DIY 2 Ingredient Crock Pot Strawberry Jam

So, after a couple different successful attempts at making strawberry sauce, I actually got around to trying what I really wanted to make, strawberry jam. I kept putting it off because I have no idea where to buy pectin here, and from what I've read it is more difficult to make without the pectin. But I kept wanting to try because strawberry jam is expensive here, but strawberries themselves are relatively cheap. Well, in the end I don't think I saved any money, but this is by far the best strawberry jam I've ever had! And it has no preservatives. It was quite easy too, so I may make it again, even if it doesn't save me money. If you use pectin to thicken your jam, I am sure you'll get a higher yield, but the concentrated strawberry flavor makes this an extra special treat.

Homemade Strawberry Jam Recipe

• 3 quarts hulled strawberries
• 4 cups sugar

1. Put strawberries and sugar in a crock pot, and stir thoroughly. The sugar will bring out the natural juices in the strawberries.
2. Turn crock pot on high, and bring to a boil.
3. Remove lid, and mash strawberries with a potato masher.
4. Allow to boil and reduce to the desired consistency, mashing intermittently. When my jam reduced to about 1 quart it was a great consistency.
5. Allow to cool, and store in jars in the fridge or freezer.

DIY Light and Fluffy Pancakes

This a a more traditional pancake recipe than the hearty pancake recipe. While not quite as nutritious, these taste great and are fun to make for special occasions or company. I made them in heart shapes with strawberry sauce for Valentine's Day.

Homemade Fluffy Pancake Recipe

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and stir until smooth.
2. Pour about 1/2 cup of batter onto a hot greased griddle.
3. Cook until underside is brown. Flip over, and cook until the other side is brown. 
4. To make heart shapes I first tried making heart shapes right on the griddle, but found it easier to cut a heart out of the middle of a large pancake. I really like how the pancake with the heart cut out of the middle looks with the hole filled in with strawberry syrup, very festive.

This recipe makes enough for 1–2 adults, but this basic ratio is easily doubled, quadrupled, or more. Serve warm with homemade butter, pancake syrup, spiced syrup, strawberry syrup, orange marmalade, lemon marmalade, or pumpkin butter for a really special treat.

DIY Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice Syrup

We are loving all things pumpkin right now at our house, including these delicious pumpkin pancakes. This weekend, I made some pumpkin spice syrup to go with them. I briefly adapted the recipe from here. I really like the combination of spices, but if you feel like this would be pumpkin spice overload, simply using the cinnamon will tone it down a little.

Homemade Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice Syrup Recipe

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• Dash of ginger
• Dash or cloves

Combine all ingredients in a pot, and stir well. Make sure flour is thoroughly dissolved. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the syrup begins to thicken. Pour over pumpkin pancakes, and enjoy, or cool and refrigerate for later use.

DIY Processed Pumpkin

If you can get a great deal on pumpkins, you can save a lot of money by processing them yourself instead of by pumpkin puree or pie pumpkin already in a can. If you do a large batch at once and freeze it, you can still have the convenience of ready to use pumpkin at a fraction of the cost. We got an interesting looking thing that Walmart here called a pumpkin. It doesn't really look much like a pumpkin, but tastes just the same as the big orange guys back in America. It works for us.

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

• Pumpkin
• Water

1. Begin by cutting the pumpkin in half lengthwise.
2. Scoop out the seeds, and save them for making roasted pumpkin seeds if desired. Scoop out the stringy center, scraping the firm flesh free of strings.
3. This year I did something different that really worked well. I cut off the outer skin next, like peeling a cantaloupe. Then I cut the pumpkin into small pieces.
4. Next boil the pumpkin in a pot of water on the stove top, or bake in a shallow baking dish in the oven at 350 F. With the pumpkin already peeled and chopped small, both methods seemed to only take about 20-30 minutes for the pumpikn to cook up nice and soft.
5. After the pumpkin has cooled slightly, blend the pumpkin with a small amount of water until very smooth.
6. Use as you would pumpkin puree or freeze for later use.

DIY Saltines

So, plain soda crackers aren't the most healthy recipe if you make them with all white flour, but at least with this homemade recipe there are no preservatives, and they taste way better than store bought saltines. Just like our homemade wheat thins, the only problem with them is they disappear way too fast around here.

Homemade Soda Cracker Recipe

• 3 cups flour (you can use part whole wheat if you want)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Salt for sprinkling on top (sea salt is great)
• Additional herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme can also be sprinkled on top for a unique flavor (optional)

1. Mix all ingredients until well combined. If dough is too sticky you may need to add extra flour. 
2. Roll dough out on a lightly floured or lightly oiled surface until about 1/8 inch thick. You can either roll it out on a counter and transfer it in a large piece to an oiled cookie sheet, or you can roll it directly onto an oiled cookie sheet.
3. Once on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt (and any extra herbs) and roll lightly to press salt in.
4. Gently cut the crackers to size using a pizza cutter or knife.
5. Bake at 350 F for 10-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly, and then break them into individual pieces.

