finding time for cooking

for the time-starved or curious culinary adventurer

Sauces, Spices, Condiments, & Other Basics 

There is SO MUCH JUNK in all of the basics we use every day.  Whether salad dressings, sauces, jam, seasonings, or any other condiment, you just don’t know what you’re getting with store-bought items.  So for the things that I use a lot, I tend to make my own.

And honestly it’s so easy!  I want to show you that healthy and homemade doesn’t have to be hard.

Here are a few of my faves to get you started:

You can browse the full recipe index or a more visual index here or explore the archives below… 

Super Easy Onion Pakoras (Without a Deep Fryer)…with Tamarind Chutney

Veggie or onion pakoras are SERIOUS comfort food for me.  As I mentioned with my deep kheer recipe explorations, I’m not really sure when or how this came to be since I didn’t grow up with Indian food, but now they’re one of my go-to’s when I want to indulge.

Easy Onion Pakoras with Tamarind Chutney | This is a simple & delicious onion pakora recipe without using a deep fryer, paired with a tart tamarind chutney.

Are onion pakoras and pakodas the same thing?

Yes, pakora and pakoda are different names for the same thing (you might also see pakodi or even just “fritters”.  Regardless of what they’re called, I LOVE them. 

I think there are a few main differences between this onion pakora recipe and restaurant ones.  1) I refuse to use a deep fryer, and so I can’t make more of the ball-like doughy ones, 2) I’m not using a mixed veg, and 3) I’m not using fresh curry leaves because finding them in southern Indiana is…not a thing.

But from a flavor and overall experience standpoint relative to effort, these tick my boxes.  And I can whip them up when a craving strikes in like 10 minutes, which is a major win for me.

Easy delicious onion pakoras without using a deep fryer

I have made these at least a dozen times at this point, trying to get them perfect, and here are a few hacks I read about and tried.  

  • Add a little oil to the batter to help make it crispier, so it won’t absorb as much oil while frying
  • Add a pinch of baking soda to the batter for extra fluffiness

I tried both of those at times, but didn’t see a meaningful difference so don’t know if it’s worth it, but mentioning in case those work well for you.

One of the main things you need to know is that, because we’re shallow pan-frying (vs. deep-frying), you want to keep them fairly small and flat rather than balls, to get them to cook through and not be raw inside.  Think latke rather than hush puppy.

How to make onion pakoras on the stove without a deep fryerREAD THE POST

Strawberry Mint Simple Syrup

I’ve got the perfect example of “takes zero time but feels fancy” for you today…this strawberry mint simple syrup takes advantage of the tail-end of strawberry season, and immediately levels-up your cocktail game.

Easy Strawberry Mint Simple Syrup | This super easy strawberry mint syrup is a unique summer cocktail addition, & a great way to use up strawberries. It only takes a few minutes to make...level up your cocktail game! Summer drink ideas, drink recipes, simple syrup recipes. #simplesyrup #cocktailrecipe #drinkrecipe

I’ve said it before, but I don’t think people realize how insanely easy it is to make flavored simple syrups, and how it can take your cocktail (or mocktail, or other stuff) game to the next level.  It literally takes like 2 minutes.

This strawberry mint syrup is a great way to use up all that late-summer super-ripe sweet juicy strawberry goodness.  It kind of gives me a “twist on a Pimms Cup vibe” (the non-cucumber kind because BLECH).

Easy Strawberry Mint Simple Syrup | This super easy strawberry mint syrup is a unique summer cocktail addition, & a great way to use up strawberries. It only takes a few minutes to make...level up your cocktail game! Summer drink ideas, drink recipes, simple syrup recipes. #simplesyrup #cocktailrecipe #drinkrecipe

You might also like:  The At-Home Cocktail Tools I Swear ByREAD THE POST

Easy Spiced Pear Simple Syrup

This spiced pear simple syrup is the epitome of “cozy”, and I’ve been having a blast experimenting with it in different cocktails.  It captures the juicy sweetness of ripe pears, warmth from the cinnamon, and just a hint of vanilla. 

Easy Spiced Pear Simple Syrup | This delicious spiced pear syrup is a wonderful addition to many cocktails, pairing nicely with bourbon, gin, rum, and even tequila. Just a few ingredients to up your cocktail game! Perfect for fall cocktails and winter drinks. #pear #simplesyrup #cocktails #drinkrecipe

Don’t be daunted by the 30-minute time on this spiced pear syrup, it’s entirely hands-off…something you can have on the stove while you make dinner or putter around with chores.  

This is the star in a simple spiced pear bourbon cocktail, and plays an amazing supporting role in an amaretto spiced pear gin sour.  It’s incredibly versatile, and I’d even play around with it in baked good glazes.

