Real Food with Real ingredients – from real food issues and guides, to main course dishes, desserts, snacks, breads, breakfast, lunch, and meal plans.
One thing I look forward to in the Summer and Fall is a bountiful harvest of tomatoes. Being able to harvest a lot of tomatoes means having enough sauce to last throughout the winter and the beginning of summer. Learning how to process tomatoes for sauce is a wonderful skill to have. I plant a...
Tortillas from scratch are something that my family always has in the house. It’s just one of those things that make quick lunches and even dinners fast and easy. For example, my kids use tortillas to make cheese quesadillas for lunch with leftover chicken and pepper jack cheese or feta. We also make bean burritos, or beef...
I love granola, but it’s so expensive. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with different ways of making Homemade Granola from scratch. I had to play around with ingredients that I know everyone in my family will eat, ingredients that I can afford, and ingredients that will add extra nutrition. Once I had the ingredients that I...
Even though we work hard to choose better food for ourselves, a lot of the time we forget to look at ingredients when it comes to our pets. Did you know you can make dog treats? You’ve probably heard the argument that spending a little but of money now on your health (buying and growing...
I’ve edited and am reposting this recipe. It’s still one of our family favorites. These homemade apple streusel muffins can be make with or without the drizzle. I’ll often skip the extra sugar and just make an apple muffin for my family to eat for breakfast (and throughout the day). But if you’re wanting an...
These blueberry muffin recipe had to be called the “Perfect Blueberry Muffin Recipe”, because that’s exactly what my son said when he walked in the kitchen and saw them: “Mama, how did you make them so perfect?” He’s not one for flattery, so I knew he was genuinely impressed. Muffins are one of the only...
Sourdough starter is something that families have kept in their homes for hundreds of years until recently. Sourdough bread is a bread that is made from yeasts that are found in the air (wild yeast) instead of adding active dry yeast or baker’s yeast. It is a method that has been used for a long...
I’ve been working for some time to make things for myself. When it comes to ready made mixes, they are often full of preservatives and other harmful ingredients. Plus, homemade salad dressings are awesome because the flavors are so fresh and rich. I’ve put together two of my favorites. These two salad dressing recipes are...
The Best Pizza Sauce is a big claim. The “Best” sauce really does vary depending on taste. Some people like their pizza sauce sweet, while others like theirs overflowing with oregano and garlic. Some like less sauce so that the other flavors are balanced and accentuated (me), while others would rather their pizza swimming in...
The first time I made homemade vanilla extract, I was so excited to finally try making it myself. Someone had given me some homemade vanilla extract for Christmas one year and I loved it! It had such a rich flavor and less of a cheap alcohol scent. I felt that a little bit went a...
These cookies really are the best ever oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! The recipe has been asked for over and over again. It’s an amazing recipe that is always a hit. I make other types of cookies and my family says they are good, but asks why I didn’t make these oatmeal chocolate chip. They are...
Are you tired of lackluster tacos that lack that punch to make you say, “Wow, that was delicious!”? It’s time to take control of your taco game by ditching the store-bought seasoning blends and opting for homemade taco seasoning. I know of at least five reasons why homemade taco seasoning is not only a tastier...
Do you want to learn how to make your own chili powder for your chili recipes at home? Chili powder is an essential ingredient in many chili recipes, adding flavor, heat and spice. Making your own chili powder at home is surprisingly easy and fast, and allows you to control the amount of heat in...
Each year, my kids and I choose one special dessert to make around Easter time. As they get older, that treat tends to include special breads like cranberry soda bread, Coffee Cake, and other less intensely sweet treats. One fun dessert we made when they were little was these Chocolate Cupcakes decorated to look like...
I recently wrote all about how to get started making maple syrup. I discussed what equipment to use, what type of trees to tap, and when to tap them. You can learn all about how to get started here. Today I’m going to discuss how to make maple syrup from the sap that was collected....