Do it yourself cooking

[Rac80]

I chuckled at OM1's excited discovery of an ice cream maker (mine is abt 10 years old) and then realized that in this disposable, ready-to-eat world I am probably quite the anomoly. I cook mostly from scratch - although when I use "mixes" (like cake mixes) i make my own. Many many years ago as a young wife and mother, I was given a cookbook called Make-A-Mix cookery (amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Mix-Cookery-Make-Mixes/dp/0895860074) it was very trendy among Utah mothers at the time.

I love my book (and the follow up More Make Mix cookery) and have literally worn it out! (the pages are now in plastic in a large notebook) I had a husband with an allergy to MSG which was used as a salt substitute so i had to make things myself. Then we had our sweet snookie and I didn't want to feed her the prepared babyfoods - so I learned to make my own (the blender I got at my wedding had a small attachment to puree food) so i could control the cost and quality. I find I prefer using these recipes even after 30+ years - I control what is in my food, the quantity of sugars & salt (my hubby also has high blood pressure), and the quality of all ingredients. I spend one saturday each month "making mixes", freezing dinners, etc...so when I come home tired and cranky I do have fast meals to make. it's a family affair- I have two wonderful "sous chefs" who really cut prep time!


We garden so we have homemade sauces, home canned veggies & jams, home frozen veggies and berries, and a large freezer! It helps me control what is in the food- I don't shop "organic" because I control what goes on and in my food.

I have friends who hunt, so there is plenty of "free range" meats in my freezer. I have had friends who are amazed at how much i still use my mixes- I do it not for price but for QUALITY!!!

 

[Overmind One]

I chuckled at OM1's excited discovery of an ice cream maker (mine is abt 10 years old) and then realized that in this disposable, ready-to-eat world I am probably quite the anomoly. I cook mostly from scratch - although when I use "mixes" (like cake mixes) i make my own. Many many years ago as a young wife and mother, I was given a cookbook called Make-A-Mix cookery (amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Mix-Cookery-Make-Mixes/dp/0895860074) it was very trendy among Utah mothers at the time.

I love my book (and the follow up More Make Mix cookery) and have literally worn it out! (the pages are now in plastic in a large notebook) I had a husband with an allergy to MSG which was used as a salt substitute so i had to make things myself. Then we had our sweet snookie and I didn't want to feed her the prepared babyfoods - so I learned to make my own (the blender I got at my wedding had a small attachment to puree food) so i could control the cost and quality. I find I prefer using these recipes even after 30+ years - I control what is in my food, the quantity of sugars & salt (my hubby also has high blood pressure), and the quality of all ingredients. I spend one saturday each month "making mixes", freezing dinners, etc...so when I come home tired and cranky I do have fast meals to make. it's a family affair- I have two wonderful "sous chefs" who really cut prep time!


We garden so we have homemade sauces, home canned veggies & jams, home frozen veggies and berries, and a large freezer! It helps me control what is in the food- I don't shop "organic" because I control what goes on and in my food.

I have friends who hunt, so there is plenty of "free range" meats in my freezer. I have ahd friends who are amazed at how much i still use my mixes- I do it not for price but for QUALITY!!!

EXCELLENT thread! Im gonna get that book. Your motivation is more traditional than mine, but I also make almost everything from scratch now too. And that means the real deal from scratch. Your reasons are awesome, and they are similar to mine. Prior to 1998, I did not have health issues. in 2000 I hit age 40 and gained weight until I was 260 pounds. After the shock from the Doc telling me I was pre-diabetic and had high blood pressure and was at risk for stroke and heart disease, I went Atkins and low carb and dumped the weight. It was during that losing stage when I was preparing my low carb meals that I learned a lot about nutrition and began noticing the garbage in packaged and prepared foods. Literal garbage, like soy protein fillers and HFCS and all sorts of nasty unpronounceable preservatives. I realized that Big Agro adds these things to allow their "foods" to stay on shelves long after they would normally be spoiled. I realized that Big Agro was supported by laws locally which forbid the growing of fruit trees, keeping food animals such as chickens (at least in the city), and also by not teaching children what food really is or showing them how to prepare it.

