Homemade ghee is easy to make and less expensive than store bought. When you see butter on sale, it’s the perfect time to buy extra to make this easy homemade ghee. Ghee has a high smoke-point. Therefore, it’s perfect for frying, sauteing, and roasting meat, …

As I become more of a nutrivore (someone who pays attention to the nutrient density of their food), I tend to challenge myself to make family favorites from scratch with the healthiest most nutritious ingredients. This recipe for homemade cranberry sauce is healthier than the …

What is Remoulade A simple homemade remoulade is a mayonnaise based condiment and you likely have the herbs and spices on hand. You don’t have to use ingredients like capers, cornishones, but you can add them if you want. Remoulade is a delicious dipping sauce …

Easy Homemade Seasoned Salt works well with eggs, soups, and stews; in salad dressings; and on proteins like fish, chicken, and pork. In other words, you can use seasoned salt instead of plain salt in almost every savory recipe for extra pizzazz. Make a basic …

I’m about to share with you the best (and easiest) two-ingredient fry sauce in my humble opinion. The best because it uses something better than plain ketchup as the counterpart (not that there is anything wrong with ketchup). The easiest because there are two ingredients …

This Caesar Salad Dressing (Outback Copycat) has a mayonnaise base, does not require a raw egg, and tastes just like Outback’s dressing. My husband and I love Outback’s Caesar salad. We order it every time. As a matter of fact, Caesar salad was the only …

My Mom is practically famous for her oven-roasted spare ribs. We have this “thing” where the family member who is celebrating a birthday can choose what they want for their birthday dinner. Hands down my husband would choose my Mom’s Oven-Roasted Barbecue Ribs. As you …

Sometimes you just need a sauce to take an ordinary dish to an extraordinary dish. Arugula walnut pesto is a universal sauce that can be used on roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, sauteed fish, scrambled eggs, and pasta. Not only does it taste delicious but it’s …

This Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing is a Whole30 and Paleo friendly version of America’s favorite dressing. We use it for salads and dips, for chicken nuggets, veggie trays, and more. If you tolerate dairy products, check out my original Ranch Dressing and Dip recipe. There are …

This is one of our favorite meals to serve to guests.  I’ve served this hearty salad after-church for a Sunday lunch as well as a weeknight dinner for guests. Actually, this is more than a mere salad. It’s a meat-and-potato salad. This is a meal …

This vinaigrette is delicious and satiating. It’s wonderful with steak or chicken entree salads. One guest said, “Wow, this dressing really makes the salad.” You can also use this vinaigrette as a dip for spring rolls. Cashew-Lime Vinaigrette1/2 cup lime juice (about 5 limes)1/4 cup …

Making a simple vinaigrette only adds an additional five minutes of prep time and yields many benefits. Just think about it. You’ll know all the ingredients your dressing contains. You can control the amount of sugar or leave it out all together. Have you ever …

Can you make pesto without cheese? Yes! The last time I went to the store they had large tubs of basil and I couldn’t resist. The weather is good enough to grill now and basil screams summer to me. I love pesto with pasta, of …

Chimichurri is a sauce or marinade for grilled meats and vegetables. The main ingredients are parsley, olive oil and a little acid. The sauce can very greatly from recipe to recipe. Personally, I don’t like too much vinegar or acid. Also, I don’t like it …

Recently, friends invited my husband and I to a dinner party where the theme was “burgers.”  Everyone was supposed to bring a burger condiment as well as a side dish or dessert.  I decided to bring a bacon and onion relish. It was a huge …

I love the convenience of bottled salad dressings, but equally important is knowing exactly what all the ingredients are in those type of convenience foods. If I buy salad dressing from a store I prefer to buy the kind that needs to be refrigerated. The …

There are a boat load of recipes for tzatziki, I know.  I have been on a quest for the recipe that I remember from my youth. I grew up in the Metro-Detroit area and I enjoyed many dinners in Greek Town. Oh, the memories—fresh warm …

I’ve made “Pulled Pork” for sandwiches a few times. The spices that I use in that recipe are great for roasts and sandwiches, but not so much for Tex-Mex applications.  I love the pork served at Chipotle and wondered if I could even come close. …

In full disclosure this is a semi-homemade salsa because this recipe uses canned tomatoes. Someday if I run across amazing tomatoes from a farmer’s market, or if I grow my own then I’ll make a 100% homemade version. That said, this salsa tastes so fresh …

This salad is a family favorite. We eat it all the time. My father-in-law recently stayed with us and when I asked him what some of his favorite “bites” were during his stay the first thing he said was “Caesar salad.” Wow. I was surprised…a …

What is the deal with not being able to get Open Pit west of the Mississippi? I’m not sure where the real shipping line stops, but I’m not the only one lamenting this foodie issue. For the last 7 years I’ve lived west of the …

I have to confess that I’ve made this guacamole recipe a few times. The problem is that I’m usually whipping it up so fast I forget to take pictures of all the steps. Now, I think I have enough pictures to piece together for a …

One of my favorite appetizers is a classic shrimp cocktail. If shrimp cocktail is on our menu, it’s probably a special occasion.To be honest, I’ve always bought frozen or thawed precooked shrimp; I have yet to buy raw shrimp and boil it myself for shrimp …

Now you can make your own Oven-Roasted Green Chilies. They are fresh tasting and you can make a big batch for less money then buying them in cans. I love certain convenience foods. Don’t get me wrong. Canned soups, beans, and green chilies out of …

Homemade Turkey Gravy is the “Thanksgiving Sauce” that brings everything together on the plate. It’s notorious for helping to hide overcooked and dry turkey breast meat. But, made with quality ingredients can be intensely infused with the best savory Thanksgiving flavor—the turkey neck, defatted drippings, …

If you are trying to reduce the amount of your sugar intake in your daily diet be sure to check the ingredient list of your salad dressing. I’ve read the back of a few bottles of dressing, and not recognized an ingredient or two. Now, …

I have a handful of recipes floating around in my mind that I’ve made hundreds times that were actually given to me word of mouth. This Quick Red Wine Tomato Sauce is one of those recipes. Sure, I buy a good quality jar sauce to …

The other day I was walking through Whole Foods admiring their salad bar area (I often cruise by to get ideas) and I saw the biggest station of roasted garlic cloves that I had ever seen—hundreds of little cloves in a light amount of olive …

A couple of weeks ago I was given the gift of a grocery bag full of garden-grown basil and I knew I was going to make homemade pesto which I had been craving for months. The plan was to freeze most of it so that …

While I was grocery shopping in the produce section, I noticed that the pico de gallo was $3.99 for an 8 oz tub. Now, it is not beyond me to pay for something chopped up and ready made once in a while for a quick …

Years ago I read an article about how the taste of homemade mayonnaise is worth the extra effort. I filed that away in the back of my mind on the “to-do-someday” list. Years later I ran across a recipe. I tried it. I crashed and …