Canning Homemade Bloody Mary Mix Each year I reserve 25 pounds of tomatoes from the garden to can up into Bloody Mary mix. Typically I make a dozen quarts. Saving half for my loot for the home bar and the other half to basket up for Christmas gifts. I toss the bloody mary jar in…
Homemade Flavored Salts
Homemade Flavored Salts My sister loves salt! As in loves, loves, loves salt, however she recently got the big NO! from her naturopath and was lectured on how bad standard table salt is for the human body. So after researching salt, I have found that mineral packed pink Himalayan salt is not only lower in…
Homemade Christmas* A Simple Hostess gift
My husband and I are off to an ugly sweater party tomorrow. Which seems to be the theme of choice for Christmas parties the last couple years. This is fine because nobody likes dressing up more like a dork than I do. Being invited into one’s home with food and drinks you should return the favor…
Homemade Peppermint Bark
A few years ago I was introduced to Williams-sonoma.com peppermint bark. If you have not ever tasted it, is the most delicious treat in the world. DISCLAIMER… It is not diet food, it is not Paleo, it’s just good old-fashioned dark chocolate and white chocolate and peppermint candy. Every year I like to make several batches…
Homemade Basic Dry Spice Rub
My brother has recently found a love of cooking and barbecuing. So naturally, whenever I’m in the kitchen, he’s lurks over my shoulder curious about how I cook and prepare food for my family. So this year as part of his Christmas gift, I’m making him a homemade barbecue all-purpose dry rub. Packed in a…
Scented Candles in Mason Jars
HOMEMADE SCENTED CANDLES IN MASON JARS This year I canned over 120 DOZEN jars of food from my garden. I have lots and lots of mason jars. You can say I’m obsessed with mason jars and jars alike. So naturally I want to share my obsession and included mason jars in my gift giving. And…
Homemade Christmas Keepsake Ornaments
My absolute favorite Christmas ornaments are those that are handmade, with the majority of them being from my son. Each year he makes me a new ornament and every December my heart melts again when I put it on the tree. And at almost 12 years old he is still proud to show everyone which…
12 Days of Homemade Christmas Gifts
Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… …means a little bit more. Dr. Seuss, The Grinch After years of being disgusted with the consumerism of Christmas, my family (extended included) and I decided we should try out a “Homemade Christmas” and give gifts that we made with our own two hands and God…
