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30 January 2010

making mayonnaise

making mayonnaise

We finished the United Way Hunger Action Week yesterday. We were never hungry. Instead, we feel humbled.

If you have not read the piece I posted about why we did this, please do. Mostly, I want you to read the comments. People, you amaze us every time. Your generosity in sharing your stories, your tips on how you eat well on a moderate budget, and your interest in each other's shopping habits enlivened our week. I have a feeling that everyone who read and wrote had lively conversations afterward. We did.

There are so many comments that inspired me. Truly, I could just put them all up as a separate post. But I'd like to share this one, from someone who calls herself Cyclist Kate:

"What's been wonderful for me to realize is that often, the less I spend on groceries (now, I'm not talking uber cheap, necessarily, but $60/week for myself), the more satisfied I am. I think it's because the food thing becomes simpler...I can enjoy those roasted potatoes and brussels sprouts, the black bean soup, the yogurt and homemade granola, and an apple with that precious slice of parmesan so much more if that's all I have. There's less stress, less wondering "what's for dinner." There's less waste. And it's all good, wholesome stuff that reconnects me to what's so great food whose aim is to deeply nourish instead of impress.

So yes, I've taken to frequently taking the calculator to the grocery store. Sometimes that means taking the parmesan out of my cart, but then I appreciate it so much more the next week. There's no deprivation. There's always something to eat. And for that, I'm grateful."

This is exactly how I felt (and continue to feel) after I had to go gluten-free. No deprivation. Instead, gratitude that I could eat what was available to me. Now, the same principle applies to spending money on that food.

Danny and I had the experience that Kate so eloquently described: calm. We knew we had enough food to last us for the five days, even if it wasn't the most exciting food we have ever eaten. In fact, there was calm in sitting down to a meal of tacos with brown rice cooked in chicken stock, slivered savoy cabbage, cheddar cheese, and home-pickled radishes. That was a nourishing meal. Knowing our ingredients in advance helped us to make that meal without any frantic energy. ("Hon, it's 4. What are we having for dinner tonight? We need to feed the Bean in an hour.") Those tacos satisfied us.

And to our amazement, we didn't run out of money. We spent $12 more than we did the first day, on more yogurt for the kid, a big clutch of vegetables from the farmstands, and a cup of coffee Danny picked up for himself when he was out with the Bean. We still have lots of brown rice, cheddar cheese, salt, pepper, and other foods left over for this week.

We have been changed by this.

We have been spending too much money on food. We knew this before. However, we did not know, until after this week, that we would prefer having less food in the house, food that we use instead of letting it wilt and go to waste.

And so, this week, we might spend a bit more money on food than we did this past week, but not much. We're going to plan much better now. The refrigerator is clean, we have a list of everything in it, and we're ready to start thinking about the meals ahead of us.

Something that always kept us from planning out our week's meals (and thus the shopping) was the rigidity of knowing we would eat lasagna on Thursday. That doesn't work for us, when we feel such joy from making up dishes and sprinkling in new spices that surprise us. We just don't like moving lockstep through our meals.

Now that Danny is back to cooking in a restaurant, he's making up specials every night. He knows, every afternoon, that he has to create a fish special. Each night, it's something different. That structure creates freedom for him.

That's what clicked for me. Instead of planning our meals in advance, I'm going to create a different special every night of the week.
Sunday is roast chicken night (lots of leftover possibilities there).
Monday is pasta night (we love the homemade pasta recipe that will be in our book).
Tuesday is vegetarian night (and some of the other nights might not include meat either). Wednesday is pizza night.
Thursday will feature pork (you know, we have that other blog).
Friday is Mexican night (or maybe Thai. We haven't decided).
Saturday is seafood.

Knowing us, we'll never have the same dish twice. But if I know that every Wednesday I'm making a pizza from scratch, I will have all the basic ingredients already in the house. (I think this week it's going to be a roasted butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and sauteed leek pizza, since those are all in the farmstands right now, and perhaps some homemade creme fraiche). We'll save money and feel even more creative.

I'm excited.

