Baking and Cooking tips for the home cook. We know that the best meals are often made at home. We’re here to share the simple tips and tricks that can make a big difference in your kitchen adventures. This section is filled with easy-to-follow advice. Designed to help you save time, avoid common mistakes, and get the most out of your ingredients.
Butter in baking 101. It’s one of those simple ingredients that quietly does a lot of heavy lifting in baking. From flaky biscuits to soft cakes and chewy cookies, the temperature and type of butter you use can completely change the final result. If you’ve ever wondered why one recipe calls for cold butter and […]
Butter in Baking: Why Temperature and Type Matter Read Post »
Can a whole beef tenderloin strip smell bad in a sealed package? If you’ve ever opened a vacuum‑sealed package of beef and been hit with a strong sulfur or “rotten egg” smell, you know how alarming it can be. Especially when the raw meat otherwise looks perfectly fine. This experience often leads people to wonder
Beef Tenderloin Strip Smell Bad in a Sealed Package Read Post »
Did you know it’s easy to make crispy oven baked bacon? If you love bacon, you know there’s nothing like a perfectly crispy slice alongside a hearty big breakfast, french toast, or even crumbled over a cobb salad. But frying bacon in a frying pan can be messy, uneven, and time-consuming. That’s where the oven
How to Make Crispy Oven Baked Bacon the Easy Way Read Post »
These easy homemade yeast rolls are a staple at Sunday suppers, holiday meals, and community potlucks. They’re impressive enough for special gatherings, yet easy enough for a weeknight dinner. With their golden-brown tops, tender pull-apart texture, and that classic buttery yeast roll flavor we all love, this is a recipe you’ll want to keep in
Quick & Easy Homemade Yeast Rolls for Any Meal Read Post »
On our homestead, making our best easy simple syrup recipe is a small step toward controlling sweetness, using fresh ingredients, and avoiding too much added sugar or high fructose corn syrup. If you’ve ever wanted to sweeten iced tea, coffee, cocktails, or desserts without relying on store-bought syrups, this easy simple syrup recipe is for
The Best Easy Simple Syrup Recipe You Can Make at Home Read Post »
If you love the rich, aromatic flavor of real vanilla, you’re going to adore this quick and easy vanilla bean paste recipe. Unlike store-bought versions, making your own version allows you to use fresh vanilla beans to create a strong vanilla flavor that elevates your recipes. Making it a versatile ingredient for any recipe that
How to Make Easy Vanilla Bean Paste in 5 Minutes Read Post »
What to Do with an Overabundance of Eggplant is the question every gardener and home cook faces when those glossy purple beauties start taking over the kitchen. Luckily, there are so many delicious and creative ways to enjoy them. If you’re anything like me, there are times when your garden, or local farmers’ market, just
What to Do with an Overabundance of Eggplant Read Post »
Let’s talk about safe canning at home. Few things on a homestead are more satisfying than preserving your own food straight from the garden. But whether you’re a seasoned homesteader or just starting out, it’s crucial to know which canning method to use. Choosing the wrong method can risk harmful bacteria, including Clostridium botulinum, which
Safe Canning at Home: Water Bath vs Pressure Methods Read Post »
On our homestead, roasted garlic is a kitchen staple. We spread it on homemade bread, mix it into mashed potatoes, or stir it into soups and sauces for that deep, earthy flavor only slow roasting can deliver. If you’ve ever grown your own garlic or picked up a bundle from the farmers market, roasting it
Roasted Garlic Recipe: A Simple Homestead Staple Read Post »
Did you know you should be picking your tomatoes at first blush, not the peak of ripeness? There’s nothing like the flavor of a homegrown, vine-ripened tomato. But if you’re anything like me, you’ve lost more than a few red tomatoes to curious critters, pecking birds, or splitting skins. Once that bright red color starts
How & Why Picking Tomatoes at First Blush Is Best Read Post »
Here is a simple recipe for baking powder all home cooks should know how to make. If you’ve ever run out of baking powder mid-recipe or started wondering what’s really in that little can from the store, this recipe is for you. On our homestead, we love knowing what’s in our food and making pantry
Baking Powder 101: Homemade, Aluminum-Free, and More Read Post »
Finding the best way to store fresh mint leaves is a good idea for every home cook or gardener with large harvests. If your herb garden is overflowing with mint plants this season, you’re not alone. We’re in the same boat! While mint is a versatile herb we love tossing into iced tea, mint pesto,
Expert Tips on How to Store Fresh Mint Leaves Read Post »
Here are our Expert Cleaning Tips for Wooden Utensils Care. There’s just something special about using wooden utensils. They’re strong, long-lasting, and made from natural materials that feel great in your hands. But to enjoy your favorite wood utensils for years of great use, you need to give them proper care. If you’re a wooden
Wooden Utensils Care 101: Expert Cleaning Tips Read Post »
Wooden kitchen utensils are not only heat resistant and gentle on cookware, but they also bring aesthetic appeal to your kitchen with their natural colors, unique designs, and smooth texture. In recent years, more people have made the switch from plastic utensils and metal spoons to natural, eco-conscious alternatives. We love using our wooden utensils.
Top Picks for Best Food-Safe Wooden Kitchen Utensils Read Post »
Did you know you can freeze rhubarb? If you’re lucky enough to have your own rhubarb plant or pick up fresh rhubarb from the farmer’s market or grocery store during late spring or early summer, freezing it is a great way to enjoy its tart flavor all year long. Freezing rhubarb preserves its bright color
Easy Way to Freeze Rhubarb for Fresh Flavor Anytime Read Post »
Tips to store green bell peppers. If you’ve ever brought home fresh produce home from the grocery store only to find them soft and wrinkled a few days later, you’re not alone. They are part of the fresh produce food group that can go bad quickly without proper storage. Luckily, a few simple tips can
How to Store Green Bell Peppers: Tips That Really Work Read Post »
Make beautiful colors with natural and easy ways to dye Easter eggs. One of my favorite parts of the Easter tradition is gathering around the kitchen table with the whole family to dye Easter eggs. While the store-bought kits are convenient, there’s something extra special (and fun!) about using natural ingredients right from your pantry,
Natural and Easy Ways to Dye Easter Eggs Read Post »
Our printable seasonal produce guide for fruits and vegetables helps you track what’s growing month by month. So you can plan your meals, pantry storage, and garden efforts around what nature is already doing. When you’re living closer to the land—whether through gardening, preserving, or supporting your local farm stand—knowing what’s in season can be
Printable Seasonal Produce Guide for Fruits and Vegetables Read Post »
Let’s talk about sourdough discard 101 and how to add it to your favorite recipes. If you’ve started your sourdough journey, you’ve probably run into the same question we all have. What do you do with all that sourdough discard? On a homestead, where nothing goes to waste, tossing it just doesn’t sit right. The
Sourdough Discard 101: Add It to Your Favorite Recipes Read Post »
Why Are My Cucumbers Bitter? There’s nothing more disappointing than harvesting what should be a crisp, refreshing cucumber—only to discover it has a bitter flavor. Bitter cucumbers are a common issue among gardeners, leaving many wondering what went wrong. Cucumbers are one of the most popular vegetables to grow in a home garden, second only
Why Are My Cucumbers Bitter? Causes and Solutions Read Post »
