Author Archives: Texas Homesteader

About Texas Homesteader

Our Homestead is located in Northeast Texas. This blog reflects our desire to live gently on the land - gardening, home cooking, food preservation, solar cooking, saving money, etc.

5 Frugal Things – Food Preserving, Dog Grooming, Decluttering & MORE!

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by Texas Homesteader~ 
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Living and working here on the Homestead means we have to be mindful of our expenses. But here’s the great thing – I have a hearty eco-friendly bend. I’m always watching out for ways to be gentle with Mother Nature.

And I find oftentimes frugality goes hand in hand with eco-friendly living. It’s a two-fer win for me! This week there were many opportunities to save some money (and give Mother Nature a big kiss on the cheek too!)

Come see the 5 Frugal Things we did this week to save money and the environment.

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Endless Soap Dispenser For Kitchen Convenience

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by Texas Homesteader~ 
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Many sinks come with a little pump soap dispenser on the top edge. Whether you fill it with dish soap for washing dishes or hand soap for washing hands, it’s quite a handy little amendment for your kitchen sink.

But most of those little soap dispenser pumps use a small screw-in bottle underneath the sink to hold the liquid soap.

That tiny receptacle always runs low at the most inopportune times, don’t they? And then they have to be refilled pretty frequently. So we got to wondering, is there a better way?

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Meal Ideas When Bringing Food For A Family

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by Texas Homesteader~ 

Whether mourning a death in the family, dealing with illness or even just feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities of a new baby, those going through hardships are comforted when others bring food.

There’s just something about someone caring enough to bring a meal to your family, ya know?? A meal you won’t have to worry about planning or cooking. It not only offers nutrition during a very trying time, but it’s like a warm hug from others.

But I’m always in a quandary when knowing what meal to bring to another family. You too?

Well you’re in luck. I’ve made a list of easy-to-prepare options sure to nourish, as well as comfort heart & soul.

The Gift Of Food: Meal Ideas When Bringing Food To Families #TexasHomesteader

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Top 10 Homesteading Posts of 2020

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 By Texas Homesteader~ 

I don’t know about you, but I’ll be glad to see 2020 go! There have been so many challenges this year to our country. WHEW! What a year!

But if there’s to be a silver lining found at all, it’s that the pandemic had many of you looking for ways to be more self sufficient. Ways to do more for yourself. To save money, to provide for your family. How empowering!

Are you wondering what the most popular posts of 2020 were? Well it was everything from easier homemade recipes, to gardening tips to making homemade dog shampoo and MUCH MORE.

Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for some good reading, y’all!

Top 10 Self-Sufficiency Homesteader post of 2020 #TexasHomesteader

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Last-Minute Gift Idea: Simple Sweetened Popcorn Into Christmas Trail Mix

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by Texas Homesteader~

Time’s running out! Looking for a quick homemade gift idea? This Sweetened Popcorn was made into a sweet Christmas Trail Mix. It made for a delicious last-minute Christmas gift idea.

Although we typically gift our grands Experience Gifts these days, we still wanted something cute to present to them on Christmas day. So we decided to make an easy yet delicious edible gift for them.

I started with this sweetened popcorn treat. It was beyond easy to make. Seriousiosly, as in add 3 ingredients, boil 4 minutes and pour onto popcorn easy! Y’all aren’t gonna believe this…

Simple sweetened popcorn recipe - coat popcorn with syrup made from sugar, butter and water - Easy recipe! #TexasHomesteader

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Snowman Treat Jar Makes A Quick, Fun Gift

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by Texas Homesteader~ 

We’ve moved away from gifts of toys for our grandkids for Christmas. Instead we now give experience gifts to them. It’s been such a wonderful change.

We get to spend time with our grandkids and create memories for Christmas instead of giving just another toy to be broken & forgotten in no time.

But these excursions aren’t often on the schedule until AFTER the big day. RancherMan & I hate gathering for Christmas and having nothing other than a scheduled event to give to our beloved grandbabies.

So in addition to their experience gift, we usually give them a little sumpin’ on Christmas day. This year I thought it would be fun for that sumpin’ to be a snowman treat jar.

Last-Minute Christmas gift idea - Snowman Treat Jar - fill a repurposed jar with sweetened popcorn, peanuts, etc. Wrap a scarf & paint some buttons. #TexasHomesteader

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Last-Minute Homemade Gift Idea: Pinecone Fire Starters

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by Texas Homesteader~ 

I wanted to make a pretty basket of natural wax-dipped pinecone fire starters. These are for our own use, but they make wonderful, inexpensive and very functional gifts too.

My garden basket isn’t used in the winter months. And I had a supply of pinecones I’d gathered for decorative purposes and a couple of half-burned pillar candles that I couldn’t even give away.

Let’s DO THIS!

Waxed Pinecone fire starters made by dipping pinecones in wax #TexasHomesteader

 

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Instant Pot Goulash – A Fast Meal That Cooks In Just 4-Minutes

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

It’s true, I was late to the game in getting my very own Instant Pot. Oh sure, others raved about their Instant Pots, but I just wasn’t convinced.

Until I was!

Now I use my Instant Pot All. The. Time.

One of my favorite meals to make with it is Instant Pot Goulash. I mean – brown the meat, dump in the rest of the ingredients, press a button for 4 tiny minutes cook time & walk away?

Yeah, that’s my kinda cooking, y’all!

Instant Pot goulash needs only 4 minutes of pressure cooking. It's a delicious comfort-food meal made FAST! #TexasHomesteader

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