One of the Relief Society’s monthly groups is called: Make it From Scratch in which some simple meals or foods are shown how they can be made at home from scratch instead of buying them.
The March class showed us how to make hot fudge sauce, chocolate syrup (like Hershey’s), ice cream and homemade rice-a-roni.
Hot Fudge Sauce
1 cup butter
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups sugar
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
Dash salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine butter, cocoa powder, sugar, milk and salt in a large saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Carefully poor hot mixture into a blender and blend for 2-4 minutes. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator and reheat as needed. Best if used quickly as it can tend to go grainy with time.
Chocolate Syrup (like Hershey’s)
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
Dash salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Whisk water and cocoa powder in large saucepan until smooth. Add sugar and cook over medium heat until it boils. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add salt and vanilla. This will thicken as it cools. Store in refrigerator
*Make sure you use a large enough pot as this tends to boil over in a smaller pot.
Rich Vanilla Ice Cream
**Also known as French Vanilla**
3 cups half and half
1 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbl vanilla extract
In a heavy medium saucepan, combine half and half, sugar and beaten egg yolks. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture coats a spoon and is slightly thickened. Cool to room temperature. Stir in whipping cream and vanilla. Pour into ice cream canister. Freeze in ice cream maker. Makes 2 quarts.
Homemade Rice-a-roni
1 1/2 cup long grain rice (prefer jasmine)
1/2 cup vermicelli or spaghetti noodles broken into approximately 1/2" pieces
3/4 cube of butter, margarine, or 5 tbls olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp. Dehydrated minced onion
4 cups boiling water with 4 chicken or beef
bouillon cubes
4 tbs. Fresh parsley, or fresh cilantro, or 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning, or other seasonings compatible with Mexican, or oriental cuisine
OPTIONAL: red, green, or yellow bell pepper, chopped
olives, sliced or whole
Water chestnuts for oriental cuisine
chili beans for Mexican cuisine
chopped ham, chicken, turkey, or beef
In heavy skillet (that has a lid to cover tightly), melt butter or heat oil on medium high heat. When hot, add the rice, the pasta, and the garlic, stirring to prevent burning, but allowing it to brown nicely. Have hot water with melted bouillon ready to pour into the pan. Stir it into the rice and pasta. Add the dehydrated onion, the fresh herbs or veggies, or any dry seasonings, and any chopped meat, mixing well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then put on the tight lid, and turn off the burner. Let it set on the burner for 35-40 minutes before removing lid. You may stir in olives or water chestnuts before serving and garnish with any additional fresh herbs. Stir with a fork to break it up as you put it in a bowl. If you want it moister, just add a little more water the next time you prepare it. If less moist, use a little less water.
I can’t wait to try out the Homemade rice-a-roni. This will be a real treat.
I wonder what awesome goodies our Relief Society sister’s have to share with us next time.
