Sauces Archives - Craving Home Cooked

Fry Sauce Recipe

Joanna Cismaru — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 03:27:00 +0000

This famous Fry Sauce is popular and loved for a reason. It’s sweet, tangy and perfect to dip all your favorite fried snacks in. A few staple ingredients, whisk it all together, and dip away!

The Famous Fry Sauce Recipe

When it comes to dipping sauces, this fry sauce is probably one of my favorites because not only is it ridiculously easy to make, but it is the perfect dipping sauce for anything! It’s also great on hamburgers, drizzle it over your salads, add it to your favorite wraps, burritos, tacos, drench your fries in it, you name it.

When it comes to flavor, this fry sauce has it all. It’s sweet from the ketchup, tangy from the pickle juice, spicy from the hot sauce and just downright delicious. It’s the perfect sauce to have in your culinary repertoire.

Why We Love This Fry Sauce

The Fry Sauce That Goes With Everything! Make it, bottle it, and use it on everything.
Simple Pantry Staple Ingredients. You won’t need a trip to the grocery store for this fry sauce recipe, chances are you already got everything you need.
Seriously Delicious. It’s the sauce that everyone will love!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Mayonnaise – You’ll need some plain mayonnaise, store-bought or make your own using my recipe here.
Ketchup – Ketchup will add sweetness to our fry sauce and give it that gorgeous color.
Pickle Juice (pickle brine) – While it may sound like a strange ingredient, it will add some needed tanginess to the sauce. I always keep a jar of pickle juice leftover from my pickles in my pantry.
Hot Sauce – Use your favorite hot sauce and as much or as little as you want. Want to make your own? Try my Homemade Hot Sauce recipe.
Onion Powder – For a little onion flavor. Feel free to sub with garlic powder or add in some other spices like paprika.
Salt And Pepper – To taste.

How To Make Fry Sauce

As I already mentioned, it’s really simple to make, simply whisk everything together and serve.

Whisk ingredients together. Add all the sauce ingredients to a medium size bowl and whisk well.
Serve. Serve with your favorite fries.

What Is Fry Sauce

Fry sauce is a famous sauce in Utah, known as the ultimate dipping sauce, usually served with French fries. It’s usually always made with mayo and ketchup and sometimes other condiments and seasonings are added to flavor it.

Expert Tips

Play around with spices for different versions, such as try adding garlic powder, paprika, red pepper flakes for extra heat, Worcestershire sauce, pickle relish, horseradish, mustard, etc.
Try this fry sauce with Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Crispy Fried Zucchini or even on Fried Pork Chops for something different.

Storage

Store this fry sauce in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this sauce as it could separate when thawing.

Other Great Sauce Recipes To Try

Fry Sauce Recipe

This famous Fry Sauce is popular and loved for a reason. It's sweet, tangy and perfect to dip all your favorite fried snacks in. A few staple ingredients, whisk it all together, and dip away!

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 138kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Whisk ingredients together. Add all the sauce ingredients to a medium size bowl and whisk well.
Serve. Serve with your favorite fries.

Notes

Play around with spices for different versions, such as try adding garlic powder, paprika, red pepper flakes for extra heat, Worcestershire sauce, pickle relish, horseradish, mustard, etc.
Store this fry sauce in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this sauce as it could separate when thawing.

Nutrition

The post Fry Sauce Recipe appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 22:32:00 +0000

This made from scratch Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce is a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table! A quick, sweet, tart, home made ruby red sauce, exploding with flavor makes ready in just 30 minutes.

Am I allowed to say “Tis The Season!” yet? Because believe it or not Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner! I know, kind of crazy! And the closer that we get to the holidays the more I keep thinking about essential holiday recipes for all of you!

You truly can not go wrong with a homemade cranberry sauce. It’s harvest season around these parts of Canada and I cannot even begin to describe the flavor that is, fresh cranberries. This cranberry sauce is made in one pot, with a little bit of nutmeg and some orange zest – and let me tell you, it’s a home run!

