Peeps-DF and naturally colored

My kids love peeps.  They are loaded with food coloring and with HFCS and corn syrup etc.  I really wanted to try making some from scratch and was surprised how amazingly easy they were to make.  I will definitely make these again.  The beet powder worked the best, the blueberry...well...by the time I got enough into it, it would have been goo...so it looks more grey.  The powdered sugar was cute as well.

Ingredients and directions

1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. water

Put into stand mixer or bowl to sit while cooking.

1/3 c. water
1 c. sugar

Put in small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Boil until temp on candy thermometer reaches about 230° F.
Add very hot mix to mixer and mix on medium/high speed for about 8 min or until it begins to form soft peaks.  Spoon mix into Pam sprayed silicone forms or sheet pan lined with sprayed parchment paper to use cookie cutters on. 

When set they will pop right out of silicone forms and roll in prepared sugar.

I used about 1/4-1/8 tsp. beet powder mixed with enough drops of water to make a paste.  Mix in enough sugar to make a pretty pink.  The blueberry made that grey color and would take so much blueberry that it would make it gooey...I haven't tried letting it dry first yet, but that  will be another day for sure. I would also like to work with some flavors.  They were really good alone but maybe with some almond flavoring or this butter/nut flavoring that I have...hm...
Needless to say, the girls loved them.  I bet they would make a great smore...

DF "Cream of Chicken Soup"

I never realized how much I used and depended on Cream of soup...whether chicken, mushroom...whichever...until I had to go Dairy Free for my child.  All of a sudden all those recipes were not an option until I found this...Bean Flour "Cream of Chicken Soup"...all of a sudden my recipes were once again an option and the best part...nobody knows the difference hehe...

Cream of Chicken Condensed Soup Recipe:

• Grind: 4 T of any white bean (lima, navy, etc.) to make 5 T bean flour (I just use 5 Tbsp of garbanzo bean flour or fava bean flour cuz I don't have a Wondermill yet...)
• Combine: 5 T bean flour, 1 ¾ c. water , 4 t chicken bouillon into a saucepan
• Cook: On stovetop at medium temperature until thick and delicious (whisk frequently).The soup should cook in 3 minutes! (this may be longer if your grinder makes a very coarse flour).
Use this with cooked veggies and or meat for a complete meal.  You can also add this to recipes calling for cream of chicken soup cans (I have found this replaces a can plus the water or milk in recipes).

This recipe is from one of my favorite Food Storage websites called Food Storage Made Easy

loove the effort these gals put into healthy and food storage.

Slow cooker Homemade Yogurt

I love yogurt and on the "17 Day Diet" which my mother, Aunt, Uncle and I did, you eat 2 servings of a pro-biotic food a day.  Well needless to say, that gets spendy.  I found this recipe somewhere on the internet  and unfortunately I don't remember where...but thank you whomever this came from.  There are several recipes but this one is the one I use.  I understand there is a way to individually jar this instead of one big batch and I may try that someday but for now this works best for me.



Ingredients and Directions:

I start my yogurt at 1pm if I can help it.  I tried 10:00 am and it was too early.  It made the incubation time too long cuz I have no interest in interrupting my sleep to play with yogurt...
2 Liters or Quarts of milk, I use 1% or Skim depending on what I have that day.  Pour half of the milk into the crock pot.
 
            

3/4 c. Powdered milk- If you use Instant, use 1 1/2 c. of powdered milk and whisk into the remaining quart of milk until there are no lumps...foam is fine.   Add to the crockpot.


 

 Make sure your crockpot is on Low setting and plugged in and set timer for 2 1/2 hours.  This is when I do the dishes and do many other things!

After the buzzer goes off, Unplug the crockpot and let sit for 3 hours.  Make sure you set your timer.  I will have totally forgotten about it in 3 hours so I HAVE to use my timer.
At the end of the 3 hours add 3/4 cup of yogurt...I use Mountain High...it has 5 pro-biotics vs the 4 in some other brands and some others have many fillers and HFCS in them.

I pull the inner pot out and put it into this insulated grocery bag that I purchased at Fred Meyer for this purpose but I understand you can incubate it wrapped in towels or blankets as well.  I leave this incubating until I wake up in the morning.  Usually about 8-12 hours.

