RecipesRosemary Sage Venison Sausage
Congrats on the deer if you got one!! This recipe incorporates un-rendered lard and venison to make a wonderful, well flavored sausage.
6 lbs venison - cubed and cold 2 lbs pork fat (un-rendered lard) cubed 2 T sage chopped or crushed 2 T rosemary chopped or crushed 3 T fresh minced garlic 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (does not give heat at this amount, just depth of flavor) 2 T + 1 tsp sea salt 1 T white pepper 1 cup COLD water Mix all ingredients except water together in a large bowl. Let sit 20 minutes. Run through a meat grinder on the largest dial setting. I prefer the largest because mushy sausage is not as desirable. After getting all of the sausage mix ran through the grinder, place in mixer bowl plus the 1 cup cold water and mix on low for 1 minute EXACT (I use my kitchen aid for this, but you can also just use a hand blender or any standing mixer). This creates a beginning emulsion and marries the flavors together. After mixing, package in 1 lb 'loaves' wrap with saran wrap and place in freezer bags. Keeps up to 1 year. You can also create sausage links/brats with adapter and hog intestines if you chose to from this point with this recipe. Enjoy your healthy venison!! 
My Top 5 Ways To Prepare Kale
Yum kale! We all love kale around here and it's a good thing given the health benefits it provides to us. I sell my different varieties of kale (Toscano, Red Russian & Siberian) at the local farmer's markets and am quite often asked how I like to prepare it. These are my top five ways I've found to be super delicious.
Sauteed
2 T. butter or coconut oil
4 cups kale - middle stem removed 1 chopped garlic clove Salt & Pepper to taste Heat oil in saute pan on medium. Just as the oil melts add the garlic clove- 30 seconds later add the kale. When finished sauteing, approx. 3-5 minutes. Add seasoning to taste after sauteing. I love this served under a nice grilled fillet of salmon, walleye, or grouper. * You can also add cooked sliced beets to this to make it more filling as a side meal if you are gluten free and not serving it with a starch. Kale Slaw
10 medium to large leaves kale- chopped WITHOUT MIDDLE STEM- this is very bitter
1 grated carrot 2 T. red wine vinegar (acv works great too) 2 slices bacon 1/2 red onion (cipollini onions are great for this salad or green onion or shallots) 1/8 cup sunflower seeds 1 T olive oil Salt & Pepper 1 T. mayo 1/2 T honey or cane sugar Combine kale, carrot, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir very well. Add bacon to pan, cook till crispy. Remove, chop and add to other mixed ingredients. Cook onion in bacon fat just till they are cooked through, add to the kale mixture. Also add mayo and honey. Stir until well combined. I like to serve this with burgers, brats or typical summer grilled food. Kale Chips
Preheat oven to 350. Rip kale apart into bite size pieces leaving the bitter stem. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. LIGHTLY drizzle with olive oil and LIGHTLY sprinkle with sea salt and a tiny bit of onion powder (you can also just use seasoning salt, soy sauce or garlic powder). Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Ready when cooled :) Enjoy your power snack!
Soup
Two large handfuls of chopped kale to a white bean and ham soup is super delicious.
Traditionally, kale is added to Zuppa Toscana - the wonderful sausage soup served at Olive Garden but you can add it to any broth based soup to add some awesome nutritional value. Kale Summer Pasta
6 chopped kale leaves- again, without the stem
1/2 box rotini pasta cooked, cooled Salame sliced long ways 4 slices baby Swiss cheese sliced thinly 1 small can sliced olives 15-20 cherry tomatoes sliced 1/4 cup Italian Dressing Combine all ingredients, toss with Italian dressing. 
Best Crock Pot Chicken Ev-ah!
Succulent doesn't even begin to describe the moist, juicy chicken you get with my crock pot chicken. Should be called crack pot chicken. This recipe fills the house with the smell of wholesome goodness and turns the meaning house, into home.
