Oil

I started making mayonnaise a few months ago, and as I was gathering information on how to do it, I got a lot of feedback from various people on just how finicky it can be to get it to thicken properly. They would talk about adding the ingredients in the correct order, and then drizzling in the oil slowly. And then other tricks to use if it thickens and then starts to break apart again. I tried this first in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer using the whisk attachment, and it would not turn into mayo at all. Then I tried it in my blender, and it did turn into mayo but took a very long time. Then finally I tried my hand blender and BINGO! As you'll see in this video it is almost instantaneous, and does not matter how you add the ingredients.

Salad dressing is incredibly easy to make with ingredients you probably already have around the house. And the basic recipe is so versatile that anyone and everyone will be making their own favorite dressings in no time at all. You start with a simple mix of oil and vinegar - 1/3 to 1/2 oil, and the rest vinegar. Use whatever type of oil you like - olive, canola, vegetable, or as we use here, grape seed. Same goes for vinegar - really all you are looking for is something with a bit of tang. So regular white vinegar works, but some of the fancier ones usually add more character. Regular off-the-shelf apple cider vinegar is one of my favorite. In this video we experiment with rice vinegar for the first time. Lemon juice also works exceptionally well.

I wanted to make Granola, but as I usually do with something new, I don't like to just get a recipe and try it out, I like to read a bunch of recipes to come to understand the basic essence of the thing I want to make. Then I make up my own recipe. I've been making granola bars for a couple of decades now, and truth be told I even tried my hand at granola in there once or twice during that time - but in the past I'd always just followed a recipe. In reading up on granola, it became clear that it is very similar to granola bars - go figure. Basically use a bit less moisture, a bit more grains, and bake longer at lower heat, without pressing the mixture into the pan. Instead, you distribute it loosely, and mix it about every half hour while baking.

Here is my first crack at it, which is still in the oven. Based on the taste test going into the oven as well as comments on the terrific smell from my wife and youngest son after it had been in the oven a while, I think this will prove to be a pretty good first kick at the can!