living simply and embracing imperfection
Oh my goodness, I just had to share this quick and easy way to have homemade, easy refried beans I discovered a few weeks ago! It fits so seamlessly into my pantry basics planning that I can’t believe I’ve been making homemade freezer beans for years, but still buying cans of refried beans at the [...]
Since salad dressings are one of the first things I started making – and stopped buying from the store – and because they are used almost daily, I thought it would be nice to gather all the homemade salad dressings I’ve posted into one place that would be easy to find. Not only are they [...]
Back in the first year of this blog I wrote about making chicken broth – how easy it is and how it’s a great way to use things we’d normally throw away (bones and vegetable scraps) to make a super nourishing meat stock. To make sure I always have some on hand I make big [...]
I’ve made crackers a number of times and while they don’t take extraordinarily long to make (about an hour), they do involve rolling and cutting so they have to be pretty good for me to feel inclined to take the time to make them. The Whole Wheat Sourdough Crackers I make is a good example: [...]
Tortilla chips are definitely one of those things that a few years ago I wouldn’t have ever thought to make. Think of all the time they would take – all those little triangles! And the mess – oil everywhere from deep-frying! Much easier to open a bag…and eat too many. But here’s the thing: I [...]
I went into the kitchen for my regular Monday morning baking day – usually two loaves of bread and a batch of granola – and ended up three hours later with 10 homemade items for our freezer, fridge, and cupboards! I don’t know what got into me. Probably had something to do with the fact [...]
(Note: This is a lower-sugar version of my standby plum sauce that I shared last year. I like it better and honestly can’t tell there’s less sugar) In addition to Addictive Tomato Chutney, this Spicy Plum Sauce is one of my favorite condiments to have on hand throughout the year. We use it on stir [...]
Update: See the Chocolate Chip No-Machine Ice Cream version, too! I guess I’m a little late on the bandwagon of “magic” ice cream, but I’m in love with the ease and results of this method, so I have to share! You won’t believe the rich, smooth ice cream that results from a few minutes in [...]
There are lots of Caesar Salad Dressing recipes out there. I’ve tried a lot of them. I keep coming back to one that’s close to the original (or what’s thought to be the original). There are two issues with creating a Caesar Dressing that mimics the original recipe: One, it used a coddled egg (an [...]
I’m always looking for a way to use rhubarb when it’s in season- other than desserts, that is – and I’ve been meaning to try this recipe ever since I found it on CanadianLiving.com years ago. I can’t believe it took me so long to try it- it’s really easy and makes a great barbecue sauce [...]
When I was in college, I lived with a family for awhile who opened their home to a few college students each year. Some of my favorite dishes (French Beef Stew) and kitchen tips (don’t throw out broccoli stalks, peel them and slice- yum!) I learned while living with them. The mom would often make [...]
After many years of trying all kinds of homemade ranch dressing recipes- both dry mixes and the complete dressing – I finally came up with a recipe our whole family likes. There was always something that just wasn’t “right” about the other recipes I tried. There was too much dill. Or not enough garlic. Too [...]
I never thought I’d make crackers, I mean, if I could get them for less than a dollar a box, why would I take the time and effort? Besides, rolling out dough is not one of my favorite things. But, when you start reading labels and caring about what’s in the food you’re eating, those cheap [...]
A Pantry Basic is anything we normally use and have in our pantries that most people buy from the store- and some (like me!) didn’t even know could be made at home! See more pantry basics here. Homemade ketchup was one of the first things I wrote about when I started blogging. I loved the [...]
Note: A Pantry Basic is anything we normally use and have in our pantries that most people buy from the store- and some (like me!) didn’t even know could be made at home! See more pantry basics here. After trying a million granola bar recipes.. Hey, wait a minute- we’re not going into that again, [...]
Note: A Pantry Basic is anything we normally use and have in our pantries that most people buy from the store- and some (like me!) didn’t even know could be made at home! See more pantry basics here. I’ve hesitated to post a granola bar recipe since there are a million out there. But [...]
After sharing with you some things I like to make with peanut butter, you’ve probably guessed that we go through quite a bit around here. I like it on apples, too, and it’s a pretty good source for protein and snacks. I’ve always been a peanut butter snob, though, and have bought only real peanut [...]
Okay, I know what you’re thinking: “Frugal pesto – huh?” Let me explain. This is the pesto I make every year with our garden basil – enough to last us all winter by storing it in the freezer. We use it on artisan bread instead of butter (if you haven’t tried this, you really should- but [...]
Last year I wrote about the different ways that I preserve strawberries and did a comparison of two of my favorite commercial pectins I use to make freezer jam, complete with a cost breakdown. Due to some feedback I thought I’d ofter more specific details on making freezer jam and why I choose it over [...]
