Homemade Butter: Tips, Tricks, and How-To

Recently I came across a few different Facebook videos of people making homemade butter and for whatever reason decided I should give it a shot. It seems crazy given we have commercially available butter, but still I wanted to try it out. After 30 minutes of impatience and thinking I had messed it up, lo and behold, I had butter! I actually thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learned some tricks along the way. I posted the results of my first attempt on social media and to my surprise lots of you wanted a how to!

Let's dive in!

I started out my process by doing a bunch of research including questions and comments by people who hadn't had much success. To me, by preparing for all the possible outcomes I could better know what to do overall.

So what were some of the common problems?

- It isn't separating into butter and I can't seem to get past whipped cream
- It looks like my butter mixed back into the buttermilk.
- I started to get bits of butter, but when I tried to separate it I couldn't.

The biggest thing I learned was PATIENCE. It's going to keep looking like it's about to happen... but it isn't. Trust me, when it happens, you WILL know.

Some of the tips I saw during my research mentioned the temperature of the cream and the bowl or container, but in truth those don't matter much. Whether your cream is ice cold or room temp, the results will be the same. Same goes for your bowl or jar, it doesn't need to be chilled ahead.

Let's address some of those common issues before we get into the how-to.

If it seems like your stuck at whipped cream, don't worry, just keep going. It does take considerably longer to get past the whipped cream stage than it does to get TO the whipped cream stage. Just be patient and keep whipping/shaking.

If for some reason you got to the stage where you have butter and buttermilk and kept going and it seems like they got mixed back together don't worry. While I didn't have this issue myself, I read in several places that you can just place the mixture in the fridge for a bit and they should separate.

If you got to what looks like cottage cheese and stopped to separate things out, you stopped too soon. What happens here is that if you try to rinse your butter at this stage your going to wash it all away. The butter hasn't properly separated yet and you'll be left with nothing.

The biggest thing I learned was that it took me SO long the first time because I nervously had my mixer set too low.

Now that we're prepped with some info, let's go!

What you need:
Ingredients:
- Heavy Cream (2 cups - yields approximately 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of buttermilk)
- Ice water

- Salt (optional)

Equipment:
- Stand mixer with whisk attachment or mason jar with cover
- Strainer/sieve or cheese cloth
- Bowl
- Spatula
- Towel

Depending on whether you use a stand mixer or a mason jar is going to determine how long this process will take. If you want to do this as a fun project with kids you can have them do the mason jar and wear them out a bit. A stand mixer is going to be considerably faster.

In a mason jar you are going to pour in your cream and shake like mad until there is considerable sloshing around and you see butter forming. Personally I prefer to use my stand mixer.

Add 2 cups of heavy cream to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. If you have a splatter guard/flour cover I HIGHLY recommend using it. Turn on the mixer at low and gradually start to turn it up until you reach the highest setting.

Stiff Whipped Cream

Soft Whipped Cream

First, you're going to get a soft whipped cream and then a more stiff whipped cream (if you add sugar at this point it's perfect on hot cocoa.)

Now you wait... and wonder... and think you messed up. Just keep with it. It's going to look like your whipped cream is getting chunky, it's getting to the point of being over-whipped. Then it's going to look like it's starting to deflate back into the soft whipped cream. I like to take a second and turn off the mixer, take a rubber spatula and move everything back to the bottom of the bowl.

Over-whipped Cream

Cottage cheese, is that you?

Next it will start to look like cottage cheese and then you'll start to see what looks like small, very wet curds. At this point I turn the speed down just a tad, otherwise it is going to splash buttermilk all over you and your kitchen. I draped a towel over the opening in my splatter guard to prevent a mess.

It doesn't look great, but this is a good sign!

There's the butter!

You're going to start seeing more and more separation and then all of a sudden you're going to have golden chunks of butter sticking to the inside of the whisk and a pool of buttermilk at this bottom. Now is the time to turn off the mixer and get to the real fun.

Do your best to shake the butter off the whisk and use a spatula to scrape off as much as you can. Using the spatula, press the butter together against the side of the bowl and squeeze out the buttermilk. I pour off as much buttermilk as possible into a measuring cup and store it in the fridge, you can use it for lots of things.


