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< Back Bacon in a jar Prep Time: 8 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Serves: 25 Pint Jars Level: Beginner About the Recipe It’s the “ultimate” food storage: BACON!! What a treat to have in your food storage pantry, don’t you think? What a better way to dress up all those beans you’ve stored than to have bacon! I wanted to try canning bacon for months and I was pouring through the different blogs and articles on how to do it. Ingredients pork belly: 2 kg (4 lb) salt: 150 g (5.3 oz) water: 1 l (34 pt) garlic: 20 g (0.7 oz) salt: 150 g (5.3 oz) water: 1 l (34 pt) sugar: 30 g (1.1 oz) black peppercorns: 30 g (1.1 oz) chili flakes: 5 g (0.2 oz) onion skins: 20 g (0.7 oz) dill: 20 g (0.7 oz) garlic: 15 g (0.5 oz) sweet paprika: 8 g (0.3 oz) spicy paprika: 8 g (0.3 oz) oregano: 8 g (0.3 oz) Preparation Unwrap your bacon and cut the strips in HALF. Fry your bacon on your skillet using medium heat until ALMOST cooked through. I aimed to have it begin to get crispy on the edges and lightly browned all over. (It cooks after you remove it and you don’t want it over done) Lay bacon on paper towels to soak up the grease. Note – you can save your bacon grease from your pan and store in the fridge to use in cooking. Cut a piece of brown parchment paper about 24” long and lay it on your table. Line up your mostly cooked bacon strips just below the middle and going from one side to the other side of the parchment paper. Now you can liberally brush on some of that maple syrup (Optional). Be sure and use real maple syrup so it will endure the pressure canning process. Fold the paper in thirds by bringing the bottom up over the bacon, then the top fold down over that so the bacon is completely covered. Starting at one end, begin rolling up the bacon ensuring that those first few rolls are tight. When it’s all rolled up, it fits nicely into your sterilized wide-mouth pint jars. If it sticks up a little above the rim, just push it down below so the lid can fit nicely on top. Then wipe the rims of your jars with a paper towel dabbed in some vinegar. Vinegar will remove any bacon fat from the rim which could interfere with getting a good seal. Do not forget this part – it is key to ensuring a good seal. Cover your jars with lids that have been warming up in a pan of water on a low setting. Screw on the rings finger tight, and set them in your pressure canner that has a few inches of water. Use the canning guide here to determine the processing time. Pint jars of “raw” meat need to pressure cook for 75 minutes (quarts for 90 minutes). Determine the pressure level of your canner by the elevation of where you live. I live at 6K above sea level, so I pressure at 14-15 lbs. Then process your jars. When it is done, take out the jars. Let them cool off and make sure they seal. After several hours or even the next day, I take off the rings and wash the jars and rings in warm soapy water to get any oily substance off. Then be sure and label them with what is inside and the date. To enjoy your bacon, simply open the jar and slide it out. Unroll the parchment – it will be messy, but peel it away. You can fry it for a bit to warm it up or eat it right away. I found one blog that said it will last 6-8 months up to a year; however Yoders professionally canned bacon has been opened more than 3 years after being canned and has been good. I’ll let you determine how long you think yours will store for. I started out with 24 pounds of bacon, and didn’t get to can quite all of it – but most of it filled up 25 pint jars. I ran out of parchment paper at that point, or I would have finished another 1-2 jars. I would also note, that if you do consider canning large batches like this, BE SURE you have help because it’s time consuming to cook all that bacon and then can it. I would think smaller batches would be less exhausting. How to use your amazing canned bacon: Gobble it right out of the jar. Crumble up into bacon bits for salads and soups. Even add corn muffins and bread. Use on sandwiches, in breakfast wraps, in taco’s, or even with fish. Add them to your bean dish to liven it up. Pork and beans! Reheat it for your breakfast meal. Use in an emergency or when camping. No need to refrigerate it. Use it to barter with – it will be a HOT commodity in an emergency situation. Previous Next

