Thursday, November 6, 2008

Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do or Do Without.

My mom used to say that all of the time. It really was the mantra of a good part of my childhood and I hated hearing it. Then, several years ago I heard it over the pulpit during General Conference (Pres. Packer maybe?) and I figured my mom was pretty smart. Now, as we are living on a lower income than before, I am doing my best to live up to my mom's mantra again.

When we decided that we were going to have to crack down on our spending - I knew that it was the little trips to the grocery store (almost every day) that were killing us. Every time I ran in to the store to "just get milk" or "just get bread" it was costing us $30 or $40 in extra things. So, this pay period, I made a list of things to feed us for two weeks and I haven't gone back. We are doing it! We have been fine. Tuesday we ran out of dishwasher soap, so we have been washing our dishes by hand. It's not like we don't have the money to run to the store and get the stuff, we are learning a lesson over here.

So yesterday morning as I am making the sack lunches, I realize that we are out of mayonnaise. So I MADE some! Yes, I MADE mayonnaise - and it is good. It tastes just like the stuff you buy in the store only it has no preservatives and it tastes a little lighter and fresher. Some of you may make mayonnaise all the time and not be as impressed with me as I was with myself, but, seriously, I was so impressed with myself! I made everyone taste it and tell me how good it was at 7:00 in the morning. They were all gagging and running to brush their teeth - but I could tell they were impressed! The best thing was that it was really easy to do, so I will probably do it again!

Here is the recipe - just in case you want to impress your family too. If they are not falling over themselves in love with you, just call me and I will give you the props!

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/8 teaspoon sugar
pinch cayenne pepper
4 to 5 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil or olive oil
4 teaspoons hot water

Preparation:

(I mixed it in the bowl or my Kitchen-Aid, but you can do it as easily in a food processor or blender) Beat yolks, salt, mustard, sugar, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice in a small bowl until very thick and pale yellow. Add 1/4 cup oil, drop by drop, beating vigorously all the while. Add another teaspoon of lemon juice and 1/2 cup oil in a light stream. Then repeat (1 tsp lemon juice - 1/4 cup oil in a fine, steady stream) twice. (total oil in so far - 1-1/4 cups) After beating in the last 1/4 cup oil - add the warm water little by little until it reaches the consistency you like (I used the full 4 teaspoons and think I will add more next time)

9 comments:

Shauna said...

Thanks for the recipe! I love that is says spread the love under leave your comment on your blog :) Hugs!

One Sassy Mama said...

What in the world! You are a pioneer to me--I had no idea there was such a thing as homemade mayonnaisse (well..maybe I'm exaggerating a bit..but still! I am beyond impressed).

You know my hubby would be so proud of you--he loves himself a good funds freeze.

Beeswax said...

I think only you and Martha make Mayo. Martha, of course, wouldn't eat Best Foods if she was stranded on a desert island, alone but for a jar of mayo. Course, that might be a good idea, cause mayo on a desert island woud turn awfully fast, and maybe kill Martha. And she is mildly smug and annoying, but no one wantes her dead.

So does the hot water cook the yolks?

Jolene said...

Kelly - I think the yolks are just pretty much raw. Maybe the white part is more dangerous? I don't know, I am not that discriminating when it comes to raw eggs - I eat cookie dough with wild abandon.

jt said...

We made homemade mayo a couple of weeks ago too. My husband loved it, said it was just like he ate on his mission in Chile, on hotdogs. gag. Anyhow, it was good enough to make tuna salad on crackers, and to prove to the kids that it can be made.

Wonder what else we can make!!

Eric and Breanna Graham said...

Wow! I'll have to stay tuned. maybe next week you'll be telling us how you made your kids home made peanutbutter. Watch out Martha!

Julie said...

Oh my goodness that sounds yummy. I have one question..should powdered mustard be a staple that I should always have in my cupboards? And I wonder what it would taste like without it? I have everything else but not that. Anyways, thanks for the thrifty inspiration.

Jolene said...

Julie - I don't know what it would taste like without the powdered mustard. You can't really taste it or the cayenne pepper but I made it just the way it says for the first time - next time I might spice it up a bit. I keep powdered mustard because I use it in alfredo sauce and in some marinades - Just come over and borrow it!

Pam said...

You are so famous right now. I am all about the living frugal, you better believe it, but I had no idea there was the living frugal and then making your own mayo frugal. I love it! And seriously you are the only one I know that would have all of those ingredients ready to make homeade mayo at 7:00 in the morning. My spice rack is pathetic. And another thing if I was out of mayo my kids sandwiches would just be dry or extra mustardy that day...you are the mom of the year and make mayo for your kids. I am not worthy to be your friend. But I'm glad I am because from now on I know where to go for my mayo :)