Next, you need a bowl, your strainer or cheese cloth, and the ice water. It is SUPER important to make sure you "wash" your butter because if buttermilk remains it can make your butter go rancid quickly. If you have a cheesecloth you can wrap it around the butter and squeeze everything out in between rinses. I don't have any cheesecloth at home (and I keep forgetting to pick some up) and so I used a sieve and a bowl. I lay the sieve over the bowl and transfer the butter over and pour over a generous amount of ice water (try to keep the ice out of the butter.) The sieve is good during the first rinse if some pieces of butter haven't stuck together since it makes it easier to keep together. The water is going to look cloudy during this first rinse and will get clearer with each subsequent round as there is less and less buttermilk to remove. After the first rinse, drain the water out and move your butter to the bowl add more ice water. (This is how I do it. In theory you could rinse it through the sieve again, but I like to knead and massage the butter in the water and it could get stuck in the sieve.) With the butter submerged fully in the water, knead and massage it, squeezing it to remove any leftover buttermilk and then the water again. Repeat until the water remains clear.

(I forgot to take pictures of this part and I'm so sorry! I had buttery fingers and by the time I thought of it I was done rinsing! The next time I'll take some photos at this stage for you guys.)

Next, you want to squeeze out any water (again this is where if you have a cheesecloth, it comes in handy.) You can then shape your butter into any shape you like. Many people like making sticks, but I just roll mine into a log that fits into my butter dish. If you are adding any salt or seasoning this is the best time to do it since you can knead it through thoroughly. I personally keep mine unsalted and if for example I'm having it with bread, I'll sprinkle some crunchy salt on top. Salt does help keep the butter longer, but in my house it gets used up fast enough. Unsalted butter is also better for baking, so keep that in mind depending on how you want to use it.

I made this amazing no knead rustic bread (thanks Cooking Classy) to go with my butter and it was pure heaven. This is seriously the easiest bread ever and you will love it.

Pictured: Heaven

I find the price of making butter at home comparable to commercially available butter, but so much fresher and tastier, plus I have a blast making it. You also get buttermilk as a byproduct which is fantastic.

Let me know if you plan on trying your hand at butter making and if you do let me know how it goes!

Leave me any questions in the comment section :) and tell me what you'd like me to make next!

New Year, New Me, New Goals

The year is coming to a close and it seems like everyone is taking some time to reflect on the last year and to start thinking of the new year. 2018 was such a hectic and crazy, but wonderful year. I finally finished my degree and my boyfriend finished both his MBA and JD and also passed the bar. I also finally took the leap and enrolled in an MCAT prep program and am planning on taking the exam in the late Spring. Planning for medical school has made me so aware of time management and financial planning. As the year starts I've had to create a more strict schedule and budget and this has meant changing various aspects of my life and lifestyle. Here's a breakdown of some of what's to come in 2019.

- Like most people I'm trying to build healthier habits and am continuing to clean up my diet and trying to make sure that even when I'm busy that I'm making it to the gym.

- Closet Crack Down!
I have been hoarding clothes, shoes, and accessories for far too long. I love finding a great deal and for too long I would buy items I was sure I would wear only to have them sit in the closet with the tags on. Couple that with some weight gain and well meaning relatives buying me clothes and I have LOTS to get rid of. I've been trying to make it a weekly habit to pull a few items out to list on PoshMark right then or put aside items to think on. Sometimes I look at my closet and see something I know I'm never going to wear, other times I need a week to think on it. Regardless, I've already made quite a bit of extra cash on PM (get $5 added to your account when you use my code STEXEIRA13) and I'm going to keep listing!

- Clearing out clutter and making donations.
As I mentioned before, I have a tendency to hold on to things. Sometimes it's just sentimental, other times I feel like I don't want to waste what I've spent money on. I got my first apartment almost 8 years ago and let's face it, I was super frugal and some of my Ikea buys have seen better days. I have lots of random dishes, decor items, and miscellaneous kitchen tools that seemed like a great buy at the time, but now are just sitting around causing clutter. Over the years I've bought newer and nicer versions of things and my taste and style has changed. I've already managed to pack up two big boxes for donation. Clothing items that aren't new or like new and have seen better days can still have a life and serve someone well. I often went thrifting as a teenager and found lots of great stuff. Now it's my turn to give up some of my items too. Do I really need 267 tee shirts that have been hanging around for ages?

- Shopping my stash and not shopping elsewhere.
I have collected a lot of makeup, hair care, and beauty items in my years. (I'm starting to see a pattern here.) Not only have I been lucky enough to occasionally receive PR and free samples/products, but I've also purchased and been gifted my fair share. I've also worked in the beauty and skincare industries for almost 10 years and have developed an enviable hoard. I'm working on teaching myself that just because there's a sale, doesn't mean I have to shop it and just because it's limited edition, doesn't mean I have to have it. I received some beautiful makeup and beauty items for my birthday and Christmas and I fully plan to enjoy them. I'm also going to curate some of my older items removing things that should be tossed for safety and things I just don't use that often. What can be gifted or destashed will be. My goal is to start with a 3 month no buy and then try to extend it to 6 and then 12 months. My only exceptions will be products that I use up and have repurchased in the past. I have a few items I just can't live without. I'm looking at you Drybar Hot Toddy.

