Simple Syrup
The KEY ingredient in cocktails. You can make any amount you want; the key is the 2:1 ratio. Always use 2 parts sugar to 1 part water.
Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Add to a saucepan and heat over medium until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Pour into a mason jar and let cool.
Notes
Simple syrup is shelf-stable. No need to refrigerate.
Hello, World!
BLT
You may think making a BLT is a no-brainer, but you would be dead wrong. I’ve had plenty of terrible BLTs in my life that all had the same ingredients. The amounts matter. And the layering matters! The tomato has to be touching mayo. And the bacon has to be touching mayo. And for the love of God and all that is holy, do not put Miracle Whip on this sandwich.
BLT
Ingredients
- 4-6 slices bacon, cooked
- 1-2 thin tomato slices
- Iceberg lettuce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 slices Sourdough bread
Instructions
- Lightly toast the bread.
- Spread mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice.
- Break bacon in half and cover one mayonnaise-covered slice of bread.
- Cover the other mayonnaise-covered slice of bread with the tomato.
- Top one of the slices with lettuce.
- Flip one half on top of the other and cut crossways.
Notes:
Easy Caramel
There have been so many recipes I have really wanted to try that include caramel. But then I see this nonsense where you have to unwrap a bunch of caramels and melt them down…and honestly…ain’t nobody got time for that!!
Easy Caramel
Ingredients
- 1-2 cans sweetened, condensed milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
- Water
- 3 1/2-pin Mason jar
- Crockpot
Instructions
- Pour the sweetened, condensed milk into the mason jar(s), leaving a 1-inch gap at the top. (Get every last drop!!) Don’t forget the lids :)
- If you want to make salted caramel, add the salt to the jar and stir. Mark the lid of the Salted milk with an ‘S’. (Optional)
- Place mason jar(s) in a crockpot and cover with water.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Can cool in fridge if necessary!
Notes
Unopened caramel is shelf-stable for up to 6 months. Once opened, refrigerate and store for up to 21 days.
Stiff Egg White Peaks
Again, this sounds self-explanatory, until you’re knee-deep into a pie recipe and it says “beat egg whites until stiff”. Huh? How long? Medium speed? How stiff? Do I beat them by hand. See below :)
Stiff Egg White Peaks
Ingredients
- Egg Whites
- Pinch of Cream of Tartar (optional)
Instructions
- Separate egg whites from egg yolks into medium mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle a pinch up to 1/8 teaspoon Cream of Tartar, if desired.
- Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites on low for 15 - 30 seconds, to break up the proteins.
- Raise the speed on the hand mixer to medium and beat in an up and down motion for 2-3 minutes. Egg whites should turn frothy.
- Raise the speed to high. Continue to beat egg whites using an up and down motion in the bowl. The egg whites should turn from clear to white and look glossy. Beat until you can see the egg whites forming soft peaks when coming off your beaters.
Notes
The Cream of Tartar will just keep the egg whites from breaking down if you’ve whipped them a little too much. But you have to add it before you start beating, soo….
Gravy
A necessary evil.
Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter/fat
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups stock liquid (chicken stock, pot roast juice, etc.)
Instructions
- Make a roux by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Once butter is melted, add the flour and stir with a whisk until the flour is completely absorbed and a soft dough has formed and is light brown.
- Add stock a little at a time, whisking each time to incorporate.
- Once all stock has been added, bring mixture to boil, then reduce to simmer until desired consistency, about 10 minutes. Add more stock as needed for desired thickness.
Notes
You can easily adjust how much you make. You should always have equal parts oil/butter to flour to make the roux. Then just add more stock as needed.
Grilled Cheese
You would think this is self-explanatory. Then I watched my mom make grilled cheese once. She made a cheese sandwich and then dropped a pat of butter in a frying pan. OH. HELL. NO. Sorry, Mom :)
Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices Sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 4 ounces shredded cheddar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
Instructions
- Spread Dijon mustard on inside of one slice of bread (optional).
- Brush one side each of Sourdough bread with melted butter.
- Place one slice butter-side down in pan over medium heat.
- Spread all but 1 tablespoon of shredded cheddar across bread.
- Top with remaining slice of Sourdough, butter-side up.
- Flip sandwich over once cheese has begun to melt and bread is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Cook until desired doneness.
- Lift sandwich with spatula and sprinkle remaining shredded cheddar in pan.
- Set sandwich on top of cheese and cook an additional 20-30 seconds.
