Cooking--from "Scratch"

When we shop at the grocery, I love looking for different spices, sauces, vinegars etc. to spice up our variety at home. Well it never fails that I go through this situation:

I automatically read the back label, stare in disbelief at the ingredients, narrow my eyes at the high price, hold up the jar and declare to the innocent bystanders on Isle 9,

"I CAN MAKE THIS!!"

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Ok, I'll admit I don't do this, but if anyone glanced my way, I can guarantee my facial expressions would say it all :) lol

But I'm always amazed how easy it is to make your own condiments though. I thought I'd share what I made this week.

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Homemade Mustard

(This is the Number 1 condiment I take for granted...I never know we have it until it's gone!)

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*3 TBsp dry Mustard powder

*1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

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*3/4 tsp salt

*1/2 tsp mixed Italian spices

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Mix up the spices....

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Add 1/2 cup white vinegar

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As you combine it, make sure to press the clumps w/ your spoon until even and smooth.

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In a separate bowl, I added 2 organic eggs

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1 cup of sugar (Don't skimp--I promise this isn't too sweet!)

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What it looks like after being mixed...

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Pour both the egg mixture and spice mixture in a small saucepan.

Cook on low heat until thickened. Stir, and make sure it doesn't get too hot/near boiling. You *really* don't want scrambled eggs in there :)

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After about 15 minutes on the stove, it had thickened up enough for me. I poured it into a pint jar, then I later used some on our sandwiches for Lunch. Be sure to keep it refrigerated.
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The consistency? Like a really thick BBQ sauce...definitely not thin and vinegary.

The taste? Sweet and spicy..very flavorful and mild.

The verdict? If you've only tried store-bought, try this. I thought I didn't like mustard until I made it myself. There's a huge difference in taste, which was surprising to me. Anyway, my family really enjoyed it, so I'll make it more often now.

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Homemade French Dressing
This simple recipe is a staple at the Cottage, since we love salads!

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1 cup Ketchup (here's my homemade recipe) , 1 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp pepper.

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I pour all the ingredients in a quart jar, screw on the lid, then shake and serve!

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Variety ideas: 1) Use raw honey instead of sugar for "Honey French" 2) Use apple cider vinegar and apple juice instead of the white vinegar and water 3) Add fresh sage, oregano, even sauteed onions and garlic!
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A few snapshots...

My Mother hanging her beautiful spring dresses on the line to dry

(lol our cats love to get involved in whatever we're doing outside)

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There is something beautiful about the simple nature of attire and linens being slowly air dried on a line. When the gentle breeze blows the fabrics, fragrancing them with the soft aroma of nearby daffodils--gratitude for simply being at home, and not missing this moment, makes me smile.

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My sister helping to weed the rows...

I go behind her, collecting up the uprooted weeds, and then go between the plants. Then we switch jobs for a while.

(Oh, our collards survived the winter, and they still taste great! )

My brother & Mother went through a few of our *many* pictures to choose which to display on the wall or refrigerator. Are we the only ones with boxes of un-organized photos? It seems like we can never quite go through them all! lol

This is interesting. I was just telling my Dad and brother about how I'm going to be building a clay oven for the summer. I've been researching, and its a wonderful idea, especially since I plan on using our own GA clay of course! Well, my brother just decided to make his own, so it's somewhat a "stove"...but it does indeed work well!! He just used clay & bricks.

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Well, I'm going out-of-doors to enjoy the weather, dig a plot for my potatoes, and maybe start a project or two. Here's a photo of our faithful Ol' Yeller dog :)