The Weekend Homesteader: A Twelve-Month Guide to Self-Sufficiency


Anna Hess - 2012
    If you need to fit homesteading into a few hours each weekend and would like to have fun while doing it, these projects will be right up your alley, whether you live on a forty-acre farm, a postage-stamp lawn in suburbia, or a high rise. Permaculture techniques will turn your homestead into a vibrant ecosystem and attract native pollinators while converting our society's waste into high-quality compost and mulch. Meanwhile, enjoy the fruits of your labor right away as you learn the basics of cooking and eating seasonally, then preserve homegrown produce for later by drying, canning, freezing, or simply filling your kitchen cabinets with storage vegetables.As you become more self-sufficient, you'll save seeds, prepare for power outages, and tear yourself away from a full-time job, while building a supportive and like-minded community. You won't be completely eliminating your reliance on the grocery store, but you will be plucking low-hanging (and delicious!) fruits out of your own garden by the time all forty-eight projects are complete.

In the Kitchen with David: QVC's Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home


David Venable - 2012
    And as the beloved host of QVC’s popular program, In the Kitchen with David,® he’s put that passion on mouthwatering display, welcoming some of the greatest names in the food world. But Venable’s own culinary skills—honed in the Carolina kitchens of his mother and grandmothers—are nothing short of remarkable and tantalizing.   Now, in his anticipated debut cookbook, Venable shares 150 delicious recipes of hearty, easy-to-make, comforting dishes. In the Kitchen with David covers everything from appetizers and breads to soups and salads to main courses and sides, as well as his lifelong love of bacon (The Divine Swine!). You’ll get ideas for quick Monday-to-Friday dinners, let-it-cook-all-weekend suppers, savory breakfasts and brunches, cocktail party fun, game-day eats, and family reunion feasts. And of course, no Southern-influenced cookbook is complete without a little something sweet. Venable’s favorites include  Party Starters: White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip, Chicken Nachos, Cheddar-Broccoli Poppers with Ranch Dipping Sauce, Cheesy Crab Stuffed MushroomsSupporting Players: Summer Squash Fritters with Garlic Dipping Sauce, Scrumptious Hush Puppies, Mom’s “Browned” Rice, Sweet Potato-Pineapple Casserole Main Events: Breaded Pork Cutlets, Chicken Marsala, Braised Beef Short Ribs, Low Country BoilSweet, Sweet Gratification: Deep Dish Apple Pie, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Banana Pudding Cheesecake, Peach Cobbler   Loaded with gorgeous photographs, helpful “Dishin’ with David” tips, and personal anecdotes, In the Kitchen with David encourages you and your family to gather around the dinner table for great meals and, more important, great memories. After all, the portions are generous; the options are limitless.  Foreword by Paula DeenAdvance praise for In the Kitchen with David  “David Venable’s unbridled love for good, hearty comfort food is absolutely infectious. He knows what delicious food tastes like, and one peek at the recipes in his book had me positively drooling. I haven’t been this excited about a cookbook in a long, long time!”—Ree Drummond, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks   “David definitely knows his way around the kitchen, and he sure gets cooking with some comfort food in this book. And that’s saying something coming from the two of us comfort food lovers!”—Pat and Gina Neely, hosts of Down Home with the Neelys

Comfort and Joy: Cooking for Two


Christina Lane - 2015
    Her signature friendly voice invites readers to try everything from her Southern Sweet Tea Fried Chicken to a Holiday Ham, perfectly portioned for whomever is sitting around the table. Fancy celebration meals appear along with down-home comfort food, all accompanied by mouth-watering photography. Recipes include:Bruleed Toasty OatsPimento Grilled Cheese with Fried PicklesRoasted Salmon Sheet Pan SupperPerfect Filet Mignons with Twice-Baked PotatoesRummy Oatmeal CookiesComfort and Joy is an essential book for singles, couples, and small families.

Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects


Karen Solomon - 2009
    Projects range from perfect pantry staples (Butter, Crackers, Pasta) to festive giftables (Toasted Walnut Brandy, Lemon Curd, Peanut Butter Cups); some give quick gratification (Mayonnaise, Rumkirschen, Potato Chips), while others reward patience (Gravlax, Ricotta Salata, Kimchee). Practical prep-ahead and storage instructions accompany each recipe, several give variations (like Caramelized Onion and Thyme Butter–yum), and most share ideas on how to use it, serve it, and give it away. Complete with color photographs and the accumulated wisdom of author Karen Solomon’s years of food crafting, Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It is your one-stop resource for turning your culinary inspiration into a pantry full of hand-labeled, better-than-store-bought creationsKaren Solomon is a food and lifestyle writer and veteran culinary tinkerer and food crafter. She is the author of The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to San Francisco, a contributor to San Francisco magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle, and a former editor and columnist for the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She has also contributed to Chow! San Francisco Bay Area, the SF Zagat Guide, and dozens of Bay Area and national publications. She lives with her partner, son, and food-focused dachshund in (you guessed it) San Francisco, California. Reach her at www.ksolomon.com.

Growing Your Own Tea Garden: The Guide to Growing and Harvesting Flavorful Teas in Your Backyard


Jodi Helmer - 2019
    Why Not Grow Your Own?If you’ve ever considered raising your own tea, this comprehensive guide is the place to start. Growing Your Own Tea Garden is packed with inspiration and practical instructions for cultivating and enjoying delicious teas. Author Jodi Helmer helps you plan and plant a productive backyard tea garden, with sample garden designs and cultivation advice. She shows you how to choose the right crops for your soil and climate, starting with the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and going on through a comprehensive survey of tisanes, or herbal teas. Discover how to grow the full range of herbal infusions that make wonderful teas, from flowering chamomile and lavender to chicory roots, rose hips, lemon verbena, peppermint, aromatic bergamot and more. Jodi shows you how to harvest, dry and store your tea to enjoy all year long, along with brewing tips and creative recipes. Inside Growing Your Own Tea Garden· Everything you need to know to create a healthy, bountiful tea garden and enjoy high quality tea· How to grow dozens of crops that make marvelous teas, herbal infusions and decoctions· Sample tea garden designs, including instructions for growing tea in container gardens and raised beds· Understanding the differences between black tea, green tea, white tea and herbal tea· How to dry and store your leaves for consumption on cool autumn days· Let it steep: how to brew the perfect cup of tea

Grow the Good Life: Why a Vegetable Garden Will Make You Happy, Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise


Michelle Owens - 2011
    But nothing is moreconvenient than grocery shopping in the backyard. A vegetable garden offers the best defense againstrising food prices, the most environmentally sound way to eat, and better exercise than any gym. It willturn anyone into a wonderful cook, since nothing tastes more vibrant than homegrown. And it can takeless time every week than a trip to the supermarket.In Grow the Good Life, Michele Owens, an amateur gardener for almost two decades, makes an entertaining and persuasive case for vegetable gardens. She starts with two simple but radical ideas: Growing food on a small scale is easy, and it is absurdly rewarding.With her wry, funny, and accessible approach, Owens helps beginning gardeners overcome obstacles that keep them from planting a few seedlings every spring. She explains why dirt isn't dirty; the health benefits of growing one's own food; and that vegetable gardens are not antithetical to the frantic pace of modern life, but simple and undemanding if intelligently managed.Grow the Good Life is not just another how-to. Instead, it will teach you the true fundamentals of vegetable growing: how to fit a garden into your life and why it's worth the trouble.

Miguel Barclay's FAST FRESH One Pound Meals


Miguel Barclay - 2017
    Over 80 delicious super-simple recipes that will save you both time and money.Cook delicious food for less. One Pound Meals became an instant bestseller and the biggest debut cookbook in 2017 with incredible 5-star reviews from his fans and readers. Now in Miguel Barclay's second book, the original One Pound Chef focuses on fresh and light food, all for £1 per person.Here are warm, delicious salads, light soups, nutritious stir-fries and lots of vegetarian meals. All follow Miguel's One Pound style of cooking - simple ingredients, straightforward recipes and mouthwatering meals - and now ready in minutes.With over 80 recipes that are easy to shop for - especially when short of time - Miguel will help you get the most out of your ingredients with his tasty and fast dishes. He will teach you how to shop savvy, buying fresh seasonal ingredients but also show you clever shortcuts with frozen versions when you are in a hurry.Perfect for summer, great for your pocket.'The feedback you gave me from One Pound Meals was that you guys loved the speed and simplicity of my recipes, so I turned this up a notch for you and have created over 80 super-fast recipes for this book. I've also devised more of my characteristic One Pound Meals shortcuts to get you cooking fun and exciting dishes every day of the week without spending hours in the kitchen.I was inspired by all the amazing food from around the globe, especially the street food in Thailand and the refreshing noodle and rice dishes from China. And then, from Europe, I've gone once again to the Mediterranean, taking inspiration from their simple rustic fish dishes that I love so much. These guys adore their food and live in glorious sunshine, so they know how to balance flavours to create light and uplifting summer dishes.My aim is to motivate you to cook as many recipes as possible by making them as irresistible as I can. I want you to keep cooking, discovering one recipe after another, using up ingredients as you go along.'Fast & Fresh recipes include:* Summer Chicken Pie* 5-Spice Baked Feta & Asparagus Salad* Goan Cauliflower Curry* Green Shakshuka * Smoky Fish Tacos* Baked Eggs & Asparagus* Falafel Burger* Butternut Gnocchi with Crispy Parma Ham & Feta* Goats' Cheese 'Scallops'* Mexican Tortilla Soup* Fisherman's Pie