Ingredient Notes

Cranberries – The most important ingredient in this recipe. I am using 1 bag of fresh cranberries today but frozen cranberries work just as well.
Orange – We’re using the juice and the zest, this will help to add acidity and will also brighten our sauce.
Sugar – Simple, granulated white sugar is all that’s needed.
Nutmeg – This is going to help round out the sauce – if you don’t have any on hand, cinnamon will work just as well.
Vanilla – The secret ingredient! Only a little splash in needed to bring all these flavors together!

How to Pick Out the Freshest Cranberries

If you’re really going the extra mile for this cranberry sauce and picking out individual fresh cranberries, there are a couple things you want to look for.

Look for cranberries that are deep red in color, and
They should also be plump, and firm to touch.

You will know they are fresh if you can bounce a couple off the floor (I’m not kidding, try to be discrete!).

How to Make Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

Assemble the sauce: In an instant pot or pressure cooker, add 8oz of the cranberries, orange juice, and orange zest. Lock the lid into place, turn the valve to sealing. Select manual/pressure cook and adjust pressure to high; set the timer for 15 minutes. When cooking has finished, let the pressure release naturally and then turn the valve to venting in order to release any remaining pressure.
Finish the sauce: Remove the lid and add in left over portion of cranberries, as well as the sugar, nutmeg, and vanilla. Stir until sugar is dissolved and the last berries begin to burst – which should be within 3 minutes. And voila!

NOTE: If the sauce is too thick, you can add water (not too much!) in order to thin the sauce to better suit your liking!

What Else Can I Add to My Cranberry Sauce?

You can add lots! Cranberry sauce is a bit of a blank canvas, here are a few suggestions:

Nuts – Any of your choice – chopped pecans would be delish!
Spices – Different spices such as allspice, cinnamon, or cloves.
Raisins
Candied ginger
Pomegranate molasses

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Versatility you guys! Don’t limit yourself to only making this sauce a couple times a year – there are so many ways to use this cranberry sauce that are not dependant on whether or not it’s a holiday!

Jam – Use it like a jam, on fresh breads, paninis, pancakes and waffles.
Flavor – Add it to yogurt, smoothies, cream cheese spreads, or even whipped cream.
Baking – This is a no brainer! Put it in tarts, muffins, pastries and so much more!
Glaze – Add it onto poultry or meat for a little zingy topping!

Leftovers

If you store cranberry sauce in the fridge in an airtight container it will actually last up tp 2 weeks! It freezes really well too making it super helpful for preparing ahead of time!

What To Serve With

Craving More Holiday Sides?

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

This made from scratch Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce is a beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table! A quick, sweet, tart, home made ruby red sauce, exploding with flavor makes it a perfect holiday essential.

Course Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

NPR 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 78kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Instant Pot – 6 quart

Ingredients

12 ounce cranberries fresh (1 bag)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar granulated
2 tablespoon orange zest
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Add 8 oz of the cranberries, orange juice and orange zest to the Instant Pot. Lock the lid into place and turn the valve to “sealing.” Select Manual or Pressure Cook and adjust the pressure to High. Set the time for 15 minutes. When cooking ends, let the pressure release naturally for 7 minutes, then turn the valve to “venting” to quick release the remaining pressure.
Unlock and remove the lid. Select Sauté mode. Add remaining cranberries, sugar, nutmeg and vanilla extract. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the last berries begin to burst, about 3 minutes. Add a bit of water to thin the sauce out if it gets too thick for your liking.

Notes

If you store cranberry sauce in the fridge in an airtight container it will actually last up tp 2 weeks! It freezes really well too making it super helpful for preparing ahead of time!

Nutrition

The post Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Alfredo Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Thu, 21 May 2020 23:02:18 +0000

This homemade Alfredo Sauce is rich, creamy, and incredibly easy to make from scratch. Perfect for pasta, pizzas and more!

This alfredo sauce is made from scratch and can be used in so many different dishes! It is one of the easiest sauces to make because it requires only a handful simple ingredients, 10 minutes of your time and the end result is always rich and flavorful! Restaurant-quality sauce made easily in your very own kitchen.

