Homesteader News
A free online newspaper written by homesteaders for homesteaders! Sponsored by
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Owner- LaMar Alexander
Homesteader Kitchen by Krystal Beers
Krystal Beers is an avid heirloom gardener and active heritage livestock breed conservationist. A proud homemaker, Mrs. Beers has been collecting recipes, old-time lore, poetry and prose for 30 years. She presently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband where they raise rabbits, tend their organic kitchen garden, and are in the process of establishing an off-grid rural ranch.
Two Hunnyz Rabbitry Satin & American
Visit Our Blog- Journey Into The Country!
Clover Creek Mercantile- our on-line homestead storeKrystal is leaving us!
I am very sorry to say that Krystal is leaving Homesteader News to pursue other adventures!
Her articles have been very interesting and a wonderful contribution. We wish her well in all her future pursuits.
If you feel you have the skills and knowledge to write great articles for Homesteader Kitchen please send a draft to homesteadernews@yahoo.com
Thanks for all your help Krystal!
LaMar
Sun-Dried Tomatoes Preserved in Olive Oil
By Krystal Beers
Oil is a remarkable food preservative! Once immersed, many foods will keep almost indefinitely. This method has been practiced for generations, especially in Mediterranean countries. Though tomatoes are the object of our desire this time, many foods lend themselves well to preserving in oil- herbs, cheese, artichoke hearts, eggplant, mushrooms, olives, zucchini.
For most, tomato season is through. Your bountiful (hopefully) crop has been either already consumed or transformed into fresh-tasting products to enjoy throughout the winter. I can just imagine the gleaming jars of red lining pantry shelves everywhere! So, use the information in this article for planning next year’s luscious crop.
Last year we planted a new-to-us heirloom tomato called “Principe Borghese”, said to be the classic Italian sun-drying tomato. The very reason we chose it for our kitchen garden, to dry and preserve. In a generally bad tomato year for many, it performed well, but the harvest was small. Such as it was, the effort was worth it. I have yet to meet an heirloom tomato I don’t like, but this little beauty is truly special! Bold tomato flavor, medium sweetness, lots of flesh, slightly acidic with a finish on your palate as smooth and creamy as home-churned butter. Mm. Whichever tomato variety you choose, small ones with fewer seeds turn out the best. Here are the instructions:
Ingredients:
Very ripe small tomatoes
Olive oil
Sterilized glass pint jars and lids
Drying apparatus
Method:
Have at the ready your drying trays. Wash and slice tomatoes in half lengthwise with a sharp knife so as not to crush them. Place tomato halves cut side up on trays; close together but not touching. Dry according to the directions for tomatoes in general for the type of drying apparatus you use. Let dry completely, but not become brittle. Remove and allow to cool thoroughly. Drop into jars, leaving 1-inch of headspace. Fill with olive oil to cover by ¾-inch. Seal and store in a cool place.
Voila! I just love pulling a jar of these little ruby gems from the pantry to add a special touch to an omelet, pasta dish, or as a hor d’oeuvres like in Italy. I hope you’ll give this old method a try, too! For more instructions and old, sometimes ancient, preservation methods read “Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning…” by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante, with forwards by Elliot Coleman and Deborah Madison.
Pumpkin is one of the all-time classic flavors of fall. It just wouldn’t seem like fall without them! Probably because they’re ripe for the picking in the patch and we’ve carefully tended them all summer, mouths watering in anticipation. Highly versatile, pumpkin can creatively be fashioned into sweet and savory dishes alike- bread, muffins, pie, soup, soufflé, side dish. Really, the sky’s the limit!
Actually a winter squash, the beautiful pumpkin comes in a varied array of colors, shapes and sizes. Many are heirlooms with names like: Amish Pie, Baby Pam, Flat White Boer, and Seminole. Chock full of healthy goodness, pumpkin is high in vitamin A and antioxidant carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta carotenes. It’s also a good source of vitamin C, K, and E, and minerals like potassium, magnesium and iron. One cup of pumpkin puree has 80 calories and 7 grams of fiber.
Although pumpkins aren’t fresh in season at this time of year (February), many homesteaders have a nice supply they’ve put up either by canning, freezing, or drying. Here are a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes. From my hearth to yours- enjoy!
Pumpkin Bread
This is the best bread. Simply mouthwatering! It can also be made as muffins- follow the recipe, then portion the batter out into a muffin tin, and bake for 30 minutes until tested done.
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can plain pumpkin purée, or use 2 c. homemade
2/3 cup water
3-1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1 tsp. allspice
½ tsp. ground cloves
Method:
-In a large bowl, cream the sugar and oil. Add eggs and pumpkin, mixing well.
-Sift the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add alternately with the water, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
-Pour into 2 well-greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes on cooling rack before removing from pans.
Auntie Krystal’s Pumpkin Pie
This is one nephew’s favorite pie! Its great served with fresh whipped cream. Make sure all of your spices are fresh for the season, once ground they get stale within a year. And freshly ground nutmeg is a real flavor boost.
Ingredients:
2 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie shells
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cloves
4 large eggs
3-1/2 cups (29 oz.) plain pumpkin puree
3 cups (2- 12 oz. cans) evaporated milk
Method:
-Combine sugar, salt and spices in a small bowl.
-Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin along with the sugar/spice mixture.
-Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.
-Pour into pie shells. Make at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve or chill.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
For variations: add 2 Tbsp. of bourbon at the same time as the cream; add finely minced candied ginger.
Ingredients:
2 cups pureed pumpkin
¾ cup sugar
2 cups cream
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
Method:
-In large bowl, thoroughly combine the pumpkin puree and sugar.
-Stir in the cream and spices.
-Pour into your ice cream maker and follow its directions.
Pumpkin Soup
From: Selfsufficientish.com
Ingredients:
2lbs. pumpkin (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
2 large potatoes
2 large onions
1 qt. chicken stock
½ cup (4 oz) cream
Method:
-Place all ingredients (except cream) in pan, bring to
boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until pumpkin is
cooked.
-Put soup in blender, blend till smooth.
Quotes
To the old saying that man built the house but woman made of it a "home" might be added the modern supplement that woman accepted cooking as a chore but man has made of it a recreation. ~Emily Post
Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~Stanley Horowitz
Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson
Book Review
“Eating Off the Grid- storing and cooking foods without electricity” – Denise Hansen, MS, RD
This unique guide for utilizing long-term dry storage food items will help you prepare over 270 tasty and healthy dishes with little, if any, help from electricity, transportation, or processing. Dishes are mostly vegetarian due to use of ingredients such as beans, whole grains, dry milk, and powdered eggs. Also includes recipe nutrition information, sample menu plan, and suggestions on how much/what to store for a full year supply of food. Definitely worth the space on a cookbook shelf!