Category: Condiments

This 3-ingredient Brown Sugar Cinnamon Simple Syrup is a quick condiment to stash in your fridge this fall, to give coffees and cocktails a sweet fall twist. 

Continue reading “Brown Sugar Cinnamon Simple Syrup”

Greek Seasoning Spice Blend is a savory, herby blend of herbs and spices. Stash a jar in your pantry and use it to give vegetables and proteins a Mediterranean flare.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book from Page Street Publishing Co. in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine alone.

Continue reading “Greek Seasoning Spice Blend + The Mediterranean Diet Made Easy Cookbook Review”

Super simple Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix is sure to add bursts of bright ranch flavor to appetizers, dressings and dips, and dinners. Mix up a jar in just 5 minutes and stash in your fridge for your next meal. 

When it comes to the world of wings and all things buffalo chicken, are you Team Ranch or  Team Blue Cheese?

I am totally Team Blue Cheese, but my husband is Team Ranch. To be honest, I’m not a huge ranch fan in general, but I know he enjoys it. And blue cheese doesn’t go with everything…

This week’s blog posts – two recipes! – came from my husband’s preference for ranch and his general interest in all things flavored with ranch seasoning. It all started with a recipe for Bacon Ranch Cheeseburger Cups, which I saw and knew that he would love. We tried it one night for dinner – my daughter loved helping make “hamburger cupcakes” and even enjoyed eating one (#momwin) – and both enjoyed it quite a bit.

From there, I was on a kick. I wanted to make more ranch-flavored things for my hubby. I started with this recipe today, homemade ranch seasoning. It’s not that the packets of Hidden Valley Ranch mix were bad, but I like the ability to control the seasoning in our foods – using less salt, the ease of measuring a bit more or less than a recipe calls for from a jar of my own seasoning.

Like most mixes, this takes minutes to whip up. It does use powdered buttermilk, so it needs to be stored in the fridge, but it will keep for a while.

Tips & Tricks:

• Some of the spices called for in this recipe are not ones I typically have in my pantry. Rather than buying a whole jar, check out your local organic market (such as MOM’s) where you can buy spices in the quantity you need. It’ll save quite a bit of money and unused spices won’t expire sitting in the cupboard.

Recipe Suggestions:

Worried about making the mix and not having enough recipes to make it worthwhile? Here are a few of the ranch recipes I’ve been making or bookmarking for upcoming kitchen projects!

• Bacon Ranch Cheeseball
• Bacon Ranch Cheeseburger Cups from My Fearless Kitchen
• Cheesy Ranch Breadsticksfrom Crazy for Crust
• Fruit Pasta Salad – pasta, fruit, chicken and a light and creamy ranch dressing, you totally need to check this one out – from The Saucy Fig
• Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes Sheet Pan Dinner from New Southern Charm
• Ranch Pretzels from Kate’s Recipe Box
• Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken and Rice Bowls from Savory Moments
• Zesty Beef Rollups from Cooking with Carlee

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Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix

Super simple Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix is sure to add bursts of bright ranch flavor to appetizers, dressings and dips, and dinners. Mix up a jar in just 5 minutes and stash in your fridge for your next meal. 

Course Condiments

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Servings 11 1-Tbs. servings

Calories 15 kcal

Author Liz

Ingredients

• 1/3 c. dry powdered buttermilk
• 2 Tbs. dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp. dill weed
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 2 tsp. onion flakes
• 1 tsp. dried chives
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small, airtight container. Stir or shake to mix well.

2. Store in the refrigerator until use. 

Recipe Notes

This recipe makes about 11 Tablespoons of seasoning.

This recipe was barely adapted from Gimme Some Oven.

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Tart Granny Smith apples and sweet homemade caramel come together in an amazing fall jam. Caramel Apple Jam is a delicious topping for morning toast, the star of a classic PB&J, a compliment to appetizer cheese plates, and a surprising mix-in for fall cocktails. 

