Need it Fast Solutions: Jarred Pasta Sauce

You are in the middle of a recipe and you find that you are missing a certain convenience ingredient, such as taco seasoning or pasta sauce. Not to worry, you can make it faster than you can take a trip to the store and back. There is always something satisfying knowing that you can find a solution right there in your own kitchen. Look around. You may already have everything that you need. My first need it fast solution is for jarred pasta sauce. How often during the week do we need jarred pasta sauce? I seem to be constantly … Continue reading →

Make Your Own Mustard

Mustard-makers may guard their recipes jealously… but it really isn’t all that hard to make your own mustard. Ancient Romans made a quick and easy precursor to today’s mustard by pounding mustard seeds into powder, then mixing them with wine. This recipe is a little more involved than that! What you need: 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar 2/3 cup of apple cider 2 tablespoons of honey 1 tablespoon roasted red peppers, chopped 1/8 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds (the kind used to make common yellow mustard, plus English and German style mustard) 1/4 cup … Continue reading →

Glazes for Ham

Earlier, I wrote an article about how to glaze your ham. Now let’s look at what to glaze it with! Traditionally, hams are often glazed in some type of mustard or brown sugar glaze. However, the options are limitless and really, you can be as creative as you want. Here are a few suggestions from the traditional to the very unique. Mustard Sauce 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 3/4 cup white sugar 1 tablespoon mustard powder 1 cup milk 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup tarragon vinegar Directions: In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and mustard powder until evenly … Continue reading →

Homemade Holiday Gifts in a Bottle

In a previous blog I revealed that my best friend from Hawaii was forgoing her holiday baking and opting to prepare homemade salsas and a variety of dressings to give as holiday gifts. She’s done with the salsa and is now in full dressing mode. The following recipes are the ones she is using for the remainder of her holiday gifts. Frankly, I thought it was a wonderful idea and wished I had thought of it first. With the push these days to eat healthier the dressings are a wonderful alternative to the traditional holiday candies, cakes, cookies and chocolate-covered … Continue reading →

Hawaiian Style Holiday Gifts—Fruit Salsa and Passion Fruit Dressing

While my daughter and I have been icing cookies and dipping pretzel rods in chocolate my best friend in Hawaii has been busy whipping up her own holiday treats. Though hers are decidedly more savory than sweet. My pal Lisa’s handiwork serves as the inspiration for this blog. Her holiday recipes for fruit salsa and passion fruit dressing prove that fancy sweets aren’t the only homemade holiday treats that can be doled out to friends and co-workers. In fact, these recipes offer a welcome change to the traditional sweets given this time of year. Just package each in individual jars … Continue reading →

What Are You Putting on Your Hotdog?

Hot dogs are about as all American as it gets. Our traditional 4th of July barbecue includes grilled chicken, hamburgers, veggie burgers and hotdogs. But hotdogs aren’t just for kids anymore! Try topping your hotdogs with some of these phenomenal relishes and condiments to put some fireworks in your 4th of July food spread! Homemade Hot Dog Relish 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped dill pickle 1/4 cup chopped pimento pepper 1/4 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped sweet pickles 1 cup brown mustard 1 cup ketchup 1/4 cup prepared horseradish 2 teaspoons … Continue reading →

Tex Mex Marinade and Dr. Pepper Marinade–Too Interesting to Pass Up!

A few days ago I wrote about Mary’s Marinating Stick a brand new product on the kitchen gadget market. I figured it would only be suiting to offer a follow up article on marinating meat the old fashioned way. Marinades do two things: they tenderize meat and they flavor it. Marinades work by breaking down proteins in the meat to make it more tender. The enzymes in a marinade are not activated until they are heated so you are not tenderizing your meat when you stick it in the fridge overnight. You are flavoring it. The trick to making a … Continue reading →

Chicken Sandwiches with Tangy Sauce

My husband goes gaga over this recipe. I created it a few years back and actually forgot about it until the other day, when I pulled out my recipe book. It takes a simple chicken sandwich and, in the words of Emeril, “kicks it up a notch.” Play around with this recipe if the flavors are too intense for you. It’s a delicious alternative to the same old chicken meals night after night. Enjoy! And don’t forget to drop me a line and tell me how you liked it! For this recipe you’ll need: 4 Round Sandwich/Hamburger Buns 12 Chicken … Continue reading →

White Butter Sauce For Fish or Veggies

Because I didn’t grow up eating seafood (I know, I know, the horror!) I really need a sauce to accompany it now to enjoy it. My husband loves seafood and prefers his with olive oil and lemon juice as the only seasonings. This is a sauce recipe that even he would like. It’s flavorful, delectable, and delicious. Give it a try the next time you cook fish, or try spooning it over veggies. For this recipe you’ll need: 1/3 cup champagne vinegar 1/3 cup dry white wine 2 shallots, chopped finely ½ lemon, juiced 2 bay leaves ½ cup heavy … Continue reading →

Spago Salad Dressing

If you’ve ever had a really good salad—no, I mean a REALLY good salad, chances are it was delicious because of the dressing as much as the ingredients. A good salad dressing needs to have just the right amount of sweetness with just the right amount of tang. A bland salad dressing, laden with oil, may coat your lettuce leaves, but leave them tasting less than desirable. A dressing without enough olive oil can leave you puckering and reaching for your water. Here’s a delicious recipe I wrote down when Wolfgang Puck was hosting a cooking show on the Food … Continue reading →