Ever wanted to make your own naturally fizzy sodas at home? Say hello to the ginger bug—basically the sourdough starter of the soda world. It’s wild, it’s bubbly, it’s a gut health power house, and it’s super low-effort. You’re just giving ginger, sugar, and water a cozy space to party, and in return, they’ll gift you with a beautiful fizzy starter for your homemade sodas.

What You’ll Need:

• A chunk of fresh ginger (go organic if you can, no need to peel)

• Plain white sugar

• Clean water (no chlorine, so use filtered if you’ve got it)

• A glass jar

• Something breathable to cover it (cheesecloth, coffee filter, or even an old tea towel)

Day 1: Start the Party

1. Chop or grate about 2 tablespoons of fresh ginger and toss it into your jar.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar.

3. Pour in about 2 cups of water and stir it all up until the sugar dissolves.

4. Cover the jar with your breathable lid, secure it with a rubber band, and leave it on your counter—somewhere warm-ish but not blazing hot.

Days 2–7: Keep the Party Going

Every day, feed your bug:

• 1 tablespoon grated/chopped ginger

• 1 tablespoon sugar

Give it a stir once or twice a day, and that’s pretty much it. You’re not babysitting—just checking in.

How Do You Know It’s Alive?

After a few days, you’ll start to see bubbles dancing on the surface. When you stir, it should fizz a bit like a soda. It might smell gingery-sweet with a bit of funk—totally normal and a sign your bug is thriving.

If it smells rotten or you see anything fuzzy or colorful growing on top, unfortunately, that’s a no-go. Dump it and try again.

Now What?

Once your ginger bug is nice and bubbly (usually by Day 5 to 7), it’s ready to use. You can strain out the ginger bits if you want, or just dip into it as-is.

Want to keep it alive? Pop it in the fridge and feed it once a week with a little sugar and ginger to keep those microbes happy.

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Using It:

Take a few tablespoons of your ginger bug, mix it into sweet herbal tea or fruit juice, bottle it, and let it sit out for a few days. Boom—homemade fizzy drinks.

The post How to Make a Ginger Bug appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

If you’ve ever found yourself with more tomatoes than you know what to do with, homemade ketchup is a perfect way to put them to good use. Not only does it taste way better than anything from the store, but when you can it in a water bath canner, you’ll have a shelf-stable stash that lasts all year.

Homemade ketchup is easier than you might think. The acidity from the tomatoes (plus a little vinegar) makes it safe for water bath canning, and once you’ve sealed those jars, you’ve got a homemade condiment ready whenever you need it. No weird preservatives, no excess sugar—just real, rich tomato flavor.

Let’s walk through the process step by step, from simmering your ketchup down, the recipe will be next, to that perfect consistency to sealing it up for long-term storage.

Water bath canning ketchup is a straightforward process, but it does require careful attention to acidity and processing times to ensure a safe, shelf-stable product. Here’s how to do it:

What You’ll Need:

• Prepared ketchup (fully cooked and hot). Recipe is listed below.

• Mason jars (pint or half-pint) with new lids and rings

• Water bath canner (or a large pot with a rack)

• Jar lifter & canning funnel

• Clean cloths

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Prep Your Jars & Canner

• Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse well.

• Keep the jars hot by placing them in a pot of simmering water or in the dishwasher on a heated cycle.

• Fill your water bath canner halfway with water and bring it to a simmer while you prepare the ketchup.

2. Fill the Jars

• Using a funnel, ladle the hot ketchup into the hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

• Run a bubble remover or knife along the inside of the jar to release any trapped air.

• Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.

• Place the lids on the jars and screw the rings on finger-tight (not too tight—air needs to escape during processing).

3. Process in the Water Bath

• Place jars into the canner using a jar lifter, ensuring they are fully submerged with at least 1-2 inches of water above the lids.

• Bring the water to a rolling boil, then start the processing time:

• Pints and half-pints: 15 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed—add 5 minutes for 1,000-3,000 feet, 10 minutes for 3,001-6,000 feet, etc.).

• Once time is up, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before removing.

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4. Cool & Store Your Homemade Ketchup

• Carefully lift jars out and place them on a towel-lined countertop.

• Let them cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.

• Check seals: The lids should be concave and not pop when pressed.

• Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Any unsealed jars should go in the fridge and be used within a few weeks.