Having said that, your tradition of mixing up your "mixes" is exactly my goal. It is ALWAYS cheaper to make your own mixes and cook your own meals, but like you said, it is more a quality issue than cost. NOBODY is going to grab a handy bottle of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and dump it on their beautiful roast or mix textured soy protein into their casseroles. My cook day is Sunday. I make all my sauces, refried beans and chopped/shredded goods on that day. Like you said, when you do that, you can easily pull out one of those prepared meat sauces or soups or casseroles from the freezer and have a healthy, preservative free meal. I am making my own seasoned salt and taco mixes, my own almond milk, and now my own ice cream. Next, is bread. . That granite mortar and pestle has gotten lots of work so far.

Please share some of your favorites!

 

[Rac80]

Allow me to also suggest the More Make a Mix cookery book (it's the second one) - it has small family mixes (great for a single guy) and high health mixes. http://www.amazon.com/More-Make-A-Mix-Cookery-Eliason/dp/0895860554 ( i suggest amazon or ebay)

my favorite mixes are the Quick mix (homemade version of bisquick- use in all recipes calling for bisquick) and the Hot Roll Mix (i make the best rolls! ). I also love the granola mix, cornmeal mix, the sopaipilla mix....the list goes on. The onion soup mix and other seasoning mixes are great- you can play with the ingredients to tune them to your particular tastes. I make my own Hot chocolate - using additional ingredients to flavor it to taste.

I also have a food dehydrator and make my own jerky (most jerky has MSG which hubby can't have) as well as drying fruits and veggies for snacks. I even make my own vegetable soup mix.


If you are looking for high quality , pesticide free spices, I suggest Penzey's. Excellent quality and a reasonable price (abt grocery store prices) - they come in either plastic bags (if you want a lot) or small glass jars. I admit I love them and their catalogs often have coupons and recipes. they have a lot of salt free seasoning blends (which hubby loves) which are great ! they also sell indian spices /blends and a wide variety of asian spices. I recently got some lemongrass...

 

[Overmind One]

Allow me to also suggest the More Make a Mix cookery book (it's the second one) - it has small family mixes (great for a single guy) and high health mixes. http://www.amazon.com/More-Make-A-Mix-Cookery-Eliason/dp/0895860554 ( i suggest amazon or ebay)

my favorite mixes are the Quick mix (homemade version of bisquick- use in all recipes calling for bisquick) and the Hot Roll Mix (i make the best rolls! ). I also love the granola mix, cornmeal mix, the sopaipilla mix....the list goes on. The onion soup mix and other seasoning mixes are great- you can play with the ingredients to tune them to your particular tastes. I make my own Hot chocolate - using additional ingredients to flavor it to taste.

I also have a food dehydrator and make my own jerky (most jerky has MSG which hubby can't have) as well as drying fruits and veggies for snacks. I even make my own vegetable soup mix.


If you are looking for high quality , pesticide free spices, I suggest Penzey's. Excellent quality and a reasonable price (abt grocery store prices) - they come in either plastic bags (if you want a lot) or small glass jars. I admit I love them and their catalogs often have coupons and recipes. they have a lot of salt free seasoning blends (which hubby loves) which are great ! they also sell indian spices /blends and a wide variety of asian spices. I recently got some lemongrass...

DEHYDRATOR! That is what I need....thanks for reminding me. Question about that...can you dehydrate liquids in it too? I am using dehydrated whole eggs now (powdered) instead of fresh eggs, because of the way I use them. I never eat sunny side up eggs, or runny eggs. I use them as a binding agent, as omelettes and scrambled. So, the dehydrated eggs are perfect for my lifestyle. I want to dehydrate heavy whipping cream and milk too.

I have been using my mortar and pestle to make my spice blends. I just ordered a catalog from Penzey's from here: http://www.penzeys.com/ Looks good!

