My favorite cookware is cast iron because it is naturally non-stick. Unlike Teflon-like finishes, cast iron is non-toxic and it lasts forever, making it the healthiest and most economical choice for cookware. I am still using the same cast iron that I bought more than 30 years ago. Cast iron is also available in a wide variety of pots and pans. I personally have four … [Read more...]
Indian Goat and Sweet Potatoes
Although you can use goat meat in place of beef or pork in your usual recipes, I don't really like to do that. When I eat chili, for example, I expect it to taste like pork. If it tastes like goat, I just don't like it. I greatly prefer recipes that come from parts of the world where people eat goat regularly. And it makes sense that they would have figured out which spices and … [Read more...]
Bulk cooking and freezing meals
Aren't we always looking for ways to simplify life and cut back on weeknight stress? I'm convinced after reading Fix, Freeze, Feast: Stock your Freezer with Ready-to-Cook Meals, 2nd Edition, that bulk cooking and freezing meals is a great way to maximize time and still have nutritious, tasty meals. But bulk cooking is certainly not a new concept, particularly for … [Read more...]
Nigerian dwarf meat and Goat Goulash recipe
We have fallen in love with goat meat all over again, and it's all because of a goat we called Horny Dude. Time for true confessions here. In the fall of 2016, a doe gave birth to a single buckling, and she was the only goat to give birth that fall. About a month later, I was teaching a goat class, and someone asked, "When are you going to disbud that goat?" I looked to where … [Read more...]
Cob ovens: a sustainable option for summer baking
Because we don’t have central air conditioning, we try to keep our house naturally cool during the summer. That means we cook indoors as little as possible. Through the years, we’ve used a modern grill on our deck and then we added a solar oven. Ultimately we built a cob oven. The main thing I love about having a cob oven is that it gets us one step closer to self-reliance. … [Read more...]
Make cream soup from scratch
Baby, it's cold outside, and one of the best things for warming up on a cold day is a bowl of hot soup. For many people this means grabbing a can from the pantry, but there are plenty of good reasons to make your own soup from scratch. I promise it's not hard! All of my children knew how to make cream soups from scratch by their early teens. And it's not time consuming. … [Read more...]
Olive oil fraud, adulteration, and deception
Every time I write a book, I have the excuse to dive deeply into researching topics that most of us never think about. For example, I never wondered what was in a bottle of olive oil. I assumed it was olive oil. Right? I mean, seriously, what else could be in there? Why would there be anything in there other than olive oil? Aren't there laws that protect us from … [Read more...]
Secrets to cooking with cast iron
Everyone knows that cooking with "modern" non-stick cookware is a bad idea, right? In addition to the fact that the non-stick surface gradually flakes off and winds up in your food, it also emits toxic gases that can kill birds if it gets too hot. So, what do you do instead? Cook in cast iron, of course! Cast iron cookware has been around since the 1800s, and it's … [Read more...]
The five most interesting Christmas dinners around the world
We all have our traditional Christmas dinner – usually it involves turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, and lots of sweets. Even though the menu for Christmas is less set in stone than Thanksgiving, people have similar meals. However, that is not so across the world. There are some very interesting – and less than appetizing – Christmas meal traditions upheld in other countries. … [Read more...]
Antiquity Oaks hashbrown casserole
This casserole is great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, and unlike so many recipes out there, this ecothrifty recipe is made without canned soup! 2 pounds of frozen hash browns or shredded potatoes 1 cup sour cream 3/4 cup whole milk (goat or cow) 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon dried minced onion 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon garlic … [Read more...]