Category Archives: Recipes & Cooking

Favorite simple yet delicious recipes in my Texas Homestead kitchen.

Solar Cooking: Dehydrating Garden Produce

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by Texas Homesteader
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I love my solar oven and I use it often. I love that it takes no purchased energy to run. And most of all I love that it leaves all the cooking heat outside where it belongs. 

Recently I began dehydrating overage veggies from my garden. I freeze them as well from time to time but dehydrating them looks pretty cool in my pantry. It also reduces the volume to store by quite a  bit and it works well for use in wintertime Endless Soups – my favorite application.

I decided to try to use my electric dehydrator trays to dehydrate in my solar oven – BIG MISTAKE! Although I left the solar oven’s lid unlatched so it wouldn’t get too hot inside the oven, it apparently doesn’t take very much heat at all to do this:

Did you know you could use a solar oven to dehydrate produce? Then they take no additional energy to store & take up very little space! #TexasHomesteader
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Preserving The Harvest: Jujube Fruit

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by Texas Homesteader
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I recently wrote about stumbling upon an overgrown orchard at an old homestead property we obtained. The extension agent and master naturalists identified the trees as Jujube, the fruit is also known as Japanese Dates. 

I read that the fruit can be dehydrated and used in the place of raisins. This really appeals to me as I’d love to replace something I purchase with something I preserve myself. 

So I experimented with several methods of preserving this sweet fruit.

The old trees at the abandoned homestead were Jujube Fruit. I experimented with different ways to preserve the fruit - come see! #TexasHomesteader
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Easiest Way To Make BBQ Pork Sandwiches In A Solar Oven: A Delicious Eco-Friendly Meal

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

While traditional BBQ sandwiches often use pulled pork or beef brisket, I also like to make them using ground meat. They’re so much easier to eat that way. Here’s how I make them using just the power of the sun: My solar oven. 

I use my solar oven often especially when it's hot outside. It keeps cooking heat outside where it belongs! Today I'm cooking BBQ pork. #TexasHomesteader

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Old Homestead Jujube Tree And Fruit – Mystery Solved

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by Texas Homesteader

When we obtained our remote-pasture property last year I knew there was once an old homestead on the property years ago – the house long gone now. 

I love that this property also has an old 1880’s barn. That’s my favorite barn era and I’m so blessed to have two of these beautiful old barns now!  I’m ready to roll up my sleeves & restore this beautiful structure to its previous glory much like we did years ago with the 1880’s barn here on our homestead.

In searching for the identity of fruit trees at an old homestead we consulted the extension agent. The answer was received! #TexasHomesteader
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Recipe: Dry Salsa Mix for Blender Salsa

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by Texas Homesteader ~ 

I try to eat or preserve every single vegetable that comes from our garden. I love to over plant tomatoes so we have plenty for eating fresh & also for preserving for later. But when you’ve eaten all you can fresh what do you do?

I’m not sure about you but around our house we make BLENDER SALSA! 

Although RancherMan doesn’t care to eat many tomatoes sliced raw (I know, I don’t understand it either) we both love salsa – the spicier the better. Y’all are NOT gonna believe how easy this is.

Dry Salsa Mix helps you make quick, easy inexpensive salsa that's better for you than the commercial stuff. Just salsa mix plus garden tomatoes, onions & garlic added to a blender #TexasHomesteader

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Recipe: Apple Crumble Dessert From Home-Canned Apples In Syrup

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by Texas Homesteader 

Last fall I was blessed with several large boxes of apples from my aunt’s apple tree. I wanted to make sure they didn’t go to waste.

So I canned apples in syrup, applesauce, apple butter and apple cider, dehydrated apples and made and canned apple pie filling. 

FOR WEEKS! 

Now I get to enjoy the fruits of my labor (oh my, I said ‘Fruits” of my labor. See what I did there??)

My favorite thing to make with these preserved apples is apple crumble dessert using the apple slices in light syrup. It’s delicious and comes together quickly for a delicious dessert when company surprises you with a visit. 

Bada-boom, bada-bing and dessert is being served! Looks and tastes like you toiled away in the kitchen for hours. (shhhh…)

If you have canned apples in simple syrup, here's a delicious apple crumble dessert recipe that comes together quickly. #TexasHomesteader

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