And that’s it! You’ve now got homemade, shelf-stable ketchup ready for burgers, fries, and everything in between.

Homemade Canned Ketchup

Course: homemaking

Prep time

32

minutes

Cooking time

4

hours 

A delicious homemade canned ketchup, perfect to use up all of those garden tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 5 lbs fresh or frozen and thawed tomatoes – cored and seeded

• 1 onion

• 3 cloves of fresh garlic

• 1/3 – 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup white vinegar

• 3/4 tbsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp celery seed

• 1/4 tsp cloves

• 1/8 tsp ground mustard

• 1/8 cayenne pepper powder

• 1/8 black pepper

Directions

• Remove cores and seeds from tomatoes. You’ll need 5lbs after removing.
• Place tomatoes in large pot, add onion and garlic. Simmer for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally.
• Drain as much liquid as possible. Place the tomatoes, onion & garlic in a high speed blender until smooth as possible.
• This step is optional, but I find it gives the perfect smooth ketchup texture. Pour the blended mixture through a mesh strainer over a pot. Use a spatula to push the mixture through.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil for a few minutes.
• After a few minutes, reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally for 2-3 hours, or until the desired thickness is reached.
• Return the ketchup to the blender and give the mixture a final blend to ensure maximum smoothness.
• Pour into half-pint or pint jars, wiping the rim with vinegar.
• Place lids and rings on finger tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. See note to adjust for altitude.

Notes

• Pints and half-pints: 15 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed—add 5 minutes for 1,000-3,000 feet, 10 minutes for 3,001-6,000 feet, etc.).

The post Homemade Canned Ketchup appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

Simple & Beginner Friendly

Mead is one of my favorite things to make from various garden harvests. The end result is an alcoholic wine like drink made from fermenting honey, yeast and additives for flavor – like fruit. It’s so beginner friendly and relatively inexpensive if you compare it to the price of a regular bottle of wine. This recipe can be altered into a million different combinations by swapping out the cherry and replacing it with whatever fruit, herb or floral you wish – like Rhubarb for example. Cherry mead is one that I make frequently because of the overall abundance of cherry trees in my area. Plus, gifting the bottled product to friends and family is a perfect low budget option for the holidays or birthdays!

To go more in depth on the mead making process, check out my Beginners Guide to Making Mead post!

• Glass one gallon fermentation jug with air stop
• Large stainless steel pot
• Stainless steel spoon
• Large funnel
• Kitchen thermometer
• Sanitizer. My favorite one is One Step

• Any flip top bottles
• Bottling wand
• Siphon tubing
• Alternatively to flip top bottles, you can use old wine bottles and cork them.

• 3 cups pitted cherries – fresh or frozen. I prefer fresh.
• Honey – 1-1.5 kg’s for a one gallon batch. You can do a 5 gallon batch but I recommend starting with 1!
• Brewing yeast
• Optional raisins – it acts as food for the yeast.

First Step… Always Sanitize!!!

It’s a pain in the butt, yes. But it’s essential. Use whichever sanitizer you have and sanitize all equipment according to the package instructions. Like the pot, spoon, fermentation jug, and airlock etc. Follow the direction on the sanitizer and you’re good to go. To be extra cautious, I like to sanitize my workspace with a water and bleach mixture a few hours prior to making my mead just to be careful – but that’s completely optional and probably overkill on my part.

When I first started making mead I used peroxide as my sanitation method. I would wash everything first and then spray the 3% peroxide in and on all of my equipment. It worked well enough but I wasn’t 100% confident that it was sanitizing everything well enough.

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Make The ‘Must’

Must is the term used for the water and honey mixture. They way that works best for me is to add a little over 1/2 a gallon of filtered water to the pot and heat it up very slowly – use the low heat setting. Once the water is warm but not boiling, go ahead and add the honey.

The amount of honey used will determine how dry or sweet the mead will turn out. Two pounds or less will result in a very dry mead, while 2.5 pounds and above (I use a little over 3) will give a much sweeter end result.

Stir the honey in until it dissolves. Once everything is dissolved, turn the heat off and lets move on!

Add in the ‘flavor’ of choice, for this recipe we’ll use cherries. I used around 3 cups pitted & fresh! Following the cherries, add in a small handful of raisins. The raisins act as a natural food for the yeast.

