save by making your own tarter sauce

A number of years ago I heard you can make your own tarter sauce by mixing pickle relish and mayo. It was ok, but not like the stuff you can buy. I still prefered the stuff you buy in the store, yet it was so expensive. I have discovered a good tarter sauce recipe that is really great. It is easy to make and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

It only takes a couple of minutes to mix up a batch of tarter sauce and the results are really yummy.










Homemade tarter sauce

1/2 cup mayonaise
1 1/2 Tablespoons pickle relish
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish sometimes called creamed horseradish
1/4 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed prefered, but bottled will do in a pinch)
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dill
a shake of black pepper

Mix together and serve with your favorite seafood dish

Can be kept several weeks in the fridge

The horseradish and the worchestershire sauce really make it yum. They add a subtle flavor that you can't quite put your finger on, you are not sure what it is, but you know you like it.  Try it and you may never spend money on expensive store bought tarter sauce again.


As an added note, I used my own green tomato relish in place of the pickle relish.
I have included the link below for those interested
green tomato relish recipe

JICAMA have you tried it!

Jicama pronounced (HIC-A-ma)  Is a very yummy vegetable. It is light and crisp. It has a sweet taste.If I had to describe it; I would say it is like a cross between a raw potato, an apple, and a suagar snap pea. It is a great addition to salads. It makes an interesting change instead of the usual vegetables on a relish tray. You have gotta try this vegetable. 

Don't be fooled by its simple mundane appearance. It is shaped like a turnip, yet has the tan color of a potato. It is often called a Mexican potato or Mexican Turnip. There is greatness inside that brown bulb. They are low in calories, and are high in vitamin C. They have quite a bit of fiber. They are a wonderful addition to the diet. The kids seem to love them.

Jicama can be small or they can grow to be very large up to 50 pounds. Avoid bulbs that are twice the size of your fist or larger, they tend to be woody in texture. Choose a smaller size for the most sweetness. Avoid buying Jicama that has dark brown spots or mold growing on them.  Avoid ones bruises or cuts on them.

How to prepare Jicama
1. Pick a medium sized bulb with a dry stem that is firm to the touch.
2. Peel off the outer brown skin to reveal the white flesh inside.
3. cut into desired shape.



Dice or Julienne for salads.  cut into a french fry shape for dipping. It can be  grated or finely chopped in salsa etc.Many prefer to eat them raw, but they can be cooked. Jicama is used  in oriental dishes like  a stir fry or spring rolls. When cooked they end up with a texture similar to waterchestnuts.



 I found a recipe that I am eager to try.

Clementine and jicama salad
8 clementines peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 cups of jicama julienne cut (matchsticks)
1 small red onion thin sliced
3/4 cup cilantro
1/2 cup queso fresco or mild feta cheese
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

dressing
1 clove garlic smashed with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp  mush together to make a paste then add
1/4 cup lime juice
6 Tablespoons olive oil

Mix salad ingredients in a bowl then toss with the dressing just before serving.





Just for fun I have included some links below for more reading about  this wonderful vegetable. I hope you will discover a new favorite food in Jicama.

wise geek what is jicama

nutrition and you Jicama

The lost art of handwritten letters

This past week I had a great mail day. I received a a handwritten letter. It was a nice surprise. There is something about a handwritten letter or note that just lifts the spirit like none other. My Grandmother wrote me every week while I was in college and while serving as a missionary for my church. It was so nice, and it gave me something to look forward to. It is something that I really miss.

 There is something about the thought and time that goes into expressing yourself in a letter.  It says I took the time to think about you and our relationship.  It is something that our children are missing out on.  Our children are not learning to communicate effectivly. They communicate in short, abreviated, half written thoughts through text and e-mail. A quick e-mail or text gets lost in the daily shuffle;  they are easily looked at, discarded, and sometimes overlooked. On the other hand, a thank you letter or a quick thinking of you note can create a long lasting impression.

