How To Make Onion Salt

While it is very easy to just go to the store and buy your own onion salt, you might want to take a moment and see just how inexpensive and easy it is to make your own. If you have a pantry, there is a good chance that you already have sea salt and onion powder. If not, you can get them from the bulk bin at your local store. For example, at Winco, sea salt goes for around $0.24 per lb, while onion powder sells for about $3.64 per lb.

In the stores, you can purchase a 5.5 oz bottle of onion salt for around $2.93 or a 32 oz bottle for just over $12. By making your own, you can save around $1.50 for a 5.5 oz size or $8.00 for 32 oz. Oh, and by the way, you can also make garlic salt by following the same directions.


The only important part to remember, is to follow the ratio of 3:1: That is, 3 parts salt to 1 part onion powder. You can use any measuring device you wish, just keep to that 3:1 ratio and you'll be fine.


For example, let's say you just need to make a small amount; you can use a teaspoon for measurement. If you need a larger amount, you can use a 1/3 measuring cup (which is what I used when making this).



Onion Salt Ingredients

What you Need:

• Sea salt
• Onion powder (or garlic powder if making garlic salt)
• Measuring device (cup, tablespoon, teaspoon)

Putting it Together:

• Take 3 parts salt and put in bowl
• Take 1 part onion powder and put in bowl
• Using a whisk to mix thoroughly

Mixing the salt...assault with a whisk :)

• Put into bottle

How to Peel and Pit an Avocado

This tutorial will show you how to quickly peel and pit an avocado. I know that there are many out there who might be intimidated by the prospect of trying to peel and pit an avocado, but don't worry, it's very easy to do. There are a few tricks that I will share, that will make you a pro in no time. So, enough talking, let's get down to business...

What you need:

• Avocado... Now there's a shock :)
• Knife
• Spoon

Peeling and Pitting your Avocado...

• With the avocado facing lengthwise, place the knife in the center of the avocado and cut into it until you hit the seed

• Continue your cut around the entire avocado. Basically, you are using the seed as a pivot point for your knife, rotate your knife around the entire avocado
• Once the avocado is cut, take a half in each hand and twist in opposite directions

• Very carefully, so as not to cut yourself, take your knife and wack the seed. This will cause the knife to lodge itself in the avocado seed

• With the seed firmly attached to the knife, twist the knife
• The seed should come easily out of the avocado

• Take a rag and remove the seed from your knife. These seeds are VERY slippery, so using a rag will help keep you from cutting yourself and from chasing the seed around your kitchen floor
• With avocado halves on the cutting board, take your knife and score the flesh in one direction and then in the opposite direction. Make sure you cut all the way to the skin

• You want to end up with square cuts
• Repeat with the other half
• Take a spoon and scoop out the flesh

• ...And you are done!!

How to Make Calzones

I've been having some fun playing with pizza dough and trying out new things. One of the things I have been playing around with recently is calzones. I got tired of just making pizzas (because I have SO much trouble rolling the dough into a circle) and cheesy bread, that I decided to try something different...hence, I began playing with calzones. This is just like making individual stuffed pizzas and you can have a lot of fun with it. Just let your creativity take over and see what deliciousness occurs.



What you need

• Your favorite pizza dough or use My Pizza Dough Recipe


• Your favorite pizza sauce or you can use my Papa Murphy's Garlic Sauce recipe (a terrific white sauce)


• Cheese and any other ingredients you may want to add, such as: green onions, olives, salami, ham, roast, bacon; the list is only limited to your imagination


• Parchment paper to line your baking sheet

Building Your Retaining Wall: Now on Kindle

Well, I've been thinking about doing this for some time and I now actually had the time to do it: I've taken my articles on building a retaining wall and I've compiled them into a Book. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to comment on my site and I will do my best to answer your question.

How to Peel Tomatoes

This is a necessary step in preparing tomatoes for canning or other type of processing.

1. First, remove the cores on the tomatoes (doing it now is much easier than after removing the peel)


2. Fill your sink with cold water


3. In a large pot, bring water to a boil


4. Once the water is boiling, place tomatoes in the pot and set your timer for 30 seconds


5. When the timer goes off, remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and place in the sink filled with cold water


6. The skins should come right off the tomatoes. Granted there may be one or two who want to be difficult, but just take a knife and scrape the skin off


7. Repeat steps 4 & 5 until all tomatoes are peeled

Of possible interest... How to Core Tomatoes

How to Core Tomatoes

Although some may see this as an everyday thing and is a necessary skill in order to can tomatoes and skin them, there are many out there who have never done this before, so I will give a brief guide on how to core a tomato.

1. Get a sharp knife and place it in your hand


2. Rinse the tomato and put it in your other hand with the core (where the tomato came off the plant) facing up


3. Take the knife and insert it approxiamtely 1/2 inch beside the core and about an inch deep


4. Using your thumb as a guide, turn the tomato in you hand and move the knife in an up and down motion until you have completed the circle

The top of the tomato should now twist off

Of possible interest... How to peel tomatoes