Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

Homemade Italian Dressing Mix

Italian dressing is the perfect condiment for a romantic date night at home.   It also makes a good chicken marinade and a bread dip. Here are 3 varieties to choose from: Italian Vinaigrette; Creamy Italian, and an Olive Garden variety which is partway between the two.  Here’s mixes for all 3 types for you!  Read more

Spaghetti Sauce Mix

homemade spaghetti sauce mix
Mmmmm, Spaghetti!  A crowd pleaser for sure. All of these recipes work really well in the slow cooker for hands off cooking that will fill your house with a delicious fragrance.  If you have them on hand, and time to chop, add sautéed veggies too!  Traditional veggies include bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms.  Garden variety sauces may also have carrots, zucchini, or eggplant. Each batch is enough sauce for about a pound of pasta (measured dry.)  Read more

Enchilada Sauce Mix

enchilada sauce mix

I love food with Southwest flair.  I could eat it every day of the week and not get tired of it.  Enchilada sauce is not just good on enchiladas.  It’s also yummy over eggs and in casseroles.  Each batch yields about the same as a 20 ounce can of sauce.  Read more

Italian Seasoning Blend

Italian seasoning blend

This recipe is one you’ll want to tweak to match your own family’s tastes.  For example, I don’t like oregano, so I sub more basil and parsley to make up the volume.  If you like things hot add crushed red pepper or cayenne to the mix.

Use it when recipes that call for Italian Seasoning, or to sprinkle on ground beef or turkey as you cook it for Spaghetti sauce or Pizza. It adds a nice touch to garlic bread and croutons too.  You can even beat it into your bread dough for a pleasant herb loaf.

Italian Seasoning Blend

3 tablespoons  dried basil

3 tablespoons  dried oregano

3 tablespoons  dried parsley

1 tablespoon  garlic powder

1 tablespoon  onion powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp  dried rosemary

1⁄4 tsp black pepper

1⁄4 tsp red pepper flakes

Mix well and store in an airtight container. Yield: 11 Tbs plus 1/2 tsp (about 3/4 cup)

Big Batch Italian Seasoning Blend

3/4 cup basil

3/4 cup oregano

3/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup garlic powder

1/4 cup onion powder

4 tsp dried thyme

4 tsp rosemary

1 tsp black pepper

4 tsp red pepper flakes

Yield: Scant 3 cups

Cinnamon Syrup Mix

cinnamon syrup mix

Syrup solutions usually call for 2 parts sugar to 1 part water boiled together for 1 minute.  My husband’s mother used 2 cups brown sugar and 1 cup water.  After we married I got the secret recipe and added 1/2 tsp of real maple extract to it to make it my own.  Then I learned by adding a little flour, cornstarch, or glucomannan for thickening, I could reduce the sugar by half without missing any of the sweetness.  This reduced sugar recipe (it’s hard to tell by the first ingredient, I know…) has extra flavor from cinnamon and nutmeg.  It’s a family favorite, especially around holiday time.  Read more

Homemade Pancake Mix

Whole Wheat Pancake Mix

On our recent camping trip, I made 2 kinds of pancake batter in advance (regular and protein) and froze them in ziplock baggies.  In the cooler they helped to keep other foods cold and were thawed by the time we needed them.  I clipped off the end to pipe into the pan.   Read more

Whole Wheat Biscuit Mix

Whole Wheat Biscuit Mix

Use this recipe in the place of any storebought boxed biscuit mix, such as bisquick.  It makes biscuits, pancakes, waffles,  cookies, impossible pie (both sweet and savory), scones, muffins, and more!  Read more