With Valentines day right around the corner, take the time to write an old fashioned love letter. It will be much more treasured than a cheesy store-bought valentine. Those you love will appreciate it. It does not have to be real fancy and cute, It only has to come from the heart.

                                                               © Pontuse | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Dream bars

This is one of those little gems that I have in my recipe collection.

Dream bars

Preheat oven to 325

In a medium bowl blend  together
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 cups flour  (This last time I made the crust with part whole wheat and part oat flour rather than all purpose flour. They turned out great. I liked the oat flavor.)

Press this crust mix into a cookie sheet and bake in a 325 oven for 20 minutes. While the crust is baking; beat together the remaining ingredients (I used the same bowl to avoid more dishes)

4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups coconut
2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or other nuts
Pour this mix over the hot bottom crust and bake another 25 minutes
cool and cut into squares
makes 36 squares

Below is the finished product as it came out of the oven 

So easy and very yummy. I love the brown sugar flavor and the coconut and nuts together. Who could ask for anything more.

DIY newspaper logs

As a couponer I get several copies of the Sunday newspaper. I decided to start rolling newspaper logs as a way to recycle those papers.

 There are several methods to making newspaper logs. Many of these methods involve wetting the newspapers and rolling them on a broom handle etc. This was not for me. It sounded  hard, and too messy. I found another method that works well. I can fold them in the evening after the children go to bed.


1. Start with one section of the newspaper,  lay it on a flat surface.

2. Fold it in half lengthwise now you have a long slender rectangle measuring approx 21" x 6"

3. Fold it in half width wise now you should have a section of paper measuring approx 6" x  10.5"


4. Make five or six  of these

5. Stack them up one on top of another turning every other layer over. (alternating cut edges and folded edges). This makes for easier rolling and lighting later on.

6. Roll this stack of folded newspapers into a  tight log  about 2-3 inches thick

7. Tie the log on each end, you can use strips of cotton t-shirt, string, or a thin wire

8. Store in a dry place until ready to burn.

As an added note, use only the regular newsprint pages. Do not use the glossy ads.  Do not use plastic, nylon, rayon. or other synthetics for tying the logs.

A regular daily edition of the newspaper will make 1-2 logs.  Sunday/ Special editions will make 2-4
Four newspaper logs will last about 1 hour for heating. They produce about the same heat equivalent of a similar sized stick of wood.


This is a great project for children.  You could make a bunch of logs and donate to those who may be in need.

Nun's puffs

Nobody knows just how these got their name; but they are heavenly. Fluffy,buttery, and just slightly sweet; they are a real treat. 

 To make these sweet little treats you will need only a few basic ingredients

Nun's Puffs
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
4 large eggs
1 Tablespoon sugar
Honey or jam  for serving

Preheat the oven to 375

1. In a medium saucepan melt the butter, then add the milk. Bring to a boil
2.. Add the flour all at once stirring with a wooden spoon until it comes together in a ball. Set this aside to cool for 5 minutes.
3. While this is cooling, generously grease 12 standard size muffin cups.

4. Add the eggs one at a time stirring after each addition until incorporated into the mix.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups
6. Sprinkle the sugar over the tops of the batter
7. Bake in a 375 oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown and puffy
8. serve while still warm with honey or jam.

This is the dough as it formed in the saucepan, before the eggs were added.

 My daughter was helping.  You can see that she got a little too much sugar on the tops of the puffs before they went into the oven.






The finished puffs as they came out of the oven.






Happy baking.

Winter grilling! good for the soul

© Eugenef | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photo  

    The other night I got a hankering for a grilled steak. Lucky for me, our grill is out back and under the patio where there is a bit less snow.  I  brushed a couple inches of snow off the grill  and lit her up. Even in the cold weather BBQ/Grilling lifts my spirits. There is just something about it. I enjoyed myself looking out over the white winter wonderland that exists in my backyard.