As accustomed as I am to not having original thoughts shut me up on this blog, today I think I will copy Fake Plastic Fish. Yesterday Beth made wonderful mustard and eliminated one more plastic condiment bottle from her clutches. Today I will make Catsup in an effort to eliminate a plastic bottle from mine!
This recipe is from the All Things Frugal site. I unashamedly stole it. First gather your ingredients:
1 Can Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
Mix together, cover and refrigerate. (Note the human power mixer I used whereas Beth used an electric blender). *Electric-power consuming Fake Plastique Fish? Fake plastic Fish is really an Electric Eel?
This is how much I got out one batch plus about enough to cover two weenies- Refrigerate and it should keep for a monthThe taste of this is very similar to chutney I buy at Trader Joes. Very sweet and good. And while the initial expense of the spices seems far from frugal, I would imagine one could buy them in bulk for a fraction of what I paid. You should also note that keeping in the spirit of FPF, I tried not to buy too many plastic bottle spices- I chose Colman's Dry Mustard (In a tin) and used my Trader Joe's cinnamon (in a glass bottle)- Any way I can now say that i will not buy ketchup in plastic bottles again. Thanks Beth. As far as the frugal goes you use just a small amount of the spices that cost wise it should be good.
*I tease Beth unmercifully in this post. But she is one cool fish, and her campaign against plastic usage is important and sincere. Anything I can do to help reduce plastic waste is always OK by me.
8 comments:
I'll bet it's yummy. And I am now determined to one-up you by making catsup with fresh tomatoes rather than tomato paste. Think I won't? (Just remember the three little letters that are lining that tomato paste can.)
:-)
You rock, Rob. How's the Skoy holding up?
Beth
Skoys are holding up fine. I know fresh is better. But A0 I don't know how to make tomato paste and B)I don't have fresh tomatoes- suppose I could use frozen. BPA? Never heard of it (Of course I am lying)
Buying very small quantities in bulk worked pretty well for me. I remember when making pickles container of dill was $6.00, buy gourmet in bulk for $20.00 per pound, so could tablespoons cost me $0.05.
I like homemade catsup!
Tag, you're it, Rob. Meme rules here.
OK I found out how to make tomato paste- and you don't neccesarily need to can it- it can be frozen
I like to buy my spices at the health food store. I can buy them in bulk for much cheaper than those itty bitty bottles (plastic or no) in the grocery store.
Two more ways to avoid 3-letter words in tomato paste cans: Bionature sells it in glass jars, and you can dehydrate summer tomatoes, blend into a powder and reconstitute into a paste.
Way to go!
:) Katie
I also made my own catsup last year, and froze the extra for later. Next time will try making my own tomato paste. I just donated the two cans of tomato paste I had in the cupboard to a food drive, so now I have to make my own!
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