make your own | spice mixes (or season's greetings for neighbors and friends)

Each year we exchange small gifts of food with our neighbors during the holiday season. This year I decided to share some of the homemade spice mixes that we enjoy.

I made double batches of Chili Seasoning, Spaghetti Sauce Mix and Onion Soup Mix. At Hobby Lobby I found mini ziploc bags that are perfect for holding the mix, sticky labels perfect for the name and directions and then I also found mini gift bags which are perfect for gifting. Better yet is that they were all 50% off so it was more than affordable.

Each of these mixes are easy to make and they use spices that are always in my cabinet. What I like most about them is that I know and can pronounce all of the ingredients.

I'll share my recipes with you. If these are mixes that you typically buy in the convenient envelopes at the grocery store, try mixing up a batch and see if you can tell a difference between the homemade and commercial versions. You might be surprised and find that you like the homemade version better!

Onion Soup Mix (I got this recipe from my niece years ago)

3/4 c. dried minced onion

1/3 c. beef boullion granuals

1/4 c. onion powder

1/4 t sugar

1/4 t celery seed

Combine all ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix well. 4 T is equivalent to one commercial "envelope."  To use: Mix 4T to 16 oz of sour cream for a dip. It's also good with potatoes; wash, dry and quarter some red potatoes, drizzle with oil and sprinkle 4T of the onion soup mix on them. Mix well and bake.

Spaghetti Sauce Mix (from Miserly Meals)

1/4 c. Italian Seasoning

1 T celery salt

1 T garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp pepper

1 T onion powder

1 tsp sugar

Put all ingredients in a blender, cover, and blend 5 seconds or less until powdery (don't overblend). Use the "pulse" feature if your blender has one. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. To use: Add 2 T to 28 oz. of tomato sauce, 6 oz. tomato paste, and any meat or vegetables you like in your sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, then serve over pasta.

Chili or Taco Seasoning

3 T chili powder

1 T salt

1 T garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp ground red pepper

Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container up to 1 month. To use: 2-3 T can be used to season chili or tacos.

They have been delivered and everyone was thrilled with them. Several of the folks that received them knew that I made my own mixes and they were excited to try them. And the goodies they gave us? Oh yum. We've got homemade salsa, homemade Bailey's Irish Creme, a homemade cheese ball, a spiral ham and peanut brittle.

harvest blessings snack mix

Each year we share small gifts, usually of the food variety, with our neighbors and friends at Christmas as a gesture to show our appreciation of their friendship or neighborliness. This year, I've decided there's no reason to wait until Christmas. What better time of year than Thanksgiving to say "thank you" to neighbors and friends?  This weekend I made a double batch of Harvest Blessings Snack Mix to share with those we are thankful for.

It's easy to make and the ingredients are simple.

HARVEST BLESSINGS
1 c. of Bugles (corn snack)
1 c. of small pretzel twists
1 c. of Goldfish crackers
1 c. of Wheat, Rice or Corn Chex cereal
1 c. of raisins
1 c. of dry roasted corn nuts
1 c. of peanuts or other nuts
1 c. of Hershey's chocolate kisses

Mix all together in a very large bowl. Package in individual baggies for gifts. Include a notecard that explains the symbolism of the snacks:
Bugles - shaped like a cornucopia or Horn of Plenty
Pretzels - arms folded in prayer
Goldfish crackers - fish are a symbol of abundance
Chex Cereal - they look like baskets, which hold the harvest fruits
Corn - food was so scarce the first winter that settlers survived on just a few kernels of corn a day
Nuts - promise of a future harvest
Raisins - harvest gifts from our bountiful land
Hershey Kisses - the love of family and friends that sweetens our lives

(By making a double batch, I ended up with 6 bags, containing 2 cups of snack mix.)

for the neighbor (or a new years party)

I needed a couple of gifts for the neighbors this week. I made a batch of this fabulous spread, put it in a little Christmas dish and added a bag of pita bread for dipping. Total cost: $4/gift.

If you've got a New Year's Eve party on your calendar and need an appetizer, might I recommend this. You'll be in and out of the kitchen in 5 minutes, flat. Guaranteed.

