the bird - limited edition seasoning for turkey and stuffing

From now until December 31, 2015 we are offering a limited edition seasoning specially formulated for your holiday turkey and stuffing! Garlic and herbs with pinch of cracked fennel and nutmeg, this blend can also be used to season veggies, potatoes, or freshly baked herb bread. To order, leave a message on our Facebook page at: facebook.com/boutiquetreatssugar.

Spiced Simple Syrup

The holidays are here! Time to eat, drink and be merry with friends, neighbors, family, co-workers....wow, that's exhausting! Here's a really easy recipe for a tasty little syrup you can keep on hand and use at any last second to fancy up your beverages. I used Spice Cake here, but it would work just as well with Signature Spiced, Gingerbread, or Vanilla-Chai. You could even make it with Peppermint!

What you will need:
2 C spiced sugar
3 C water

Directions:
Bring your spiced sugar and water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow it to cool and transfer it to a jar or container and store it in the fridge or freezer.  

That's it! Now you have it ready to add to chilled wine for a spiced sangria. You can add it to hot apple juice and create instant cider. You can add a few teaspoons to a glass of champagne, rum, or bourbon and win hostess of the year for world's most fabulous cocktail! Add it to coffee, tea, or punch. Use it with cooked apples and cranberries for an amazing holiday compote, ice cream topping, or pie filling.  There are endless things you can create. Let us know what you come up with!

Rice Pudding - with Signature Spiced Sugar

Couldn't you go for a warm bowl of creamy, comforting rice pudding? It makes a great breakfast or dessert. In this recipe I substituted white sugar for Signature Spiced Sugar because it hits all the right notes: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, citrus...but you could easily use Spice Cake or Canela Latte if you prefer. I like to add a cinnamon stick to bump up the cinnamon flavor as well!

What you will need:
8 C whole milk
1 C white or arborio rice
3/4 C Signature Spiced Sugar
2 T butter

Directions:
In a large pot, melt the butter.  Saute the rice (and cinnamon stick if using) with the butter for a minute on med heat and stir. Add the milk and bring just to a boil.  

Lower the heat and continue to stir and cook for 25 minutes.  Stir in the sugar ad continue to cook and stir at a low simmer for 20-30 more minutes until the rice is very soft and creamy.  Remove the cinnamon stick, rest to cool for a few minutes, and serve warm!

Cajun Grilled Ham - with Creole spice mix

Now this is southern, y'all. You know how it is when you have a family gathering and get sent home with a giant ziplock bag of left over ham. Sure, you could use it for sandwiches, and beans, and breakfast.....but you'll want to save a little for this idea: cajun grilled ham.  There's nothing to it. Just brown that sucker up with some spices.

What you'll need:
Thickly sliced, fully cooked ham
Creole Cajun Seasoning
A little cooking oil

Heat up your skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil (I like to use cast iron for great caramelization). Sprinkle your ham with a good dose of the Creole seasoning and brown it in your skillet on both sides. Since it's fully cooked already, you are just going for color here. Render any bits of fat out and get that seasoning nicely browned into it.  
I did this the other night as a quick dinner for the kids with some fresh bread and frozen veggies.  The Creole just takes it from plain to pow! You won't even remember that you are eating left overs.

Tacos - with Texas Chili spice mix

We once had an international student living with us in our home from the beautiful nation of Zimbabwe. It was here that she first tasted her forever favorite Texan-American food - TACOS! Whenever I can, I love to send her a packet of seasoning so she can make them at home. It's so easy to make great tacos when you have a great seasoning. Here's how I do it...

What you will need:
1 lb ground beef
2 T Texas Chili spice mix
1 T tomato paste
1/2 C vegetable broth or water
cooking oil
taco shells and fixin's

Brown your ground beef in a skillet with a little cooking oil. Stir in the spice mix. Stir in the tomato paste and broth. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. That's it. You're done! No chemicals. No artificial colors or flavors. No preservatives or anti-caking agents. All-natural is the way to go on this one, and you will taste the difference.
I suppose it would work just as well with shredded chicken or even beans if you wanted to go veg!

Pasta with Sugo

In Italian "sugo" means "sauce", and I can't think of a better use for our Sugo seasoning. They were made for each other! This recipe for pasta with sauce is SO EASY - you seriously won't believe you just made a sauce from scratch. It is lighter than the stuff that comes out of a jar too, so my kids like it better.  In fact, it's my son's favorite pasta dish! Try it with ziti or rigatoni so your sauce gets caught in those yummy little holes!

What you will need:

1 lb ground meat (I like to use a mixture of pork and beef)

12 oz uncooked pasta

8 oz tomato pasta

2 T Sugo Italian Seasoning

3 C hot water

olive oil

extra salt to taste

Boil a big pot of water for your pasta. Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet.  Brown your meat in the oil with the Sugo seasoning. Add the tomato paste and stir it in. Ladle in the 3 C hot water from your pasta pot. Now stir and let that simmer and reduce, uncovered, while you cook your pasta.

Cook your pasta for two minutes less than the package directions. (Ex: if the package says 10 minutes, cook it for 8). Scoop your almost cooked pasta out of the water with a slotted spoon and cook it in your sauce for the last 2 minutes. Make sure you stir it around to get all the pasta in the sauce while it's cooking.

You did it!  Garnish with chopped parsley and lots of freshly grated parmesan cheese. I love to serve this with a raw fennel and celery salad (see below for recipe!) 

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*Bonus recipe! 

Classic Fennel and Celery Salad

Mix together:

1 fennel bulb - trimmed, washed, and thinly sliced

5 celery stalks - trimmed, washed, and thinly sliced

segments from 2 oranges (fruit only)

juice from 1 small lemon

5 T good quality olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

Gingerbread Pumpkin Pancakes - with Gingerbread Sugar

Everybody is feeling pumpkiny this time of year! My kids look forward to pumpkin season for this recipe alone - Gingerbread Pumpkin Pancakes. They are super easy to make and really delicious. The pumpkin makes them a little denser than regular pancakes, so they also stick with you longer. We love them.

What you will need for a big batch:
3 C scratch pancake mix (recipe below) or Bisquick
1/2 C Gingerbread Sugar
2 eggs
2 T vegetable oil, coconut oil, or melted butter
1 can of pumpkin or 2 C pureed fresh pumpkin
1 C water or milk

Directions:  
Preheat your skillet over medium heat.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Stir in the oil, pumpkin, and water.
  
Add the pancake mix little by little util it is all incorporated. If your batter looks too runny - add more mix. If it looks too stiff  - add more water.

Cook your pancakes! These take a little longer, so be patient. Reduce your heat if they are cooking too fast on the outside and not the inside. You have to wait for it.....not my favorite part.  But so worth it!

Since these guys are already sweetened, you can just hit them with a little butter and maybe a sprinkle of powdered sugar for prettiness.  If you really want to go for it, real maple syrup pairs divinely with these flavors. Actually, bacon goes well with these flavors too.  That lovely combo make a crisp Saturday morning feel extra special. So here's to fall and all its pumpkin glory!

Scratch Pancake Mix:
4 C flour
3 T baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Save it in an airtight container for pancake day! If you are making plain pancakes, use 1 C mix + 1 T sugar + 1 egg + 1 C milk. Easy!

*To order Gingerbread Sugar, please message us at www.facebook.com/BoutiqueTreatsSugar