The Best Homemade Mayonnaise

If you are interested in making your own

mayonnaise

 this is the best recipe and method I have found.

I'm not going to reprint it; just visit this link!

It's the best!

You'll love it!

https://howtofeedaloon.com/classic-homemade-mayonnaise/

(This mayonnaise is great in my Ranch Dressing recipe or Chicken Salad!)

Crock Pot Ratatouille

Just in time for the burgeoning farmers' markets, you'll want to try this

Ratatouille!

This recipe does involve a lot of chopping! Since you can make it ahead it's a great choice for a busy day!

One recipe will serve 4 people as a main dish and 6 as a side veggie, so cut it in half if there are only 2 or 3 of you.

1 med. eggplant (about 1 lb.) cut into 3/4" pieces.
1 1/2 t. Salt.
3 T. Olive Oil.
2 T. Tomato Paste.
1/4 t. Pepper.
5 Roma Tomatoes, diced.
2 med. zucchini and/or yellow summer squash, cut into 3/4" pieces.
1 lg. Sweet Pepper (red, orange or yellow) cut into 1/4" pieces.
1 lg. Onion, sliced into half-moons.
4 lg. Garlic Cloves, sliced.
1 t. Dried Thyme (or 1 T. fresh, chopped.)
1 Bay Leaf.

Fresh Basil Leaves for garnish.

Place the eggplant in a colander set over a bowl and toss with 1 t. of the salt. Allow to sit and drain for at least 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water. Lay the eggplant out on a towel and pat dry.

Whisk together oil, tomato paste, 1/2 t. salt and pepper.

Combine the drained eggplant, tomatoes, squash, sweet pepper, onion, garlic and thyme in a slow cooker. Add the oil and tomato paste mixture and stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Uncover and cook 1 hour more to cook down some of the liquid.

Remove the bay leaf. Garnish with Basil (whole or sliced leaves.)

Taco Seasoning

OK, I don't know why I wasn't on this years ago, but in case someone out there still doesn't make their own

Homemade Taco Seasoning...

...here is a recipe to start with! 

These measurements make about 2 ounces, so double it to fill up a half pint jar. Use about 2 Tablespoons of the mixture per pound of meat when cooking.

As always on Practically Margaret, change up the ingredients and quantities to suit your own tastes (or to accommodate what you actually have in the cupboard!) Keep it practical and stress free!

2    T. Chili Powder

1    T. Ground Cumin

1    T. Salt

1/2 T. Pepper

1/2 T. Paprika (smoked, sweet or regular)

1     t. Dried Oregano

1     t. Garlic Powder

1/2  t. Onion Powder

1/8  t. Cayenne Pepper

Place all ingredients in a jar and shake to mix. Keep sealed and store with your other spices.

After you have your taco seasoning prepared, you'll be ready to make my

  Crockpot Taco Soup! 

It cooks all day and is ready for you when you want it. It also freezes well, so don't worry about left overs. Adios for now!

Easy Peel Hardboiled Eggs

Don't you hate it when you are peeling hardboiled eggs and 1/2 the whites come off with the peel? Especially when you are trying to make deviled eggs. Instead of looking like perfect little egg boats, they are one unappetizing mess!

Well, there are just a couple of secrets to making

 hardboiled eggs 

that 

peel clean and easy every time.

1. Start with boiling water.
2. Add a Tbsp. of baking soda.

That's it! Just to be clear, following are the step by step instructions:

The water needs to cover all of the eggs you'll be cooking, so add eggs to your pan and add water to cover them at least 1/2 inch. Pull out the eggs and leave them on the counter (not back in the refrigerator.) Add a tablespoon or so of baking soda to the water, cover with a lid and bring the pot to a boil.







When the water is at a full boil, carefully lower each egg into the pot with a slotted spoon. Do this slowly giving each egg a little time to adjust to the water as it is lowered. This helps keeps the eggs from breaking during the cooking time.








Replace the lid, cocking it just a little and allow the water to return to boiling. Lower the heat, keeping it just hot enough to continue boiling. Set your timer for 10 minutes. At the end of 10 minutes, remove the pot from heat, remove the lid and let it sit for a few minutes.