Something that many of you wrote about (and we already believed in) is how much money a family can save by making foods from scratch. And how.

So, we'd like to share with you a video of Danny making mayonnaise from scratch. Once you start making this, you'll never go back.





This is Danny. He has a real restaurant burn on his hand, which he didn't cover because he's at home (be not afraid). We were distracted and went too fast the first time we filmed this, so the mayonnaise separated and we started again. That's why the food processor looks not washed. You'll see at one point that he's pouring a liquid in, thicker than oil — that's the separated mayonnaise he is incorporating back in (see recipe below). He drops an eggshell into the bowl.

It's real life.

And it's mayonnaise.

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup canola oil
½ teaspoon each, kosher salt and cracked black pepper


Making the mayonnaise
. Place the egg, egg yolk, mustard, and lemon juice in the food processor. (You can make mayonnaise by hand, but it is much easier and more fail-safe in the food processor. Trust me.) While the machine is running, slowly drizzle in the oil, until it is thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper.

Fixing your mistakes. If you add the oil too fast, the mayonnaise will separate, so go slowly, slowly, slowly. If it does separate, take the mixture out of the food processor, and start over. Put another egg and egg yolk into the food processor and blend them. Slowly, slowly add the separated mayonnaise. That should do the trick.

Makes 2 cups.



56 Comments:

At 12:51 PM, Anonymous beyond said...

thanks for the tip of incorporating the separated mayo into the new batch... i never knew.

 
At 1:07 PM, Blogger Aimee Mayer said...

any recommendations for those who don't have a food processor or a friend handy? I have a stand-mixer (KitchenAid) and a blender but I'm not sure if the blender would work...

 
At 1:09 PM, Blogger elle said...

I enjoy your blog. It actually gets me motivated about food. Hubby is the motivated foodie. But he has me on the theme night idea and it makes decisions SO much easier. If he has time he even gets recipes out for me. I luv that man! I keep telling him about your blog. He'd rather cook than surf! Thanks for the inspirations. I can't wait for the pasta even if hubby is a meat man.

 
At 1:14 PM, Blogger Anna said...

I really really wish I liked mayonnaise -- because it seems like such an amazing alchemy and I would love to try making it. Alas I have no desire to eat it. Maybe that would change if I made it myself, but I'm not sure. Thanks for the information in case I do decide to give it a try.

 
At 1:23 PM, Anonymous Lisa W said...

I haven't looked at the mayo video yet but will as soon as I finish this post.

You have hit the nail on the head completely about the way I am feeling about foods/cooking. It's not necessary to make every meal an extravaganza. Making the most out of simple foods is often the tastiest way to go. I think having the basics in the kitchen/fridge/pantry makes us become more creative. Thank you so much for the ideas!

 
At 1:57 PM, Anonymous Lisa W said...

Great video! We love mayo at my house and homemade would be a big hit. I never have canola oil on hand though; could you sub olive oil? Or does that change the recipe too much?

 
At 2:24 PM, Anonymous Dave -nibbleanibble said...

Making everything from scratch is great. More food love.

 
At 2:48 PM, Blogger kitchensink said...

I ditto your Hunger Challenge reactions.

I have been cooking large (sometimes elaborate) meals at night for my family for almost 20 years. I love to cook but it can be somewhat of a schlep, not to mention we've all gained weight.

After the Challenge week, my husband commented that he really enjoyed the simplicity of our budget meals.

And as I was recently reminded "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Leonardo da Vinci

 
At 3:25 PM, Anonymous Hannah said...

Thank you for this. It rings true. At the moment, I'm ina giddy state of travelling and being a bit silly with spending money on food, but I know that once I go home I'll enjoy the creative process of making food from the basics.

In fact, some of our recurring and favourite family meals have come from *what-do-we-have-in-the-pantry" nights - for example, a tuna pie made simply by sauteing tandoori paste with an onion, a tin of tuna and thawed frozen spinach, topped with mashed potato and baked. Easy, cheap, and wonderful. (Although should I pretend I made the paste from scratch? :P)

 
At 3:29 PM, Anonymous Susanna a.k.a. Cheap Like Me said...

