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Home » Homestead Recipes » Cooking From Scratch » Page 5

Cooking From Scratch

What does it mean to cook from scratch? That’s a question I’m asked often. Some people believe it means you need to grow or produce every ingredient. They imagine you milking your cow, making cheese, plucking ripe tomatoes from your garden, and milling your own grains.

Although those things are absolutely from scratch and sound quite wonderful, that’s not practical for most people! Many of us live in suburban areas or apartments that don’t quite accommodate poultry or livestock.

I consider cooking from scratch to mean cooking with the simplest ingredients. Everyone has their own ideas of how simple they need to go, but I like to keep things easy around here. No one has time to stress themselves out wondering if they’re doing something wrong eating boxed pasta or store-bought cheese!

Do what you can with what you have. Especially if you’re just starting to cook from scratch, focus on baby steps!

I buy store-bought pasta sauce and salsas. We eat frozen veggies and canned veggies, especially during the off-season.

There’s no shame in doing what’s right for your family and budget, so no food shaming around here!

My hope is that you’ll find lots of delicious recipes to feed and nourish your family and hopefully have some fun along the way. That’s it!

Easy Blood Orange Scones with Cherries & Blood Orange Glaze

Easy Blood Orange Scones with Cherries & Blood Orange Glaze

Easy Buttermilk Whole Wheat Scones with Honey

Easy Buttermilk Whole Wheat Scones with Honey

How to Make Sugar Cubes (+ Infused & Floral Sugar Cubes)

How to Make Sugar Cubes (+ Infused & Floral Sugar Cubes)

How to Preserve Garlic Scapes: 4 Methods

How to Preserve Garlic Scapes: 4 Methods

Whipped Maple Cream Cheese Spread with Walnuts

Whipped Maple Cream Cheese Spread with Walnuts

Maple Whipped Cream Recipe – No Powdered Sugar

Maple Whipped Cream Recipe – No Powdered Sugar

Homemade Jalapeno Salt Recipe: Step by Step Instructions

Homemade Jalapeno Salt Recipe: Step by Step Instructions

How to Freeze Fresh Cranberries: Everything You Need to Know

How to Freeze Fresh Cranberries: Everything You Need to Know

Delicious Blue Cheese Scones with Pear and Walnut

Delicious Blue Cheese Scones with Pear and Walnut

Dehydrating Apples in a Food Dehydrator {Cinnamon Apple Rings}

Dehydrating Apples in a Food Dehydrator {Cinnamon Apple Rings}

Campo Grande Review: Don’t Order Before You Read This!

Campo Grande Review: Don’t Order Before You Read This!

Homemade Vanilla Pear Liqueur Recipe

Homemade Vanilla Pear Liqueur Recipe

Homemade Cranberry Apple Crisp {with Fresh Cranberries}

Homemade Cranberry Apple Crisp {with Fresh Cranberries}

Easy Roasted Green Tomatoes {For Salsas, Soups, or Stews}

Easy Roasted Green Tomatoes {For Salsas, Soups, or Stews}

Easy Apple Crumble Scones Recipe with a Creamy Glaze

Easy Apple Crumble Scones Recipe with a Creamy Glaze

5 Ingredient Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup {Small Batch}

5 Ingredient Roasted Cherry Tomato Soup {Small Batch}

45 Creative Sourdough Discard Recipes to Try in 2025

45 Creative Sourdough Discard Recipes to Try in 2025

Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Easy Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

How to Roast a Whole Pumpkin & Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

How to Roast a Whole Pumpkin & Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

Easy Demerara Syrup Recipe for Cocktails & More

Easy Demerara Syrup Recipe for Cocktails & More

Air Fryer Cornbread {From Scratch}

Air Fryer Cornbread {From Scratch}

Green Chile Cheese Scones

Green Chile Cheese Scones

Easy Apple and Blueberry Crumble Recipe {with Oats}

Easy Apple and Blueberry Crumble Recipe {with Oats}

Easy Air Fryer Broccolini Recipe with Lemon & Parmesan

Easy Air Fryer Broccolini Recipe with Lemon & Parmesan

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rachael from milk glass home in a kitchen with a water bath canner and apple butter.
Hi, I'm Rachael!

I’m a self-taught home cook, gardener, and former farmers’ market manager who loves slow, seasonal living.

My kitchen is always full of baskets of seasonal produce, cookies cooling, and the next batch of jars ready for the canner. It’s a little messy and definitely chaotic, but always creative, delicious, and full of fun.

No shortcuts, no canned cream-of-anything soups; just real food, old-fashioned skills, and a little inspiration to bring the seasons into your own kitchen.

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