Category Archives: Recipes & Cooking

Favorite simple yet delicious recipes in my Texas Homestead kitchen.

Mother Earth News Post: Food Waste

by Texas Homesteader~ 

Food waste – it’s everywhere! From culls in the grower’s field due to produce that’s the wrong size or shape, to transportation losses, to losses in the grocery store. 

And yes, even once that hard-earned money has been plunked down by the consumer to purchase that food, way too much ends up in the trash. But there are many ways to combat food waste.

For instance, many times edible food is thrown into dumpsters by the ton for fear of litigation if a donation were to unknowingly cause someone to get sick. But did you know there is legal protection for those who donate edible food in good faith?

That and many more food waste reduction ideas are listed on my article written for the Mother Earth News, check it out.

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Apple Pie Made With Home-Canned Apples

by Texas Homesteader ~  

I make and can homemade apple pie filling. The beauty is that means I can whip up a homemade apple pie in minutes. Unexpected company drops by? Need something to ramp up a plain menu? Just want something sweet? Give this homemade apple pie a try!

HOMEMADE APPLE PIE Made With Home-Canned Apples. Since the apples have already been processed through canning, this dessert is quick! #TexasHomesteader

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Heat-Free Peeling for Fresh Tomatoes

by Texas Homesteader ~ 

I needed a heat-free way to peel fresh garden tomatoes. I already knew that the standard way to peel a fresh garden tomato is to dip it in boiling for a few seconds until the skin splits, then plunge into an ice bath before peeling.

But a typical summer here in NE Texas involves much heat & humidity and I don’t want to add any of that to our home. What’s a southern gardener to do?

HEAT-FREE Peeling For Fresh Tomatoes - I don't want to add heat and humidity to our home. What's a southern gardener to do? Check out this Homestead Hack #TexasHomesteader

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Canning Recipe: Homemade Apple Cider

by Texas Homesteader
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I made and water-bath canned apple cider and it was delicious. It’s just the byproduct of cooking down the fresh apples from my aunt’s tree. Nothing else was added – no water, juice, sugar or seasonings. Pure, sweet, delicious!

HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER preserved in a water-bath canner. I can enjoy it all winter, steaming hot in a mug and stirred w/a cinnamon stick #TexasHomesteader

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ZUCCHINI Noodles with Leftover Chicken & Herb-Bombs!

by Texas Homesteader
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This time of year many gardeners that are absolutely sick of zucchini. They’ve already eaten as much steamed zucchini side dishes and made it into every casserole they can think of. They’ve passed much of their zucchini overload on to friends, family and even complete strangers (why can I never run into these gardeners??! LOL) 

I’ve heard about using zucchini for low-carb noodles and I was intrigued. Although RancherMan & I don’t specifically strive to eat low-carb, I do try alternatives when I can find a tasty one and we both love zucchini anyway so…  Check it out!

I've heard about using zucchini for low-carb noodles and I was intrigued. I do try alternatives when I can find a tasty one - check it out! #TexasHomesteader

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Canning Recipe: Homemade Cinnamon-Vanilla Applesauce

by Texas Homesteader
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I like to use plain unsweetened applesauce as a delicious snack and also as a replacement for some of the oil I use when baking. But I made a LOT of applesauce. I’m thinking about maybe using some of it to make an even sweeter treat: Cinnamon-Vanilla flavored applesauce. 

It couldn’t be easier, check it out!

HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE is super easy, and I've made some of it into extra-special Cinnamon-Vanilla Applesauce. I've canned it to enjoy all winter #TexasHomesteader

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Homestead Hack: Table Salt & Pepper Combination

by Texas Homesteader 

When cooking or serving our food I always try to go easy on the salt, but we both like lots of pepper. 

LOTS of pepper!

So I often lightly salt our food and then heavily pepper it. The ratio I use is pretty consistent.

One day as I was peeling & seasoning a hard-boiled egg. I pulled out the salt and watched carefully for just a few grains to be sprinkled on the egg so it wouldn’t be over salted, then got the pepper and finished the seasoning with a hefty covering of pepper. 

Then I got to wondering, since my seasoning ratio is always the same, I wonder…

HOMESTEAD HACK: Since the ratio of my salt & pepper is always the same, can I streamline simple seasoning tasks? YES! #TexasHomesteader

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