Sauces, Condiments, and Preservation

Pesto—a great sauce for pasta, meat, or eggs. But some chefs have turned it into an amalgam of any veggie pulverized with olive oil. Let’s get back to basics.

Our humble little tomato plant grew beyond expectation and produced a bumper crop. I made a delicious green tomato chutney with garlic.

This article is about the the easiest way to make sweet, crunchy pickles, featuring a secret shortcut. Includes recipe, complete instructions, and lots of photos. You will love these pickles.

Green beans are essential in a well-balanced diet. Fresh from the garden, they have higher levels of nutrients than ones bought at the store. Here's how to harvest, and freeze green beans.

An easy storage method for your garden (or Farmer's Market) root vegetables. Suitable for carrots, beets, and many others. Potatoes and similar tubers, too.

I freeze greens from my garden every year -- they taste as delicious as fresh-from-the-garden. It's an easy process to learn. Read on for all the details.

Awesome diabetic recipes! Low carb recipes for sauces, with photos.

How to make your own Seville orange marmalade. This recipe includes step-by-step instructions with photos and videos. Once you have tasted homemade marmalade, you will never want to buy the commercially made variety again.

Before the written word, there was honey; offering to the gods, source of potent drink and peasant currency, and even a love potion; honey is as old as time. Enjoy the history and the recipes.

Peruvian ají sauce transforms chicken and French fries into something special! Learn how to make this spicy, addictive sauce.

Pressure canning your own homemade chicken broth is easy, and having it available in your cellar is convenient and inspiring.

Do you want a recipe for a healthy cranberry sauce that even people who hate cranberry sauce will love? This recipe has been wowing my Thanksgiving guests for years.

Sample five smoky BBQ sauce recipes from the main barbecue regions of the United States. Also included, the origin of barbecue sauce and BBQ cooking methods.

You can make and can your own robust pasta sauce that's free of preservatives, additives, and chemicals—and costs under $3 per jar. If you grow the ingredients yourself in your own backyard, the cost is even less!

Knowing how to make a white sauce can be invaluable cooking skill. You can use a white sauce in so many dishes either as a topping or a creamy filling.

I've tested dozens of bbq sauce recipes and these are the very best to make at home.

10 ways to use up your leftover cranberry sauce. You might even be inspired to make some cranberry sauce just to try some of these ideas.

Salsa verde is a green salsa made in Mexico. It is made with tomatillos, cilantro, onion, garlic, chile serrano, and lime. It can be boiled or broiled. Includes variations and serving suggestions.

I am so happy to still have my grandmother's old food mill. Making homemade applesauce and choke cherry jelly is easy, fun, tasty, and satisfying. See videos in this post, then get busy!

Of all the vegetables I can each year, tomatoes have to be my favorite. My instructions are easy to follow, and the photos will help you, too. You're going to love having jars of tomatoes you canned yourself.

This is part one of a two part article on the advantages and disadvantages of home food preservation. In this article we explore food that is fresh, root cellared, and frozen.

With this recipe, making and canning fresh homemade cranberry sauce will be a breeze for your holiday meals this year! And you don't have to worry about what to do with all of the leftover sauce, if you have any. You can simply store it away for a mid-year craving or even for next year.

Recipe and photo instructions for my mom’s delicious fig preserves.

Walnut oil is one of those oils you don't hear much about, but it is fantastic. Learn how to use it in your everyday cooking.

Wild berries are a common summer sight all over the world and are often free for the taking. Learn to make this quick and easy berry sauce, a delicious and elegant accompaniment for many desserts.

Italian pesto is loved the world over. But have you ever tasted Tallarin Verde, or green noodles, the pesto of Peru? Creamy and mild, it is the favorite dish of many Peruvian children.

Step-by-step instructions on making a delicious and pretty syrup. These instructions can be used for just about any edible flower.

Worcestershire sauce is a delicious fermented product used to flavour meat, fish, Welsh rarebit, and cocktails. It’s made from a secret recipe by Lea and Perrins.

Olive & Vine is a Houston boutique that sells top-quality extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars. Taste before you buy, and learn about health benefits for both.

What are the advantages of preserving food by canning, pickling, drying, and smoking? What are the disadvantages?

Bacon jam is almost impossible to describe—until you taste it. Sweet, spicy, smoky, salty, it's an amazing combination of delectable goodness. Check out how easy it is to make it for yourself!

Here's how to decrystallize honey fast in small and medium batches- no pan or microwave needed. This method is great if you have crystallized honey, but don't want to decrystallize an entire jar, or are dealing with honey in a plastic container.

"Curry" is a blanket term used to describe a vast range of Indian spicy stewed dishes. There are many different styles of curries. Not all are hot. Get tips and recipes for curries here.

