SPAM Tacos

Photos courtesy of the Cooking Corner.

      When experimenting with the many uses of SPAM®, I came across the easy idea of using jalapeño flavored SPAM® in tacos. This way any time you're in the mood for tacos, whether you have ground beef or not, there can be a can of SPAM® on hand to finish the dish.
     There are only a few basic ingredients and with some easy assembly, dinner can be done quickly. The topping also sprinkles over the top of nachos to use up any extra filling.


SPAM Tacos 
1 12-ounce can SPAM® Jalapeño, diced
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 can corn, drained (about 1/2 cup)
10 yellow corn taco shells, heated
1 can refried beans (optional)

Toppings - shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream and/or guacamole

Warm beans on low in small pan if using. Cover with lid.

In medium skillet, over medium heat, saute' diced SPAM® until lightly browned. Add black beans and corn and heat until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.

Spread 2 T. of beans, if using, in bottom of taco shells and then top with meat and veggie mixture. Put on plate and place in microwave. Heat 30 seconds to warm shells.

Garnish tacos with toppings of choice. (We used salsa and shredded cheese.)

Recipe inspired by the SPAM website at http://www.spam.com

Warmed filling.

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Basic Substitutions

English: Four aluminum measuring spoons on a ring, in United States customary units of tablespoon, teaspoon, and fractions of a teaspoon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   It never fails. There is always some point when I'm cooking that I almost have everything to make a recipe, but not quite.  Since I'm not partial to running to the store at a moment's notice I believe in substitutions. There are quite a few things that you may have on hand that you can use in a pinch. Here's a list of possibilities to keep in mind.

Basic Substitutions

Almond Extract  -  use Amaretto.

Brown Sugar  -  For each cup use: 1 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon molasses.

Buttermilk  -  FOR EACH CUP: Mix 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream mixed with 1/4 cup skim milk. Use only 1 cup of the mixture. OR 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tbs. of lemon juice

Cake Flour  -  For each cup: Measure 1 cup all-purpose flour, remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch.

Chili Sauce -  For one cup: Combine 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cub brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons vinegar, 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon, dash of ground cloves and dash of allspice.

Chives - Use green onion or scallion tops instead.

Cornstarch  -  (For thickening sauces) For each tablespoon; Use 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour.

Corn Syrup  -  Replace with honey.

Cream of Tartar  -  For 1/2 teaspoon: use 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice.

Ground Red Pepper  -  For 1/4 teaspoon: use 8 drops of Tabasco (or other hot pepper sauce).

Pumpkin Pie Spice  -  For 1 teaspoon: Combine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon allspice and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.

Shallots  -  Use red onion or just white parts of green onions.

Sour Cream  -  Use plain yogurt.

Tomato Sauce  -  For a 15 oz. can: Combine a small can of tomato paste with 1 1/2 cups water. Mix well.

Unsweetened Chocolate (Melted)  -  For each ounce: Use 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa mixed with melted butter or margarine.

Vanilla Extract  -  Use brandy.

Whipped Cream  -  Chill a 13 ounce can of evaporated milk for 12 hours.  Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, whip until stiff.

Wine  -  For 1/2 cup: Use 1/4 cup of wine vinegar (red or white wine vinegar, depending upon what recipe calls for) mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 cup water.

1 Egg  - 1 heaping tablespoon mayo.

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Fresh Buttermilk

Friends Favorite Recipe Swap

From Shirley Fincher of Princeton

This is an easy substitute.

Fresh Buttermilk
1-1/4 cups 2% milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons Lemon juice/ from the Real Lemon green bottle
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sour cream

Mix all together and then let sit overnight in the fridge.
You can drink buttermilk as is or use in your baking.

PS.This is better if let set in fridge overnight.

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Baking Mix from Home

Image via Wikipedia

   Have you ever been cooking and realized that you are out of something? That means it's time to improvise. Well, if that "something" is baking mix (like Jiffy or Bisquick), here's a substitution solution.

