We ate these homemade granola bars in no time!

My husband and I eat a fair number of Nature Valley granola bars, which run us about $3 for 12 pre-wrapped bars, or about $.25 a bar. Could I make these myself? Here’s my version of a recipe I found in my favorite cookbook, The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.

I have not calculated exactly how much this recipe costs to make, but it yields three times as many bars as one box from the store and tastes a lot better!

What do you make instead of buy to save money?

Ingredients

7 c old fashioned oatmeal

1/2 c canola oil

1/2 t salt

1/2 c honey

1/2 c brown sugar

1 T vanilla extract

2 t cinnamon

2-3 large scoops peanut butter

1 c walnuts or other nut, chopped

1/2 c chocolate chips

Directions

This recipe makes about 36 bars and takes 1.5 hours from start to finish, including cooking time.

Heat oven to 375. Mix oats with oil and salt. Pour into two trays or cookie sheets and spread evenly. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring at least once. Heat the honey and brown sugar in a small pan and when dissolved, add vanilla and cinnamon off heat. When oats are a golden brown, pour into a large bowl and mix with the sugar solution. Turn oven down to 300.

To make two kinds of bars, peanut butter and chocolate chip, separate oats into two large bowls. Add peanut butter to one bowl while oats are still warm. This will help melt the peanut butter evenly into the oats. In the other bowl, stir in nuts and chocolate chips. The chips will mostly melt (I have no idea how manufacturers get their chips to come out whole) but you’ll still get that chocolate flavor.

You can make your own variations with whatever nuts, dried fruit, or treats you desire!

Line two cookie trays with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking oil. Press the mixture into each tray with a large spoon or metal spatula, dipping it into a cup of water often. (This reduces the amount of granola that sticks to your utensil.) Cook for 35-40 minutes. (This might seem like a long time but cooking less will increase crumbliness.)

Leave in tray while cooling for 15 minutes on wire rack or cold surface. Cut bars decisively into rectangles in the pan and then let the bars cool completely before you attempt to pick them up. I store half in a plastic bag or tupperware for up to two weeks and eat the other half!

Can't wait to make a Buche de Noel! Telephone Melts / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Tis the time to haul out the bakeware! I love baking, especially in the cold weather months, as it warms up our home. It’s been really cold in L.A. lately! Below are a few dessert recipes I’m planing to make for our different Christmas celebrations.

Gingersnap Pear Cheesecake – In my post about non-traditional Thanksgiving desserts, I said how much I love cheesecake because of it’s versatility. For Christmas, try one with pears and a gingersnap crust. The flavors complement each other wonderfully. Best thing is that if you know how to make a basic cheesecake, you can have this done in no time. Another thing I like is that it travels well to parties and it can be made ahead of time.

Chocolate Truffles – This recipe takes about three to four hours to make, but it’s well worth it! You can make the chocolate truffles on the weekend and store them (good luck not eating them!) to share at your company’s Christmas party or potluck. The best thing is that you can make so many combinations. These little treats are also great for homemade gifts.

Bark – There are bark recipes galore, but this one with mint candies seems most appropriate. I’m going to make bark for my sister so she can share with her friends at school before they go on their winter break. I’m making different varieties to suit everyone’s tastes. One of my favorite combinations is white chocolate with pistachios and cranberries. The color is just so festive! Did I mention it’s so easy to make and transport? I’m using baggies with colorful ribbon to hand out.

Buche de Noel – I’m so excited to make one of these logs. It’s like the grown up version of the gingerbread house. When I was in high school my french teacher brought one to share with the class and I fell in love. It was delicious! This year I’m going to try to make one from scratch. It’s so festive and you can decorate it as you please. The traditional yule log recipe calls for sponge cake and takes considerable time to make, but I found a recipe that it’s doable. And it doesn’t call for crazy, fancy ingredients.

What dessert are you making this Christmas?

Sifu Renka / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

I love Thanksgiving and can eat leftovers for days. This year, I tried a new recipe that used leftover turkey. Not only did this save money and time, but it created a new tradition! Below I share the recipe to this yummy Turkey Pot Pie.

The best part of this recipe is that you can substitute chicken if your turkey is all gone. Need other ideas for leftover? Check out my post on what to do with leftovers and learn other money saving tips! This recipe was adapted from Carla Hall’s recipe for The Chew on ABC.

