Another totally easy recipe to make. All it takes are the ingredients and some patience . . . and your family with think you are a GOD.

Yeah, it's that good. 

 

Homemade Caramel Sauce

½ cup water

1 ¼ cup sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In medium-sized sauce pan, combine water, sugar and salt over medium heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Slightly increase heat, simmer and swirl mixture until color resembles the color of honey, about 6 minutes. When sugar mixture turns medium amber, add cream and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until mixture is 225 F on digital candy thermometer, or about 3 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract and transfer to heat safe container.

Tips & Tricks:

·            The hard part of making caramel (or any sugar based candy: brittle, toffee, hard caramels) is waiting for the color to change. . . and as soon as you think you can walk away . . .

                  It. Will. Burn.

·            Ignore the crap about using a wet pastry brush to wash down sides of pan. Which is why I left that part off the instructions.  Just stir or swirl to heat the sugar droplets into mixture again.

·            I placed my first batch of sauce in a candy squirt bottle. It didn’t have a meltdown.

·            With my second batch, I used a Kerr jelly jar with a fresh lid to heat seal. It sealed with a pop when the caramel cooled down enough.

·            It will thicken as it cools.

·            Store it in the fridge for up to a month.

·            It is freaking delish on ice cream, pies, cakes, or a finger. . .  just saying.

 

Foodie Friday -- Cranberry Jelly

Every November, my mom makes cranberry jelly.

It's like the stuff you can buy in the cans, only better.

This year, her eyesight is starting to go--the woman is 91, so give her a break!--so I made the batch, well, actually three batches because my brother went to Sam's Club and bought a 3 pound bag for Mom. I suppose I'll be the designated cranberry jelly maker from now on. I'm good with that . . . as long as I get her antique chinois.

What is a chinois?

This is a chinois. Though my mom's is at least 60+ years old, probably older, bigger than this and it has its own pedestal.

This recipe is super easy. And if you don't get into the canning thing, then you can eat it immediately, or you can do what my mom does and pour melted paraffin wax over the cooled jelly. 

Cranberry Jelly

1 lb fresh cranberries
1 cup water
2 cups sugar

Rinse cranberries and place in medium saucepan, add water and boil until all the cranberries pop, about 3-5 minutes. Pour cranberries into chinois or conical colander. Press liquids/soften fruit from skin. Return the thick juice to saucepan, add sugar. Stir and bring to boil. Boil 1-2 minutes. Pour mixture into prepared jars. Let cool. Use immediately or seal according to canning instructions. 


Hints & Suggestions:

• Here's the dealio--Ocean Spray doesn't sell 1 lb bags of cranberries in the grocery store any longer. They are 12 ounces. Simply recalculate the recipe.  12 oz. cranberries, 3/4 cup water, 1 1/2 sugar. Easy-peasy.
• Cranberries contain a natural pectin, which allows the product to gel without the aid of an unsweetened gelatin product, like Knox Gelatin.
• If you don't have a chinois, then you can use mesh strainer or a large weave cheesecloth to smush the guts out of the cranberry skins.
• Cranberries stain everything. You have been warned.
• One pound of cranberries makes about 4 6-oz. jelly jars in this recipe.
• If you want to make it a sauce with the cranberry skins, then skip the smushing stage. Add everything into the pot and cook about 10 minutes.
• To change the flavor profile, you can add orange juice or cranberry juice instead of water, or use maple sugar or honey to sweeten, or zest an orange. Always taste for tartness and sweetness levels that you enjoy.

Happy Thanksgiving, Peeps!

FOODIE FRIDAY--Barbeque Sauce/Baked Beans

Continuing the summer pool party theme, I’ll share with you my baked beans recipe—and yes, you cook it in a slow, low oven for hours! There really isn’t much special about this recipe, except I mix in my homemade BBQ sauce. I don’t know why people buy BBQ sauce when it is so simple to make. This recipe can be tweaked to sweeten or spiced according to your taste.  And when you buy the canned beans, go for the most basic baked bean. I use Van Camp’s baked beans; if it isn’t available, then choose the generic brand.

Baked Beans

3-16oz. cans baked beans

½ to ¾ cup salsa, (I used Herdez medium)

½ cup finely chopped onion (or 1 Tbsp dried minced onion)
½ to ¾ cup barbeque sauce

Mix all ingredients together in 9-in. square Pyrex dish. Everything is to taste, or until it looks right. Bake at 275 degrees for 4-5 hours.
There are so many varieties of Catsup or ketchup, you should pick your favorite brand and use it. BUT refrain from adding the salt until last as many brands over salt their ketchup

Barbeque Sauce

¾ cup tomato ketchup

2 Tbls. vinegar
2 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce
Dash of cayenne pepper (or more if more heat is desired)
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. black pepper
1-2 tsp chili powder {(I use Pendry’s Top Hat blend) and probably more than this}
Salt, to taste

Combine ingredients, adjust seasonings to taste. Add water, if needed to thin out.  I usually double this recipe and make it in a large ketchup bottle.

If you want smoky-flavored, add liquid smoke
If you want more heat, add your favorite hot sauce, more cayenne, minced jalapeños or habaneros, or whatever.
More bite, add more black pepper
If you want more onion, add it
Make it for you!

 Later, Peeps!