Once you try this recipe, you will never go back to buying alfredo sauce at the store ever again! This sauce can be made in advance, used throughout the week or kept frozen for a quick pre prepared pasta night! This is one of those simple, yet comforting sauces that the whole family will enjoy. Once you try it, it will become your new, if not already, favourite sauce!

What is alfredo sauce?

Originating in Italy, alfredo is a white sauce typically consisting of butter, heavy cream and parmesan cheese. As the cheese melts, it emulsifies the liquids to form a smooth and rich sauce. Because of its simplicity and flavor, this is one of the most popular sauces used around the world. This can be an easily modifiable sauce, as you can add a variety of flavors, such as garlic, basil or any seasoning of your choice.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium.
Garlic – Fresh is best! Minced.
Heavy Cream – If you don’t have heavy cream use a combination of milk and butter.
Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated works best.
Salt & Pepper – To taste.
Nutmeg – For added flavor.

How to make alfredo sauce

Melt Butter: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
Combine Ingredients: Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the add garlic and parmesan cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and pepper.
Thicken: Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens, it should coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
Serve or Store: Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

What to serve with alfredo sauce

Of course, you’ll want to use your homemade sauce for the classic fettuccini alfredo but you can also use this sauce in a variety of other dishes! Try these:

Chicken Alfredo Bake
Use as a pizza sauce!
Over Gnocchi
Use as a dip with Parmesan Pesto Twists
Pour it over Chicken Breast or Steamed Broccoli

However you choose to serve it, this easy alfredo sauce will be a game changer in your household.

How to store your sauce

Store your homemade alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to a month.

Reheating

Add a splash of milk to refrigerated sauce and reheat over low heat on stovetop.

Did you like this easy, homemade sauce recipe? Try these!

Alfredo Sauce

This homemade Alfredo Sauce is rich, creamy, and incredibly easy to make from scratch. Perfect for pasta, pizzas and more!

Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 281kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

4 tablespoon butter unsalted
3 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Melt Butter: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat.
Combine Ingredients: Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the add garlic and parmesan cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and pepper.
Thicken: Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce thickens, it should coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
Serve or Store: Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

Recipe yields 2 cups.
Nutritional information is based per 1/4 cup.
Store your homemade alfredo sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to a month.
Add a splash of milk to refrigerated sauce and reheat over low heat on stovetop.

Nutrition

The post Alfredo Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Homemade Hot Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Tue, 31 Mar 2020 19:52:16 +0000

Hot Sauce – A fiery homemade hot sauce sure to spice up any dish. With only a handful of ingredients, including fresh hot peppers, this sauce is made in a flash. No more store bought hot sauce here!

While I may not be a spicy food fanatic yet, the heat is growing on me. I do have a plethora of different hot sauces in my fridge but I love the kick this homemade sauce adds to my dishes!

I love making my own hot sauce at home because it allows me to control the heat level! Since this sauce is made with fresh peppers I can keep in as many or as little seeds as I want and use whatever peppers I choose, therefore allowing me to create either a spicy fire sauce hot enough to make a dragon cry, or a milder sauce for just a little added heat. But for this recipe, let’s spice things up – shall we?

How hot is this hot sauce?

In this recipe I went for fresh cayenne peppers. Cayenne peppers are considered somewhat of a hot pepper, ranging from 30,000 – 50,000 Scoville Heat Units on the Scoville Scale, comparable to a serrano pepper.

If you compare that to a typical jalapeno pepper, (around 5,000 SHU) the cayenne is about 10 times hotter.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Only a handful of ingredients for this recipe!

Hot Peppers – Fresh hot peppers – Cayenne or Fresnos.
Vinegar – I used white vinegar.
Spices – We are using salt, garlic powder, and paprika for added kick.

How to make hot sauce

Easy as 1, 2, 3 … Literally.

Prep Peppers – Clean peppers and slice off the stems. Remove the seeds to reduce heat (taste test peppers for heat level). Roughly chop peppers and add to a large saucepan.
Mix and Boil – Add all other ingredients to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Peppers should be soft and pliable.
Cool and Blend – Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Add to a blender and blend until smooth.

