Natural Homemade Living

Creamy Macaroni Salad A childhood favorite summer salad for me is creamy macaroni salad. I add my favorite veggies (or what I have available) and even add canned tuna or chicken. It doesn't take long to put it together but the flavors come together when you refrigerate it at least a couple of hours before you serve it. Ingredients: One box elbow macaroni, 16 oz size 1 c Miracle Whip salad dressing  1 T yellow mustard 2 T dill pickle juice 2 T milk 1-2 T white sugar 1 T ketchup 1 c finely chopped celery 1/2 c diced dill pickles 1 medium cucumber, diced 1-2 medium tomatoes, diced Cook macaroni according to directions on package. Cool and drain by running cold water over it. In a large bowl, whisk together the salad dressing, pickle juice, milk, sugar, ketchup and mustard. Add the rest of the ingredients together and stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Prior to serving add a little milk if the salad has soaked up the liquid ingre...

For me, homemade applesauce is another one of those items that once you've had homemade, the stuff in the jars just doesn't cut it! Both of my grandmas made applesauce without a recipe. I had some notes from them that helped me remember the process. I used organic ingredients, but you don't have to. I would recommend using sweeter apples so you don't need as much sugar. This is super delicious! Ingredients : 6 pounds apples (about 12-16 medium apples) peeled, cored and sliced 1/2 c water 1/2 c white sugar  1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp ground cloves Directions : I used organic apples, honeycrisp and gala. Peel, core and slice the apples and put them in a large pot. Add the water and sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the spices and simmer over low heat until the liquid has cooked into the apples. Remove from the heat and cool for about an hour. I like to use jars to store the applesauce in the refrigerato...

Our family potato salad recipe is a delicious addition for a summer picnic or serve it with your favorite grilled or smoked foods. Ingredients 6 - 8 russet medium/large potatoes, peeled and cut in bite-size pieces  5 hard boiled eggs 1 cup mayonnaise 1 T yellow mustard 1 T dill pickle juice 2 T white sugar Salt and pepper to taste Directions Place cut-up potatoes and place in cold water in a medium size pan.                                                     Heat over medium heat on stove until they boil, then simmer about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Drain the potatoes and soak in cold water for about 10 minutes. Drain in a food strainer. Mix the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.  Slice the hard-boiled eggs and add to the dressing. Fold in the potatoes and make sure the dressing is mixed in well. Salt and pepper to tas...

I love this time of year when I can finally enjoy some of the fresh herbs and vegetables I am growing and go to Farmer's Market's. This recipe is adapted from Caprese Salad, which I like but sometimes I want it to be more of a meal. On these days where it seems too hot to cook I really enjoy salads. If you aren't a fan of basil, this probably won't be the salad for you, but add what you like and what you have on hand. You don’t have to be exact with the measurements just taste it along the way until it's how you like it. Here's what you need: fresh basil, I just picked a small handful of leaves and cut them into small pieces med to large tomatoes, 1-2 diced, you can use canned I would use about 1/2-1 c drained or cherry tomatoes halved 3 c pasta, I use rotini or penne, but anything about that size works Simply Homemade Olive Garden Italian Dressing  (optional) or you could drizzle it with olive oil or use your own Italian Dressing fresh Mozzarella cheese,...

Simply Homemade Taco Salad Served With Chips and Beans I decided to make fresh taco salad today since we are currently having a blizzard and taco salads make me think of spring and summer. Today's weather forces you to stay home and do the stuff that has been on your to-do list all winter like writing a blog post or cleaning your closets. I chose the blog post today since I have not posted for a few months. I don't really have a good reason other than the usual distractions of life. The good news is that my sister and I have some great decorating and DIY tips coming together however it is sometimes easier to complete the projects than to actually put them in writing. We'll work on that... So back to the food, if you like simple and fresh, I think you'll like this little recipe. You can make one serving or as many you need so feel free to add all of your favorite ingredients! This is what I had on hand so these are my favorites today. Ingredients:   4-6 cups l...

