Homemade

Homemade Butter Flavoured Pancake Syrup

By in Condiments, Homemade 5 Comments Tags: , , , ,

butter flavoured syrup

In a perfect world we would all have unlimited access to all-natural maple syrup at our fingertips (or if you’re Aimée you’d tap your trees and make your own. Brilliance I tell you!). But in reality, for most of us, it’s just so darned expensive, especially if you live outside of Canada or the US. It’s no secret that maple syrup is my favourite processed sugar alternative, but I know it’s not always possible to be as carefree with it as I tend to be (I’m Canadian, I practically bleed maple syrup). So today I’m sharing my go-to homemade syrup that replaces the butter flavoured stuff from the store. It’s not meant to be a maple syrup substitute so don’t go substituting it for maple syrup in recipes (that would kind of ruin the point ;)).

This syrup is just as delicious as Aunt Jemima’s but the ingredient list is a lot shorter. I always think it’s a good idea to make these kinds of things at home so you can see just how much sugar goes into it – it makes you more mindful when you get to pouring it over your pancakes. Syrup will never be healthy but you can make it just as flavourful and a lot more healthfully (i.e. less processed) at home. Plus it’s quick and simple, and pretty cheap to boot.

It’s the weekend. Go forth. Make pancakes. Make syrup. And, enjoy!

butter flavoured syrup

Butter Flavoured Pancake Syrup

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple extract

Place sugar, water and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil one minute. Remove from heat, stir in butter, vanilla and maple extract until butter is melted. Serve immediately or cool (syrup will thicken as it cools). Store, covered, in the fridge.

Makes: 3/4-1 cup

Homemade Almond Milk

By in Beverages, Cold, Homemade 10 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

almond milk

Almond milk has been a constant in our fridge for a long time. I use it mostly in my granola and drinks. We still use regular milk for cooking, but I find that if I have too much it starts to bother me, so I keep it to a minimum and always make sure to have an alternative on hand.

I started making my own almond milk about a month ago. It’s cheaper then buying a carton from the store, especially if you can buy your almonds in bulk. Since I’m the only one that uses almond milk on a regular basis in my family I can never finish a full carton by the time it goes bad. Making my own saves me money and I don’t have any waste. Plus, it only takes two ingredients for the base recipe, rather then a bunch of extra fillers that I don’t need. I find it much more convenient to make it myself then to run out to the store for more. As soon as I’m out I soak some almonds overnight, blend it up in the morning and I’ve got myself some fresh almond milk.

I also love the adaptability to flavour it up as I please. If I’m going to use it for cooking I leave it plain, if I’ll be using it for granola and drinks I like to flavour and sweeten it up. I do think that almond milk is an acquired taste, especially if you’re used to using another alternative, like soy milk. But it has quickly become my favourite milk substitute, right alongside coconut milk. I like to flavour it with vanilla and cinnamon, my kids think it tastes like eggnog and actually beg to drink it. That never happened with the stuff I got from the store.

If almond milk is a regular at your table, or you want to have a small batch rather then having to buy a big carton, this recipe is for you. It really couldn’t be simpler.

In other news, Kitchen Simplicity is featured in the spring issue of Celebrate Home Magazine. You can view the free magazine online through issuu or browse through the pdf version. In the issue I share four recipes for a spring brunch. They have lot’s of lovely articles about gardening, cooking, and, of course, all the different ways to celebrate home.

Almond Milk

Pick and choose your optional mix-ins or use them all for a delicious beverage that tastes great on it’s own.

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 3.5 cups water (plus more for soaking)
  • pinch sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla, optional
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup, optional

Place almonds in a bowl. Cover with enough cold water that the almonds are completely submerged. Set aside and let soak overnight (or at least 8 hours).

Drain and rinse the almonds, place in your blender along with 3.5 cups fresh water. Cover and process on the highest setting for one minute. Line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth. Pour the almond mixture through the cheesecloth. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and, using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid from the almonds as possible. Discard or save the almonds for another use (once I come up with some good ones I’ll be sure to share!). Whisk in sea salt along with desired flavourings. Pour into a storage container and refrigerate (let sit for a couple hours before using for best flavour) . Stir or shake before use. This should stay good for up to 5 days.

Makes: 3.5 cups

Adapted from Oh She Glows.

Homemade Baking Mix – Healthified

By in Breads, Homemade 24 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

I love my regular homemade baking mix, it makes some of our favourite pancakes (and according to the comments I”ve received, many others favourite too). I like the quick and filling breakfast it makes during the week, but I”ve never felt like it had enough nutritional value for an everyday type of thing. If my kids are going to enjoy pancakes once or twice a week I want them to be healthier and have more fibre. I got asked quite often how to make it with whole wheat flour or how to make it the equivalent of the Bisquick Heart-Smart mix, so I thought it was about time to make the move.

