Eating off the land, from scratch recipes, preserving food, and other fun kitchen tips.
Native Americans’ lives back in the day were hard, as they focused much off their energy to find and preserve food. They grew various crops, were able to forage for natural growing plants that were good to eat. They were also prolific hunters. Despite their ability to supply food, it was hard to have enough … Read more
Canned foods are a staple in my household. We eat a can of sweetcorn or baked beans often. They’re quick, convenient, easy to make; you can’t really go wrong with them. With that said, sometimes you don’t feel like standing in front of the stove and cooking so here’s the question: Can you eat canned … Read more
From zucchini to butternut, summer to acorn, I’ve never met a squash that I didn’t like. In fact, one of my favorite things about growing squash is that it produces delicious meal ideas for me to try during just about every season of the year. From early summer until first thing in the spring (thank … Read more
Ramen… 2-minute noodles, instant noodles, whatever you call them, this is one heck of a foodstuff! This is quite possibly a hiker’s best friend, while out on the trails because it’s lightweight, it doesn’t take up much space in your pack, and it’s easy to prepare. Additionally, it’s great for household meals and snacks – … Read more
I’ve always liked biltong, it’s one of South Africa’s favorite snacks; it’s easy to get as most butchers have it in stock and it equally easy to make. I’ve made some myself many times, and it’s one of my favorite foods to make. Now, beef jerky is the American equivalent, and many people think they’re … Read more
Although they were once rare commodities in most parts of the United States, white pumpkins are seeing a huge surge in popularity. They are fun to decorate with, lending your home a festive fall feel that works well with any style of decorating. So that leads to the question of white pumpkins: are they edible? … Read more
Once you have tasted biltong, you’ll be a fan of this spiced dried meat that South Africans have made famous around the world. As with jerky, biltong making arose out of necessity. In the early days, when there were no fridges to store fresh meat, and once a steer had been slaughtered or an antelope … Read more
I’d never really considered dehydrating honey on the homestead, however, the other day I was gifted a lot of honey and I really wanted to use the five-gallon buckets that it came in for another project on the homestead. So I did some research and came up with some ways to store the honey that … Read more
Learning how to can seems daunting at first, but water bath canning is easy! Once you get the hang of the steps, you will be able to can so many different things to store in your pantry. Jams, jellies, sauces, and salsas are at your fingertips. Before you get started, you have to learn how … Read more
Dehydrating food is a great way to preserve it for future weeks, months – perhaps years, depending on what exactly you’re preserving… I love dehydrating herbs in particular, as this makes it easy to store them for later use. Herbs definitely aren’t the only foods you can dehydrate, though. You can also dehydrate fruits, vegetables, … Read more
Preserving onions is not usually high on the top of a homesteading garden “to do” list simply because they keep so long with extra effort and processing. When bushel after bushel of tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and other garden staples must be canned or dehydrated, onions often get lost in the shuffle… and ultimately go … Read more
If you are looking for a hearty dinner without a lot of fat, cream, or unnecessary additives, this chicken stew with potatoes is the way to go. It’s chock-full of vegetables, and is still remarkably savory for a filling meal.
Looking for a hearty weeknight dinner recipe that’s quick and easy to make – plus super healthy and absolutely delicious? Also referred to as white chicken chili, this recipe combines the best of spicy and savory dimensions for an absolutely delicious meal! You can use any kind of chicken. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work … Read more
Passing down family traditions while teaching skills in the kitchen is all part of the homesteading lifestyle for American families. Children can and should be an integral part of this process. The key to kids in the kitchen success requires parents take into account both the age and the maturity level of the children before … Read more
If the idea of making your own sourdough starter sounds complicated – it is absolutely not! You only need two ingredients, water and flour… but you do have to wait at least a week for it to finish fermenting. Sourdough works for most people on a gluten free diet regardless of the type of flour … Read more
Potatoes have been a staple crop for centuries. Thankfully, they are an inexpensive and easy to grow vegetables that consistently produces a bumper crop. But, storing the potatoes so they do not rot and are both good and safe to eat for the winter and spring (until a new crop can be harvested) is a … Read more