The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila

  • Ricotta

    Ricotta

    from The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making The Homemade Pantry by Alana Chernila

    • Categories: Cooking ahead; Vegetarian
    • Ingredients: milk; lemons
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  • Show all Recipes...

Notes about this book

  • CynthiasCooking on October 30, 2018

    I loved this book. I read it as part of a cookbook club "cookalong". It was marvelous to discover that I could make things like mustard myself from scratch. And this book convinced me to try making mozzarella which I then went on to teach several friends to do.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Instant oatmeal

    • texannewyorker on October 09, 2016

      This recipe really works, it's so easy, adaptable to personal tastes and is delicious. This coming from someone who doesn't *love* oatmeal. Fantastic to make ahead and have a quick healthy breakfast on weekday mornings.

  • Toaster pastries

    • texannewyorker on October 09, 2016

      I used blackberry jam for my filling, and these are absolutely delicious!

  • Car snack 1 (the cereal bar)

    • texannewyorker on October 09, 2016

      I love these! I've made them several times - easy, no-bake and delicious.

  • Car snack 3 (the nutty granola bar)

    • texannewyorker on October 09, 2016

      These are *very* crumbly but really, really tasty.

  • Mixed roasted nuts

    • averythingcooks on September 25, 2024

      With the rosemary & ground chipotles (for the "chili" powder), these are similar to but simpler than my favourite spiced nuts from Ina Garten. They came together quickly, 30 minutes seemed about right & for the final sprinkle, I used a fresh herb salt that I keep stashed in the freezer. We will happily snack on these but I will stick to the more ingredient laden Barefot Contessa version for holidays/guests.

  • Jerky

    • peaceoutdesign on December 29, 2017

      I increased the Soy to 2T and added 1t of grated ginger

  • Cranberry sauce

    • czalikowski on January 01, 2026

      Omitted the mandarin oranges and doubled the cinnamon and cardamom. Excellent flavor, but a bit clove heavy- I would reduce clove by half next attempt. Tastes very Christmas-y!

  • Roasted tomatoes for the freezer

    • averythingcooks on September 25, 2024

      I have 2 versions of this in my books & started here. She does not specify Roma's, does not suggest seeding & gives an oven temp of 275 for 5 hours. I used a mix of types & I seeded them (personal preference). I removed some at 4 hours (my bad for not being more selective re: sizes) & turned the oven down to 225 for that last hour. They are super flavourful & have been frozen in 1 cup portions for the winter. I am now going to try the Global Pantry version with mixed tomatoes but with its lower oven temp/longer roast.

  • Mustard

    • KCKB on April 03, 2022

      This recipe is good with a mix of brown and yellow seeds to adjust the spiciness (we like a ratio of 1T brown to 7T yellow). I also add a tsp of turmeric for color.

  • Italian dressing

    • texannewyorker on October 09, 2016

      Fantastic! Easy to throw together, and it's amazing to quickly marinate shrimp in it then throw it on the grill.

  • Buttermilk ranch dressing

    • averythingcooks on February 03, 2022

      We liked the base of this ranch (buttermilk, yogurt & sour cream) but because we both thought it needed fresh garlic, I added some. The fresh herbs are great but dill would also be a good addition to the parley and chives.

  • Nut butter

    • texannewyorker on October 09, 2016

      Very good base recipe for making your own nut butter - I usually do peanut butter, but it would work for other nuts too. A great guideline for anyone unfamiliar with making your own nut butter.

  • Beef stew

    • averythingcooks on December 10, 2020

      I made a 1/2 recipe using red wine (dark beer or all beef stock are also given as options). With paprika in the flour dredge, a lot of aromatics, a fresh herb bundle and chunks of celery, carrot and potatoes, this was a delicious classic stew with a rich "gravy" and fork tender chunks of meat. Worth repeating!

  • Potato leek soup

    • averythingcooks on March 07, 2024

      A good (just not the best I've made) version of this classic soup.

  • Chocolate pudding

    • Globegal on December 27, 2018

      Creamy, delicious, easy to make

    • H_Leblanc123 on March 27, 2022

      Really good for kid's school lunches, and really good for mom too.

  • Pizza sauce

    • averythingcooks on August 12, 2021

      I've never used a "no cook" pizza sauce before so I gave this a shot. At 1st taste, it was a bit sweet for us but some minced garlic & a shot of red wine vinegar quickly fixed that. The fresh basil was noticeable (I used lots), it was certainly super quick to throw together & was good on last night's pizza. I will likely repeat this one.

  • Hamburger buns

    • josephinetomato on May 15, 2014

      These came out just the way they should. They weren't the soft squishy hamburger buns from the grocery shelf but rather soft, tasty buns with an almost brioche crust. We ate half the recipe and froze the rest. Glad to have them in my freezer.

    • averythingcooks on July 26, 2021

      These are lovely! I actually used my stand mixer but it was okay - the dough rose beautifully (perhaps a very hot humid day helped....but the dough basically overflowed my usual “proofing bowl”). One thing (totally my fault)....I was trying to divide the dough evenly and actually ended up going with 6 “slightly” larger balls rather than 8. And yes = they are huge! Lesson learned for next time -and based on how good they are, there will be a next time.