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken- giblets/inerds removed 1 cup chicken stock 2 medium onions or 3 small quartered 2 tsp sweet paprika 2 tsp onion juice (you can use onion powder, but juice is better) 1 T garlic powder 1/ T sea salt 1/2 tsp ground pepper 2 tsp dried thyme 2 tsp dried parsley 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper Combine the dry spices and onion juice in a bowl. Rub all over chicken, under skin, and in the cavity. Pour chicken stock on bottom of crock pot and lay onions over stock. Do not add any more liquid. Lay herbed chicken on top of onions, cover. Cook on high for 3-4 hours depending on size of your chicken. Mine is a 4.5 lb chicken (nice size) that I raised myself. If you can get a free - range chicken DO. There is a difference in flavor. Chicken is ready when meat falls off the bones. Oh! and keep the drippings to saute veggies or add to mashed potatoes etc. It's an intense amount of healthy flavor :) Chicken Stock
Also known as liquid gold in my house. Chicken stock is an amazing item to have in the pantry or freezer. It's an awesome base for soups, braising veggies, slow cooking meats, chicken gravy, risotto, rice, quinoa and the list goes on... When you bake a chicken, keep the carcass (bones, skin and fat drippings). Stash in a freezer bag and add more chicken carcasses until you get two-three of them saved up. Once you have enough, you are are ready to make some chicken stock.
Here's what you'll need to make my Liquid Gold Chicken Stock: yields 8 quarts approx. 
Add all to large pot (16-20qt)
2-3 chicken carcasses, drippings, bones 4 yellow onions- rough chop 6 Large carrots- unpeeled, halved Sleeve of celery- yes all of it with the leaves, rough chop 1/4 cup dried parsley 3 T dried thyme 1/4 cup dried dill 6 cloves garlic 2 T sea salt 2 tsp whole black peppercorns Cover all with water. Water should come above all ingredients by about 3-4". Bring to a boil on stove. Once it comes to a boil reduce to a low simmer for 4 hours. Shut off stove and let cool. Once it has cooled (I like to make my stock at about 5pm, cook till 9 and let cool over night) take the fat layer off the top, if there is any. Discard- or use for cooking veggies in! Strain out the big chunks of veggies, bones, etc. and immediately store in airtight containers and freeze. OR if canning, after done straining, heat stock on stove just to heat through, in warmed/washed quart jars pour stock into each one with 1" headroom. Wipe rim of jar, place new lid and ring on each and fingertip tighten. Place in PRESSURE canner (has to be pressure canned to avoid botulism) with three quarts water, seal lid on canner. REFER TO YOUR PRESSURE CANNER USE INSTRUCTIONS. Can at 10lbs- pints: 2o minutes & quarts: 25 minutes. Personally, I'm a canning fan. Love the convenience of walking into the pantry to grab a jar instead of taking up room in my chest freezers. But freezing works great too. Enjoy your liquid gold!!! Meg's Honey Strawberry Jam- canned without sugar and pectin
INGREDIENTS:
12 cups blended strawberries (6 lbs whole) 3 3/4 cup local honey 2 apples -I like Jonagold or Gala (adds structure to the jam) 3 T. of freshly squeezed lemon juice INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Hull and clean strawberries- Blend 2. Clean and cut apples. Toss into blender with strawberries. Add lemon juice to blender. Pour into large pot. Boil on stove over medium high heat. As this starts to boil, it creates foam on the top, scrape it off. Don’t discard, eat it :) 3. Add the honey into the pot and stir. Simmer 30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the thicker it becomes. This recipe does not have sugar or pectin therefore, takes longer to get thick and is more like a fruit spread. 4. Hot wash jars. Add the hot, boiled ingredients to the jars ½” from the top. Place lids and rings on. 5. Water bath for 10 minutes. Take off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove from hot water bath. Set on counter for 24 hours before using. **Make it extra special by adding a length wise cut vanilla bean for Vanilla Honey Strawberry Jam- delicious. Be sure to take it out when you fill your jars. Water Kefir, A Fizzy Fruit Health Drink
Water kefir, if fermented correctly, will be a fruity, fizzy drink. A fermented drink that gives almost instant gratification (see health benefits on blog). In the winter, it takes longer to ferment than normal but typically takes 24-48 hours for the first ferment. The following is my recipe how I like to ferment it! Since water kefir has a quick turnaround, I recommend fermenting a quart at a time.