I don't especially like mayonnaise, but homemade is the bomb! I posted recently on my blog about making it with a handheld blender, which was great. Julia Child says you *can* use a blender, but it's a pain with scraping stuff out of the bladey area. For Christmas I received a mini-Cuisinart, which has little holes in the top -- you can drizzle the oil in through those. And Julie Powell (of "Julie & Julia") found she could drizzle oil in through the hole in the pusher cup thing (whatever it is called). I don't love the flavor of olive oil, but it works!

On the topic of meal planning, we find we can buy ingredients and then cook using what we have and it is still an adventure -- and more budget-friendly than buying daily.

I have a batch of your GF graham crackers in the oven - can't wait to eat them!!

 
At 3:41 PM, Blogger mama without instructions said...

Lovely post. I have been making my own mayonnaise for years with similar proportions (I do use olive oil) in a food processor and it's always good but recently I decided to try the old hand whisk method (I happened to look at the ratios in The Art of French Cooking and got inspired). It's a lot of arm work but very satisfying and for some reason the texture is so much better. Also, I don't have to clean the food processor. I think I'm a convert.

 
At 4:20 PM, Blogger Pamela said...

Thanks for a great post -- we all need simplicity at times & this is inspiring! Speaking of which, I've been my own mayonnaise for a while now and we'll never go back - especially my husband who was a die hard brand name mayo guy. Now if I can find a good ketchup recipe :)

 
At 4:23 PM, Blogger seattlehorn said...

I just watched this with our 11 year old who declared he will now be the mayonnaise maker in the family. Thanks for keeping it simple and real. You guys are amazing!

 
At 4:33 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

For those who were asking about it, YES you can use a blender to make mayo. I also use pasteurized egg whites because I have a compromised immune system.

http://scdgirl.blogspot.com/2008/07/safe-mayo-no-really.html

Enjoy! :)

 
At 4:49 PM, Anonymous Peggy said...

Shauna and the Chef: OK, this one comes from the "other side" of the gluten-free world. Cooking for ourselves is wonderful, but those of us who eat in restaurants can be successful celiacs, too. I cook a little, but my lifestyle doesn't allow much time for it and, frankly, I'm cooking-challenged. I've been gluten free since 1995, before the blood test even existed, and it hasn't been easy. Shauna, your book was full of familiar scenes and experiences and I've already recommended it to as many people as I can. I have to say, though, that there are others like the Chef out there. In my little desert city, I have found several places where I can eat out and be "safe". It took some work, especially in the early years, but it's been worth it. So, here's to the servers, chefs, and restaurant owners who listen, take us seriously, understand that "can't have" means just that, and cook for us accordingly, without being snarky or condescending. THANK YOU!

 
At 5:02 PM, Blogger Adrienne said...

I use an immersion blender in a wide mouth pint jar. My father's been using this method for almost 30 years and I've been doing it for almost as long! I did a write up on my blog a while back. http://plannedpurlhood.com/blog/?p=188

Love your blog!!

 
At 5:16 PM, Anonymous Nurit said...

Was it oil that you added or butter? (It looked like melted butter...). And, what is the shelf life of fresh mayo?

 
At 5:27 PM, Blogger Laryssa Herbert said...

You have inspired me! I really like your idea of having a special of the day and the creative process that can start with a planned theme.

 
At 7:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I figured out for me that the easiest way to plan meals isn't to say "I'm having X on Monday, Y on Tuesday, etc", but rather to figure out how many meals I need to make, then pick out meals that will fit my needs for the week. This way I might have all the ingredients I need for 5 dinners (and lunches since I always do leftovers), but I can make those meals the nights I desire them, rather than feeling boxed in by thinking I have to have something specific Wed. This worked particularly well when I was doing monthly meal planning, but the principle still works well weekly.

 
At 8:13 PM, Anonymous Nicole said...

I felt so inspired after reading last week's post that I decided to try the same thing. Something so wonderful has come of it! I wanted to make tacos yesterday but didn't have any tortillas. I didn't want to spend more money on food, so I decided to make homemade flour tortillas for the first time. This week has taught me to be more resourceful and creative.

