Photo by Stephanie Gang |
As homesteaders, we delight in the prospects a new recipe brings. Whether we’re putting our garden harvest to use in the form of colorful salads, soups or sides or we’re kneading out our stress along with our bread dough, we take joy in the fact that the food we make with our hands is fresh and will nourish the bodies of our families.
This year, you came to HobbyFarms.com looking for a new dish to serve your family. You liked some of the recipes you saw and added them to your recipe book (or Pinterest board), while other recipes served as one-time meals. Needless to say, with the hundreds of recipes we shared on HobbyFarms.com this year, there was something to suit every taste.
Below is a list of the top-20 recipes that caught the attention of our readers in 2012. If you haven’t tested one out yet, we encourage you to give it a try and let use know what you think. And stay tuned: More delicious recipes will be coming your way in 2013!
Sauerkraut
Fermentation was the name of the game in 2012. Preserve a tasty cabbage harvest with this recipe.
Home-canned Lemon Curd
The perfect gift for weddings and Christmas, readers told us about the many ways you chose to share this delicious treat.
Canned Apple Pie Filling
This recipe is easy to make—and it means you can spread the delicious taste of a farm-fresh apple pie throughout the year.
Herbed Zucchini Cheese Bread
Zucchini is a consistently abundant crop in the hobby farmer’s garden, and readers continually bonkers over this recipe which puts the beloved squash to use.
Farmhouse Cornbread with Fresh Corn Kernels
This cornbread recipe is high on organic ingredients and low on refined flours and sugars, making a delicious summer side for homesteaders looking to eliminate preservatives from their diets.
Old-fashioned Strawberry Jam
Who doesn’t love to spread some strawberry jam on a PB&J from time to time—especially when the fruit spread is home-canned? Give this recipe a try, and tell us your sugar-substitution ideas.
Apple Oatmeal Muffins
Perfect for an afternoon snack or a breakfast on the go, these healthy, hearty muffins will give you the energy you need to keep charging through your day.
Dandelion Wine
Fret about those cheery yellow-topped weeds no more! Try this recipe to put your entire garden harvest—dandelions included—to use.
Turkey Meatballs: Three Ways
Make these meatball in advance and freeze to use in a variety of meals, including pasta, sandwiches and meatball appetizers.
Garlic Rosemary Bread
With an abundance of Mediterranean flavors packed into this loaf of bread, all you’ll need is a little olive oil for dipping to make a tasty snack.
Peach Preserves
Don’t worry about canning this recipe from Cheesecake Farms. These preserves are so fresh and tasty, your batch won’t last more than a couple days.
Sweet Potato Quick Bread
As if you needed another reason to enjoy the autumn-time delights ushered in with sweet potatoes, here’s a recipe that will become a new family favorite.
Homemade Baking Mix
Get a head start on your favorite recipes, from biscuits to pancakes to pie crusts, by mixing this baking mix ahead of time and storing it in your pantry for quick use.
Homemade Healthy Energy Bars
As we work on our farms and enjoy the great outdoors, we need a snack that will keep up with our busy lifestyles, and this energy bar recipe made with whole grains will do the trick.
Mulled Cider
You loved the mulling spices in this recipe but wanted to make your own cider, too. Good thing we have a cider-making tutorial to help you out!
Roast Pork Shepherd’s Pie
The pork industry was threatened this year, but some of you decided it was the perfect time to raise your own pork. If that’s you—or you rely on a trusted local pork producer—this recipe makes an excellent Sunday meal.
Apple Bread
We don’t have to explain why readers flocked to this recipe to use up their autumn apple harvests.
Moose Bread
This recipe is the precursor to modern brown bread and showcases Native American roots.
Whey Ricotta
More and more homesteaders became interested in making their own cheese this year. This recipe uses mozzarella cheese byproduct to make another cheesy creation and eliminate waste.
Sourdough Starter
Sourdough bread is a great way to share your kitchen customs with friends and family, and this sourdough-starter recipe makes it easy to begin the process.
