Eating off the land, from scratch recipes, preserving food, and other fun kitchen tips.
Nothing says summer quite like sweet, homemade canned tomatoes. Canning tomatoes always makes me feel a little bit bittersweet. On one hand, I love being able to enjoy the delicious bounty of a summer’s hard work in the garden. On the other hand, the time in which it is time to can tomatoes marks the … Read more
I’m pretty sure salsa was invented by someone who had no idea what to do with all the extra tomatoes, peppers, onions, and jalapenos in his garden. Throw a few ingredients in here, a couple more there, add some spices, and voila! Tasty salsa. I’m just kidding, of course. But when it comes right down … Read more
It is so quick and easy to make powdered sugar you might just wonder why you ever bothered buying processed bags in the first place. I have to admit that until I was asked about writing this topic, I had never given a single thought as to how confectioner’s sugar was made. There are only … Read more
Living on a homestead is a great way to get back to my roots. As I wander the aisles in my supermarket I’m always astounded at the price of bread. I can remember, as a kid, my parents said that bread was expensive when it was .25 per loaf. Today, a good loaf of bread … Read more
Red clover flower flour is easy to make, all you need to do is forage (or grow) some clover and pound it into tiny bits. You can mix red and white clover together to make this survival flour substitute, as well. To make red clover flour you must grind up the flowerheads – and leaves … Read more
Three Sisters stew is filled with the protein, fiber, and vitamins that are necessary to keep the body strong for homesteading or survival homesteading chores. This ancient Iroquois recipe was created to make use of every last ounce of a bountiful harvest from their traditional garden guild growing methods. The Three Sister Garden provides all … Read more
Red clover lemonade may have been one of the items Mary Poppins kept tucked away in that big bag of hers. The first time I sipped it the “spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,” lyrics danced around in my head while my tastebuds rejoiced. Making a “medicine” that cost merely pennies that even … Read more
Three Sisters soup is a filling and nutrient rich delicious recipe that you can whip up in large amounts after the harvest – and then preserve so it can be enjoyed all winter long. The base ingredients for this homesteading favorite come from the ancient Iroquois Three Sisters Garden. The tribe may have created the … Read more
If you have a backyard flower garden, you may have pondered whether you could use those flowers for purposes other than ornamentation. While garnishing and cooking with flowers saw a drop in popularity in the last few years, it is luckily rising to prominence once again. This style of cooking was quite popular in ancient … Read more
Today, more than ever before, wheat allergies are becoming more common. Whether it’s GMOs causing more sensitivity, celiac disease, a gluten sensitivity, or some other culprit, having a wheat allergy on the homestead can be challenging. My own personal discovery of having a wheat allergy came on suddenly without warning. One day, seemingly overnight, I … Read more
Macaroni and Cheese is one of the original comfort foods. Combining melted cheese and pasta has been a popular staple for many years, and just about every culture has their own version of it. There a hundreds of variations and everyone seems to have their great aunts super mac & cheese recipe that adds its … Read more
Drying flowers to preserve them has been a homesteading tradition going back hundreds of years. The only downfall to the process is all of the patience it requires. Pressing flowers between boards or sheets of cardboard takes weeks. These oven and microwave flower drying techniques take only an hour or less. There are many reasons … Read more
Doomsday crackers, or survival crackers, as they are sometimes called, were created during the Cold War era after extensive research by the federal government. These shelf stable crackers are somewhat like hardtack crackers on steroids. Making and preserving your own crackers will provide a nutrient-rich and inexpensive food source that can be plucked from the … Read more
The coffee recipe here is based on a style of coffee served in Southeast Asia. Thai coffee and Vietnamese coffee are similar, in that both are sweetened with condensed milk. Thai coffee has a generous amount of cardamom and cinnamon added to the coffee basket, along with almond extract. When I was a boy, I … Read more
As a little girl, I used to visit my grandma and grandpa’s farm on the weekends. The place was very picturesque complete with cows grazing in the pasture and an old tire hanging from a tree limb that served as a joyous swing for my siblings and I. Grandma was always cooking yummy things up … Read more
This is a recipe for the pressure cooker that is so quick it’s unbelievable, but it will produce a hot, hearty, and delicious meal in about 15 minutes. This recipe is perfect for when you drag in late and hungry and don’t want to spend a bunch if time cooking. The thick penne and the … Read more