When you look at the back of seed packets you’ll see a map of the US (if you live in the US) with colors on it; those are USDA gardening zones. Each zone represents a certain average low temperature for that area and are 10 degrees apart. I live along the Texas Gulf Coast which …
This year I’m teaching geography at our homeschool co-op and each week two students bring in a food report from the country we’re studying. When we studied Korea a student brought in a traditional snack called Hotteok (Hoddeok) and ya’ll, they were amazing. I made them for my family the next Saturday and they were …
Note: Once a week I share a popular post from the archives. This post was originally published in June 2012. Even though pillowcase dresses are supposed to be simple and carefree, sometimes when you use a vintage pillowcase the fabric is see through and you really need to line the dress. Also, sometimes a pillowcase …
Fermented peppers easy to make and are fantastic for someone just beginning the fermenting journey. Sauerkraut. Isn’t that where everyone begins with fermented vegetables? I think it must be as there are many, many sauerkraut articles all over the place I think one of the reasons sauerkraut is such a great place to begin is …
This week for Hot Breakfast Month our theme is “breakfast in a hurry”. Let’s face it, even with the best laid plans, sometimes our mornings are rushed and while I want to make a hot breakfast for my family I just don’t have time. I’m sure you can relate. Sometimes I know a morning is going …
Twice a year I go through our seed stash. I should probably try to keep them a bit more organized through the year but that just doesn’t fit with my personality. If you have a large garden then growing plants from seed is the least expensive route to go. And starting seeds indoors will give …
Growing up my mom did many things that I now realize were not the norm for a mom of the ’70s and ’80s. One of those things was making sure we ate a hot breakfast before going to school. That’s not to say we never ate cold cereal but it was the exception rather than …
Being from the South (Texas specifically) we like our biscuits, in fact I had never heard of a scone until I was an adult. Don’t laugh; I lived a sheltered life. But, oh my, the first time I ate a scone, I knew I didn’t want my children growing up quite as sheltered as I …
You would think that for someone who can garden almost year round that I wouldn’t be interested in indoor gardening, but I am. Indoor gardening helps me fill in the fresh vegetable gaps in our gardening year. I don’t really have a great place to do much indoor gardening. Fortunately, the only space need for …
Last week we had a little chapped lips issue going on here. We were applying lip balm all day it seemed and still several of us had dry chapped lips. Poor Esther, she didn’t really understand why we kept telling her to stop licking her lips, they were dry after all. But really, licking dry …
Note: Once a week I share a popular post from the archives. This was originally published in March 2011. We woke up this morning to a very bare refrigerator. Just a few days ago you could hardly open the door without something falling out, in fact, Sunday something did fall out on me…. twice. I …
I know there’s snow in most places but spring will be here before you know it. And if you wait until spring is here to start planning your spring garden, you’re not going to enjoy spring very much. I know, I’ve been there. Without some preparation you will spend more money and harvest fewer vegetables …
Fermentation is an old way of preserving food – really old, as in before refrigeration and before canning. Back in the day, you either dehydrated or fermented food to keep it from spoiling. Fermented foods include common items such as yogurt, cheese, and sauerkraut plus less common items such as kefir, kvass, and kimchi. Years …
First let me say, I’m not a “germ-a-phobe” by any stretch of the imagination. You won’t find antibacterial soaps or hand sanitizes in our home. We just use plain old soap and water to wash our hands with and, for the most part, soap and water to clean with. Rarely do I feel the need …
With the holidays approaching you might be wondering if you can freeze cookie dough and bake the cookies later? Yes, you can! There are several ways to freeze cookie dough so that you can quickly have fresh baked cookies whenever you want them. Let’s chat about the different ways, what cookie dough freezes best, and …
One of the important things for me as a parent, is to raise children who have some life skills under their belt. Now, whether they chose to use those skills as adults is their decision but at least I know my kids can cook when they leave our home {One of our new favorites is …
One of my goals for 2015 is to learn more about using herbs, both in cooking and for medicinal purposes. For years I’ve purchased herb combinations to help take care of my family. It’s been good for us. But I think I’m ready to take my herbal knowlege to the next level. One of my …
I did not grow up in a family that hunted, gathered or even had a garden. In fact, I was an adult before I had ever tasted wild game. My dad loved to fish and shrimp and since we grew up on the beach, I never thought twice about eating fish or sea food. But …
For several years I’ve wanted to have new Christmas stockings for our family. The stockings we have are totally fine, but they are a mix and match and are more mix than match, plus I’ve never really LOVED them. But y’all, stockings are expensive, multiplied by 8 (and now 10) and we just cannot do it. So, I think …
My favorite gifts to give are pampering ones. Most people don’t take the time to truly pamper themselves and these kind of gifts give people a reason to take some time out for themselves. If you are struggling to find that perfect gift, consider spending an afternoon making some his and hers spa gift baskets. …