Note for your homemade sauce:

Simmering vinegar and hot peppers will cause your kitchen to be a bit uncomfortable on the lungs. Open a window if possible!
Be careful when cleaning the hot peppers of their seeds. Because they are very hot, chili peppers can sting your eyes, neck and nose.
You can protect your hands by putting on gloves.
This recipe should yield around 1 1/2 cups of sauce, or 24 tbsp.

How to serve

This sauce can be served on any dish or item you want to add a little kick to! Try it on:

And more! This homemade hot pepper sauce will be a sure FIRE way to add a little heat and spice up your meals, see what I did there?

How to store

Homemade hot sauce should be tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator.

You can safely store hot sauce in your pantry or cabinet at room temperature because of its high vinegar and relatively high salt content (both prevent bacteria from growing) but with that being said, I prefer to refrigerate my hot sauce.

Refrigeration will slow down the oxidation, therefore preserving the color and flavor of your hot sauce for much longer! Your hot sauce will safely store in your fridge for 3-5 years!

More delicious sauce recipes to try:

Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce – A fiery homemade hot sauce sure to spice up any dish. With only a handful of ingredients, including fresh hot peppers, this sauce is made in a flash. No more store bought hot sauce here!

Course Condiment, Sauce

Cuisine American

Cook Time 15

Cooling time 10

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 17kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Vitamix Blender

Ingredients

18 red hot peppers Cayenne or Fresnos
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Prep Peppers – Clean peppers and slice off the stems. Remove the seeds to reduce heat (taste test peppers for heat level). Roughly chop peppers and add to a large saucepan.
Mix and Boil – Add all other ingredients to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Peppers should be soft and pliable.
Cool and Blend – Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Add to a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

Simmering vinegar and hot peppers will cause your kitchen to be a bit uncomfortable on the lungs. Open a window if possible!
Be careful when cleaning the hot peppers of seeds. Because they are very hot, chili peppers can sting your neck and nose. Keep a window open. You can protect your hands by putting on gloves.
Should yield around 1 1/2 cups of sauce, or 24 tbsp.

Nutrition

The post Homemade Hot Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Buffalo Sauce Recipe

Joanna Cismaru — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 22:10:00 +0000

A homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe made from 5 simple ingredients you will have in your kitchen already! This sauce can be kept for up to a month and is perfect for wings, dips, and more!

Buffalo Sauce is essentially a more lavish version of hot sauce, enriched with melted butter. It’s extremely easy to make, and is perfect on just about anything! Especially, my favourite, chicken wings! This flavorful sauce adds a nice kick to any meal you see fit.

Made with your favourite hot sauce (I used Frank’s because I am a die-hard fan), melted butter, savory worcestershire and a hint of garlic this sauce is the ideal combination of flavors to incorporate into your favorite dishes. In only a matter of minutes you can have a homemade sauce that can be kept for up to a month! Say goodbye to store bought, let’s get started and add a little kick to your life!

What is buffalo sauce?

The original buffalo sauce is a combination of melted butter, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper. Traditionally tossed over deep fried wings or served on the side as a dry wing dip. “Buffalo” is now attached to a variety of other items, such as buffalo shrimp, buffalo cauliflower or buffalo pizza to name a few.

Hot Sauce Vs Buffalo Sauce

The difference is in the texture and taste! Even though hot sauce is one of the main ingredients in buffalo sauce – there is a difference! Hot sauce is made up of hot peppers, salt, and vinegar, whereas buffalo sauce is much thicker and has more of a buttery, garlic flavor.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card for a list of FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Hot Sauce – I strongly recommend using Frank’s Red Hot Sauce for this one! But you can use your favourite.
Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium levels.
Worcestershire Sauce – To add to the rich, savory flavor.
Garlic Powder – Because everything is better with garlic.
Salt – To taste.