- Sample my samples
I have TONS of samples and minis and who knows what else cluttering my space. It starts with a good intention to test a product before buying it or a free gift or sample with a purchase, but these add up FAST. I find it hardest to use through skincare samples as I get so nervous about reactions. My goal is to use a few each week and jot down what I did and didn't like. I'm also hoping to share my empties on Instagram to keep my motivation up.

- Taking care of myself the way I want to.
It's all well and good to have phenomenal skincare and awesome haircare and beautiful makeup... but you have to use it. So many times I find myself saying I'm too busy, but then later wishing I had taken a few minutes for myself. And while every day is not going to be 10 step skin care and full glam, I am going to steal a few minutes for self care. For example, I've put an eye cream, face cream, and a neck and decollete cream at my bedside. This way, if I forget to put skincare on before bed and I'm settled in, I can still do it.

I know this is going to be a lot, but in the long run I think it's worth it. I want to be healthier, wealthier, and organized in this new year and I believe these are the steps that I need to get there.


What are some of your resolutions or goals? What have you done that's contributed to a successful decluttering? Have you ever done a no buy? Let me know in the comments!

Stylish Surprise is Back!

Stylish Surprise is back for a limited time! Snag a deal while you can! They have everything from jewelry and accessories to housewares, shoes and dresses. This is one of my all time favorite sales and I have snagged so many incredible pieces for such incredible prices. Find them all here while supplies last. https://www.modcloth.com/shop/stylish-surprise

Trying out Home Chef

I have been wanting to try one of these meal subscription services for a LONG time. I love to cook, but with multiple jobs and being a full time student I don't always have time to go grocery shopping. The unfortunate reality is that I will sometimes go a month or more without going to the grocery store to really stock up and this makes things difficult. Add to that the fact that at the end of the day my boyfriend and I often find ourselves in the predicament of "I don't know, what do you want for dinner?" and being relatively uninspired to cook.

Up until now I haven't really had one of these programs really jump out at me. I can be a notoriously picky eater (I'm working on it) and to be honest, I don't want to spend a fortune. So I got an offer for $30 off my first order from Home Chef (initial thought: "If I'm getting $30 off, how expensive is this?!") and started reading some reviews and perusing through their recipes.

Before I get into all the details, if you would also like $30 off please sign up here with my link! This helps support the blog and then I can bring you even more great content!

When you get started with Home Chef they ask you to select things you prefer to eat and things your prefer to avoid. It also asks about special dietary considerations. This is called your Taste Profile and you can go into your account settings and get even more in depth. It will also ask you how comfortable you feel with more advanced recipes which I think is great. While I've been cooking for many years, lots of people might be relatively new to cooking. We all have that one friend who makes a great bowl of cereal. For me what I was most excited about was the option to dislike mushrooms. I despise mushrooms with a passion so it was great to see it specifically singled out. It's the little things. Here's a look at my Taste Profile to give you an idea:

I just absolutely love how much you can customize it. I also like that you have a lot of options when it comes to how many meals you can order. You can choose between 2, 4 or 6 servings of anywhere from 2-8 meals. If your total is over $40 it ships free, which is another small thing that means a lot to me. Another feature that is great is you can plan multiple weeks worth of meals (when I placed my order it was up to 6 weeks, the current week through the first week of December) which is fantastic when you're super busy. They charge you each week for that weeks meals and send you a confirmation email. Once it ships it opens up a feature where you can rate and review your meals.

Now for the price break down:
The standard meals are $9.95 per serving
Occasionally premium meals are offered which are $14.95-19.95. I haven't come across these yet, but I'll post an update if I find any.
You can also add smoothies (the ingredients only, they do mention you need a blender) or seasonal fruit for $4.95. There is an option to always include these in your order.
There are also often 5 minute lunches, typically a salad with protein for $7.99.

Don't want anything this week? It's super easy to skip, it's located at the top of the dashboard where you would be picking your meals. No jumping through hoops which is great. All of your options just have to be in and saved by Friday 12:00pm CST.

The program automatically selects the meals it thinks you will like based on your preferences and those that have been rated as favorites by other users or their staff. You can then make changes and remove meals and add others as they strike your fancy. Here's what I chose for my first order:

Shrimp de Jonghe Penne with garlic butter bread crumbs, Chicken with Basil-Pecorino Cream Sauce and roasted red potatoes, and Steak with Horseradish-Herb Cream with potatoes pressé. My mouth is watering just writing that. (Pictures shown in order, from Home Chef website.)