1 Quart Water Kefir 1-2 Tbl Water Kefir Grains - no you cannot re-create these, you will need to purchase them from a place that sells them. 1 quart spring water, room temp (well water, non-chlorinated water is best) 1/4 cup cane sugar * see note below 1 quart glass canning jar Paper towel Rubber band Wooden spoon Nylon strainer OR cheesecloth Place 1 quart room temp water into 1 quart glass jar. Add 1/4 cup sugar. With wooden spoon, stir till dissolved. Add 1-2 Tbl water kefir grains. Cover container with folded paper towel and rubber band to the opening of the jar (as a lid that breathes). 48 hours later the water kefir grains will have eaten most the sugar - If you chose to ferment them for 24 hours, your drink will be a bit sweeter and if you would like it to be a more potent, stronger probiotic ferment till the water/sugar mix is not sweet anymore, no longer than 2 days in the summer, 4 days in the winter. After your desired ferment time, strain with a nylon (not metal, kefir grains do not like metal) strainer or use cheesecloth to recover your grains. Now you can drink it, OR continue a second ferment as follows: Bottle into glass jars with 1/4 cup fresh, or frozen blended fruit and cap tightly with air tight lid. Leave on counter from 1-5 days, tasting each day to see what level of 'fizz' you have. If, to your liking of fizz, put into fridge to stop fermenting process and take out to drink when you like. Keeps in fridge up to 2 weeks. My favorite flavors are simple: I just place fresh or thawed fruit into blender: Peach, Strawberry, Blackberry, Peach Ginger, & Pear. You can really get creative with the second ferment. Just stay away from honey (will kill your grains, it's an anti-microbial). When finished with the first ferment you must do a new ferment with the kefir grains at this point otherwise you will starve them, or damage them because they have nothing more to eat. You can put them in the fridge with fermented liquid and 1 tsp cane sugar but placing them in the fridge more than a couple times a year can be detrimental to them. They like to eat, constantly. * With my sugar, every other ferment on my water kefir grains I switch my sugars. Water kefir likes new minerals, I use Turbinado cane sugar (sugar in the raw), and white cane sugar. I alternatate between the two. And about every 10th ferment, I add 1/2 tsp molasses to the sugar water mix for extra minerals for the kefir grains. It keeps them healthy. Cheers! To a fabulous, healthy drink! 
Maple Fennel Sausage
There is nothing like homemade sausage. You control the salt and ingredients which makes it a healthier option for breakfast, soups, or stuffing! After tweaking this recipe several times, I believe this to be a winner. If you don't like any 'spicy' to your sausage omit the red pepper flakes, but it is NOT hot spicy, just gives it a little extra.
Ingredients: 5 lbs. pork shoulder cut into 1" sections (you can buy pre-ground pork sausage plain, if so do step one, then step 4...done) 1/3 c. maple syrup 1/4 c. brown sugar 2 T. kosher salt - or sea salt 5 tsp. fennel - lightly roast in dry saucepan) 3 tsp. cracked pepper 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flake 1 c. COLD water 1. Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Let sit in fridge 30 minutes. It is important to make sure the meat is very cold before processing through a meat grinder- it goes smoother and quicker. 2. Take out of fridge and send through meat grinder on small die cutter. 3. Place ground meat into mixer bow, add 1 c cold water and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. NO LONGER. 4. Roll into links, patties, or a log and freeze immediately. Use some immediately too if you desire. Natural Homemade Fabric Softener
Super easy fabric softener that does a wonderful job.