 

[Rac80]

this past weekend we froze over 16 qts of shredded zucchini (it grows like a weed) and 10 qts of chopped zucchini! not to mention 15 qts of yellow summer squash! and it's still growing.....

I want to salute my mother and my grandmothers who always canned and froze veggies without the use of a food processor! with just my hubby and daughter doing prep it still took us all day (Saturday) to "process" the squash for our freezer- even using my cusinart for the slicing and grating. (yes I have a large upright freezer: 16 cu ft. ) hat's off to the homemakers of yesteryear who puit in the time neccessary to feed their families- especially during the great depression (both of my grandfathers had farms dyring the depression) and other times of hardship!

 

[shavedape]

this past weekend we froze over 16 qts of shredded zucchini (it grows like a weed) and 10 qts of chopped zucchini! not to mention 15 qts of yellow summer squash! and it's still growing.....

I want to salute my mother and my grandmothers who always canned and froze veggies without the use of a food processor! with just my hubby and daughter doing prep it still took us all day (Saturday) to "process" the squash for our freezer- even using my cusinart for the slicing and grating. (yes I have a large upright freezer: 16 cu ft. ) hat's off to the homemakers of yesteryear who puit in the time neccessary to feed their families- especially during the great depression (both of my grandfathers had farms dyring the depression) and other times of hardship!

Squash like zucchini has a high water content. How does it defrost? I would think it would turn to mush, hence the reason most people don't freeze it.

 

[Overmind One]

Squash like zucchini has a high water content. How does it defrost? I would think it would turn to mush, hence the reason most people don't freeze it.

IT DOES turn to mush. I have done it! Still, not as bad as tomatoes.

 

[shavedape]

IT DOES turn to mush. I have done it! Still, not as bad as tomatoes.

Yes but with tomatoes you can at least make sauce and freeze it. I do that often, especially in late summer when I get a windfall of ripe tomatoes from people I know.

 

[Overmind One]

Yes but with tomatoes you can at least make sauce and freeze it. I do that often, especially in late summer when I get a windfall of ripe tomatoes from people I know.

Yep, I do that too. Tomatoes still taste fresh even when they are mushed out. But I freeze them because it is cheaper to buy them in bulk, or I get them from friends. This does not work so well with avocados. But what do you do with squash mush?

 

[shavedape]

Yep, I do that too. Tomatoes still taste fresh even when they are mushed out. But I freeze them because it is cheaper to buy them in bulk, or I get them from friends. This does not work so well with avocados. But what do you do with squash mush?

I only use squash fresh. I've heard of people canning it but I think that, too, would be mushy. Unless of course you add a ton of alum or some type of chemical that keeps veggies crisp. Personally I'm not much for additives like that.

Sometimes we have to accept that growing seasons have rules. As it is I'm enjoying cherries right now but don't expect to be able to find fresh ones for long.

 

[Rac80]

ZUCCHINI BREAD & MUFFINS! soups, stews, as part of my spaghetti sauce (which is mush anyway ), etc. even if it's mush it imparts a great flavor and nutrition boost. My mom used to make mashed squash (like mashed potatoes).

 

[Overmind One]

ZUCCHINI BREAD & MUFFINS! soups, stews, as part of my spaghetti sauce (which is mush anyway ), etc. even if it's mush it imparts a great flavor and nutrition boost. My mom used to make mashed squash (like mashed potatoes).

Question....yeast breads? Do you make your own and is it as easy as I have seen? The same friend who makes her own ice cream also makes her own bread, but not with a machine. But it takes a lot of folding and allowing the dough to double, and all that jazz...do you make your own?

 

[shavedape]

Question....yeast breads? Do you make your own and is it as easy as I have seen? The same friend who makes her own ice cream also makes her own bread, but not with a machine. But it takes a lot of folding and allowing the dough to double, and all that jazz...do you make your own?

I suspect there's a "bread machine" sitting on a marble counter somewhere in suburban Indy.

 

[Overmind One]

I suspect there's a "bread machine" sitting on a marble counter somewhere in suburban Indy.