 
At 8:22 PM, Anonymous Jillian Jett said...

Thats a great video! So many people don't know that you can make mayo so easy at home. I have an allergy to soybean and safflower oil so I have to make my own with canola oil. I use the whole egg though, just because I don't like it so stiff.

 
At 9:11 PM, Blogger Tara Barker said...

Oh yes, mayonnaise! There are times when I think it is the single best lesson I took away from culinary school. I prefer the whisk method - there's such satisfaction in watching the emulsion get thicker and fluffier!

We always joke that our 4-year old is secretly Belgian - he has always loved frites dipped in aioli! He just recently decided to try ketchup on fries, but only really likes it if it's mixed with mayo. He's our kind of kid. ;)

 
At 9:28 PM, Blogger Pam said...

I'm not a mayo fan, but my mom used to make mayo from scratch, especially for her potato salad.

I just wanted to comment on the "meal planning". Since I live by myself, if I don't plan something for most of the week, I'd probably live off toast & tea. So, I like to use my slowcooker & pick 2 or 3 meals out of the cookbooks that I can put together & leave on all day. By the time I get home (after 5:30 or 6), supper is ready & waiting. It's also nice to have it for lunch. The only downside I have is that leftover don't really fit into my teeny-tiny (inside & above the fridge) freezer, so I end up eating the same meal for 3 days :s. But if I didn't plan something (usually either chicken, pork chops/medallions, or ground beef), I'd live on toast or cereal.

I'm not celiac, but your recipes inspire me to try something new & exciting rather than the plan, blah & boring! Thanks for a great blog!

 
At 3:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Shauna - I'm a long time reader, but I've never commented before. I just wanted to share one thought - my ability to live on less and actually eat the food that's in my house (rather than going out to buy new stuff) comes from the fact that I gave up my car almost 2 years ago. Not having a car means that if I want groceries I either have to walk the 10 minutes to my local store, or be organised enough to get them in the city before I get the bus home from work. Not being able to just jump in the car (particulary when I live in a part of Australia that is very cold in winter and very hot in summer) when I feel like chocolate or lasagna, means that I make very considered choices about what I eat and cook, and I very rarely through anything out that has wilted or gone bad. And, of course, this is just the food aspect - there are also significant financial, physical and environmental benefits.

Thanks for your blog - I really enjoy it and it inspires me to live a simple but rewarding life.

S. from Australia

 
At 7:15 AM, Anonymous gaelle@whatareyoufeedingyourkidsthesedays.com said...

My dad used to make his mayo from scratch using an immersion blender... and since I had egg yolks left over from making Financiers, I thought about making one this week... Thanks for the recipe and the video.
I don't plan my meals; I just compose with whatever I have available in the fridge and in the pantry. It makes it challenging but also very interesting...

 
At 7:31 AM, Blogger Karen said...

You have such a fabulous, infectious laugh, Shauna.

WV: stiff. An odd choice for a creamy mayo post.

 
At 9:15 AM, Anonymous Balu said...

If you have an immersion blender there is no need for slowly pouring the oil in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoxLwjcBNV4 (German though ;)

The most important part though is that all ingredients must be at room temperature.

 
At 9:43 AM, Blogger nicole said...

i have good friends who structure their eating habits with mon: soup tues: pasta: wed: fish thurs:burritos fri: pizza. i like more freedom but then i spend too much moola...

 
At 9:48 AM, Blogger Kara said...

How do you store this fresh mayo? How long does it stay good for?

 
At 9:54 AM, Anonymous La Niña said...

Thank you Shauna and Danny! I had to make mayo in junior high home economics class and that was the last time I made it. Of course I'd forgotten how.

Here's a bizarre "mayo story" for you: A friend of ours is a bartender in Seattle, and years ago author Tom Robbins was his customer. Tom loved aioli- which is basically garlic mayo. Tom wanted an Aioli Martini, and our friend obliged. Tom drank it.

