It seems like everyone is coming around to the notion that plastic can be bad news. With so much in our daily lives being made of plastic, including the things we use in the kitchen and packaging that’s constantly in contact with our food, long-term toxicity from microplastics is a hot-button topic. Accordingly, my family ... Read more
Making the Beeswax Wraps Everyone Raves About can be read in full at New Life On A Homestead- Be sure to check it out!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
If you're new to from-scratch cooking or bread-making in particular, peasant bread is a great place to start. It’s long been a cheap family staple and is an easy recipe to add to or alter to suit your tastes. Plus, it’s no-knead!
While there isn’t a strict definition for peasant bread, traditionally the basis was simply flour, water, yeast, and salt. The flour would’ve been whole wheat or rye depending upon the region. Many people would’ve made additions to this recipe such as seeds, nuts, seasonings, or dried fruit depending on their local and seasonal availability.
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This is a basic recipe, so feel free to add spices or other ingredients.
Note: Different ratios or types of flour may be substituted, i.e. sprouted wheat versus whole wheat or less all-purpose flour and more wheat flour. Keep in mind white flour is lighter and the higher the percentage of white flour the lighter and airier the loaf will be.
To begin, combine the water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. The sugar isn’t for flavoring, it feeds the yeast ensuring that your bread will rise well. Then add the salt and begin adding the wheat flour one cup at a time.
After you’ve added the 3 cups of wheat flour, the dough should begin coming together and be harder to stir.
Then you can begin adding the all purpose flour 1/2 cup at a time. The exact amount may vary some. Stop adding flour when your dough has formed a ball. Unlike normal bread dough, it can still be a bit sticky. Stirring in the last bit of flour may be tough so you might choose to use your hands instead.
Leave the dough in the bowl and let it rise, covered with a damp cloth or towel until about doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 1-4 hours depending on your kitchen’s temperature.
If your bread isn’t rising well because your kitchen is too cool, you can use your oven to help. Preheat your oven to the lowest possible temperature and place the covered bowl of dough inside and leave the oven door slightly open.
After the dough has risen, preheat your oven and a well oiled, covered dutch oven to 450°F. Let the dutch oven heat up at temperature for about 20 minutes.
Place the dough into the hot dutch oven and bake covered for 30 minutes. The finished loaf should be golden brown on top. If you’d like a crunchier crust, you can leave it in the oven for a few additional minutes with the lid off.
Then enjoy!
This delicious bread is simple to make and looks great, a perfect way to show off your awesome cooking skills to family and friends. Be sure to try it out with seasonal, homestead ingredients like garden fresh herbs!
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The post How to Make Peasant Bread appeared first on Homestead Survival Site.
June K. shared this lemon cake recipe with me, and I love it! It made a large cake using a 9-by-13-inch pan, so we shared a few slices with some special neighbors. They loved the lemon cake, which made me especially happy. First of all, I never thought I would love a lemon cake, I guess because I had never made one. I usually make chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate cakes. LOL!
This recipe is easy to make, and your whole kitchen smells lemony! The recipe uses a cake mix, frozen lemonade, gelatin, pudding, and whipped topping. It’s super moist and creamy with a delicious lemon taste.
The homemade frosting added such a delicious touch. I think some of my family members had seconds just so they could continue enjoying the lemon whipped topping on the cake!
In case you missed this recipe, Easy To Make Coconut Cake Recipe
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Gather your ingredients, so you’re ready to make this fabulous dessert! I wish you could smell the lemon in my kitchen.
Grab a large mixing bowl, then combine the lemon cake mix, dry INSTANT lemon pudding, the oil, the eggs, 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, and 1/2 cup water.
Beat for 2 minutes until fluffy and smooth. It smells so good!!!
Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan, then scoop the batter into it. Spread evenly in the baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan.
Mix the lemon gelatin with 3/4 cup boiling water, then stir in 1/2 cup of cold water.
Once the cake is completely cooled, poke holes in the cake about 2 inches apart. Pour the gelatin mixture evenly over the cake, filling the holes. Place the cake in the refrigerator to let the gelatin mixture set up.
Grab a large bowl, beat the lemonade into the sweetened condensed milk, and stir in the whipped topping. Spread the mixture over the cake, and chill. Keep the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
The cake needs to be refrigerated because of the whipped topping.
Please be ready to hand out the recipe; we delivered several pieces in the neighborhood! Thank you, my friend, June K., for this yummy recipe!
Every ingredient in this lemon cake plays a specific role in creating a dessert that’s moist, flavorful, and bursting with citrus. While this cake is easy to assemble, the combination of pantry staples and lemon-forward ingredients is what makes it truly special.
The lemon cake mix forms the foundation of this dessert, providing structure, sweetness, and a consistent crumb. Using a trusted brand like Duncan Hines ensures a reliable texture and balanced lemon flavor that works beautifully with the added ingredients. The mix simplifies baking while still delivering a soft, bakery-style cake.