Once the cherry and raisins are in the fermentation vessel, get ready to pour the honey water mixture into the jug. This can get very sticky if the mixture spills – so use a large as possible funnel, LOL! Once poured, top off the jug with cool filtered water leaving at least 2 inches between the honey mixture and the top of the jug.

Time to pitch the yeast. The water cannot be any warmer than 90 degrees F or it’ll affect the activity of the yeast. This is where you’ll use your thermometer. Others like to mix the yeast with a little water and pour that into the jug but I like to add the yeast right in once the temperature reaches 90 degrees. Add about 1/2 the packet for 1 gallon.

Time To Shake

Lets hope the jug you have comes with a screw top lid because the mead needs to be shaken up for quite some time. If your jug doesn’t have a lid, you’ll have to improvise with the airlock stopper & cover the hole with your finger. Or I’m sure an old wine cork would work, too!

Once the yeast is pitched, secure the lid tight and shake that puppy. Mix and shake for 10 minutes. It’s pretty hard on the shoulders and arms so having someone around to switch with makes a huge difference.

Finally, Add The Airlock

After shaking, add the stopper and airlock to the jug. Make sure to fill the airlock with filtered water to the line. After awhile you should start to see fermentation happening. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t – it can take a 24-48 hours to start.

The first couple days of fermentation can get a little messy but don’t worry! If the bubbles rise up into the airlock, simply remove it, rinse it, add fresh water and place it back on. All the crazy bubbles and foam at the top just means that the fermentation is working!

Keep the jug somewhere dark and cook, and check on it now and then. Mead can take 4-6 weeks to fully ferment. If you’d like to wait longer before bottling to be safe, that is just fine. I have another blog post that acts a beginner guide to mead making if you want to check that out too! Once 6 weeks have passed and you don’t see anymore fermentation bubbles, you’re safe to bottle! You can drink it ‘green’ (right away) or you can let it age and develop a deeper flavor. I personally like to leave mine for 6-12 months before drinking – I just like the taste better.

Using your auto siphon and bottling wand – funnel the mead into washed and sanitized bottles. Try to leave behind the sediment and fruit!

Cherry Mead

A simple, tasty and homemade alcoholic beverage that is relatively simple to make at home… with the right ingredients and equipment.

Ingredients

• – filtered water
  – 3 cups fresh, pitted cherries
  – 2.5 – 3 pounds of honey
  – 1/2 package of yeast.
  – handful of raisins (10-20)

Directions

• Sanitize all mead making equipment according to package directions.
• Slowly heat a little over 1/2 a gallon of water in the large pot. Add anywhere between 2-3.5 pounds of honey to the warm water and stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat.
• Add 3 cups of fresh pitted cherries and a handful of raisins to the glass fermentation jug.
• Using a large funnel, carefully pour the honey/water mixture into the jug leaving 3 inches of space between the mixture and the top of the jug. Add about an inch of cold filtered water to the jug, and mix. (Add the lid and shake everything around)
• Once everything is combined, add 1/2 package of champagne yeast. Add the lid back on and shake shake shake – for at least 10 minutes.
• Pop the stopper in the jug and add water to the line on the airlock and secure it to the stopper in the jug. Place the jug somewhere dark and cool. Fermentation should begin within a day but can take up to three. Occasionally check on the fermentation process and clean out the airlock if the foam and bubbles rise into it.
• Once the fermentation has stopped, which takes up to six weeks, the mead can be bottled and left to age for as long as you wish. The longer it ages the more the flavor develops.

Notes

• To learn more about the mead making process – see my post here!

The post Cherry Mead appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

Calling all homesteaders, sourdough fanatics, and bread lovers! If you haven’t hopped on the sourdough train yet, it’s time to get on board. This tangy, chewy bread isn’t just delicious—it’s also packed with a host of benefits. First off, sourdough is easier to digest compared to commercial bread, thanks to the fermentation process that produces beneficial bacteria. Plus, it’s a natural source of probiotics, promoting gut health and aiding digestion. But that’s not all—sourdough has a lower glycemic index than other bread, meaning it won’t cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. And let’s talk flavor! The slow fermentation process gives sourdough its distinctive tang and depth, making it a favorite among bread connoisseurs. So, if you’re looking for a healthier, tastier option for your daily bread, it’s time to give sourdough a try. Your taste buds and your gut will thank you.