  • White bread

    • averythingcooks on May 05, 2024

      This is a lovely loaf of white bread....crusty & soft at the same time. She does suggest that it might not rise much in the 1st hour, but mine doubled easily. Same thing with the second rise...perhaps it's my warm room but it rose to 1" above the rim of the loaf pan in around 35 minutes (as opposed to the predicted hour). It was baked in around 37 minutes (confirmed with a 190 F temp check). I will for sure make this bread again.

  • Breadsticks

    • averythingcooks on January 13, 2022

      This recipe started out great but I did not need the full amount of flour called for during the kneading so I would add slowly here. I also think that the amount of poppy seeds could easily be halved as I could not get them dispersed evenly by kneading & lots ended up wasted on the board. I formed 30 (not 32) dough balls by weighing out 13-15 g pieces BUT here's where the trouble really began. I could NOT roll these pieces into 8 inch ropes no matter what I did so I ended up combining 2 dough balls for each rope. The result was probably fatter sticks than intended but they were certainly the crunchy breadstick I was looking for. We dipped them in our creamy dinner soup and were pretty happy with that.

  • Cheese crackers

    • averythingcooks on July 23, 2020

      The instructions say to leave the baked crackers in the oven (once turned off) for an hour ....hmmmmm - never seen that before BUT did it . Stole one off the pan early - not very cheesy or crispy BUT after requisite hour , they were MUCH better :)

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Reviews about this book

  • Kitchn

    It feels comprehensive. It feels empowering. It feels like I can clear out a few other DIY books and just use this one instead. I love how Alana just gives us the straight-up recipe...

    Full review

  • Oregonian

    Most recipes are refreshingly simple and easy and include tips for longer storage. Chernila's writing is personal and engaging, and many of the generous headnotes are longer than the actual recipes.

    Full review

  • Fine Cooking

    This is a wonderful starter cookbook for a novice looking to upgrade from store-bought granola, hummus, and pizza. And for the seasoned cook, it’s a welcome invitation to try something new...

    Full review

  • Serious Eats

    The Homemade Pantry is not only a really fun cookbook, one written with 'project cooks' in mind, but also a real eye-opener.

    Full review

  • Gluten-Free Girl

    Mostly, though, I love the casual way she invites us into her kitchen, even if it is a mess. It’s clear that Alana, and many of us, are less interested in the pretense of the perfect kitchen...

    Full review

  • Boston Globe

    ...the cookbook is the vision of Alana Chernila, a food blogger and busy parent based in Western Massachusetts. It’s an ode to the joy of making everyday foods at home...

    Full review

  • Baking Bites

    ...you will find plenty of recipes that will not only give you the satisfaction of having made a favorite food from scratch, but are well worth the time it takes to put them together.

    Full review

  • Food in Jars by Marisa McClellan

    The book reads like a memoir that just happens to have good things to eat tucked here and there.

    Full review

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • Strawberry ice cream

    • Leite's Culinaria

      Kindly note, it’s not a cloying ice cream, deferring to the pleasing tartness of fresh, in-season strawberries, rather than a lot of sugar, for a pleasingly tempered sweetness.

      Full review

  • Ready mix

    • Fine Cooking

      With this ready-to-go dry mix stashed in my cupboard, I can serve fluffy, tender buttermilk pancakes or waffles for breakfast on any day of the week.

      Full review

  • Best frosting

    • Fine Cooking

      She’s not kidding—this unfussy cream cheese frosting is awesome stuff, and it’s not too sweet because you add the confectioners’ sugar to taste.

      Full review

  • Cornbread

    • Leite's Culinaria

      This moist, ever-so-slightly sweet, faintly maple-y corn bread is able to sop up all manner of chili, pan gravy, and sauces in a single swipe.

      Full review

  • Corn tortillas

    • Serious Eats

      The recipe is simple enough, just masa harina and water mixed, pressed and toasted up in a cast iron pan. Once you make tortillas yourself you might not go back to the bagged version again.

      Full review

  • Coffee liqueur

    • Serious Eats

      ...has more coffee flavor and less of the syrupiness that comes with Kahlua. And when you have this stuff on hand, the cocktail making (and baking) possibilities become infinite.

      Full review

  • Hot sauce

    • Serious Eats

      This recipe is really just a template. Feel free to play around with not only the chiles but the sugar and acid components as well.

      Full review

  • Roasted tomatoes for the freezer

    • Serious Eats

      This slow cooking method concentrates all of that great tomato flavor, making them perfect for freezing and breaking out during the cooler, tomato-less months for a bright taste of summer.

      Full review

  • Butter

    • Serious Eats

      Even if you're not going to make butter from scratch all the time, this is one DIY that you should try at least once.

      Full review

  • Ricotta

    • Serious Eats

      Homemade ricotta beats out store bought by miles. And it's not all that difficult to DIY. No complaints, this stuff is good.

      Full review

  • Ketchup

    • Boston Globe

      Here’s the catch: As much as I liked Chernila’s, I can’t imagine making it again. For starters, I slaved over it for two hours,..

      Full review

  • Toaster pastries

    • Boston Globe

      ...Chernila’s toaster pastries are delicious, with a dense, buttery crust...For 90 minutes of work, I got six would-be Pop Tarts that looked and tasted nothing like the ones I remembered.

      Full review

  • Chicken nuggets

    • Boston Globe

      The crucial difference? They tasted like chicken - and something I wouldn’t be ashamed to make for guests, especially the wee ones who don’t know how hearty chicken nuggets are supposed to be.

      Full review