Pour off the hot water and add cold tap water to the pot. Pour off this second pot of water and add another round of cold tap water. Add a couple handfuls of ice cubes and let the eggs sit 10-15 minutes.

That's it! You can use the eggs right away or dry them off and store in the refrigerator.

Happy Peeling!

Kombucha Bottles and How To Get Them Clean

Probably the most practical way to store kombucha that I have found is in a half gallon jar with a plastic lid. I use this type of container a lot.

Growlers work pretty well too.

But I really like a little fizz in my kombucha and the container you use for your secondary fermentation and storage really does impact this feature of your beverage. I can't explain the science behind it, but a narrow mouth, long neck bottle gives the best fermentation. (Think beer or wine bottles.)

The Best Kombucha Bottles

The problem with using a lot of these types of bottles is cleaning them. 

A regular bottle brush just doesn't fit into the opening! I've tried several cleaning methods but my daughter Emily discovered the best one yet:

A Refrigerator Brush!

This handy device is long enough to reach into tall bottles. It bends (and straightens) easily so you can manipulate it to reach the bottom edges and all the sloping sides of your favorite kombucha bottle!

The Best Kombucha Bottle Brush

You can find one easily at Walmart for under $5! 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Quickie-HomePro-Refrigerator-Brush-27/21048601

Kale Chips

Kale is an affordable vegetable that is usually available year round. It makes a great addition to stir fry and soups but my favorite way to prepare it is in the form of kale chips.

These are really easy to make! They keep fairly well and are great to keep in mind if you have kale in the refrig that needs to be used. Kale is full of vitamins and minerals. All that adds up to make kale chips a very practical recipe!

To make kale chips 

you'll need:

Kale

Olive Oil

Salt

(Other Optional Seasonings)

Start by washing and thoroughly drying your kale. I spread it out on a big tea towel and blot the leaves dry. Pull out the tough stem and then separate the larger leaves into manageable pieces. You can do this all by hand - grasp both sides of the leaf in one hand and gently tear the stem with the other hand.

Place your dry and de-stemmed kale in a big bowl. Spray or sprinkle olive oil over the top. Using tongs or your hands, toss the oil to cover all the leaves as thoroughly as possible. Add a little oil at a time until the leaves are fairly well coated. You'll be working with teaspoons of oil here, not cups.

Now sprinkle salt or other seasonings on the leaves. Toss again to cover the entire bowl full.

Place the kale in a dehydrator at about 130 degrees until dry and crispy. The time will vary based on your kale and dehydrator but you're looking at 2-3 hours for this.

If you don't have a dehydrator, you can dry the kale chips in your oven. Preheat the oven to the lowest setting possible. Spread your kale in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven. Once in, turn the heat off. Remove the chips when they are crispy. If you have a lot of kale, you may need to turn the oven back on after it cools below 130 degrees to get to the desired crispiness!

That's it! Store kale chips in a sealed container so they stay fresh and crispy.

Seasoning Suggestions:

Salt and Pepper

Nutritional Yeast

Italian Seasonings

Herbal Tea That Promotes Restful Sleep

I've had mixed results with herbal remedies, but this tea is one that has worked well for my family and me. It only has 4 ingredients and works wonders when you are feeling too keyed up to fall asleep. It's not the greatest taste combination in my toolkit, but it works well enough that the flavor is easily accepted!

Sleep Tight Tea

Ingredients

Equal Parts of each herb:

Hops flowers

Lavender flowers

Chamomile flowers

Valerian root

Break up the hops flowers so they are close in size to the other ingredients. Combine everything together and mix well. Use 1 tsp. of Sleep Tight Tea in an 8-10 oz. cup. Add boiling water and steep for 5 - 10 minutes.

Drink just before bedtime and enjoy a really good night's sleep!

The hops, lavender and valerian all have a relaxing, calming affect. The chamomile flowers are great for a nervous stomach and improve the somewhat "herby" flavor of this tea.