Creamy Dip without sour cream

   

Labneh (also known as labane, lebni, labne, or lebnah) is made by straining yogurt even more than Greek yogurt, which results in a thick, spreadable consistency. It’s so dense and creamy that it’s often referred to as “yogurt cheese.” It can be made from cow, goat, or sheep’s milk.

How to Make Everything Bagel Dip with Labneh

1. Make the dip. In a medium bowl, mix 1 (16-ounce) container of labneh with 2 tablespoons of your favorite everything bagel seasoning and 2 tablespoons of minced chives until combined. Season to taste with kosher salt. 
2. Garnish and serve. Spread the seasoned labneh mixture evenly over a serving platter or shallow bowl. Sprinkle with an additional 2 teaspoons of everything bagel seasoning and 1 tablespoon minced chives. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and serve with bagel chips or fresh vegetables. 

3 Tips for Making Labneh Dip

• Don’t oversalt the dip. Labneh is seasoned with salt during the straining process to help draw out moisture; however, the salt level in labneh varies. Season your labneh to taste, depending on the type of labneh you purchase and the dip you are making. Everything bagel seasoning often contains a generous amount of salt, so for this version you probably won’t need much additional salt. 
• You can thin it out. If your labneh is too thick, add a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency (but remember the thicker consistency is what makes it so special, so don’t add too much).
• Use it for more than just dipping. Use any leftover dip to spread on a toasted bagel for breakfast, a cucumber and lox sandwich, or a tomato sandwich. 

 

 

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Buckwheat Risotto With Creamy Mushroom

  

Tips to Remember:

Being a natural and unprocessed ingredient, buckwheat needs enough water (or stock) to cook. Make sure you add enough fluid for it to cook well and become soft.

Ingredients: 

3 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp butter 

1 medium onion chopped

5-6 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 cup  thinly sliced mushrooms 

1 tbsp fresh thyme (or use ½ tbsp dried thyme) 

Salt to taste 

Black Pepper to taste 

1 cup  uncooked buckwheat

¼ cup fresh cream

½ cup grated cheese (preferably Parmesan) 

 

Preparations

Add the olive oil and butter to a saucepan and heat it on medium heat. Now add the garlic and stir till it is lightly fragrant, next add the chopped onions and cook them until they are translucent. 

Next add the thyme, mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook everything together for 1-2 minutes, as sliced mushrooms do not take long to cook. 

Once the mushrooms have cooked and the excess water has evaporated, add the buckwheat and cook for about a minute. 

After 1 minute, add about 2 cups of water, but add only ½ a cup at a time. You can even use vegetable broth if you have one, in place of water. 

Lower the heat and let the buckwheat cook on a simmer for at least 10-12 minutes. 

The buckwheat should not be too tough to eat, nor too soft.

Now add the fresh cream and mix everything well. Finally, top it with cheese, and cover for a minute for the cheese to melt. 

Transfer the dish to a serving plate and garnish with some fresh thyme and cheese. 

 

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How to Make Your Own Exquisite Alfredo Sauce

The next time you feel like some cheesy, creamy, and delicious Alfredo sauce for your pasta, don’t reach into the cupboard for a jar or head to the nearest restaurant. Reach for this fantastic homemade Alfredo sauce recipe instead. Many of us are intimidated by the idea of making our own perfect white sauce, but all you really need are some basic ingredients, this foolproof method, and some confidence.

 Ingredients  ( 4-6 servings)

 

• 6 tablespoons butter 

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 

• 1 ½ cups milk 

• 2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (less flour will make a thinner sauce, more flour a thicker one) 

• 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 

• ½ cup Pecorino Romano, grated 

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method 

1. Over a medium heat, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. 

2. Add the minced garlic, stirring often, until nice and fragrant, for roughly one minute. 

3. Whisk in the flour, milk, and grated cheeses. 

4. Cook the milk and cheese mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sauce starts to simmer and thicken.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. 

6. Serve immediately, or place in a mason jar and keep in the fridge for later.

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

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Coffee hacks one should try

 1. Iced Coffee Cubes

Into 500 ml of hot water, add in 10 tablespoons of instant coffee powder and give it a mix. Wait for it to cool down and then pour this mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid.

You can drop in a few ice cubes into your milk and let it melt. Then enjoy and cold coffee!

Note: You can also pour in your regular brewed coffee into ice cubes and follow the same method.

2. Make Coffee Popsicles

Into a mixing bowl, add in a can of condensed milk, along with 1.5 cups of milk and 3 tablespoons of instant coffee powder. Whisk it until smooth and well-combined.

Pour this mixture into popsicle moulds and free until solid. Demould and enjoy!

3. Make coffee creamer

You will need –

    1 3/4 cups Half and half, or milk or heavy cream
    14 oz Sweetened condensed milk, or add to taste
    1 Tbsp real vanilla extract

Add the ingredients to a quart-sized mason jar, cover with the lid and shake up or you can whisk together until well combined.

4. Use your used coffee grounds as plant fertilizer

Coffee grounds contain high amounts of potassium, nitrogen and other minerals that can help nourish your plants, especially yielding plants.

So, sprinkle your used coffee grounds onto your mud and this can act as a natura nutrient-delivery to your yielding plants.

5. Bitter coffee? Add in a pinch of salt

If you find that your coffee tastes bitter, just add in a pinch of salt. The sodium in the salt helps offset the bittery taste and will make the taste better for you.

6. Make a coffee scrub for skin exfoliation

Have you been throwing out your used coffee grounds al this while? Well, just keep your coffee grounds as you can use it as an exfoliant for your face as well as for your scalp.

To make the scrub, you can combine equal parts of coffee grounds, with sugar or cane sugar and then mix it along with water (if used for the face) or oil (if used for the hair), until it becomes a semi-liquidy paste and then use it as a scrub.

7. Make your own homemade coffee syrup

Do you like to drizzle some coffee syrup over vanilla ice cream? Or maybe make some cold coffee and top it up with some coffee syrup? How abut make it at home then!

All you need to do is make a cup of strong hot coffee. You can either use instant coffee powder or even coffee grounds.

Then, strain this mixture and add in a cup of granulated sugar and give it a mix until the sugar completely dissolves. Next, let this mixture cool down and lastly, pour into a bottle and your coffee syrup is ready to use.

8. Use coffee to color your hair naturally

If you have dark colored hair with just a few greys on your hair and do not wish to dye your hair yet, then simply use coffee. It will stain your hair brown and you will not require to dye it anymore!

All you need to do is mix two tablespoons of instant coffee along with half a cup of water. Then, apply this mixture all over your hair. Make sure your hair is clean and damp before its application.

Then, leave it to sit on your hair for at least 30 to 40 minutes and then rinse it off as usual. You can repeat this process, if you wish to have the hair color darker.

9. Iced coffee with french press

A simple and easy hack to make cold brew coffee is to use a French press. Add coarse ground coffee to the French press. Next, pour room temperature or cold water over the coffee grounds and stir the mixture to ensure all of the grounds are fully immersed. Place the French press in the refrigerator and let it steep for 12-24 hours. After the steeping time is complete, press down the plunger to separate the coffee grounds from the liquid. Pour the cold brew into a separate container and store it in the refrigerator. This method produces a smooth and refreshing cold brew that’s perfect for hot summer days. 

10. Cinnamon coffee

If you want to avoid sugary drinks or just want to add flavor to your coffee, then you can add cinnamon to your coffee. Cinnamon is an alternative to enhancing the flavor of your coffee while reducing the need for sugar.

11. Creamy coffee

Mix milk with as much honey as you want! Add milk to your ice tray and freeze for at least 3 hours (or until it sets!) Add these milk cubes to your coffee, and enjoy.

12. Remove furniture scratches

If you have scratches on dark wood floor or furniture, mix one tablespoon of coffee grounds with one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of water. Let the mixture sit for about an hour so the tannins in the grounds will leach into the vinegar. Use a cotton swab to apply the “dye” and then buff with a soft, dry cloth to hide the scratches. Repeat as needed.

13. Froth milk in mason jar

Fill a mason jar halfway with milk and shake vigorously until the milk doubles in size. Microwave the milk for 30 seconds until it’s nice and frothy. Pour it on your coffee.

14. Instant coffee in secs

Add sugar, coffee, ice cubes and cinnamon ( optional) to a mason jar and shake for 5-10secs. Add in any milk of choice and your instant coffee is ready.