This is the recipe I used to make train crackers.

DIY Wheat Thins

We all love this recipe for these simple crackers. They taste really similar to wheat thins but better. This is the recipe I used when I made the dinosaur crackers. The only problem with this recipe is they disappear really fast around here.

Homemade Wheat Cracker Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups flour (you can use all whole wheat if you want)
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 tsp salt, plus salt for sprinkling on top (sea salt is great)
• Additional herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme can also be sprinkled on top for a unique flavor (optional)

1. Mix all ingredients until well combined. If dough is too sticky you may need to add extra flour. 
2. Roll dough out on a lightly floured or lightly oiled surface until about 1/8 inch thick. You can either roll it out on a counter and transfer it in a large piece to an oiled cookie sheet, or you can roll it directly onto an oiled cookie sheet.
3. Once on the cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt (and any extra herbs) and roll lightly to press salt in.
4. Gently cut the crackers to size using a pizza cutter or knife.
5. Bake at 350F for 10-20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly, and then break into individual pieces.

These crackers are great by themselves or paired up with almost any dip.

DIY Caramel Chips

I love really good caramel, preferably homemade with great ingredients.  It is probably only second to chocolate as my favorite flavors for desserts. This recipe is for hard caramel candy chips that are great in ice cream or brownies. I love how they get soft and gooey, but keep just a bit of crunch in both hot and cold recipes. I also like to just eat them as hard candy. With only one ingredient, this recipe couldn't get much simpler.

Homemade Caramel Candy Chips

• 1 cup sugar (or more or less depending on the amount of chips you want)

1. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, or just get out a silicone baking pan to have ready nearby.
2. In a very clean and dry saucepan, begin heating the sugar, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning.
3. Continue heating the sugar, stirring occasionally, until it is all melted and has turned amber in color. Stirring too frequently can result in lumpy caramel. However, stirring too little or heating too long can cause the caramel to scorch and burn. This is really not difficult, but you do have to keep a close eye on this recipe.
4. Once all of the sugar is melted and turned a beautiful amber, very carefully pour into prepared baking pan. Melted sugar is extremely hot so be careful not to burn yourself. Wearing oven mitts and a long sleeved shirt is a good precaution.
5. Spread out the melted sugar with a spatula to cover the entire bottom of the pan.
6. After the caramel has cooled and hardened, break it into pieces. You can use a mortar and pestle, rolling pin, meat tenderizer, or even your hands (if you are really determined) for this step.
7. Use in your favorite ice cream or baking recipe, or enjoy real caramel hard candy made in your own kitchen.

These would be great for additions to unique Christmas time treats!

DIY Peanut Butter Pudding

This homemade peanut butter pudding is creamy and delicious. I bet it would be fantastic combined with chocolate pudding.

Homemade Creamy Peanut Butter Pudding Recipe

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 cups whole milk (divided)
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch

1. In a small mixing bowl, begin by stirring together ½ cup milk, egg, and cornstarch until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups milk, sugar, and peanut butter. 
3. Stir over medium heat to warm the milk.
4. Take a couple of big spoonfuls (¼ to ½ cup) of the warm milk mixture, and add it into the cornstarch and egg mixture. Don't skip this step. This tempers the egg and prevents it from becoming a scrambled egg when adding it into the hot milk.
5. Pour the cornstarch and egg mixture into the warm milk, and stir quickly to combine well.
6. Continue to stir over medium heat until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble.
7. You can serve this pudding warm (sounds good in the winter) or chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve it cold.

DIY Cappuccino Pudding

This one isn't for the kiddos, but is a great treat for moms. I bet it would be fantastic combined with chocolate pudding.

Homemade Coffee Pudding Recipe

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup strong coffee
• 2 cups whole milk (divided)
• 1 egg
• 4 Tbsp cornstarch

1. In a small mixing bowl, begin by stirring together ½ cup milk, egg, and cornstarch until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups milk, sugar, and coffee. 
3. Stir over medium heat to warm the milk.
4. Take a couple of big spoonfuls (¼ to ½ cup) of the warm milk mixture, and add it into the cornstarch and egg mixture. Don't skip this step. This tempers the egg and prevents it from becoming a scrambled egg when adding it into the hot milk.
5. Pour the cornstarch and egg mixture into the warm milk, and stir quickly to combine well.
6. Continue to stir over medium heat until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble.
7. You can serve this pudding warm (sounds good in the winter) or chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve it cold.