I can think of better uses for the mayo I'm going to make today.

 
At 9:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi dearies,
Have been pondering all week about vegie/bean kind of burgers in relation to the budget challenge. So far, I've not been successful with the recipes I've tried. Maybe on a Tuesday you might wanna try this kind of dish?

Great news: My 26 year old son went gluten free about a year ago and has lost about 50 lbs and all physical symptoms have disappeared. Seems as though his immune system has re-booted. I am SO grateful.
I have a dear friend who is Celiac and has Candida. She can only eat vegies, flesh proteins and some beans. She hates to cook so now I'm exploring crackers and breads made with soaked/sprouted and dehydrated seeds and buckwheat. Actually seems as though it's no more work than GF and I'm surprised by how much energy it gives. Lo carb too. Such a natural progression from the GF life, I NEVER thought I'd be into. Who knew? hehe

Blessings

 
At 10:52 AM, Blogger Trish said...

Been a long time since I made my own mayo and about high time! Just coincidentally to your post on 'cutting back'...I too have been more aware of what I am eating and hence...what I am buying. Both my boys are eating simplistically, ... basic proteins...not so much sauce, and roasted veggies. I love looking inside my fridge and seeing all the ingredients of a meal...right there...up front! You know what I mean? In the veggie bin, the cheese bin and all whole foods. Well...grin... mostly. I cannot bear to waste food either so I am using up my other ingredients! But yep, great posting guys!

 
At 11:14 AM, Anonymous liveoncejuicy said...

I have a serious aversion to mayonaise. It has no rhyme or reason, I just can't stomach it. I don't even like to look at it. My daughter and husband like it though. And I like making things from scratch. So I might try this.

Does it taste different from store-bought mayo? Or at least smell different? It's the smell of mayo that gets to me. Ick.

I know it's unreasonable. I actually get mad at myself for not being able to move past this one food issue that I've had since childhood. I look at the ingredients and think they look fabulous. But when I see them all mixed up, even in the video, I know I wouldn't be able to eat it.

 
At 11:57 AM, Anonymous ED Schenk said...

If the may comes out too thick weused to thing with a couple of teaspoons of water.

 
At 12:52 PM, Anonymous Sho said...

Shauna,

Considering how expensive mayonnaise is, this post is great, especially if you use it in your recipes to replace heavy cream or cream-of-mushroom soup. I wonder if there are any recipes for fat-free mayo or reduced-calorie mayo...

Take care,

Shoshannah

 
At 3:05 PM, Anonymous Lisa said...

My husband and I are on a pretty tight food budget due to a couple current economic challenges. But, like you said, I am more satisfied when I'm on a budget because a) we eat less prepared foods so we eat more homemade which tastes better b) I enjoy the challenge of finding recipes/creating dishes that will satisfy for very little and c) when I cook, I only use healthy ingredients for the most part, so it is better for us.

One thing that I do is buy meat on sale and freeze it. Basically I scan through the meat section at the market and see what is on sale that week, and if I can't use it right away, I freeze it.

Another thing I do is making huge pots of food on the weekend and separate them into individual portions in containers, and sometimes freeze some. I eat two meals a day at work Monday-Friday so my husband and I don't get to sit down to a fresh meal during the week. This way, we get to eat good, nutritious food instead of sandwiches or TV dinners. I also make a lot of dishes with quinoa and brown rice and beans, which goes a long way on very little $ and is also extremely tasty if you season it well.

Right now I have beef stew going in the crockpot and the Thomas Keller chicken recipe you recommended in the oven, so we will definitely be eating well this week!

 
At 4:58 PM, Anonymous La Niña said...

I made the mayo! I had to use vegetable oil since I didn't have canola... but it came out amazing anyway! It's so darn easy, I'll never buy store mayo again. I also realize I can make "specialty" mayos by blending in smoky paprika, or chipotle chili powder, or garlic, or fresh herbs... the list is endless.

The mayo I made is now part of chicken salad made with my leftover chicken, that will go with the soup I made from the stock of the chicken carcass. It doesn't take many ingredients to make a great meal. Thanks for being a main ingredient in my life. -xo-

 
At 5:25 PM, Blogger Dream. Imagine. Happen said...

