bread and a few goodies for my home bound troops.
Yesterday, M pulled out our set of Mickey Mouse egg rings and asked if we could make pancakes for breakfast. The rings are meant to mold eggs into the curved shape of a Mickey Mouse head but we usually use them to shape pancakes. We whipped up a batch of our tasty, satisfying Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes before heading out into the blizzard-like conditions to shovel the newly fallen snow.

After dropping the first batch of batter into the molds, I checked to see if we had an ample supply of maple syrup for the pancakes. To my dismay, we only had a drop of syrup left in the bottle. “No problem”, I said to myself… “I will make a batch of my own maple syrup”.
I had discovered this recipe last year, around the Thanksgiving holiday, when we had sleep-over guests and had run out of syrup. I quickly scoured my cookbook collection for an appropriate substitute. I ended up making this adapted recipe and I also heated some of our Homemade Concord Grape Jam to act as a flavorful, delicious, topping as well.
I keep the syrup recipe close at hand for we always seem to be running out of maple syrup in this house. Enjoy the recipes and stay warm!

Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes

1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil

Combine oats, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. Stir into dry ingredients; just until moistened. Pour batter onto lightly greased, hot griddle. Flip pancakes when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Continue to cook until second side is golden brown.

Homemade Maple Flavored Syrup

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple flavored extract
1 teaspoon butter flavored extract

Bring the water, sugar, and brown sugar to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in the maple and butter flavored extract; simmer 3 minutes longer. Serve warm. Refrigerate remaining syrup.

Canning, Food, Gardening, glazes, Kids in the Kitchen, lunch box, Toppings

Homemade Concord Grape Jam

Posted on September 2, 2013September 3, 2014 by lmc

We have had a very successful grape growing season and have spent most of the holiday weekend making homemade Concord grape jam.
When our children were little, we used to pick produce like strawberries, blueberries, and apples together and then can the fruit as time allowed. Now that our days are a bit busier, it seems we have little time to do some of the things we so enjoyed years ago.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, our grape vines were bursting with beautiful ripe Concord grapes so we picked them all to prepare them for canning. M was a real trooper and helped me pick and prepare the grapes on Saturday. While we still have quite a few more jars to process, we have adopted a system that seems to work quite well so we should have everything processed soon. I have made two separate recipes to satisfy different family tastes. One that is a traditional Concord Grape Jam recipe and the other is a tart Reduced Sugar Concord Grape Spread that M seems to enjoy. I will post both for those that might be interested. These recipes are found on the Sure-Jel package and are tested as safe by Sure-Jel. Always use a reputable source (USDA, Ball, Sure-Jel, etc.) for recipes and follow strict food safety guidelines when home canning.

Homemade Concord Grape Jam

5-6 cups fresh grape juice (about 3 1/2 pounds of Concord grapes)
1 box of Sure-Jel pectin
7 cups sugar

First make the grape juice by washing 3 1/2 pounds of fresh Concord grapes.

Mash grapes with a potato masher to break open the grape skins.

Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. The cooking time starts only after the mixture has come to a boil.

Strain to squeeze out all the juice with a sieve.

In a large pan, put 5 cups of the juice. Add the fruit pectin to the juice; mix well. On high heat, bring to a full rolling boil, and boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar all at once, and bring back to a full rolling boil, again boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly. At this time, you can add 1 or 2 teaspoons of butter to help keep the foam down.

Remove from heat, skim off foam and pour into hot jars; put on hot lids.
Process in hot water bath for 5 minutes.

</a

Reduced Sugar Concord Grape Spread

5 cups Concord Grape Juice
1 box of Ball (No Sugar or Reduced Sugar) pectin
1 cup sugar

Follow the directions as listed above. This makes a very tart, but slightly sweet version of Concord Grape jelly. You will notice that it is more of a spread than a jelly because of the reduced sugar content.

Homemade Mixes, Toppings

My Little Secret Steak Seasoning Mix

Posted on June 2, 2013 by lmc

This week, a local market had a great sale on lean steaks so I bought a boatload of them…some to freeze and some to season and grill. Yesterday, after a local charity run and a beautiful day, I fired up the grill for a delicious steak dinner.
I used to buy expensive pre-mixed meat seasonings but soon realized that mixing my own seasonings was certainly more economical but also so much better when tailored for my families taste. This “secret” recipe is a bit like a Montreal steak seasoning and it makes meats tender and flavorful with a bit of a spicy twist. Sprinkle the seasoning on anything that you might be grilling. I’ve even sprinkled it on grilled pineapple and peaches. …So good!

My Little Secret Steak Seasoning

2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons hickory smoked sea salt
4 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Mix all seasonings together and store in a tightly lidded container in a cool, dry place. Use as a rub for steak, pork, chicken, and shrimp. Sprinkle over grilled fruit or vegetables.

Food, frostings, Toppings

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Posted on December 31, 2012May 23, 2013 by lmc

This is my “go to” recipe for icing cookies, cupcakes, coffee cakes, and apple slices. The almond extract compliments so many pastry flavors. Add a touch of food coloring to make things a little more festive.

Powdered Sugar Glaze

2 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbls milk or cream
1/2 tsp almond extract
Food Coloring, optional

In a medium mixing bowl, combine ingredients and mix well. If glaze is too thick, carefully add extra milk or water (a 1/2 teaspoon at a time) until mixture is smooth and creamy. Lightly spread or drizzle glaze on cooled cookies, cupcakes, etc.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: