I love spaetzle. It’s so comforting and German. It’s pasta with a twist, with some crunch, with some extra butter, and some herbs when you feel like it. This recipe from TK member Candi reminded me how great and versatile spaetzle can be.

One of the things I like about her recipe is that it is 4-ingredient cooking, and they were all things that I had on hand. I of course couldn’t help myself and made it 5-ingredient cooking. I added mustard powder for a little extra flair and color. But you don’t have to.

Begin by adding the flour to a large bowl.

To that add the salt …

And the mustard powder …

And mix it all together.

Next come the wet ingredients. Beat the eggs …

And add them to your mixture.

Then add the water.

Begin to stir it all together and work out all of the lumps.

It will be the consistency of a batter, slightly elastic but able to pour easily.

Bring some water or stock to a rolling boil. Add a bit of salt if your liquid is salt-free.

Have a colander and a pastry scraper or spatula ready. You could also use a spaetzle maker but I didn’t have one so I used a colander with large holes.

Pour the dough into the colander. You’ll want to keep it above the steam so that it doesn’t cook before it gets pushed through the holes.

Press it through the colander with the pastry scraper or a spatula. Drops will fall into the water and cook instantly.

Let it boil for about 3-4 minutes so that the flour cooks well.

You’ll then remove the spaetzle from the water and strain it into a bowl.

This is what it will look like when fully boiled.

You could serve it like this tossed with a bit of olive oil.

Or you could take it one step further, which I like to do.

I toss the spaetzle in the pan and brown it in some olive oil or butter. It gives it a nice texture and flavor.

Fresh herbs are also a bonus. Parsley would be great but I had sage so that’s what I used.

Chop it up finely …

And just as the spaetzle is browned how you’d like it, add a bit of butter to help loosen it from the pan.

A little pepper …

And the herbs …

And there you have it!

Crunchy, flavorful spaetzle. Thanks to Candi for this great recipe! Go check out her blog, All Day Night, to see more of her recipes and read about the adventures of the Carson family.

Also check out the great spaetzle recipes by these other TK members:
 

• Homemade Spaetzle by Christined
• Spaetzle with Gruyere Cheese and Caramelized Onion by Global Table Adventure
• Spaetzle and Lentils by Fujimama

Printable Recipe

Homemade Spaetzle

by Candi on July 31, 2009 in Homemade Ingredients, Sides July 31, 2009 Homemade IngredientsSides

5.00 Mitt(s) 7 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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Tasty little dumplings! Serve in place of noodles, rice, or potatoes.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Eggs, Beaten
• ¾ cups Water
• 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• 1 cube Bouillon (I Used Chicken)
• Butter, To Taste
• Parsley, To Taste
• Salt To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Combine eggs, water, flour and salt, beating until smooth.

Add bouillon cube to 6 cups boiling water. Put batter into the spaetzle maker and place over the pot of boiling water.

Slide the basket back and forth letting tiny dumplings fall into the water. When done, they will rise to the surface.

Do not put too much batter into water at a time or it will not cook properly.

Use a slotted spoon to strain them and place in a colander.

Gently shake off excess water and place into a large covered bowl.

Repeat the process until all of the dough is used.

Lightly toss with butter, parsley, and salt to taste and serve in place of noodles, rice, or potatoes. In the picture above, I served it with my honey balsamic chicken.

I’ve never tried making this without my spaetzle maker, but I’ve heard you can use a rubber spatula to press spaetzle batter into pot through 1/4-inch holes of coarse grater, colander, etc….

 
 
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There’s so much to say about Georgia, we don’t know where to start. Leaving Wall Street for the French Culinary Institute, followed by a stint at the Gramercy Tavern and La Chassagnette in France, her passion for food and food traditions are evident and inspiring. Visit her site at Georgia Pellegrini, where you’ll find more recipes, photos, learn all about her wonderful book Food Heroes, and enjoy her latest adventures.

I don’t know about you, but I love making things from scratch—especially things that you’d normally buy at the grocery store. It tends to be a lot less expensive and more healthy when you do this. And it almost always tastes better. 

But it can also be a big pain in the rear. Once I ran out of homemade taco seasoning, curry powder, ranch dressing mix, chicken broth, marinara, and pancake mix. 

All in the same week.

After I spent a couple of days restocking, I decided I’d love to hire someone to keep my kitchen stocked with homemade staples. If I had to choose, I’d probably pick Tasty Kitchen member Laurie for the job. Cooking and baking from scratch is her gig! Plus, she’s super nice. (And she’d be fun to hang out with.)

Laurie’s recipe for Homemade Teriyaki Sauce caught my eye one day while browsing around Tasty Kitchen. I’m not a big fan of commercial teriyaki sauce because I find it way too sweet and full of other “stuff” I’d rather not eat, so making some from scratch really appealed to me.

I’m so glad I tried it! Laurie’s version is light and perfectly sweet. Luckily, it’s super easy. Here, I’ll show you.

You’ll need pineapple juice, ground mustard, pepper, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce, and a sweetener.

If you happen to have allergies or avoid certain types of foods, you can do some substitution here. Because we avoid soy products and refined sugar, I used coconut aminos (a milder alternative to soy sauce) and coconut sugar (a less processed sweetener that has a similar taste to brown sugar). 

Also, if you can’t have pineapple juice, then Laurie suggests white grape juice as a good alternative. 

Just be sure to use fresh ginger and garlic!

First, peel the garlic and ginger and mince it in your food processor. You can also use a knife if you like. Just make sure the pieces are really small.

Add the sugar. 

Add the soy sauce. 

And the ground mustard. 

And the pepper. Then give the whole thing a thorough buzz.

Pour it into a quart-sized jar. I used a Mason jar because I’m in love with them.

Seriously. I have a drawer in my kitchen dedicated to mason jar lids and rings. You’d think that I also do my fair share of preserving, but I don’t. I’m just a weirdo.

Now pour in the pineapple sauce and give it a good shake.

Aaand … that’s it. Voilà! Teriyaki sauce. It’s ready to use!

I noticed that mine is considerably lighter in color than Laurie’s. I think it’s because coconut aminos is lighter in color than soy sauce.

You can use this like you would regular teriyaki sauce.

One night I had some naked drumsticks staring at me and begging for a marinade. 

After a good salt and pepper shower, I poured about a cup of the teriyaki sauce on them and let them sit for a while. (It really wasn’t that long, and I’d definitely let them marinate for several hours next time.)

After baking for about 40 minutes, we ended up with this: juicy, tender, flavorful chicken and some CRAZY good pan sauce that my kids practically licked off their plates! 

(Did you know pineapple juice is a natural meat tenderizer? It has something to do with the enzymes in the fruit, but don’t ask me how. That’s as scientific as I get.)

I’ve also used it in a vegetable and pineapple stir-fry and on some foil-packet grilled salmon. I think it’s safe to say that this will be a regular pantry staple. Luckily it keeps for about a month in the fridge!

Thanks so much, Laurie! Be sure to check out Laurie’s TK recipe box as well as her own beautiful blog, Simply Scratch, for more from-scratch recipe inspiration.

Printable Recipe

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

by Laurie - Simply Scratch on February 7, 2013 in Homemade Ingredients February 7, 2013 Homemade Ingredients

See post on Laurie - Simply Scratch’s site!

5.00 Mitt(s) 1 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: -

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8

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Who knew making your own teriyaki sauce was THIS easy?

Ingredients

• 2 cloves Fresh Garlic, Smashed, Peeled And Roughly Chopped
• 1 Tablespoon To 2 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger, Peeled And Roughly Chopped
• ¼ cups Dark Brown Sugar
• ½ cups Tamari Or Soy Sauce
• ½ Tablespoons Dry Mustard
• ¼ teaspoons White Pepper
• 2 cups Pineapple Juice

Preparation Instructions

Place the chopped garlic and ginger in a blender or food processor and pulse to mince.

Add the brown sugar, tamari, dry mustard and white pepper into the food processor with the garlic and ginger and pulse until combined and the sugar is dissolved.

Pour the tamari/garlic/ginger mixture into a large jar and add in the juice. Shake and store in the fridge for a month (maybe longer)!

Note: Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this gluten free. Also white grape juice can be substituted for the pineapple juice if in a pinch!

