Little did you know...

When you live in China there are certain cooking staples that just aren't available here, or they're available but only if you're willing to pay a lot of money. Because of this situation you quickly learn that you have to go without these foods that you love but can no longer make OR you learn to figure out how to make the things that you can't buy. I realized the other day that there are quite a few ingredients that I now make from scratch that I never ever would have considered making in the States- duh, you can buy them cheaply at a grocery store. However, I thought all you bakers and cookers at home might find these things interesting. Here's my list for now- I'll probably be adding more later.
1. Powdered Sugar- put regular sugar in a blender and voila!!
2. Taco seasoning- this takes a lot of different spices, but it's really good!
3. Sour cream- add lemon juice or vinegar to heavy cream
4. Apple sauce- lots of labor, but very healthy and delicious
5. Granola- so many options when you make it yourself!
6. Chili sauce- you'll never want to use the bottled version again
7. Salsa- ditto above
8. Noodles- yes, I made homemade chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles!
This is a short list so I'll add more later. It's actually been kind of nice to realize that so many things can be made from scratch. I have made all of Bailey's baby food and even some teething crackers for her from scratch as well. Yay for blenders! Now, some of my friends have even made their own ricotta cheese with cheese cloths that they brought back from the US, but I haven't gotten quite that Martha Stewarty yet. This year for the first time I've realized the true joy in cooking great meals for my family and friends. It's really a gift and ministry to be able to fill people's stomachs in a delicious way while sharing community and fellowship. It's definately a lot of work, but I'm so appreciative of my mom for setting such a wonderful example for me as a child, and for my friends here who are so hospitable with us as well! Thanks Suzanne for the chocolate dipped pumpkin biscotti last week! Mmmm good!