Fresh Veggie Salad A healthy, simple to make summer veggie salad is a great addition to any meal. You can use any fresh veggies for this salad. I only used a few items for this salad but it still tasted delicious! Fresh Ingredients: 1 bunch asparagus tips, sliced 2-3 cucumbers, sliced 6-8 tomatoes, I used Roma 1 c sugar snap peas 1/2 shallot or onion 1/4 c fresh, chopped basil 2 T freshly chopped dill 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil 1/4 red wine vinegar 1-2 tsp honey, optional salt and pepper to taste (or use your favorite Italian dressing) Cut all ingredients into bite size pieces until you have approximately 5-6 cups of veggies.  Whisk olive oil and vinegar together. I added a little honey to sweeten it up a bit.  If you have a favorite Italian dressing, pour that over the veggies and skip the olive oil and vinegar. Pour dressing over veggies and stir gently until the veggies are coated.  I usually let my salad sit for about 30 minutes. It's great if...

One of my favorite things about summer are all of the fresh veggies! Lettuce salads are one of my favorite meals in the summer. Summer has now officially arrived and the fresh veggies are calling my name, I am making my version of a Greek salad for lunch. My garden lettuce is not quite ready so I'm using romaine lettuce from the farmers market. Here is my ingredient list for one serving of salad but add or change the ingredients for your favorites: Romaine or green leafy lettuce (or your favorite) - enough to fill a plate Calamata olives, I use -5-6 olives sweet banana peppers, sliced, I use 2-3 shallot or purple onion, sliced. about 1/4 of either one grape tomatoes yellow, green or red bell peppers, sliced feta cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese (I don't know why but I always need a little mozzarella cheese over the top) Optional: add some sliced, grilled chicken.  Enjoy your fresh veggies and healthy eating! Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

I am officially ready for spring! I'm ready for the snow to melt, the temperatures to warm and I want to play in the dirt! I decided to bring some spring into our menu today by making a simple fruit salad. You can use your favorite fruit, I'm using what's available for now. In the summer, I add watermelon, honey dew melon and fresh papaya. Many thanks to Angie for taking the picture, I ended up getting distracted and forgot until my salad was gone! Ingredients : 1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into bite-size cubes 1 banana, sliced 1 cup strawberries, sliced 1 cup blueberries 1 cup peaches, sliced Dressing: 1/4 cup coconut milk (I use organic coconut milk in the can) 1 T lime juice (freshly squeezed is the best) 2 T brown sugar Directions: Mix the dressing first so that the sugar dissolves. Cut the fresh fruit and place in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over the fruit and mix well. Enjoy - think spring! Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

So the other day I was strolling through the grocery store and one of the food samples was Quinoa Salad. I knew it was my lucky day, usually it seems they strategically place the greasy, cardboard-looking frozen pizza in my way! (maybe it's good pizza - I don't know, I've never tried it...but anyway). The store chef told me he used a little olive oil, some fresh veggies and some pepper. So I tried his version and of course I added a few more herbs, because I like them! Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa (this is uncooked) 1/2 medium cucumber, diced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 1 carrot, sliced into small pieces 1 small shallot, diced 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1 T olive oil black pepper to taste I included some steps for cooking the quinoa from the savvyvegetarian.com . It's helpful if you this is your first time using quinoa.  Soak the quinoa in warm water for 5 min in a 2 quart pot. Soaking helps quinoa to cook evenly. taste. Rinse the quinoa into a small screen mesh st...

My garden cucumbers are finally ready - yay!! I love to use cucumbers in summer salads, but one of my other favorites is to make a creamy sauce for them.  I like to serve these within a couple of days when I make them in the sauce otherwise they will get a little soggy. I like my sauce on the sweet side, but you may experiment with the amount of sweetener you use. Ingredients : 4 cucumbers 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup plain yogurt, Greek style works great 2 T white vinegar 2-3 T agave or sugar to taste 2 tsp diced shallots or onions (optional) Salt and pepper to taste Peel cucumbers if the outsides are thick, otherwise slice them without peeling.  In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise and vinegar together until creamy. Add sweetener to taste. Add diced shallots or onion.  Add sliced cucumbers, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.    Love and peace, ~ Simply Tammi