A good, flavorful jalapeno hot sauce recipe that goes a bit beyond the basics.

Learn the secret to making a thick and rich tomato soup from garden fresh or canned tomatoes!

A quick and easy tahini recipe. Only need 2 ingredients. Homemade tahini paste made in just 15 minutes. Ideal for making hummus, tahini salad dressing, tahini dip, tahini sauce or even tahini cookies!

Make your own cooking spray saves money, reduces the chemical additives you're putting into your body, takes 5 minutes to make, and is better for the environment and better for your health.

Ten awesome recipes for barbecue sauce, including ideas for BBQ sauce ingredients. Lots of photos!

A gooey, dark brown, and salty spread has been marketed under the slogan “Love Me or Hate Me, I’m Yours.”

Photos and text teach you step-by-step how to pressure can milk by sealing it in jars for long-term storage.

Many mason jar canning lids contain BPA which acts like estrogen in the body, disrupting normal hormone regulation. BPA-free claims may not be enough. Find out how to find healthy canning jars.

Mole, or Mexican BBQ sauce, has gained popularity due to the efforts of culinary genius Rick Bayless. This simplified recipe for red mole yields a silky, sweet, smoky sauce. A Scoville chart of dried chiles is included.

This sauce is a fresher version of the jalapeño ranch dip from the Chuy's restaurant chain. I got rid of the ranch packet and made this from scratch.

Standard tartar sauce is great in a hurry and an even simply version takes about 60 seonds to prepare. At the same time, some of my favorites are also fast and easy.

A fantastic recipe for freezing tomatoes. Use this recipe to save any excess tomatoes you may have. Use the frozen ones later to make fantastic sauces that are full of flavor.

Making cherry and black grape jam in the crockpot is going to be so easy, you'll be surprised that you didn't think to do this for yourself before now. Juicy cherries and crispy grapes made into a sweet, smooth, yummy concoction that you can enjoy with toast or biscuits.

Bee colonies have been collapsing for a decade, but the demand for honey is rising.

A guide to making your own homemade jam with step by step instructions, photos and video.

Nothing beats the fresh taste of homemade beef jerky. Say goodbye to the massively preserved, store-bought bags and find true comfort with homemade beef jerky recipes.

Homemade salsa that can be used all year round. Step-by-step instructions that include tips on how to handle jalapeno peppers to keep them from burning your hands.

Pecans (and almost any food) can be preserved in Mason jars. This method frees up your freezer space, and there is no freezer burn.

Gravy should be sublime, not like something out of the Twilight Zone.

Capers are a salty, briny condiment that can provide amazing pops of flavor to your savory dishes.

Is your jam thin and runny? Here are all the ways you can make great jam using low-pectin fruit, with example recipes.

Red wine vinegar, shallots and garlic reduce quickly for a fabulous steak sauce. This sauce will change the way you enjoy steak. It's so savory and flavorful, plus it's easy to make!

Quick and Easy Avocado Recipes. Salads, salsa, guacamole and more. Enjoy avocado a variety of ways with these tempting and healthy avocado recipes. Includes, guacamole a la mexicana!

My husband and I go a bit overboard when we see good sales. We capitalized on a pineapple sale we found. I want to show you how to take advantage of canning your own pineapple!

Green sauces—a simple idea with world-wide appeal. Each culture uses the herbs of their garden to craft a condiment to accompany the foods they love. Let’s explore the origins of ten of these sauces, how to make them, and how to use them in dishes for your friends and family.

Pressure canning chicken is easy, and it gives you access to meat for quick meals, as well as cellar stock for emergencies and a DIY lifestyle.

A simple recipe, with photos, to make the popular Israeli spicy condiment, zhug (skhug). Originally from Yemen, this Mediterranean hot sauce is easy to prepare, has a vivid green color, and has a garlic/cilantro aroma that is entrancing.

Get flavor and fire with this hot sauce that utilizes fruits and vegetables for complex flavor.

Craving Mexican fajitas? Try my recipe for a gluten-free seasoning mix marinade. Since this is a dry mix, it can be stored for months inside your pantry.

Making a real Cajun-style roux is no mystery—it simply takes a little patience! With a couple of tools and three ingredients, you can have true, rich Cajun flavor for gumbo or étouffée for yourself!

Salsa—Not just a Tex-Mex dip. Salsa is a heart-healthy mix of fruits and vegetables with so many flavor combinations. I'll show you how to make a salsa you will love.

Chili oil is a popular condiment commonly used in Asian countries. Some places add a twist on this condiment by adding garlic on it. Learn my version on how to make homemade chili garlic oil.

Why go to an expensive Japanese restaurant? Now you can prepare a classic Japanese sauce at home without worrying about your budget. Follow my easy recipe for galicky sweet soy glaze.

