Last month we were pretty hard-up and did the unthinkable...
We had to buy "applesauce" from the store. And what is worse...we were actually eating it!
Yes, we don't put much stock in the nondescript, store-bought, beige colored substances that loosely resemble applesauce :-). But this family REALLY likes applesauce and our homemade supply from 2 years ago was exhausted.
Needless to say, we were REALLY looking forward to apple season this year! Continue reading
Okay, I’m a granola guy.
No, not in the cultural sense. But I really like to eat granola for breakfast. I could eat it for breakfast 300 days a year.
For years, Lisa has worked to dial in a granola recipe that we all really like. And she has nailed it!
Here it is… Continue reading
Hash browns have always been one of my favorites… but I could never get my homemade ones to turn out right. They were usually always too gummy which would mean that I’d end up burning them. So out of desperation, I’d spend a lot of time carefully cutting them up into as small of chunks as I could and frying them up that way. It worked, sorta. But it still wasn’t hash browns.
Until one day I learned the secret: rinsing the shredded potatoes. So I tried it, and in no time at all I had the most mouth-watering, perfectly browned hash browns. Continue reading
I'm not the greatest cook... honestly, when I first got married my poor husband put up with quite a bit of terrible food. But learning how to make very tasty, healthy home cooking became a passion of mine. Pancakes were no exception. I wanted pancakes... and not just any pancakes; I wanted mouth-watering pancakes that my family would beg for. You know, the kind that are BETTER than the ones at the restaurant. And that's exactly what I found...
We've been up to our elbows (literally) in salsa lately. Our family really likes homemade salsa, maybe we have some Mexican roots somewhere in our genealogy. Except one problem - we can't take the heat. So no hot peppers. Forget the Mexican roots - I guess it's probably not there.
This last week I decided to tackle the large question about my food storage. Since Nick and I were married we keep visiting this question each year and stocking our pantry with the necessary items. Oats, Beans, Wheat, Rice, Salt, Honey, Dried fruit, Canned fruit, Canned veggies, Potatoes, Nuts, etc. But I started asking myself the question: Do I have enough food in my pantry to last me a year, till the next harvest? That's my end goal!
In any country setting you will have opportunities for taking advantage of the wild edibles in your area. If you are unsure of what is available to you, get a good book that will teach you what wild edibles are in your area.
A wood cook stove is one of those indispensable tools on a homestead. Operating it is fairly straightforward, but many people seem to have difficulty with baking. I'll have to say though, after using one myself, I'd prefer cooking and baking on one! Seriously, you can taste the difference.
Want a melt-in-your-mouth granola? Try dehydrated granola - in the sun! There is nothing quite like it. My husband threw together a make-shift solar dehydrator for me.
Nothing says 'Homestead' quite like a couple loaves of homemade bread baking in the oven. Know what I mean? Pull those loaves out of the oven, grab the bread knife and slice while you watch the steam rising.
So many people struggle to make a good loaf of bread. So I want to share some of my favorite recipes - ones I use all the time - to make it simple. Let me know which one is your favorite!