With the weather here in the midwest being so hot lately(100 degrees) today and last week in the high 90's, I was really looking for something cool and refreshing. I had been wanting to make this recipe for a while but hadn't had time, there is a little planning involved...and I'm not really much of a planner.  It's really not hard to make but you do need a little time.   Here's what you need: 4 small packages (3 oz size) of jell-o, I picked 4 different flavors but you can use any combination of 4. 2 packets of unflavored gelatin(I used Knox brand) 1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk  1/2 c. cold water 1 1/2 c. boiling water  So here is the planning part- you need to make this a couple days before you want to eat it.  Make the 4 packages of jello (use the directions on the box) I made mine in these small 3 and 4 cup containers. You don't want the jello to be too thin.  After the jell-o is set up(about 4 hours) cut it up into sm...

My sister shared this recipe with me a few years ago and I have been making it ever since! Even though I have to bend my rules with packaged foods, it's worth it once in awhile! I have substituted homemade or organic ingredients for this also, such as the yogurt, pudding, and whipped topping. But for today, I am going to give you the version we use most often, especially if we're in a hurry! It's easy to put together, it's pretty, and of course...it's so yummy! Ingredients : 32 oz carton (4 cups) strawberry yogurt, I use Dannon Light-n-Fit 2 small packages instant cheesecake pudding (you can use sugar-free pudding, white chocolate or vanilla flavor if you don't like the cheesecake flavor) 2-3 cups fresh, sliced strawberries (I like to use 3 cups) 1 8 oz carton whipped topping (Cool-Whip) Whisk the yogurt and pudding together in a large bowl, fold in the strawberries with a spatula, then gently stir in the whipped topping. Refrigerate at least an hour befo...

My family loves ranch dressing but I usually end up throwing it away before we use it all. My personal favorite is salsa and yogurt mixed together but I have been outvoted! When we're all together the "must have" is ranch dressing, the kids eat it on almost everything! So I have been trying to find a dry mix, low fat recipe that I could make as I need it. According to my number one taste taster, I finally got it right! I love this because you make the dry mix and keep in until you need to make your liquid ranch dressing. Ingredients : 1/2 cup dry buttermilk (I found mine at the grocery store by the non-fat dry milk) 2 tsp dill weed 1 1/2 tsp onion powder 2 T dried parsley 1 tsp sea salt (you can use more or less depending on how much you like salt) 1/2 tsp season salt (I use Redmond Real Salt - organic natural season salt) 1/4 tsp thyme 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp black pepper I mixed all of these ingredients together in a small jar. I keep this in the refriger...

Who doesn't love pasta? I'm pretty sure I could eat pasta every day. Another favorite and simple summer salad to make is this one. It tastes great and it's pretty too! You can add ingredients or take out ingredients according to your taste. I hope you like it! Ingredients : 1 - 16 ounce package of rotini pasta (I use garden rotini - 3 colors) 1 pint grape tomatoes cut in half 1/2 c calamata olives, pitted and cut in half 1 green bell pepper, diced 4 ounces of turkey pepperoni 3 mini seedless cucumbers, sliced 1 - 8 ounce bottle of your favorite Italian dressing 8 ounces shredded parmesan cheese.   Sea salt and coarse ground pepper to taste. Cook the pasta in salted water until done for 10-12 minutes, uncovered. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir in the dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, I usually refrigerate mine overnight. This makes about 8 servings. Enjoy! Love and peace, ~ Simp...

Lately I have been trying out different salad dressing recipes. When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I had to try it. The original recipe comes from thecountrycook.net . Here's what you need: 1 Packet Good Seasonings Italian Dressing (you will need oil, water, vinegar) Make the dressing according to the directions on the back of the package, then pour into a pint jar or  bowl. (I like to make mine in the jar, it's less clean up and you just shake it to mix). Then to that add: 1/2 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 T mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip) 1/4 c olive oil 2 T white vinegar 1 1/2 T water Give it all a good shake or whisk until combined. This would make a great pasta salad, use on lettuce, a dip for veggies, or anything else you can think of! Store up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator. Shake well before using. ~Simply Angie