4 Ways to Preserve Zucchini to Use Later

A close up a pile of various zucchini and yellow squash on wooden table.

Preserving zucchini and summer squash in a variety of ways is a wonderful way to cut your grocery bill and ensure your family has organic food through the winter months. We are in the height of zucchini and summer squash season right now and while it is overwhelming at times, it’s also a huge blessing. … Read more

100+ of the Best Zucchini Recipes

skewered vegetables including zucchini, onions and cherry tomatoes

While we all joke about how prolific zucchini is, it’s my favorite summer vegetable. Because of it’s mild flavor, zucchini is super versatile and can be used in a wide range of recipes. Whether you grow your own or pick them up from the farmers market or grocery store, make sure to make a few … Read more

Easy Zucchini Lasagna Recipe (not just for low-carb eating)

Have too much zucchini? This zucchini lasagna recipe is a delicious way to use zucchini that won't leave your family grumbling.

Get the flavor of traditional lasagna and use up that surplus of summer zucchini with this easy zucchini lasagna recipe. Since this recipe substitutes zucchini for lasagna noodles, it’s also a great recipe for those who are gluten-free or on a low-card or keto diet. Zucchini lasagna will quickly become a family favorite!  Why Zucchini … Read more

Easy Crispy Zucchini Fritters Recipe

fried zucchini fritters on white plate

Zucchini fritters are a popular summer treat that turns grated zucchini into a delicious, crispy side dish. Whether you’re an experienced home cook or a beginner, this easy recipe will have you creating delicious homestyle fritters in no time. Zucchini Fritters Recipe If you grow zucchini in your garden, you know how wonderfully prolific it can be. … Read more

In the garden… growing zucchini and summer squash

Close-up of a thriving zucchini plant showcasing a vibrant yellow flower and a growing zucchini in the garden. The text on the image reads, "Growing Zucchini: Tips and Uses" and "SchneiderPeeps.com.

Sometimes zucchini gets a bad wrap, but if you’re serious about feeding your family from your garden then growing zucchini is great way to do that. Unlike winter squash that will produce just a few squash per vine, zucchini will produce many squash per plant.  There are three main types of summer squash; zucchini, yellow squash (sometimes … Read more

Crunchy Dill Pickle Recipe for Canning

jars of homemade canned dill pickles

This recipe for classic dill pickles is full of the flavors and crunchiness that you want from a dill pickle. This is a canning recipe, although you can make them and store them in the refrigerator instead of canning them. This recipe comes together very quickly and can be used to put up a bunch … Read more

Homemade Sweet and Spicy Pickles – a canning recipe

several jars of home canned sweet and spicy pickles. One is open and has a fork in it.

These sweet and spicy pickles are a family favorite as they have a perfect balance of tang, sweet, and spice. This is a canning recipe, although you can make them and store them in the refrigerator instead of canning them. We make several different pickles each year to be sure we have some of everyone’s … Read more

Refrigerator Dill Pickles – A Quick and Easy Recipe

Two mason jars of cucumber spears with spices to make refrigerator dill pickles.

These easy refrigerator dill pickles (aka icebox pickle or quick pickles) are so delicious and are a great way to quickly put up small batches of cucumbers from your garden or the grocery store. This recipe is for refrigerator dill pickles but you can make all kinds of refrigerator pickles using this recipe as a … Read more

3 Simple Ways of Drying Basil at Home

basil leaves drying on square dehydrator trays

At the end of the summer when the garden is overflowing with basil, it’s the perfect time to start drying basil to stock your pantry. Fortunately, you don’t need any special equipment to dry basil. Let’s explore how to dry basil by hanging it, using an oven, and using a dehydrator. Basil is an annual … Read more

Ultimate Guide to Preserving Vegetables

Image of The Ultimate Guide to Preserving Vegetables book with jars of canned and fermented food.

If you have already ordered the book, click here to get your bonuses Order Online From These Retailers Practical Methods and Recipes for Creating a Treasure Trove of Preserved Foods! When veggies are at their peak of the season, this preserving compendium covering nearly every vegetable is your one-stop source. Brimming with 100 recipes, beautiful … Read more

Quick Start Guide to Growing Food

A collection of baskets filled with fresh produce, including growing okra, tomatoes, and various peppers, displayed outdoors. The vibrant colors of red, orange, and green create a bountiful and inviting scene.

It is possible to grow enough food to feed your family even if you live on a small piece of property. Maybe not 100% of your fruit and vegetable needs but, honestly, I don’t know anyone who grows 100% of their food. This is a really long article, so you might want to grab a … Read more

Easy Homemade Cake Recipes That Even a Child Can Make

image of cake ingredients; chocolate bar, butter, eggs, flour, and sugar

Homemade cakes are easy to make and they’re all make pretty much the same way. You need some kind of flour, sweetener, fat, liquid, leavening agent, and maybe an egg or two – that’s it. Here is a list of super easy homemade cake recipes that use staples from your pantry. Some of these recipes … Read more

Silver Turtles – an easy campfire or tailgate party meal

ham and pineapple in foil packet on grill

Have you ever heard of silver turtles? Some people call them hobo packets or foil dinners. Basically they’re a complete dinner you cook in a homemade foil packet on the grill or open camp fire…or even in the oven in a pinch. Whatever you call them, silver turtles are a delicious and super versatile dinner. … Read more

Growing and Using Cucumbers

There are so many reasons to for growing cucumbers; they're relatively easy to grow, they're easy to preserve (and I'm not just talking about pickles), and they taste great. Get started growing and using cucumbers today with these tips.

Cucumbers are one of those vegetables that people tend to love or hate. My family is mostly filled with cucumber haters but that doesn’t deter me from growing cucumbers every summer. They’re worth growing even if only a couple of us like them. Like zucchini and summer squash, cucumbers can be quite prolific which is … Read more

How much to plant to feed your family?

basket of garden veggies

Knowing how much to plant to feed your family for a year is a great help when you’re planning out your garden. What one family of 4 needs is not necessarily what another family of 4 needs, so much depends on taste preferences, your climate, and whether you’re growing vegetable for just eating fresh or … Read more

How to Make Homemade Soup ~ with links to over 70 recipes

When it comes to soup, you can skip the can. Learn how to easily make delicious homemade soup using whatever you have on hand.

Homemade soup is very easy to make using ingredients that you already have on hand. Soup recipes are great but they don’t have to be followed to make a great soup. Use this process to learn what makes a great soup so you can create your own family favorite, from scratch, soups and stews. Don’t … Read more

Frugal Gardening Tips: How to Save Money in the Backyard Garden

baskets of garden fresh veggies on ground

I’ve heard it over and over again, “Gardening is expensive!” Well, yes it can be. But it doesn’t have to be. Our family spends about $300 a year on our garden and orchard. We’re able to grow about 75% of the produce needed for our family, which at this time is mostly 6 people – … Read more

How to read a seed packet

There is a lot of information on the average seed packet and it can be confusing to the new gardener. Learn how to read a seed packet and improve your gardening skills.

I was chatting with a new gardener recently about growing vegetables from seed and she mentioned that she doesn’t really understand how to read a seed packet. The information on the seed packet confuses her and it’s just easier to buy transplants. I felt the same way when I first started gardening and I’m sure there … Read more