< Back Blackberry Jam (with or w/o Pectin) Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Serves: 2+ pints Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 5 cups freshly washed blackberries (or parts by weight) 1 cup white granulated sugar* (or parts by weight) 1 tablespoon lemon juice Pectin (optional, but gels faster – follow directions on package) Preparation Crush blackberries in a large pot. A potato masher works well. Add sugar and lemon juice, turn heat to medium low, and simmer until jam starts to gel.** Make sure to stir consistently to keep the foaming and bubbles down.*** Pour into pint jars and refrigerate or water bath for longer storage.**** Blackberries are naturally high in pectin, but it takes longer to cook it down enough that it gels correctly. If it doesn’t gel, it wasn’t cooked long enough, then you have syrup. Blackberry syrup? Not a bad thing! *This is a very berry tasting jam, not high in sugar and takes longer to cook for a good gel. A standard full sugar blackberry jam is equal parts blackberries to equal part sugar (5:5). The more the sugar, the higher the yield and faster it will gel (try 5:4, 5:3, 5:2 - find your preference). **You can test the gel by putting a small amount on a pre-cooled saucer and cooling it in the fridge to test the consistency (remove from heat while testing). If after a few minutes it is the consistency you prefer, it is done. If it is still liquid, you need to cook it longer. Undercooking will make syrup. Although still yummy and useful, it isn’t jam. ***Some people like to use butter to help reduce the foaming but remember, anything with oil can eventually go rancid. National Center for Food Preservation notes, “Adding 1/2 teaspoon of butter or margarine with the juice and pectin will reduce foaming. However, these may cause off-flavor in long-term storage of jellies and jam." ****To water bath, fill pint jars with1/2 inch headspace, wipe the rims and put on lid seals, and water bath for 10 minutes. Don’t disturb jars for at least 48 hours to help with the gelling process. Makes 2+ pints of jam (depending on how much sugar you use). Note: If any of your bottled jam goes to “sugar,” you can always warm it up in a pan on the stove and make it delicious and useable again. Previous Next

< Back Bottled Beef Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 75 minutes Serves: 6 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients Raw or cooked beef Salt Garlic, granulated Preparation Fill pint jars with beef. If you are using raw beef, cut it into sizes that are easy to fill bottles. If you are using *cooked beef, cut it into easy to manage pieces. Fill the jars with a ½ inch space at the top. Put ½ teaspoon of salt, and a ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic (for quarts – 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon garlic) on the top of the beef in each pint. (I prefer to use pints when bottling meats) If necessary, fill with a little hot water or broth and use a wooden utensil to make sure that all the trapped air pockets are filled. Wipe the bottle rims and put on **lids and rings. Hand tighten the rings, but don’t over tighten. Place jars on the canning rack in the ***pressure canner with the water going about halfway up on the bottle. Close the canner and turn the heat on high and listen for the air to escape out of the vent. Once the air starts to come out, time it for 10 minutes and then put the weight over the vent to help continue to build pressure. Depending on your elevation, you will either let the dial go to 11 pounds (altitudes 0-2000 ft), or 12 pounds (altitudes of 2,001 to 4,000 ft.). Once it has reached the correct pressure, process pints for 75 minutes (quarts for 90 minutes). Turn the heat off and let the pressure release slowly by itself. Once the gauge registers 0, release the lid being careful not to burn yourself with the steam or the water dripping off of the lid. Using a bottle lifter, carefully remove bottles from the canner and place on a towel on the counter to cool down. Don’t touch them until the next day. After they have rested overnight, wash them with soap and water to remove residual broth and remove the ring. Label item and date on the lid (don’t put cute tags on the glass because they are too hard to remove) and store in your pantry. *If you cook the meat beforehand (which is not necessary if there are no bones. Cooking makes it easier to separate the meat from the bones), don’t throw away the broth. Bottle it separately for soups. **Follow the directions on the lid boxes ***Anytime you are canning anything with meat, it needs to be pressure canned. Previous Next