When I wake up in the morning I have yogurt.  It is at this point I could put it into my storage container but I like more of a Greek Style yogurt.  I grab a Large coffee filter that I purchased from a restaurant and line my colander with it.  I put the colander in my glass bowl to catch any whey that will be dripping from this.  Then I scoop all the yogurt into this contraption, cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator until evening.  You can use the whey in any recipe calling for buttermilk but due to the allergy restrictions in my home, I dump it.  If you continue to strain this, it will eventually become yogurt cheese which is very similar to cream cheese and can be used as such.  Just without the cost or the fat or preservatives.
At this point I add my fruits or whatever I am going to be adding and enjoy!

*note:  Yogurt is made thick by the strands that the culture creates in the incubation process.  You don't want to stir them too much, it will break those strands and you will end up with a runny yogurt.  Great for smoothies!

Dairy Free "Buttermilk"

This is my "go-to" for any recipe calling for buttermilk.  I generally use Rice milk but I think Almond milk may be better for some recipes due to the protein content.  I have only tried Rice milk though.

Ingredients:
1 C. Rice Milk (or any DF milk Substitute)
1 Tbsp Vinegar (I use cider Vinegar)

Directions:
1. Pour vinegar into a 1 c. measuring cup then add enough rice milk to fill to the 1 cup and mix.
2. Let sit for a few minutes, I usually do about 5 minutes.
3. Use in any recipe calling for buttermilk.

Bisquick type mix

This is a very basic type of mix that can be used in anything calling for Bisquick.  I am able to control ingredients in this one and it makes great biscuits!!

Ingredients:
2 c. White Flour
2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
1 c. Butter Flavored Crisco ( you could use plain Crisco)

Directions:
In Kitchen aid with Whisk attachment mix all ingredients until a fine crumble.


I store mine in a jar cuz I love jars.  Keeps in my Fridge or my freezer for months and months.  Probably years if I could keep it that long.  I haven't tried doubling it yet but I am pretty sure it would be fine.  This makes a great biscuit!  You could use plain crisco and add butter flavoring to it or even omit the butter flavoring but I like the butter flavor.

Cornless Corn Syrup

2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 pinch salt


Directions:

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and put cover for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan.
3. Uncover and simmer, stirring often, until it reaches the soft ball stage (about 225° f.)
4. Makes about 2 cups. ( i got slightly less than that)
   
   
   So I understand that the cream of tartar actually breaks the sugar into a fructose and glucose so doesn't necessarily make this "healthier" than corn syrup, but with Morgan having problems with Corn syrup, esp HFCS, this is a fabulous alternative.  It takes a bit more time and I think you want to cool this some before you actually use in any recipes but I love to be able to make anything from a true "scratch".  

Slow Cooker Yogurt-phase 1

8 c. 1% milk
3/4 c. powdered milk
3/4 c. Mountain High Yogurt, Plain

Directions:
1. Pour milk and powdered milk into crock pot, whisk together.
2. Cook on Low temperature for 2 1/2 hours.  Unplug.
3. Let sit for 3 hours.
4. Whisk in yogurt for starter.
5. Incubate in an insulated grocery bag, cooler or wrap with towels or blankets until morning.
6. Line wire mesh strainer or colander with coffee filter and strain yogurt to desired thickness.


I usually start this at around 1:00 pm.  I have used instant and non-instant powdered milk and like the non-instant best.  It really made a thicker, creamier yogurt.  I prefer Mountain High, it has made the best consistency for me, it has 5 live active cultures vs the 4 that Nancy's has.  It was ok, but the texture with Mountain High was better.  If you put the yogurt starter in too soon...the milk is too hot yet and really makes a tangier yogurt.  Not sure if it kills the culture or not but I liked it MUCH better waiting the full 3 hours after cooking.  I strain mine to make the "Greek style" yogurt.   You can save a bit of your own homemade yogurt for the starter for your next few batches but eventually I get a fresh start.  I did try one attempt of adding Vanilla and Truvia to a batch and it didn't set well so I will probably just continue to add those per serving.  Let me know how it works for you and if you try any different variations.