Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Run Out? Let's Just Make It

 Today a few 'recipes' for making some basics that you may run out of.  Ever been right in the middle of a recipe and boom - you realize you are missing an ingredient?  That can be aggravating.  It may also mean an extra trip to the store - and that means, more than likely spending even more money!!!!

So, let's keep these on file and the next time you need something - think about making it yourself.  I will try over the next month or so to post many "make at home" ingredients!  Hopefully they will help someone out!

SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK - 3 DIFFERENT WAYS!!!!!

#1
1 can evaporated milk
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Bring milk and sugar to a boil - stir constantly.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Jar and refrigerate

#2
1 1/2 C whole milk
1/2 C sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Heat milk and sugar - to a simmer and stir constantly.  Whisk in butter and vanilla.
Store in jar and refrigerate

#3
1/2 C boiling water
1 C nonfat dry milk
2/3 C sugar
3 Tbsp. melted butter
few drops vanilla
Put water in blender - then add remaining ingredients.  Blend until smooth - maybe 30 seconds or so
Jar and refrigerate
3 different options - all very different - but they all work.  It just depends on what you have in your pantry and frig!  Never run out!!


HEAVY CREAM - (not whipping)
3/4 C cold milk
1/3 C unsalted butter (melt)

First stir in 1 Tbsp. of melted butter into the cold milk to temper the milk so it doesn't curdle.  Mix it up well.  Pour that milk into the rest of the melted butter and heat over low heat.  Stir or whisk often.  DON'T let it come to a boil.  Pour into a food processor, blender (or use an electric mixer) and process until thick.

You can also buy shelf stable cream!!!  It is in the same area of the grocery as evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.  


CREAM of SOUP
click on recipe to enlarge for easier reading

You can use beef bouillon or whatever flavor you have.  This is a basic cream of soup recipe.  Add any other add ins - to make it a little different.  It sure is handy to have on hand.  Never run out again.  
It tastes good too!

The neat thing about these is that you know exactly what is in them.  Most of the ingredients are things we all have on hand.

Maybe this will help someone in a pinch.
More goodies to come in future posts.  It is always nice to have options - especially in the winters months when the weather outside can be 'frightful'!!!!!!!!!
Have a great day!


Today's Christmas bit:
In order to complete his visits on Christmas Eve, Santa would have stop at 822 houses per second, traveling at a speed of 650 miles per second!  WOW - talk about magic!!!!! 

I, for one, am glad that there is more than "one real" Santa in this world!!!!  Be a Santa to someone!

28 comments:

  1. I am 55 years old, have been making homemade whipped cream since I was a teenager, and I had NO IDEA there was a difference between heavy cream and whipping cream!!! I always just use heavy cream.

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    1. They are different in the stores - you can buy both. I never have luck with heavy cream whipping. You can make whipping as well, it has a couple extra ingredients. Neat that you have made it work!!!!! Thanks for letting us know!

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  2. Cheryl,thank you so much for these recipes.
    I'm making the cream of soup one today!
    As I'm allergic to wheat there are many recipes I can not
    make. They sell a few gluten free cream soups but I do not like
    the taste. The gluten free products are so expensive.
    This will help a lot. Merry Christmas to you.

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    1. YAY - glad this will help. It is always nice to be able to make things that work with our dietary restrictions. No reason not to enjoy all the favorites!!!!!!!

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  3. Thanks Cheryl. I had no idea one could make sweetened condensed milk. I'll need to buy some evaporated milk (which is less expensive than the condensed) to have on hand. We only drink skim milk, and I've never seen powdered milk in our stores but the first recipe will come in handy I'm sure.

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    1. You are welcome. No powdered milk? WOW - that is pretty standard here. Never thought about there being places that didn't sell it.

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    2. Dried milk powder isn't a rarity here, but you very much have to look for it. I use dried milk all the time, I buy it in 2.5kg tins. It's full fat, but I make it up a bit thinner. I buy mine in an Asian food store, where it's cheaper than the supermarket.

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    3. Good tip - never thought to look in the ethnic stores for powdered milk. I will check that out soon, it may be cheaper. We just buy it in the baking aisle of the grocery.

