Tag: Slow Cooker Meals

How to Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Pexel - olive-oil-salad-dressing-cooking-olive (2)

Making meals from scratch helps me to know exactly what’s going into the foods I eat. Making my own dressing is no different!

I like to use my salad dressing maker to create my dressings and vinaigrettes. This makes it easier to keep in the fridge. Plus, should the ingredients separate between uses, I can simply shake up the dressing before I use it again!

So, about this Apple Cider Vinaigrette…

This vinaigrette is so tasty and very easy to make… I almost hate to call it a recipe!

In it, you’ve got this great sweet and spicy combo that uses honey, mustard, garlic and extra virgin olive oil – just add some salt and pepper to taste and you’re good to grill!

Like many of my homemade dressings, this will keep in the fridge approximately 7 days – however, this one’s a household favorite, so it doesn’t last that long!

It also delivers quite the punch as a marinade for chicken and fish! And don’t forget to flavor your favorite veggies on the grill!

One last thing, since you’ll be using extra virgin olive oil, make sure you use a high-quality oil for best results! You’ll be glad you did!

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Here’s what you need:

  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. raw honey
  • 1 tsp spicy mustard such as Dijon
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Let’s put it all together:

  • In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard and garlic.
  • Whisk the ingredients continuously while adding the oil.
  • Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

Cooks Tips

  • Feel free to play around with this dressing! You might find that you like a little more garlic and a little less mustard! Make it your own!
  • When storing in the fridge, if you don’t have a salad maker, simply store it in a mason jar, or use a resealable container.
  • If the ingredients separate, give it a good shake before using.
  • For best results, use apple cider vinegar with the mother.
  • Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
  • Not just for salads, this dressing can be used as a marinade for your chicken and fish recipes; and it’s great for grilled veggies!

Hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

(P.S. Thank you for using my affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! Both mom and I appreciate your support! ❤)

Leafy Greens and Fruit Salad

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Thrive Life - Salad

With warmer weather making its way to us down here in the South, I know that I can look forward to eating more salads.

However, a person can get bored always eating the same salad time and time again, making you feel more like a rabbit instead of human!

Still, this salad is not only delicious, it’s so simple to make!

I use apples, berries, pecans and cheddar cheese with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing to give it a nice twist from traditional salads…

…and, when I don’t have fresh ingredients on hand, I know I can always use from my pantry stash of freeze-dried fruits and cheeses, which you can find here, or in the links in the recipe!

Leafy Green and Fruit Salad

Here’s what you need:

  • 6 ounces of your favorite leafy greens – (I usually start with a bed of spinach or romaine)
  • 1 cup Fuji Apples, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups of Blackberries or strawberries, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup of cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup of toasted pecan pieces
  • Apple Cider Vinaigrette dressing

Let’s put it all together:

  1. Toast pecans on the stovetop by placing them in a dry stainless-steel skillet over medium heat, making sure to stir frequently until golden brown and fragrant – about 5 minutes.
  2. Place all salad ingredients in a bowl and toss gently with enough dressing to coat. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Cooks Tips:

  • Try using these cheeses for a twist on your salad: Feta, Goat or Gorgonzola.
  • Making a larger batch of toasted pecans? Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for approximately 8-10 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

(P.S. Thank you for using my affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! Both mom and I appreciate your support! ❤)

The Little Black Tank

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Canva - Toilet

Life in an RV is not always glitz and glam! Sometimes you have to deal with a load of poo!

While you do get to enjoy most of the comforts of a traditional home – such as running water – you should be made aware that flushing the toilet in an RV is not the same as the one back home!

Most RVs are equipped with both a black tank and a grey tank. The grey tank is for water used for washing dishes in the sink and of course the shower! I’m sure you can guess what the black tank is for!

Unlike the traditional homestead, the simple act of flushing the toilet does not mean that your business goes directly out into the public sewer system, never to be seen or heard from again!

Nope! Instead, it is collected into a holding tank until it is full!

Once full, these tanks are emptied via hoses that connect to the outside of your RV and into an opening that goes to either a septic tank or public sewer – depending on the campgrounds facilities.

Let me warn you now! You NEVER want to let the black tank open!

For those of you who are new to the RV lifestyle, let me explain…

Leaving the black tank open can cause what is known in the RV community as a poop pyramid! This pyramid can lead to a world of mess you don’t want to know about!

However, there is a way to avoid the dreaded pyramid! You simply have to remember two very important things:

  • First, of course, never leave the black tank open!
  • Second, water is your friend!