This post is sponsored on behalf of #AppleWeek. Our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, Nairn’s and The Spice House have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

Over the past several years, I’ve really gotten to enjoy preserving summer and fall fruits. It’s become an annual tradition where my parents and I take the kiddos strawberry picking. We pick 20+ pounds of strawberries and then make enough strawberry jam to feed our extended family for the year. And then we do it all over again. Sometimes we’ll do blueberry and/or blackberry picking and jam making as as well, but strawberry season is our thing.

Usually, when I can with my mom, we use a canning method that involves sealing the jars with hot wax rather than in a water bath – it’s how she learned to can from my grandmother. I dabbled in freezer jam with blackberry chia seed jam as well. I was initially nervous about trying the traditional water bath method, but to be honest, it’s not hard. You just need to work quickly and carefully. I first tried this method a few years ago when I made apple butter and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was.

One thing about jam is that it takes a LOT of sugar. For this recipe, and most of the jam recipes I’ve made, I use sugar from our #AppleWeek sponsor Imperial Sugar. Imperial Sugar has been in home kitchens across the southwest since 1843. Today, the company’s sugar products and sweeteners are 100% natural and non-GMO. You can explore their website or social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest) for tons of recipe inspiration, baking tips, and craft projects (sugar scrubs!).

Anyway… back to jam. Caramel Apple Jam, specifically. This jam screams of fall. Because let’s be honest, in terms of food, I pretty much think of apples in early fall, and cranberries in late fall. (Sorry friends, not a pumpkin lover, so no #AllThingsPumpkin on this blog. If you’re into it, search #PumpkinWeek on social media for tons of recipes from my blogging friends.) This jam is made in 3 steps. You’re basically making homemade apple sauce and homemade caramel, and then combining the two to create a wonderfully sweet Caramel Apple Jam.

Serving Suggestions:

• On top of toast or an English muffin for breakfast.
• Mix in with yogurt.
• Serve with Brie on top of freshly sliced bread or crackers. Or better yet, serve on top of baked Brie (either on its own or wrapped in puff pastry). Or in a grilled cheese with brie. Pretty much any time you use brie, this jam would taste delicious.
• On a cheese tray. Not only does it compliment brie (can you tell it’s a favorite of mine), but it would also pair well with cheddar.
• On a lunchtime PB&J sandwich. (Tried & True! My Little Man has been enjoying these sandwiches for at least a month now!)
• Use in cakes and tarts (new recipe on Friday!)
• In a mocktail or cocktail – such as a Bloodhound Cocktail or an apple variation of this Moscow Mule.
• Give as a hostess gift for fall/winter parties.

Don’t Forget!

1. Be sure to scroll down and take a look under the recipe and check out the other #AppleWeek recipes that went live today.
2. Check out Imperial Sugar at the links above.
3. Finally, be sure to enter the #AppleWeek giveaway – for several great prizes – at the Rafflecopter below (edit: Rafflecopter was removed after the giveaway ended for improved reader experience). There are multiple ways to enter and multiple prizes (description of each prize is listed here) so be sure to throw your name in the ring!

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Caramel Apple Jam

Tart Granny Smith apples and sweet homemade caramel come together in an amazing fall jam. Caramel Apple Jam is a delicious topping for morning toast, PB&J star, compliment to appetizer cheese plates, and a surprising mix-in for fall cocktails. 

Author Liz

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. tart apples such as Granny Smith apples (8-10 apples), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 c. water divided
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 3 c. granulated sugar
• 1 c. light brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the Apple Sauce

1. Place apples, 1/2 c. water and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Simmer until apples are very soft. Remove from heat.

2. Press apples through a food mill, sieve, or (my personal choice) a spider skimmer. You need 5 cups of pulp, the texture of apple sauce. Set pulp aside and discard skins and anything leftover.