 
 
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Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!

 
I know what you’re thinking, and I’m going to answer your question right up front. Yes, making flour tortillas from scratch is worth it. It was certainly my question before making them the first time. But here’s why it’s worth it: the ones at the store are uniform, bland, and blonde. The ones you make fresh are perfectly imperfect—puffy, warm, full of flavor, and dotted with delicious little charred pockets.

Since this recipe’s author, kgsoutherncomfort is native Texan, I felt certain the recipe would work, if a little tedious. Her recipe is, in fact, flawless, and these Homemade Tortillas were surprisingly easy to make. As the tortillas puffed and browned in the skillet I dreamed of how I would fill them—some with soft scrambled eggs, sour cream, black beans, and cilantro, others filled with thick slices of Monterey Jack, quesadilla-style. Of course I had fun eating them hot out of the skillet and unadorned, the very best of blank canvases. One thing I know: once you make them from scratch, you’ll think twice before picking them up at the store.

The ingredients are so simple. In fact, you probably already have everything you need: flour, salt, baking powder, canola oil, and water.

Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk (or if you’re like my mom, with your fingers).

Then add the oil and mix with your fingers until the flour and oil combine to become a fine crumb.

Your flour-oil mix should look something like this. Once it does, add the water.

Mix until a ball forms, then transfer to a floured surface.

Work the dough until it’s smooth and round.

Transfer back to the bowl, cover with plastic and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Though you can leave it overnight, which is good to know if you’d like to make the dough in advance!

After it has set, cut the dough into twelve balls. We weighed them to make sure they were all about the same size.

Flour your surface and pat the ball down a bit to create an even, flat surface.

Roll out the dough…

…flipping intermittently, rolling, and adding flour as needed…

..until your tortilla is uniformly thick (or close enough) and approximately 8 inches across.

Once all your dough balls are rolled out, heat a dry skillet to medium-high. Working one at a time, cook until brown blisters form on one side, then flip. Don’t get so caught up dreaming about what you’re going to put in your tortilla that you forget to flip!

Once cooked, your tortilla should look something like this.

As I cooked the tortillas, I wrapped the finished ones in a clean dish towel to keep them warm. Then we promptly devoured them all!

This is such a great staple recipe; I will use it again and again. Thanks to kgsoutherncomfort for turning me into a homemade tortilla convert! Visit her blog, Life in the A-Frame, for more recipes and glimpses of her country life.

Printable Recipe

Healthy Homemade Tortillas

by kgsoutherncomfort on September 8, 2009 in Breads, Homemade Ingredients, Quick Breads September 8, 2009 BreadsHomemade IngredientsQuick Breads

See post on kgsoutherncomfort’s site!

4.96 Mitt(s) 57 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 12

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This is a healthier version of homemade tortillas with the use of canola oil instead of lard or shortening, and the use of organic, unbleached flour.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Organic, Unbleached Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Baking Powder
• ⅓ cups Canola Oil
• 1 cup Hot Water

Preparation Instructions

Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder with a whisk. Add the canola oil and mix with your fingers until all the oil is incorporated and the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add 1 cup of hot water and mix until a ball is formed. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. (I have also refrigerated it overnight).

Divide the dough into 12 balls and roll out one at a time on a floured surface. Brush off excess flour. Cook on a hot, ungreased griddle over medium-high heat. Turn the tortilla when brown blisters form on the first side. Stack the totillas and serve warm.

 
 
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Three Many Cooks is the always-entertaining food blog of Pam Anderson and her two daughters, Maggy and Sharon. Pam is a well-known and much-respected food writer and author, Maggy is a “hippy adventurer meets 1950s housewife,” and Sharon refers to herself as a recovering food snob learning to survive on a graduate student’s budget. Theirs is a strong relationship both inside and outside the kitchen, and it shows in the food they create and the stories they tell.

 
Lately I’ve been doing a little reading about honey. It truly is an amazing food, straight from the hive, with no added ingredients or preservatives. There’s a slew of possible health benefits from eating honey, but I just enjoy the taste, one that you just can’t find with other sweeteners. And depending on the time of the year and where the bees gather the pollen, the flavor will change from one batch to the next. All thanks to the handiwork of busy bees all over the world.

