Sour cream recipes

Homemade sour cream

1 pint light cream

2 tablespoons cultured buttermilk

Bring cream and buttermilk to room temperature by letting them sit on the counter for 1 to 2 hours before you begin. If ingredients are too cold, the sour cream will take much longer to thicken or might not thicken properly.

Place cream in a medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk, and cover the mixture tightly with plastic wrap. Leave the mixture in a warm place for 24 hours, until thickened to a custardlike consistency. Stir to blend, and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using. The sour cream might continue to thicken in the refrigerator. Makes about 2 cups.

From The Home Creamery by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Smoked salmon and caper spread

½ cup sour cream

2 ounces cream cheese, softened (1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1⁄8 teaspoon chili powder

6 ounces smoked salmon, skin removed

36 table water crackers

18 thin cucumber slices, halved

In small bowl, whisk together sour cream and cream cheese until combined. Add lemon juice. Whisk until light. Stir in parsley, capers, lemon peel and chili powder. Flake salmon. Reserve about ¼ cup of flaked salmon. Stir remaining salmon into sour cream mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Spoon about 2 teaspoons salmon mixture onto each cracker. Garnish with reserved salmon and cucumber slices.

From Carr's Crackers

Sour cream pound cake

3 cups sugar

2 sticks butter or margarine, room temperature

3 egg yolks

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

6 egg whites, beaten until stiff peaks form

In a large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and creamy. Add yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour 3 times. Add baking soda to sour cream; stir well. Add flour to sugar mixture, alternating with sour cream mixture. Begin and end with flour. Blend well. Add extracts. Fold egg whites into flour mixture. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

From Nova Gourmets Personal Chef

Cheesy black bean dip

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup diced white onion

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

11/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled cow's milk feta

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add beans, and smash them with the back of a ladle or large spoon until softened and heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella or Monterey Jack, sour cream, cumin and cayenne pepper, stirring until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle feta cheese on top. Serve warm or at room temperature with chips and vegetables.

From California MilkAdvisory Board

Cream-topped grapes

1 pound seedless grapes

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

Place grapes in six dessert cups. Combine sour cream and brown sugar until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon over grapes. Makes 6 servings.

From Taste of Home

Creamy avocado dip

4 avocados

1 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper

Cut-up vegetables for dipping (such as carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and jicama)

Scoop avocados out of their skins and place in a food processor. Add cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, jalapeño, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and blend until smooth. Serve with vegetables. Makes 8 servings.

From Real Simple

Creamy sauce for hot wings

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons sour cream

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons finely grated red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve with hot wings.

From Hellmann's

Salsa andsour cream swirl

1 cup thick, chunky salsa, any variety

1 cup sour cream

Spoon salsa and sour cream into a serving bowl. Swirl together lightly. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 16 servings, about 2 tablespoons dip each.

From Kraft Foods

Sour cream pound cake

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons vanilla

Mix together flour and baking soda. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, alternately in thirds with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; mix well. Pour into greased 10-inch tube or 12-cup fluted tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely.

From Kraft Foods

This story was originally published December 11, 2008 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Sour cream recipes."