Homemade Mixes Tips

Funny thing with certain food allergies...  You can't buy many things that are premade or packaged.  One of the worst offenders is dry mixes and sauces.  Being corn free is especially tough.

One of the first things I made from scratch was Worcestershire sauce.  Its pretty darn good to, if I do say so myself.  I look forward to the day when we can add/try a bit of anchovie paste in it to really, really make it.

The next mix I mastered was taco seasoning.  It is so good, and you know what?  I can make it cheaper and healthier then premade/premixed.   

One of my favorite mixes is my homemade bread.  People are always surprised when they try it and will tell me how good it is.

I recently taught a class on mixes and thought I'd share a few and some timely tips that really help.  Today's post focuses on tips and tricks.

Tools needed for making homemade mixes

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Variety of sizes of clean and sanitized glass jars with fitted lids

Mason jars with lids and rings

Permanent marker for labeling

Labels

Large gallon or two gallon Ziploc

Tips for making homemade mixes

If you are making a mix and come up short, ALWAYS label what is missing until you can add it.  Then when you do add it… CROSS off the item you had listed so you don’t add it twice.

Run jars and lids through your dishwasher on the sanitizer cycle if you have one.

Use a tally mark system on a pad of paper so you don’t ever lose count.

Measure accurately, especially in really large batches.

Label baggies and jars before you start measuring.

Assemble and line up ingredients before you start assembly.

Have fun, experiment, and enjoy!

Best to use organic, quality spices.  Dried spices last for 6-12 months.  For safe spices look at brands like Organic, however most Trader Joe spices, and McCormick spices are “safe.”  However, always double check.  Blends are not usually safe, but single spices usually are.

Check back for more mixes!