Ingredients: 1 Gallon White Distilled Vinegar 2 T. Essentail Oil (you pick or combine): Lavender, Mint, Tea Tree Oil, or Lemon The scent of the essential oils come through very little, the reason for using them is because the ones on my list are antibacterial, naturally so adding them cuts down on the stinky little microbes in your laundry. Vinegar is also antibacterial and helps to soften clothing. How: pop the top off the gallon vinegar pour 2 T. essential oil in, pop the top back on, shake. Done. And shake before each use too. Simple, affordable and natural without chemicals! *Note, you can use Apple Cider Vinegar just dilute the cider vinegar with equal parts vinegar to water. Typically cider vinegar holds a higher acid percentage and is brown in color so to NOT tinge your clothes it is important to dilute. FYI white distilled vinegar is super cheap and does the trick for this operation :) Stellar Apple Crisp
I love apple crisp- but it either has too many apples and not enough crumbles or vice versa. I also like mine with oats- delicious oats caramalized by the sugars and butter. And what better season to make apple recipes than fall?
For a 9X9 baking pan. Preheat to 350F. Ingredients: 5 honey crisp or zestar apples peeled, cored, cut into inch pieces (you can use the apples you like too) 2 T olive oil 2 T lemon juice 1/4 cup sugar 2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp nutmeg 2 tsp vanilla Topping: 3/4 cup flour 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup rolled oats 1 stick softened not melted butter 2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon 1tsp nutmeg Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the pan. Dump apples on top of oil. over the top of the apples pour lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Give a light toss, just so you don't have clumps of spices. In separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the topping. With pastry cutter or fork smush ingredients until pea size balls form- do not over mix. Equally place over the top of the apple mixture in the pan. Bake for 50 minutes. Excellent served ala mode! Happy apple season! Taco Seasoning (in less than 1 minute)
Yields 3/4 pint jar
1/2 cup + 2 T Chili powder 2- 1/2 tsp garlic powder 2-1/2 tsp onion powder 2-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper 3 tsp dried oregano 1-1/2 T paprika 1/4 + 1 T ground cumin 3 T sea salt 3 T black pepper Combine all ingredients, stir to mix all. Put into airtight container. Done. Yes, it's that easy. 2-1/2 T = one packet of taco seasoning. Pickled Jalapenos
These are so awesome on crackers and cheese, tacos, or a topper for homemade nachos. Fairly easy to can, anyone can do it with a surplus of hot peppers. I used all jalapenos in this recipe but you can use any hot pepper or combination of.
Makes 5 pint jars Ingredients: 11 cups sliced jalapeno peppers 6 cups white vinegar 2 cups water 3 crushed garlic cloves 1. Prepare jars and lids in hot sudsy water. 2. In large stainless bowl combine vinegar, garlic, water. Bring to a boil- reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until garlic has infused the vinegar. Discard garlic. I sometimes keep my crushed garlic in. 3. Pack the peppers into warm jars. Ladly hot liquid on top of the jalapenos in their jars leaving 1/2 " headspace. Wipe rim and hand tighten lid on each jar. 4. Place jars in canner (water bath can) ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil, time 10 minutes after it starts boiling. Remove from heat, wait 5 minutes. Remove jars, cool, store. Baba Ghanouj
What a fantastic way to use those ripe eggplants in the garden!
Ingredients: 2lbs Japanese eggplants 1/8 cup plus 1 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 Tbl tahini 1 T garlic chopped 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper salt 2 Tbl chopped flat leaf parsely Preheat broiler. Place eggplants on baking sheet, rub with 1 Tbls olive oil. Broil 15 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a large bowl and let cool. Once cooled, peel and stem. Rough chop 1/3 of the eggplant. Food processor the remaining until smooth. Add the remaining 1/8 c olive oil and the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cayenne, and salt. Puree. Transfer to a small bowl and fold in the chopped eggplant. Garnish with parsley, serve. Best served with fresh Naan. My favorite recipe for Naan is from (I don't use the kalonji but I do use the fennel seed. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/naan-indian-oven-baked-flat-bread-recipe/index.html 
Drying Herbs
Herbs are in abundance with summer heat here. Store bought herbs have been sitting on the shelves for months if not longer before you get to use them and their potent naturals oils and flavors have dissipated. Preserve your bountiful harvests for winter months and savor the flavor- here's how...