How to make the best buffalo sauce

Combine and Heat Ingredients – Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk often until the butter melts and sauce comes to a simmer. Once the sauce is simmering remove from heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if necessary.
Cool and Thicken – Allow the sauce to cool slightly. You’ll notice the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Store – Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for future use.

What to serve with your homemade sauce

When I hear buffalo sauce, all I can think about are BUFFALO WINGS , but, this tasty sauce can be used for a variety of different dishes! I love putting it on top of tacos, avocado toast, quesadillas, basically anything I want to add a flavorful kick to! Try using your homemade buffalo sauce in:

How to store

After your sauce has cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to one month!

Did you like this homemade sauce recipe? Try these!

Buffalo Sauce Recipe

A homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe made from 5 simple ingredients you will have in your kitchen already! This sauce can be kept for up to a month and is perfect for wings, dips, and more!

Course Condiment

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 35kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

4-Quart Saucepan

Ingredients

1 cup hot sauce strongly recommend Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1/2 cup butter unsalted
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk often until the butter melts and suauce comes to a simmer.
Once the sauce is simmering remove from heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt if necessary.
Allow the sauce to cool slightly. You'll notice the sauce will thicken as it cools.
Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge.

Notes

Should yield around 1 1/2 cups of sauce, or 24 tbsp.
Nutritional information is per tbsp.
After your sauce has cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to one month!

Nutrition

The post Buffalo Sauce Recipe appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Creamy Cheese Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 23:26:34 +0000

An exquisite, Creamy Cheese Sauce made with cheddar cheese – perfect over nachos, pasta, potatoes and steamed vegetables.

An easy, creamy cheese sauce recipe is a must-have in your cooking repertoire. You will never have to buy another box of kraft dinner again! Start off with a basic roux, add in the tangy flavor of sharp cheddar and BOOM, creamy cheese sauce. It’s simple, delicious and much healthier than any store bought version.

A roux is a mixture of equal parts butter and flour, whisked and cooked together and it’s used as a thickener in sauces. This recipe showcases how simple ingredients can come together to make a delectable, out of this world sauce.

Almost no prep and made in a matter of minutes, it will save you time and energy when you’re cooking. It’s the perfect addition to amplify any basic dish to make it a stand-out crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling to the printable recipe card for FULL ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium level.
Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
Salt and Pepper – To taste.
Milk – I used 2% for a creamier consistency – feel free to use your preference.
Cheese – Cheddar, mild or sharp. You can use your favourite type of cheese to make different varieties of cheese sauce if you’d like!

How to make cheese sauce

Make a Roux – Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Add Milk – Whisk in the salt and pepper. Gradually add in milk, while continuously whisking. Continue to cook and whisk until slightly thick.
Add Cheese – Remove the saucepan from heat. Add in the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and is smooth.

The difference between sharp and mild cheddar

You might end up at the store buying cheese and leaving confused. Cheese comes in a plethora of different varieties, but today we are talking about cheddar because that is what I used in this particular recipe. Cheddar cheese can range from mild to old and can be categorized by a variety of different “sharpness” levels. I gave the option between mild or sharp cheddar because I feel their flavor profiles work best for this sauce.

Sharpness attributes to how “tangy” or how much “bite” the cheese has, which comes from how long the cheese has been aged. Aging is the only difference between mild and sharp cheddar, therefore the longer the cheese has aged naturally, the sharper and more pronounced the cheddar flavor becomes. Mild Cheddar is typically aged for around 2 to 3 months, whereas an extra sharp could go through the aging process for as long as a year.

Can I make this in advance?

One of my favourite things about this creamy cheese sauce is that it can be made ahead of time! Prepare your sauce, cool it until it is room temperature, and transfer it into an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week, and then reheated in a saucepan over low heat when ready to use. Convenient!

What to serve with creamy cheese sauce

This cheese sauce is so versatile, it can be poured over anything – nachos, veggies, you can even make the BEST homemade mac & cheese you’ll ever have with it. I like to pour mine over cooked broccoli to make the ultimate side dish or atop a baked potato – dreamy. Trust me, once you try it, there’s no going back – say goodbye to store bought cheese sauce!