DIY Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola

This is another variation on how to make a basic granola. This one reminds me of fruit crisp topping. No one besides me ever seems to get bored with our basic peanut butter granola I make most of the time. But I like variety sometimes and have heard of other houses where they get tired of eating regular old granola everyday. This is one way to vary the taste of granola more than just changing the additions.

Homemade Cinnamon Brown Sugar Granola Recipe

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter, oil, or even peanut butter
• 6 cups oatmeal
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup or more of additions (such as raisins, dried fruit, nuts, or seeds) (optional)

1. In a large non-stick or cast iron pot, melt the butter, coconut oil, or peanut butter, stirring frequently. If you are using liquid oil, you can obviously omit this step.
2. Turn off heat, and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Add oatmeal, and stir to coat evenly with the butter (or oil) and sugar mixture. If you wish to add unroasted nuts or seeds to the granola, do so now.
4. Spread on cookie sheets and bake at 350 F for 10–15 minutes. Check granola at this point to see if it has browned lightly. Stir, and bake for another 10–15 minutes, if necessary.
5. Allow the granola to cool before mixing in other additions and transferring to an airtight container for storage.

DIY Butterscotch Pudding

Butterscotch pudding has such a unique homey taste. It thankfully (and ironically) doesn't have any scotch in it, but rather gets its flavor from butter and brown sugar. Therefore, don't skimp on the butter or brown sugar, otherwise it won't really have the full butterscotch flavor.

Homemade Creamy Butterscotch Pudding Recipe

• 2 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 cups whole milk (divided)
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch

1. In a small mixing bowl, begin by stirring together ½ cup milk, egg, and cornstarch until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan melt butter.
3. Add brown sugar, and stir until dissolved.
4. Add 1½ cups milk, and stir well. 
5. Stir over medium heat to warm the milk.
6. Take a couple of big spoonfuls (¼ to ½ cup) of the warm milk mixture, and add it into the cornstarch and egg mixture. Don't skip this step. This tempers the egg and prevents it from becoming a scrambled egg when adding it into the hot milk.
7. Pour the cornstarch and egg mixture into the warm milk, and stir quickly to combine well.
8. Continue to stir over medium heat until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble.
9. You can serve this pudding warm (sounds good in the winter) or chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve it cold.

DIY Vanilla Pudding

Vanilla pudding is great by itself or as a base for other desserts, like banana pudding. This easy, homemade vanilla pudding is so much tastier than the boxed version.

Homemade Creamy Vanilla Pudding Recipe

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk (divided)
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a small mixing bowl, begin by stirring together ½ cup milk, egg, and cornstarch until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups milk, sugar, and vanilla. 
3. Stir over medium heat to warm the milk.
4. Take a couple of big spoonfuls (¼ to ½ cup) of the warm milk mixture, and add it into the cornstarch and egg mixture. Don't skip this step. This tempers the egg and prevents it from becoming a scrambled egg when adding it into the hot milk.
5. Pour the cornstarch and egg mixture into the warm milk, and stir quickly to combine well.
6. Continue to stir over medium heat until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble.
7. You can serve this pudding warm (sounds good in the winter) or chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve it cold.

DIY Yogurt Pops

Summer is a great time to relax and enjoy some simple pleasures, like these yogurt popsicles. They are fruity and refreshing and an even healthier alternative to these pudding pops. They are simple enough that an older child could help or even make them by themselves.

Homemade Yogurt Popsicles

• Yogurt (homemade yogurt flavored any way you like or using one of these frozen yogurt recipes works great!)
• Popsicle molds or cups and popsicle sticks (or even sturdy straws will work)
• Baking pans or cookie sheets (This makes transporting them to the freezer easier.)

1. Spoon the yogurt into popsicle molds or cups. (I usually make each popsicle about 1/4 cup (or 2 oz.), but you can make them any size you like.) Put the cups or molds on a pan or cookie sheet. If using molds, you can insert the sticks now.
2. If using cups, place in the freezer for an hour or two to allow them to freeze part way, and then insert the sticks. They will stand up much straighter than if you are impatient or in a hurry (like I am sometimes) and stick them in too soon.
3. Return to the freezer for a few more hours to freeze solid.
4. Running the cups or molds under warm water for a couple of minutes  makes it easier to get them out.
5. Enjoy!

DIY Pudding Pops

Summer is a great time to relax and enjoy some simple pleasures, like these pudding popsicles. They are creamy and rich but small enough that they make a great after lunch treat, afternoon snack, or they can satisfy a chocolate or caramel craving for mom! They are simple enough that an older child could help or even make them by themselves.