Pick herbs at their peak- nice, full, luscious green leaves. Dry herbs in separate batches unless you are making a blend of herbs to container together (Italian mix etc) 1. Rinse them in cold water getting the dirt off the leaves. 2. Lightly dry with paper towels or soft dishrag. 3. For drying, you can either use a dehydrator or lay out flat on dry paper towels (some people even hang their herbs in bunches to dry). If you dry in a dehydrator it can take up to a day to dehydrate 4 levels of the herbs. If you lay out to dry, it can take up to three weeks before you can airtight container them. 4. If you airtight container any herbs and there is a little but of moisture in them still, they will mold. Be sure to dry them until they crumble easily. 5. After dehydrating, I place mine into a zip lock baggie and crumble them and then pour the pieces into designated containers. WaLa! Fresh herbs all year long :)
Kale Chips
Kale has flooded gardens and the Farmer's Markets. Besides salads, stir frys and sauteed- what else can you do with Kale? Make them into amazing powerful chips! Here's how.
Preheat oven to 350. Rip kale apart into bite size pieces leaving the stem. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. LIGHTLY drizzle with olive oil and LIGHTLY sprinkle with sea salt and a tiny bit of onion powder (you can also just use seasoning salt, soy sauce or garlic powder). Place in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Ready when cooled :) Enjoy your power snack! ~KoMbUcHa~
Kombucha! A great tasting detoxifying drink used in Chinese medicine for over 2000 years. Click on the 'News' tab for more information and health benefits of Kombucha.
1 gallon spring or non-chlorinated water 1 C cane sugar (white or turbinado) 5 tea bags of organic black tea 1/2 C Kombucha from previous batch (if you buy a mother, this comes with it) 1 Kombucha Mushroom Bring water to boil. Add sugar, simmer until dissolved. Remove from heat, add tea. Steep until water is completely cooled. Pour liquid into glass bowl or jar such as mine. Add mushroom and 1/2 c liquid she is in. Cover the top loosely with a papertowl (I double them up) and wrap with a rubber band. Kombucha should be ready in 7-10 days. Does not taste like tea, more of a very refreshing vinegar background. You can also add flavoring with natural fruit after it is done fermenting. Your mushroom will have grown another mother. This can be used to make other batches. When storing your mother, put her in a small glass bowl or pint mason jar and air tight cover. A single Kombucha mother can be used aprox 10 times. You can peel the mother's apart or keep them together to ferment your next batch. I recommend peeling them apart after your very first batch and store one in the fridge with kombucha liquid (feeding once a month with a 1/2 Tbl sugar). This can be used as a backup in case you have future failures. *Note: you must use white sugar. *Word of caution. As with anything, some individuals may be allergic to Kombucha. Though rare, if you have allergies, start with a small taste. If you react badly use Beet Kvass several weeks to detoxify and then try again. 
Baby Wipes without Chemicals!
As parents, we assume big name brand companies such as Johnson & Johnson have our children's best interest. But that's not necessarily true. You as a parent do- and sometimes that involves reading what the ingredients are in the things that touch our sensitive babies. These wipes are great for babies bottom and antibacterial as well. The coconut oil provides superior protection and helps to relieve and treat diaper rash.
