Homemade root beer

Directions

Combine 2 quarts water, sassafras, sarsaparilla, birch, mint, star anise, ginger, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and let steep for 2 hours.

Strain liquid through fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into large pot. Add remaining 2 quarts water along with the brown sugar and molasses. Stir until mixture is integrated, then cover.

Let cool to 75°F, then stir in yeast and let it sit for 15 minutes. Fill plastic bottles with mixture, leaving 2 inches of space at top. Screw on caps. Keep bottles at room temperature for 36 hours, then open a bottle slowly and carefully to see if it is carbonated enough. If it is, then go on to step 4. If not, reseal the bottle and let rest for another 12 to 24 hours until desired carbonation is reached.

Homemade caramel

How to Make Caramel Sauce

To start, you melt down the sugar. It’s a regular white sugar. It may seem intimidating, but it really shouldn’t be. Melt it over medium-high heat and just watch it, whisking it as it goes. It’ll start to clump together first, then you’ll notice it start to melt. That’s when it gets exciting! The whole melting process should take about 10 minutes, give or take.

The sugar should continue cooking until all the clumps are melted. Once they’re gone, stop whisking and allow the sugar to cook a little more. Keep a very close eye on it. The color will turn to a deeper amber color and you should notice a nutty aroma. It’ll happen quickly and as soon as it does, you want to remove it from the heat. If you let it go too long, it’ll burn. Pressure, I know. But once you notice it really start to turn darker, just take it off the heat.

At that point, you want to add the butter and whisk it in to the sugar. It’ll bubble up, but keep whisking. The butter seems to resist coming together completely, but it will.

Next add the heavy cream and again whisk until combined. There’ll be more bubbles, but then you’re done!

You can let it cool for about 15 minutes, or until it’s however thick you want it, then use it. Or pour it into a jar and store it in the fridge for a couple weeks. It’s easy to reheat and pour over pretty much anything. The recipe below makes about 1 1/2 cups of caramel sauce. I recommend going ahead and making it just to have on hand. It’s in a few upcoming recipes, so why not just have it ready. 🙂

Hamburger soup recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef


• 4 cups water


• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained


• 3 medium carrots, sliced


• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed


• 1 medium onion, chopped


• 1/2 cup chopped celery


• 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules


• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt


• 1/4 teaspoon pepper


• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano


• 1 cup cut fresh or frozen green beans

Grilled fish tacos

Fish Taco Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil or canola oil – this is used in the marinade to keep the exterior of the fish from drying out.


• Lime juice – this is the best flavor in these tacos it really brightens them up.


• Fresh garlicand garlic powder – I like raw garlic in the marinade but powder in the sauce so it’s not overwhelming. If perferred arlic powder can be used in this marinade as well, use 1/4 tsp.


• Chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper – these classic Mexican spices add a well seasoned layer of flavor to the fish.


• Talapia, cod or mahi mahi – the idea is to use neutral flavored white fish. If you use talapia look for thicker fillets that won’t fall apart easily.


• Corn tortillas – I like to warm them in a little vegetable oil or olive oil so they aren’t bland and dry until they get just a few golden spots then flip and cook on the opposite side.


• Shredded purple cabbage – this adds that classic crunch we crave in seafood tacos.


• Avocado – use a nice ripe avocado, it’s always a game changer.


• Cilantro – feel free to add more to taste.


• Cotija cheese – this optional ingredient adds a nice light tang, it’s one of my favorite Mexican cheeses.


• Sour cream and Mayonnaise – these are used to make a creamy fish taco sauce. I like to use full fat for a rich sauce but low fat will work great too.

Ham gravy

Ingredients

• 1 (8 pound) fully cooked bone-in ham


• 1/2 cup brown sugar


• 1 (6 ounce) can apple juice

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour


• 1/2 cup milk


• Add all ingredients to list

Directions

1 h 45 m

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).


2. Place ham in a large roasting pan, cut-side down. Press brown sugar evenly onto ham. Pour apple into roasting pan and cover with a lid or aluminum foil.


3. Bake in the preheated oven until ham is heated through, about 80 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let ham rest for 10 minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Pour remaining pan juices into a saucepan.


4. Combine flour and milk in a jar with a lid; shake until mixture is blended.


5. Bring pan juices to a boil. Slowly whisk flour mixture into the saucepan until gravy is thick, about 5 minutes

See how to make an easy, old-fashioned baked ham with cloves and brown sugar.

Huevos rancheros recipe

Ingredients

Olive oil

Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…

Onion

Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…

Cumin

An aromatic spice native to eastern Mediteranean countries and Upper Egypt. This warm,…

The ultimate convenience food, eggs are powerhouses of nutrition, packed with protein and a…

Tortilla

In Spain, a tortilla is a kind of omelette, with ingredients added - frequently sliced cooked…

Tomato

A member of the nightshade family (along with aubergines, peppers and chillies), tomatoes are in…

Cheddar

Once cheddar was 'Cheddar', a large, hard-pressed barrel of cheese made by a particular…

Avocado

Although it's technically a fruit, the mild-flavoured avocado is used as a vegetable. Native…

The same shape, but smaller than…

chopped coriander, to serve

Method

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the onions with a pinch of salt, and cook until translucent, around 3-4 mins. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Stir in the beans, cumin, chilli powder, oregano, some seasoning and 100ml water. Cook for 5-7 mins, stirring occasionally, or until the beans have softened, then remove from the heat, mash and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Crack in the eggs, then reduce the heat to low and cook slowly until the whites are completely firm.

To assemble, spread the beans onto the tortillas, add the tomatoes and jalapeños and sprinkle with cheese. Top with some avocado, a squeeze of lime juice and a fried egg, then scatter with coriander. Serve with the lime wedges on the side.

Easy sloppy joe recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef


• 1 cup ketchup


• 1/4 cup water


• 2 tablespoons brown sugar


• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce


• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard


• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 4 hamburger buns, split