Nice "Ketch": Easy Homemade Tomato Ketchup

I love ketchup, but I grew weary of buying it from the store—too much money, too much sugar, and another single-use plastic bottle to recycle. There had to be a better way! Thankfully, I found this recipe, and very happily tailored it for my very own! Although most ketchup recipes call for cooking on the stove for while, this no-cook version satisfies your ketchup craving in just minutes:

Easy Homemade Tomato Ketchup

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning (salt-free, such as Mrs. Dash)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (or honey)
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)

Mix everything together in a small bowl, and enjoy! This will keep, tightly covered, in the fridge for several weeks. I love how little sugar is used here because, honestly, I'd rather save those sugary calories for dessert :-)

As mentioned above, all credit goes to this recipe by Served From Scratch, which also encourages you to season as you like and make this ketchup your own. As you may have guessed, there are many other scratch and homemade recipes on the site—be sure to visit and explore while you're there!

>o<

Dazed and Infused: Herb-Infused Sugar and Salt

I sadly don't have an indoor rosemary plant, so during the Winter months I need to buy fresh rosemary if I want to use it. But the other week, after doing just that, I found myself with a surfeit of the fragrant stuff. I wanted to save it, store it, make it last forever!!! And then I had a scathingly brilliant idea: just like that vanilla sugar I keep going on about, I would make its savory counterpart—ROSEMARY INFUSED SALT. I was feeling exceptionally unique and amazing for quite a few seconds, but a quick Internet search revealed that it had been done, pinned, tweeted, posted, and pretty much plastered all over the place.

My bubble was somewhat deflated but not altogether burst, so I carried on and mixed my ingredients, using the proportions that seemed to be most common on the web. And while I was at it, I thought back to that vanilla sugar, and made a batch of rosemary sugar just for fun:

Things started smelling like a Christmas tree farm after breaking apart all those rosemary sprigs, but I was pleased to be making the most of my purchase. I've been dutifully shaking the jars vigorously each day since then, to ensure the contents don't clump and to keep the rosemary evenly distributed. I definitely plan to start using them soon (in place of regular salt and sugar) wherever a touch of rosemary would go nicely!

Notes: I used roughly 1/4 cup rosemary sprigs to 2 cups kosher salt, and about 2 Tablespoons rosemary sprigs to 1 cup granulated sugar. I used very clean Mason jars with a larger capacity than required to ensure I had enough room to shake them thoroughly. I store the salt and sugar in a cool dark cabinet, right alongside the vanilla sugar.

>o<

Well-Seasoned: Homemade Seasoned Salt

I had an idea to make my own seasoned salt, only a simpler version of what you might find pre-made at the store. I didn't want to use a flotilla of ingredients, either, but just a few well-chosen ones that would make an intensely savory, all-purpose seasoning. I scoured recipes online, paying close attention to the main ingredients in each, as well as the proportions used. I narrowed my selections down, and created this version:

Seasoned Salt

Ingredients:
1 part kosher salt
1/2 part celery seed
1/4 part sweet paprika
1/4 part dried thyme

Stir all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Notes: This really IS intensely savory, and pairs well with naturally sweet foods, like root vegetables and pork. Of course, it's great with chicken and fish, too! As with my other mixes, this makes a great host/hostess gift on its own, or as part of a gift basket with other foodie items. If you like other flavors in your seasoned salt, use this as a base and create your own personalized blend by adding your favorite herbs and spices.

>o<

Sugar and Spice: Homemade Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix

Although I alluded to homemade hot cocoa mix during the holidays, I never actually provided a recipe. Yikes! But since the days are still cold, and the nights perfect for snuggling by the fire, it's still a great time to have this on hand. I experimented with a couple of flavors back in December, but this Spiced Hot Cocoa was my personal favorite. The spices are warming, the cocoa not too sweet, and all of it together is very comforting. As a bonus, the mix takes only minutes to make—last-minute Valentine's gift, anyone? So, without further ado, here it is!

Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup vanilla sugar (regular sugar is fine)
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix all ingredients together until combined; store in an airtight container.

For each serving, combine 2 Tablespoons mix with 1 cup milk of your choice in a small saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until smooth and hot. Top with whipped cream and a few shavings of chocolate, if desired.

Note: This cocoa mix is adapted from this wonderful recipe—how easy is that?

>o<

Beautifully Rendered: Rendering Chicken Fat

As you already know, I like to make use of as much as possible—and I can definitely do more. Getting the most out of everything you grow and buy not only saves you money, but gives you more delicious options to enjoy as well! One easy thing I tried recently was rendering the fat from some chicken skins. You can ask your butcher or farmer for chicken skins and fat on their own, but on this occasion I was already buying chicken thighs and used their skins for this little project.

Technically, this is not schmaltz, but it's the same idea. I followed this process using the skins from four decent-sized thighs (about 2 lbs. total). After removing the skins from the thighs, I snipped them into smaller pieces with a pair of scissors. I added them to a heavy-bottomed saucepan with one bay leaf, a splash of water, precisely four peppercorns, and got to simmering:

Showing some skin.

Even though it was only a small amount of skin, it did take about an hour and twenty minutes to finish rendering. The pieces of skin did stick to the bottom of the pan during the process, but I VERY carefully nudged them around with the tip of a spoon from time to time. I knew the end was near when the bubbling started to die down significantly. The skins eventually turned into crackling (cook's treat!), and I was left with about two Tablespoons of that lovely golden liquid to use for another time:

Crackling good.

Now, I know what you're thinking: two Tablespoons isn't exactly an embarrassment of riches. But I have a plan! That two Tablespoons is exactly enough for me to make... well, in the words of the Prime Minister, wait and see :-)

>o<

Spice It Up: Three Herb and Spice Mixes for Giving

I love making homemade or handmade gifts for friends and family, especially during the holidays. It's even better if the gifts are useful in some way—and what could be more useful than food? Here are three herb/spice mixes that just need to be stirred together and spooned into jars. Attach a label to each, and they're ready to go :-)

A little something for you!

Scarborough Fair Herb Mix: Combine equal parts dried parsley, sage, rosemary and (you guessed it) thyme. Particularly good with poultry, fish, and root vegetables.

Game Night Spice Mix: Combine equal parts ground ginger, allspice, cinnamon and black pepper. Use to season dark meats like duck, bison, and venison. Add a few pinches to creamy sauces, soups and stews, dark leafy greens, or custard-based dishes like quiches and baked omelets.

Chai Spice Mix: Combine two parts ground ginger, one part ground cinnamon, a half part ground cardamom and a quarter part ground cloves. Add a teaspoon or so to the dry ingredients of baked goods like muffins, cakes, and cookies, or sprinkle on Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey.

Notes: Any (or all) of these would work particularly well as a host/hostess gift, stocking-stuffer, or included in a basket of goodies for your favorite foodie. I like to use (or reuse) 3-4 oz. jars with tight-fitting lids, and include ideas for how to use the mix right on the label. Even though these are a lot of fun to give away, be sure to save some for yourself as well!

>o<