Makes 2 containers of diaper wipes. 2T. Coconut Oil 2T. Chunky Cheeks Baby Soap (on ModernRoots Store) 3 Drops Tea Tree Oil 2 C. Boiling Water 2 Containers with pressure tightener at top 1 Normal Roll Bounty Paper Towels (extra big ones don't fit) Put coconut oil, baby wash, and tea tree oil into bowl, pour hot water over indredients. Stir till oil has melted. Cut the bouty roll in half with a miter saw. You can use a kitchen knife but the edge isn't as clean. Remove inner cardboard roll. Pour 1 cup of the liquid into each container (I got mine at Walmart- with a lid that open with a pressure handle at the top, for easy access). A half roll into each container to absorb the liquid. Cover until it all absorbs. Use wipes from the inside first so it creates a consecutive upbringing of the wipes. They smell great too! *You can also use these as soft wet face wipes! Healthy Baby Food
1 Small Butternut Squash 1 Small Acorn Squash 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes 4 Yellow Apples 1 Small Bag of Carrots Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut in half the first 5 ingredients. For apples and squash, scoop out seeds and any stringy insides. Rub with a very little bit of olive oil, place face down on foiled baking sheet. Pour bag of carrots into baking dish and 2 cups water. Cover with foil. Bake Apples for 30 minutes - Bake squash, carrots and sweet potatoes 60-70 minutes. Outside peels should be soft to the touch, carrots should pierce very easily. Take out of oven, let site 10 minutes, take peels off of squash and apples (should just peel off simply). Still hot so work quickly, or use fork to help peel off outsides. Individually blend each kind. I do not mix any but you can and get creative like apple sweet potatoe, carrot apples or a mix of squash. Work in batches-blend with 1/2 cup bottled water. Blend until pureed. Add water if need be, you do not want it too thick and hard to swallow. Put in saved jars/plastic containers and freeze. Unthaw as needed. I try not to use the microwave for too much stuff. I set on the counter to unthaw. My little man is 6 months so these are very introductory foods with little allergens. Meg's BEST Zucchini Bread - Featured In Grit Magazine's Bread Issue Fall 2013
Ingredients (one loaf, 375 degrees F) 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup plain yogurt 1 Tbls. lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla 6 Tbls. melted butter Directions Pre-heat oven. Combine dry ingredients, mix. Set aside. Combine wet ingredients in seperate bowl, mix. Fold the dry ingredient into the wet ingredients. Dip a paper towel into butter and wipe down the sides of a 5 x 9 loaf pan. Sprinkle flour into the pan and coat all sides. get rid of excess flour (tap into sink). Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knive inserted into middle ALMOST comes out clean- you will have a little residue on the knife, if it is completely clean, it is not as moist. Cool for 10 minutes, take out of pan and cool another 30 minutes. Stores well for up to 4 days. Pour a cup of coffee and ENJOY. *Phosphate Free* Dishwasher Detergent
This dishwasher detergent not only smells great but is phosphate free! Non-toxic formula that works wonders on dishes. Works in HE and regular dishwashers.
Ingredients: 1 cup coarse kosher salt 1 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda 1/3 cup Citric Acid (found in the canning aisle) 1/2 Tbls. Lemon Oil (lemon extract is fine too) Use a glass container like one shown in the picture. Mason Jars also work great. Mix first 3 ingredients and add lemon oil/extract gradually to prevent clumping. Mix well. Lay on sheet to dry. If you don’t it can be difficult to scrape out of container. Use 2 Tbls. per load. Store with air tight lid. NOTE: use white vinegar in place of jetdry for a spot free rinse :) Natural All Purpose Cleaner
This all purpose cleaner is great on floors, countertops, bathrooms, cabinets, tables...you name it. Ingredients: 1 lime 3 grapefruit 3 lemons 2 oranges 1 gallon (or near) white vinegar Directions: Peel all fruit. Cut the peels however you would like and throw into 1 gallon or close to glass container with lid. Pour vinegar over the top of the rinds. Mix with a wooden spoon. Air tight cover. Let sit 1 month. Strain the peels and put into spray bottles or whatever all purpose cleaning bottles you would like. Clean like mad. Liquid Laundry Detergent
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