Are you an adventurous cook?
- Have you ever spent time and money on a new recipe—only to decide it wasn’t worth it?
- Have you baked a loaf of bread so squat and ugly you were embarrassed to share it?
- Or tried making yogurt that still looked like milk the next morning?
Good news!
I firmly believe that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing.
You’ll find tested recipes, troubleshooting help, and practical kitchen advice here—especially if you enjoy baking bread with a bread machine or making yogurt at home. As a home economist with experience in recipe development, food research, and cooking instruction, I share methods that work in real kitchens.
Imagine…
- If your kitchen experiments turned out even better than you expected
- If your bread baked up beautifully and tasted so good you couldn’t wait to share it
- If you woke up to find yesterday’s milk transformed into creamy homemade yogurt
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“Thanks for sharing so much good information with us. I feel like I know you…every time I use my Victorinox paring knife I think of you.”
Barbara M.
Toby, Salt Spring Island, British Columbia“Dear Paula, I have to tell you that your website is beyond exceptional — I don’t know how I ever found it but it must have been for help with bread machine dough that led to a heavy dense result. I’ve never been to a site that begins to compare, and I have been to so many. Your recipes are only a small part of what you offer. The directions, suggestions, video clips, and illustrations raise it from wonderful to extraordinary. It’s the first place I go when looking for recipes and/or ideas. You are 100% dependable — I am in awe of what you offer and the time that goes into perfecting everything for people who find your website.”
“You do a fine job of researching and testing a wide variety of recipes! Your directions are clear and concise. You answer readers’ questions promptly and thoroughly. “Salad in a Jar” is a real pleasure to read and follow.”
Vivian T.
My Food Background
- Home Economics B.S. — Oklahoma Christian University
- County Extension Agent — Texas
- Kitchen Supervisor — The Greenhouse Luxury Health Spa
- Freelance Microwave Cooking Instructor for appliance stores
- Research & Development — Pizza Inn Corporate
- Founder & Author — Salad in a Jar (2009–present)
As a home economist, I learned to make bread the old-fashioned way years ago. But as someone who loves speed and convenience, I bought a bread machine as soon as they appeared. The intoxicating smell and the simplicity of set-it-and-forget-it bread seduced me into ignoring the ugly loaves, cardboard crusts, and disorganized texture…for a while. When the novelty wore off, I threw out the manual instead of the machine. Then, I searched for a better way.
While teaching microwave cooking classes and working in research and development for a food company, I continued to look for better techniques for preparing all kinds of food. Now I share those tips and tricks in a collection of recipes here on Salad in a Jar.
I hope your dough bakes into beautiful bread, your yogurt sets like a dream, and you experience the enormous satisfaction of creating homemade food worth sharing.
“Hi, I am so glad I found your site. I have read many of your tips and they are so helpful even though I have been baking and cooking for 70 years. Thanks so much for sharing what you do and love.”
Janet C.
“A game changer for me when I found this site. This gal has great tutorials on using your breadmaker to make dough. Her recipe for simple white bread is one of the best ever recipes. I’ve been baking bread for a lot of years and this gal has changed my bread-making life.“
Vanessa F.
Do you need inspiration, guidance, or recipe ideas for a new or old bread machine? Click below.
“I made your crusty French bread last week and it was delicious. Made French toast from leftovers.
Mary R.
I have also made homemade pizza crust and this week I am trying bagels! Thanks for setting me free.”
“I love using all your recipes! I have had great luck since finding your site!”
Daphne
Are you looking for instructions for making yogurt in your own kitchen or answers to questions about when it doesn’t work out? Click below.
How can I help you in the kitchen?
Now that I’m retired, there’s plenty of time to answer your questions, hear your stories, and give out “High 5’s.”
Send your email to paula at saladinajar.com or leave a comment at the bottom of any blog post.
Blessings,
Paula Rhodes
P.S. Why the name “Salad in a Jar”? In 2009, my co-workers called my vacuum-sealed jars of chopped lettuce “salad in a jar.” The name stuck. I still eat a salad in a jar daily, but I call it healthy fast food.