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Kristina

Organic Canning: Pickled Banana Pepper Recipe

August 6, 2013 by Kristina 13 Comments

I harvested some banana peppers last week - I picked 18 total and I have a TON left on the plants to ripen.  Now it's time to pickle them! I like this recipe because you can calculate the ingredients based on the number of pints you want to create.  My 18 peppers filled 4 pint jars. I used sweet banana peppers but you can use pretty much anything - last year I used Hungarian Wax Peppers (WAY too hot for me), Keep in mind that the amount of peppers needed is an estimate. My suggestion would be ...

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Filed Under: Canning Recipes, The Kitchen, The Pantry

My Harvest So Far – My Organic Garden Update

August 5, 2013 by Kristina Leave a Comment

So, I was going to post a new recipe today but to be quite honest, I'm not cooking because I'm busy :).  I decided instead that I would show give you an update on my garden/jungle.  Yes, it's pretty much a jungle.  I've harvested a TON of cherry tomatoes in the last 2 weeks and they are AMAZING! Five of these bad boys to be exact! My neighbors seem to think I went a bit overboard with the tomato plants.  I planted 16 of them in a pretty small space (1 per square foot) and then used tomato ...

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Filed Under: The Kitchen

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe: Best cookies I’ve found!

August 2, 2013 by Kristina 3 Comments

Not only are these gluten, soy, nut, peanut and dairy free - they're also nightshade free if you're like my husband and have to stay away from them. I've tried a million different chocolate chip cookie recipes. They have always turned out grainy, crumbly, and blah until NOW! The first time I made these my husband and I (mainly my husband) ate the entire batch in about 2 days (hence why I don't make them very often)! These cookies are the closest thing I've found to their gluten containing ...

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Filed Under: The Kitchen

When to Harvest Banana Peppers? My Organic Garden

August 1, 2013 by Kristina 2 Comments

So, I've be scouring the web trying to figure out if my peppers are ready to be picked.  I've read multiple things but I was getting anxious to pick a few, especially because I want to make sure that I encourage growth of more.  Well, the mail man made the decision for me yesterday and decided that instead of walking the extra 20 or so feet around my garden from my neighbors house - he would walk RIGHT THROUGH it.  I'm so mad! I have literally been dedicating time to these now large pepper ...

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Filed Under: The Garden

How to Pit Cherries without a Special Kitchen Gadget

July 29, 2013 by Kristina 3 Comments

We have WAY too many tart cherries and WAY too many kitchen gadgets; therefore, I refuse to buy a cherry pitter. I have so many kitchen gadgets that  when I got new dining room furniture a few months ago, I specifically bought pieces that have a lot of hidden storage (like 40"x20" worth per piece). They're almost full. I bought 8 quarts of tart cherries from the farmers market, which equated to about 20 pounds. That's a lot of cherries to pit! I tried cutting the pits out, squeezing ...

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Filed Under: The Kitchen

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Diary Free Dinner Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with a Tart Cherry Sauce

July 29, 2013 by Kristina 2 Comments

It's cherry season! The last few weeks I've been eyeing the tart cherries at the farmers market.  After eating about 2 pounds of sweet cherries after a 4th of July trip to Traverse City, MI. I decided it was time for me to try tart cherries - they taste like crap uncooked.  Time to create some recipes!  My first, a sweet and savory Pork Tenderloin with a Tart Cherry Sauce. This turned out AMAZING! In fact, my husband and I liked it so much that I've decided to can some tart cherry jam and freeze ...

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Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, The Kitchen

Organic Canning: Pickled Beet Recipe

July 27, 2013 by Kristina 2 Comments

I harvested some beets a few days ago (if you're growing your own and don't know when to harvest check out my post here).  They weren't on the meal plan for this week and I've got plenty more growing so I decided to can these ones.  Some of my favorite canning recipes come from Better Homes and Gardens 2011 Canning Magazine - I can't help but buy their "special interest" magazines at the checkout counter at the store.  I bought this a few years ago and I think the recipes in it have been my ...

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Filed Under: Canning Recipes, The Kitchen, The Pantry

When to Harvest Beets? My Organic Garden Harvest

July 26, 2013 by Kristina 3 Comments

This is my first year trying my hand at growing organic beets.  I'm not a professional gardener although I've been gardening every summer for the last few years.  Growing these guys was pretty easy. In fact, next year I'm growing more. Why? You ask.... Well.... There are plenty of reasons to like beets other than the taste...Some people think beets taste like dirt.  I never realized it until a friend who had never tried one before stole one off my plate last summer and made a nasty face. I ...

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Filed Under: The Garden

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Pork Asian Pot Sticker Recipe

July 25, 2013 by Kristina 4 Comments

So, what are they exactly?  Are they Asian pot stickers? Gyozas? Asian dumplings?  Chinese dumplings?  I'm not exactly sure. All I know is this is one of the few times I created a perfect gluten free, soy free recipe on try #1 (this recipe is actually cane sugar free too!)  and quite frankly, I don't really care to categorize them because these turned out SO AMAZING that I'm never making any changes. I've said it before and I'll say it again.... the type of food I miss the most is Asian - ...

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Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, The Kitchen

Gluten Free, Soy Free, Homemade “Everything” Seasoning/Rub – For Chicken, Pork, and more!

June 20, 2013 by Kristina 3 Comments

When I went gluten, soy, and more free we also decided to eat organic and try to stay away from commercially processed foods.  Making this change meant (1) a lot more work in the kitchen because almost everything is homemade, (2) I'd have to learn to use spices to make my own seasoning mixes instead of using store bought. I found this seasoning mix on a random forum somewhere, if I knew where, I would credit it.  They used it for a seasoning on chicken.  I use it in a TON of recipes so I make ...

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Filed Under: Homemade Mixes and Seasonings, The Kitchen, The Pantry

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About Me

I'm a gluten free, soy free, diary free Mom, urban organic gardener, homesteader, ex-fashion designer and internet marketing consultant, who likes to craft. Who says life's simple?

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It’s cold and rainy in Michigan today and I’m wishing I had some homemade chicken broth ready for a soup like this one. This soup is naturally gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free, egg free and can be easily made vegan. It also could easily be made nightshade free with the elimination of…

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