- Cut and serve!
Notes:
Hard-Boiled Eggs
I can’t ever remember so I had to write it down.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- Large eggs
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Water
Instructions
- Place your raw eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with at least 2 inches of cold water.
- Add the salt and place the pan over high heat until it reaches a boil.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and let it sit for 13 minutes.
- After exactly 13 minutes, remove the eggs from the pan and place them in an ice-water bath, letting them cool for five minutes.
- Carefully crack the eggs shells (making sure the majority of the shell is cracked).
- Gently begin removing the shells. The ice-water bath will “shock” the membrane in between the egg-white and the eggshell, loosening the shell and allowing you to peel it off in nearly one piece. As needed, you can dip the egg (as you are peeling it) in and out of the water to remove any slivers of shell.
- Serve immediately, use in a recipe or store in your refrigerator for three days.
Notes:
Makin Bacon
Baking bacon has changed my life. I LOVE BACON. But I hate having grease splattered all over my stovetop, setting the smoke alarm off, and getting grease burns. This is the answer.
Makin Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bacon
- 1/2 sheet pan
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400ºF.
- Line a half pan with foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Lay bacon slices out on foil, careful to not overlay slices if you don't have to. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Using a fork, turn each bacon slice over. Bake another 5-10 minutes, until desired doneness.
Notes
You can bake a whole batch of bacon and then freeze what you don't use. I store it on a paper plate in a gallon freezer bag. Then just microwave for about 30 seconds and you're good to go!
Marshmallow Dip
For a while we were on a Sweet Potato Fry kick but needed that extra something to make them super delicious. That extra something is marshmallow dip. I threw this together and we loved it.
Marshmallow Dip
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup marshmallow fluff
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Add fluff to small bowl.
- Whisk in heavy cream.
Notes
Serve with fruit or sweet potato fries!
Real Mashed Potatoes
I used to throw everything into my mashed potatoes. Butter, milk, cream cheese, maybe some garlic or onion powder. And they were good! But then I took a cooking class. Not only are these BETTER, but they’re EASIER. Insert face in palm emoji.
Real Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Yukon potatoes, cut into large pieces
- Heavy cream
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place potatoes in cold salted water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender. Drain and allow to dry for 5 minutes.
- Place potatoes in the bowl of a mixer. Use potato masher to break up a bit. Whip.
- When potatoes are broken down, add heavy cream, to texture and taste.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes:
Roux
Roux (pronounced Roo) is the base of almost all sauces/sauce-based dishes, including gravy and mac n cheese. Flour is what will thicken sauces and butter gives it a base flavor. But you can’t just add flour to a recipe or it will clump. Hence…roux. It’s the perfect way to get both your butter and flour into a recipe without clumping (as long as you add your liquid slowly)…
Roux
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour until incorporated.
- Continue whisking until desired color/flavor.
Notes:
Scrambled Eggs
Until I took a cooking class, I didn’t think much about scrambled eggs. You cracked the eggs in a bowl, added some milk, whipped them up a bit and then cooked them in a pan. OH. HELL. NO. Now that I’ve had legit scrambled eggs, I can’t go back. The mantra for scrambled eggs is “low and slow.” They should be cooked on low(ish) heat and cooked slowly. Have some patience. Stir gently. They should be large, deep yellow curds, not almost white omelet chunks. TRUST.
Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Add butter to medium frying pan and heat on medium-low.
- Once butter has melted, add eggs. Break open the yolks with your spatula and gently turn every minute or so until the eggs have formed large, soft curds...about 8-10 minutes.
- Add salt & pepper, to taste.
Notes:
Substitutions
It happens to everyone. You’re half way into a recipe…the cans are opened, the containers are in the trash…like…you can’t unDO anything…and you realize you’re missing an ingredient. Sheer panic sets in. Luckily, there are lots of substitutions that will bale you out. You’re welcome :)
Buttermilk: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Add milk to the 1-cup line. Stir.
Creamed Corn: Swirl frozen corn in blender a few turns to break up the kernels, add 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp cornstarch. Blend again. The cornstarch will thicken the juices released from the corn and milk. Use as 1 to 1 sub for creamed corn.
Ricotta: Cottage Cheese
Shortening: sub coconut oil or butter
Sour Cream: Greek yogurt
Worcestershire Sauce: swap with fish sauce, soy sauce, A1 Steak Sauce, or sherry vinegar