 Baking Mix
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup shortening

Mix all together well and store in airtight container.
Makes 6 cups

(Note- have seen this recipe using 3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder as well)

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Self-rising flour

Image via Wikipedia

   Every now and then, you might find yourself in a pinch. A recipe calls for self-rising flour and you only have all-purpose on hand. Unless you are a serious baker, all-purpose is what's normally in the pantry. There is the art of substitution, making use of what you've got. Here's a way to make your own self-rising flour.

Substitute Self-rising flour
As a substitute for each cup of self-rising flour, place 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt in a measuring cup; add all-purpose flour to equal 1 cup. For 1/2 cup of self-rising flour, place 3/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt in a measuring cup;  add all-purpose flour to equal 1/2 cup.

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Chocolate Substitutions

Image via Wikipedia

   A friend of mine forwarded this info to me. I have never tried substituting chocolate, but it seems like it could come in really handy in a pinch. So if you need a quick substitution for chocolate, here are some chocolate substitutions, but remember not always do they work as well as the original recipe ingredient:


Chocolate, Bittersweet:
Substitute 1 (1-ounce) square semi-sweet baking chocolate for 1 (1-ounce) square
bittersweet baking chocolate.
Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate may be used interchangeably in recipes, but there may be slight differences in flavor and texture.


Chocolate, Semi-Sweet:
3 tablespoons chocolate chips for every 1-ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate.
1-ounce bittersweet baking chocolate for every 1-ounce semi-sweet bittersweet
 baking chocolate.
1-ounce unsweetened baking chocolate and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for every
 1-ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate.
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon
 butter, margarine or shortening for every 1 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate.

Chocolate Chips, Semi-Sweet:
1 ounce semi-sweet baking chocolate for every 1 ounce of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
1-ounce sweet baking chocolate for every 1-ounce chocolate chips.
1-ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1 tablespoons sugar for every 1-ounce chocolate
chips


Chocolate, Sweet Baking (German's):
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 teaspoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter, shortening or vegetable oil for every 1-ounce German's sweet baking chocolate.
1 ounce dark sweet chocolate for every 1 ounce German's sweet baking chocolate.

Chocolate, Unsweetened:
3 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 1 tablespoon butter, margarine or shortening for every 1-ounce unsweetened baking chocolate.
3 level tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa plus 1 tablespoon shortening, butter, or oil for every 1-ounce unsweetened baking chocolate.
1/2 cup (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate chips or morsels - plus cut sugar by 1/4 cup and shortening by 1 tablespoon in your recipe.

Chocolate, White:
Substitute 1-ounce milk chocolate or white chocolate chips for every 1-ounce white chocolate.
(Color and flavor will vary.)

Cocoa, Unsweetened:
Substitute equal amounts of Dutch-processed cocoa for unsweetened cocoa. Leave out any baking soda called for in the recipe.
3 tablespoon carob powder plus 2 tablespoons water for every 1-ounce unsweetened cocoa.
***NOTE - Do not substitute instant cocoa mix for unsweetened cocoa in any recipe.


Dutch-Process Cocoa:
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus a pinch (1/8 teaspoon) baking soda for every 1-ounce Dutch-Process Cocoa.
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (reduce fat in recipe by 1 tablespoon).
3 tablespoons carob powder for every 1-ounce Dutch Process Cocoa.


Mexican Chocolate:
1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon ground Mexican cinnamon for every 1-ounce Mexican Chocolate.
In mole sauces, substitute 1 tablespoon cocoa powder for every ounce of Mexican chocolate called for in the recipe.


Milk Chocolate:
Substitute equal amounts of sweet chocolate OR semi-sweet chocolate for milk chocolate.


***NOTE - 
Do not substitute chocolate syrup for melted chocolate in any recipe.

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Freezing Eggs

Freeze eggs? Who would have thought? A friend emailed this to me and I found it intriguing. I never knew you could do this.


How To Freeze Eggs
Eggs can be frozen, but not in the shell!
It's best to freeze eggs in small quantities so you can thaw only what you need. An easy way to do this is to put them in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer container and label.
As with any frozen food, it is best to thaw eggs in the refrigerator and use them as soon as they are thawed. Only use thawed eggs in dishes that will be thoroughly cooked.