< Back Crunchwrap Supreme Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 25 Minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Say goodbye to the drive-thru—make this iconic fast-food meal right at home with our copycat recipe. Ingredients 1 lb. ground beef 1 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. ground paprika 1/2 tsp. ground cumin Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 8 large flour tortillas 1/2 c. nacho cheese sauce 4 tostada shells 1 c. sour cream 2 c. shredded lettuce 1 c. chopped tomatoes 1 c. shredded cheddar 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack 1 tbsp. vegetable oil Preparation Step 1 In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine ground beef and spices and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Remove meat to a bowl and set aside. Drain fat and wipe the skillet clean. Step 2 Stack 4 large flour tortillas and place a tostada shell in the center. Using a paring knife, trace around the edges of the shell to cut 4 smaller flour tortilla rounds. Step 3 Build Crunchwraps: Add a scoop of ground beef to the center of remaining 4 large flour tortillas, leaving a generous border for folding. Drizzle cheese sauce over each, then place a tostada shell on top. Spread sour cream over each shell, then top with lettuce, tomato, and cheeses. Place smaller flour tortilla cutouts on top and tightly fold edges of the large tortilla toward the center, creating pleats. Quickly invert Crunchwraps so pleats are on the bottom and they stay together. Step 4 In the same skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add Crunchwrap seam-side down and cook until tortilla is golden, 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining Crunchwraps. What’s in a Crunchwrap Supreme? Taco Bell keeps their Crunchwrap Supreme pretty straightforward, so we do too: our version comes loaded with seasoned ground beef laced with nacho cheese plus lettuce, tomato, and sour cream, all packaged and griddled in a flour tortilla. Don’t forget that crispy tostada shell– it’s not a Crunchwrap without the crunch! How are we cooking this Crunchwrap Supreme? It’s pretty simple. We’re cooking the beef first (separately), and then after we’ve assembled our Crunchwraps, we’re using that same skillet to griddle them, just like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. Our top tip? Use a big spatula and flip with care– you don’t want the insides of your Crunchwrap flying all over the kitchen. Can I add other toppings? You sure can. Try refried beans or seasoned black beans– we’d suggest warming both of those before layering them in the tortilla. You could also throw in some seasoned rice, pickled jalapeños, onions, or avocado—basically anything that you’d want in a taco bowl or burrito works here. Just keep in mind that if you load up the Crunchwrap too much, it might be difficult to cook without spilling. How do I hold my Crunchwrap together? All of our delicious layered fillings are held together by large flour tortillas. Our top tip? If the tortillas feel stiff to comfortably fold, pop them on a plate, sprinkle just a few drops of water over them, top with another plate, and microwave them for 10 seconds. This will lightly steam the tortillas, making them more flexible and easier to wrap. What can I serve with this? We think this Crunchwrap makes a great meal on its own, but if you’re looking for something to serve on the side, why not fry up some homemade tortilla chips? They’ll be great to dip in any leftover nacho cheese sauce or sour cream. Previous Next

< Back Easy Cheesy Garlic Bread Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 8-10 minutes Serves: 12-15 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 ½ cups mayonnaise 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops 2 teaspoons crushed or minced garlic 1 loaf French bread sliced in half lengthwise 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced (optional) Preparation Mix mayonnaise, cheese, onions and garlic. Spread on both halves of French loaf. Sprinkle with parsley. Wrap each half in foil and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or freeze. Unwrap and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes (20-25 minutes if frozen) at 400°F, or until puffed but not brown. Slice and serve warm. Previous Next

< Back Fried Radishes Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 bunch of radishes, slice thin or quartered Olive oil Butter Salt and pepper to taste Garlic to taste Preparation Slice or quarter your radishes and add them to a hot skillet with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Add a little butter for flavor when Fry up and add a little butter for flavor when edges start to crisp up. Serve hot. Another yummy tip: Young radish leaves (before they start getting prickly) make the most delightful salad. It is especially good with ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing. Two sides in one! Previous Next

< Back Herb Salt Substitute Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: Serves: Multiple Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 1 teaspoon dried savory 1 teaspoon ground mace 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon dried sage 1 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 teaspoon ground dried grated lemon peel Preparation Mix all the ingredients together. Yield 1/3 cup Place in an airtight container and store in a dark place. Use on all types of savory foods. Previous Next

