Homemade Chili Powder Recipe

As I've mentioned before, I first started getting interested in health when I was a teen. I was passionate about recreating "junk food" with healthy ingredients. My sister and I would fry our own potato chips in coconut oil. I would bake desserts, but substitute whole wheat flour and natural sweeteners.

Making my own spice mixes was a pretty obvious choice. If you read the label on the ones found at the supermarket, they often contain MSG or mystery "spices" - which could be MSG in disguise. 

It's so easy to whip up a batch of homemade spices. And they will most likely be fresher than the premade variety.

Also, I try to source ingredient spices. I'm slowly converting my pantry...

This recipe is for a mild chili powder. It may still be too spicy if you are very sensitive to heat; you can simply decrease or leave out the cayenne pepper. If your prefer a spicier chili powder, increase the amount of cayenne pepper.




Mild Chili Powder
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Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Shake well before using.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Homemade Chili Powder Recipe

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How to Make Chicken Broth in a Crockpot/Slow Cooker

Homemade chicken broth can be so easy when you use a crockpot/slow cooker!

One of my scariest kitchen mishaps actually involved homemade bone broth.

I had a pot bubbling away on the stove. Suddenly, we had to leave the house for an hour or so. You guessed it: I left the stove on by mistake. While we were headed back home, I remembered that I had left the broth simmering. I wondered if we would return to a house of cinders.

"Well, at least the house didn't burn down," I said as we pulled in the driveway. But when we opened the front door, we were met with an acrid smoke. The broth had boiled completely away, leaving a charred chicken carcass. I felt so stupid. Our house stank for days. My poor pot still bears the marks.

Needless to say, I was a bit paranoid about making broth after that incident. 

Then, I saw Mommypotamus making broth in her crockpot. Brilliant, I thought! I tried it for myself, and I fell in love. 

You see, broth is super easy to make, but it takes a LONG time to cook. It can be difficult to find a good block of time to simmer it to perfection. With the slow cooker, I can throw everything together in the evening, set it to low and simmer it all through the night and the next day.

Here are a few tips and tricks for making your own broth:

* Make sure you buy organic veggies that are on the "Dirty Dozen" list. Onions are on the "Clean 15," so I buy those conventional or local.

* You can use a whole, uncooked chicken as well as the carcass of a roasted chicken. The meat will fall off the bones.

* Don't boil your broth too hard - it can result in broth that doesn't gel.

* If you get enough fat in your broth, you can actually store it in the refrigerator for up to 6 months, as demonstrated by Diana of My Humble Kitchen.

* You can always add extra gelatin to your broth if you so wish. I use this brand.

* Don't be afraid to use whatever vegetables you have on hand in your broth. Some ideas: mushrooms, garlic, potatoes, various herbs, and even kombu, AKA kelp (idea from Joy the Baker).

* If your chicken comes with the giblet and liver, throw those into the pot as well!

* Don't salt your broth too heavily before it's done simmering. Taste and adjust AFTER it has reduced.

I would love to talk more about bone broth, but this post is long enough as it is. Maybe I'll have to do a follow-up post about the benefits of bone broth, how to store, and ideas for how to use it.

What was your biggest kitchen disaster? 

How to Make Chicken Broth in a Crockpot/Slow Cooker 
recipe adapted from Weston A. Price and Mommypotamus | makes about 6-8 cups of broth
Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken carcass

• cold water

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 3-4 carrots, chopped

• 3 celery stalks, chopped

• 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons real salt

• a bunch of parsley, optional (for added minerals)

Directions:
Place the chicken carcass in your slow cooker and add enough cold water to cover. Add the onions, carrots, celery and vinegar and stir. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Add the salt and turn the crockpot to LOW. Simmer the broth for at least 6 and up to 48 hours. 10 minutes before the cooking time is up, add a bunch of parsley. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Allow the broth to cool until warm. Strain into storage containers. Refrigerate or freeze.

Note: some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own.

Monday, February 2, 2015

How to Make Chicken Broth in a Crockpot/Slow Cooker

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Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

This post was originally published on February 16, 2012 on Cooking for Seven.  A reader recently requested this recipe, so I thought I should share it here on Buttered Side Up!

Skiing is my favorite winter sport. Feeling the snow swish beneath my feet as I slide down the “mountain” (in Minnesota, the closest things we have to mountains are very large hills).

It’s always fun to plan out our lunches for skiing, trying to come up with something special and delicious. A few weeks ago, I decided that Frappuccinos would be a lovely treat. Creamy coffee drinks are my favorite.

Thus I purchased a pack of bottled Frappuccions. The words “low-fat” on the bottle disturbed me a bit, but I was sure they would be yummy anyhow. Alas, not so. We found them to be overly sweet and thin.  We dumped in some cream and they were improved immensely. But I was sure I could make something better myself.