Each time we empty our tank, once closed, we go inside and hold down the flush peddle to a count of 50. This gives the tank a base of water for the waste. And, I always count to 10 each time I flush! This makes it easier when emptying the tank!

So, if you’re going to embrace the RV lifestyle, just remember when dealing with the black tank, water is your friend!

But what about toilet paper, you ask?

Simply put, in my opinion, RV toilet paper isn’t worth the hype! I say save your money. If you’re curious,  this is the brand we use. However, it does give me something to write about for another day. You wouldn’t believe the debate that goes on in the wonderful world of RVers!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

(P.S. Thank you for using my affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! Both mom and I appreciate your support! ❤)

Embracing the Lifestyle

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

20200507_192852-1

I have been restless lately…

As you may already know, I have been desperately wanting to get back to a traditional homestead and growing/raising our own foods…

But alas, this dream seems to elude me for the moment.

Instead, I believe my Creator is trying to teach me some things… like being content where I am… and working with what I have access to!

So, once again, I am embracing this lifestyle that we chose 4+ years ago!

If I can’t work the land, than I will work with what I have!

If I can’t grow my own food, I will buy from the local farmers, and preserve our foods by canning and dehydrating… and hone my skills at making foods from scratch!

I’ve got questions though!

Questions such as:

  • Can I be happy and content where I am and with what I have?
  • Will I be able to find local farmers willing to sell me their meat and produce?
  • Can I hone my skills of canning and dehydrating?
  • Will I be able to create delicious meals using foods from my business?
  • Is it possible to make homemade pizza on the grill? (okay, I threw this question in for fun. But I do wonder if I can do it?)

These are things I am willing to explore!

And, if I am truly honest, Life in an RV does have its advantages!

For instance… we get to travel with most, if not all the comforts of home! And, if we decide it’s time to move on, we can simply pick up and move at a moments notice!

Plus, we have the added benefits of not having to pay property tax!

And, in addition to these benefits, most campgrounds do not charge for the utilities we use such as water, electric and sewer – unless, of course, we plan on staying for any serious length of time!

However, being content in my current situation does NOT mean I am giving up on my dream of a traditional homestead. Yes, it’s on the back burner for now… however, I will learn to work with what I have and share with you the ups and downs, the struggles and the triumphs of living life in an RV!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

(P.S. Thank you for using my affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! Both mom and I appreciate your support! ❤)

In Search of Our Forever Homestead

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Canva - Looking for our forever homestead

The search continues…

Recently, mom and I started increasing our efforts in the search for our forever homestead! But truth be told, the search has been quite discouraging!

Just yesterday, we went to see 3 different homes, and each one was worse than the one before it!

One such house was priced at $130,000 on half an acre of land, but was completely gutted!

I don’t think we’re not asking for much… just 3-4 bedrooms with two full bathrooms (because – ahem – no one likes to do the pee-pee dance when we get home from a long days outing), 3-4 acres with a barn – enough space to have a nice vegetable patch and a few chickens… and room enough to park our RV for when we finally get off the road.

See, nothing much.

But you would think we were asking for the world!

It amazes me just how much they are asking for homes these days! Homes that just a few years ago – even last year – would go for much less than the current asking price!

A home is only worth what someone is willing to pay…

And this girl isn’t willing to pay what they are asking!

For example: one such house – actually not too far from the campground – is a nice looking 4 beds, 4 bath house that sits on 2 acres of land. But they are asking $600,000 for it.

However, not too far down the road is a property where they are asking $700,000 – but get this – for the additional $100,000 – you get not 1, but 2 nice houses on the property, plus an outbuilding that can be used for business purposes AND it sits on not 2 acres, but 32 acres of land!

Now I ask you, which property do you think I would go for – if I had that kind of money!

Unfortunately, that property is well out of our budget.

In the meantime, we continue to search for our forever homestead. Nevertheless, we have broadened our horizons. Where once we kept the search to a specific area, we are now looking into other areas while still keeping close to family.

And now that my little rant is over, tomorrow we will go see a few more possible homesteads. And I leave you with this simple thought…

It is only worth what someone is willing to pay…

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

Let’s Go Shopping… or Not!

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Canva - Lets Go Shopping

I used to love to go shopping! I could head into the local mall with friends or by myself – take all day and not feel tired or frustrated!

However, now that I am living out in the middle of nowhere, shopping has not been as much fun!!

I’ve had to start making lists of all our weekly errands long before we make the trek into town! The drive itself takes about 40 minutes one way… so if we forget something, it’s not so easy to turn around and head back into town!