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  4. What is the difference between whipping and heavy cream? I had no idea they were different!! My tidbit of learning for the day!

    Subs always come in handy. And sometimes you discover a sub you like more. I subbed cream cheese for another type and we loved it. I use the cream soup recipe a lot in winter.

    I will add a *don't* substitute. Don't substitute chocolate chips in a recipe where they're melted as an ingredient. I had a runny mess when I tried that one year. I tried milk instead of semi. Oops!

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    1. I sometimes substitute vegetable oil for butter in recipes, but have had to play with that to get the texture right. Thanks for the tip on the melted chocolate chips! --Elise

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    2. I know whipping cream is a bit sweet. I have no luck trying to whip heavy cream - but I do with whipping cream. Obscure above said she uses heavy cream.
      Both are sold in the dairy.

      When I have no whipping cream and want some - I use 1 1/4 C - VERY cold milk, 2 tsp. unflavored gelatin, and 2 Tbsp. of powdered sugar. Beat in a cold bowl with ice cold beaters and it works wonderfully. These are things I always have - so I can always make my whipping cream.

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  5. Thank you for sharing those recipes, Cheryl. The cream of soup works well for folks on GF diets, as my sister has found. My in-laws always said they were allergic to milk/milk products. Hubs has had no problem in the (almost) 38 years we've been married, but I'll need to adapt some things when BIL is here. Any suggestions? I've got pumpkin bread in the oven now, which uses no milk. Most milk substitutes don't work in baking or cooking. Goat milk does, but Hubs can't stand the smell of it as he grew up on it. --Elise

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    1. You are welcome.
      Hmmm - almond milk, coconut milk, etc. Maybe juice instead of milk in something like a muffin. I am not sure. I have never had to sub milk product for something else. Hopefully someone can answer for you.

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    2. Elise, in baking dairy free I found that vegan websites have some great baking recipes that are completely dairy free. While I am not a vegan since follow a gluten free, dairy free and low histamine diet these have come in so handy. The one's I like the best are chocolatecoveredkatie.com and minimalistbaker.com. I've never had a poor result from any of their recipes. I hope this helps. Cookie
      P.S. Cheryl, I love your website and have been a long time reader but have never commented. Thank you for all the good information you provide.

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    3. Thank you, Cookie! I'm heading to the websites now. I really do appreciate it. --Elise

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    4. Hi Cookie. Thank you for your kind words. So happy to have you here. Hope you keep on sticking around!!!!

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  6. Cheryl, Thanks for this today. I was looking for heavy cream sub for a recipe. Thanks again

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  7. Oops! Forgot to hit "publish" yesterday. Thank you so much for sharing these recipes. As much as I try to maintain my pantry, sometimes I find I'm either out, or the can is way way way past expiration.

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    1. You are welcome. Same here - sometimes, stuff happens and you run out of something you thought you had a bunch of.

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  8. I tried making condensed milk just to see how it worked. It did not. I had six total failures!

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    1. Sorry you had failures. I have used it before with success. I have tried both #1 and #2. I liked it for my recipes.

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  9. This conversation is so interesting! I have only tried whipping whipping cream but never really knew the difference between the 2. I think my recipe for cream of ....... soup is the same as yours, Cheryl. I know what's in it and I begrudge spending the money for the canned stuff. I think I made sweetened condensed milk before but I'm not sure it worked out.....I don't keep sweetened condensed milk in my pantry because it is too tempting to make stuff with it and I love it as well. Carol

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    1. I love knowing what is in my food. It is difficult today with all the convenience stuff out there - so making it sure makes it better. I hear ya on making things we shouldn't eat! LOL
      I usually have a couple cans around just in case - but hardly ever use it. Tis the season - fudge!!!!!!

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  10. One of my treasures is a notecard handwritten by my aunt to my mom for homemade sweetened condensed milk. I have made it. I believe she wrote it in the 70s.
    ~margaret

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    1. Isn't that sweet. Maybe you should put that card in a small frame and hang it in your kitchen!

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    2. That's a great idea! We're working on redoing some stuff in the kitchen. I will have to have some thought of where to put it.
      ~margaret

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  11. It's good to know how to substitute an ingredient that is seldom used and may not be in the pantry.

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