Following are some easy instructions for freezing eggs:
Whole Eggs:  To freeze whole eggs or yolks crack them into a bowl and gently stir to break up the yolk somewhat. Try not to incorporate air into the eggs. Label the container with the date and the number of eggs. They can be kept frozen for a year, and should be thawed in the refrigerator the day before you intend to use them.

Egg Yolks:  To inhibit yolks from getting lumpy during storage, stir in a 1/2-teaspoon salt per 1-cup of egg or yolks. If using for desserts, use 1-tablespoon sugar or corn syrup per 1-cup yolks or whole eggs. Label the container with the date and the number of egg yolks. Use up extra egg yolks in recipes like sauces, custards, ice cream, yellow cakes, mayonnaise, scrambled eggs, and cooked puddings.

Egg Whites:  Raw egg whites do not suffer from freezing (cooked egg whites are very rubbery). No salt or sugar is needed. Break and separate the eggs one at a time, making sure that no yolk gets into the whites. Pour into trays and freeze until firm. Label the container with the date and the number of egg whites. Use up extra egg whites in boiled frostings (i.e., 7-minute frosting), meringue cookies, angel food cake, white cakes, or meringue for pies.

Hard-Cook Egg Yolks:  Hard-cooked egg yolks can be frozen to use later for toppings or garnishes. Carefully place the yolks in a single layer in a saucepan and add enough water to come at least I inch above the yolks. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and package for freezing.

NOTE: Hard-cooked whole eggs and whites become tough and watery when frozen, so don't freeze them.

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Egg Measurement Conversions

Every now and then, knowing how many eggs equal how much could be useful. 
For me, fall is baking season, so this little chart could come in handy.

Egg Conversions: 
These approximations are based on a large (2-oz) egg.
Other egg sizes may be more or less than the amounts listed below.

Whole Eggs
3 whole eggs = 1/2 cup
1 whole egg = 3 tablespoons
1/2 whole egg = 4 teaspoons

Yolks
6-7 yolks = 1/2 cup
1 yolk = 1 tablespoon

Whites
4-6 whites = 1/2 cup
1 white = 2 tablespoons

Dried Eggs
1 egg = 2 tablespoons egg powder + 2-1/2 tablespoons water

Note - in times of emergency, I've substituted one egg for one heaping tablespoon of mayo.

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Homemade Baking Mix

Photo courtesy Taste of Home

One of the staples in my kitchen is baking mix, whether it be Bisquick or Jiffy, it's just good to have on hand. Besides the obvious biscuits, pancakes and cobbler crusts, I've found other uses for it as well.  I often use baking mix combined with instant mashed potatoes to coat fried food, especially chicken. There was a "back of the box" recipe for cheeseburger pie using baking mix that was a hit with my kids when they were younger. But when you run out, what to do? Substitute or make your own. Here's how.

Homemade Baking Mix (Bisquick at Home)

4 cups flour

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 cup shortening

Mix all together well and store in airtight container.

Makes 6 cups

(have seen this recipe using 3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder as well)

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Buttermilk Alternative

Image via Wikipedia

If you need buttermilk for a recipe and don't need much, just work with what you've got.

1 cup sour cream
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate. Best if let set one day prior.

OR
1 cup plain yogurt or sour scream combined with 1/4 cup skim milk. (use 1 cup of mixture for 1 cup buttermilk)

(I've just added a tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk)

Taco Meat

Image via Wikipedia

   There are times when I start to whip up some quick tacos with spare ground beef and realize that I don't have any of the packaged taco seasonings. I've used ground beef, ketchup and tossed in some spices before and it's worked, but it just wasn't quite right. It was worth the extra to buy the packaged seasonings. Now I've found a new way to make the meat, add spices and get it right.


Taco Meat 
1 lb. ground beef (leaner the better)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup diced onion
4 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup ketchup

In medium saucepan combine ground meat, onion and water. Cook over medium heat until meat is browned and onions are clear. Add all other ingredients, mix well and simmer 15 minutes.

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