Bring It!: Tried and True Recipes for Potlucks and Casual Entertaining


Ali Rosen - 2018
    But today's potlucks are essentially outsourced dinner parties, which make gathering around a shared table a cinch. Inside Bring It!, you will find dozens of impressive-looking recipes that come together easily, and are perfect for carrying to any occasion. Author Ali Rosen has put a long career in the food world to use, drawing on chef and restaurant secrets for easy dishes that will have friends begging for the recipe. Must-have dishes include: · Pimento Cheese and Crab Dip · Snap Pea Salad with Parmesan and Bacon · Pistachio and Anchovy Pasta · Short Ribs with Quick Pickled Shallots · S'mores Bars Each recipe includes a note called "How to Bring It," for make-ahead, reheating, and transport instructions. Flavors are designed for maximum impact, but won't take hours to cook, or require special ingredients. Have dinner with the neighbors, sit down to a picnic in the park, or bring a dish to the school luncheon. They come together easily, hold well, and travel beautifully. They'll have you rethinking the potluck.

Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round


Marisa McClellan - 2011
     Popular food blogger and doyenne of canning, Marisa McClellan, is using small batches and inventive flavors to make preserving easy enough for any novice to tackle. If you grew up eating home-preserved jams and pickles, or even if you're new to putting up, you'll find recipes to savor. Sample any of the 100 seasonal recipes:In the spring: Apricot Jam and Rhubarb SyrupIn the summer: Blueberry Butter and Peach SalsaIn the fall: Dilly Beans and Spicy Pickled CauliflowerIn the winter: Three-Citrus Marmalade and Cranberry KetchupMarisa's confident, practical voice answers questions and quells any fears of accidental canning mistakes, and the book is written for cooks of any skill level. Stories of wild blackberry jam and California Meyer lemon marmalade from McClellan's childhood make for a read as pleasurable as it is delicious; her home-canned food-learned from generations of the original "foodies"-feeds the soul as well as the body.

Ground Rules: 100 Easy Lessons for Growing a More Glorious Garden


Kate Frey - 2018
    Frey distills the vital lessons gardening into 100 simple rules that, if followed, will yield a gorgeous, healthy, and thriving home garden. New home gardeners will discover tips on garden design, care and maintenance, healthy soil, and the best ways to water. They’ll learn how to create a garden that encourages birds and butterflies, how to how to choose healthy plants at the garden center, how and when to re-pot a container, and much more. With bite-size chunks of expert information and nearly 100 inspiring photographs, Ground Rules packs a lot of value into its playful package and will be a go-to resource for gardeners everywhere.

The Forager's Harvest: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants


Samuel Thayer - 2006
    A guide to 32 of the best and most common edible wild plants in North America, with detailed information on how to identify them, where they are found, how and when they are harvested, which parts are used, how they are prepared, as well as their culinary use, ecology, conservation, and cultural history.