Ingredients

For the Turkey Filling:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion (diced)
• 2 medium carrots (bite-size pieces)
• 2 celery ribs (bite-size pieces)
• 1 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprigs rosemary
• 1 leaves sage
• Salt and pepper (make sure to taste everything before you bake)
• 4 ounces butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 bay leaves
• 1 quart turkey stock
• 1 1/2 cups cooked dark turkey meat (bite-size pieces)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup frozen baby peas

Directions

In a pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery with the thyme, rosemary and sage for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure to taste everything for seasoning before you bake. Set aside and allow to cool. Remove any herb stems.

In the same pot, melt the butter and whisk in the flour to make a roux to thicken the sauce. Then pour in turkey stock, and whisking to stay smooth. Add bay leaves and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. (If you have gravy leftover use it instead.) Stir in the vegetable mixture, turkey and peas. Set aside and allow to cool.

In a large casserole dish, place cooked crust on bottom and pour turkey filling on top. Place the raw crust on top and crimp edges around dish. Brush with eggwash and bake in 375°F oven until bubbling and golden brown. I bought my pie crust but you can make your own.

This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Other sites posting this content are violating the DMCA.

lordog / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

Don’t get me wrong, I love apple and pumpkin pie — served warm with a scoop (or two) of vanilla bean ice cream. These pies complete a Thanksgiving meal. But if you’re in charge of dessert this year, change it up a bit and try your hand at making one of these six non-traditional turkey day sweets. (If you’re in charge of the bird, here’s how to cook a perfect turkey.)

Flan

If you’ve never tried flan, you’re missing out! This is a custard topped with caramel that’s similar to creme brulee. I’ve taught several friends how to make this decadent dessert using my family’s recipe. I like that it’s so easy to make and it keeps well in the fridge so you can make it ahead. The Food Network’s Ellie Krieger has a pumpkin flan recipe similar to mine. You can either use ramekins for individual portions or make one to share. If you’re traveling, don’t flip it till you arrive or you’ll end up covered in caramel.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

I recently shared a list of five sources for free Thanksgiving recipes and one of those was MarthaStewart.com. Last year, I made Stewart’s pumpkin cheesecake recipe and enjoyed it as I wrote a term paper. It was was creamy and velvety. There will be no last minute term paper writing this year, but I am making this cheesecake again. You may have already noticed that I love pumpkin as I’ve shared two pumpkin bread recipes. If you don’t, cheesecake is so versatile that you’re bound to find one you like. Stewart has a variety of recipes for this dessert.

Pear Cranberry and Gingersnap Crumble

I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Smitten Kitchen. I haven’t tried this recipe, but it looks delish! I’m making this for one of my Thanksgiving dinners. It’s easy to transport as you can cover with a baking dish and go. The gooey, warm fruit topped with the crumbly mixture is sure to be a hit. You can also make this with apples. Don’t forget to top with whipped cream.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

End your Thanksgiving meal with warm bread soaked in spiced custard with this pumpkin bread pudding recipe. It only takes 45 minutes to complete and you may already have all the ingredients on hand. A friend once made this for a potluck and it was delicious. I would warm this before serving, although you can eat it cold.

Cranberry, Almond, and Cinnamon Tart

This tart has all the flavors of Thanksgiving, but it’s different enough to stand out at the dessert table. The tart recipe calls for a homemade crust, but to save time you can buy a pre-made one. All you have to do is make the filing and bake it. It will still look homemade and taste delicious. If you don’t like cranberries you can easily switch the jam or preserves to strawberry or raspberry.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dessert? What desserts will you be serving on turkey day?

StarMama / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching it’s time to decide what will be on your menu. To get you started, I share my five favorite sources of free recipes below.

Thanksgiving on a budget is possible as long as you start preparing early! Although, I tend to roast my turkey the same way every year, I’m already browsing the five sites below to decide on the sides and desserts I’m making this year.

MarthaStewart.com – Get your inner Martha Stewart revved up! This site is filled with delicious recipes, menus, and centerpiece ideas for crafty hosts and cooks. I love that her menus include drink ideas as well.

FoodNetwork.com – If you’re looking to change up your Thanksgiving dinner this year, this site should be your first stop. You’ll find tons of Thanksgiving recipes from Food Network chefs including some of my faves: Alton Brown and Giada DeLaurentiis. How does a Thanksgiving dinner with an Italian twist sound?

RealSimple.com – One of the reasons I keep coming back to this site is because the advice is, well, really simple. Not only do they share mouthwatering recipes, but they streamline the Thanksgiving preparations and menu so you can have a stress-free holiday. Genius!