You want really ripe, juicy pears for your spiced pear syrupREAD THE POST

Easy Cardamom Simple Syrup

People underestimate how simple (HA!) it is to make an infused simple syrup.  Seriously, like 5 minutes.  And while I often gravitate toward herbs such as basil or rosemary, I’ve been intrigued by the idea of making a green cardamom simple syrup for a while.

Easy Cardamom Simple Syrup | This super simple, fragrant cardamom syrup only takes a few minutes to make, and is great in cocktails (especially gin), iced coffee, and many other things (like baked goods glazes). #greencardamom #cardamom #simplesyrup

I saw a recipe for a grapefruit cardamom gin cocktail that really got me thinking, though it required me to infuse the gin with cardamom which…that’s a bigger commitment.

So I went the simple syrup route instead, and I think you’ll love it!  This is great in a spiced peach bourbon cocktail (instead of cinnamon).  I also love adding a splash of this to my best ever iced coffee, including a little of it in glazes for baked goods, and it elevates a number of amazing gin cocktails.

cardamom simple syrup can make iced coffee special

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Easy Bourbon Cherry Jam (With or Without Pectin)

I look forward to cherry season all year.  For a month or so I buy as many dark sweet cherries as I can get my hands on, and absolutely gorge myself.  But sometimes I go a bit overboard and have to figure out what to do with the rest of my bounty.  Enter…delicious bourbon cherry jam!

Easy Bourbon Cherry Jam (With or Without Pectin) | This amazing cherry jam recipe is a great way to use up dark sweet cherries, and you can make this cherry jam without pectin if you want. Ready in an hour, an easy jam recipe for beginners | finding time for cooking

The great thing about this recipe is that if you’re looking for a cherry jam without pectin, this one has got you covered…but if you’ve got pectin on hand and you’re looking for a thicker, more “set” jam then this recipe is perfect as well. 

dark sweet cherries

As with most jam recipes, this one is really forgiving on quantities.  Basically, you want roughly a 2:1 fruit-to-sugar ratio, so a kitchen scale will be helpful. 

So for this batch I had 570g (a little over half a pound) of dark sweet cherries, and so used around 280g of sugar (I backed off just a tiny bit because my cherries were quite sweet). 

It will seem like way too much sugar, but that ratio is really important…if you cut back too much, the jam won’t set well (especially if you’re not using pectin).  The sugar plays a critical role in the jam science.  JAM SCIENCE!

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Rosemary Simple Syrup For Cocktails

Friends, we are now venturing into a new realm of foodie-ism.  The world where we think of delicious flavors to add to cocktails and then MAKE IT HAPPEN.  

Not a bad world, amirite???

Easy Homemade Rosemary Simple Syrup | this rosemary simple syrup makes a great addition to many cocktails, from a rosemary old fashioned to sprucing up a gin & tonic. And you can add it to baked goods as well!

Ever since moving to Louisville for my new job and working on spirit brands like Woodford Reserve, Tequila Herradura, and Old Forester, I’ve been introduced to a much wider world of awesome cocktails…new flavors, types of ingredients, ways of preparing, and so much more. 

I’m fascinated by all the new combinations that are out there.  And now that I’ve dipped my toe in by making old fashioneds at home (using pre-made syrup that’s amazing), I feel like I can try and branch out more on my own. 

So when I saw this recipe for rosemary simple syrup, I was intrigued.  I happened to have some rosemary sitting in my fridge, so on a whim I got up off the couch and put the saucepan on the stove. 

And five minutes later (plus 20 minutes of steeping on its own), I had my own homemade rosemary simple syrup.  I felt like a magician.

Easy Homemade Rosemary Simple Syrup | finding time for cooking blogREAD THE POST

Easy Spiced Pear Jam

It’s no secret that I love both pears and jam. Weirdly, though, I’ve never had pear jam and I’ve been jonesin’ to try some.

Pear Honey Jam

I’d bookmarked a bunch of different pear jam recipes, but when I went through them all nothing really jumped out as the right one.

I didn’t have a vanilla bean, I didn’t want to caramelize them ahead of time, etc. So I decided to wing it and combine different elements with some common sense to make amazing, delicious pear jam.

Easy Spiced Pear Jam | This delicious jam recipe is so easy to make, and it's always better to have homemade condiments rather than store-bought. Don't be scared by the pectin, it's just adding a packet to your jam! I use the European canning method, which is super simple and not scary at all. One of the best jam recipes! #pear #jam #pectin #pearjam

The first thing I had to figure out was whether I had to use pectin. I’ve avoided that in my jam making so far, but in doing research I found out that pear is a low-pectin fruit (apples have tons) so I probably needed to use it.

