Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Homemade Italian Dressing with a Dab of Honey


I needed Italian dressing for a steak marinade and did not have any on hand.  I checked my cupboards and made this from scratch.  If you are interested in the recipe, I got it from
Penniless Parenting - Zesty Italian Dressing.

I wish I would have taken a photo of the steak and potatoes, because this dressing helped make it.  I had sirloin tip steaks in the freezer, and needed to take them out to make room for our 28 chickens.

As you read yesterday, it was a "crock pot" day.  I placed the steaks in the crock pot.  I minced fresh garlic over them, and added salt and pepper (extra for flavor).  In a bowl I mixed 1 cup of barbeque sauce, 1 cup of my homemade Italian dressing, and a 1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce. I poured it over the steaks and let it cook on low for about 5 hours.

Oh my gosh!  The meat was practically falling apart.  The kids loved it.  I think it would make wonderful sandwiches too, but it's great with mashed potatoes.  I would have had broccoli too, but it won't get picked until today.

I will be making a large salad today, to go with all of our grilling fixin's, so the rest of the Italian dressing won't be wasted.

Oh, and Worcestershire sauce is next on my list to make, but I'm wondering if it's worth it.  There are so many ingredients to make it, however I found a recipe that has a shorter list - Easy Homemade Worcestershire Sauce.

Last year I canned homemade taco sauce and ketchup, which we all love.  Ever since I read the book, Tomatoland, I have pushed myself to can whatever I can possibly can, with tomatoes (vs. buy it in the store).  This year I may just can some barbeque sauce too.  It will depend on time and tomatoes.  

As for the weather here, it rained again last night.  Sigh. I thought yesterday was bad with all the mud and sweat, but today it may just be worse.  However, my cucumbers are on and so are some green bell peppers.  I am also thankful for full rain barrels.  I can't help but wonder if a dry spell will follow this recent "wet" spell here.

2 comments:

Winnie said...

Kristina, you are always finding the neatest recipes and ideas! The wet soggy summer continues with a vengeance from your area to the east coast. We cannot seem to get a break down here. 90 degrees plus rain showers every day. I would welcome a dry spell!!

Amy Dingmann said...

Italian dressing is our favorite, so I thank you for the recipe!

I have canned tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, ketchup, and BBQ sauce in the past...not sure what we will can this year as the tomato crop is looking mighty iffy! I hope you get a lot so you can make a lot! :)