Recipes » Homestead Acres

Zucchini Bread Recipe

Jul 062010

Our zucchini plants are starting to produce. So it’s time to start making our favorite quick bread. Zucchini bread! I started making this on Sunday only to discover I was short on eggs. Hmmm… I found some egg less zucchini bread recipes using yogurt as a substitute and decided to give that a try. It worked great, and I’ll keep making it that way. If you don’t have yogurt on hand then use 4 eggs to replace it.

Zucchini Bread

2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 cup oil
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Combine yogurt, oil, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat together. Stir in zucchini. Combine dry ingredients and stir into yogurt mixture.

Bake at 350F for 60 minutes or until cooked through.

Kim Mills on Google+

Homestead Series How To Make Biscuits

Recipes 2 Responses »

May 122010

In my last cooking video I showed how to make your own baking mix. This you can substitute for any recipe calling for Bisquick.

Today I’ll show you my favorite way to make biscuits! I have another recipe, my Grandmothers biscuit recipe. I love it also, but dh thinks these are better.

How To Make Biscuits

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: PT10 - 15M

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 20 biscuits

Ingredients

6 cups baking mix
2 cups water

Instructions

In a medium size bowl combine 6 cups baking mix and 2 cups water. Stir until the dough starts to come together.
Turn out onto a floured surface and kneed about 10 times. Don't over kneed or your biscuits will be tough.
Roll out 1/2 inch thick and cut out using your biscuit cutter or a drinking glass.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425F for 10 - 15 minutes. Tops should be just turning light brown when done.

http://homestead-acres.com/blog/recipes/homestead-series-how-to-make-biscuits/

Kim Mills on Google+

Homestead Series Make Your Own Bisquick Mix

Recipes 6 Responses »

May 122010

Making your own premade mixes are healthy and convenient. They also save a lot of money from buying them ready made. I like knowing what is IN my food and how it was made. Making my own mixes helps to make meals quickly, conveniently and healthy!

Baking Mix

8 cups flour
1/4 cup baking powder
1 1/2 cups powdered milk (optional)
1 Tbs salt
1 1/2 cups lard (or shortening, butter)

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender cut in lard until it’s well mixed.

If you prefer to leave out the powdered milk, you can substitute the water in your recipe for milk, rice milk or other alternative. Use in any biskwick recipe.

Kim Mills on Google+

Can Jam #2: Pickled Carrots

Canning, Recipes 4 Responses »

Feb 182010

I’ll try to update this with photos tomorrow.

Pickled Carrots

5 pounds carrots
2 cups water
6 cups vinegar
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 tsp pickling spice per jar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes per jar
1 sprig of dill weed per jar

Wash and peel carrots. Slice into rounds 1/4″ thick or into sticks. Combine salt, water and vinegar in a pot and bring to a boil. Add spices and carrots to jars. Top with pickling liquid. Remove air bubbles, add lids. Can for 10 min in a water bath canner, adjust to your altitude.

Kim Mills on Google+

Family Favorite Sheppard’s Pie Recipe

Casseroles, Dinners, Recipes 2 Responses »

Jan 272010

One of my hubby’s favorite suppers is Sheppard’s pie. I’ve experimented with different variations over the years. So far this is our favorite. I made this for supper yesterday, all the ingredients except the beef were from our gardens last summer. The beef is from a local farmer. I love having home canned foods on hand to make cooking go quicker!

A note on the recipe below. The spice measurements are approximate, by “eyeball”. I rarely measure spices when I’m cooking. Before serving simply adjust the spices to suit your family’s taste.

Family Favorite Sheppard’s Pie Recipe

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion
1 quart crushed tomatoes
1 pint (2 cups) peas
1 tps salt
1 heaping TBS parsley
1 heaping TBS basil
1 heaping TBS garlic powder
1/2 TBS pepper
mashed potatoes

Instructions

Fry ground beef until browned. Add onions and cook until meat is done and onions start to soften.
Add tomato sauce, spices and peas. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes.
Spread meat mixture into a baking pan and top with mashed potatoes.
If desired sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and parsley.
Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until the top starts to crisp.

http://homestead-acres.com/blog/recipes/family-favorite-sheppards-pie-recipe/

Kim Mills on Google+

Smooth Marmalade

Canning, Recipes 4 Responses »

Jan 202010

This week I decided to try making marmalade. Now as I had mentioned before, my hubby and I don’t like the peels that in most marm

Smooth Marmalade

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 2 1/2 pints

Smooth Marmalade

Ingredients

10 oranges (3 pounds)
1 lemon
4 cups sugar

Instructions

Peal oranges and lemon leaving some of the white on. Remove seeds if needed. Discard peals.
Puree in a food processor. Pour into a stock pot and add sugar.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until it reaches the jelling point. This was about 15 minutes for me.
Remove from heat, stir and skim. Ladle into jars leaving 1/4" head room. Process in a water canner for 15 minutes.

http://homestead-acres.com/blog/recipes/smooth-marmalade/

alade. So I knew my trusty food processor would be out to help me puree this creation. We ended up with 5 half pint jars. The verdict? It’s delicious!

