sauces, spreads, creams

Honey Butter

1 part honey

1 part butter

mix together.

If you want more butter just put in less honey, and vice-versa with the honey.

I'm sure there are more complicated recipes out there, I simply prefer this.

Chocolate

Rules to chocolate:

No water!  Not any.  Not a drop.

warm up slowly.  Chef's don't use a microwave.

When adding milk it needs to be warm.

Don't chill too fast if little snowflakes on your chocolate bother you.

I use 6 oz of unsweetened (soy-free) baking chocolate.  I add about 1 cup warm milk (last time I used raw milk cream) and 1 cup raw cane sugar.  

Once melted in your double boiler (on medium low, or low) I work the chocolate to keep it creamy, and work out any lumps, with a spatula.  

*If I want it chilled I lay it out on a flat glass cutting board and spread it evenly.  Then I chill it for a while in the fridge.  When it's as hard as I want it I cut it into cubes and use it in ice cream or cookies.

*If I want it creamy I leave it out and eat it with almonds or marble it into my cookies.

This makes a good mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate.  Once you have this chocolate it will be difficult for you to eat your normal soy-free chocolate chips.  This doesn't have the wax, does have the antioxidants, and is packed with rich flavor.

Behemel Sauce/ Cream of whatever soup

Bechamel (Bay-shah-MEHL)

sauce is a classic French white sauce that's used in dishes like scalloped potatoes, cream soups, soufles--and macaroni and cheese.  You start with a roux, a mixture of fat and flour that's cooked briefly, givit it a warm color and eliminating any raw flour taste.  Then add milk.

Make a roux in a heavy-bottom sauce pan, melt 1/4 C butter.  Whisk in 1/4 c flour using a roux or sauce whisk, which gets into the corners of the pan.  Cook the butter and flour mixture 1 minute, whisking constantly.

Add milk quickly pour 2 cups milk into the pan while whisking.  Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally to incorporate the milk into the roux.  When the mixture starts to boil, whisk vigorously until the sauce is smooth.  Reduce3 the heat to a gentle boil and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly.

I believe this was written by Janice Cole

Personal favorites:

Cream of whatever soup has soy.  So this is how we make it.

We saute in the butter onions, garlic, mushrooms (both canned and fresh are good), celery, chicken and other good things and such.  :)  This is how we get the base for our clam chowder, chicken soup, and now our macaroni and cheese.