Recipes

I’ve finally cracked the code on homemade, nutrient dense, real food lunch meat! Sometimes we just need to be able to pack a cold lunch that actually fills us up and is made with real, nutrient dense food I trust. Full disclosure - I measured seasonings with my heart, but these are approximate measurements. Feel free to adjust the measurements to your liking!

When the mornings turn crisp enough for a sweatshirt, I slip into Fall mode. Out come the soups, roasts, and cozy seasonal recipes. One of my favorite ingredients this time of year is squash - acorn, delicata, and all the unique heirloom varieties we find at local markets. They’re beautiful, hearty, and the perfect pairing for any of our grass-fed and pasture-raised sausages. This recipe is one of those meals that looks impressive on the table but is simple enough for a weeknight dinner. Even better? It’s flexible. You can use sausage made from our pasture-raised chicken, pork, 100% grass fed beef, or even grass-fed lamb is perfect here too. If you’re all about seasonal eating and supporting local farms, but also don’t have time to spend half your day in the kitchen - you should try this!

This is the soup that makes everyone think you've been cooking all day — rich, golden broth packed with tender chicken, soft noodles, and all the vegetables your body is craving. It's deeply nourishing, endlessly comforting, and the kind of meal that earns you serious kitchen credibility with zero fuss.

On repeat from Spring until Fall — this is the kind of salad that actually fills you up. Marinated grilled chicken, homemade balsamic dressing, and whatever looks good at the farmers market. Simple, flexible, and nothing like the sad salads you're used to.

This is the kind of meal that fills your whole house with the smell of autumn — slow-cooked pork that practically melts apart, swimming in a rich, tangy-sweet apple cider sauce with just the right hint of warm spice. It's hearty, deeply satisfying, and practically makes itself. Pile it high over creamy mashed potatoes, load it onto buns with a scoop of coleslaw, or serve it alongside cheesy grits for a meal that feels like a celebration. However you serve it, don't be surprised when everyone asks for seconds — or when you find yourself sneaking bites straight from the crockpot before dinner even hits the table.

I know beef roasts tend to be known as a classic Winter meal. Pot roast and potatoes is definitely something we love on a cold Winter evening, but beef roasts are one of my favorite summer meals too. We tried something new this week and made a super, super simple version of beef barbacoa in the crockpot, added some fun fillers, and it made the BEST burritos! In summertime we do quite a bit of grilling, but the crockpot is another great way to keep the house a little cooler while still eating an amazing homecooked meal. Here’s my quick and easy version of summer beef barbacoa burritos!

I’ve been in a major cooking rut most of this Spring, but I ran across this recipe idea and knew we had to try it! It’s my favorite kind of meal - super quick and simple, with simple ingredients, but the flavors come together to make it seem like a way fancier meal than it actually is. And all but the rice can be grilled outside, so it’s perfect for hot summer evenings when you don’t want to heat up the house cooking indoors. Note - we used boneless chicken thighs in our bowls, but you can definitely use any other bone-in or boneless chicken cut or even ground chicken cooked in a skillet. I think pork would also work well here too. Recipes are only suggestions, use what your family likes best or what you have on hand - it’ll still turn out great! We also made Hawaiian chicken burgers using our unseasoned ground chicken patties with the roasted red peppers and pineapple as toppings and they were AMAZING.

Even in Winter, we're always looking for ways to eat local and use what's available at our farmers market! This Buffalo Chicken Dip is a Chillicothe Farmers Market style twist on classic appetizer dips. I can’t wait to make it on Sunday while I pretend to watch the Super Bowl! :)

This recipe is DEFINITELY one you will want to try out this Winter. It’s tasty, filling, and an easy way I can get bone broth AND greens into all of us without any resistance. Jesse has proclaimed it his absolute favorite soup ever and in the top 5 of his favorite meals, and even our 2 year old who tends to be fairly picky will clean up bowl after bowl of this soup. It seems like such simple ingredients, but there’s something about it that comes together to be so good! I also really like this soup because 100% the ingredients can be purchased locally without even stepping into a grocery store. It feels amazing to craft a meal with ingredients that were raised on our farm, or came from our farmer friends! We like to serve it with a fresh baked loaf of crusty bread, or some fresh rolls or bread from the farmers market plus a touch of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

It’s no secret - I love baked goods. Except oatmeal raisin cookies. I also did not have a pleasant fruit cake experience so it’s a no go on those, but other than that I’m a pretty equal opportunity baked good eater. When I have a little extra free time to play around in the kitchen I like to try and “healthify” some of our favorite baked goods. Jesse usually tells me they are “just ok”, then proceeds to eat 3/4 of a pan of whatever it is. Eliza is all about a sweet treat so I don’t think she even tastes it long enough to know it’s a healthier version of anything. I’m with Eliza, I have liked most of the experiments. These paleo brownies were my latest attempt at a healthier version of one of our favorites. They are super dense, fudgy, chocolately, and have no processed sugar. Well, I take that back, there is a little bit of sugar in there - I added a couple tablespoons of whatever the Simple Truth dark chocolate chunks are from Kroger. If you’re a strict paleo eater - leave out or substitute whatever you’re comfortable with! I really liked these, so hopefully you do too!

This one comes with a story. These are Mimmie Noodles — a family recipe passed down from Dana's grandmother, made with nothing but eggs, flour, and salt. Three ingredients, a little elbow grease, and the kind of result that makes a holiday table feel like home. Serve them over mashed potatoes the way Dana's family does, drop them into chicken noodle soup, or freeze a batch for later. However you use them, don't be surprised if everyone finds a reason to sneak through the kitchen before dinner's ready.

Marinated pork chops on the grill with a foil packet of buttery potatoes and veggies alongside — this is the kind of summer meal that practically makes itself. Start the marinade, prep the potatoes, and by the time the foil packet is done the chops are ready to go on. One grill, one cleanup, and dinner's on the table.