Tag: Recipes

Easy DIY CBD & Coconut Oil Lip Balm

Posted on by House & Homestead

I needed a new lip balm and needed it pronto. With the weather warming up, I found myself reaching for lip balms often. I don’t like most chapsticks as I feel like they can make your lips more drying but I have always loved the way coconut oil based lip balms feel.

I grabbed my CBD Oil and Coconut Oil and got to work.

I have some leftover glass jars so I decided to use them for my lip balm.

This recipe is actually very cost-effective and can be used to fill multiple jars. This recipe fills one small lip balm jar. Double, triple, etc. until your heart is content.

You Will Need:

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

5 drops of full spectrum CBD oil (or hemp oil)

2-3 drops of essential oil (some examples are lavender, orange, vanilla, peppermint or whatever you prefer.)

Do This:

Melt the coconut oil first by either microwaving slowly 10 seconds at a time or setting the jar outside to melt by the sun.

Add the CBD oil and essential oils in with the coconut oil. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into a container and freeze for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy!!!!

Top Five Reasons You Should Be Eating Duck Eggs

Posted on by House & Homestead

1. Duck eggs are healthier. The number one reason you should be eating duck eggs are that they are healthier. Now we all know the value of the “incredible, edible” chicken egg, but did you know that duck eggs are higher in essential vitamins and minerals? The free range ducks seem to have the highest quality of eggs, duck eggs in general have more vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, B6, B12, Niacin, firemen, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, and retinol. Not to mention they have a higher protein content! Whew!

2. Duck eggs have more Vitamin D. Especially if your ducks free range, duck eggs have more vitamin D than a chicken egg. Vitamin D has a long list of benefits including skin and bone health as well as some evidence that it improves your mood.

3. Duck eggs are the special ingredient in many Baker’s products. Did you know that duck eggs make for a fluffier cake, a lighter cookie, and a moist and delicate addition to most bakery items? The higher protein content in the egg whites of a duck egg make them a fantastic choice for baking.

4. More omega-3’s! By now most people know how important omega threes are, but still many people don’t know how to add them to their diet without supplements. Omega-3’s help keep your heart healthy and may reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation is generally understood by scientists to be a potential cause for many diseases. Also there is a link to omega three consumption and it’s positive affect on mood.

5. Lastly, I truly believe duck eggs are the food of the future. Ducks are a very easy animal to care for. Their feed is simple, their needs are basic, and they are consistent layers as chickens generally have months where production slows down. The thicker shell of a duck egg makes them last longer than chicken eggs, and their unique make up generally allows them to be a suitable substitution for those with chicken egg allergies.

What We Love About Duck Eggs vs Chicken Eggs

Posted on by House & Homestead

This isn’t the most loveliest of photos but we were feeding a few eggs back to the ducks and chickens (benefits them by providing protein, omegas, and calcium from the shell) and this is just ONE duck egg yolk.

It was hard to focus on but man, the duck egg yolks can be so much larger which increases the good fats and omegas that come with it. The color comes from all the free-range time they have during the day. They forage on all the plants and bugs.

The duck eggs are usually white, but we will be having some chocolate runners laying in a few months and they will lay mint colored eggs.

Here are some of our duck eggs:

Here are our chickens eggs:

Chicken eggs do taste very similar however with the higher fat content a duck egg yolk has, I’d say they are better for baking and fluffing things up.

5 Ingredient Coop Refresher Spray for Smells, Lice & Mite Prevention

Posted on by House & Homestead

There is a lot to be said for essential oils and how they can keep your coop fresh smelling and keep the bugs away. Many air fresheners have harsh chemicals that can irritate your chickens or ducks, so DIY is definitely the way to go.

Especially in a place like Florida where the summers can be both sweltering hot and soaking wet, a good coop spray is totally necessary.

Though using neem oil is probably my favorite natural way to treat for nasty bugs (on both plants and elsewhere), neem oil can be hard to find and I don’t use it regularly, so this has become my go to recipe for those in-between moments for freshening up of the hen house.

I’ve narrowed down my mix to only the basics and without further adieu, the recipe is as follows.

5 Ingredient Coop Refresher Spray for Smells, Lice & Mite Prevention

• 1 cup of white vinegar

• 1 cup of water

• 1 generous squirt dr bronners soap

• Approx 15 drops peppermint essential oil

• Approx 20 drops tea tree essential oil

If you’re interested in why this is my “go-to”, peppermint essential oil helps to repel bugs. Plain and simple. When it gets humid and hot, the fruit flies have a field day on any spilled water, or anything else. For some reason, flies hate peppermint!

The tea tree essential oil is good for warding off both lice and mites. This can be sprayed in the coop, on roosting bars and in nesting boxes.

Vinegar is a natural cleaner and a good bleach alternative for some applications. I try to use it as much as I can in place of any harsh cleaners. Vinegar is biodegradable, but isn’t a registered disinfectant and isn’t strong enough to kill germs like staph, so though it’s good for this freshener, this spray is not appropriate for treating any major bacterial or biosecurity issues.

