Homemade Cotton Candy

Making cotton candy is a great way to use up all of your left over candy.  Since I started making my own hard candy, I have accumulated about five pounds of what I like to call "ugly candy."  This is a collection of broken sucker pieces, broken glass candy, and hard candies that have melted into a clump.  This candy may be too ugly or awkward to give to the kids, but its wonderful once its turned into cotton candy.  I cannot speak for other brands, but the Nostalgia Cotton Candy Maker works great.   I made a point to watch a couple of instructional videos on youtube before getting started and it is surprisingly easy.   Once it has warmed up, you stick the hard candy in, and then turn it back on and start spinning.   I made watermelon cotton candy for my first batch, and I look forward to making a variety of other flavors from my stash of ugly candy.

Homemade Pink Chocolate Roses

Valentines Day is right around the corner. So here is the perfect treat for the one you love.

Supplies:

• Rose Molds (for chocolate or hard candy)
• Double Boiler (preferred but optional)
• Wrapping Foil (Red or Pink)
• Lollipop Sticks (choose the size that fits best with your molds)

Ingredients:

• 2 Ghirardelli White Chocolate bars (all natural)
• 1 Tbsp. natural shortening
• 1/2 tsp. Natural red food coloring
• 1/8 tsp. Peppermint oil (optional flavoring)

Instructions:

Coarsely chop the white chocolate and add it to your double boiler. Note: chocolate can be melted in a regular pan but it must be tended closely to assure it does not burn. Melt chocolate over medium heat and stir until it is smooth. Monitor the double burner to assure the water does not boil. If the water comes to a boil, remove the pan and lower the heat. Replace the pan only when the steam has dissipated since steam will make the chocolate clump. When the chocolate has melted and is smooth, stir in the food coloring. Note: Roses will be red if artificial coloring is used. Stir in the peppermint oil.
Once the chocolate is smooth with the color and flavor mixed in, it will be time to pour them in the molds.  Remove chocolate from the heat and fill the molds using a spoon.

Note: Molds do not need to be greased for making chocolates. Place the lollipop sticks in the molds and assure they are covered with enough chocolate so the sticks will hold up the roses. Place the molds in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes or until the bottoms of the roses are cold. Turn the mold over a cutting board or plate and the roses should pop out. If they do not pop out right away, slightly twist the mold or press on the back of the rose. Place the molds back in the freezer if the roses do not pop out easily.

Wrap roses in pink or red foil wrappers and decorate with ribbon around the stems (if you like).  Roses will keep a better texture if refrigerated.

Pumpkin Spice Eggnog Gelato

I don't care that this recipe is a little out of season because it is absolutely delicious.  If you love eggnog, I know you will enjoy this as well.

Pumpkin Spice Eggnog Gelato

Pumpkin Spice Eggnog Gelato

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie extract 

Combine the cream, milk and half of the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Stir mixture until the sugar has dissolved and then heat without stirring until the milk begins to raise slightly or bubbles start to appear on the side of the pan. Do not bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. In order to cool quickly, place the pan in a bowl full of ice water. The mixture will have cooled enough once you can comfortably dip your little finger in the liquid for ten seconds.

While the milk mixture is cooling, blend the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until they are fully integrated.  Blend the cooled milk mixture into the egg yolks little by little until they are fully mixed.  At this point, the mixture is essentially a very rich and heavy eggnog.  Pour the eggnog into a double boiler and heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Note: If you do not have a double boiler, stir the eggnog constantly over medium to medium high heat until the eggnog thickens.  To avoid curdling of the eggs, never let the eggnog come to a boil.

Finally, stir in the nutmeg and flavor extracts. Let the eggnog chill in the refrigerator . When cool, pour the eggnog in an ice cream machine and run the machine for 20 to 25 minutes or until ready. Empty the gelato into a container, stir and then store in the freezer at least 3 hours.

Pumpkin Pie Eggnog Gelato

If the eggnog does not achieve a thick enough texture, the gelato may not freeze well and may melt quickly when removed from the ice cream maker.  In this case, stir the gelato well to integrate the frozen and melted gelato and then store in the freezer.  Stir the gelato several more times in the first three hours of being in the freezer.  This will mix in the melted eggnog and assure a smooth gelato texture throughout the batch.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Bars

A dangerously addictive natural treat for the holidays. I use candy bar molds for this recipe; however, you can just as easily spread the chocolate into a pan and break it into pieces when it is done.

