Dear City-Dwelling Homesteader, First off, did you notice that I didn't call you a "wanna-be" homesteader? That was on purpose. I firmly believe that someone can be a honest-to-goodness homesteader, even if they live in town--but more on that in a minute. I've read your emails. And your comments. And your Facebook messages. I've heard about your longings for a homestead with land. And how badly you want to experience those ...Continue Reading
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Will the REAL Cinnamon Please Stand Up?
Cinnamon rolls, gingerbread cookies, pumpkin pies, and spiced tea. As soon as I feel that hint of autumn crispness in the air, I shove the cinnamon and nutmeg to the front of my spice drawer and prepare myself for a season of warm, spicy treats. I especially adore cinnamon since it's a great way to add an extra touch of sweetness to a recipe without having to add any additional sugar. The Prairie Kids love it on their homemade ...Continue Reading
DIY Mint Extract Recipe
I get such a kick out of figuring out how to make commonly purchased items from scratch. Whether it be homemade tortillas, refried beans, or breadcrumbs, I feel like I've won every time I can put one more thing on my "never-buy-again" list. Homemade vanilla extract is super-duper easy to make, and there are tutorials all over the place. But did you know you can make other extracts too? This homemade stevia extract and today's mint ...Continue Reading
Homemade Whole Wheat Crackers
Sometimes I like to pretend that I'm a food snob. But let's face it-- the real reason I like to watch those fancy cooking competitions on Netflix is because the thought of having to prepare a restaurant-quality entrée from 5 mismatched ingredients scares the pants off of me. I consider myself to be a good cook, but honestly, things like homemade burgers and homemade fish sticks are more my style... But lest you think that real food ...Continue Reading
Canning Peaches with Honey and Cinnamon
There are two things I don't like about canning. #1- I don't like how hot it makes my kitchen. But since building a summer kitchen isn't on our current to-do list, I can't do too much about that problem for the time being. #2- Many canning recipes call for boatloads of sugar... For some recipes, like my honey-sweetened Chokecherry Jelly or my Strawberry Freezer Jam, I've learned how to use alternate sweetener or ...Continue Reading