Molasses is not the usual topic for a kitchen pantry discussion. But then again, maybe it should be. Because molasses is not only delicious, and nutritious, but probably used more often than you might know...
And yes your grandmother and probably even your mother, most likely had a bottle of it in her pantry. We use molasses quite a lot around here. For a couple of reasons, first the flavor and after that, the nutrition. Yes the nutrition. Currently molasses is having a revival of sorts, and that revival is for the nutrition. One tablespoon of molasses has about 58 calories along with trace mineral of iron, calcium and potassium. Molasses also comes in three varieties, light, dark and blackstrap. And while the darker the molasses the better the nutrition, I will be honest, blackstrap is not the flavor of molasses I use.
Molasses is simply the by-product of boiling down sugar and sugar beet juice,
into a thick, sticky, richly flavored sweetener. Which was the most popular sweetener in the United States until about 1880. At the time refined sugar was very expensive. Molasses also has the distinct use of being distilled into rum! After World War I, sugar prices dropped sharply and folks migrated over to, easier to use refined sugar. With sugar use continuing to grow yearly since then.
If you do not have a bottle of molasses in your pantry,
I hope you get one soon! That delicious flavor in brown sugar, molasses. Gingerbread, molasses. Baked beans, molasses. Bar-be-que Sauce, molasses. I think you get the idea! When ever possible I use a natural sweetener such as molasses over refined sugar. To my way of thinking, those minerals lurking in all that delicious flavor, are just as important to capture and serve to the family.
Come and take a look at some of our favorite recipes calling for molasses:
BEANS:
Sweet Onion Beans. We have these on had in the freezer! It is the first thing my husband requests when lunch supplies start running low!
Slow Cooker Potluck Baked Beans. This is one of the easiest dished to put together when you have been invited to a potluck. Or even just for the family, who will thank you!
Julia's Slow Cooker Baked Beans. Even Julia Child herself, loved molasses in baked beans.
Homemade (No)Pork and Beans. Easy and delicious!
BREAD:
Heirloom Boston Brown Bread. A must any time you are serving beans!
Molasses Sweetened Corn Cake. A Fannie Farmer recipe!
Whole Wheat Cottage Cheese Yeast Buns do not contain molasses, but the Molasses Honey Butter you serve with them, does!
DESSERTS:
Shoo Fly Cake. I have been making this for decades, you will love it!
Gingerbread and Pear Pudding Cake. Those pears in the pudding are perfect with the gingerbread cake!
Gingerbread and Ginger Snap Cookie Mix! We love this pantry mix, and so will you!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Drop Cookies. The molasses in this recipe, actually has a job to do....
Gingerbread with Chocolate Icing, from Laurie Colwin. (enough said!)
And let's not forget about Homemade Brown Sugar! Any time you use brown sugar, you get that delicious taste of molasses in your food!
What is your favorite way to use molasses?
You may also enjoy: 
#wholefoodingredients
#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily
Thanks
for stopping by!
We
offer new and delicious recipes as well as DIY ideas for your home, regularly.
Feel free to drop us an email request for any question or recipe you may be
looking for. In addition, like all our guests, we invite you to come for a
visit again and again for new recipes, and my down-home take on frugal ways to
keep your home in tip top shape.
Hey
you, don’t miss a post! Please consider following Scratch Made Food! & DIY
Homemade Household. To follow by email, and/or by RSS feed, complete the
application located on the right-hand side of the blog. Please Note,
some posts may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Scratch
Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household.
PS,
friends, and family who love good food and household ideas might love us too!
Tell them about us, and thanks for the referral!
You
may also enjoy, Creative
writing From the Heart... stories of life, living, and family.
Now, From the Heart Vol II can be found here.
Scratch
Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household proudly shares with these generous link
parties featured here.
I don't think I have ever had Molasses in my kitchen but I think it should, it sounds like fantastic stuff. Those beans look so good and the desserts too!
ReplyDeleteKim, I wasn't fond of it as a kid, but then when I developed a better sense of flavor, I realized how delicious it really is! Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it!
DeleteI really enjoyed learning more about molasses! I have to be honest and admit that I do not have a bottle in my fridge. When a recipe recently asked for molasses I used date syrup, or silan in Hebrew.
ReplyDeleteLisa, date syrup would be a delicious substitute!
DeleteI remember moms from childhood making molasses cookies and pies. I haven't used it in decades. I'm a diabetic now and use a little dark agave nectar when I'm adding sweetener. I'll have to read up on molasses and diabetes as I'd love to use it again. Of course, I don't really bake desserts anymore - sigh! #MMBC
ReplyDeleteCarol, I love hearing stories about our mom's kitchens! Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate it.
DeleteI used to have an old bottle of molasses in our pantry.. I honestly don't know where it came from as I can not remember ever using it before in any recipe. We finally tossed it out in one of our clean outs when it was far past it's expiration date (though I am reading that it never really actually goes bad and can be used for far longer than any dates printed on it).
ReplyDeleteJoanne, it is like honey in that regard! I enjoy the deep rich flavor it offers food.
DeleteI really love the flavor of molasses, but most of my family doesn't. I knew it's better for you than sugar, but I didn't know there were actual nutrients in it! So interesting. Thanks for sharing. Visiting from the Talking About it Tuesday link party.
ReplyDelete