Sure enough, I was able to produce something rich and creamy with much better flavor and less sweetener. That’s the beauty of making it yourself – you can customize it to your own personal tastes!

Here is my method for making your own creamy bottled frappiccino drink at home. Don’t think of it as a recipe as it’s meant to be highly customizable. I like my coffee fairly strong, so keep that in mind.

Homemade Frappiccinos Recipe 

Printable Page | Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk (none of this low-fat stuff)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (oh yeah)
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (more to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

Brew your espresso or coffee and place in the refrigerator until cold, about an hour or so. Add the remaining ingredients and stir or shake well (if using a bottle). Taste and adjust the ratio of milk, syrup, etc. Keep going until you love it. Enjoy!

This should keep in the refrigerator for a few days. I haven’t experimented with keeping it longer!

PS: This was the fourth photo I posted on Instagram. I liked it so much I included it in my blog post. :)

Note: some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

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Phone Friday: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Ever since I discovered that you can mix your own spices I have shied away from the pre-mixed store-bought varieties. I'm sure there are some lovely blends out there, but there's just something nice about knowing exactly what and how much of everything goes into your seasonings. 

Plus, if you prefer to use organic spices, it can be a more affordable option. I like to buy my spices a little at a time from the bulk bins at our local health food store. That way I don't keep an entire bottle of cloves in my drawer for a few years until it goes stale. 

Note: If you don't like a particular spice used in the recipe, feel free to leave it out! Also, if you're out of a spice (with the exception of the cinnamon), it's not going to be the END of the world if it isn't put in. 

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

adapted from My Baking Addiction

Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice, optional (I didn't have any on hand so I left it out)

Directions:

Mix everything together and store in an air-tight container. Use as you would store-bought pumpkin pie spice.

Looking for some pumpkin recipes?

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Scones




Perfect Pumpkin Pie




Pumpkin Pie Pudding

From Around the Web:

Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze from Cookie + Kate

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Almond Crunch from Zoe Bakes

Pumpkin Spice Brulee Crullers from Deliciously Yum

Grain-Free Pumpkin Bars from Detoxinista

Whole Grain Pumpkin Pancakes from Honey and Jam

Friday, October 17, 2014

Phone Friday: Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

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Homemade Salted Caramel Corn Recipe

For some reason I used to have a fear of homemade caramel corn. Which is quite silly since I had never tried my hand at making it. I just assumed that the stuff from the store (full of highly processed ingredients) could not be recreated at home. Boy, was I wrong.

My sister made a batch of caramel corn and it was AMAZING. My preconceived notions about homemade caramel corn melted away. 

Caramel corn is one of the more addicting foods. It's sweet, but it's also salty, so you don't get overloaded on either flavor. It's so easy to toss kernel after kernel into mouth.

I'm sad that we already finished off this batch. Which can easily be remedied...

Homemade Salted Caramel Corn 

adapted from King Arthur Flour

Makes about 15 cups

Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unpopped popcorn (to make about 15 cups popped)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (if using unsalted, you may want to add a bit of salt to the caramel)
• 2 tablespoons unsulphered molasses
• 3/4 cup sucanat
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Coarse sea salt, to taste

Directions:

1) Pop your popcorn. Place in a (very) large bowl. Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. If you don't have a roasting pan you can use two 13 x 9 pans. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). 

2) Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the molasses, sucanat and honey. Stir and cook until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

3) Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. Don't be alarmed - the mixture will foam and get airy. Pour over popped popcorn and toss to coat evenly.

4) Spread in the prepared pan and sprinkle with coarse sea salt to taste. Bake in preheated oven for an hour, giving the caramel corn a stir every 15 minutes or so. 

5) Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before attempted to eat. Once it's completely cool you can store it in an airtight container for a few days. It probably won't last that long.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Homemade Salted Caramel Corn Recipe

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Homemade Chocolate Syrup for Chocolate Milk!

First of all, my apologies for being such a horrid blogger this past month. Earlier this summer I felt like I had a really good rhythm going. Then things got busy. Every weekend for the past 5 weekends we've had something going on. I'm looking forward to being able to catch my breath. 

This past year I've really been into chocolate milk, especially making it myself. Normally I'll mix it up as I go along: spoon some cocoa powder and sugar into a cup then mix in milk and cream. It tastes delicious, but it's kind of a pain to mix together. The milk doesn't always play nice and often refuses to be fully incorporated into the chocolate. 

Having a bottle of chocolate syrup in the fridge makes it so much easier. Simply pour into the milk and stir! No more lumps of chocolate. 