Luckily, it was way simpler than I expected. I also picked a great combination of spices—cinnamon, ginger, cardamom (great with pears), and almond extract.

I used a combination of honey and brown sugar, but only a total of a cup for the entire batch. A lot of recipes called for SO much more sugar, but I don’t see why it would need it.

Pear Honey Jam with Bartlett Pears

Jam is a great Sunday afternoon activity, because you can put a batch on and still be getting other things done while it cooks. You need to monitor occasionally, but it’s not a high-maintenance task.

And once you make a batch, it’ll last you for a long time—I usually make a big batch and eat on it for 3-4 months (my go-to lunch is homemade peanut butter & jelly on whole grain bread).

pear honey jam pears molasses cookie

After I filled all my jars, I had a few spoonfuls leftover, and had an amazing brainwave. I piled the jam on top of my freshly-baked molasses cookies. REVELATION. Seriously, the spices all went together so well, the textures were amazing, and the crunch of both the pears and the sugar on the cookies was like the embodiment of fall.

I told my mom about it and she goes, “That’s totally unnecessary, molasses cookies are great on their own*.” Me: “SO not the point. It’s so good!”

* True, they are amazing.READ THE POST

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I believe in making condiments and such from scratch (peanut butter, jelly, etc.).  I used to not use taco seasoning all that often, but in recent years it’s become a staple for me, so I decided it was time to bite the bullet and try making my own homemade taco seasoning.  While I’m not technically allergic to the MSG that’s usually in store-bought seasoning, it usually gives me bad headaches and makes me stuffed up, and it’s super high in sodium.  So it’s just not worth it.

And it’s so easy!!!  The ingredients are basically all ones you’d have in your cupboard. I think the only thing I needed to buy was onion powder. It took me all of five minutes to mix up the seasoning, and it should last indefinitely as long as it’s sealed and in a cool, dry place.

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Georgia On My Mind… (Easy Peach Jam)

There are few produce experiences more glorious than a perfectly ripe, succulent peach. Maybe that’s the Southerner that’s always been a part of me, even growing up in the Midwest. More than any other fruit, a sweet juicy peach just screams summer. So when I was perusing my local farm stand a couple weeks ago and found some mostly-ripe peaches, I couldn’t resist trying my hand at peach jam.

Living down here in Georgia, you’d think getting awesome peaches would be simple. Ironically, South Carolina leads the U.S. in peach production (after California, of course—what DON’T they produce more of??). But because we stuck our flag in the sand, Georgia is inextricably linked with peaches.

Easy No-Pectin Peach Jam | delicious juicy peaches and some vanilla are all you need for this awesome peach jam...no pectin needed! | finding time for cooking blog

I had successfully made a no-pectin strawberry balsamic jam (simple and delicious!) a few times, so I wanted to branch out to other jam recipes. Problem was, I was having trouble finding pectin-free jam recipes. Fruit butters, yes. But no jams or preserves. So I decided to make one up. I read several different peach preserves recipes, and also somewhat replicated my strawberry jam recipe.

Easy No-Pectin Peach Jam | finding time for cooking blog

Good news—it turned out great! The only issue is that peeling the peaches takes much more work than just cutting up strawberries. But when you’ve got sweet, ripe summer peaches, it’s totally worth it.

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Finally, no oil slick on top (One-Step Homemade Peanut Butter)

I’ve been buying natural peanut butter for years, because it’s generally healthier, to avoid trans fats, and overall just tastes good. But I’ve always been frustrated by the whole “stir in the oil” aspect of it, because I am apparently not capable of doing that. I start trying to stir it, splash oil everywhere, get the entire knife messy, and finally give up and put it in the fridge—where the next time I pull it out, there’s a congealed oil slick on top. So I eat half a jar of really oily peanut butter and half a jar of dry-as-a-bone peanut butter.

Suffice to say, I’m not a fan of the oil slick component. But I’d never really considered making my own, because that sounded like too much work. Plus, my grandma makes her own and just puts peanuts in the grinder attachment on her mixer, but that just ends up being dry peanut crumblies.

But behold—amazing creamy homemade peanut butter!

easy healthy homemade peanut butter

Enter Pinterest. Someone had pinned instructions for making your own homemade peanut butter with just the peanuts and a food processor, no additives. They said that if you just kept the food processor running past the crumbly stage and past the “dry ball of peanut goop” stage, magically the oils break down and it becomes creamy and delicious all on its own. No added salt, sugar, oil, etc. I was skeptical, but decided to give it a try. And, miracle of miracles, it works! So now I’m hooked.

I bought roasted & salted peanuts. Considered using honey roasted, but wasn’t sure of the additional sugar. You can use any type you like, or use mixed nuts, another type of nut, whatever floats your boat.

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