LIPTON ONION SOUP MIX CLONE

This recipe tastes JUST LIKE LIPTON ONION SOUP MIX (well, actually it tastes even better because it's such a full flavor).

It's requires pantry staples and it has no soy; it's gluten free; no MSG; you can use low sodium bullion and you can pronounce ALL of the ingredients (not to mention it is very budget friendly).

I am NEVER buying boxed

Lipton Onion Soup mix again!!

This clone recipe is GREAT for dips, pot roast, meat loaf, or anything you would normally use the onion soup mix for.

4 tablespoons DRY instant minced onion (toasted)

2 tablespoons LOW SODIUM beef bullion granules

1/4 teaspoon onion powder (not onion salt)
1/4 teaspoon DRY parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon celery seed CRUSHED (important ingredient)

1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Equals a  single 1 1/4 oz.

envelope of soup mix.

NOTES: It is not necessary, but I toast the DRY instant minced onion flakes in a hot DRY pan for a few minutes (watch it closely). When it turns golden, remove from the pan immediately or it will continue to get darker. Toast them until they are this color:

 

NOTES: Make sure you crush the celery seed (and don't leave it out). A mortar and pestle or spice grinder work well for this.

NOTE: If you use the GRANULAR TYPE beef bullion (and you are going to make a sour cream type dip) you'll have to mix everything together and let it sit in the fridge for 20 minutes or so........so the bullion granules can dissolve. After 20 minutes, just stir and the granules will disappear.

NOTE: This sounds like a LOT of onion, but it is just right!!

NOTE: If you are using this to make a DIP, this recipe will season
16 ounces of sour cream.

ENJOY !!!!!



CORNBREAD MUFFIN FOR ONE

Do you ever wish you had a piping hot, fresh-out-of-the-oven cornbread muffin to go with that reheated bowl of chili?  As "empty nester's" that happens quite often at our house.

We like the taste and convenience of those small boxes of JIFFY cornbread mix. They are easy, tasty and quick...but even THOSE "little" boxes are too much for just 1 or 2 people.

Here is my "empty nester trick":  Mix (using the instructions on the side of the box) This will make enough for 6 muffins.

Put 6 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and give them a TINY spritz of cooking spray. Divide the batter, evenly, between the cupcake liners but, DON'T BAKE THEM..........FREEZE THEM.

When you need a cornbread muffin.......take one out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour.

Bake at 375° (NOT the 400° that the package recommends) for 20 minutes......that's it!!  Easy-peasy!!

ENJOY !!!

LIGHTER THAN AIR POPOVERS

I have been playing around with popover recipes for a while now, so I thought I would "get serious" and buy a popover pan. The new pan makes a HUGE difference, not so much in taste, but in appearance AND how big the air bubbles are inside of the popover. 

Popovers could not be easier or cheaper to make and they are such a treat, hot out of the oven with honey butter or strawberry jam!! 

If you do not have a popover pan, see note at the end of this post.

This recipe has several mini-steps

but they are ALL VERY EASY

and the popovers are delicious!!!

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 
• Put your popover pan in the oven while it preheats (do not grease the pan while it is preheating in the oven).

• While your oven and pan are preheating, whisk together:

3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of milk (see note)
1 tablespoon melted butter


NOTE ABOUT MILK: IF you have whipping cream on hand, put about 1/4 cup of whipping cream in a measuring cup and then fill the rest of the cup with 2% milk...if you have NO cream on hand...just use regular milk.

• After the ABOVE ingredients are whisked together well, add one cup of all purpose flour (spoon flour into measuring measuring cup and level off with straight edge). Whisk everything together for about 30 seconds or until it looks very smooth and creamy. LET BATTER SIT UNTIL YOUR OVEN (AND PAN) HAVE REACHED 425°
• 
  
• Next step....work quickly!!

• Take the HOT popover pan out of the HOT oven and quickly spray each cup with vegetable spray, then put roughly 1/2 teaspoon of CHILLED butter into the bottom of each HOT cup. 

• QUICKLY put batter into cups, filling half way full (makes six BIG popovers).

• Bake popovers at 425 for 20 minutes.
• 
  
• After 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 325 and bake for another 15 minutes.

• Remove popovers from pan and poke a tiny hole (I use a toothpick) in the bottom of each popover to relieve a little steam (not totally necessary if you are going to eat them right away).

 NOTE ABOUT POPOVER PAN: If you do not have a popover pan, you can use 6 ounce (oven safe) custard cups (I used the clear Pyrex ones, for a long time, with great success). I placed them all on a cookie sheet for easier handling. The popovers will not get quite as tall (as they do with a popover pan) but they taste every bit as good.

Someone from outside the USA wrote and asked me what a popover pan was, so here is a photo. As you can see, it is almost like a cupcake pan, but the cups are a lot deeper and spaced far apart so the hot air can circulate around each cup.