Homemade Baking Powder

Ok, I confess. I like to buy prepackaged baking powder, the Featherweight Baking Powder. At Whole Foods, one container costs almost six dollars. And every time I bought one, I always had a thought in the back of my mind, "Why don't I just make my own?" Well, it's one of those things that I've been making everything from scratch and if there is a clean prepackaged product, I'd rather buy it.

Last weekend, I was looking to buy another container but none was available. I can't bake without a baking powder.

A long time ago, I made a note on how to make my own baking powder. Searching on line confirmed that a baking powder is basically a mixture of baking soda and cream of tartar. Adding corn starch to keep the mixture fresh. But I decide not to add corn starch or any other starches. Just keep my baking powder in an air tight container, like a mason jar, at a room temperature. I'd make as little as possible so my baking powder stays fresh.

Homemade Baking Powder
makes as much as you like

1 part baking soda
2 parts cream of tartar

1. Measure out the baking soda and cream of tartar. To be accurate, use a kitchen scale. NOTE: I measure out 0.5 oz. baking soda to 1 oz. cream of tartar.
2. Shift both ingredients together twice.
3. Place the baking powder in an air tight container at a room temperature.

STORING: Keep the baking powder in an air tight container at a room temperature for up to 3 months.

Allergy Info: This baking powder is free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, or fish.

Vanilla Extract

One of the shockers when I first started Camden's allergy free diet was how the ordinary kitchen essentials, like vanilla extract, would have corn in it. If I read the ingredient listed on the prepackaged vanilla extract, I'd see vanilla and ethyl alcohol. So what's the corn? The ethyl alcohol. Yeah, I didn't know that it is actually made from corn. Thanks to my friend, Nicole, who told me what to avoid during the corn free diet phrase.

Believe it or not, vanilla extract is actually very easy to make. There are only two ingredients needed: vanilla and potato vodka. The secret to process the vanilla extract is time. It will take a few weeks for the potato vodka to seep into the vanilla beans, giving that vanilla essence. Once ready, the vanilla extract is kept in an air tight glass bottle indefinitely.

Even after Camden outgrew his food allergy, I decided to continue eating cleanly. I still make my own vanilla extract out of potato vodka and rum. For vanilla pods, they are cheaper when purchasing them online. Four years ago, I bought fifty vanilla pots from the internet for about twenty dollars. To this day, I still have half of the amount of the pods left.

Vanilla Extract
makes as much as you want

5-7 vanilla pods
potato vodka or rum

1. Add 5-7 vanilla pods into a bottle of potato vodka or rum. NOTE: When adding the vanilla pods into the bottle, the liquid might overflow. Pour out a little bit of potato vodka or rum into a small bottle to use later. 
2. Leave the bottle in a dry and cool pantry.
3. Once a week or so, shake the bottle.
4. The vanilla extract is ready when the potato vodka or rum has dark amber color.

Allergy Info: This vanilla extract is free from or can be made without dairy, egg, corn, legume (soy), wheat, nuts, and fish. Do a little research and find out which potato vodka or rum is corn free. Keep in mind that some packaging is made from corn. The vanilla pods I purchased online came in a vacuum sealed bag. Definitely ask around and call companies to check their sources and packaging to prevent allergic reactions.

Slow-Cook Pulled Pork (dry spice rub)

I've been watching cooking shows nearly every day. I luv, luv, luv Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, and Ina Garten. Their recipes are pretty flexible to modify. After I tested so many of their recipes, I decided that they are the best chefs on Food Network.

With that said, I watched Bobby's BBQ Addiction and noticed that he didn't really measure his spices. He would said the amount but he just sprinkled the spices on to the bowl. So when it comes to dry rub, anything goes. Really!!! No jokes!!! It is just ratio on what I want to taste on my meat. I really don't like cumin. It's sort of stinky to me. When making my dry spice rub, I tend not to add too much.

So take all the spices out of your pantry and decide what do you want to make. Here's what I usually do. I have in front of me: sea salt, grounded black peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, light brown sugar. Using a kitchen scale, I measure each ingredient in ratio. If I want Asian flavor, I would change it up by adding grounded star anise or ginger and omit cumin.

This is an alternative way to get away from slaving in the kitchen, especially on a hot summer day. Thinking ahead, you can make your own dry spice rub. Put them in a cute little bottle for a homemade present. The dry spice rub can be kept in an air tight container at a room temperature indefinitely.

Slow-Cook Pulled Pork (dry spice rub)
serves 8

4 to 5 pounds pork shoulder
2 parts (2 oz.) light or dark brown sugar
1 part (1 oz.) sea salt
1/2 part (0.5 oz.) of the following: grounded black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
1/4 part (0.2 oz.) of the following: cumin, paprika

1. Place the pork shoulder on a large cutting board. Trim off the fats.
2. Mix all of the ingredients in a medium size bowl.
3. Generously, rub the dry spice on to the pork shoulder.
4. Put the pork shoulder in the slow cooker's pot fats side up. 
5. Place the pot in the refrigerator over night. NOTE: If time is limited, go ahead and plug in the slow cooker. The flavor is still there, just not as strong.
6. In the morning, plug in the slower cooker and turn it on HIGH.
7. Let the pork cook until dinner time, about 6 to 7 hours. NOTE: I usually turn on the slow cooker at 10am and the dinner is around 5pm.
8. Shred the pulled pork with a fork, discard any fats. Serve and enjoy!

TIPS: There are so many ways I serve this pulled pork: pulled pork tortilla wrap, quesadilla, bao's filling, pulled pork lettuce wrap, or pulled pork sandwich. The possibilities are endless.

Any leftover can be freeze up to six months. No need to defrost them for pizza toppings.

Click here to search for my bread alternative recipes to serve with the pulled pork.

Allergy Info: This dry spice rub is free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts, and fish.