RachaelRay.com -  The queen of 30-minute meals does not disappoint. She’s got you covered with recipes for appetizers, sides, dessert, the bird and leftovers! One of my favorite things that Rachael Ray does is she skips the long list of ingredients. She also tends to use a lot of similar ingredients throughout her menu. I also like to carry a theme throughout the different dishes I prepare as it helps cut down the cost. For example, I’ll add cranberries to the stuffing and I’ll also use them in a blue cheese and cranberry salad.

CookingLight.com – This is a great resource for those looking for light recipes to their favorite desserts, side dishes and more. Since we procrastinated last year (I was still in school and super busy), this year my family is going all out, but we are still going to try to eat healthy. It’ll just makes us feel better for when the potions get out of control. If you have family members with different nutritional needs, you must check out this site. They also have vegetarian recipes!

What are you cooking this Thanksgiving? How much will you spend on Thanksgiving dinner this year?

JillOW / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

A while back I shared a pumpkin bread recipe that till now had been my favorite to bake when the crisp autumn air rolled in. I recently discovered a new favorite. Here is the recipe. If you are looking for pumpkin carving ideas, we got dozens.

This pumpkin seed bread stays moist because of the applesauce that I use instead of oil. The pumpkin seeds also give it a surprising crunch. The best part about this recipe is that it calls for fresh pumpkin. All you have to do is shred the pumpkin using a cheese grater or food processor. The bread is great with coffee in the morning. Can’t get enough pumpkin? Keep warm with this pumpkin soup recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar (or regular if that’s what you have)
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups shredded fresh pumpkin flesh (not the hard skin)
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Start by toasting the pumpkin seeds in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven. (I bought my seeds without a shell at Trader Joe’s.) Make sure not to burn them. Set aside when done. Then sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. (I switched in one cup of whole wheat flour the second time I made this and it was just as delicious.)

In a different bowl, mix the sugar, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. (You can always use oil, but I feel extra guilty using it when I bake.) Then add the shredded pumpkin and seeds to the wet ingredients. Unlike other recipes, fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a spatula. (The wet ingredients are dense and won’t mix well if you do it the other way around.) Don’t use a mixer or you’ll break the seeds. Afterwards, pour in a loaf pan. If you are not using a nonstick pan, first butter and flour the pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 45 minutes or till a knife inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let it cool on a baking rack.

The original recipe is by Alton Brown. I adapted it to suit my taste and you can do the same.

Yields 1 loaf

Chocolate sorbet. Credit: jules:stonesoup/Flickr

This recipe for easy chocolate sorbet in the Sunday New York Times Magazine Food Issue caught my eye. So simple! Such promise! So cheap! Sunday’s issue included recipes for 11 other desserts, plus starters, drinks, and main courses. Note, I have NOT tried this recipe but hope to this weekend. Maybe I’ll make this today if I can get out of work early (doubtful). It is a lot cheaper than buying ice cream because I already have all the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 c boiling water

1 tsp vanilla extract

Ice cream maker or large container

Directions

Mix sugar and cocoa powder, then stir in boiling hot water with a whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Add vanilla. Pour into your ice cream maker and stir as per the directions on your maker. Or, pour into a large container and stir every half hour to make granita. I’m new to granita, but Wikipedia says it is a semi-frozen dessert that has a coarser, more “crystalline texture” than its cousins, sorbet and Italian ice. Sounds fine to me!

Fruit leathers reader Stephanie made!

Reader Stephanie makes her own fruit leather, beef jerky, and more using a food dehydrator. She initially left a comment on Bobbi’s post about 10 alternative cooking methods and I was so curious I asked for more. My only experience with a dehydrator is the one my grandmother gave us (that promptly went into storage under my Mom’s house). Stephanie’s enthusiasm and her two easy recipes has me re-thinking these small kitchen appliances:

Using the dehydrator to make fruit leathers is so ridiculously easy (and healthy!) it should be illegal.

Store bought leathers, especially the organic types, can be very expensive and because we have 4 kids, whenever I buy them, they are gone within the few moments of the box opening. Sooooo…we started making our own. Brace yourself, here is the recipe.

Strawberry/Banana Fruit Leathers:

Frozen or fresh strawberries (I’d say about 4 cups or so) If using frozen, put the desired amount in a bowl to defrost and be sure to pour off the extra liquid, this is key.
2 bananas
Little bit of honey (maybe 1/4 cup?) not really even necessary, I just use it to help the consistency, not even sure if it does anything for the consistency…
Psyllium (Try 2-3 tablespoons) again, optional but I like that it adds fiber and I do think this helps with the consistency of the finished product.

