Archive for September, 2014
Homemade Caramel Sauce
EQUIPMENT
2 qt. heavy saucepan
Candy thermometer
INGREDIENTS
14.5 ounces sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
PROCEDURE
Combine sugar, light corn syrup, cream of tartar and water in the saucepan over high heat and give it a stir. Allow the sugar to dissolve.
When the sugar has dissolved, reach for your candy thermometer and apply as the manufacture suggests. Pretty soon the mixture will reach a boil and the temperature will start increasing.
Turn the heat down to medium once you hit 230 degrees F and in about five minutes, you’ll get close to 300 degrees F. That’s when you can give it a stir.
Once you get to 340 degrees F, turn the heat off and remove the thermometer (be careful, it’ll be hot).
Pour in the heavy cream (stand back because it’ll bubble). Just wait. It’s just the moisture cooking out of the cream. As soon as you can safely approach the cooktop again, return the heat to medium and continue cooking for three minutes.
Remove from heat and let it cool thoroughly before containment. In the fridge it will last about a month.
Hittin’ the Caramel Sauce from Food Network!
Zuppa Toscana Soup
Zuppa Toscana Soup
1 pound spicy Italian sausage
1/2 pound bacon, chopped
7 cups water
3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes
2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean and cubed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups chopped kale
1 cup heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
In a dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces as you fry it; drain, set aside.
In the same dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon; remove and set aside. Leave two tablespoons of rendered bacon fat in the skillet. Saute the potatoes, onion, and garlic in the rendered bacon fat over medium or low-medium heat. Saute until the onion begins to be translucent and the potatoes are still a little firm, but are beginning to soften. Add all other ingredients and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Breakfast casserole in the crock pot!
Ingredients: Prep and cook while you sleep!
1 bag 26 oz. frozen hash browns
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 16 oz. roll sausage
maple, sage or regular sausage.
Salt and pepper
16 oz. bag shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Spray crock pot and evenly spread hash browns at the bottom.
2. Crack 12 eggs in a large bowl.
3. Mix well (and slowly) using a whisk.
4. Add the milk.
5. Go ahead and sprinkle in the ground mustard. This might sound like a weird ingredient, but I’ve come to love (and use) this in most of my recipes.
6. Add plenty of salt….
…and lots of fresh pepper. Mix well and set aside.
7. Cook the sausage on high heat, drain and set aside.
8. Add sausage on top of hash browns.
9. Is this enough cheese? Maybe? Probably. Throw the whole big bag in there.
10. Mix it up well. Or good, depending on where you’re from.
11. Pour the egg mixture over everything in the crock pot. Using a wood spoon, even everything out so it’s spread evenly.
12. Turn the crock pot on low for 6-8 hours.