And, inevitably we always forget something – usually not realizing it until we’ve driven all the way back to our campsite!

Deciding to make a list helps eliminate making that second trip back into town, thus saving on our fuel consumption! And not to put too fine a point on the subject, it also helps to reduce my frustration!

However, making lists doesn’t cut out the frustration altogether!

For example, our last trip into town, I had my list all ready to go… the truck was fueled… and, I even double checked with mom to make sure we got everything on the list she needed!

Of course, she assured me there wasn’t anything else… so off we went!

We spent the day picking up all our supplies… even did our laundry… ‘window shopped’ a few homesteads we’ve had our eyes on… and grabbed a bite to eat at our favorite eatery!

Finally, after a long days outing, it was time to make the journey home!

But as it turned out, my day was far from over!

Just as we were turning into the campground, mom told me that she forgot she needed something! And of course, it was something that couldn’t wait! Talk about frustrating!

As I began to bang my head on the steering wheel, I turned the truck around to head back into town!

Consequently, from here on out, I am making that list and checking it twice! If it’s not on my list, it will have to wait until next time – this girl is tired!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

Eating Mushrooms for Gut Health

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Pexels - mushrooms-brown-mushrooms-cook-eat

A recent stay in the local hospital has me rethinking my eating habits!

True, I have been eating healthier lately, however, I’ve come to realize I need to reconsider some of my food choices when it comes to my gut health!

I’ve learned that eating mushrooms helps to reduce systemic inflammation.

See, our gut biomes – all the trillions of live bacteria in our gut – assimilate nutrients, and such, including the vitamins from our food. However, those biomes lose their ability to operate properly when our gastrointestinal tract is inflamed!

This inflammation affects our bodies in a number of different ways.

For example, our muscles become inflamed when we exercise… our joints and soft cartilage experience inflammation from degenerative bone diseases…

Likewise – as I’ve recently found out the hard way – my gastrointestinal system becomes inflamed when I eat refined, processed sugars and starches… especially from high fatty fried foods!

This inflammation is the primary cause of illness and health disorders in our bodies!

However, making wise choices can change my health for the better!

Simply adding mushrooms not only gives my recipes a distinct and flavorful experience, they also support my immune system, allowing me to feel fit and strong!

So, reconsidering some of my food choices has become a must for me!

I can add mushrooms to my pasta, giving it a rich and bold taste that is amazing!

What is more, I can add mushrooms to my spaghetti sauce… my stir-fry… and my soups…

I can also pair them with onions and sauté to top a steak or potato… I can add even them to scrambled eggs…

However, the best way to preserve their nutritional value is to grill them!

I’ve also found it an added bonus to keep a can of freeze-dried mushrooms in my pantry. This way I can reduce the waste of throwing out mushrooms that have become slimy! How cool is that!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

(P.S. Thank you for using my affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! Both mom and I appreciate your support! ❤)

No More Crying Over Chopped Onions

Posted on by Great Adventure Homestead

Pexels - Chopped Onions

In a perfect world, chopping onions would never be necessary! They’d simply be available in our pantry any time, day or night, ready to be scattered into any of our favorite recipes!

But then again, we don’t live in a perfect world!

So, when I need to add onions into my recipe, I deal with the chopping of the onions, and the tears that come with it!

Or do I ?!?

I have discovered a well kept secret that allows me to add onions to my recipes, and yet allows me to avoid the crying!

By choice, I have learned to keep a can of freeze-dried onions in my pantry at the ready! I simply order them here, and they arrive wherever my little homestead on wheels is currently parked – and they come already diced or in slices, whichever I prefer!

Although between you and me, I order the sliced onions rather than chopped. This way they are ready to be sautéed in butter for when I am hungry for a cheesesteak sandwich. And I can simply chop the slices up when a recipe calls for chopped onions and still avoid the tears!

Adding onions is a great way to boost any homecooked meal with flavor, and I get the added benefits of vitamin C and dietary fiber!

I simply toss them into my favorite soups… or scatter them into my omelets… mix them into a casserole… create a spicy salsa… or sauté them to top a burger…

I for one enjoy being able to incorporate them into whatever recipe calls for onions! No longer am I chained to the cutting board, and the tears that come with chopping onions!

Oh, and if you have a finicky eater in your home, simply powder them in a blender and even your most discriminating palates will never be the wiser!

So, here’s to adding onions to many of your favorite dishes without all the waterworks!

Until next time,

Peace, love and safe travels!

~ Sheri

(P.S. Thank you for using my affiliate links. I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you! Both mom and I appreciate your support! ❤)