Homemaking on the Homestead

Good morning Friends! Happy New Year! :) I hope you all had a good Christmas and are ready to move into the New Year :) In today's video I share a few New Year thoughts and my channel direction for 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPdyNSk8vRM

Merry Christmas Friends! I hope you have a wonderful holiday! ~Crystal

Good morning! In my weekly (hopefully weekly :) vlog video I'm sharing bits and pieces of recent days with you all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymlbBIYDLi0 

Good morning! In today's video I am sharing how I menu plan. I've had a few people ask me and thought I'd show you how and what I do... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orJrmnZuYgc

Good morning Friends!! If you are looking for a quick and simple gift idea you might want to consider making some homemade vanilla.  It's so easy to make!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HV3PszwkP0

Today's video is my weekly grocery haul. I got some amazing deals on meat at Costco! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74Yb0j1m5D0

With Christmas just around the corner it is time to start thinking  about gift giving, it you have not done so already! As a single income family we are on a budget and I am always on the look out for frugal fun Christmas gift ideas. The ideas I am sharing with you here are a few of the different things I have done over the years as well as some ideas that I may be doing this year. Perhaps it will spark some new ideas for you this Christmas season!  Gift Baskets are always popular: Breakfast Basket Pick one or two food type gifts: Pancake & waffle mix along with homemade syrup Homemade granola Homemade raisin bread Homemade cinnamon rolls Then add any of the following: Homemade pot holders Dish towels Spatula Coffee mugs Dish towels, spatulas, coffee mugs can be found at dollar stores or Wal-Mart very inexpensively. Whole Wheat Cinnamon Pancake Mix Crystal Miller 2 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour, freshly ground if possible ...

Hello Friends! I'm sharing with you today a homemade window cleaner. You can see more about it my newest video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYibVNGM2j4 DIY Window Cleaner 2 cups water 1T cornstarch 1/4 cup alcohol 1/4 cup white vinegar Combine all ingredients and put in a spray bottle. Spray on windows and use a lint free cloth to wipe windows clean.

Hello friends! In today's video I share bits and pieces of my days and take you along for our Thanksgiving Day visit to my husbands parents up north in Washington. I'm still figuring out the best way to do my previous “Wednesday on the Homestead” in video format. I'm thinking it will be a work in progress as I learn more. I hope you enjoy!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cwYcQKrm9A Crystal

Good morning friends! I'm starting a new series on my YouTube channel called, Coffee with Crysta l. I plan on sharing thoughts and topics that are on my heart and mind. Today's video is about my own empty nest journey and my thoughts on it. It's a challenging change of seasons for many of us moms (and dads!).  I am almost 2 years into my empty nest journey and I hope by sharing some of my own insight and experiences it might encourage any of you walking the same path or seeing it coming soon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xndGgfWI9N4

Good morning friends! Here is my most recent grocery haul.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjEpruXdzqQ

Do you have leftover turkey meat to use up and need some ideas?  We usually eat Thanksgiving dinner the day after but by the 3 rd day we are ready for something different.  I find just about any recipe that uses cooked chicken works quite well with cooked turkey.  The recipes below are actually chicken recipes but you can just sub turkey in place of the chicken:  Turkey Enchiladas Fill corn or whole wheat tortillas with chopped up turkey and cheese. Roll them up and place in a 9x13 pan (or 9x9 or 11x15 pan, depending on how many people you are feeding). Pour your favorite enchilada sauce (canned or homemade) over all, top with more cheese and bake at 350 until all is hot and bubbly and cheese has melted. Sweet and Sour Chicken (Turkey) Crystal Miller 2 cups cut up chicken pieces, cooked 1 T olive oil 1 cup celery, chopped ½ cup green pepper, chopped 1 small to medium sweet onion, sliced thinly 1 20 oz. can pin...

Good Morning! In today's YouTube I share how to make a great fall/winter meal, Dutch Oven Cranberry Pork. It's easy to make and delicious! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHyAqCw_x28

If you are in need of some side dish recipes for Thanksgiving here are a few that might help you out.. My Favorite Sweet Potatoes Crystal Miller 5 to 6 large yams or sweet potatoes ½ cup butter ½ cups orange juice ¼ cup real maple syrup ¾ cup chopped walnuts Cook sweet potatoes until tender.  Drain and cool to touch.  Peel.  Chop into small pieces and put into a 9x13 pan.  Melt butter and add orange juice and maple syrup.  Drizzle this over the sweet potatoes and stir it up to mix it up.  Sprinkle the copped walnuts over the top and bake at 350 for about 30 to 45 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly.   Green Bean Side Dish This was my own little rendition of the cream soup/green bean/dried French onion dish I have had so many places. I just had the girls throw this together one evening with what I had on hand. It was a great success! 2 qts. Green beans (4 cans would be the same), drained 2 cans cream of mushroo...

I am sure a lot of you reading this already know how to cook a turkey.  But I also know that many ladies have never done it before.  I was in my late 20’s before I cooked my first turkey.  My grandma or mom or mother in law had always done that part.  When I went to cook my first turkey I was reading lots of cookbooks and talking with my mother to learn.  It is not like we have the opportunity to practice turkey roasting too often!   I thought I would just share from my own turkey roasting experience how I have done it.  There are lots of ways to do this and tips, etc..  and I am sure I won’t cover them all but will share what has worked for me.  First is the actual buying of the turkey.  I typically have purchased frozen turkeys.  The week before Thanksgiving you can find turkeys at the best price of the year.  In fact I usually take advantage of these great prices and buy another turkey or ...