Mixes in a Jar, my new book from Ogden Press, is now available!

I am excited to announce that my newest book, Mixes in a Jar – Delicious Recipes for Storing Year-round Gifts and Easy Meals is now available! Order your copy on the Mother Earth News site.

The book is full of recipes for convenient, wholesome meals that can be prepared in little to no time. There are recipes for herb and spice mixes, soup mixes, salad mixes, skillet mixes, bread mixes, dessert mixes, and favorite breakfast mixes.

Use ingredients you already have at home, and put all your dehydrated garden fruits and vegetables to good use. The recipes are perfect for quick, weeknight meals and the mixes are pretty enough to give as gifts.

My Favorite Mixes in a Jar

Some of my favorite mixes in the book are:

• Moroccan Pea Soup, warmed with fragrant ginger and cinnamon
• Sunny Lemon Pasta Salad, with all the flavors of Greece
• Sun-Dried Tomato Mac & Cheese, a comfort food favorite with grown up zing
• Fruit Compote, an old-fashioned dessert mix at its best over ice cream

Of course, there are many many more, like

• Pumpkin Seed Granola
• Tortellini Soup
• Savory Orange Seasoning and Sauce Mix
• Spicy Stovetop Beans
• Cheesy Fiesta Cornbread

Why Make Your Own Mixes in a Jar?

Do you like to know exactly what is in your food? Do you want convenient mealtime options?

If you answered yes to both, then making your own mixes is the way to go. Grocery store mixes are convenient, but they are also full of additives and preservatives while skimping on nutrient dense ingredients. Make your own mixes to be creative while using real ingredients. Follow the recipes in Mixes in a Jar for plenty of flexibility with recommendations for gluten-free options, vegetarian options, and ingredient substitutions to avoid food allergies.

Why Did I Write This Book?

My grandmother lived alone till she was nearly 100. Like many people in her situation, planning and cooking meals became an onerous task. I combined my skills as a cookbook author, teacher, and former specialty foods business owner, to create some meals that she could easily pull together. The more I experimented, the more I learned about how to make the mixes not only delicious, but attractive too.

Almost 40 years ago I noticed that my eldest child became ill whenever he ate anything that included yellow food dye additives. Ever since I have avoided as many food preservatives and additives as possible.

I wrote this book to share my decades of experimentation; developing mixes that make all our days a little healthier and a little easier!

So gather your dried garden harvest, your favorite chocolate chips, and your bulk food overflow and turn them into tonight’s easy meal, tomorrow’s dessert, and the best holiday gifts ever with Mixes in a Jar.