And that’s it! Puree the fruit, add the honey and psyllium, puree some more until it’s all mixed well. Spread on teflex sheets (about 1/8″ thick, minimum…you will be shocked at how much it shrinks!). Make sure it is spread evenly or you will have bare spots or super thin spots that can get kind of crunchy as opposed to leathery. Then put your trays in the dehydrator and “cook” at 115 degrees. Keeping the temp below 115 degrees keeps the integrity of the enzymes intact so don’t ever dehydrate anything above this temp if you like this concept.

Keep checking on your leathers but I’d say it should be about 3 hours before they start to get firm. Once they are close to being done (all but the very center should be ready) carefully peel the sheet of leather and flip it over onto a mesh sheet and continue drying for another hour or so. If, while you are peeling it off the teflex sheet, some of it sticks, just keep going as long as it is a minimal amount. If it is a lot sticky, leave it to continue dehydrating for a bit longer, it isn’t ready yet.

Be careful to keep checking on them as they will get crunchy around the edges if they dehydrate too long…

Then, when they are done, cut them up into whatever shape you like or make long strips and roll them up. Individually wrap them (time consuming, yuck!) in plastic wrap or place as is in a tightly sealed container.

You can use pretty much any type of fruit combination you want. When fruit is on sale at our market, I buy a ton and we make lots of different types of leathers. They don’t last long, though!

We also make “pumpkin pie” chips…Puree sweet potatoes with a little water (add as needed for consistency), and then add 1/2 C Maple Syrup, 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 3 tsp cinnamon, 3 T Stevia, 2-3 T Psyllium. Pour onto teflex sheets and pretty much do the same as for fruit leathers. Break them up into pieces and store in sealed containers. These are yummy for fall and fun to snack on…tastes just like pumpkin pie! Plus, it makes your house smell nice…

Anyway, because I am more or less a raw foodie, I have lots of recipes that I can share. Hope you like making these, they really are just so simple and healthy.

Stephanie

I’m going to start looking for a dehydrator in my community via garage sales, Craigslist, and Freecycle. Thanks for your inspiration, Stephanie!

Got a hot tip or interesting way to save money? Shoot me an email!

EBKauai/flickr

After writing an article on cooking food in your dishwasher, I started to think about other unusual ways to cook. Of course there are your stove, toaster oven, and microwave, but beyond them? Here is my top 10 list.

1. Make soup in a super high powered mixer (video). These machines are so powerful that you can make soup in the blender.
2. Make a grilled cheese sandwich by covering in foil and then placing a hot iron on top of it. Make sure the sandwich is fully enclosed in the foil or you will have a mess.
3. Cook on your car’s

   manifold. Again, make sure the food is enclosed to prevent a mess. I’m not sure about the fumes on this one though.

4. Use your blow dryer to heat up a hot dog encased in foil.
5. Make a solar oven and cook anything from stew to beef jerky. Using a black pot will increase the heat and reduce the amount of time needed to cook the food. There are many places that will sell you a solar oven, too.
6. Cook corn in a cooler. Get a cooler large enough to comfortably hold the amount of shucked corn you are going to make. Cover the corn with boiling water. Close lid. Open 30 minutes later to perfectly cooked corn. You can keep the corn in the water for a couple of hours and it will still be excellent for eating.
7. Make a flower pot grill. Half fill an ordinary clay pot with sand and then add pre-lit coals. Grill kabobs.
8. Make a solar funnel cooker from a car sun shade. See picture.
9. Cook over an open fire. This can be a regular camp fire or your fireplace.
10. Eat raw foods. They don’t need to be cooked.

While researching this list, I realized that I have become complacent about my alternative cooking abilities and will be practicing more of the above ways to cook. My next adventure is going to be making beef jerky in my solar oven. It is just ridiculously expensive to buy and is full of awful preservatives, so I want to make it myself. Has anyone tried making solar jerky? Got a suggestion for me?

ImipolexG / Flickr

This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.

The start of fall brings hectic school schedules, but you don’t have to give up family dinner time. Here are two delicious meals for easy baked fish and beef stir fry that you can put together in minutes.