Make the Caramel

1. Place granulated sugar in an even layer in a 6 to 8 quart Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot. Heat over medium-high heat until sugar starts to melt, gently shaking the pots back and forth if needed but don’t stir. When sugar starts to melt, lower heat to medium-low. Allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until sugar is melted and golden.

Turn Caramel Into Jam

1. Carefully, add remaining 3/4 c. water to the caramel already on the stove. Beware of mixture bubbling. Caramel will then seize up but keep cooking and stirring until caramel melts again, and is the same consistency throughout.

2. Add apple purée and brown sugar - again, mixture will bubble. Stir until sugar has been dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow mixture to boil for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. (As mixture is boiling, now is a good time to start bring the water for the hot water bath to a boil.) Mixture should reduce to about 6 cups. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

3. Quickly ladle into sanitized canning jars, leaving top 1/4-inch empty. Wipe rims. Put on lids and seal with bands.

4. Transfer jars to a pot filled with boiling water. Allow to process in boiling water for 10 minutes. If water stops boiling when adding the jars, bring to a boil again and then start 10 minute timer.

5. Remove jars and set on a towel-lined baking sheet or a wire rack to cool. Check to confirm jars sealed - if any did not, immediately put the jar in the fridge to use immediately.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to make apple sauce mixture and caramel at the same time. I was nervous about burning the caramel (a bad habit of mine) so didn’t.

If the jam doesn't set immediately, allow it to sit for 24-28 hours in a cool place. If the extra time doesn't help, pop it in the fridge overnight. The time in the fridge should allow the jam to set. You can remove it from the fridge and store it normally, once the jam has set.

This recipe was adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Today’s Apple Week Recipes:

• Apple & Lentil Andouille Crockpot Stew by Faith, Hope, Love & Luck
• Apples and Chai Smoothie by Our Good Life
• Apple Cider Cutout Cookies by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Apple Cider Pancakes by Family Around the Table
• Apple Cinnamon Pull Aparts by The Freshman Cook
• Apple Crepes by Caroline’s Cooking
• Apple Crisp Ebelskivers by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Apple Fritter Monkey Bread by Mildly Meandering
• Apple Herb Stuffed Pork Chops by West Via Midwest
• Apple Pudding by The Anthony Kitchen
• Apple Raisin Oatmeal Cookies by The Monday Box
• Apple Cinnamon Scones with Maple Sugar Butter by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
• Apple Stuffed Chicken Breast by Seduction in the Kitchen
• Apple Upside Down Cake by Lemon Blossoms
• Appledoodle Cookies by Cookaholic Wife
• Applesauce Coffee Cake by An Affair from the Heart
• Applesauce Muffins by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Baked Apple Donuts by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples by Simple and Savory
• Bourbon Apple Pecan Bread Pudding by Soulfully Made
• Caramel Apple Crumb Cake by The Redhead Baker
• Caramel Apple Jam by Books n’ Cooks (above!)
• Gingersnapple Tart by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Chicken Salad Apple Bites by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Dutch Apple Cobbler with Cheesecake Topping by Who Needs a Cape?
• Dutch Apple Coffee Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
• German Apple Pancakes with Cider Syrup by House of Nash Eats
• Grilled Cheddar Cheese with Apples and Hatch Chile Hot Sauce by Culinary Adventures With Camilla
• One Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken and Apples by Jonesin’ for Taste
• Oven Roasted Apple Butter by Savory Moments
• Salted Caramel Apple Crumble by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Savory Skillet Chicken and Apples by Cooking With Carlee
• Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Bacon by The Anthony Kitchen
• Slow Cooker Pork with Apples by Palatable Pastime
• Vegan Caramel Apple Galette by The Baking Fairy

Disclaimer: Thank you AppleWeek Sponsors: Swiss Diamond, Nordic Ware, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, The Spice House, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan’s Irish Oats and Nairn’s  for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The AppleWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Seven (7) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The AppleWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the AppleWeek posts or entry.