Tag Archives: Solar Cooking

Enjoying A Cold, Sugar-Free Minty Beverage

by Texas Homesteader ~

When it’s summertime in NE Texas, it’s hot, hot, HOT! RancherMan used to drink way too many colas as his beverage of choice. But it was so unhealthy. And expensive. And produced lots of trash.

So I started brewing him Sun Tea. It was a good change! RancherMan got to enjoy a much lower-cost beverage that was healthier for him. And the only waste was the tea bag which I placed in my compost.

But recently I was looking at my chocolate mint bed which is doing VERY well #thankyouverymuch. A little too well actually. It’s spreading in places I’d rather it not grow. So I was thinning the runners and it smelled so dang good. I wondered if I can use it for a refreshingly-cold minty drink?

I've got chocolate mint growing outside & a gorgeous Stevia plant too. Why not brew it into a refreshingly cold, sweetened minty beverage? #TexasHomesteader

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Using FREE Solar Energy To Brew Your Tea

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by Texas Homesteader ~

RancherMan loves his iced tea. I love that it’s a healthier drink option for him than many other choices. And brewing our own tea means no trash. Plus it’s super cheap.

All. Good. Stuff.

But did you know it doesn’t necessarily have to be hot outside to brew tea? All you really need is sunshine. There are a couple of ways I’m able to provide RancherMan with that delicious beverage he loves. Brewed in winter or summer: No purchased energy necessary!

Sun Tea - quick to brew using the power of the sun whether winter or summer. A delicious, healthy and trash free beverage. #TexasHomesteader

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Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe (with Cake-Mix Shortcut)

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Texas Homesteader ~

Fall is in the air, and for me that always means PUMPKIN! In searching for an easy pumpkin bread recipe I stumbled upon an easy one that starts with a box of cake mix. Now of course you can buy your cake mix, but homemade versions abound on the internet. I’ve been making my own spice cake mix (recipe coming soon) and love it in this pumpkin bread recipe!

Quick & Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe. This one uses a shortcut of a box of cakemix. Quick, Easy & DELICIOUS! #TexasHomesteader

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Summer Cooking: Savory Meatloaf in a Solar Oven

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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We’ve been dealing with quite the heatwave here in NE Texas. And much of the country is in the same grip of summer heat too. When it’s this hot outside I try to keep the cooking heat out of our home. For me, that means I’m using my solar oven almost every day. (have I mentioned how much I love that thing??!!)

Today I’m sharing how I used my Cook-Once, Eat-Twice method of cooking to whip up two large loaves of meatloaf. Sure, I used my solar oven to do the cooking. But my recipe below uses a conventional oven. So whichever method you choose, you’re guaranteed to get a delicious meaty comfort-food entree with plenty leftover for the freezer too for quick heat-n-eat suppers another night.

I'm cooking up our favorite comfort food - meatloaf! I'm using my solar oven to cook it but the recipe includes standard oven directions too #TexasHomesteader

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Solar Cooking: Hard-Boiled Eggs In The Solar Oven

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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I love my solar oven. I’ve said it time & time again, I hate to fire up my electric oven during the heat & humidity of our Texas summers. Not only does it cost fuel for the stove to operate, but boiling eggs adds even more heat inside our home. That requires our air conditioning to work overtime cooling it back down, therefore costing even more money.

Several years ago I bought a solar oven and I absolutely love it! What a great item in your Emergency Preparedness toolbox! Then at a Mother Earth News Fair I attended a few years ago, a solar-cooking seminar presenter told us how easy it was to cook ‘hard-boiled’ whole eggs in the solar oven without even using water. Color me intrigued!

Solar-Cooking Eggs. I'm hearing that you can BAKE your eggs instead of boiling them. I decided to give it a try in my solar oven. Check it out. #TexasHomesteader

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Emergency Preparedness on the Homestead: Solar Oven

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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Our great state of Texas has been hit hard by Mother Nature. Hurricane Harvey barreled onto shore, leaving devastation in his path. Streets were impassable and the damage was severe.

Even if a home was undamaged, thousands were without electricity for several days. Some are still without electricity and have no idea for how long. These natural disasters get me to thinking about emergency preparedness.

Recent natural disasters get me to thinking about our emergency preparedness plans. A solar oven is a must when electricity is out. #TexasHomesteader

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Solar Cooking: Cheesy Chile-Chicken Casserole

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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I bought my solar oven several years ago and I’m learning more & more how to use it. Living in NE Texas, the summers are hot, humid and sticky. I hate to fire up the oven in my kitchen. So it’s the solar oven to the rescue! I’m able to keep that cooking heat outside where it belongs!

But today the temps outside are spiking and humidity is on the rise. It’s absolutely miserable outside! So I’ll be utilizing my solar oven to make my casserole. The recipe below shows regular oven instructions though, so read on!

I used my solar oven to make a delicious Cheesy Chile Chicken Casserole, but you could bake it in a regular oven too. #TexasHomesteader

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Cooking With The Sun – SW Chicken w/Seasoned Brown Rice

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by Texas Homesteader ~
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Our homestead is located in the hot & humid south. Here in NE Texas I do all I can to keep that heat outside where it belongs when the temps (and the humidity) start to go up. I have many ways of doing this.

For instance, our tea is brewed in a repurposed hourglass-shaped jar on the picnic table, courtesy of the sun. And our clean laundry is almost always dried outside on our *Retractable Clothesline, even in the colder winter months.

But one of my favorite ways to keep heat outside is by using my *Solar Oven to cook our food. My solar oven came with an enameled cooking set so I typically use those items when I’m cooking with the sun.

One of the included vessels is a double-stack black enamelware covered pan. That will be perfect for today’s dish: Southwest Chicken served on a bed of seasoned brown rice. Quick & easy, mix it & forget it. The whole meal cooks at the same time!

Here in NE Texas I want to keep cooking heat & humidity outside. So I cooked my SW Chicken with seasoned brown rice in my solar oven! #TexasHomesteader

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Keeping Your Dollars: Saving Electricity

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by Texas Homesteader
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Last week I shared a two-part segment on how RancherMan & I make ends meet while living and working here on our homestead without the comfort of a regularly-scheduled corporate salary infusion. Those posts were wildly popular! There are lots of you hungrily looking for ways to cut back! Whether planning to make the leap to self employment or just looking for ways to stretch your dollars.

Now last week I pointed out that researching for the lowest cost on anything you buy is important. But it’s doubly important to research & reduce your month-to-month obligations. Those bills are going to come around not just once, but Every. Single. Month.

Think about your recurring monthly bills for a moment. Have you just been paying them when the bill arrives without giving them another thought? Are you getting what you paid for, or Paying Extra For Nothing? Well it’s time to take a good hard look at them. Oftentimes you can cut out wasted money spent. Today Let’s Look At Electricity.

Saving Electricity Can Save Money. There are many ways to reduce your electricity waste to save money in your budget #TexasHomesteader

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~Texas Homesteader~

Striving To Provide For Ourselves On Our Texas Homestead

Tag Archives: Solar Cooking

Enjoying A Cold, Sugar-Free Minty Beverage

Using FREE Solar Energy To Brew Your Tea

Easy Pumpkin Bread Recipe (with Cake-Mix Shortcut)

Summer Cooking: Savory Meatloaf in a Solar Oven

Solar Cooking: Hard-Boiled Eggs In The Solar Oven

Emergency Preparedness on the Homestead: Solar Oven

Solar Cooking: Cheesy Chile-Chicken Casserole

Cooking With The Sun – SW Chicken w/Seasoned Brown Rice

Top Ten Homesteading Posts of 2014

Keeping Your Dollars: Saving Electricity