Homemade Pudding Popsicles

• 1 batch of pudding (homemade works great!)
• Popsicle molds or cups and popsicle sticks (or even sturdy straws will work)
• Baking pans or cookie sheets (This makes transporting them to the freezer easier.)

1. Make the pudding (see other posts for instructions), and allow it to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
2. Spoon the pudding into popsicle molds or cups. (I usually make each popsicle about 1/4 cup (or 2 oz.), but you can make them any size you like. This way I can get about 8 pudding popsicles from one full batch of pudding.) Put the cups or molds on a pan or cookie sheet. If using molds, you can insert the sticks now.
3. If using cups, place in the freezer for an hour or two to allow them to freeze part way, and then insert the sticks. They will stand up much straighter than if you are impatient or in a hurry (like I am sometimes) and stick them in too soon.
4. Return to the freezer for a few more hours to freeze solid.
5. Running the cups or molds under warm water for a couple of minutes  makes it easier to get them out.
6. Enjoy!

DIY Chocolate Pudding

Caramel and Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding seems like just about the perfect comfort food. This simple recipe for chocolate pudding tastes so much better than pudding from a box, and it is really easy to make. It is great when combined with caramel pudding!

Homemade Creamy Chocolate Pudding Recipe

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa
• 2 cups whole milk (divided)
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch

1. In a small mixing bowl, begin by stirring together ½ cup milk, egg, and cornstarch until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1½ cups milk, sugar, and cocoa. 
3. Stir over medium heat to warm the milk.
4. Take a couple of big spoonfuls (¼ to ½ cup) of the warm milk mixture, and add it into the cornstarch and egg mixture. Don't skip this step. This tempers the egg and prevents it from becoming a scrambled egg when adding it into the hot milk.
5. Pour the cornstarch and egg mixture into the warm milk, and stir quickly to combine well.
6. Continue to stir over medium heat until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble.
7. You can serve this pudding warm (sounds good in the winter) or chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve it cold.

This is really good when combined with caramel pudding!

DIY Caramel Pudding

I love good caramel, not just any caramel, but rich, delicious (preferably homemade) caramel. This recipe for homemade caramel pudding tastes rich, but is actually quite low in sugar and fat compared to most recipes with caramel in them.

Homemade Creamy Caramel Pudding Recipe

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups whole milk (divided)
• 1 egg
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch

1. In a small mixing bowl, begin by stirring together ½ cup milk, egg, and cornstarch until well combined.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat, tilting and stirring the mixture frequently to prevent scourching.
3. After the sugar is all melted and caramelized (dark amber color), slowly add 1½ cups milk. This mixture will bubble and foam, and the sugar will harden.
4. Continue to stir over low heat until the sugar melts again.
5. Take a couple of big spoonfuls (¼ to ½ cup) of the warm milk mixture, and add it into the cornstarch and egg mixture. Don't skip this step. This tempers the egg and prevents it from becoming a scrambled egg when adding it into the hot milk.
6. Pour the cornstarch and egg mixture into the warm milk, and stir quickly to combine well.
7. Continue to stir over medium heat until the pudding thickens and begins to bubble.
8. You can serve this pudding warm (sounds good in the winter) or chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days and serve it cold.

DIY Banana Frozen Yogurt

This sweet frozen yogurt was a big hit around here. Bananas have so much natural sweetness in them that this frozen yogurt turns out well and tastes great with very little added sugar.

Homemade Banana Frozen Yogurt Recipe

• 2 large or 3 small bananas peeled
• 1/4 cup sugar (or honey)
• 3 cups plain yogurt (homemade works great!)

1. Peel bananas, and put in the blender with sugar and 1 cup yogurt.
2. Blend until smooth.
3. Stir in remaining yogurt (this keeps the yogurt from getting too runny).
4. Freeze in an ice cream freezer, or follow the directions here to freezer in your regular freezer.

This recipe makes about 1 quart or liter of frozen yogurt.

DIY Pretty Plum Frozen Yogurt

Plums produce a very subtle flavor in this sweet, fruity frozen yogurt.

Plum Frozen Yogurt Recipe

• 1 cup plums
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 cups plain yogurt (homemade works great)

1. Remove the pit from the plums, and slice them. (I didn't bother to peel them because I am lazy and don't like to peel fruit when it isn't necessary.)
2. Put plums, sugar, and 1 cup yogurt in the blender, and blend until smooth. This gets all ingredients super-smooth really fast. You can't even taste the peel. You can only see small specks in the yogurt. The plum peel gives this frozen yogurt its pretty pink color since the flesh of these plums was white.
3. Stir in remaining yogurt to prevent thinning the mixture to much.
4. Freeze in an ice cream freezer, or follow these directions to freeze in your regular freezer.

Recipe makes about 1 quart or liter of frozen yogurt.