The Recipe Exchange

Make Sweetened Condensed Milk At Home & Save!

by Jennifer Ranger on 04/01/14

Making sweetened condensed milk at home is really easy, and it tastes every bit as scrumptious as store bought! And oh, did I mention that making it at home it costs only pennies?

How many times have you realized at the last minute that you're missing one vital ingredient for your baking project? Sweetened condensed milk may not be high on your weekly shopping list, so it's easy to get caught short when a recipe calls for it. The great news is (fanfare please), that you can easily make it with your blender in just a matter of minutes!

Doing more baking during the week? Make a double batch, seal it tightly and keep it in your fridge for up to one week.

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk

Ingredients
1 Cup instant nonfat dry milk
1 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup boiling water
2 Ounces butter

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for one minute. It's that easy!

Jennifer Ranger, www.FoodWacky.com

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Creamy Flan With Ricotta & Orange Liqueur. Easier Than You Think!

by Jennifer Ranger on 03/28/14

I love it when a dessert delivers loads of nutrition along with heavenly mouthfuls of smooth sweetness. Loaded with proteins and bone building calcium, our Creamy Flan With Ricotta & Orange Liqueur fits that bill beautifully. Being able to whip it up in a matter of minutes only makes this impressive looking dessert all the more appealing.

Go ahead, give this super easy recipe a try and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

16 Ounces whole milk ricotta

5 Eggs

1/2 Cup heavy cream

1 Cup whole milk

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 14 Ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

Caramel Syrup

1 Cup sugar

2 Tablespoons orange juice

2 Tablespoons orange liqueur

Directions

1. Make the caramel syrup first. Place the sugar in a medium sized heavy bottomed sauce pan, pour in the orange juice and tip the pan to spread it around evenly. Heat the sugar over over a medium low flame until it begins to turn golden. This takes a few minutes, so be patient. Once it begins to look golden in color, pick up the pan and hold it over the flame, gently tipping the pan to mix and spread it around. When the color deepens, quickly add the liqueur, tip to mix, & and pour the syrup down the sides and into the bottom of your mold.

2. Vigorously beat all flan ingredients together for 1 minute. You can use an electric blender, electric mixer, or simply do it with a hand held wire whisk. Pour the flan mixture into the mold, then place the mold into a larger baking dish that has at least one inch of hot water in it. This will stop the syrup from burning during baking.

3. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 60 - 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely. Use a knife to help separate it from the sides of the mold, then place a plate on top and turn it upside down to release it. Spoon all syrup from the mold over the top of your beautiful flan and serve!

Jennifer Ranger www.FoodWacky.com

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Custard In A Jar. Sweet Little Bits of Love.

by Jennifer Ranger on 03/10/14

When it comes to old fashioned egg custard, there's a lot of good news. This extra smooth, creamy dessert is high in protein and relatively low in sugar, making it a treat you can feel good about eating on occasion. Oh, and did I forget to say how easy it is to make? No double boiler needed here, just whisk the ingredients together and bake!

The good news only gets better when you create your custard in cute little 4 ounce Mason jars. With these squatty containers your mixture is automatically divided into perfect sized portions, making them ridiculously easy to seal and store in the fridge. Want to present custard as a homemade gift? Simply tie a big ribbon around the screw ring, place them in a wicker basket and you're ready to go!

Custard In A Jar
Ingredients
2 Cups whole milk
2 Eggs
2 Egg yolks
1 1/2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 Cup sugar
Dash of ground nutmeg or cinnamon for tops

Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients (except cinnamon or nutmeg) well, pour egg mixture into 6 four ounce wide mouth mason jars, then sprinkle the tops with cinnamon or nutmeg if desired.
2. Place the jars in a baking pan, then pour in enough hot water to come up half way on the jars.
3. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for approximately one hour, or until the custard is set. Cool completely before serving. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.

Jennifer Ranger www.FoodWacky.com

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Lemon Zest Candies. Be Still My Heart!

by Jennifer Ranger on 02/13/14

I like candy. There, I said it. And I love fresh lemons. So why not combine these two tempting tastes into one simple, easy to make little sweet?

From start to finish, these lovely little rounds should only take you about 20 minutes to make, possibly less. There's no cooking involved, so you can be indulging your sweet tooth in a matter of mere minutes. Divine.

The only question is this: Does the vitamin C from the lemon make up for the calories of the powdered sugar? Hmmm...let me know what you think!

Lemon Zest Melt Aways

Ingredients

1 Pound powdered sugar

1/3 Cup corn starch

4 Ounces unsalted butter

1 Teaspoon lemon extract

Zest from one large lemon

2 Teaspoons fresh lemon juice

5 Teaspoons milk

Directions

1. Use an electric mixer on the low setting to combine all ingredients. Keep mixing until you can see it start to come together and cling to the paddle. If needed, you can add more milk, teaspoons at a time, but be careful not to add too much. The mix shouldn't be sticky.

2. Use a rubber spatula to remove all the candy from the bowl, place it on a clean board and pat it into a round. Use a rolling pin to gently roll it flat, about 1/4 in thick.

3. Use very small cookie cutters to punch out the candies, use a metal spatula to remove them from the board. Place on a metal sheet lined with wax paper to dry for 24-48 hours. Store in the fridge for several weeks, or freeze for longer storage.

Jennifer Ranger

www.FoodWacky.com

www.KattywompusPublishing.com

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Orange Cocoa Candies

by Jennifer Ranger on 02/03/14

I live in California, and that means I'm lucky. It's not the smog or the overcrowding I'm talking about, it's the constant availability of great fresh fruit. As a matter of fact, my own house sits smack in the middle of what used to be a florishing citrus field. Remnants of this delicious heritage, in the form of backyard orange and lemon trees, are everywhere in my little neighborhood.

I also have some very generous friends who just hate to see all that gorgeous fruit on their own trees go to waste. "Wow, what will we do with these oranges? Oh yes, we'll bring them to Jennifer!" Is that cool, or what?

All this good fortune requires that I be a careful steward of the delicious bounty bestowed upon me, and a what pleasure it is! Several large, plump oranges and lemons were turned into marmalade last night, others were juiced and frozen this morning, and these dense chocolate & orange candies were made this afternoon. And need I mention how much fun it is to taste test each of these recipes? Ahhh....and double yum.

You can put these candies together in just a few minutes time, with no special equipment needed. Let them dry overnight, and they're ready to enjoy!

Ingredients
1/2 Cup cocoa powder (no sugar)
2 Ounces butter, softened
1 Teaspoon orange extract
2 Teaspoons orange juice
Milk (if needed)
1 Pound powdered sugar
Scant pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon or less)
Chocolate sprinkles

Directions
1. Use an electric mixer on the low setting to combine all ingredients. Keep mixing until you can see it start to come together and cling to the paddle. If needed, you can add more milk, teaspoons at a time, but be careful not to add too much.
2. Use a rubber spatula to remove all the candy from the bowl, place it on a clean board and pat it into a round. Use a rolling pin to gently roll it flat, about 1/4 in thick.
3. Use very small cookie cutters to punch out the candies, use a metal spatula to remove them from the board. Place on a metal sheet lined with wax paper to dry for 24-48 hours. Top with chocolate sprinkles. Store in the fridge for several weeks, or freeze for longer storage.

Jennifer Ranger www.FoodWacky.com

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