I started my sourdough journey because I am on a mission to live as simple and sustainable as I possibly can. Swapping out the commercially produced food and products in my home with natural and homemade substitutes is one of the practices I do to keep myself and my family as healthy as possible. Swapping grocery store bought bread with homemade sourdough is my favorite swap that I’ve incorporated into my home. Plus, it’s relatively simple to do.

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If you don’t have a mature sourdough starter – check out my Sourdough Starter for Beginners post! If you do, just be sure that it is fed prior to beginning this recipe!

You don’t have to follow the exact steps… I don’t

I’ve made this bread numerous different ways. I’ve gone back for multiple stretch and folds, I’ve let it rise for over 24 hours, I’ve added herbs, I made this into a chocolate loaf, and sometimes I don’t stretch and fold at all. It’ll turn out slightly different each time, but this bread recipe has never failed me. I always encourage others to make recipes their own, to make adjustments here and there, because that way – the recipe is unique to the maker… the way it should be.

Equipment

This recipe is measured in grams so a kitchen scale is needed. I will add the approximate cups associated with each ingredient, though. Personally, I prefer the outcome in sourdough bread when everything is concisely measured in grams.

The BEST Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Recipe by Modern Homestead HavenCourse: RecipesCuisine: Traditional

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

A yummy and healthy sandwich bread alternative!

Ingredients

• 70 grams active sourdough starter (1/3 cup)

• 50 grams granulated sugar or honey (just under 1/4 cup)

• 300 grams lukewarm water (1 1/3 cups)

• 500 grams unbleached flour (3 3/4 cups)

• 12 grams salt (2 3/4 teaspoons)

• 25 grams of any oil – I use canola. Use whatever you want. (2 tablespoons)

Directions

• Add the water to a large mixing bowl… make sure it’s warm. Mix in the sourdough starter, sugar (or honey) and stir until everything is dissolved.
• Add the flour, salt, and oil. Mix that all together with a dough whisk or spatula until most of the flour has been absorbed. – you may need to use your hands. The dough should be thick and have a rough texture.
• Cover and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
• Gently remove the dough from the bowl and begin stretching and folding (grab one side of the dough and stretch it up and press into the middle of the dough ball. Turn the dough 1/4 turn and repeat until all 4 sides have been stretched and folded). Do this 3 times.
• Cover the dough and let it rest overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Once the rising is done, very lightly flour your work surface and remove the dough from the bowl. Gently tighten the dough ball by cupping your hands around it and pulling it towards you. Do this a few times.
• Spray a bread pan with cooking spray or coat with a cooking oil (or butter) of your choice. Place the dough in the bread pan – seam side down. Cover it and let it rest for an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes. The loaf should be a beautiful golden color! Gently dump the bread from the pan onto a wire rack to cool. Wait at least 30 minutes for the bread to cool before slicing.

Notes

• You can go back an hour after the first stretch and fold and repeat if you wish. Results in a firmer (but still airy) bread.
• Add some herbs. Add some cheese – have fun with it!

As always, Happy Baking!

The post The BEST Sourdough Sandwich Bread appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

Sourdough starter isn’t just limited to bread though. You can use the starter AND discard to make cookies, bagels, doughnuts, muffins, scones and anything else your heart desires.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Sourdough starter is just flour and filtered water that has been fed daily and fermented into an active culture full of beneficial bacteria and yeasts.
• Feeding your starter just means adding equal weight of water and flour. Discarding means throwing out some of the starter in your jar to make room for a new feeding. You don’t have to throw anything out though. You can add it to another jar, feed it as well, and have multiple jars of sourdough starter! Sourdough discard can be used in a variety of recipes, too!
• In the beginning, it’s recommended to discard every time you feed. That way it takes less flour and water for the yeast and bacteria to feed on. Once your starter is mature – discard is optional.
• It’ll take up to two weeks for your brand new sourdough starter to be ready to use in baking.
• The sourdough starter will best perform when the jar is placed in a warm area in your house.
• A mature starter can be placed in the fridge and still survive. Just feed once or twice a week and all is well!
• Regular all-purpose flour will take longer to get active and ready to use than that of a whole wheat flour.

How will you know when your starter is ready to use?