This lady friend of mine is into all sorts of holistic shit. I find that attractive. First, we made homemade ice cream, then, I come over and she was halfway into her bread making thing. She explained how to start the yeast with honey and warm water, then she added it into the dough and let it rise. Then she punched it down and did a bunch of kneading, then she cut the dough in two halfs, let it rise again. Then she kneaded it into two long loaves, brushed them with egg, and baked them. OMG. Garlic buttered with balsamic vinegar to dip them in? I was blown away....

This is a Unix system...I know this!

I could do this at home if I just do it. I have the process in my head. I dont see the need for the machine. But I understand the flour mixture needs to be prepared to this process by adding gluten. Dry yeast is easy to get. And I like the idea of using honey for the yeast instead of sugar like so many recipes call for.

 

[shavedape]

This lady friend of mine is into all sorts of holistic shit. I find that attractive. First, we made homemade ice cream, then, I come over and she was halfway into her bread making thing. She explained how to start the yeast with honey and warm water, then she added it into the dough and let it rise. Then she punched it down and did a bunch of kneading, then she cut the dough in two halfs, let it rise again. Then she kneaded it into two long loaves, brushed them with egg, and baked them. OMG. Garlic buttered with balsamic vinegar to dip them in? I was blown away....

This is a Unix system...I know this!

I could do this at home if I just do it. I have the process in my head. I dont see the need for the machine. But I understand the flour mixture needs to be prepared to this process by adding gluten. Dry yeast is easy to get. And I like the idea of using honey for the yeast instead of sugar like so many recipes call for.

Bread = poison.

Listen, we all want some kitty. Even gay guys want "kitty". It's all about the meow. I get that. But you don't have to eat poison just to get some strange, ya feeling me?

Unless of course this woman is using that bread to make you a sandwich. In that case she should be encouraged. And points if she brings you an ice cold beer with that sammich too!

 

[Overmind One]

Bread = poison.

Listen, we all want some kitty. Even gay guys want "kitty". It's all about the meow. I get that. But you don't have to eat poison just to get some strange, ya feeling me?

Unless of course this woman is using that bread to make you a sandwich. In that case she should be encouraged. And points if she brings you an ice cold beer with that sammich too!

Oh, I know the evils of bread. That was the path to the Dark (fat) Side. Im thinking of modifying the flour to make it low carb. I have bought low carb bread, but it spoils quickly. I make Carbquick crusts sometimes, but they are not bread.

 

[Rac80]

Question....yeast breads? Do you make your own and is it as easy as I have seen? The same friend who makes her own ice cream also makes her own bread, but not with a machine. But it takes a lot of folding and allowing the dough to double, and all that jazz...do you make your own?

quick breads- not yeast bread. and yes I make my own yeast breads but I also have a bread machine for those days... I love to knead dough - especially when I'm really pissed-- works out the frustrations. The recipe I use for breads is in the make a mix cookbooks- very fast dough. rises only 2 hours overall! also does your lady friend make her own sourdough starter? i do that when I'm in a sour dough mood.

marble countertop ape??? for shame, mine is granite!


I admit I love to cook - it's a hobby I enjoy- and hubby appreciates. I have/had most kitchen gadgets out there- some didn't last (electric crepe maker - a good frypan is easier & the electric pasta maker ) and others I adore (my cusinart food processor & kitchen aid stand mixer ) and can't cook without. I am on my second oster blender (got one at my wedding that lasted for 20 years) and my second breadmachine. I can't say how many crockpots I have used up - indy has (usually) hot and steamy summers so i prefer to not use my oven whenever possible!

 

[Jim of WVa]

 

[Rac80]

jim I have a dishwasher so my sink never looks like that!

 

[Overmind One]

jim I have a dishwasher so my sink never looks like that!

I dont have a dishwasher, and my kitchen is always clean. But it isnt that big, and this apartment has tile counters, not granite like my other place. I would NEVER leave my little kitchen in that condition with food in plates and counters covered with plates. Yuck!