I”ve taken the original recipe, subbed a portion or the white flour for whole wheat flour and wheat germ, and upped the baking powder a bit to make up for the heaviness of the whole wheat. My family loves whole wheat bread so I don”t really know why it took me so long to try this. So far I”ve used the mix for pancakes and biscuits – they were both delicious. Although I haven”t tried it in my other baking mix recipes, I”m fairly confident this will work, as the original, and be able to be substituted in any recipe that calls for bisquick or other baking mixes.

To get more tips on making it healthier and links to recipes, you should definitely scour the original post and comments. I love when readers chime in with their adaptations and recipes and there are plenty of good ideas to be found. I received an email from a reader, Elizabeth, who said “I am on a reduced salt diet and pancakes, waffles and biscuits are loaded with sodium. I changed your recipe just a little and got a great tasting alternative. I used unsalted butter, sodium free baking powder and half the salt. It is wonderful!” So, feel free to tweak these recipes to your liking and make them suitable for your family. Many people have also used the original recipe and subbed all of the white flour with white whole wheat flour and it sounds like it was a great success.

I”ve made the mixing process a bit easier by doing what has become the norm for me – grating in the cold butter rather than cutting it in with a pastry blender. This works great for me but feel free to go the normal route if you prefer.

For more recipes to use this mix in, head over to the original Homemade Baking Mix post.

Whole Wheat Baking Mix

  • 2.5 cups whole wheat flour

  • 2 cups white flour

  • 1/2 cup wheat germ (or additional whole wheat flour)

  • 6 tablespoons baking powder

  • 2 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup butter (salted or unsalted), cold

Mix together flours, wheat germ, baking powder, sugar and salt. Quickly grate in butter (using a cheese grater), in a couple additions, tossing with flour to coat the butter so it doesn”t stick together. Store in the fridge (for as long as the butter stays good for), or in the freezer for longer storage.

Drop Biscuits

Mix together 1/3 cup of milk for every 1 cup of mix. Drop onto un-greased cookie sheets and bake @ 450ºF for 10-12 min.

*Add any additional ingredients you wish such as cheese or herbs before adding the milk.

* 1 cup of mix will yield about 6 biscuits.

Pancakes

Mix 2 cups of mix with 1 cup milk and 2 eggs. Cook on hot griddle.

*As with the biscuits you can add any flavouring or other ingredient you would like, such as chocolate chips or blueberries.

Homemade: Butter

By in Condiments, Homemade, How-to's 14 Comments Tags: , ,

OK. I can”t believe it took me this long to make butter. I knew that it was easy to make, but I think somehow in the recesses of my brain it just seemed like it had to be more difficult than it is. Now that I”ve made it, I”m wondering, why is this not a common thing? Why aren”t we all making our own butter? We make whipped cream all the time and butter is essentially over-whipped whipped cream. After you beat the cream for 10 minutes or so it separates into butter and buttermilk (not the same buttermilk that you buy from the store because this is not fermented). That”s it. Now you have butter. Does it get any simpler then that?

Now, this doesn”t mean I”m going to be making my own butter all the time. I”m still planning on using the sticks for baking and such because this is one instance where homemade is not actually cheaper. For me to buy 2 sticks of butter (1 cup) is cheaper than buying a pint of heavy cream (which makes 1 cup of butter), plus the bars are awfully handy for measuring. But, for those times when you”re wanting to use butter as a spread, I definitely think it”s worth it to make your own. The fresh taste and satisfaction of making your own butter just can”t be beat. Add herbs, spices, or citrus zest to jazz it up and give it some diversity. Just think what a star you”ll be when you whip some up for brunch to serve with scones or french toast.

Please, please do yourself a favour and don”t wait as long as I did, to make your own butter. You will not be disappointed.

Homemade Butter

  • 1 pint heavy cream (2 cups)

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste (optional)

Beat cream in a stand mixer* with the whisk attachment until solids form (butter) and separate from the liquid (buttermilk). Pour into a fine mesh sieve to strain buttermilk. Rinse with cold water. Press with a spatula (or squeeze with hands) to make it into a cohesive mass and to remove excess water. Mix in salt, if desired.

*According to other sources this can also be made in a food processor or blender but it was too thick for my cheap blender so I switched to the mixer. Also you could use hand beaters.

