Author: Debbie

Preserving Summer

KATHARINE TRAUGER: Get All You Can: Can All You Get

You put beans, salt, and boiling water into a jar, cap with a hot lid, set it in a pressure pan that has a couple of quarts of water in it, apply the lid and the pressure gauge, turn on the heat, wait a while, turn it off, take the jar out, and you are done. What could be easier? People do this all the time!

Yet it took us about 4000 years or so to figure it out. The idea of canning, itself, did not come about until the early 1800’s. Tin cans were first used in the U.S. in 1839. Mr. John Mason invented the canning jar in 1858. READ MORE

KATHARINE TRAUGER: Get All You Can – Can All You Get, Part 2

Now let’s consider the canning containers.

It’s not just the food; the jars must also be clean. Some mothers employ children for this chore because they think their own hands will not fit through the mouth of the jar. Actually, a wet, soapy, adult female hand will usually fit into a very warm jar. It is not a bad chore for a careful child, though. READ MORE

KATHARINE TRAUGER: Canning Failure and the Moral of the Story

Let’s talk a moment about canning failure. Although any canned food that fails to seal is acceptable if refrigerated and eaten within 3 days, undetected failure gives you food that is spoiled. It is unusable, offensive, and poison. READ MORE

For even more of Katharine’s canning tips visit her blog: Katharine Trauger

Keisha McKinney: Salmon and Vegetable Sheet Pan Meal {Foodie Friday}

One pan meals. We all talk about how much we LOVE an easy meal that uses one pan, but when it comes down to it… we forget how much we love them until its time to clean up dinner. Insert the sheet pan meal (ta-dah)!

I don’t know about you, but I hate unloading the dishwasher. So, as much as I’d like to say one pan meals are for easy after dinner clean up, it really means the less dishes that go in the dishwasher, the less that have to come back out and be put up. Mr. McKinney recently had surgery so I’m spending my summer taking care of 2 babies – a little one and a big one!

In the summer, we like to spend time on the grill, and vegetables are usually the side to anything we are doing. But, our grill went “kaput” over the winter months and we have yet to replace it. (that doesn’t mean we have not made multiple trips to look at grills…but that’s a different story. I guess if he can walk the aisles of Target with me, I can walk the aisles at Home Depot to look at grills.) With Mr. McKinney down and this not being the summer I learn how to operate the grill, we are back to old faithful….the oven. READ MORE

Keisha (Pittman) McKinney lives in South Arkansas with her husband and sweet Boxer, Bailey and….a new baby boy! Keisha is remembering what it’s like to plan ahead for shopping trips to “the city,” getting resourceful at her small town Walmart and creating online shopping personas everywhere. She blogs @bigpittstop about daily adventures, cooking escapades, #bigsisterchats, the social justice cases on her heart, and all that she is learning as a #boymom!

Blog –bigpittstop: new journey, new normal, new you – http://www.bigpittstop.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/bigpittstop

Twitter – https://twitter.com/bigpittstop

Instagram – http://instagram.com/bigpittstop#

Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/bigpittstop/

Etsy- https://www.etsy.com/shop/kcutiedesigns

Red, White and Blue for Independence Day!

KEISHA McKINNEY: Oatmeal Blueberry Bread

I noticed last night that the bag of blueberries were getting a little mushy so when I woke up this morning with a sweet tooth, I went on the hunt for something that included blueberries and ingredients I might already have on hand. A quick Pinterest search got me several possibilities and I narrowed it down to the Oatmeal Blueberry Loaf from Betty Crocker. READ MORE

JENNIFER MAUNE: Casual Cookout Ideas

As we get into the summer months, I’m thinking about how to celebrate my husband for Father’s Day and what we are going to do for the Fourth of July. If you’ve been around here for long, you know we love festive parties and any reason to celebrate! We love spending time with family and friends and that typically involves sharing a meal together. I shared an elegant backyard barbecue with you a few weeks ago, and I’m excited to share these casual cookout ideas with you now…just in time for Father’s Day or your Independence Day celebrations. READ MORE

AMY GRAMLICH: Upside-Down Cupcakes

I had in mind to make something with berries for Fourth of July. There have been so many cute holiday ideas floating around on the link parties and on Pinterest that I was overwhelmed with what to make. While roaming around at the grocery store yesterday morning, I still wasn’t sure what I would make. Suddenly, a vision of that gorgeous iced-side down cupcake from Belly Rumbles popped in my head. Although I did not use the cake and icing recipe from the Belly Rumbles post, I was excited to use the upside down idea as my inspiration. READ MORE

DEBBIE ANROLD: Red White and Blue Blueberry and Beet Salad

This salad can easily sub in as a side dish for your picnics or barbecues. There’s no mayo or other dairy product that needs to be kept under refrigeration. You can wait until just before serving to garnish with the goat cheese crumbles if it’s a particularly hot day simply because they might “melt” into the salad.