I’ve used a few methods to test if my new starters are ready to use. One is taking a dollop and plopping it into some room temperature water. If it floats, it’s ready. If it sinks, not ready. But the most accurate way is pretty straight forward. After you feed your sourdough starter and it has doubled in size in 12 hours or less – it’s ready! It’ll look super fluffy and bubbly. It’s good practice to mark a line where the sourdough starter is (right after feeding) with a dry erase marker or rubber band, this way, there will be no mistake in telling if the starter has doubled in size or not!

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Okay… But how do you start?

Trust me, it is so simple. I’ve watched some videos and read some blogs that make it way more complicated than it needs to be. The best way to learn sourdough is to just do it – to learn by trial and error. What you need to do is get a glass jar – wide mouth canning jars work best in my opinion – and grab whatever flour you would like to use. No, it doesn’t have to be anything special, almost any kind of flour will do but unbleached is recommended.

Steps:

Day 1: Combine 150g unbleached flour and 150g filtered water into your mason jar. Stir well, cover with the lid, plastic wrap or tea towel, and let it rest.

Day 2: Try to come back to your starter at the same time of day if you can. Give it a full 24 hours. You should see a few bubbles forming throughout. Give the starter a quick stir and throw half of it away. This can just be eyeballed rather than weighed. Feed the starter with 50g unbleached flour and 50g filtered water. It’s best if the water is room temperature. Stir until you can’t see anymore dry flour. Cover it up, come back in 24 hours.

Day 3: You should still see a few bubbles and the starter should have a weird sour smell. I remember my first sourdough starter smelled like parmesan cheese. If you don’t see any bubbles, don’t worry, just keep going through the steps and it’ll happen! Repeat what you did yesterday. Remove half, add an equal 50g of flour and room temperature water, stir, cover, come back tomorrow.

Day 4: Bubbles! If you see liquid in your starter, don’t worry. It’s called hooch and it’s a good sign that your yeast is active and hungry! Repeat steps from the previous day. Discard half, add 50 grams of each flour and water, stir well, cover, let it be!

Day 5: Here is where we change things up. You’ll feed your starter every 12 hours rather than 24. All of the same steps. Discard half, add 50 equal grams, stir well and let it relax! The starter should take on a sweet and funky smell by now.

Day 6: Repeat with the 2x a day feedings. You should start to see increased activity. If not, no worries just keep repeating this process and it’ll happen. Sourdough is unpredictable.

Day 7: Repeat the 2x a day feedings. If you are seeing your starter increase in size and then fall back down – this is a good sign!! It means the starter is almost ready to use. Keep and eye on how much it rises and falls throughout the day if you can.

Day 8: Now it’s safe to feed the starter once a day again. You can even split off the discard and have multiple jars started. Keep up with the daily feedings and once your starter is doubling in size after 12 or less hours – she’s ready!

What if you see mold in your starter?

This is the only time I’ll every tell someone to throw away the starter. Sometimes it just happens. My advice is make sure the sides of the jar are clean after each feeding. Don’t stress – just start again!

After 7-8 days the starter should be ready to use. If you don’t think the starter is rising enough – just keep going through the cycle. Make sure you follow a credible loaf recipe! My first loaf was as flat as I wish my stomach was – hahah! So, if this happens to you, don’t worry! Just keep feeding your starter daily and try again in another week. I promise that you WILL get the hang of it. Remember, trial and error!

I strongly encourage buying a sourdough beginners kit so you’ll have all of the tools you’ll need. This is completely optional though!

Happy Baking!

The post Simple Sourdough Starter appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

M great grandmother loved canning. I’m well versed in the food health and safety that surrounds canning food but she would can everything. From chicken, to simple jams – she was packing it all in jars.

I have made pickles this way for years and years. You do not need to water bath or pressure can and YES it is safe. Pickles are so high in acid from the vinegar that they will remain shelf stable for years. If the jars are sterilized, the brine being poured into the jars is hot, and the ingredients are washed and fresh – nothing will spoil.

I have attempted to water bath pickles before just for curiosity sake but it definitely takes away from the crunch of the pickle. The ice bath in addition to the alum is what keeps these pickles nice, fresh and crunchy.

Alum can be hard to find in stores sometimes. I just get mine shipped straight to my door. Get some here.

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Great Grandmas Dilly Pickles

Recipe by Modern Homestead HavenCourse: Canning, SnackCuisine: Old School, American

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

My favorite ‘tried and true’ recipe that holds a special place in my heart.

