Leader Enterprise - Nov. 16, 2011 - Substitutions

 This time of the year, I spend hours in the kitchen every week.Doncha just hate it when you're all ready to make something and discover you're missing an ingredient? I do. That's why I'm happy to have discovered these great recipes for substitutes. I've become email buds with a 70-yr.old blogger at Grandma Loy's Kitchen. She has many DIY recipes that I love. I've made sweetened condensed milk and it's nearly the same consistency as store-bought. Amazing! I stock up on cake mixes when they're on sale, but if I decide to make something needing a yellow cake mix, and only have chocolate, then this DIY cake mix recipe works great too. Hope these creations keep you from running to the store during this busy baking time. I'm also sharing some great ideas to use some of these ingredients.


HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

{equivalent to 3-14-ozs.cans}
4 c. sugar
1 (12 ozs) can evaporated milk
1 c. nonfat dry milk
6 Tb. butter or margarine, sliced

Put sugar in a blender or food processor, 1 cup at a time. Blend until fine. Repeat process with dry milk. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, dry milk and butter in large saucepan. Mix very well. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, (a whisk works best) until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and divide evenly into thirds, about 1-1/4 c. each. Refrigerate overnight before using to allow mixture to thicken. Keeps 2 weeks in the refrigerator and can be frozen up to 6 months. It may be a little grainy after thawing,but smooths out when mixed with other ingredients. Use fat free evaporated milk and omit butter for fat free results. I used 2 c. Splenda to replace 2 c. sugar and it worked great...it simply produces less amount.


MAGIC BAR COOKIES (No egg)

1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 25-30 squares)
1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1-14 ozs. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1-1/3 c. coconut
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)
(I prefer mine toasted first)


Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat sweetened condensed milk and butter until smooth. Add graham cracker crumb mixture; mix well. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoonsful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. (the larger the cookie,the longer it takes to bake)

CAKE MIX

6 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. non fat powdered milk (blended in blender till fine)

4 c. sugar

1 Tb. baking powder

1 c. shortening

Mix dry ingredients together until well blended. Cut in shortening until it is in very fine particles. Store in airtight container at room temperature. Makes enough for 4 two layer cakes. This recipe can be easily halved.
One store-purchased box (18 ounces ) =3 1/4 cups of dry cake mix.
YELLOW CAKE

3 1/4 c. cake mix

2 well beaten eggs

1/4 c. vegetable oil

3/4 c. water

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and water; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into greased and floured pan[s]. Bake at 350 according to timetable below. Cake is done when it springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool cake 10 minutes in pan: place top side up on cooling rack. Frost when completely cool.

Baking Timetable.

2- 8-inch round layers = 25-30 minutes
2- 9-inch round layers = 20-25 minutes
1- 13 x 9 x 2-inch oblong pan = 40-45 minutes.

Variations:

Cherry: Prepare as directed. Add 1 tsp.almond extract and 1-10-oz.jar maraschino cherries, finely chopped.
Chocolate: Prepare as directed. Add 6 Tb.unsweetened cocoa.
Chocolate Surprise Cake: Make a chocolate cake add 1/2 c.rinsed and chopped sauerkraut.
Coconut: Prepare as directed. Add 1/2 tsp.coconut extract and 1/3 c.flaked coconut.
Eggnog: Prepare as directed. Add 1 tsp.nutmeg, 2 tsp.rum extract.and 1/2 c. chopped nuts.
Orange or Lemon: Prepare as directed. Add 2 Tb.grated lemon or orange peel and 2 tsp. matching extract.
Spice: Prepare as directed. Add 1 tsp.cinnamon and 1 tsp.cloves.
For a lighter cake, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and beat the egg whites until stiff. Add the beaten egg yolks to the cake mixture; gently fold the white eggs into the well mixed cake mixture.

CANDY AND PEANUT CHEWS

Base:

1 (18.25 oz.) pkg. Pillsbury Moist Supreme Yellow Cake Mix

(or 3-1/4 c.homemade mix)

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

3 c. miniature marshmallows

Topping:

1/2 c. light corn syrup

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. crisp rice cereal

2 c. salted peanuts

1 c. candy corn, optional

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and butter; mix well. Stir in egg; blend well. Press in bottom of foil-lined 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes or until base is set and light golden brown around edges. Remove pan from oven; immediately sprinkle with marshmallows. Return to oven; bake an additional 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows just begin to puff. Cool while preparing topping. Combine cereal, peanuts and candy corn in a bowl; set aside. In large saucepan, combine corn syrup, sugar and brown sugar; blend well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well blended. Stir in cereal, peanuts and candy corn. Immediately spoon topping over marshmallows; spread to cover. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into bars. Makes about 48.


DIY PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: Mix 1 tsp. cinnamon with 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. allspice and dash of cloves.


DIY POWDERED SUGAR: Place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 Tb. cornstarch in the blender; Blend on high continuously until the mixture is of uniform powdered consistency. Keep the lid on the blender until the powder settles.