As homesteaders, we are constantly busy, aren't we? There is so much to do on our properties that needs attention, and all of it seems to be RIGHT NOW. Despite the fact that we have plenty of food at our fingertips from growing food in our gardens, chicken coops, and perhaps even our livestock, the one thing our homesteads can't really give us back is time. Let me show you how ...
PRESERVING FOOD
How to Can Pinto Beans {and other dried beans}
Pinto beans, and really, beans of all kinds are a nutritious, inexpensive way to get protein into our bodies. They are so versatile -- great in burritos, chili, soups, salads, and other recipes. Still, paying $1 per 15 oz can is so much more expensive than canning them yourself. Here's my safe instructions on how to can pinto beans in a pressure canner. Pressure canning ...
How To Eliminate Food Waste When You Harvest
Gardening is a lot of work, and throwing any part of the harvest away can feel excruciating. Learning the ways to use more of our harvested produce will put more food on the shelf and eliminate food waste in the kitchen. Love finding ways to use up every bit of what you harvest from the garden you work so hard on each season? I get you! For some reason, I feel a ...
How to Process a Fresh Mint Harvest
Springtime is prime time for harvesting herbs for medicines and teas. The temperate weather allows delicate and not-so delicate herbs to grow abundantly in the garden, and if you are growing mint, plentiful harvests of fresh mint are sure to follow. Mint plants produce and multiply like crazy and trying to figure out all the ways we can use it can be pretty tricky. ...
How To Save Money by Freezing Pumpkin Puree
Growing pumpkin is relatively easy and depending on the type you are growing, each one can yield quite a bit. Freezing pumpkin puree is a good way to save money on food if you use canned pumpkin frequently, and if you aren't picky about the type of pumpkin you are freezing. Having had to be pretty tight with my budget over the past 30 years (save for the past 6), I've ...
How to Bottle Your Homemade Fruit Wine {4 Ways}
Making homemade wine is an excellent way to use up a burgeoning fruit harvest, and it's easy! This is step five in my fruit wine making series, and in this step, you will learn 4 different ways to bottle the wine you worked so hard to make. Steps for Bottling Your Homemade Wine Before we get started, you'll want to choose a bottling vessel. There are a few good ...
How to Make and Can Super Easy Salsa
If you love salsa, but don't have all the ingredients needed to make it from all fresh, you will love this recipe! It tastes great, has a lot less prep time, and comes together in a snap! Here's how to make and can the easiest salsa ever! Part of the goodness of having a tomato harvest is that you can make so many different products out of them. With your ripe tomatoes, ...
How to Make and Can Cherry BBQ Sauce
When you think of cherries, maybe what comes to mind is eating them fresh, in a pie, or even as a jam. All of those are wonderful, but once you discover cherry bbq sauce, you will never forget it! Cherry BBQ Sauce to the Rescue Last year, Todd and I tried peach bbq sauce and fell in love. The marriage of fruity sweetness with the smoky and spicy herbs tasted perfect, ...
How to Make and Can Delicious Peach BBQ Sauce
Whether you are purchasing peaches from the store or using your peach harvest, you may not have thought of making something savory with them. After you've made your jam, fruit leather, and wine, make sure to save a few lbs to make peach bbq sauce! Barbecue is some of the best food on earth, thank God it's so easy to do! Todd and I ran across this recipe when we were trying ...
Make This Easy Fruit Leather Recipe with Any Fruit!
If you have your own fruit trees or partake in loss leader deals at the store, you may find yourself with lots of extra fruit on hand during the summer. Rather than letting your overripe fruit go into the compost pile, why not take advantage of the sweetness of fruit at this stage and try this fruit leather recipe? It's nature's candy! So you've made your strawberry jam, ...
How to Make Homemade Strawberry Jam {Safe and Easy}
It's strawberry season and the fruit is fresh, sweet, and delicious! Making wine, syrup or just eaten raw, they are a wonderful summer treat! But don't forget to bring summer to the table with homemade strawberry jam--fill your shelves for the year! Homemade Strawberry Jam is Super Easy Making jam is a great place to start if you are new to canning. It's quick and ...
How to: Canning Bone Broth
Want to fill your shelves with food while saving money? Sick of buying canned bone broth at the store when you know very well, you can make it for free out of your kitchen scraps? I know you do, and I know you are. The good news is canning your own bone broth at home will make you a BOSS at filling your shelves in no time flat! Follow this recipe, and you will be doing it ...