Who am I kidding? It’s summer. In Arkansas. Of course, it’s hot! READ MORE

Rachel Hough: Cooking Our Way Through the World Cup

Each year that there is a World Cup tournament (men or women), we have made a tradition of cooking our way through the tournament. We find that it is a way to add new flavors and dishes to our repertoire in the kitchen. My girls and I pick a team for the day and then cook from that country. It has resulted in some of our most favorite family recipes. These are the recipes that we have tried for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. READ MORE

Rachel writes about homesteading, gardening, farming, food, and her life in northeastern Oklahoma. Rachel lives with her husband, 2 teenage daughters, 3 dogs, 30 chickens, 10 pigs, hundreds of cattle, thousands of bees, and one very cranky rabbit. When she’s hiding from all the chaos, she can be found blogging over at HoughFamilyHomestead.com.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/family_hough
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hough_family_homestead/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houghfamilyhomestead/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/houghfamilyhomestead/pins/

All Scream for Ice Cream, Round 2

AMY GRAMLICH: Pineapple-Orange Ice Cream Float

If you’ve ever done much observing about ice cream floats, you will see there are two camps. In one camp are those who believe the ice cream goes into the glass first. In the other are the folks who believe the soda goes in first to eliminate excess foam. I am a staunch member of the first camp. I want all the frothy goodness I can get out of a float! READ MORE

PAT DOWNS: Caramel Granola Ice Cream Topping

Enjoy Pat’s Caramel Granola Ice Cream Topping on your favorite vanilla ice cream. READ MORE

JENNIFER MAUNE: Ice Cream Sandwiches

Entertaining is one of my love languages and nothing makes me happier than beautiful weather that lends to spending our days outside enjoying the company of family and loved ones. Watching the kids run and play, a yummy meal sizzling on the grill, a beautiful table set up to share a meal together, I’m not sure it gets any better! I’m excited to share these elegant backyard barbeque ideas including a menu and recipes perfect for your upcoming Independence Day Celebration or just a fun gathering enjoyed outdoors! READ MORE

RENEE BIRCHFIELD: No Churn Cookie Dough Ice Cream

There is nothing nicer then ice cream on a hot summer day. Memorial Day is the beginning of summer in my book. I have been seeing recipes for no churn ice cream, no need for an ice cream maker, sounded worth a shot to me! READ MORE

AMY GRAMLICH: Strawberry Margarita Sherbet Float

If you like frozen margaritas, you will love this strawberry margarita sherbet float! Despite the name, it is actually non-alcoholic so it is a great treat for the whole family! On an ice cream float kick this summer, I found some new inspiration a few weeks ago as I looked through my mom’s June issue of Better Homes and Gardens. READ MORE

Debbie Arnold: Homemade Spice Mixes {Foodie Friday}

Are you in the habit of reaching for seasoning spice blends when you trek through the market? Sometimes those blends can be quite expensive. Why not try making your own homemade versions? Most are quite simple and use ingredients you probably have on hand already.

In addition to being less expensive, homemade spice blends allow you to control the amount that you make. You already know you don’t need to allow your spices to sit around for ages in the spice cabinet, right?

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE

MOROCCAN SPICE BLEND

POULTRY SEASONING

GINGERBREAD SPICE MIX

CREOLE SEASONING

All Scream for Ice Cream!

AMY JAMES: Easy Retro Dreamsicle Ice Cream

If you came here looking for a healthy meal for your family, you might want to skip to the next recipe. But if you want a quick, sweet, cold treat for a HOT summer day, you’ll want to make this ice cream. It takes just like a Dreamsicle! When was the last time you had one of those?? I don’t think my kids ever have, but they LOVE this ice cream. READ MORE

RENEE BIRCHFIELD: Raspberry Sorbet

Who doesn’t love a good sorbet? The smooth texture, the tartness of the fresh fruit, and the sweetness from plenty of good sugar. This sorbet recipe is adapted from the one that my in-laws made a couple years ago for Fourth of July. It tastes great but my favorite thing is that it is easy to make with only five ingredients. READ MORE

DEBBIE ARNOLD: Fresh Ginger-Peach Ice Cream

Arkansas peaches are simply amazing. Have I mentioned that before? Well, just in case you have not heard it before, Arkansas peaches are so doggone good, y’all and I can’t wait for you to try them in this Fresh Ginger Peach Ice Cream.

