I have a confession to make, during the school year I get into a rut with cooking. Now, my family is great and they never complain about eating the same things over and over. But there was more than one “yay” when they found out I was trying this new Ranch Roasted Chicken, and no, … Read more
ok, I know that apples are amazing by themselves. There is so much variety in flavor that I believe there is an apple to please everyone. But occasionally we make a dip for our apples, usually it’s when we’re having a party or I make something lame for dinner and I need a quick dessert to make … Read more
Roasted Potato and Onions is a dish that we have at least once a week at our home. It’s super versatile and really, really easy. I have a 24″ cast iron skillet that I usually use in the oven because we like the “crispies”. But you can do this in a baking dish in the … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Venison (deer) jerky is a good way to preserve venison and have tasty, protein rich snacks available for your family. You can use this jerky recipe for other red meats such as beef or other wild game meat. So, if it’s not deer season and you don’t have any venison in the freezer, you can … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
Fideo is a quick and comforting traditional Mexican dish. There are several variations but are all based on fideo noodles which are short, thin noodles similar to vermicelli or angle hair pasta. This fideo con carne (fideo with ground beef) is an easy, one pot dish that is perfect for busy weeknight dinners. When Carl … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
For the past year or so we’ve been part of a meat co-op that purchases pastured meat in bulk. We order every two months. When we picked up out meat this time, Gabriel said “You should make shepherd’s pie.” You should have heard the “oh, yeah’s ” that went on when a few days later … Read more
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 … Read more
My boys have been getting quite a few calls to mow lawns now that the grass is growing again. That means I need more snacks on hand than I need in the winter. I really like to keep a variety of homemade waffles, banana muffins, peanut butter treats and granola bars in the freezer for … Read more
Homemade vegetable stew can be made with pretty much any vegetables you happen to have on hand. I use a combination of fresh seasonal vegetables, home canned vegetables and dehydrated vegetables to make this use-what-you-have vegetable stew. While I do have a real vegetable stew recipe that I share below in the recipe card, I … Read more
Every winter my children start asking for hot chocolate mix, because you can’t have winter without hot chocolate. This homemade hot chocolate mix comes together very quickly and tastes great. Once the mix is made, you can have rich, tasty hot chocolate by just adding hot water. Although, some members of my family like to … Read more
Lentils and rice is a super quick and frugal recipe that is hearty enough to serve for dinner. This vegetarian recipe is super flavorful with the addition of onions, carrots and a few warming spices. What’s so great about lentils? For starters, they are a nutritional powerhouse. One cup supplies 16 grams of fiber, 17 … Read more
Fresh, zesty black bean and corn salsa, also known as Texas caviar, is the perfect appetizer for summer. Filled with garden fresh tomatoes, onions and corn this salsa goes will with fish and pork tacos and just plain chips. In fact, this salsa is so hearty and flavorful that we’ve been known to just eat … Read more
Summer is the time for light meals that are loaded with summer vegetables. It’s also the time basil plants are huge. One of our favorite meals is pesto pasta with summer vegetables. This summer vegetable pesto pasta dish is loaded with garden fresh vegetables such as yellow squash, zucchini, carrots, onions, and tomatoes. Ingredients Enough … Read more
Whole wheat flour tortillas come together quickly with just a few ingredients. They are perfect for soft tacos, burritos, wraps, or eating with soups. Probably the “hardest” part of making whole wheat tortillas is rolling them out. And as long as you’re willing to accept the funny shapes that often come out, you’ll be just … Read more