I love the idea of nightly specials each week. I've wanted to copy Barbara Kingsolver's Friday pizza night since I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, but haven't succeeded. We made pizza yesterday, though, and I'm ready to do it every week.

We shape all our meals around our weekly CSA produce delivery so don't usually see too many repetitions of the same meals week after week, but I'm beginning to see some patterns: like, we seem to have Mexican food with homemade GF flour or corn tortillas on Thursdays, and a fish meal on Wednesdays, and Italian on the weekends. We almost always have leftover soup on Mondays, which we're sure to do tomorrow because the chili is simmering on the stove right now.

Thanks for the mayonnaise tutorial! I've wanted to almost completely eliminate the number of jars of store-bought condiments in our refrigerator, and mayonnaise was top on my list.

 
At 6:30 PM, Anonymous Jennifer said...

Shauna, you're approach to meal planning is perfect. It eliminates the stress and leaves so much room for creativity.

 
At 7:40 AM, Blogger Little Chef said...

Alright, I am totally ready to make homemade mayo tonight! (And use those leeks and sprouts in my fridge on a pizza? I'm inspired.) I used a blender the last time I made mayo, but I think the blade moved too quickly, as the ingredients never emulsified (even on the second try). I have used an immersion blender for aioli, with fantastic results. Unfortunately, mine's on the fritz!

 
At 11:41 AM, Anonymous Alexa said...

Can I just say I love your blog? I have just found you and like falling in love, the effect was instantaneous and binding. I read back posts most of last week and you had me in tears *A LOT*. Sure, I cry at red hats these days, but your blog is special and wonderful and I tip my red hat to it.
On the mayo front, I've been trying to convince my salmonella obssessed husband that making mayonnaise is a good thing to do. My concerted effort has resulted in his relenting just this week and buying some special eggs to make our first attempt. This post is very timely and I thank you for it.

 
At 11:45 AM, Anonymous Sophie @ yumventures said...

Your past two posts are incredibly inspiring. My boyfriend and I love food, and love to eat well. But he is a full-time law student, and I make an entry-level salary. When we first moved in together we were over the top, then, when we realized we were spending too much money, we were cheap and unhealthy. I recently posted on my own blog my new method of meal planning and money saving. I love what you plan to do by creating "specials" each night of the week. I think this should inspire everyone to A) buy local foods and enjoy the simple flavors of vegetables and spices and B) be inspired to cook! You have to be creative when you eat on a budget, and it has made me love cooking even more. I can't wait to hear more about how your weekly menus progress.

 
At 11:49 AM, Blogger kickpleat said...

I love this post! I don't do my grocery shopping in one big haul...we shop when we need to and because we live in Chinatown, we get wonderfully fresh and beautiful produce and pretty much everything else within just a few blocks of home. We don't spend much and we don't yearn for more. We're satisfied and we eat fresh and local (when we find it). I've never made mayonnaise before, but I'll try it out. Your first photo (which I saw on Flickr) is simply stunning.

 
At 8:35 PM, Blogger Susan aka paintermom said...

In the past, the only time I made mayo from scratch was on Passover b/c Kosher for Passover mayo is vile! Now that my daughter and I have had to go GF, I may make this a more regular occurence. Thanks for the review.

 
At 11:32 PM, Anonymous Smitty said...

Thank you for the non-citrus tip of using vinegar, and being so specific about which type. When I told a nurse (yes a nurse) I could not eat grapefruit because I'm off citrus, she said "How about an orange?"

Thank you for understanding me!

 
At 5:22 AM, Anonymous GF PATISSERIE said...

Yes, my husband introduced me to home made Mayo. And we never went back. Just like you said.

Everybody should do it. Easy, inexpensive and so tasty

 
At 6:43 AM, Blogger Just Me said...