Ingredients

• 4.5 cups water

• 1.5 cups pickling vinegar

• 1.5 tbsp pickling salt

• A pinch of Alum (optional)

• Fresh dill and dill heads

• 1.5 tbsp white sugar

Directions

• Sterilize canning jars with boiling water while you let your cucumbers (preferably small pickling cucumbers from the garden) sit in an ice bath.
• Once the jars are sterilized, pack them full of cucumbers, alum and dill – use as much dill as your heart desires. Each jar only needs a pinch of alum. Remember, this is optional.
• Add water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a sauce pan and stir until the granules are dissolved. Bring to a boil.
• Set all filled, prepared jars in the sink and place a canning funnel on the top of a jar. Setting them in the sink makes less of a mess. I have upgraded to a saucepan with a spout to make this process easier, but if you don’t have one – be prepared for a little mess.
• Remove the brine from the heat once it is boiling and immediately pour into a jar leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rim with paper towel and place the seal and ring on immediately. Set the jar off to the side. Use oven mitts.
• Repeat on the remaining jars. If you need to place the pot back on the stove to bring to a boil again, that’s okay and I recommend doing it to ensure the brine is hot at possible when the jars are sealed.
• Leave the jars undisturbed for 24 hours on the counter. If they have all successfully sealed, you can remove the outer ring and store the jars in a dark, cool place.
• For best results, store for 1-3 months before consuming for best flavor.

Notes

• If one or two jars do not seal – that is completely normal. I just place them in the fridge and they’ll last for months and months. Make sure to wait a month or two before consuming to ensure the best flavor.
• The sugar is also optional but I think it gives a nice balance against the saltiness and the bite of the vinegar.
• If you don’t have access to fresh cucumbers or garden dill – THAT IS OKAY! Larger cucumbers can be chopped up and used the same way.

The post Great Grandmas Dilly Pickles appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

This is a cozy meal that is sooo easy to make with ingredients most people have in their home already. And boy, it is filling.

I like to preach that recipes are only guidelines to make a unique meal. For example: instead of chicken stock… use beef stock, instead of corn… add carrots or broccoli, instead of nutmeg… add rosemary, and so on. The only ingredient I strongly suggest you don’t change are the potatoes. Make your own version and enjoy a tasty meal with your family!

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Soup is always easier with quality soup pots. I use the following two consistently for all my soup creations! I also like to go [way too] overboard when I make soup. I like to make 3 times more servings than I need for a meal and freeze the remainder for a quick and easy meal some other day.

Creamy Potato Soup

Course: Lunch, Dinner, SupperCuisine: American comfort

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

A perfect winter meal. Tasty, filling & good for the soul.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs potato – I use red or yellow

• 1 medium yellow onion

• 2 cups chopped ham or bacon

• 3 cloves of minced garlic

• 3-4 cups chicken stock (depends how thick you want it)

• 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1.5 cups milk

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup whole kernel corn

• 2 cups finely chopped celery

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Oregano to taste

• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Directions

• Peel and cube potatoes – set aside.
• In a large stock pot or dutch oven, fry the bacon until cooked & transfer to a dish lined with paper towel. Leave the bacon grease behind. If using chopped ham, add a teaspoon of butter to the pot and move onto the next step.
• Add the rough chopped onions to the bacon grease (or butter if you’re using ham) and cook until they begin to turn translucent. Then, add the garlic and cook with the onion for another minute.
• Add a tiny bit of chicken stock and the flour to the pot and whisk until there are no clumps of flour.
• Add the remainder of the chicken stock and whisk until smooth. Follow that with the milk & cream and mix until everything is incorporated.
• Turn the stove to medium, and add salt, pepper, oregano, nutmeg & any other spices desired. Chili flakes add a nice touch. Taste as you go and season as needed.
• Once simmering, add potatoes, corn & celery. You’ll want to slightly overcook the potatoes so they start to break down and add to the creaminess of the soup.
• Reduce heat and add the bacon or ham and stir in.

Notes

• You can spruce it up by topping the soup with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, or chives.
• Any kind of potato will be fine but russet potatoes will have a grainy texture.
• The slurry made with flour and water will thicken the soup nicely, if its not thick enough – add a little more slurry using a 1:1 water & flour ratio.

