Simple syrups are a great way to add flavor to drinks, yogurt, pancakes, ice cream, or as a grenadine substitute, really anything that needs a little something. My current favorite simple syrup is hibiscus syrup, made with the calyx of hibiscus sabdariffa, also known as Roselle and Jamaican sorrel. To make hibiscus syrup you just […]
How to Meal Plan on a Budget
I think most people instinctively know how to plan meals, but we’ve got so many apps and systems available to us that we assume it can’t really be as easy as writing down what meals we want to eat for the week or month and then making sure we have the food to cook those […]
Recipes for Hibiscus Tea and Other Tasty Treats
I’ve become quite obsessed with trying recipes for hibiscus tea, hibiscus curd, hibiscus jelly, and many more hibiscus treats since our hibiscus bushes are bursting with calyx (pods). We’ve grown edible hibiscus for several years and I’m truly amazed by the many traditional hibiscus recipes there and by people’s unique twists to those recipes. Are […]
Fresh Mango Lime Pie Recipe
Tired of overly sweet fruit pies? Then try this sweet and tangy mango lime pie! I discovered mango pie when I over bought mangoes and had several mangoes getting very ripe on my kitchen counter. I love it when I make delicious mistakes like that. Everyone in my family loves mangoes…except me. So when I […]
Canning Grape Pie Filling and a Grape Pie Recipe
Every year our family picks wild mustang grapes to make grape jelly and grape juice. Mustang grapes are similar to muscadine grapes but more sour, however, they make a lovely sweet/tart jelly and juice. Every year we have quite a bit of leftover mash or waste from extracting the juice, this year I decided to […]
DIY Irrigation Systems to Save Water in The Garden
Sometimes I feel like some of the things our family does would qualify in the list “You might be a ______ if…”; You can fill in the blank…redneck, crazy woman, frugal gardener, whatever. Our diy irrigation system for the garden probably qualifies us as one of those things. I struggle to keep our garden […]
Preserving Okra by Freezing, Canning, Fermenting, and Dehydrating
I’ve recently learned that not everyone loves okra as much as I do. There are people in my family that love it and there are those who tolerate it. I try to work within the likes and dislikes of my family so we prepare it in a variety of ways. Of course, we fry it, […]
How to Grow Lettuce in Any Climate
It probably doesn’t surprise you that the most popular salad vegetable grown in home vegetable gardens is lettuce. Lettuce is one of the fastest producing vegetables you can grow and the foundation of most salads. Unfortunately, growing lettuce can be a little tricky, especially in warmer climates. However, as long as you understand a little […]
Ultimate Guide to Growing Green Beans
After tomatoes, green beans might just be the most popular home vegetable garden crop. And for good reason! They’re easy to grow, super prolific, and quite tasty. Every year we grow green beans for eating fresh and for preserving. Now, green beans also have other names. Some people call them snap beans because they make […]
Ultimate Guide to Growing and Using Carrots
Carrots are the most popular root vegetable grown in the home garden. And for good reason. They taste great, are super nutritious, and are fun to pull up. Growing carrots, isn’t all fun and games, though. They’re particular when it comes to soil and can be stubborn when it comes to germinating. Let’s chat […]