Instant lemon pudding is the secret to an ultra-moist cake. It adds richness, creaminess, and an extra layer of lemon flavor while helping the cake stay tender for days. The pudding mix also improves the texture, giving the cake a dense yet fluffy crumb that doesn’t dry out.
Oil keeps the cake exceptionally moist and soft. Unlike butter, oil stays liquid at room temperature, which helps the cake retain its tenderness even after refrigeration. Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor, allowing the lemon to shine without interference.
Eggs are essential for structure, richness, and stability. They bind the ingredients together, add moisture, and help the cake rise properly. Using four eggs creates a sturdy yet fluffy cake that holds up well to fillings, gelatin layers, and frosting.
Frozen lemonade concentrate intensifies the lemon flavor without adding excess liquid. Because it’s concentrated, it delivers bold citrus notes that elevate the cake from mild lemon to bright and tangy. This ingredient gives the cake its signature punch of flavor.
Water helps activate the dry ingredients and ensures the batter reaches the proper consistency. It allows the flavors to blend smoothly while keeping the cake light rather than heavy.
Lemon gelatin adds both flavor and moisture while contributing to the cake’s vibrant citrus profile. It seeps into the cake, creating pockets of lemony goodness that enhance every bite. The gelatin also adds a subtle sweetness and helps keep the cake incredibly moist.
Boiling water is used to dissolve the gelatin completely, ensuring a smooth mixture that absorbs evenly into the cake. Proper dissolution prevents graininess and allows the gelatin to distribute its flavor effectively.
Cold water cools the gelatin mixture slightly, making it the perfect temperature for soaking into the cake without breaking down its structure. This step helps the cake absorb moisture evenly.
The frosting for this lemon cake is light, creamy, and refreshing, perfectly complementing the cake’s bold citrus flavor.
Sweetened condensed milk adds rich sweetness and a silky texture to the frosting. Its thick consistency creates a smooth, creamy base that blends effortlessly with the lemon flavors. It balances tartness while adding indulgent creaminess.
This ingredient brings bold lemon flavor directly into the frosting. Using concentrate instead of juice ensures a strong citrus taste without watering down the texture. It ties the frosting and cake together with consistent lemon flavor throughout.
Whipped topping lightens the frosting, giving it an airy, fluffy texture that spreads easily. It keeps the frosting from being overly sweet or heavy, making each slice refreshing rather than rich. This topping also helps the frosting set nicely while staying soft and creamy.
Because it has whipped topping, we need to store it in the refrigerator. I used a 9-by-13-inch pan, covered it with foil, and placed the cake in the refrigerator.
I have never frozen this cake, but I have frozen cakes with whipped topping. Try freezing a few pieces to eat later by storing them in an airtight container. It should be good for up to 2 months.
I get it, we don’t always want to run to the store to get one ingredient. You could try using some lemon zest, but I’m not sure you would get the same end result. Freshly squeezed lemons may be a better substitute.
You could try making it with cream cheese frosting and maybe add some lemon extract. I love the whipped topping, so I recommend sticking with the original recipe.
Please let me know if you make June K.’s lemon cake recipe! You’ll love this recipe! It will be a refreshing dessert this summer! You could take the lemon cake in a cooler to your next family reunion. An easy-to-make lemon cake is proof that simple desserts can still feel special.
With its soft texture, fresh citrus flavor, and endless serving possibilities, it’s a cake that belongs in every home baker’s collection. Whether you’re baking for guests or treating yourself, lemon cake delivers comfort, brightness, and a touch of sunshine in every slice. It’s all about teaching our kids and grandkids how to cook from scratch, right? May God bless this world, Linda
The post Easy To Make Lemon Cake Recipe appeared first on Food Storage Moms.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute
Are you intrigued by the idea of homesteading, but you don't think you can until you have a big house with a lot of acreage?
At its essence, homesteading is about self-sufficiency, and there are many ways you can increase your independence no matter where you live. Here are some ways you can begin your homesteading journey even while still living in an apartment.
You don’t need a big plot of land – or even a backyard – to start growing your own food. If you have a balcony or terrace or even just a few sunny windows, you can have a container garden.
You also can grow lots of herbs on a sunny windowsill. Berries and tomatoes lend themselves well to hanging baskets and vertical gardens, and you can grow lettuces, potatoes, onions, and garlic in containers. Here are a couple helpful resources to get started.
You also can participate in community gardens or a community supported agriculture program (CSA). With a CSA, you pay a monthly or annual fee to receive fresh, local produce. Some CSA’s even have an option by which you can garden to help pay for your produce.
To find a CSA in your area, visit LocalHarvest.org/CSA.
If you’re growing some of your own food, you can be making your own compost as well. It can be as simple as saving your biodegradable kitchen scraps, including eggshells, fruit peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, and bread crusts. The scraps will decompose into a highly nutritious fertilizer for your garden plants. Here's an article on composting.