I think many people usually reserve honey for adding to tea, or maybe for spreading on a biscuit (which is mighty yummy indeed), but there are so many recipes that use honey as a main ingredient. Here at Tasty Kitchen you’ll find a nice collection of tasty temptations utilizing the sweet, golden nectar, from baked treats to marinades and yummy sauces. One recipe I found is a honey caramel sauce, perfect for dipping apples or pears, or as a topping for ice cream or cake. And with a title like I’ve Been Called Evil Caramel Sauce from Sally Darling, how can you not be a little curious? Plus, it’s right up my ally in the level of difficulty: easy peasy.

Wanna see how easy?

For starters, you’ll only need four ingredients: honey, butter, brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk.

Begin by adding the honey, butter and brown sugar to a sauce pan.

Hey, while we’re talking about honey, do you know the about the tip for measuring honey? Lightly spray your measuring cup with cooking spray before measuring the honey. It’ll glide right out. Nifty.

Over medium to high heat, combine until well mixed, stirring constantly.

When the mixture comes to a rolling, bubbling boil, continue to stir for two minutes.

Next, add the condensed milk.

Continue stirring over medium heat until thoroughly combined. And if you’re like me, have fun making designs in the pot of sweet stuff. Cool.

It’ll thicken a bit into a smooth, lovely golden color.

Serve right away, or let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it cools and can be easily warmed up in the microwave.

It was yummy over some sliced pears. Wouldn’t it make a lovely house warming gift, accompanied with a simple pound cake, or basket of pears?

 
And check out these Tasty Kitchen recipes that would also make a good partner for this delicious sauce:
 

Clockwise from top left: Roasted Apricots & Ice Cream from runningwithtweezers, Brandied Peach Ice Cream from bunkycooks, Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Granola Parfaits and Baked Oatmeal from Melanie (Mel’s Kitchen), Cream Cheese Pound Cake for Two with Strawberries from tinafromtexas, and (not pictured) Sour Cream Lemon Pie from sklhczech.

 
 
 
Thanks again to Tasty Kitchen member Sally Darling for this tasty temptation. Check out her blog, My Homemade Life, for more of her “evil” recipes!

Printable Recipe

I’ve Been Called Evil Caramel Sauce

by Sally Darling on October 23, 2010 in Condiments, Sauces October 23, 2010 CondimentsSauces

See post on Sally Darling’s site!

4.54 Mitt(s) 26 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 8 mins

Cook Time: 8 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4

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I’ve been called “evil” because of this recipe. Finger in my face, “you are Evil for giving me this recipe!” You can make this delicious bit of heaven and dip Honey Crisp apples in it or pour it over vanilla ice cream. Now I know what the cooks on TV mean when they say: “Make your own caramel sauce.” I always would just buy store-bought. No more!

Ingredients

• ½ cups Honey
• 1 stick Butter
• ¾ cups Brown Sugar
• 1 can (14 Oz. Can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• To Serve: Apples Or Vanilla Ice Cream Or Whatever!

Preparation Instructions

Mix together honey, butter and sugar in saucepan. Turn on medium-high heat while stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to a rolling bubbling boil for 2 minutes while continuing to stir constantly. Add condensed milk and mix well, keeping the stirring and heat constant until completely mixed through.

Store in airtight containers in the fridge. To warm up, use a microwave on a low setting.

 
 
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Amy Johnson is a blogger who writes about food, travel, the home (both inside and out), and various observations and random musings about anything and everything. Visit her blog She Wears Many Hats for a dose of deliciousness, practicality, hilarity, or just plain fun. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.

Making things from scratch is so satisfying. The flavors are intense, the combinations are endless, and you get to say, “Yeah, I made that,” when your dinner guests' eyes are rolling back into their heads because you just knocked their socks off. Laurie from Simply Scratch, a Tasty Kitchen member and fellow TK Blog contributor, knows from-scratch cooking. And her…

  Matcha is a finely powdered Japanese green tea that is full of nutrition. I loved Tasty Kitchen member Lindsay’s recipe for this healthy hot drink because it was a morning pick-me-up alternative to coffee and had a soothing lemon honey flavor for the throat.       You don’t need much to make this […]