Go ahead. Lick your lips! READ MORE

LACIE RING: Easy Homemade Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Well, my kiddo just turned 11 years old. It is so bitter sweet. He keeps getting older and more independent which is sweet but I’m losing my baby which is bitter. Birthdays call for cake and ice cream! The kiddo loves him some ice cream. (he would eat ice cream every night if we let him.) He isn’t the biggest fan of cakes, but he will eat it. Garrett does love cookies and cream and ice cream sandwiches. So, what’s the compromise? Make your own! READ MORE

DEBBIE ARNOLD: NoNo’s Peppermint Ice Cream

During the summers he was in college, Hubby worked for his uncle at the family sawmill. It was hot, dirty and dusty work and was a huge incentive to stay in school and work on his degree. He also lived with his uncle and aunt and enjoyed the benefits of his Aunt NoNo’s home-style country cooking. (How she got that name is another story for another time.) Unfortunately, NoNo passed away from breast cancer shortly before we married, but I know she would be quite proud of her baby brother’s only son. Family was all important to NoNo, and she loved each and every member of the clan deeply and sincerely. There never was a truer Steel Magnolia. READ MORE

More to come next week!

Lyndi Fultz: Eating Fresh From Someone Else’s Garden

Do you have aspirations for a home garden but not enough time, land, or whatever is needed to make it happen? It’s okay, because we have Plan B.

Plan B is buying locally what is farmed locally.

On Friday I ran around town and purchased groceries from here and there, all the while keeping my eyes peeled for local produce. Here’s a sample of what I found and I barely scratched the surface!

Walmart

I was happy to see that my local Walmart is calling out locally farmed produce. From cabbage to sweet potatoes to berries, I applaud this so stinkin’ much. Does your local Walmart have the same?

Tasty Tuesday: Summer Favorites

JULIE KOHL: Coconut Watermelon Margarita

One of my favorite parts of summer and summer vacation is TROPICAL DRINKS! I love a good frozen drink with pineapple, coconut, strawberry, lime, and all the flavors of summer. To me, no dessert is better in the summer than an icy cold flavored beverage. I love to get out my blender and mix up all kinds of concoctions. Some have alcohol and some don’t. Some act more as a cocktail while others are more of a dessert and yet others are just a fancied up beverage you would drink with a meal. READ MORE

LYNDI FULTZ: Picnics Are Meant for Slowing Down

It started off a bit on the chilly side and as I woke up to meet the day I slipped on comfy sweats and a tee shirt. As the day ebbed on and we ran errands, I quickly released it was time for shorts and flip-flops. Summer is coming and she is ready to make residency.

Whenever I encounter perfect days such as today, when the slight breezes and half-sunshiney and half-shady days beg me to put up a hammock, I am reminded that life is meant for slowing down whenever we can. To really LIVE. Pick a flower, enjoy a long conversation, and just get your feet wet. READ MORE

PAT DOWNS: Lunch on a Budget: Great Summer Lunch Ideas {Turkey Spinach Wraps}

Like many of us I was making the quick dash out at lunch to find something fresh and quick to eat. However, fresh and quick in most sandwich shops is not cheap! I decided to eat the local Supermarket on my way in to work. I purchased tortilla’s, two fresh Roma tomatoes, a bag of fresh baby spinach, Boars Head Smoked Turkey (from the deli section) and Kraft Cheddar Cheese for $10.50. I had previously purchased some fresh salsa (made fresh at the Deli) and a small bag Parmesan cheese for $5.00. Take the time to check out your local market in the deli area, most of them make fresh salsa in quart containers in mild, spicy and hot. I always purchase mild because after it sits it can get a little kick in it. READ MORE

DEBBIE ARNOLD: Savory Tomato-Basil Jam

This Savory Tomato-Basil Jam is just one way I extend the incredible flavor of summer tomatoes. It’s sweet. It’s savory. It’s just plain delicious. We especially like it on grilled turkey-cheese sandwiches. Put some on a biscuit with a slice of ham or bacon—oh my goodness y’all! READ MORE

Debbie Arnold: Cook the Cover – Hummingbird Bundt Cake

Hummingbird Cake is the most requested recipe from Southern Living magazine. It was first submitted to the magazine in 1978 by Mrs. L. H.Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina and appeared in the February issue of that year. Mrs. Wiggins, who worked at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro at the time she sent the recipe in, passed away in 1995 at the age of 81.

This light spice cake filled with bananas, pineapple and pecans is typically made as a layer cake with a cream cheese-buttermilk icing. Bake From Scratch magazine’s May/June 2018 issue featured the flavors of Hummingbird Cake in 5 different ways: cookie bars, loaf, pie, layer cake and as a bundt cake. The cover of that issue was an immediate temptation and I knew I was going to give the bundt cake version a try. READ MORE