The Soup Club Cookbook: Feed Your Friends, Feed Your Family, Feed Yourself


Courtney Allison - 2015
      The Soup Club began when four friends (who, between them, have four husbands and ten hungry kids and several jobs) realized that they didn’t actually have to cook at home every night to take pleasure in a home-cooked meal. They simply had to join forces and share meals, even if they weren’t actually eating them together. Caroline, Courtney, Julie, and Tina happen to be neighbors, but a soup club is for anyone: colleagues, a group of workout buddies, a book club. All you need are a few people who simply want to have more home-cooked food in their lives.In a soup club each person takes a turn making soup—and sometimes other dishes for sides or for when everyone needs a break from soup, so if a club has four people, in a month each person will have dinner delivered three times—a dish that can start as a full meal and stretch into more dinners or lunches or even morph into a sauce. Soup is forgiving, versatile, and perfect for sharing; it can be spiced to taste, topped elaborately or not at all, and dressed up or down. It travels well and reheats beautifully.  The Soup Club Cookbook also has dozens of tips for cooking in quantity and for tailoring soup to individual tastes and needs. Here, too, are simple guidelines for starting your own soup club, anecdotes, and a few cautionary tales  that will inspire anyone to share food and eat well.  Recipes include quick and easies, classics, twist on favorites, and dozens of flavor-rich new crowd pleasers:     • Carrot Coconut and Chicken Chili,    • Senegalese Peanut Soup    • Faux Ramen    • Red Lentil Curry Soup    • Potato Cheddar Soup    • Sun Dried Tomato Soup    • Jeweled Rice Salad    • Cheddar Cornbread,    • Summer Corn Hash    • Soy Simmered Chicken Wings

Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-scale Permaculture


Toby Hemenway - 2001
    Key features include:- use of compatible perennials;- non-invasive planting techniques;- emphasis on biodiversity;- specifically adaptable to local climate, landscape, and soil conditions;- highly productive output of edibles.Now, picture your backyard as one incredibly lush garden, filled with edible flowers, bursting with fruit and berries, and carpeted with scented herbs and tangy salad greens. The visual impact is of Monet's palette, a wash of color, texture, and hue. But this is no still life. The flowers nurture endangered pollinators. Bright-featured songbirds feed on abundant berries and gather twigs for their nests.The plants themselves are grouped in natural communities, where each species plays a role in building soil, deterring pests, storing nutrients, and luring beneficial insects. And finally, you—good ol' homo sapiens—are an integral part of the scene. Your garden tools are resting against a nearby tree, and have a slight patina of rust, because this garden requires so little maintenance. You recline into a hammock to admire your work. You have created a garden paradise.This is no dream, but rather an ecological garden, which takes the principles of permaculture and applies them on a home-scale. There is nothing technical, intrusive, secretive, or expensive about this form of gardening. All that is required is some botanical knowledge (which is in this book) and a mindset that defines a backyard paradise as something other than a carpet of grass fed by MiracleGro.

Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients into Foods and Remedies That Heal


Rosalee de la Foret - 2017
    Instead of pills, reach for:Cinnamon Tea to soothe your throat . . . Garlic Hummus to support your immune system . . . Ginger Lemon Tea for cold and flu symptoms . . . Cayenne Salve to relieve sore muscles . . . Cardamom Chocolate Mousse Cake for heart health . . . A glass of Spiced Cold Brew Coffee as a powerful antioxidant . . .Alchemy of Herbs will show you how to transform common ingredients into foods and remedies that heal. What were once everyday flavorings will become your personal kitchen apothecary. While using herbs can often seem complicated or costly, this book offers a way to learn that’s as simple and inexpensive as cooking dinner.With the guidance of herbalist Rosalee de la Forêt, you’ll understand how to match the properties of each plant to your own unique needs, for a truly personalized approach to health for you and your family. In addition to offering dozens of inspiring recipes, Rosalee examines the history and modern-day use of 29 popular herbs, supporting their healing properties with both scientific studies and in-depth research into herbal energetics.   Grow your knowledge of healing herbs and spices and start using nature’s pharmacy to feed, heal, and nurture your whole family!

The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables: All the know-how and encouragement you need to grow - and fall in love with! - your brand new food garden


Jessica Sowards - 2021
    Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. Not only will you learn how to prepare, plant, and tend your first vegetable garden, you’ll also learn:How to design an eco-friendly layoutHow to grow with the seasonsHow to maximize your harvest, even if you only grow in a small space Jessica wants your first food-growing experience to be a positive one, and she’s prepared to go the distance to make sure tending the earth becomes your new favorite hobby.A single growing season is all it takes to fall in love with growing your own healthy, organic, nutrient-dense food. With Jessica as your guide, you’ll soon discover all the satisfactions, challenges, and great joys of growing your own food garden.This book is part of The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers. Each book in The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.