My grand total for these fabulous meals? $29.70. Thanks to the $30 coupon I have 3 fabulous dinners to look forward to less than what it would cost to go out for drinks. You could say I'm pretty excited.

Now I just had to patiently wait for my package to arrive. You can choose which day of the week you want to receive your order and you don't need to be home for it. This is so important for me because I have a crazy schedule and I can't be worrying that my food is sitting on the porch spoiling.

Fast forward to Thursday night and me receiving my package.

 

The package was surprisingly compact which was great since a part of me was expecting a behemoth. It was packed so well and even my spinach was in perfect condition. Everything in the box can be recycled too which is a huge bonus. There were 3 big ice packs and insulation filled with recycled, compostable, biodegradable textile fibers that can be recycled too. The meats are separated into a heavy duty zip top bag and are under ice packs at the bottom so that they wouldn't leak and would remain coldest. The ingredients for each meal come in separate bags so you can pull out one meal at a time.

I also really love that you only get sent exactly what you need since I hate wasting food. For example, in the picture above you can see a small jar, that's exactly as much pesto as I need for the recipe. I love pesto, but I don't use it often enough. I've had jars go bad before I could finish them and I always feel bad throwing them away.

The instructions are clear and well written with a beautiful photo on one side (this is used to help with plating) and detailed instructions with photos for each step on the other. 

Since this was my first order they also included a 3 ring binder with some helpful terms and cooking tips included. The recipe cards come 3 hole punched so they can be put into the binder. I think this is great since I have a bookshelf for my recipe books and tend to lose cards. Each recipe can also be viewed online if you prefer and it will also show you other recipes you may like. This really helps to teach you more cooking techniques you may have never tried before.

So how did it all come out? 

Not pictured is the spinach... I had forgotten it in the fridge initially. 

The first night I made the Steak with Horseradish-Herb Cream since that was calling my name. It's listed as an intermediate level recipe, but I found it fairly straightforward and easy to prepare. The steaks were absolutely gorgeous cuts and came out perfectly. 

You can almost hear the sizzle

My boyfriend and I loved the horseradish herb cream. We prepared it with all of the horseradish that it came with. The instructions mention to do it to taste and we started with half and found we wanted a bit more zip. In the end it was the perfect complement to the steaks and I tried a bite of it with the potatoes and that was equally delicious. Do what suits your tastes though and taste things often while you cook. The spinach had a great flavor from being cooked in the same pan as the steaks. Overall we were incredibly pleased. 

We had a great time in the kitchen and sipped some wine while we cooked and then thoroughly enjoyed the meal. I feel confident I could replicate it again in the future. I could stand to improve my plating though.

Whatever reservations I had before I ordered were gone once we sat down to eat and we've already picked next week's meals. I also haven't stopped talking about it to anyone who will listen.  Consider this picky eater a meal delivery convert.

Get $30 off your first Home Chef order by clicking here


Another really cool feature on their site is the ability to purchase kitchenware you might not have. So say you're looking at a recipe and realize you need certain pots, pans or other equipment. You can click on their Marketplace which will show you anything you may need and links you to the Amazon listing. Now you don't need to run to the store :)

Sample Sunday

Let's be honest, we all have a pile of samples somewhere. I know I do. Every online order comes with them, almost every shop or counter gives them out and sometimes we even get free gift bags chock full of them. A while back I sat down and sorted them out by type in an attempt to get myself to use them all up. To speed up that process and hopefully provide you with some information I'm starting this new series: Sample Sunday. Each week I'll be trying out a selection of samples and giving you my first impressions and thoughts. I'm going to try to do a few different types of samples each time to try to give you good variety.

Here we go!

This week's samples:

Fragrance: Marc Jacobs Daisy

I don't know how I've never tried this before! It's such a popular fragrance and I know quite a few people who love it. It's described as "Daisy is a sparkling floral bouquet, spirited and fresh, wrapped in comfort and warmth." It's a fruity floral with notes of Strawberry, Violet Leaves, Jasmine, and White Woods.
I didn't find it overly floral, but softly so. Sometimes florals can be a bit overpowering and this doesn't, it strikes a nice balance. I don't get the note of strawberry particularly, but it could be there in a very subtle way. It's a very clean smelling fragrance and great for every day.

