Turkey is probably the most underutilized meat in the U.S. Most people think of it as a the centerpiece for a holiday dinner, but it can be used for so many more dishes! Every year we raise turkeys so that we can eat turkey meat every week or two year round. How do we do it? When we butcher turkeys, we don't leave any of them whole. Instead, we cut them up just as … [Read more...]
Breakfast Scramble
When I discovered I had a problem with gluten in 2014, I had no idea what to eat for breakfast! Since I had wheat at every meal, it's no wonder I had no clue that it was causing a problem, and I just had stomach issues constantly. I'd start the day with pancakes, french toast, biscuits, waffles, scones, bagels, or some other wheat-based food. When I first cut gluten from my … [Read more...]
Szechwan Turkey and Peanuts
Every year we raise about six or seven turkeys for our freezer. Since most people only eat turkey for a holiday or two every year, plus a sandwich here and there, we get the inevitable question when people hear how much turkey we eat. "Don't you get tired of it?" they ask. Well, I suppose if we were just roasting all of them like Thanksgiving dinner, we might get tired of that, … [Read more...]
Chinese Spice Slow-Cooked Pork
When we got our first pig butchered many years ago, I had no idea that various parts of a pig have meat with different characteristics. Some are better for cooking in one way, while others are better for cooking in other ways. I was rather horrified by all of the fat, as well as the fact that you couldn't really slice the roast into ... well, slices. I … [Read more...]
How To Make Granola
We started making our own granola when our first child was a baby. That was about 13 or 14 years before we moved out to the country to start growing our own food. Making your own granola is one of the easiest ways you can take control of the ingredients in your food and save money. Rolled oats cost a fraction of the price of commercial granola. It's also incredibly … [Read more...]
Egg Noodles
Although noodles are not expensive to buy, they cost only pennies to make, and you can use your own organic eggs. They are also delicious and incredibly easy to make. These noodles make a great chicken soup when cooked with a stew hen. Feel free to double this recipe. However, you will probably have to split it up into two batches to roll out, depending upon how thick … [Read more...]
Gluten Free Crustless Quiche
Crustless quiche is one of our "fast food" recipes that we fall back on when we are too busy to cook. Within a few minutes, it can be in the oven where it requires no attention for 40 minutes. We've even served this to company with great results. I shared my spinach and goat cheese quiche recipe with you a few years ago, and you can easily substitute other vegetables and … [Read more...]
Crafting Drinks from Nature
Pascal Baudar is an author, wild food researcher, brewer, and traditional food preservation instructor in California. His 2018 book, The Wildcrafting Brewer: Creating Unique Drinks and Boozy Concoctions from Nature's Ingredients, is a really interesting read about brewing and fermenting flavorful beverages (not just beers!) using local ingredients you can find in your backyard, … [Read more...]
Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
My love of spaghetti squash is one reason I garden. Until recently you never saw it in grocery stores. Thankfully it is gaining in popularity, and I can buy it at the store if we run out of homegrown. It looks like a typical winter squash at first glance, but when you cook it, you discover that it is quite different from butternut, acorn, and all the rest. Instead of having … [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...]