Homestead Kids Learn How to Make and Can Strawberry Raspberry Spiced Jam

by Jenny Irvine // April 5, 2016 // No Comments

Join us as our homestead kids learn how to make jam.

I didn’t grow up canning it was a craft that both inspired and scared me to pieces. In fact, the entire process was somewhat of a mystery to me. If we go to the store and buy jam off the shelf it’s sealed – bam, done! No thought… no appreciation for the entire process.

The combination of being intrigued by the process, my love for learning, and my ever growing desire to be more self reliant – I knew the time had come; I had to learn how to can. If we were growing our own food it only made sense that I would naturally want to preserve it for the weeks, months, and year to come.

However, more importantly than that I knew it was a skill I wanted to pass onto our children. As it is not only my desire to teach them ‘how to’ can but, to give them the tools to not only survive but, thrive.

May they never take for granted the simple process of buying food from the grocery store but, always have a natural curiosity and appreciation for how it all works.

Are you new to canning?

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Homestead Kids; Learn How to Make and Can Jam

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Quick and Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe

by Jenny Irvine // March 24, 2016 // 1 Comment

Stress no more.. here is a Quick and Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread Recipe that will have your family asking for more.

Whether you are new to the gluten free world or been around for awhile like myself {5 years and counting for our family} – you likely have discovered one thing along the way; ‘things just don’t taste the same.’

Gluten free breads can often times be dry {to the point of choking..}, spongy, or so incredibly heavy you could surely use them to anchor a boat.

Quick and Easy Gluten Free Banana Bread

This recipe is actually so easy I recently made it with our two youngest sons for our weekly wednesday ‘kids in the kitchen’ time. We are always looking for hands on learning opportunities and what better place to do that than in the kitchen?

The Best Crockpot Easter Dinner Meal Plan Round Up

by Jenny Irvine // March 17, 2016 // No Comments

I have a little confession – I love to cook. I love good food but, if I can find an easier way to spend less time in the kitchen I am soooo there! And, I may have a slight obsession with my crockpot.

This year we will be changing things up a bit for Easter dinner. We are having friends over for a brunch and Easter egg hunt in the morning {thinking I will be making an egg bake breakfast casserole and my caramel french toast bake.}

But, what about dinner?

I was racking my brain trying to figure out how I could entertain in the morning and still pull off a somewhat traditional Easter dinner for my family and then, it hit me – my trusty old crockpot. Yep, I am pretty much over the moon excited we are going to have the best crockpot dinner ever and guess what, it’s going to be cooking while I hang out with our friends and family. Everybody wins!

{Oh, and if you only have one crockpot I highly recommend getting a second as it’s worth it’s weight in gold. We have 3 different sizes and I love them all!}

So, here’s the scoop for;

The Best Ever Easter Dinner Crockpot Meal Plan

I am excited to try Life in the Loft House‘s Crock Pot Maple Brown Sugar Ham recipe – we are big maple syrup fans so this just sounds divine. A brown sugar rub, with a maple syrup and pineapple glaze cooked on low while I play with the kids – yep, I think I can do this.

Moms with Crock pots shared an awesome looking green bean casserole recipe – we will not being using bouillon cubes as most are not gluten free. But, we will sub them out with Better than Bouillon. *We will not be adding our bacon until the end as soggy bacon bits get me every time {gah}.

If you have never made crockpot brown sugar carrots you are missing out – they are so easy!

LifeCurrents Crockpot Corn Dip looks like the perfect side dish or maybe even pre-dinner appetizer. Surely, I know my children can not be the only ones that insist on eating the entire hour before we sit down to a meal, right?!? Frozen corn, cream cheese, cheese, a zip of jalapeño, and spices slow cooked and served with organic corn chips should hold the littles over.

No Easter Dinner would be complete with out some homestead applesauce and I’m thinking these easy au gratin potatoes inspired by Chelsea’s Messy Apron should do the trick…

And, if there is room for dessert after all that food I am thinking a scoop of ice cream from the local dairy farm should do the trick.