Make-your-own recipes for pasta, tortillas, and more!

Maybe I'm frugal, maybe I just like homemade over store-bought, but I've accumulated several recipes for things that you wouldn't think twice about buying at the store....until you need it and don't have time or money to go shopping. That point was brought to my attention today, when I needed cream of coconut. I hadn't been able to find it at the store and I needed it for my coconut mango cheesecake. So, I went a-hunting for a make-your-own! Yes, I found one, and it's turned out pretty good!

Anyway, here are several make-your-own recipes.



Sweetened Condensed Milk

• 1/3 c. boiling water
• 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. dry milk powder

Using an electric mixer, blend together the water, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add powdered milk and continue to blend until thick. Makes 12 oz. You can store this in the refrigerator for up to one week.
NOTE: to make the cream of coconut that I needed, I added 1/4 tsp. coconut extract to this.




Red Enchilada Sauce:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp. onion powder
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 2 Tbsp. mild chili powder
• 4 Tbsp. flour
• 4 c. chicken broth (or made from water & chicken bouillon)
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce

Mix spices and flour in olive oil in saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and starting to brown. Slowly add chicken broth and tomato sauce and cook & stir until thickened. Store in refrigerator, or may even freeze.





Egg Roll Wrappers

• 2 c. all purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. ice water
• cornstarch

Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add egg and water. Using a fork, stir the dough until it just holds together and leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes OR (gotta love my KitchenAid mixer) use the dough hook on your mixer.
Cover the dough and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 4 parts. Dust your rolling area with cornstarch and roll each piece of dough out to an 11 x 14 rectangle.
Cut the 14 inch length into 4 equal parts and the 11 inch length into 3 equal parts. You will have twelve 3 1/2 inch squares of dough. Stack them on a platter or plate. The cornstarch will prevent them from sticking.
Repeat with the remaining rectangles. If you're not going to use them right away, wrap well and freeze.
Keep a supply in the freezer and you'll always be able to make your favorite egg rolls!

Flour Tortillas

• 2 c. flour
• ½ t. salt
• 1 heaping ¼ t. baking powder
• ¼ c. oil
• 2/3 c. almost boiling hot water

Now, I cheated and used my bread machine to mix the dough....but you can make these without a bread machine also. Just mix the dry ingredients, stir in the oil until mixture resembles pea sized crumbs, then add the hot water and knead until smooth.

Divide the dough into 8 equal sized pieces. Roll out each piece to desired thinness and size. Cook on a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet, just a brief minute or so on the first side until you get light bubbles and small golden brown spots, then on the other side for under a minute until you get more golden brown spots. Remove from skillet to a plastic resealable bag. You can stack the next tortillas on top of the first. Putting them in the bag lets the steam soften them as they cool. Store in refrigerator.





Plain Egg Noodle Dough:

• 2 1/2 c. flour
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine

Stir dry ingredients together. Mix in rest of ingredients and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Divide dough into halves or thirds and roll out on lightly floured surface to about 1/8" thick. Cut into desired widths/shapes. Lay on cookie sheets to dry for at least an hour. If not using right away, put into container or resealable plastic bag and refrigerate until ready to use.

Carrot Pasta Dough:

• 1/2 c. carrot puree (cook 3-4 medium carrots in boiling water until soft, put through food mill or blender)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 1/2 c. flour, need a bit more for dusting the rolling surface
• 1 tsp. salt, more or less to taste, maybe even omit
  

Combine all ingredients and mix together. Knead until smooth (may need to add small amounts of flour if dough is sticky). Cover and let rest for one hour. Roll out and cut as desired, or put through a pasta maker.






Spinach Pasta Dough:

• 1 bunch baby spinach leaves, washed
• 4 extra large eggs
• 3 1/2-4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Cook spinach in boiling water for one minute. Remove with slotted spoon and cool in ice water. When cooled, remove from the water, squeeze in a towel to dry and place in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until a very fine paste forms. Mound 3 1/2 cups of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the egg and spinach and the olive oil. Using a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated. Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands. Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up and discard any leftover bits. Lightly re-flour the board and continue kneading for six more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Roll out and cut as desired or use a pasta maker.

Alternate Spinach Pasta Dough:

• 1 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed,drained and squeezed as dry as humanly possible
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2-3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salad oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Process spinach in a food processor or blender until fine. Squeeze dry again. Combine with eggs and oil. Stir in flour and salt. Knead until smooth. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out and cut as desired, or put through a pasta maker.

Tomato Pasta Dough:

• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 Tbsp. warm water
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 c. tomato paste

Place the flour on a large floured surface or in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the well. Add the salt, oil, water, and tomato paste. Beat the mixture in the well with a fork, then gently start to work the flour into the liquid. Continue until the dough becomes sticky and difficult to work with the fork. Use your hands to form the dough into a ball. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes (or use a stand mixer with a dough hook.) You may need to add more flour since this dough can be sticky. Cover with a bowl or towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Proceed with rolling and cutting the pasta or use a pasta maker.

Whole Wheat Pasta Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white flour

Stir flours together in a bowl with the salt. Add water and eggs and mix. Knead until smooth. Let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out and cut as desired, or put through a pasta maker.