The post Creamy Potato & Ham (or Bacon) Soup appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

I want to be clear about something. This recipe can be done YOUR way. Nuts and bolts can be altered by adding or removing things that you like or don’t like or altering the seasonings to your personal preference.

This recipe is going to be very unformal. The only thing that I religiously stick to is my seasonings. The amount of each different ingredient varies year by year – simply because I usually make this around Christmas time I can’t be bothered to measure. I eyeball most of my ingredients for this recipe. It is meant to inspire your own version!! My best advice to you is to dump all the things you enjoy into a large roasting pan, but leave a little room to stir in the oil and seasonings.

This recipe is a hit both with my family and my husbands side of the family. It’s almost like the perfect ‘lazy’ treat to bring to gatherings. That’s what I do, anyways!

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Easy Nuts & Bolts

Recipe by TaylorCourse: SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy, beginner

A perfect snack for the holidays! This recipe is meant to inspire you to make your own version of nuts and bolts. There is no right or wrong way as long as you use vegetable oil and bake it! Make this to your taste – let me know in a comment if you do and I’ll try your version out too!

Ingredients

• Pretzels, any kind.

• Bugles, any flavor

• Unsalted peanuts

• Chex Mix Cereal, unflavored

• Cheerios, unflavored

• Ritz Mini Cheese Sandwiches

• Ritz Cheese Nibs

• Ritz Cheese Bitz

• Drizzle of vegetable oil

• Hidden Valley Ranch power, 1 pack

• 1 tbs salt & pepper

• 1-2 tbsp dried dill

Directions

• Dump as much of your ingredients as you can into a roaster pan (except for the seasonings), a roaster pan with a lid will work best
• Once its near full, give everything a quick mix & then drizzle the vegetable oil on the nuts and bolts
• Place the lid on the roaster, and (while holding the lid onto the roaster) give it a light shake to distribute the oil
• Dump in seasonings of choice, or use what I have listed, your call! Add the lid and lightly shake again to distribute the seasonings
• Taste test – add more seasoning if you think it needs more!
• Bake in the oven at 200 for 1-1.5 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes to ensure nothing gets burnt.
• Let cool and enjoy

Notes

• As I mentioned earlier, this recipe is VERY versatile. Make it your own – don’t sweat it!
• You can store any extras in the freezer!

The post Nuts & Bolts – A Changeable and Versatile Recipe appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

I grow an obscene amount of pie pumpkins in my garden each year and I will use every last one. One of my favorite ways to use up the puree from my pie pumpkins is to make these delicious pumpkin pie cookies. I make these cookies for Thanksgiving, Christmas and even some birthdays because my family goes absolutely nuts over them. I have a special hiding spot for these cookies so that I can have a secret stash just for me.

This recipe is just another way that I can use my garden harvest. I know that the pumpkin puree in this recipe is just a tiny sliver of the final product but, it still makes me feel good that the food I grow gets used and it makes the final product a little more personal. I use puree from pumpkins from my garden, but that does not mean that you have to. There are plenty of brands at the grocery store that sell canned quality pure pumpkin puree. Happy baking!

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Pumpkin Pie Cookies

Recipe by TaylorCourse: AmericanCuisine: Treats

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Cinnamon, spice & everything nice. These cookies will become a new favorite in your household!

Ingredients

• 1 cup pure pumpkin puree

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp table salt

• 1 tbsp cinnamon

• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice – see note below if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar – can use yellow, light or regular brown sugar.

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract – measure with your heart

• 1 egg – room temp

• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie seasoning, and cinnamon and give it a good mix. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, add granulated sugar, brown sugar and canola oil. Use a silicone spatula and mix until smooth.
• In the bowl containing the sugar mixture, add as much vanilla extract as your heart desires and 1 room temperature egg. Mix this again until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, mix again.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in 1 cup increments. Keep mixing and adding flour until all ingredients are just combined. Make sure to scrape the sides as you mix.
• Fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly incorporated into the mixture. Remember, chocolate chips are optional and the amount in this recipe is just a suggestion
• Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. The best way to do this is by using a heaping tablespoon and plopping it onto the sheet. Alternatively, use clean hands and roll into 2-3 inch balls and press them onto the baking sheet to slightly flatten. Make sure to space the cookies 2 inches apart.
• Bake the cookies in the pre-heated oven for 11-13 minutes. Cooking times vary from oven to oven but they should look fluffy and set when completed.
• Allow them to cool for several minutes before enjoying. They can be stored in any airtight container or bag – if they last that long.