• 1/4 cup crushed homemade candy canes
•  8 or 10 oz Ghirardelli white chocolate (2 bars or 1 bag of chips)
• 1/8-1/4 tsp peppermint oil
• 1/2 Tbsp natural vegetable shortening

Break up chocolate bars and melt in a double boiler over medium and then low heat. Make sure mixture is not exposed to steam since this will make the chocolate clump.  Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the shortening and then remove from heat. Stir in peppermint oil and crushed candy canes pieces. Pour chocolate into the molds. Tap the molds to assure the chocolate settles and then place in the freezer.  After 5 to 10 minutes, the chocolates should be ready and will pop out of the molds easily.  All measurements are approximates so mix in as much of the crushed candy cane as you like. Chocolates will become soft at room temperature so it is best to store them in the refrigerator.

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Homemade Sweet Catchup

Homemade catchup without the high fructose corn syrup is definitely worth the extra work. Althought making homemade catchup from tomatoes can be a bit time consuming, the process is quite easy. Since most of the recipes I found involved extremely large volumes of tomatoes for making and canning catchup, I decided on my own ration and ingredients. 

• Approximately 3 quarts of fresh tomatoes (peeled, seeded and squeezed will make 1 quart)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 small onion (chopped)
• 1/4 yellow, orange or red pepper (chopped)
• 1 small clove of garlic (chopped)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1/4 cup vinegar 

 
To remove tomato peels: Bring tomatoes to a boil for one minute and then plunge in an ice cold water bath. Tomato peels will fall off.

Quartering and Seeding tomatoes: Cut tomatoes in quarters and remove seeds with your fingers. Squeeze tomatoes and place them in a strainer so more water will drip off. Reserve all that is strained and removed from the tomatoes and then strain in a cheese cloth for fresh tomato juice.

1. Add squeezed tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, & celery salt to a pot and simmer over medium to medium high heat until tomatoes are soft.
2. Run mixture through a sieve or food mill to remove remaining seeds and peels.
3. Place the resulting liquid in a pot, add the vinegar and return the liquid to a simmer.  Continue to cook until the liquid thickens into the consistency of catchup.

Note: this recipe will make about 1 cup of catchup and can be refrigerated up to 3 or 5 days.

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For larger batches and photos of the process, refer to the following recipes:

Mom's ripe tomato Catsup
Homemade Catchup Recipe

Homemade Mayonnaise

Making homemade mayo is just as fun and rewarding as making homemade butter. After reading several recipes for homemade mayonnaise, I decided on the following ingredient ratio, which worked great.

• 1 cup light in flavor olive oil
•  2 egg yolks
•  1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar or juice of 1 lemon
•  1/4 tsp salt or to taste
•  dash of pepper

1. Whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice/vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.
2.  Add a couple of drops of oil and whisk well. 
3. Continue adding oil in small amounts; each time making sure that the mixture is smooth. Adding oil gradually and mixing well in between adding oil will assure that the mixture begins to emulsify. Once the mixture appears to thicken, begin adding more oil in between stirring. Once all the oil is mixed in, the mixture should be emulsified and should have the texture of mayonnaise.
4. Mayo can be stored safely in the refrigerator up to 3 or 5 days.

Notes:

1. If the mixture is thickening but not fully emulsified, try whisking in another egg yolk and then gradually adding another half cup of oil. 
2. If the mixture is still very runny toward the end of the process, the mixture most likely did not begin to emulsify and it is best to start over.
3. A food processor or emulsifying blender may be used in the place of a whisk.

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Quick Homemade Tomato Juice

If you've just made tomato sauce, catchup or any other recipe that results in an abundance of tomato juice, you might be wondering what to do with the excess tomato juice you've strained and saved.  Here is a fresh tomato juice recipe you can make in under a minute.

1 glass of fresh tomato juice (strained)
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Stir sugar, salt and pepper into your glass of fresh tomato juice and enjoy.  Stir on occasion to assure the spices don't settle on the bottom of the glass.