< Back White Pumpkin Pie Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner Ingredients 1 pie crust (2 if you want to do some fun cutouts, too) 2 cups white pumpkin purée 2 large eggs 1 can sweetened condensed milk ¼ tsp pink himalayan sea salt ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg 2 Tbsp milk (optional for brushing cutouts) 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar (optional for sprinkling on cutouts) whipped cream (for topping) Preparation White pumpkins are not just for decoration. They are, in fact, food! So, if you’re looking for all the flavor of pumpkin, but don’t want the orangey color, this is the way to go. If you’re wondering if white pumpkin tastes any different than orange pumpkin, I can tell you that I might have imagined the resulting pie tasting creamier, but otherwise, it tasted just like the classic pumpkin pie we all love! Start By Roasting Your White Pumpkin First things first, you need a medium sized white pumpkin. I picked ours up at the pumpkin patch for about $5. We’re talking about a roughly 5-lb pumpkin, just a little smaller than a basketball. Now, I have a whole separate post about roasting pumpkins here , but I’ll cover the basics so you don’t have to switch posts right now. Feel free to circle back, though, and read the pointers on what can be composted and what cannot. Let’s not waste food! Start by breaking down your pumpkin. Cut out the stem (like you do when you carve a jack o’lantern), and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Then cut your pumpkin in half vertically (cut from top to bottom). Note: Feel free to separate out the seeds for roasting and then compost the pulp. Place your pumpkin halves cut-side down on a lined baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 450ºF, and roast for 45 minutes. Once your pumpkins are done, they’ll have a bit of brown on the skin, and they’ll be really soft. Cover with a towel to keep the steam in, and let them cool completely. Peel the skin off, and put the pumpkin flesh in a blender. Pulse until you have a smooth purée. Push the purée through a mesh sieve to catch any skin remnants or burnt bits. Save the purée in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in an airtight container or bag for a year. The Filling for Your White Pumpkin Pie When you’re ready to make your pie, get your pie crust started and in the fridge. Heck, save time, and use a store bought crust. No judgment. Just know that if you want it to turn out super flaky like mine, you should use this pie crust recipe, which you can find here . While that chills, make your filling. And, seriously, it couldn’t be easier. We are using 5 ingredients: 2 cups of your purée, 2 eggs, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. You just need to make sure the purée and eggs come to room temperature first. Beat everything together. I wouldn’t use a blender only because that introduces a lot of air and bubbles. Going by hand helps you get things mixed up without the bubbles. That will mean a smoother pie surface once it’s baked. Then cover the filling and let it rest until your pie crust is ready. I left mine on the counter since everything was already room temperature. Assembling Your Pie When you’re ready, roll the pie dough out and press it into your pie plate. I like a nice decorative edge, but you can do whatever you want. I just did a simple ruffle, which is done by pinching the crust with your thumb and forefinger on one hand and the forefinger of the other hand. If you have leftover dough, use a cookie cutter to cut some cute decorative shapes out. I used a squirrel! Brush your “cookies” with milk and sprinkle on some sugar for sparkle and crunch. I use turbinado sugar like this. Set the “cookies” on a smaller baking sheet and refrigerate. How to Bake a Pumpkin Pie Pour your filling into your now prepared pie crust, and bake at 425ºF for the first 15 minutes. Then drop the temperature to 350ºF for another 30 or until the center is set. Cool the pie on a baking rack for 1 hour. While that’s cooling, put your “cookies” into the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes, and then decorate the still-cooling pie with them. Once your white pumpkin pie is cool, move to the fridge to chill for at least an hour. Serve it Up! When you’re ready to serve up this stunner of a pumpkin pie, get it out of the fridge along with your favorite whipped cream. Get a nice sharp paring knife to make your cuts, and use a quality pie server to get a clean slice out. Let your guests top with as much whipped cream as they want. In fact, make sure you have extra whipped cream. It’s Thanksgiving after all. I like my pie with a nice, hot cup of coffee, but offer milk for the little ones. And really, that’s about it. If you find people fighting over your pie crust squirrels, make a mental note to make more next year. Or, you can plan ahead and make everyone their own. INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Roll out your first pie crust and place into your pie plate. Make the edges fancy using your method of choice. In your medium mixing bowl, whisk together the white pumpkin purée, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the filling into your pie crust. Use a toothpick to pop an big air bubbles. Place the pie into the oven for 15 minutes. Then, leave the pie in the oven, and turn the temperature down to 350ºF for another 30 minutes. While the pie is baking, optionally cut shapes out of your additional pie crust. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Place on a baking sheet. Your pie is ready to come out when it's set in the middle. Don't turn the oven off yet if you're making the cutouts. Let your pie cool to room temperature. While your pie is cooling, bake the cut outs at 350ºF for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Decorate your pie with your cutouts, and then place the pie in the fridge to chill for at least an hour or up until you're ready to serve. 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< Back Cream Soup Base Mix Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves: 2 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients ½ cup nonfat dry milk powder 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon (or low sodium) ¼ teaspoon onion powder 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon basil ¼ teaspoon thyme ¼ teaspoon white pepper 9 oz. (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) cold water Preparation Heat to a slow boil and stir frequently. If you want to have: Cream of Mushroom add ½ cup sliced or diced mushrooms Cream of Celery add ¼ cup chopped celery, OR celery seed, OR celery salt to taste Cream of Broccoli add ½ cup cut up broccoli pieces Cream of Chicken add ½ cup cut up cooked chicken pieces and let your imagination run free... Previous Next

