Whipped cream is surprisingly not a misnomer. It is literally whipped heavy cream. Fresh, homemade whipped cream adds a richness to a dessert that most store bought whipped cream is missing. It's super easy and takes about 10 minutes with a hand mixer.
- 3 cups of heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
With a hand mixer on low, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Beat the sugar and vanilla...and that's it.Make sure you use a glass or metal bowl to keep the cream cool.I find this is cheaper than buying the pre-made stuff and only requires a small bit of effort. And in a small kitchen, this is a very easy dish as it only uses one dish!
I'm usually not one for product placement, but in the past years I've come to appreciate certain items that have become pantry staples. Siracha slowly but surely worked its way to the top of the pantry pyramid. For those unfamiliar with it, Siracha is a devastatingly simple Thai hot sauce made with various chili peppers, vinegar, and garlic. The spice is a slow burn and adds a very distinctive heat to any dish. Its simplicity is the key to its versatility.
Now without further ado, a list of things that have been made better with Siracha:
- ketchup: mix the two together for a kicked up dipping sauce
- egg: a way to jump start the day
- stir-fry: mix it in as one of the last ingredients to give the dish some spice
- hummus: instead of (or in addition to, if you want to set your mouth on fire) red pepper sprinkled on the spread, mix in some of the sauce for a tangier version
- BLTs: mix it in with the mayo for a different take on the classic sandwich
- macaroni and cheese: adds a touch of zing to the creamy dish
- marinara sauce: again, a simple way to spice things up
These are just the things I did today-anyone else slightly obsessed with this hot sauce? This sauce is definitely worthy of your valuable cupboard real estate.
Look for the very distinctive green topped bottle in international markets, and in the international section of most grocery stores.
Coming from the South, a glass of sweet tea is the way to welcome summer. Summer heat waves don't stand a chance against home brewed tea and fresh simple sugar.
To brew the tea:
- Black tea, such as Lipton
- 1 tea bag per 8 oz of water
Boil the water and steep the tea for no longer than 5 minutes, otherwise it's a bit strong (Thanks for the tip, Ben!). Cool in the fridge for about 5 hours.For the simple sugar:- 1 cup of water
- 2 cups of water
To make more, keep the sugar to water ratio 2:1. Make sure the water is at a full boil before adding the sugar. Stir constantly to make sure it dissolves. You'll know that the syrup is ready because it will feel thicker as you stir. Once all the sugar is dissolved, take off the heat and store in a sealed container. A word of warning, if you keep the sugar on the heat for longer, it will turn out too thick.For a 6 cup pitcher of sweet tea, we added roughly 6 tablespoons of the simple sugar. Add more or less according to taste.I used the same pot for brewing the tea and making the simple sugar thinking it would be tea infused. I couldn't really taste a difference, but it did make the syrup not as clear as it would normally appear.
