I’m going to let you in on a little secret, althought I love making gifts, I’m not always the best at wrapping them so that they look pretty. I try but it’s just a gene that has missed me. So, I’m super excited to have Angel from Angel Navy Wife here to show us some …
This easy pie crust recipe will have you making sweet and savory pies all year long. This is the only pie dough recipe you need for all your pie making adventures since it is truly a no-fail pie crust recipe. I’ve included gluten-free variations below. Believe it or not, there are some people who do …
One of the quickest ways to brighten or update a living room is to change out the throw pillows. But throw pillows can be pretty expensive, even on sale. So I just recover them. And my favorite way to make a cover is with an overlapping back, so there’s no need for a zipper. I just …
One of my children’s favorite recipes is stuffed pretzels. They don’t really look like pretzels but they taste like them. Whenever I make stuffed pretzels, I like to make a double batch and freeze some. These make a really great snack or lunch for my guys to take to work with them. These are super …
Looking for the best venison jerky recipe? This simple method works with either a dehydrator or oven. Using a flavorful homemade marinade — soy sauce, Worcestershire, brown sugar, and black pepper — you’ll learn how to make chewy, smoky, shelf-stable deer jerky. Perfect for preserving your harvest, stocking your pantry, or enjoying as a high-protein …
Since most gardeners are either busy harvesting or planning for fall gardens right now, I thought it might be helpful to have a little sale on The Gardening Notebook. This is the time of year that finds me really evaluating my garden and making notes of changes I want to make or things I want to try. The Gardening …
Depending on where you live you might just be bringing in your summer harvest and can’t believe that some of us are already planning for fall. But fall is on it’s way. How do I know? Because we can go outside to play at 7pm in the evening and it be a pleasant 90ish degrees …
Last week I spent a few days filling my freezer with cooked food. I’ve written several times about trying to keep my teenagers fed. It’s never ending. Someone is always asking, “What’s there to eat?” While most people focus on freezer meals, I really focus on freezer snacks. I find that snacks can really make …
I was an teenager before I saw canned potatoes. I was at a friend’s house and her mom was quickly making dinner and I saw her open a can of potatoes and dump them in a pot to heat up. Once they were heated up, she drained the water added salt, pepper, butter and a …
A few weeks ago we went to visit my new nephew and his brothers – oh, and his parents. He’s beautiful by the way, just like his brothers. My oldest nephew is 5 so he and Esther had their first “sleep over”. It was so fun going into the room later that night and seeing …
Fideo with ground beef (fideo con carne) is one of those weeknight dinners that feels like more than the sum of its parts. It’s a one-pot meal built on humble ingredients — ground beef, fideo noodles, tomatoes, and a handful of spices — and it comes together in about 45 minutes. This is the best …
From décor to everyday function these easy diy pallet projects for beginners are a great way to get started upcycling! Find some inspiration and new ideas with this list of pallet projects and begin your DIY journey today. Have you ever seen old pallets on the curb and thought what a waste it is just …
Kale is one of those hardy plants that will survive both cold winters and hot summers. Growing kale is a fantastic way to fill in the harvesting gaps that can often happen when you garden year round. Kale and other greens have gotten a bad wrap lately. I’ve read several articles by people who say …
Transform raw kale into an easy and delicious side salad with warm bacon and a citrus dressing. Top with your favorite salad mix-ins, such as tomatoes, feta, seeds and nuts, and dried fruit. We can grow kale almost year round in our climate, so it turns up in many different forms during the week. This …
Every year we forage dewberries which are a wild blackberry that grows in our area. We try to pick enough to last the entire year. We freeze some of the berries and we make a super easy dewberry jam recipe to give as gifts and to enjoy ourselves. This same method can be used to …
Sweet potatoes are incredibly healthy and are very easy to grow in the home vegetable garden. The plant is pretty and I’ve seen people grow sweet potatoes as low border in flower beds around their home as part of their edible landscaping. The first time I grew sweet potatoes, friend bought some slips from the …
Growing up I thought that to make “homemade” vanilla pudding you opened a box, added milk and gave it shake. When I learned that you could make real homemade pudding with staples from your pantry and refrigerator, I was hooked. Once you make homemade vanilla pudding you’ll never go back the boxed stuff again. Ingredients ¼ …
This easy Shepherd’s Pie recipe is the ultimate comfort food — hearty, flavorful, and simple enough for a weeknight dinner. Tender ground beef (or lamb) is layered with vegetables, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden and bubbling. Whether you’re using leftovers, making it ahead to freeze, or preparing it fresh from …
We love Tex/Mex food and homemade chicken enchiladas are at the top of the list. This recipe is really more of a process than an exact recipe and you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry – the one exception might be corn tortillas. There are tons of recipes for making chicken enchiladas …
The chicks are getting bigger and it’s time to put them with the big hens. We’ve put them in the run during the day and the hens have gotten along well. I’m not sure if it’s because the “flocks” are pretty even in numbers (28 hens, 28 chicks) or if it’s because there’s quite a …