Simple Homemade Ketchup

To go along with my homemade mustard from a few posts ago, I also made homemade ketchup. I love it - it does not taste like Heinz! It tastes like real tomato ketchup should - fresh and tomatoey!

Simple Homemade Ketchup

Customize this recipe to suit your taste - add hot sauce, chillis, extra spice - whatever your taste buds desire!

Ingredients

1 can 28oz  tomatoes (whole or chopped) 
1 can 5.5 oz tomato paste
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cloves
1 tablespoons (30 mL) nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (5 ml) pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

What to do

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce is reduced by half. Cool.

Once cooled, use a blender or immersion blender to puree the ketchup.

Store in refrigerator up to 3 months.

Homemade Canadian Rye Mustard Recipe

For many years I often felt left out as far as motherhood went ... you see my kids hated condiments....ketchup, mustard, ranch dressing, mayo, cheese sauce on veggies....they just wouldn't eat the stuff. Plain broccoli, carrots, noodles were fine but if you offered them anything to dip those things in they would look at you like you were off your rocker.

Now that my son is a grown up six year old with "sophisticated" tastes, he does like ketchup and mayo but he still isn't completely sold on mustard and still dispises cheese sauce on veggies.

And my eight year old daughter hates them all (well, except cheesesauce but only on macaroni) which may explain her dislike of french fries - let's face it....without ketchup fries are just ... well...potatoes. (PS - Homemade ketchup recipe coming soon!)

So luckily for me when I came across a booze filled mustard recipe I didn't have to give a moments thought to whether I was about to start my kids down a path of addiction and smoked filled pubs... cause I know they won't touch this crazy good condiment recipe...I, on the other hand, am heading down to the bar as soon as I...hiccup...finish this last bite of pretzel covered in rye soaked mustard....hiccup...

Adapted from Gifts Cooks Love by Diane Morgan.

Ingredients

1 c mustard seeds

1 c Canadian rye (whiskey)

1 c water

1 c chopped dried apricots

5 tbsp cider vinegar

5 tbsp honey

1 tbsp kosher salt

What to do

1. Add mustard seeds, rye and water into a bowl and soak 12-24 hours.
2. Add apricots and soak for another 12 hours.
3. Reserving the liquid, strain the mixture.
4. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients including the reserve liquid, to desired consistency, adding remaining liquid as needed.
5. Place in clean jars, making sure to wipe the rims and secure the lids.
6. Refrigerate for 2-3 weeks so the flavours meld together.
7. It will keep for up to three months.