We've been meal planning like this for years. General categories; Sunday is breakfast for dinner, Monday is Meatless Monday, Tuesday is Soup, Salad and Sandwich Day, Wednesday is Flash in a Pan Day (skillet meals), Thursday is leftovers, Fishy Friday, and Saturday is Pizza and a Movie. The categories evolve depending on what our family is doing. With this our 5 year old knows what's coming and doesn't constantly ask what's for dinner. It's not written in stone, but it helps with the menu planning.

 
At 11:13 AM, Blogger Carrie Oliver said...

I love the idea of theme nights. We've done this for Sundays but not every day. One thing we have tried that really helped save $ and minimize waste (of course, those are related) was to choose theme week: Italian, Asian, Central American. Since there are many sub-categories within each but also many shared ingredients, we were able to use up things esp. herbs, peppers, vegetables, or beans that the stores force us to buy in bulk.

As for homemade mayonnaise, I don't trust the eggs around here to eat them raw. I need to learn the right questions to ask of someone who produces farm-fresh eggs.

 
At 8:35 PM, Blogger Cheryl Arkison said...

Lovely post. I enjoyed reading through comments from the original as well.

I've been having a similar epiphany, but for different reasons. I blew out both my knees a few weeks ago this is keeping me out of the kitchen. That leaves Hubby cooking and shopping. Hubby doesn't cook. Aside from making his way through a number of frozen meals I'd made for frantic weeknights, he has cooked a bit. But our weekly trip to the market (in a rented wheelchair) forced me to step back and investigate what we really purchased that day. Totally eye-opening. We focused on out of hand food and simple things that he could cook with minimal effort. It simplified shopping, dinner, and our eating. And now, for the time I can stand to sit at the table we have a raucous, but relaxed meal.

But sadly, he did not take me up on the offer to teach him how to roast a chicken. There is always this weekend.

 
At 4:22 PM, Anonymous Dana said...

Shauna, I love your idea for weekly cooking. I do my planning like my mom - sit down with cookbooks some time over the weekend and plan out the menu, and the grocery list, for the week. But sometimes that task feels monumental and sometimes I am just fresh out of ideas and inspiration. Putting some parameters on choices (but not too many - Randy still has nightmares about Meatloaf Monday from his childhood) makes decisions easier and will produce less waste. Now I know Tuesday is the day to come to dinner at your house. :)

 
At 8:37 PM, Blogger Heide Mc.™ said...

i didn't know that making mayonnaise was so easy. thank you for posting this.

 
At 7:04 AM, Blogger Bree said...

You are indeed correct. I will never, ever buy mayo from the store again. I've made everyone in my house try it, even the mayo-haters with positive results.

The meal planning is perfect, just what I've been looking for.

The videos. Please keep them coming, I LOVE them and have finished them all. Can't wait to see what's up next!

Take care,
bree

 
At 2:07 PM, Anonymous Lisa said...

I've got to try this recipe! I love mayo on everything!

 
At 2:13 PM, Blogger penny said...

:) i do something similar with the semi-structure-provides-freedom. i might map out that i'll make arepas on thursday and tofucornpups sunday, but it's more guidance to make sure that we're balancing and not having rice & tofu or rice & beans every night and to try to make sure stuff doesn't go bad in the fridge. i do worry about the "if its X it must be meatloaf" syndrome and i'm working not to fall too far into that hole.. my categories are more "stir fry, slow cooker, mexican, italian..." good luck with it and i look forward to catching up on your posts of how it's working for you.

 
At 5:16 PM, Blogger emily said...

Thank you so much for this recipe and video. I'm doing some all-out decadent deviled eggs and decided to make the mayo at home when I realized I had eggs and oil but no mayo in the fridge!

A tip for oil pouring - inexpensive plastic squeeze bottles make a slow drizzle much easier when making this solo, with a food processor or hand mixer (as I did).

Do you have any idea how long this will last in the fridge? Is it possible to freeze mayo?

 
At 9:34 AM, Anonymous John V. said...

Thanks for this post and video. I made my own mayonnaise following this recipe and posted some photos on my blog. You can check them out here, if you are so inclined:

Homemade Mayonnaise | With Respect For Food

 

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