Starting seeds does not have to be complicated. Most seeds just need a head start indoors, especially if you live in northern areas with cold winters. This list is for anyone who lives in zones 4-6, since these zones generally grow on a similar timeline, only being a week or two off from each other. … Continue reading Zone 6 – General Seed Starting Timeline (not complicated)
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Canning Strawberry Jam | Low Sugar, Pectin, Fresh or Frozen Berries | Water Bath Canning
Strawberry jam is a pantry staple for our house, and canning your own is thankfully easy enough. In fact, I haven't bought storebought jam in years because all you need are 3 basic ingredients, some pectin, and a couple hours slotted away to make a batch. That said, I have learned that we prefer a … Continue reading Canning Strawberry Jam | Low Sugar, Pectin, Fresh or Frozen Berries | Water Bath Canning
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Basic Seed Starting Supplies
You do not need some extravagant and expensive set up to get seeds started early indoors, if you don't want to; no matter how big or small you want to go everyone uses the same 5 (plus your seeds) basic tools. Let's go into what those basic seed starting supplies are and how to choose … Continue reading Basic Seed Starting Supplies
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Homemade Red Pepper Flakes | Dehydrating Cayenne Peppers | Air Drying
Cayenne peppers are an easy pepper to grow, even for us northern gardeners; they are prolific, grow on the smaller side, and are generally disease and pest free. AND they are incredibly easy to preserve, which lends itself to an easy and inexpensive way to stock up your spice cabinet with homegrown, organic red pepper … Continue reading Homemade Red Pepper Flakes | Dehydrating Cayenne Peppers | Air Drying
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Chocolate Blueberry Scones | Using Dehydrated or Freeze Dried Berries
Scones are a simple from scratch dessert to bake at home, and a great way to use up dehydrated (or freeze dried) berries, homemade jams, or other fruit preserves from the summer. Scones are treated as a dessert around here, but they are lower sugar than most other desserts leaving us with less guilt, and … Continue reading Chocolate Blueberry Scones | Using Dehydrated or Freeze Dried Berries
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Growing Berries at Home | Practical Fruit Bushes for Home Gardeners
Blackberry, thornless For most gardeners, berries are an easy perennial to add the gardens; they are prolific, most are disease resistant, some are even thornless now. Anyone with a decent amount of space or a large pot, can slip a berry bush or two into their gardens and reap the benefits of harvesting their own … Continue reading Growing Berries at Home | Practical Fruit Bushes for Home Gardeners
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How to Shop for Tomato Seeds | Growing Heirloom Tomatoes at Home
Now a days, if you want heirloom tomatoes to eat and cook with then you are going to have to grow them yourselves at home. Did you know there are about 10,000 tomato varieties!? Yes, 10,000. Grocery stores only hold about 5 different kinds, if we are lucky (with most being hydroponically grown to boot). … Continue reading How to Shop for Tomato Seeds | Growing Heirloom Tomatoes at Home
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Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Lemon Thyme
Wherever a cherry tomato can go, so can these delicious, marinated ones; salads, pasta, sandwiches, or even just eaten plain. Easily done with storebought or homegrown garden ingredients, it's a fast recipe that spruces up any meal with its sweet and vinegar flavors. Here I go into tools you need, ingredients, and instructions to make … Continue reading Marinated Cherry Tomatoes with Lemon Thyme
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Bone Broth Hot Chocolate Recipe | That doesn’t taste like soup
No, it doesn't taste like chicken soup, but instead a smooth, rich hot chocolate that blows any store-bought powder out the water. Milk, heavy cream, maple syrup, good cocoa powder, unsalted broth, and some vanilla is all you need to make this recipe. Here I go into tools, ingredients, and instructions you need to make … Continue reading Bone Broth Hot Chocolate Recipe | That doesn’t taste like soup
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White Sandwich Bread Recipe | Using Yeast, 2 loaves
If you can make a cake, you can make bread. And this bread recipe is not only doable for anyone but stays soft and fresh for more than one day (when stored correctly) without any need of preservatives or dough conditioners. Here I go into tools you need, ingredients and step by step instructions on … Continue reading White Sandwich Bread Recipe | Using Yeast, 2 loaves
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Butter Dinner Rolls | Dinner Roll Recipe using Yeast
Anyone can make their own dinner rolls, and this recipe makes some of the best ones: they are soft, buttery, slightly sweet, perfect with butter, and best of all, they aren't that hard to make. This recipe will make you 16 large dinner rolls, which is perfect for holiday gatherings, large parties, or even just … Continue reading Butter Dinner Rolls | Dinner Roll Recipe using Yeast
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Pressure Canning Chicken Thighs | Raw Pack, Boneless
Canned meat has got to be one of the top three most practical kitchen staples to have in your pantry. Thankfully, canning chicken is an incredibly easy venture and a delicious way to free up space in your freezer and move that meat to your shelf. Here I go into tools you need, ingredients, and … Continue reading Pressure Canning Chicken Thighs | Raw Pack, Boneless
The Cottage Vegetable 