Rules: Substituting dried herbs/spices for fresh

While I always recommend following the ingredients the recipe calls for as closely as possible, sometimes, it's just not. Here's a quick rule of thumb when you need to substitute what you've got, for what the recipe calls for: the 3:1 ratio.

3 parts fresh : 1 part dried

Dried herbs and spices have much stronger, more concentrated flavors than fresh; you'll need a lot less dried herbs in a recipe that calls for fresh herbs- a lot more fresh herbs in a recipe that calls for dried herbs.


for example:

• your recipe calls for 3 tsp of fresh ginger, but all you have is dried

--> 3 tsp fresh ginger : 1 tsp dried ginger

• your recipe calls for 1 T of dried basil leaves; but you bought fresh basil today

--> 3 T fresh basil (chopped finely) : 1 T dried basil leaves

Happy Cooking!

Mexican Cafe Sopapillas

Sopapillas.

Mexican Beignets.

Donut Triangles.

Perfection.

These little pillows from heaven are a favorite dessert at my local Mexican Cafe. Served warm, they are the perfect deep-fried bite to end a meal.

Here is the easiest recipe I've ever seen for them. They're great to share! 

Or not.

Sopapillas

2 C all purpose flour

2 T shortening

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 C water

Oil for frying

Cinnamon Sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the flour, shortening, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the mixture and slowly add the water a little at a time until the dough comes together. It should not be too sticky. 

Cover the dough and let it stand for 20 minutes.

Roll the dough out to 1/8"-1/4" on a floured surface. Cut into squares/diamonds/triangles.

Bring your frying oil to 375 degrees F. 

Fry your sopapillas 4-5 at a time, until golden on both sides (abt 2 minutes a side)

Drain excess oil on paper towels and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Unabashedly stuff your face.

Cinnamon sugar. honey. why not?

honey drizzle/rolled in cinnamon sugar

oh my gatos

Salted Chocolate & Caramel Shortbread Bites

chocolate. salted caramel. shortbread.

stop it.

Shortbread:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

1/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325. Line 8"x 8" baking dish with parchment paper

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisk to blend.

Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy (1-2 minutes)

On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, mix until just combined

Press the dough into the baking dish as evenly as possible, creating the first and bottom layer of the bite

Bake 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Set on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Caramel

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. light corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

When the shortbread is completely cooled, combine the butter, sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until butter is melted, increase the heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to stir while simmering until the mixture turns an amber-caramel color and thickens slightly. Remove from heat and pour over the shortbread, making sure the layer is smooth. Cool until the caramel is set, I popped it into the fridge to set up for about an hour.

Chocolate

4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp light corn syrup

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

fluer de sel or sea salt, for sprinkling

Once the caramel is set, combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a heatproof glass bowl and set over simmering water (double boiler). When the chips start to look shiny, remove the bowl from the heat and whisk the mixture quickly until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate over the caramel layer and make the layer smooth. After a minute or two of cooling, sprinkle the top with the fleur de sel. Chill at least one hour, cut up and serve when set.

Homemade Tzatziki

tzatziki.

oh.em.geez.

this cool and creamy sauce is one of my favorites of all time. I could probably eat it plain.  It's great with pita bread. It's great with lamb. 

those Greeks knew what they were doing.

here's a quick and easy recipe for my take on tzatziki...

Tzatziki Sauce

17.6 oz. tub of at least 2% milkfat greek plain yogurt

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1/2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced (or more if your like your sauce garlicky like moi)

1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 cucumber, seeded and chopped

2 T fresh dill

salt to taste

Place the chopped and seeded cucumber in a food processor and puree.

Strain as much of the water from the cucumber puree, pressing the pulp into the mesh with the back of a spatula.

Wrap the cucumber pulp in cheese cloth and squeeze out any remaining water. 

You really want the cucumber pulp as dry as possible, otherwise it doesn't blend well with the yogurt and makes the sauce watery.

Open the yogurt tub and drain any water from it that has risen to the top.

Then it's pretty simple....

top the yogurt with the remaining ingredients and combine

I didn't have fresh dill, so I used dried... meh.

season with salt to taste

and there you have it, you're own tub of homemade tzatziki sauce, ready for your dipping pleasure!

enjoy!