Notes

• #1 Ensure to use only pure pumpkin puree without any additives such as seasonings and salt.
• #2 You can make your own pumpkin pie spice by adding 1 tbsp. of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and ginger, 1/4 tsp ground allspice, 1/4 ground cloves. Use these measurements instead of the cinnamon and pumpkin pie seasoning listed in the recipe.

The post Pumpkin Pie Cookies appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

I’ve always been a sucker for a nice smelling home, but I’m not a sucker for the artificial fragrances and chemicals that most home fragrance products come with. A few years ago, I started researching and experimenting with making my own candles and wax melts. I found out what worked, and what didn’t. Now, I make a lot of candles and wax melts throughout the year. I make them for myself, friends & family, and to sell at local craft markets. Keep reading and I’ll explain as simple as possible how you can successfully make your own at home too.

#1 Source The Wax

I personally like to use either soy wax, beeswax or a combination of both. Don’t be too alarmed at the cost of these waxes as most waxes are sold in 5-10 pound bags, which could make quite a few candles (depending on the size you’re making).

Best Soy & Beeswax For Home Candle Making:

• Village Craft & Candle
• New Directions Aromatics
• Amazon even has some smaller bags at a reasonable price

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#2 Source The Essential Oils

One pound of dry wax will need 1-1.5 liquid oz of scent. You can mix multiple different scents together to create your own unique blend! Some essential oil companies charge 20-50 dollars for 15 mL of product – which is CRAZY. I’ve found a company that sells essential oils in larger containers for a fraction of the price – I’ve included them below. I’ve tested out quite a few of these oils and they all seem to have the same quality as a $40.00 15mL bottle. Artificial fragrance gives me wicked headaches and I haven’t made a candle yet that has given me one! Village Craft and Candle is one of my favorite one stop candle shops. Plus, they have a great selection of affordable essential oils in bulk containers. Click on the picture below and it’ll take you straight to Village Craft and Candles natural fragrance section.

Shipping can be expensive in some of these wholesale companies so I’ve included a few links of essential oils that I’ve tested out from Amazon:

• Variety pack of 6 10ML bottles
• Majestic Pure Essential Oil – 4 fl. oz *click through for different scents*
• HIQILI Eucalyptus Essential Oil 100ML *click through for different scents*

#3 Buy The Wicks and Find a Jar

Wick kits are pretty affordable and easy to find. Click here for the ones I use. I say find a jar because they are so easy to come by. Make an even more eco friendly candle by turning an old jar laying around your house into a cute candle that fills the room with a beautiful scent. I accumulate tiny jam jars from friends and family gifting me homemade goodies – so I turn them into candles and return them. Even an old ceramic mug that you’re about to throw away would make a perfect little candle. If you do go out and buy a candle jar, ensure that it’s one you’ll re-use once the wax runs it course.

Natural Soy Wax Candles

Ingredients

• Soy wax and/or beeswax
• 1-2oz essential oil

Equipment

• Double boiler or *makeshift* a glass bowl in a pot of water
• Kitchen thermometer
• Jar
• Wick & wick holder
• Rubber spatula

Directions

1. Add 1 pound of wax into the double boiler & turn to low heat. (1 pound of wax will make a medium size candle)
2. Prepare candle jar and desired wick placements.
3. Slowly melt the wax until the temperature of the wax reaches 185F. Turn the heat off.
4. Immediately add 1-1.5oz (depending on desired scent strength) of essential oil per one pound of wax and slowly sir it into the wax.
5. Once the wax cools to 160F, pour into the prepared candle jar.
6. When the candle is 1/2 hardened, you can optionally add botanicals on top.
7. If the candle hardens with a crack or bubble, just take a hair dryer and smooth it out. It takes about 2 minutes to fix.
8. Trim the wick once the candle is fully hardened and enjoy! (I just use regular kitchen scissors)

**FYI: Some waxes need 1-2 weeks to ‘cure’ before being lit. Curing binds the scent to the wax for maximum scent throw. If you light your candle and can’t smell anything… it probably needs time to cure.**

The post Easy DIY Natural Candles appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.