And here is a video showing how to get your compost started using a five-gallon container and materials you probably already have on hand.
You should also consider vermicomposting, which uses worms to turn organic waste into a rich fertilizer. You also can vermicompost in a small space.
Water is a precious natural resource, and urban homesteaders can harvest rain for their gardens, too. Simply collect water that drains off your apartment building roof through a downspout or gutter.
Not only can you use this harvested H2O to water your plants, you can also add it to your toilet tank, wash your car, or use it for many other household tasks for which the water doesn't have to be completely clean.
Another way to conserve resources and lower utility bills is by hang-drying your laundry. Adding a clothesline to your deck or balcony is an efficient and fresh-smelling way to reduce your electric bill (or your trips to the laundromat).
Even if you don’t have a balcony, you still can use a drying rack or a clothesline inside your apartment to cut down on how much you use the dryer.
Solar energy is not only for large buildings. You can use portable panels that will allow you to power some of your devices through solar energy. Here are the types of portable solar panels available on Amazon.
Homesteaders enjoy living as frugally and as naturally as possible. One way to do that while living in an apartment is by reducing your dependence on chemical-laden cleaning products.
Many household cleaning chores can be accomplished with a combination of only a few basic ingredients: baking soda, white vinegar, liquid castile soap, borax, hydrogen peroxide, and lemons.
This article offers recipes for them home-made cleaners. Here is a video demonstrates how you can clean your apartment with easy-to-make “green” cleaners.
Make good use of the fruits and veggies you grow or purchase at local farms or Farmer’s Markets by learning how to preserve your food. While many homesteaders do food preservation on a large scale, you can have great results on a small scale too. Or what about joining up with a few like-minded friends for a food preservation party?
Here are a couple articles to check out:
Successful homesteaders live by the “waste not, want not” credo. You don’t need a basement or a spare room or large pantry to begin storing your canned, dehydrated, or dried food. You can find hidden storage spaces in some of the following locations in your apartment.
Here are some more food storage locations for people with small homes.
Until you have a larger home and property, you can still embrace the homesteading lifestyle by sourcing your eggs, dairy products, and meats from local farmers or Farmer's Markets. Perhaps you can establish a relationship that allows you to work on the farm yourself or to barter for goods. To find local Farmer's Markets, check out LocalHarvest.org/Farmers-Markets.
Successful homesteaders wear many hats and learn how to perform many new tasks. Even as an apartment dweller, you can learn how to bake bread and make your own jams, jellies, soaps, and healing salves.
Rosemary Gladstar's book, Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide: 33 Healing Herbs to Know, Grow, and Use, is an excellent place to start if you are interested in the art and science of natural healing.
Become a do-it-yourself junkie. Through the use of YouTube videos, you can learn how to make or fix just about anything – and many projects do not require much space.
Trading with other like-minded individuals is a great way to become more self-sufficient. You can swap your veggies for eggs or your lotion and soaps for honey.
Don’t forget that you also can barter services such as carpentry, auto mechanics and sewing skills. There are many bartering and swapping websites out there, but another idea is to get to know sellers at your local Farmer’s Markets as well as other homesteaders.
You may be thinking this topic doesn’t fit in a list for apartment dwellers. However, unless the landlord prohibits it, you can raise small animals in an urban setting. People living in small spaces have success raising everything from rabbits to chickens to bees. Here is a list of farm animals that are perfect for city living.
Related: How To Raise Chickens In The City
Frugal homesteaders can find ways to repurpose just about everything. Even with a small space, you can begin honing these skills, too. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Here is a more exhaustive list of things you can resuse if you need more inspiration.
Another important way you can begin homesteading right where you are is by learning along with your children. As you teach them how to live more frugally and independently, not only will they be learning valuable lessons, but you will be too.
Here are some homesteading skills to teach your young boys and girls. Once these skills are mastered, you can go on to more complicated lessons.
Another homesteading skill that can often be overlooked is how to entertain yourself. While you are living in an urban environment, there may be a lot going on in terms of social activities. However, experienced homesteaders have learned how to make their own fun.
Learn to play instruments as a family so that you can play and sing together. (Perhaps you can barter for lessons.) Take out some old board games and teach your kids how to play them. Or try other old-fashioned interactive games such as Charades or Simon Says. Read chapter books aloud together as a family. Try painting or sculpting as a group art project.
We hope that by now you've learned that homesteading doesn't depend on the size of your home or your property. It is more of a state of mind that can be adopted no matter where you live.
So don’t wait until you have that big farmhouse and all those acres before you start living the homesteading lifestyle right now. That way, when you do have the homestead of your dreams, you will be all the more ready to jump right in.
Originally published on Urban Survival Site.
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The post How To Homestead In An Apartment appeared first on Homestead Survival Site.