Fish in Parchment Paper
4 fillets of Tilapia or Salmon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
chopped parsley or dill
lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Parchment or foil paper

Beef Stir Fry
1 orange
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
1 pound top round steak, cut into strips or chicken breast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
salt and pepper
broccoli florets broken into small pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
In a small bowl or liquid-measuring cup, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar, and set aside. In a medium bowl, toss beef with cornstarch and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, combine broccoli with 1/2 cup water and season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over medium-high. Once the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender (about 4 to 6 minutes), transfer to a plate. Discard any water left in the skillet and wipe it down with a paper towel. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add half the beef when the skillet gets hot and cook until browned (about 2 to 4 minutes). Transfer the beef to the plate with the broccoli and cook the remaining beef. Afterwards, return the rest of the broccoli and beef and add the orange-juice mixture. Continue cooking over high heat until the sauce thickens (about 2 to 4 minutes). Serve over rice.

This easy turkey chili recipe is another great option for the cool autumn months. What’s your fave quick and easy recipe?

My sister makes the best pie from key limes, which are not in season! Credit: little blue hen/Flickr

Here’s the list of what veggies and fruits will be cheap at your grocery store or farmers market in coming weeks through November. In season produce is almost always cheaper than out of season, which is often imported. My favorites from the list include grapes, mushrooms, pears, and sweet potatoes. If you opt not to make a cheat sheet, shop by price in the store. Clicking on the links below take you to recipes for that particular item.

Acorn Squash
Asian Pear
Barbados Cherries

Belgian Endive
Black Salsify
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Butter Lettuce
Buttercup Squash
Butternut Squash
Cactus Pear
Cape Gooseberries
Cauliflower
Chayote Squash
Chinese Long Beans
Crab Apples
Cranberries
Delicata Squash
Diakon Radish
Endive
Feijoa
Garlic
Ginger
Grapes
Guava
Huckleberries
Jalapeno Peppers
Jerusalem Artichoke
Jujube
Key Limes
Kohlrabi
Kumquats
Muscadine Grapes
Mushrooms
Passion Fruit
Pear
Persimmons
Pineapple
Pomegranate
Pumpkin
Quince
Radicchio
Sapote
Sharon Fruit
Sugar Apple
Sweet Dumpling Squash
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Turnips
Winter Squash

© vera_photo - Fotolia.com

This recipe for watermelon sherbert comes from the August 2011 issue of Better Homes & Gardens. It has four ingredients and costs just $.27 per serving!

Ingredients

5 c cubed, seeded watermelon

1/2 c sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin (not something I have on hand )

1/3 c cranberry juice (would other juices work?)

Directions

1. Process watermelon in blender or food processor until smooth. It should end up making about 3 cups of pureed watermelon. Add sugar.

2. Combine gelatin and cranberry juice in a

small saucepan and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir over low heat until gelatin is totally dissolved.

3. Stir juice-gelatin mixture into watermelon, the pour into an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ baking pan. Cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

4. Break of frozen mixture and pour into a mixing bowl that you have chilled. Beat on medium to high speed until sherbert is fluffy. Pour back into pan, cover, and freeze for 6 hours.

5. Let the sherbet sit out for five minutes before serving. This recipe makes eight half-cup servings.

The recipe did not mention whether the sherbet will stay good for a few days or weeks, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t. As long as it is covered in the freezer and you let it sit at room temperature for five minutes before serving, it should be fine.

Pinapple pops. Credit: jamieanne/Flickr

These recipes come from a PR lady working with Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk, which, no surprise, is an ingredient in both these recipes. I’m such a big fan of DIY-ing and ice cream, however, that I couldn’t help sharing. I’m even considering making ice cream for a July 4th party this weekend!

Pineapple and Chipotle Ice Pops

1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained

1 – 14 oz. can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1. Puree pineapple in food processor. Combine with sweetened condensed milk, pineapple juice, lime juice and chili powder in large bowl and mix well.

2. Spoon

into 8 – 4 oz. plastic ice pop molds or 10 – 3 oz. wax-coated paper cups. If using paper cups, insert a Popsicle stick into the center of each cup. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Makes 8-10 servings. Prep time 15 minutes (plus grocery shopping).

Caribbean Pineapple Lime Ice Cream

1 – 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in pineapple juice, undrained

1 – 14 oz. can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp grated lime peel

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup heavy cream

1. Combine undrained pineapple, sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, lime peel, vanilla and food coloring, if desired, in a large bowl and mix well.

2. Whip the cream in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into pineapple mixture.

3. Pour into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or 2-quart freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, about 3 hours.

Yields 12 servings. Prep time 15 minutes.

A picture of one of my salads with sliced baby squash.

I love a good salad. I’ve been told by many that I make FABULOUS salads. I tell people that it is easy. Just open the fridge, chop up whatever is in there and, ta-da, you have a salad. Let me be more specific.