15. Remove coffee stains

Scrub baking soda with a sponge on your cup to remove the coffee stains. This hack can be applied to coffee mugs, carafes or thermos. 

16. Make chai coffee

Mix 1 cup of coffee grounds with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp cardamom and 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder. Mix well and brew your favorite cup of coffee.

 

 

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com     is the latest addition to my blogs.

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and health tips 

 

 https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

14 Helpful Kitchen Tips That'll Help You Save Money

In recent years, the art of cooking and baking has become a form of therapy and passion among many people. However, the desire to use the freshest raw materials and to create excellent foods just like professionals is causing them to unnecessarily buy products and waste money only to end up with meals being thrown in the trash. To prevent this and to cook just like real chefs, we’ve compiled for you 14 of the most useful kitchen tips to help you save on expenses.

1. Dry the food before roasting for a perfect color

Have you ever try to pan sear a piece of steak or chicken hoping for that golden brown hue only to end up with a rubbery piece of grey meat? To get the taste and texture you want, just as is served in restaurants, you need to dry the meat with a paper towel just before searing it on a hot frying pan.

2. The secret to making a creamy smooth sauce 

When cooking a sauce that contains vegetables, herbs, etc., there is often a desire to reach a velvety creamy texture. Many tips suggest blending the ingredients together in a food processor, however, this may not always work completely. In order to reach the desired texture, it’s recommended to pass the sauce through a sieve after blending it. Doing so will ensure the removal of any small and undetectable pieces ruining the texture and finish of your meal.

3. Use broccoli stems 

 

Broccoli is a vegetable that has recently been used extensively in both industrial kitchens and home kitchens, but many of us only eat its green blooms, while the stems are thrown into the trash. Instead of throwing these stalks out, you can cut them into thin slices or strips and use them to make a healthy nutritious salad or add them into a vegetable broth.

4. Using food scraps 

The use of food scraps is one of the most well-known ways to make stocks and broths that serve as a basis for various foods or to add flavor to certain foods. It is important to note that we don’t mean leftover food from people plates, rather the vegetable peels, beef and chicken bones, and skin, or even fish head. All you have to do is put the leftovers in a sandwich bag or any other sealed bag and put it in the freezer; When you want to make a stock or dishes that require vegetables and herbs, you can take the bag out of the freezer and use its contents. (Note: It isn’t recommended to put vegetables in the same bag as fish, poultry or beef). 

 

 

5. Revitalize old nuts and seeds 

 

You've probably bought nuts, almonds, sesame seeds, or even whole grains and forgotten them in the pantry for a few days or weeks, and when you went to enjoy themselves, you found them to be no longer fresh. Usually, the initial instinct is to throw the product in the trash, because there’s no way to bring back their freshness. Or is there? It turns out that there is an easy and brilliant solution that not only brings back freshness but also improves the taste of nuts and seeds. How do you do this? Gently moisten the nuts or seeds with tap water. Soak the liquid up with a towel and roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 2-4 minutes while stirring until they completely dry. Alternatively, you can place them in an oven preheated to 300 °F (150 °C) for the same amount of time. When done, taste one or two. If they are still slightly damp, continue roasting them. 

 

 

6. Make banana-flavored cream 

 If you like bananas and wanted to make a banana flavored drink or cream flavored from natural ingredients only, you can do so easily without using the fruit itself. All you have to do is place a banana peel in a bowl, pour 2 cups milk or cream into it and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day you can use the milk in a shake, drink it as it is, or whip the cream and get the same great banana taste you’d get if you were using the actual fruit! 

 

 

7. Don’t swap out ingredients in baking recipes 

This tip may sound a bit illogical because most of us like to swap out ingredients in our recipes to add a "personal touch" as they say in various cooking programs. But you should know that baking requires almost scientific accuracy, so if you’re going to make a pastry or any other dish for the first time, it’s highly recommended to do everything as instructed in the recipe so that you get a sense of what the final product should look, feel, taste and smell like. Only after trying the recipe for the first time will you be able to change, add or subtract as many ingredients as you like, and of course, do so logically.