An essential condiment in every British household is a bottle of HP Sauce, just as it’s nearly impossible to find an American home without ketchup.

Learning how to make a quick pan sauce will give you superpowers in the kitchen. Three to four ingredients and five minutes will elevate a plain chicken breast or pork chop to a whole new level.

This New York Strip Steak recipe is a simple preparation for a flavourful steak.

This hearty, rustic tomato pasta sauce takes less than 15 minutes to prep and produces a bold tomato and garlic flavor. Pairs well with a variety of pastas and is an excellent spread for appetizers.

When your chickens produce too many eggs to use fresh, or you find a good sale on eggs, preserve some for later consumption using an old-fashioned method. Store eggs in your basement or closet.

Vanilla extract is a popular ingredient in many recipes. Learn how to make it yourself with this recipe for easy homemade vanilla extract in two simple steps. It takes a while to be ready to use, but in just a few short months you'll have your own extract for all of your baking needs.

What does “French cooking” mean to you? Fancy, fussy, complicated? Mother sauces, the foundation of French cuisine are easy to prepare. I'll tell you how, and you'll never buy packaged sauce again.

Sauce made with fresh tomatoes has a unique flavor and the sweetness of the tomatoes grown in your own or someone else's yard can't be beat. Add what ever other vegetable and or meat you like and you have a healthy and tasty sauce for your pasta.

Two authentic Southern chow chow relish recipes (cooked and no-cook versions). Bonus recipes: peach relish and jalapeño jelly.

Celebrate the grand garden season finale. Here are some faster, space-saving methods to harvest and store garden produce at its best.

Fish can be preserved by drying, salting, and freezing. These methods go back thousands of years and are effective ways to store bumper harvests for times of scarcity.

White sauces—a simple idea with worldwide appeal. Each culture uses the produce of their garden to craft a condiment to accompany the foods they love. Let’s explore these sauces and how to make them.

Preserved vegetables are the "magic" ingredient in home-style Chinese cooking. The preserved sweet salty radish called "choi poh" in Cantonese is a universal favourite. It's very easy to make. Enjoy!

Making sesame flax-butter is a good way to include healthful foods in your daily diet. This is a quick guide to add a new, delicious seed butter into your diet.

The perfect sauce for fish balls? Sweet and spicy fish ball sauce, of course! This recipe is both delicious and easy to make at home.

Do you love McDonald's? Try my version of their famous tartar sauce. You can prepare this delicious recipe in just five minutes.

The best pizza sauce starts off with the freshest ingredients, not canned. Learn the secrets to an extremely fresh from scratch pizza sauce recipe.

Homemade mango chutney is better than any shop-bought chutney and a great go-to for any Indian curry or ingredient to other recipes. Here's a simple recipe!

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to can stewed tomatoes.

Made with fresh ingredients, a fruit coulis is the perfect fruit sauce. Along with step by step photo instructions, you'll find recipes for a raspberry, a mixed berry and a strawberry version.

What is in a romesco sauce? Find out how to make an authentic version of this Catalonian salsa in your own home kitchen.

Learn how to dehydrate foods and save money. Dehydrating foods takes none of the nutrients out and helps you use food at their prime.

Making the most of your homegrown tomatoes: a guide to cooking and preserving tomatoes for use all year round, with some useful recipes.

Learn to make delicious and unique BBQ sauce from scratch! Easy directions and photos are included.

Red sauces—a simple idea with world-wide appeal. Each culture uses the produce of their garden to craft a condiment to accompany the foods they love. Let’s explore the origins of ten of these sauces and learn how to make them.

Use this recipe for the Secret to making great cranberry sauce loaded with vitamin C. If you always reached for the can on the shelf, STOP! This is the cranberry sauce recipe for you.

Hot green pepper jelly! This is great old recipe for this famous and fantastic tasting jelly that everyone loves. It is a simple recipe and easy to make.

You can use those end-of-season, unripe tomatoes you picked from your garden or greenhouse to make an excellent chutney. I also include recipe tips for using the chutney in a ploughman’s lunch.

Text and photos teach you step-by-step how to preserve winter squashes or pumpkins by pressure canning.

Quinces are a delicious but under-used fruit. Somewhere between an apple and a pear, they are too hard to be eaten raw, but they make a delicious jelly that's perfect for a Christmas breakfast... or as an awesome homemade holiday gift!

Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce is the secret ingredient in this fantastic homemade wing sauce.

This recipe is focused on pressure canning black beans. By preserving your own food, not only can you control the ingredients in the food you make, providing your family with more nutritious food, but you also get the satisfaction of making food for your family.

People seem to have a love/hate thing for French food - which I can understand. It's somewhat intimidating, involves approximately 476 steps for something as simple as a scrambled egg, and no one understands what the names of dishes are. They are in...