You’ll find lots of Pantry Basics here at An Oregon Cottage. What are Pantry Basics? It’s simply the term I use for items that are in everybody’s pantry or fridge door. The things I never once thought about making…I just threw them in the shopping cart on a regular basis. I started years ago making [...]
This vinaigrette is quickly becoming a family favorite. And what’s not to love about balsamic vinegar, dried tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil? It’s terrific on any regular green salad, but it also is very good on a main dish salad with chicken or shrimp. And feta? Be still my heart. Another reason I like this [...]
My Dad and Step mom brought these bottles of olive oil and vinegar with them when they returned from Arizona and gave them to me for my birthday. I was thankful, but really…olive oil and vinegar? Although I’m not implying that was my only gift (they’re quite generous-thank you!), just that I wasn’t expecting much [...]
Usually when I order a salad at a restaurant I choose Honey Mustard Dressing. I’m not a huge fan of Ranch or Blue Cheese and Vinaigrette is what I have at home mostly. However, a few years ago I found a recipe that I adapted to replicate the same flavor I was use to in restaurants [...]
Our staple dressing is this homemade vinaigrette, which is so simple in it’s basic form that it will make anyone give up the store stuff. Plus, it’s really easy to put your own spin on it with herbs and seasonings. I’ve even dropped a little spoonful of raspberry jam into it, mixed it together and [...]
Do you make your own bread crumbs? I confess I am guilty of buying crumbs in my earlier days. In fact, I remember when my son was small and my MIL came over and was shocked to see the store-bought crumbs in the fridge. But in my defense, I didn’t have a food processor and [...]
Teriyaki sauce qualifies as a pantry basic because it’s readily available at the store and most people simply buy it, but it’s quickly and easily made at home. We love chicken with teriyaki sauce, whether it’s baked, sauteed, stir-fried or grilled. Last night we grilled chicken legs, marinating with the sauce during the last 10 [...]
Spicy peanut sauce is pretty much a staple around here, mostly for how it makes a meal easy: boil noodles, stir-fry some veggies, pour the sauce over everything and dinner’s ready. Quick and flavorful – it’s a good thing (um…do you think that’s trademarked?). This is a case where the store-bought product doesn’t necessarily have [...]
I had read about spice rubs for years before I ever tried one. I thought, “Why bother? I’ll just sprinkle on some spices as I’m cooking.” But once I tried it, it’s definitely become a pantry basic around here. Why? It simply makes things taste better. It brings them “up a notch,” to quote a famous [...]
I don’t know why it took so long for me to make homemade mayonnaise. It takes about 10 minutes total (including clean up!), and costs pennies. The main ingredients are eggs and oil, which we always have on hand. This is another pantry basic we grew up always buying at the store. In fact I didn’t think [...]
We eat homemade granola for breakfast almost every day at our house. My daughter also loves it for a snack and I love knowing exactly what the ingredients are in that snack, plus that it’s inexpensive as well. Years ago, the only recipes I could find for granola called for baking it at a low [...]
Homemade chicken broth (or stock) epitomizes the “cottage mentality” of using what you have as well as my pantry basics recipes: it’s something we can actually make for FREE that lots of people buy. Free? How? I utilize my freezer by keeping neck and wing pieces from cutting up a whole chicken and/or bones from a [...]
Believe it or not, chocolate syrup is a basic in our house. Don’t hate me, but my husband makes us cappuccinos every morning and drizzles just a bit of syrup in mine. Mmmm…it’s a wonderful way to wake up (for almost 13 years, too!). Update: Go here to see Brian’s step-by-step video on how to [...]
What are “Pantry Basics?” They’re the items that are pretty much fundamental to our everyday cooking and what our modern society has typically always bought from stores. They include things like: salad dressings condiments (mayo, ketchup, etc) cereal snack foods baking items It’s been a surprising revelation over the years to realize that most – [...]
We use beans a lot around here – they are a healthy, cheap food that can be used no matter what the season – soups in the winter or salads in the summer. I used to only use canned beans – .they still seemed pretty cheap to me and I would never remember to soak [...]
Hot cocoa mix is nice to have on hand for special winter moments (hot chocolate after playing in the snow is classic) or when camping. Of course this is something I used to buy at the store until I started reading ingredient labels. Have you ever looked to see what’s in hot chocolate mixes? I [...]
I believe a cottage can be anywhere or anything (condo, ranch, farmhouse) as long as you have a "cottage mentality" which puts people above things, celebrates imperfections, embraces simplicity, and finds joy in everyday life. Thanks for joining me!
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