Why I don't trust most things at Walmart

Walmart buys stuff from the cheapest vendors.   Most of them are based in China.  They are counterfeiters on lots of stuff.  Paul Mitchell Shampoo is one that's been proven the Walmart stuff is counterfeit product coming from China.  Every time Paul Mitchell   has a claim filed on their shampoo they ask for the product and proof of where it was bought and 100% of it has come from China and was bought at Walmart.  How can you tell if its a counterfeit product or not?  Its almost impossible to know.  China has been expert at counterfeiting products around the world.  Somethings don't really matter like books but many are important to know.  Like children's toys and clothing, food and beauty products, medical supplies.  The problem with the Paul Mitchell shampoo was it caused people to go blind.  Paul Mitchell shampoo is 100% natural.  I love their products so to have something that causes blindness shows its a counterfeit product.   Some say that Walmart has no clue that they are buying and stocking counterfeit products but I beg to differ.   They know they are buying at the cheapest price and most of it is coming from Asia on container ships so they might want to turn a blind eye but someone most certainly knows.  More importantly to me is that they don't care.
The only way to avoid counterfeit products is to buy from a reliable place.  There are lots of good places to buy at.   Do I shop at Walmart?  Yes, but I sure do think about everything I buy and if it matters if it's counterfeit.  I do most of my shopping elsewhere and am grateful that I know what is going on.  I wanted to make sure you know also.

Cherlynn
brchbell@yahoo.com

Making your own salad dressings

So many are suffering from food allergies like I am. I have discovered I'm not really allergic to wheat just can't handle GMO grains. Unfortunately I have learned I really am allergic to all soy even non GMO stuff. It makes it hard to be able to buy anything at the store now. So I make my own.

To start with I have to make my own mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is easy to make on your own. I always make mine in the blender so here's my recipe.

Blender Mayonnaise

Place ¼ cup oil (your choice any kind will work) in blender with 1 egg, 1 teaspoon each: dry mustard and sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, a dash of cayenne red pepper, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar. Mix on high for 5 seconds and then slowly drizzle in ¾ cup of oil. You may need to stop the blender and scrap down the sides. Now you have non GMO soy free Mayonnaise to use as a base for your dressings.

Make your own Ranch Dressing

I make my dressings up in pint canning jars.

Put ½ cup mayonnaise and ½ cup buttermilk in the jar. Now you can use sour cream or yogurt instead. Any combination as long as you use a total of 1 cup total. BUT if you want it to taste like Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing you will want to use the buttermilk and mayonnaise. Now add 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar, 2 cloves crushed fresh garlic (or ¼ tsp garlic powder) ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, dried parsley, dried dill, and dried chives, a few shakes of cayenne red pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Shake in the jar well and use within 2 weeks.

Russian Dressing is hard to find but easy to make:

1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup chili sauce

up to 4 teaspoons of bottled horseradish if desired

1 teaspoon hot sauce, Frank's Red Hot Sauce works best

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon sweet paprika

fine sea salt to taste

In a mortar and pestle mash onion to create a paste or use a large heavy knife to mince and mash the onion into a paste. Put into your jar and add in the rest of the ingredients and shake to blend. Use within 2 weeks.

Thousand Island Dressing

I have a more elaborate recipe but this one is very simple and does the job just fine.

In your jar, add:

½ cup Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoon ketchup

2 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon lemon juice

a few drops Worcestershire sauce

a few drops of hot sauce

Shake well in jar and use within 2 weeks.

Vinegar and oil

You can use any type of oil or vinegar that you would like. The important thing to know is you must use 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. I put mine in a salad shaker container and leave on the table. I use ¾ cup extra virgin Olive oil with ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. Very simple and so very good.

Honey Citrus Dressing

Into your jar add:

¼ cup vinegar

1 cup oil

2 Tablespoon honey

4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoon orange juice

½ to 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

a dash each of ground red pepper and black pepper.

Shake well and use within 2 weeks.

Italian Dressing

Into your jar add:

¼ cup vinegar (any type)

2/3 cup oil

2 Tablespoon water

1 teaspoon each of garlic salt, onion powder, sugar, parsley and salt

1 ½ teaspoon Oregano

¼ teaspoon pepper

a big pinch of basil

a pinch of celery salt

Mix and shake well in your jar.  

Hope this helps you!

Cherlynn