Makes approximately: 1 cup butter

Homemade: Nacho Cheese Sauce

By in Appetizers, Homemade 67 Comments Tags: , , ,

nacho cheese sauce

When I was a teen (I feel old just for saying that) I was addicted to tortilla chips and cheese salsa. Addicted. Me and one of my friends would get together on the weekends and we’d eat the same thing every time – poutines, dill pickle chips (can you tell we’re Canadian?) and tortilla chips with cheese salsa. I’m not quite sure how any of us survived the eating patterns of our teenage years. I still love those same things but there’s no way I’d get away with that now without a huge belly ache.

I’ve tried many times to recreate both my favourite cheese salsa and the nacho cheese sauce you get poured over your chips at the theatre, but nothing ever came close. I’m proud to say I have finally conquered it! Well technically Kenji conquered it and I’m just reaping the benefits. Every cheese sauce I tried to make ended up grainy, gloopy and not even close to silky. And, the ones that promised to be smooth always had velveeta or some other processed cheese. This is the first one I’ve seen that doesn’t! And, just look at how silky smooth it is. The taste is so close to my favourite cheese salsa, just more real (woot!). And bonus, you can adjust the thickness according to your needs. Thicker for dipping and thinner for drizzling. I’m excited to make cheese fries and cheesesteaks, my mind is reeling with the possibilities of what I can pour this all over.

You can control the heat in many ways. As it is, it’s nice and spicy. For a mild sauce use only cheddar cheese. For super hot sauce add jalapeño peppers. For medium sauce substitute half of the pepper jack for more cheddar.

To be honest, I probably won’t be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday. But if you are, and are in need of a good dip, this is your meal ticket. ;)

Nacho Cheese Sauce

  • 4 oz. pepper jack cheese,shredded
  • 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk, divided
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • pinch salt

Toss together cheese and cornstarch, in a medium-sized saucepan, until evenly coated. Stir in 1 cup evaporated milk, the hot sauce and salt. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat until thickened, smooth and bubbly. Stir in additional evaporated milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached.

Adapted from Serious Eats.

Homemade: Wheat Thins

By in Appetizers, Homemade, Snacks 29 Comments

wheat thins

My son’s a cracker addict. So am I. Give us a salty, crunchy snack and we’re happy.

When I put these on a plate beside Ritz crackers Max will clean them off the plate without even touching the Ritz. That’s saying something. Homemade crackers are GOOD.

And, they’re so much healthier. Especially when they’re made with all whole wheat flour (like these!). Me and Max can eat as many as we want and not feel an ounce of guilt.

As an added bonus they come together quickly and easily. Just check out the step-by-step photos below.

These are a perfect offering to bring to a party or get together, especially when you know the hostess has all the bases covered. Who’s going to say no to homemade “gourmet” crackers? They’re immediately gourmet if they’re homemade right?

I dressed mine up a bit with some chunky salt and sesame seeds, which is completely unnecessary but fun to do if you want to make a statement. They taste great either way.

These are every bit as delicious as the original, so much fun to make and come together in minutes. They also store really well. I know I’ll be making them often to enjoy with cheese, dips or even just by themselves. I’ll probably double the recipe next time because they disappear fast.

If you’ve never made homemade crackers before this is the perfect recipe to get you started.


1) Grate butter into flour mixture. 2) Mix butter into flour mixture, breaking it up into smaller pieces as you go. 3) Add water until mixture clumps together but is not sticky. 4) Form the dough into two balls.

1) Roll out the dough on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, until very thin. 2) Cut into squares (even or not). :) 3) Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and other desired toppings. 4) Bake until brown and crisp.

Homemade Wheat Thins

I like to roll doughs like this on a piece of parchment paper because it makes it easier to remove and transfer the cut crackers to the baking sheet. 

  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cold
  • 1/4 cup water (plus more, if necessary)
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl mix together flour, sugar, salt and paprika. Using a regular sized cheese grater, grate butter into flour mixture (or cut in with pastry cutter or knives). Immediately toss butter in flour mixture to coat, breaking up pieces a bit more as you go.

Mix together water and vanilla. Pour over flour mixture and mix until evenly moistened and the dough comes together but is not sticky (add a bit more water if necessary). Divide the mixture in half and form into balls.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough as thinly as possible (or as desired). Cut into squares and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with a bit of salt (and other toppings if desired).

Bake at 400º F for 8-10 minutes or until browned and crisp. Cool completely and store in an air-tight container or bag at room temperature.

Makes approximately: 60 crackers (depending on the size and shape you make them)

Adapted from Oh She Glows (originally from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking).

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