Easy Cast Iron Skillet BBQ Meatballs

Posted on by House & Homestead

Quick, easy, hearty and delicious, these skillet cooked BBQ meatballs are sure to be a family favorite.

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 egg

2 cloves minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste.

1 cup BBQ sauce

1/4 cup orange juice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients (except bbq and orange juice) and shape into 1 inch balls.

2. Cook at 375 for 30 minutes in a well seasoned and oiled cast iron skillet.

3. Douse in (about 1 cup) of your favorite BBQ sauce mixed with 1/4 cup orange juice and allow to simmer for a few minutes until sauce is warm.

4. Serve hot!

4 Things We’ve Learned So Far

Posted on by House & Homestead

1. Chopped straw vs pine shavings in the coop has proven to be a great experiment. I didn’t know what to expect but I’m super excited to report that the chopped straw seems to stay cleaner longer and has been much easier to spread around..

2. Peppermint is a wonderful thing to grow in the garden, especially when you have chickens. Certain plants (like peppermint) will spread and take over. I use it daily in the coop, for the chickens to snack on and also, to freshen up the coop. Planting a small above ground garden in a tub, box, etc.. with herbs like Rosemary, Thyme, Peppermint, Lavender will be your coop cleaning friend.

3. If you decide on chickens, go big or go home. Within 3 months, we had moved the chickens from the small coop we had, into our shed (more about shed coop on the blog). It doesn’t matter how fancy it is, you’ll soon realize that you’ll want more space. There are so many options, it might even be worth it to build your own.

4. Chia, flax, clover and wheatgrass are great to grow around your yard, especially when you have chickens. They will forage and get extra nutrients from these things but they’re also super easy to get going, they sprout within a few days and provide awesome ground cover.

So there you go… thanks for following us 🙂

Garden Fresh Breakfast Quiche

Posted on by House & Homestead

This hearty quiche is only accidentally vegetarian. It’s so good, I never add any meat because it’s filling enough without it.

Recipe below:
Garden Fresh Breakfast Quiche

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 minced garlic cloves

5-6 basil leaves

1 diced jalapeño

4 red potatoes, thinly sliced

1 cup cheddar cheese

1⁄4 cup milk

1⁄2 cup sour cream

6 eggs

1/4 cup salsa

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Line the bottom of your seasoned cast iron skillet with the potato slices.
3. Place in oven for now.
4. Sauté onions and garlic, then add broccoli florets, jalapeños, basil, salt and pepper.
5. Whisk together the cheese, milk, sour cream, salsa, and the eggs in a large bowl.
6. Mix in the sautéed vegetables.
7. Pour into skillet.
8. Sprinkle more cheese and Parmesan on top.
9. Bake for 45 minutes or until eggs reach desired consistency. *Other options include topping with tomatoes and basil or adding your favorite breakfast meats.

Enjoy!

Grilled Bruschetta BLT

Posted on by House & Homestead

It’s almost midnight, so here’s our late night snack!

Ingredients:

4 Campari tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

1/2 small red onion

1 tbsp olive oil

6-8 slices bacon

8 slices Italian bread

Balsamic vinegar

4 slices provolone

Lots of butter

Directions: Start cooking your bacon. I prefer in the cast iron, in the oven at 350 until your preferred doneness. Dice up tomatoes, basil, garlic, and red onion, toss with olive oil in a small bowl and set aside. Grill your bread in a hot cast iron with lots of butter. Place a slice of provolone onto a piece of the grilled bread, top that with the mix, drizzle with balsamic, add two slices of bacon and top with second piece of grilled bread.

Grilled Bruschetta BLT. It’s almost midnight, so here’s our late night snack!Ingredients: 4 Campari tomato’s1/2 cup fresh basil leaves2 garlic cloves1/2 small red onion1 tbsp olive oil6-8 slices bacon8 slices Italian bread Balsamic vinegar4 slices provoloneLots of butter Directions: Start cooking your bacon. I prefer in the cast iron, in the oven at 350 until your preferred doneness. Dice up tomatoes, basil, garlic, and red onion, toss with olive oil in a small bowl and set aside. Grill your bread in a hot cast iron with lots of butter. Place a slice of provolone onto a piece of the grilled bread, top that with the mix, drizzle with balsamic, add two slices of bacon and top with second piece of grilled bread. Do this til’ you’ve made all the sandwiches you want.

Do this til’ you’ve made all the sandwiches you want.

Cast Iron Fettuccine Alfredo

Posted on by House & Homestead

5oz package spinach

15 oz already cooked chicken

Handful of garlic cloves

Handful of olives

Sauté garlic cloves in olive oil. Add spinach leaves and chicken, and cook until spinach is wilted. Boil a package of fettuccine noodles, drain and combine with one 15oz jar of Alfredo sauce and the spinach/chicken. Transfer to cast iron, top with mozzarella. Bake at 350 until cheese is bubbly.

It’s delicious.