How to store leftovers

As mentioned above, you can store your cheese sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Did you like this sauce recipe? Try these!

Creamy Cheese Sauce

An exquisite, Creamy Cheese Sauce made with cheddar cheese – perfect over nachos, pasta, potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 161kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

3 tablespoon butter unsalted
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper ground
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese mild or sharp

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
Whisk in the salt and pepper. Gradually add in milk about 1/4 cup at a time, while continuously whisking. Continue to cook and whisk until slightly thick.
Remove the saucepan from heat. Add in the chedder cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and is smooth.

Notes

Recipe yields about 2 cups.
Nutritional information is per 1/4 cup.
Serve over pasta (to make mac and cheese), steamed broccoli, baked potatoes.
Store your cheese sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

The post Creamy Cheese Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 00:41:54 +0000

Sweet And Sour Sauce – a homemade version of the popular, tangy sauce. With only a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes of your time, this sweet and sour sauce beats any store bought or take out you can find.

Sweet and sour sauce is one of the most common sauces used in Asian, American and European cuisine. Dating all the way back to the middle ages, it is still one of the most popular and well known sauces to date. Extremely versatile and easy to make – this is a recipe you’ll want on hand.

In the same time it would take you to get in your car, drive to the store and spend excess money on a generic sauce, you can have this sweet and tangy wonder whipped up with ingredients you most likely already have at home! This sweet and sour sauce will become your new favourite! Even better; you have bragging rights, you made a wondrous sauce from scratch – all by yourself.

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions or click the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page!

Sugar – Granulated.
White Vinegar – For the sourness. Lemon or lime juice are the two most common substitutes for white vinegar. You can also use rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar but the taste of your sauce might be a tad different.
Water
Soy Sauce – I used low sodium.
Ketchup – I used store bought.
Cornstarch – Used as a thickening agent. It can be substituted with flour, arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca.
Pineapple Juice – Canned, boxed or fresh.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Sauce

Making this sauce could NOT be any easier!

Mix Ingredients – Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk until combined.
Stir & Finish – Stir continuously until the mixture thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust with sugar, salt or vinegar as needed.

How To Serve It

Sweet and sour sauce is extremely versatile and can be used in many ways such as a marinade, dip or glaze. It is the perfect sauce to toss with meatballs, chicken, tempura, or even over rice! Slather over ribs, use on chicken or pork to create a beautiful asian inspired dish or use it as a dip for chicken fingers, nuggets, gyoza or dumplings! The possibilities of this sauce are endless.

Can I Make This in Advance?

Yes! Another bonus of this fabulous sauce is you can make it in advance! Since it won’t have any preservatives, the vinegar will help it keep its shelf life for longer. Store in an airtight container or jar in your fridge for up to a week!

For a longer shelf life, store your sauce for up to 3 months in the freezer. Make sure to store it tightly secured in an airtight container. Take it out and defrost when you are ready to use.

How to Store

Make sure to store your sauce in the fridge immediately after use. Don’t leave it out in the open or it will lose it’s coloring, aroma, and flavor. Homemade sweet and sour sauce won’t last as long as store bought because it doesn’t have any preservatives in it – so make sure to use it up!

Did You Like This Recipe? Try These!

Sweet And Sour Sauce

Sweet And Sour Sauce – a homemade version of the popular, tangy sauce. With only a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes of your time, this sweet and sour sauce beats any store bought or take out you can find.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 65kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon white vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup pineapple juice

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk until combined.
Stir continously until the mixture thickens. Adjust with sugar, salt or vinegar as needed.

Notes

Should yield about 3/4 cup sauce.
Store for a week in an airtight container or jar.

Nutrition

The post Sweet and Sour Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Marinara Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 21:35:13 +0000

Marinara Sauce is a super basic staple of any kitchen worth its stuff. A simple sauce made up of bright tomatoes, lots of garlicky goodness, and just a zip of heat, you’ll never use it from the jar again!