< Back Easy Chicken Pot Pie Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 25-30 Minutes Serves: 12 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Fast and delicious cheater recipe Ingredients 3 cups leftover chicken breast, cubed or shredded 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced 6 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 medium onion, diced 1 bag frozen peas 2 cans flaky refrigerator biscuits 8 Tablespoons butter 8 Tablespoons flour 2 cups hot water 2 cubes chicken bouillon 2 cups milk Preparation Cook refrigerator biscuits according to package directions. Remove from the oven when done and set aside. Place potatoes, carrots and onion in a 3-quart saucepan, add enough water to just cover vegetables. Add 1 Tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Boil until vegetables are tender. Drain, reserving 2 cups of liquid. While vegetables are cooking, in another saucepan melt butter; add flour and stir until smooth. Add the reserved potato liquid and stir until smooth. Add chicken bouillon and stir until dissolved. Add milk and salt and pepper to taste. In a large baking dish place cooked vegetables, left-over chicken and frozen peas. Pour sauce over all and stir to combine. Place cooked biscuits on top of the filling. Bake until heated through and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes. Previous Next

< Back Sage Tea Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Serves: 4 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 teaspoon rubbed sage 4 cups water Honey or sugar to taste Preparation Steep the rubbed sage in hot water until nice golden color (about 5+ minutes). Strain and add honey (best because of its antibacterial qualities) or sugar to taste Serve hot. Can store extra in the fridge for later. Just heat and serve. It is important when you are sick that you stay hydrated, but if your throat is sore, sometimes that is hard to do. Sage tea will help a scratchy throat. It is also good for people who had their tonsils removed. Stay hydrated people! Previous Next

< Back Basil Cheese Loaf Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: N/A Serves: 1 Level: Beginner About the Recipe Ingredients 1 package Cream cheese ; room temperature 4 ounces Roquefort cheese ; Room temperature 1 cup Fresh Spinach ; Loosely packed 3/4 cup Italian Parsley ; Loosely packed 1/4 cup Fresh Basil ; Loosely packed 1 teaspoon Fresh Garlic ; minced 1/4 c Vegetable oil 1/4 c Walnut s ; finely chopped 1 cup Parmesan ; freshly grated 1/4 cup Sun-dried tomato es ; chopped Preparation 1. Combine the cream cheese and Roquefort in a bowl, and mix until smooth. Set aside. 2. Combine the spinach, parsley, basil, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle the oil through the feed tube; continue processing until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the walnuts and Parmesan, and mix thoroughly. 3. Line a 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving extra wrap hanging over the sides. 4. Spread one third of the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Next, spread half the pesto mixture, and arrange a layer of sun-dried tomatoes on top. Repeat the cheese, pesto, and tomato layers. Finish with the remaining third of the cheese mixture. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours. 5. To serve, allow the loaf to come just to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Invert it onto a platter, and provide a cheese-slicing knife. Have a basket of crackers and bread nearby. Previous Next