Kim Mills on Google+

Homestead Series How To Can Ground Beef

Canning, Recipes 23 Responses »

Jan 112010

Canning ground beef is so easy to do and very convenient to keep on hand! I prefer to keep canned meat on hand rather then frozen for a few reasons. It is always ready to use, no waiting for frozen meat to thaw out. Yes, I know I could take it out of the freezer the day before but I always forget. Canned meat keeps longer then frozen, and it never gets freezer burned! Also more then once I’ve had someone unplug my freezer with disastrous results. However a long power outage would have the same results.

A few years ago, I changed the way I canned ground beef. Instead of pan frying it in small batches, then having to drain and rinse the fat off I started boiling it. I can place large amounts of ground beef in my stock pot, cover it with water and let it simmer until it’s cooked. This saves me time, I no longer have to cook in small batches. I can get it ready then go and attend to other jobs. I no longer have grease splatting around my stove. One of the best advantages is a nice large pot of soup stock! After boiling the ground beef, I strain the broth and set it in the fridge to cool over night. The next day skim the fat off the top. You can now season the broth however you like.

Homestead Series How To Can Ground Beef

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 2 hours

Homestead Series How To Can Ground Beef

Ingredients

Ground Beef
Water

Instructions

Place meat in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer until cooked through.

Drain off stock, reserving to use latter for soups.

Spoon meat into jars and leave 1 inch of head space. Cover with boiling water or beef stock.

Wipe rims and add lids. Tighten rings finger tight.
Place into canner.
Pressure can for 90 minutes.
After canner depressurizes set on a towel to cool, let sit for 24 hour so the seal can harden.
Take jar rings off, wipe the jars clean. Label and store in a cool dry place.

http://homestead-acres.com/blog/recipes/homestead-series-how-to-can-ground-beef/

Kim Mills on Google+

Delicious Hot Chocolate Recipe

Drinks, Recipes 4 Responses »

Dec 222009

Our Canadian winters are long and cold. A favorite treat during that time is our homemade hot chocolet. Nothing taste better after coming in from shoveling the driveway sledding with the kids.

I’ve found this a much taster and cheaper alternative then buying little cans at the store.
This also makes a wonderful gift! Fill a quart canning jar with the mix. Add some pretty ribbon around the top and you have a quick and easy gift.

Hot Chocolate

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

5 cups powdered milk
1 cup non dairy creamer
2 cups sugar
1 cup coco powder

Instructions

Combine in a bowl and mix all together.
Place 3 TBS in a mug, top with boiling water and enjoy!

http://homestead-acres.com/blog/recipes/delicious-hot-chocolate-recipe/

Kim Mills on Google+

How To Can Beef Soup

Canning, Recipes 14 Responses »

Dec 162009

I enjoy canning our own conveniences food. Store bought soups are expensive and high in salt and other additives. I love having home cooked suppers on our pantry shelves. Lets face it we ALL have crazy days that we are tempted to pick up fast food. I try to keep a stock of home canned food available for times I’m just to tired or sick to cook supper.

How to can beef soup

Place soup bones in a roasting pan and roast at 350F for 1 hour. This doesn’t have to be an exact time, just until they are nicely browned.
Remove bones from pan and place in a stock pot. Cover with water and add chopped onions, celery ends, what ever you have on hand. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer until broth has cooked down into a nice dark rich tasting liquid.
Strain the broth and place in the fridge to cool over night.
The next day skim off the fat and reheat broth. Season to taste.
Peel and dice potatoes and carrots. I use approximately half a cup per quart jar.
Add vegetables to jars then add desired amount of meat.
Cover with hot stock. Run a spatula around the sides to remove any air bubbles.
Wipe rims, add lids and rings finger tight.
Can at 10 pounds pressure for 90 minutes quarts, 75 minutes for pints.

Kim Mills on Google+

What to do with left over turkey

In the Kitchen, Recipes No Responses »

Nov 272009

After a holiday do you still have lots of turkey left? Our family loves to have Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner the next day, after that it’s time for a change. I cut up the turkey meat and freeze it in 2 cup portions. I also like to can the meat in pint jars. Both work well and I always have meat that’s ready for a stir fry or casserole.

But our favorite meal to make is chicken/turkey and dumplings. Check out my post here to see how I make mine.

Another favorite is turkey and broccoli pie. Here is my recipe.

Turkey(or chicken) Broccoli Pie

Half a kg package of frozen chopped broccoli

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 onion diced

2 cups diced turkey

1 cup quick mix (bisquick type mix)

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1 tsp salt

1/5 tsp pepper