Strawberries::Waste Not, Want Not

I've been helping at VBS this week. Teaching in crafts. It makes for a long day...regular work day 8am-5pm...be at the church at 5:30 for dinner...prep craft of the day at 6:00...children arrive at 6:30...home at 9:15.

One of the benefits to me this week is that I don't have to cook dinner. Yep. Monday - Friday this week a couple of wonderful ladies at our church are preparing dinner for the VBS workers and their families. I can't tell you what a blessing this is. Saves me time. Saves us grocery money. Makes my life easy.

It also means there's a chance that any fresh produce in our fridge may spoil before I get it used. That was nearly the case with the strawberries.

Rather than letting them go to waste, I made a batch of strawberry syrup when I got home tonight. It's cooling right now and i will package it for the freezer before bed. I think Saturday breakfast will be waffles and strawberry syrup. Doesn't that sound good? I reduced the sugar by 1/4 c. but after a taste-test, I've made a note to reduce it by another 1/4 c. next time. It's still very, very sweet.

Make Your Own | Taco Seasoning

Mexican cuisine is a favorite at hour house. I would venture to say that we eat it 3 or 4 times a month. I like the fact that it's easy, versatile and can be made as a beef, chicken or vegearian dish not to mention the fact that I know it will be eaten without complaint.

Given the amount of taco seasoning we can go through in a months time, I find it easier to make it in bulk than to purchase the seasoning envelopes of it at the grocery store. I haven't calculated the cost but I bet it's cheaper to make my own. Making my own also allows me to know exactly what's in it.

Here's my mix (adapted from The Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook):

3 T. chili powder

1 T. salt

1 T. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. black pepper

3/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

Mix together and store in an airtight container up to 1 month.

To use for tacos, add 2 to 3 tsp. of seasoning to browned ground beef and 3/4 c. water. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Also works well for seasoning chili.

Sewing 101

We're not living in the 80's anymore. How do I know? Well, the class that you take in school to learn how to sew, cook, balance a checkbook and all things domestic is no longer called Home Economics. It's now FACS -- Family and Consumer Science. I think that change occurred about the same time Secretaries became Administrative Assistants, Housewives became Domestic Engineers, all things had to have a fancy name.



I took Home Ec. I had to sew a skirt and blouse. That I never wore mind you unless you count the 'fashion show' we had to do at school. There was nothing fashionable about my outfit either. Probably why I'm not a fashion designer.



In today's FACS class you get to sew something that you'll use. Like a drawstring tote bag.







How cute is that? And usable!



I think I may need to check the local ads for a used sewing machine. Makes me want to get busy and stitch. Or maybe I should just let my daughter make one for me.

I SPY ~ Homemade

My family will be gathering for our Christmas celebration on Saturday. Our family is quite large when we all get together so this year we have rented a community facility rather than gathering at someone's home.

I thought I'd try to come up with something that could keep the littlest ones busy for a while. Here's what I did with the help of my youngest.

We filled empty (and dry, that's important) water bottles with bird seed, about halfway. Then we added little treasures which could be searched for and added more bird seed so the bottle was about 3/4 full. We added a tag with this poem:

Some pirates got it all mixed up

And did things wrong way 'round.

They put the treasure in a bottle

And buried the map in the ground!

Their treasure was some silly stuff

Like needles, screws, and beads.

Then dear old Polly Parrot

Added all her extra seeds!

So find the items hidden here

No two are quite the same.

On the backside of the tag we listed the items to be found. Here's what we used:

• paper clip
• safety pin
• cup hook
• bird (miniature from Hobby Lobby)
• feather
• rubberband
• ribbon
• marble
• button
• shoe (miniature from Hobby Lobby)
• jingle bell
• gem
• rosette
• beads

For safety reasons, we hot-glued the lids on.

I think Madison and I had as much fun making these as the little ones will trying to spy all the treasures. These would make great party favors for a pirate themed birthday party.

Note: I don't know who to credit for the idea or the poem. I read this in an email several years ago and didn't think to write that information down.