8. Never try to catch or stop a falling knife 

 Knives in general, but mostly chef knives or professional knives purchased in specialized stores, are known as expensive products, and the desire to maintain this important tool sometimes causes people to try to protect it at any cost, even if it’s dangerous. For example, if a knife falls to the floor, the first impulse of many is to try to catch it with their hands or - but this is something you definitely shouldn’t do because the only thing worse than a bent knife is a stabbed limb! Instead, step back, let the knife fall, and just pick it up off the ground. 

 

 

 

9. Create a stock of orange or lemon zest 

 

 It’s known that citrus fruits are a great flavor addition to pastries, whipped cream, and many dishes, but because they are seasonal, they aren’t found on store shelves all year long. Therefore, if you’re using orange or lemon or any other citrus, you can prepare a stock of these ingredients at any time and use it whenever you wish. To do this, keep the citrus peel - place it on a tray and dry it for several days or in the oven at 225°F (110°C) for 3-4 hours. Once the skin is completely dry, transfer it to a food processor and blend until you reach the right consistency. Put in a sealed box and keep in the freezer until use. 

 

 

10. Flavor your vinegar 

If you don’t really like vinegar in your food, it may be because you’re not a fan of the taste – but have you ever thought of flavoring it yourself? Curious? Great! All you need to make your vinegar taste better are leftovers fruit or herbs. Place these scraps into the bottle of vinegar and let sit overnight. The result will be so surprising that you’ll want to season almost every food with it, even your cocktails! 

 

 

11. Surprising ingredients for hummus  

Beetroot is used for a wide variety of dishes in different kitchens and ethnicities, however, beetroot stalks are hard and colorless and are therefore usually thrown out unused. If you use beetroot leaves and are left with unused stalks, know that you can now make a delicious, wonderful, and creamy, hummus-like dip using the following recipe: 

 

Cook 1 kg of beet stems in water for 20 minutes until tender. Then, transfer them to a food processor and place one clove of garlic, ¼ cup raw tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup olive oil, and ½ a teaspoon salt. Blend everything together into a uniform paste and eat or refrigerate for up to 3 days. It might not technically be hummus, but it's a lot healthier and certainly delicious.  

 

 

 

12. Turn vegetable peels into a snack  

Although most of us know that all the vitamins are in the vegetable peels, some still peel their vegetables and throw the scraps into the garbage. In order to avoid waste and to enjoy all the good these peels have to offer, you can do other things besides the tip mentioned in section 4; For example, you can use the peels from veggies like sweet potato, potato, zucchini, carrots and more to prepare delicious and wonderful healthy snacks, just pot them in the oven or fry them (like you would French fries) and Voila! 

 

 

13. Make celery salt 

With all the recent warnings about sea salt and studies showing a link between consumption and cardiovascular disease, many people have sought healthy substitutes and found that celery salt is one of the best salts available today. The use of this spice has become particularly popular, not only among vegans but also among many who want to reduce sodium intake. To obtain celery salt, buy a ready-made product at nature stores or alternatively make it at home: Wash and dry celery stalks without the leaves. Place the dried stalks on a baking sheet and dry in an oven heated to 250°F (130°C) for about 20 minutes or until they are completely dry. After drying, place the stalks in a spice mill and grind well. Transfer the contents to a jar and store in the refrigerator.

 

 

14. Stop stirring food all the time  

If you watch people while they’re cooking, you’ll often see them standing in front of the stove constantly stirring the contents of the skillet or pan for fear that the food will burn. However, there is no need to mix food all the time, and this only delays the cooking time and prevents the ingredients from turning the golden or seared color we’re often looking to achieve. It is important to note that this tip depends on the recipe because some foods do require constant mixing or stirring, so read the recipe well and pay attention to this detail.

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com     is the latest addition to my blogs.

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

 

 https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and health tips 

 

 https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Creamy Mashed Kohlrabi

Ingredients
1 large Kohlrabi, cubed
2 Tbsp Butter
½ Cup Milk
11/2Tbsp Sour Cream
2 Large Green Onions finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Peel and cut kohlrabi into small cubes. Add to boiling pot of water. Lightly salt water and boil at least 15 minutes until kohlrabi is fork tender.
Mince the green onions and garlic. Add garlic, green onions, sour cream, and butter to the bowl of a food processor. Leave the milk ready on the side.
When the kohlrabi is fork tender, drain it. Add well drained vegetable into the food processing bowl. Cover and process, adding milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
Return purée to warm pan and heat through as needed.