By the way, I HIGHLY recommend that you use some cream in your milk. Not quite half and half, more like 2/3 milk, 1/3 cream. But be warned: once you try it, just milk will never be the same. Also, I still blow bubbles in my chocolate milk. I think it freaks Reuben out. He's probably afraid that I'll teach it to Helen. Which I most likely will.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

recipe adapted from Created by Diane | Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sucanat
• 1 cup cocoa powder (my favorite HERE)
• 1/2 teaspoon real salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Place the water, sucanat and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

2) Stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool and pour into a jar or squeeze bottle. Store in the refrigerator. 

Note: Some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own and I would never share a product with you guys that I haven't already tested unless otherwise stated.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Homemade Chocolate Syrup for Chocolate Milk!

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Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

Tortilla chips are one of those things that's really hard to find a truly healthy version of in stores. Even if they're made with organic corn, they're nearly always made with a polyunsaturated fat. What's a chip lovin' girl to do? Deep fried chips are delicious, but it's way too much work to heat up the oil and grease up your kitchen on a regular basis. 

My grandma is a big fan of The Food Network. A while back when I was visiting her we sat down to watch some cooking shows. Giada was on, and she made baked tortilla chips. It looked ridiculously easy. I tried it, and it was (ridiculously easy).

Here's the super simple process:

Everything you'll need: Tortillas, coconut oil and salt. That's it!

Brush both sides of the tortillas evenly with the oil.

Cut into triangles.

Arrange on a baking sheet.

Bake until golden and crispy. And you're done!

These chips are (of course) best eaten fresh, so I like to make them in small batches.

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

recipe from Giada | makes about 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 corn tortillas (I like to use sprouted corn tortillas)
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
• Real salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) 

Brush each side of the tortillas evenly with the melted coconut oil. Cut into triangles with a big knife. Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.

Bake in preheated oven until golden and crispy, about 15-17 minutes (you might want to start checking the tortillas at the 12 minute mark). Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Note: Some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own and I would never share a product with you guys that I haven't already tested unless otherwise stated.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips

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Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage

I have been making my own bulk sausage for almost six years now. When I started to become more aware of the additives in flavored meats, I set out to find a recipe and make my own. To my surprise, everything went together easily and the sausage was delicious.

With this simple recipe you can make all your favorite dishes without the worry of icky ingredients such as MSG and other mystery spices.

All that's needed is some ground pork and spices:

Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 1/2 teaspoons real salt or any other unrefined salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley 

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together the spices. Add to the ground pork and mix thoroughly (you can use your hands if you wish). 

Cook according to the instructions in your recipe.

Need some ideas for what to make with your Homemade Italian Sausage?

How about my Hearty Pasta Sauce from Scratch?

Or Homemade Ramen Noodle Soup. So so good.

I just made this Sausage and Potato Soup the other day. Still delicious.





Glorious Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms. Mmhmm.



Hope your Monday is awesome!
Erica

Note: Some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own and I would never share a product with you guys that I haven't already tested.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage

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Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

So why would anyone want to go to the trouble of making their own sweetened condensed milk? After all, there are only two ingredients in a can of store-bought SCM: milk and sugar. Pretty harmless, no? 

Not so fast. 

True, it's probably less detrimental to your health than most canned food. But it's still not all that healthy. Here's why:

1) You don't know the origin of the milk. It most likely came from cows fed GMO feed, raised in confinement and given hormones. 

2) The sugar, unless it is specifically stated as cane sugar, is most likely from GMO sugar beets. 95% of sugar beet crops in the US were GMO in 2010 (source).

3) Most cans are lined with BPA to stop corrosion. 

Besides, it's kind of fun to make! Yes, you do need to keep an eye on the stove for 2 hours, but you only need to stir it every 15 minutes or so. 

What do you think? Are you concerned about consuming canned food? Do you care about GMOs? 

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

adapted from Just as Delish | makes about 12-14 oz. | Printable Page

Ingredients:

• 1 liter of whole milk
• 3/4 - 1 cup sugar (I used cane sugar, of course)
• 1 tablespoon butter to thicken milk (I forgot this, and it still turned out fine)

Directions:

1) Place the milk and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down to low and simmer for 2 hours or until the milk is reduced by about half. Stir every 15 minutes or so to keep the milk from burning. 

2) Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if desired and stir in the butter. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

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Homemade Spices & Seasonings: Sweet Italian Sausage

With this little mix of spices you can create your own bulk Italian sausage. Perfect for pizza or any place sweet Italian sausage is called for.

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:: Sweet Italian Sausage Spice Blend ::

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Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork (ground beef may be substituted, but the flavor and texture will not be the same)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Directions:

Combine the spices in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly with ground pork. Cook as directed by recipe.

P.S. It’s Kitchen Tip Tuesday…

Friday, June 14, 2013

Homemade Spices & Seasonings: Sweet Italian Sausage

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