Everyday Foods Homemade: Caramel Sauce

Photo courtesy of Willow Bird Baking

Ok first of all this is my disclaimer.  Once you make this you will be addicted, and you will eat it all within day(s)!!! That being said,  consider yourself warned!!

The first time that I attempted to make caramel I swore that it would be the last, I burned my finger, started a small kitchen fire, and had to throw away the first batch....and then I tasted it!  I guess it’s like what they say about childbirth, you swear you’d never do it again, and then you see that babies face and you forget the whole 9 month ordeal (this was not my experience, but I have heard this said by more than one woman)!  And there you are pregnant again, (again not my experience).

This is the ultimate science experiment.  As the temperature changes the caramel goes through an amazing metamorphosis.  First it’s a liquid, then a solid, then it changes colors, then it turns back to a liquid.  It’s really quite fascinating.  I am always afraid that I’m doing it wrong every time.  I guess it’s just the nature of the beast to be extremely temperamental  (perhaps a thermometer would cure this problem.)

Anyhow I found the recipe on Pinterest via Willow Bird Baking.  They have a great blog with a fabulous collection of recipes.  This caramel sauce recipe was paired with a honey bun cake, and the recipe can be found here.  

Taste Tester Approved!

Simple Perfection atop a fresh strawberry

This caramel is so wonderful, my fave way to eat it is just atop strawberries.  This way you are able to get the true essence of the caramel with out it being overwhelmed by any other flavors.  Others in my household prefer to make caramel sundaes with toasted pecans.  Either way you are in for a real treat!

Caramel Pecan Sundae

Noteworthy: 
*** I usually quadruple the batch.  I figure for the trouble you might as well make it worth you time.


***I suggest that you do not attempt this around children since the temperature is extremely hot.  It's too dangerous to do around the wee ones.

Everyday Foods Homemade: Guacamole

We hail from southern California where the avocados flow plentifully, and are usually regarded as something close to gold!  And guacamole is one of those things that is far too expensive to buy out, so we make it at home regularly....let me rephrase that...daily!  So much so that my 4 year old can make it! 

Note the price for guacamole at this restaurant.  They don’t even put a price on it, they just say “Market value” like your ordering lobster or something! Preposterous!

We barter with a friend who makes us fresh salsa and that’s a wonderful addition to the guacamole.  So this is the “recipe” (if you will) that we go by.

Homemade Guacamole

Ingredients:

2 ripe Haas avocados (we use Haas since they are creamier, and they are native to this area of southern CA)

1/2 lemon or lime +/-

1 tbsp cilantro +/-

garlic salt to taste

2 heaping tablespoons homemade salsa

Scoop out the avocado in a bowl.  Mash the avocado, then add all other ingredients.   Mix are you are ready to enjoy!

Tastes great all by itself with chips, or on top of a mushroom quesadilla.  Yum!

P.S. Salsa recipe to come soon!!! 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes...Ummm Yes Please!

                                     Photos and recipe courtesy of judicialpeach.com

JMP and I are natural born foodies.  And one thing we cannot resist is homemade bread, in any form!  Well my mom introduced me to Lemon Ricotta Pancakes & i've been dreaming about them ever since.

I was raised making blueberry buttermilk pancakes from scratch on the weekends.  But recently my mom mixed things up and tried a new recipe she got from the Four Seasons via The Today Show for Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.  They are were so light and fragrant from the lemon zest, and nothing short of delicious!  And with pure maple syrup from Vermont (you haven't had maple syrup until you've had it from this state!) every bite is a piece of bliss!

The saddest part of the story was that the next week after our "experience" with the great Lemon Ricotta Pancakes my daughter asked for pancakes.  I made our original blueberry ones all the time thinking, "I wish these were the lemon ones!"  And then Z takes one bite and says, "I don't like these I want the other pancakes!"  I told her, "me too".  Another foodie is born :)

Bon Appetite!

LEMON RICOTTA PANCAKES

Recipe from the Four Seasons Hotel

YIELD: About 20 pancakes.

WHAT TO GRAB:
6 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
8 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 6 lemons)

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat your griddle.

2.  In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl, whisk together  the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest.  With a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture.

3.  In yet another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks begin to form.  Fold a quater of  the beaten egg whites into the batter, then fold the rest of the egg whites in, until just combined.  The beaten egg whites will lighten the batter substantially.

4.   Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a griddle over medium-low heat until it bubbles.  Pour the pancake batter – about 1/4 of a cup per pancake – onto the griddle.

5.  Cook for about 4 or 5 minutes, or until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.  Flip the pancakes and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.

6.  Dust with powdered sugar and serve!