Marinara sauce is a super basic staple sauce in any kitchen, not just
nonna’s! We’re using whole peeled tomatoes, some nice olive oil, super fragrant
garlic, and bright herbs. Believe me you’re familiar with this sauce – whether
you recognize it by name or not.

This red sauce is widely used in Italian American kitchens, it’s simple, fresh, and a super strong basic sauce. It’s great spooned over pasta, rice, used in dips, and added to any dish that needs a bit of acidity. You’ll never use jarred again!

Marinara Versus Spaghetti Sauce

The differences between the two sauces are super simple. Firstly marinara sauce is
just tomatoes, herbs, and some spices – that’s it. Where as spaghetti sauce
typically involves some veggies like carrot and celery as well as some meat.

Ingredients

Tomatoes – We’re using canned tomatoes today – believe me it’ll be far easier than fresh! Grab whole peeled tomatoes in the can.
Herbs – Dried oregano and fresh basil for brightness and some herby deliciousness.
Onion – Yellow onion as we want something a bit sweeter and mild that ill cook down nicely in our sauce.
Garlic – Fresh garlic, we’re using 3 entire cloves today. If jarred is all you have on hand just keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons equals 1 fresh clove.
Red pepper flakes – For just a touch of heat, if you’re spice averse feel free to use a smaller amount.
Seasoning – Salt.

Want To Use Fresh Tomatoes?

Well you’re certainly feeling ambitious, or maybe your garden was abundant
this summer and you need a way to use up some of those veggies! Take about 6
pounds of tomatoes and peel, seed, and dice them up. Cook them down in a large
sauce pan before continuing on with the recipe as normal.

How To Make Marinara Sauce

Combine the sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes (includes juices), onion halves, garlic cloves, olive oil, oregano and red pepper flakes.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally using a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes against the bottom of the pot.
Blend the sauce: Remove the pot from heat and discard the onion. Transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor or an immersion blender and smooth it out to your liking.
Finish the sauce: Stir in the chopped basil and adjust seasoning, with salt and pepper as necessary.

Be Careful When Blending

If you decide to pop your sauce in a blender to smooth it out – be careful!
Blending a hot sauce with the lid on your blender can cause the lid to pop off
and sauce to splatter all over the place. Instead lay a towel over top the
blender instead of the lid.

How To Serve

You want something that soaks up all that rich, hearty marinara sauce. You will love the final
outcome, no matter how you slice it!

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Creamy Polenta
Fluffy white rice
Spaghetti, to twirl around in your beautiful rich sauce!
Thrown together with some meatballs

Storing Leftovers

This marinara sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3
days and in the freezer for up 3 months. Pull the sauce
from the freezer the day before you’d like to use it to allow it to thaw fully
before reheating on the stove.

More Incredible Recipes To Try:

Marinara Sauce

Marinara Sauce is a super basic staple of any kitchen worth its stuff. A simple sauce made up of bright tomatoes, lots of garlicky goodness, and just a zip of heat, you'll never use it from the jar again!

Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 36kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

28 ounce whole peeled tomatoes 1 whole can
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion peeled and halved
3 cloves garlic peeled and minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 tablespoon fresh basil chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, combine the tomatoes (includes juices), onion halves, garlic cloves, olive oil, oregano and red pepper flakes.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally using a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes against the bottom of the pot.
Remove the pot from heat and discard the onion. Transfer the sauce to a blender or food processor or an immersion blender and smooth it out to your liking.
Stir in the chopped basil and adjust seasoning, with salt and pepper as necessary.

Notes

This tomato sauce will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3
days and in the freezer for up 3 months. Pull the sauce
from the freezer the day before you’d like to use it to allow it to thaw fully
before reheating on the stove.

Nutrition

The post Marinara Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Joanna Cismaru — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 02:52:16 +0000

This easy Teriyaki Sauce will become your new favorite sauce and is made completely from scratch. Incredibly simple and easy to make requiring only a handful of ingredients.

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Chock full of savory soy sauce, sweet brown sugar, and bright mirin, this sauce is the perfect accompaniment to nearly any Asian dish. Whether you’re adding it to your next stir fry or just spooning it over fluffy white rice, I can promise that this Teriyaki sauce will elevate many a dish.

