Things you didnt believe were so easy to make from scratch

[Unorganisedchaos2]

After saving for ages I finally own a kitchen aid stand mixer and Im living my middle ages dreams 😆

Had a go at making butter at the weekend and I cant believe how quick and easy it was, Im not sure I'll buy it again.

Going to give Mayonnaise a try tonight as we also get through loads of that.

Im trying to reduce our UPF's - has anyone started making things from scratch that they were surprised how easy it was?

🤣Or any manufacturers of dairy products?

Thank you

I only recently discovered that you can freeze hummus. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Now I make a huge vat of it and freeze it in tubs.

(Can I also say that if you have any leftovers from Ottolenghis Confit Chickpea recipe, it forms the base of a lush hummus)

As per the rules:
https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/recipes/confit-tandoori-chickpeas

I came to cooking late (late 30s/early 40s) and so many things that I thought I didn’t like, I actually do like, as I make them to my taste.

mincemeat - I leave out the lemon and orange peel and add figs and extra booze
Christmas pudding - again, I leave out the lemon peel

I have a Kenwood chef mixer and I use it loads. It makes everything so much easier for me to manage.

things I make from scratch all the time and I find really easy:

pesto
pizza dough and flatbreads
pizza sauce
Tomato and basil pasta sauce
rice pudding
cheesecake
blueberry coulis
soups - Mary Berry ten minute tomato soup, carrot and parsnip soup, butternut squash and coconut, Thai chicken noodle soup
fudge - white chocolate, cranberry and pistachio
muffins
paninis (I know that these are really simple, but I’ve spent years buying them in cafes and now I make my own and prefer them eg pesto, mozzarella and sun dried tomato is really tasty)
cranberry sauce
asian chilli jam

I’ve tried several times to make hummous and it hasn’t really turned out very well.

https://www.inspiredtaste.net/27956/easy-tomato-soup-recipe/

Here you go!

@Quirkswork Well…. I think the Cheesemakers come out top… with the Buttermakers next?

(Is this making sense? 🤣)

Soup
Pasta sauce
Bechamel sauce
Pizza
Greek yoghurt flatbreads too (What mummy makes recipe)
Pancakes
Roast pots
Cakes
Cookies
Bread buns
Garlic bread

Focaccia
Lemon curd
Mayo
Vegan mayo
Bread - for loaves, rolls, soft breadsticks
Pitta bread
Hollandaise
Biscotti - I swap all the fruit for nuts
Fresh pasta
Chocolate ice cream
Pastry. I love making pastry, all the kinds bar puff because it’s 2025!

I’d love a recipe for mincemeat. When’s the best time to make it for this Christmas?

I always make my own coleslaw. It’s so much nicer, and less gloopy, than shop bought (which I’ve never enjoyed).

I just made paella tonight for the first time! Chicken and chorizo with peas and parsley.
Spices I used sweet paprika, garlic powder, cumin, freshly crushed fennel, black pepper, hot chilli powder and dried oregano.
Very easy one pot meal!

Some great posts here. So many things are easier than you think to make at home, and usually much better. My favourites are coleslaw, bread, chutney, soup and ice-cream.

I do a butter bean hummous. Very simple, olive oil, tin of butter beans, salt and black pepper and paprika. Blitz in mini food processor.

Chili/infused oil. Takes only 10 minutes and tastes so much better and you can experiment with different flavor combinations

Oh, that sounds like something I could do. We have everything in....

Ice cream. I bought a Lakeland ice cream maker from FB marketplace, 3 ingredients (cream, sugar and vanilla) and the vanilla ice cream was incredible. I made some biscoff ice cream that the DC finished very quickly.

I had to stop making it, I put on weight.

Jam and marmalade. It's so easy to make, especially marmalade as it is just sugar and fruit (no need for jam sugar, unlike jam). Chop up fruit, steep in sugar, add water and boil to death!

Sourdough. Not hard and not time consuming.

For me chicken stock takes 2-3 days.

I use a slow cooker liner to cook a chicken.

Remove and eat the chicken then put the carcass back in to the slow cooker liner, add an onion or two, herbs, a carrot, salt and pepper.

Add boiling water and leave to cook - I leave the lid off so it can reduce.

When the stock is ready - check by tasting it - punch a hole or 5 in the liner and then carefully lift the liner and allow the liquid to drain out through the holes and the liner will contain the carcass and the veg.

I usually make a French onion Soup with some of the stock at this stage and then put some in a pan to evaporate it further.

I am going to have to get involved here.

Tzitiki MUST have some acid in it. So a teaspoon of white wine vinegar is an essential. I have been lectured on this by DH's Greek relatives and have learnt it really makes all the difference. It should also be mint but I can totally see how thyme might work.

@Waggytail thank you 😊

I know a lot have said bread, but it really is a game changer. So easy with a machine, just Chuck in the ingredients knead for 5 minutes, shape rise (in air fryer for 10 minutes on proof ) into oven 50 minutes for a large loaf. Honestly haven’t bought bread for years I bake a loaf every other day or so.

i use to leave the ingredients in the machine in the evening, knead while putting coffee on, proof while having coffee/breakfast. Bake when shower dressing. Lift out oven cover go to work. - done. I know I’m strange my dad once said I run the house like a military operation in the morning, 5 kids, bread made washing done and in the line or airer, breakfast , dressed , beds made bathrooms wiped round and all out the house by 8. Bit slower these days but I am retired.

ice cream is so easy too and so much better.

garlic butter is something I make all the time, always have a tub in the fridge so easy and you can make it how you like it.

Please share!! Especially any vege ideas/recipes.

Halloumi.
Focaccia

How do you make Halloumi?? I love it.