Body Product: I AM Organic Body Oil

So a little bit of background. I was lucky enough to be able attend the Indie Beauty Expo in New York this year and met a TON of amazing brands. Some of those of course stood out to me. I AM Organic was one of the first booths I saw when I walked in and the ladies there were so incredible. The ladies are so kind and are passionate about what they do and the products they offer. I was immediately obsessed. I brought home a sample of their Restored (Lavender and Rosemary) Body Scrub which my mother very quickly kept for herself. I also got this sample of their Energy (Citrus) Body Oil and I LOVE IT! It smells absolutely delicious and makes my skin feel incredible. It hydrates and smooths my skin and I highly recommend it.

Skin Care: Bliss That's Incredi-Peel

I got a few of these to try out and when I feel like my skin is looking a little dull I've used them. According to Bliss these easy to use Peel Pads are described as: "Glycolic acid and vitamin E to target fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and imperfections.Retexturizes and soothes skin in just one step. Time-release technology makes it gentle enough for all skin type." They make my skin a teeny bit pink and tingly at first, but then the next morning it looks good. I think I prefer going for a professional peel versus using these every day which I think would make me too sensitive (I tried using them two days in a row once and I was a little itchy and dry.)

Makeup: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick in 23 Fuschia-In-The-Know 

I had popped into Sephora to grab something for my mom and noticed this little beauty in the rewards case. Normally I'm disappointed in the offerings (and to be honest I think it's crazy that $100 of points gets you the equivalent of a free sample you could just ask for, but that's for another post) but this caught my eye. I've been wanting to try Givenchy lipsticks for a while (that packaging is seriously sleek) and I had heard good things about the formula. This baby is so rich and pigmented and it goes on soooo smoothly. I'm in love. The color pulls almost slightly reddish and not just straight up hot pink. It's seriously gorgeous and I highly recommend it. It is very creamy so it will move around if you aren't careful. You're going to want to wear a liner with this for sure, maybe even blot it to be safe. It's a dream to wear though, so comfortable and creamy.

 Don't mind the picture with my glasses! I've been having some eye issues lately so I can't wear my contacts :( Hoping to be back in them soon though since this prescription is old!


Let me know what you think of this week's lineup and what products you'd like to see in the future!

Healthy Protein Packed Chocolate Banana Pancakes

Yes, you read that title right. Healthy Chocolate Banana pancakes that also pack a protein punch. Big shoutout to my mom for giving me the base recipe (I've added a few little tweaks.)

Such a yummy breakfast and still healthy! 2 chocolate banana pancakes with 3 pieces of turkey bacon and coffee with milk and sugar and it clocks in around 450 calories, even with syrup! The secret is the pancakes. They're made with protein for a healthy twist, but they still taste great. The recipe makes 2 servings of 2 pancakes. Anyone want me to put the recipe up on the blog?

A post shared by Stephanie Texeira (@crashlovesdanger) on Jul 23, 2017 at 7:20am PDT

Protein Pancakes
Makes ~ 4 pancakes (2 servings of 2 each)

What you'll need:

For the batter:
2 eggs
2 scoops of your favorite protein powder (I used chocolate for this, but if you want a plain pancake use vanilla flavored. You can also experiment with other flavored protein powders.)
1 ripe banana
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
***Optionals:
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
and if you want REALLY chocolatey pancakes add 1/2-1 teaspoons of cocoa powder.

For cooking the pancakes:
Cooking spray, coconut oil or butter. I personally prefer butter as a small but delicious splurge.

I personally only added the vanilla and cinnamon, but if a chocolate craving really kicks in I may add the cocoa powder.

In a bowl mash the banana until most lumps are gone and then add the 2 eggs and vanilla if you're using it. Mix just until combined. Next add protein powder, baking powder and any dry spices. Mix until batter comes together.

Heat a frying pan over medium-low to medium heat. Add your cooking fat of choice and add about 1/4 of the batter. I noticed these brown a little faster than regular pancakes and are usually ready to flip much sooner, so keep an eye on them.

Et voila! Chocolate Banana pancakes that are pretty healthy.
 
Per serving? 256 calories for me, might vary slightly depending on your choice of fat as well as the protein powder itself. I had a cup of coffee with milk and sugar as well as some turkey bacon and a little (imitation, hey no judgement) maple syrup and still clocked in around 450 calories which is great in my book. These also take almost no time to make which is a real win in my book. I hope you enjoy them!

Leave comments below for other recipes you'd like. I may start doing some cooking videos on YouTube soon.

- Steph

MAC on Hautelook

I love MAC and I've never seen it on HauteLook before so this is really exciting.

There's loads of gorgeous lip colors on there for really great prices.

Use my link for a special offer: http://www.hautelook.com/invite/STexeira785