The blog

Recipes & pantry tips

Mixes worth making, how long they keep, and how to turn a jar into dinner or a gift.

A glass jar layered with chili spices and black beans next to small plates of chili powder, dried beans and a bowl of spice blend

Recipes

Beef & Three-Bean Chili Mix: Chili Night From One Quart Jar

Kidney, navy and black beans with a chili spice blend on top. Add ground beef, water and tomato juice for eight bowls of chili. Keeps a year.

A glass jar of rolled oats on a wooden board beside a row of oatmeal raisin cookies and a small bowl of raisins

Gifts in a Jar

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Mix in a Jar: The Holiday Gift Everyone Knows

Oats, raisins, two sugars and warm spice in layers, with a tag that says what to add. Butter, an egg and vanilla turn one jar into 18 cookies.

A glass jar of homemade cream soup mix on a wooden table next to a brass measuring spoon

Pantry Basics

Cream of Chicken Soup Substitute: A Homemade Condensed Soup Mix

Dry milk, cornstarch and bouillon replace the can in any casserole. ⅓ cup of mix and 1 cup of water equals one 10.5 oz can, and a quart jar makes nine.

A glass jar of red enchilada sauce mix on a wooden table with a brass spoon

Recipes

Homemade Enchilada Sauce Mix (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

Ten pantry spices and a little cornstarch make a jar of red enchilada sauce mix. Add tomato sauce and water for 2 cups of sauce, the same as a 16 oz can.

A quart jar of layered beans and lentils beside small bowls of beans and a bowl of soup

Gifts in a Jar

Layered Bean Soup in a Jar: The Gift That Turns Into Dinner

Six beans and peas in colored stripes, a seasoning bag on top, and a tag that tells them what to add. Eight bowls of soup from one quart jar.

A jar of homemade chai tea mix on a wooden board with bowls of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and a mug of chai

Recipes

Vanilla Chai Tea Mix: A Café Chai Latte From Your Pantry

Instant tea, two creamers and seven warm spices make 38 mugs of vanilla chai. Just add hot water, or hot milk for a latte.

Homemade soup mixes in glass jars on a kitchen counter

Recipes

Dry Onion Soup Mix: Make the Envelope at Home

Five ingredients replace the onion soup envelope for dips, pot roast and meatloaf. Here is the exact amount that equals one envelope.

A jar of homemade taco seasoning on a wooden board with a brass spoon

Recipes

Homemade Taco Seasoning: One Small Jar, Three Packets' Worth

Six pantry spices, two minutes, no added salt or fillers. My everyday taco seasoning, with exactly how much equals one store packet.

Jars of homemade hot cocoa and drink mixes beside white mugs

Gifts in a Jar

Classic Hot Cocoa Mix (and How to Gift It in a Jar)

Three ingredients make 22 mugs of hot cocoa. Plus how to layer it in a jar, what to write on the tag, and five easy add-ins for gift sets.

A row of homemade dry mixes in labeled glass jars

Pantry Basics

How Long Do Homemade Dry Mixes Last? A Shelf-Life Guide

Seasonings keep a year, baking mixes a few months, anything with butter or cheese powder even less. What shortens shelf life, and how to store every jar.

A jar of homemade baking mix next to measuring spoons and flour on a wooden table

Recipes

Master Baking Mix: The Homemade Biscuit Mix Behind a Hundred Breakfasts

Five ingredients make a big jar of all-purpose baking mix for biscuits, pancakes and anything that calls for a boxed baking mix, cup for cup.