I’ve included some recipes here on this blog and my sister site, Jo Cooks, that beautifully showcase all the ways you can enjoy this homemade sauce. So get ready to feast. Because this recipe is about to become a household staple!

What Is Teriyaki Sauce?

Did you know that teriyaki is actually a cooking method? It’s used in Japanese cooking and just involves cooking your food in a glaze typically made from soy sauce, some type of sugar, and mirin. That’s it! I like to pack a bit more flavor into my Teriayki sauce, so let’s get into it!

What Is Mirin?

Mirin is also known as sweet rice wine. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and a higher sugar content. It adds lustre and sheen to our Teriyaki sauce, giving our finished product that glazed look that we’re trying to achieve with this recipe. You can substitute this ingredient with sake or sherry.

Ingredients In Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Cornstarch – We’re going to create a slurry using cornstarch and cold water. This is key for getting our sauce to thicken.
Water – This will help us achieve the consistency we’re looking for with this sauce.
Soy sauce – Low sodium so that we can control the salt content of our dish.
Mirin – Also known as sweet rice wine, it can be replaced with cooking sherry with a pinch of sugar added to it.
Sugar – We’re using brown sugar to add both sweetness and a rich molasses flavor to our sauce.
Spices – We’re using ground ginger and garlic powder today to add dimension and flavor to our sauce.

How To Make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Prepare your slurry: Make a slurry with the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water by whisking the two together.
Combine the sauce: Add all the ingredients including the constarch slurry to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 minutes. The sauce should thicken. Remove from heat and let cool.

What Can I Make With Teriyaki Sauce?

This sauce pairs well with so much! To give you a little bit of recipe inspiration I’ve included some of my favorite Teriyaki dishes below. Also stay tuned for a couple awesome teriyaki recipes coming soon.

Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner
Beef Teriyaki Skewers
Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
In Japan Teriyaki sauce is typically used to cook seafood, especially fattier cuts of fish. So introduce it to your pan the next time you’re whipping up some nautical fare!
Add it to any stir fry, it pairs perfectly with nearly any veggie.
Slather it on your next burger plus a slice of pineapple for a Hawaiian style entree!
This sauce also tastes perfect with pork.

How To Use Your Teriyaki Sauce

This sauce works as either a base to cook your veggies and protein in or as a marinade to allow all those flavors to be soaked up. If you’re looking to turn this recipe into a marinade you may want to thin it out a bit by cutting out some of the cornstarch slurry. A more liquid consistency will allow the sauce to better penetrate the meat.

Are Soy Sauce And Teriyaki Sauce Interchangeable?

These 2 sauces have super different flavor profiles. One is salty and full of umami flavor, but isn’t a complete sauce all on its own since it is pretty one dimensional. On the other hand Teriyaki sauce features salt, sweet, acid, and has a well rounded mouth feel that is both thick and satisfying.

Storing Leftover Teriyaki Sauce

Store this sauce in an airtight container or a jar in the fridge for up to a week. If you’re looking to add quick flavor pops to your future stir fries, freeze this sauce in ice cube trays in the freezer and pop them out as you cook!

Craving More Asian Dishes? Try These Delicious Recipes:

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

This easy Teriyaki Sauce will become your new favorite sauce and is made completely from scratch. Incredibly simple and easy to make requiring only a handful of ingredients.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Total Time 10

Servings

Calories 20kcal

Author Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

4 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water cold
1 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
2 tablespoon brown sugar packed
3 tablespoon mirin
1/2 teaspoon ginger ground
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare your slurry: Make a slurry with the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water by whisking the two together.
Combine the sauce: Add all the ingredients including the constarch slurry to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 minutes. The sauce should thicken. Remove from heat and let cool.
Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

Yields about 1 1/4 cups teriyaki sauce.

Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine, similar to sake but with lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. It can be replaced with sherry with a pinch of sugar added to it.

Nutrition

The post Homemade Teriyaki Sauce appeared first on Craving Home Cooked.