Grab a large container. Get out your cutting board and your best knife for cutting veggies into small pieces. I like my salad pieces to be smallish so I can combine different flavors for the perfect bite.

Here are the ingredients I used for the last awesome salad I made.

I used these ingredients because they were in my fridge and I thought they would taste good together.

1. Hard boiled egg – cut into cubes
2. Carrots – long thin shreds using the veggie peeler
3. Celery – small “c” shapes
4. Baby spinach
5. Chopped pecans – put halved pecans in a sandwich bag and smash with the back of a big spoon
6. Raisins – nice juicy ones, not old dried up raisins
7. Chicken – I had some left over fried chicken that I cut into squares after tossing the skin
8. Feta cheese – get a chunk from Trader Joe’s and crumble by hand for the best price
9. Black olives – cut into fourths
10. Tomatoes – heirloom from farmer’s market cut into cubes
11. Red onion – fresh and thinly sliced
12. Mushrooms – fresh and thickly sliced
13. Pasta with garlic sauce – happened to have some left over with the sauce I got from a food swap
14. Baby spring salad greens – I get these weekly at the farmer’s market. Put a crumpled paper towel in the bag to keep the greens from wilting so fast
15. Dill – just a bit, too much will be overwhelming
16. Fresh lemon juice – a grabbed a nice fresh lemon off my neighbor’s tree and squeezed the juice over the salad. I like my salad a little soggy, so I put on the lemon juice when I make the salad, but you can put the lemon and the oil on when you are ready to eat.
17. Salt and pepper – use pink Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper for the best flavor
18. Olive oil – the best you can afford. Don’t put this on until you are ready to eat.

Chopping all of this up takes a bit of time. But, if you invite over a friend to chat or watch a movie or listen to a book on tape, the time goes by fast.

By the time you are done, your salad will feed four people for a meal. If you are eating solo, you will want to save it. I make my salads in a large shallow rectangular container that has a lid. It gives me a large surface area to work with while creating my masterpiece, yet I can easily pop on a lid when done.

As long as your ingredients are fresh, your salad will last for at least a couple days in the fridge, perhaps longer. I prepare salads ahead of time and put into smaller containers to take with me for lunch. I toss a few crackers in a sandwich bag for extra crunch.

If you want some more inspiration for great salad ideas check out these farmer’s salad recipes.

My new double boiler

I make hundreds of chocolate-dipped pretzels and candies each year as presents, saving me many hundreds of dollars. Because I make handmade candies, I can be very generous in my gift giving and participate in food swaps. A new tool has made my gift-giving process significantly quicker (and time is money).

I have always used my microwave to melt chocolate. In fact, melting chocolate was one of the few reasons I owned a microwave. But melting large quantities of chocolates in a microwave is not very efficient and it lessens the flavor of the chocolate. I was on the lookout for a used double boiler because I certainly didn’t want to pay retail.

Last week, I was at my local farmer’s market and, ta-da, there was a gently-used double boiler waiting for me to buy it for $15. Now, having acquired this new kitchen tool, I was inspired to make a triple batch of my famous chocolate covered cookie dough balls.

I couldn’t believe how beautifully the chocolate melted. The taste was more intense. The texture was creamier. It was much, much easier to dip the cookie dough balls into the chocolate. It cut my preparation time by more than half! Oh yes, I am a double boiler convert.

A double boiler is two pots fitted snugly together. The lower pot has an inch or two of water that you bring to a boil. Water changes from a liquid to a vapor at 212F. The steam heats the top pot, creating the best method for melting chocolate, making delicate sauces or warming milk, which burns easily.

What if you don’t have a double boiler? Make your own.

1. Use a standard pot for the bottom of your double boiler.
2. Get a slightly smaller pot or an oven proof bowl for the top.
3. You want the top pot or bowl to fit snugly into the bottom pot without touching the bottom. You need room for water to boil. Only steam should hit the bottom of the top pot.
4. Make sure you put in enough water that it won’t all evaporate. Otherwise you will burn the bottom pot AND the ingredients in the top.
5. Make sure that water does not get into your top pot. Especially if you are melting chocolate. Water in melting chocolate ruins the chocolate. It turns grainy.

What else can you do with a double boiler? I found this amazing list of over a hundred double boiler recipes. Included in this list are recipes for bread pudding, perfect alfredo, frozen vanilla custard, and holly wreath Christmas candy. Is anyone else in love with their double boiler?