Snyder's Urban Homestead

Yes peas! Finished the rock around my new garden beds today. My peas and green beans are coming up nicely. Ever bearing strawberries in the smaller planter and carrots and parsnips barely starting to pop. Extra thankful for the Mr. who makes all my garden dreams come true.

Meeting with a gal tonight to figure out the layout to add native grasses and plants to the landscaping. I also had a call with a friend who is a DNR conservation officer and former park ranger to pick his brain a bit this week.

3 new Cedar garden boxes built. We took out my old gross metal garden boxes. Carrots, parsnips, rainbow carrots, 3 types of peas and 2 types of green beans planted. The smaller garden box will hold either strawberries or flowers. We still need to finish landscaping the area with w**d proof fabric and white rock, build the rain barrel stand and get the rain barrel set up. After that, 2 more larger garden boxes to build and rip out the old, and landscape that area, build the new shed and we will be semi ready for the rest of planting season. We will need to bring home a skidloader to redo the front and back yards.


This is my 2nd garden season without my dad adding things he wanted me to grow. As I started planting carrots, one of his favorite songs came on the radio and I knew he was still with me.

It was a great morning to make another batch of BBQ sauce. I use tomato paste and tomato sauce we canned from last years garden. Plus leftover cowboy candy syrup from canning last year as well.

My least favorite question on a busy day will always be "whats for dinner" I needed something quick that didnt go in the oven since I was also proofing and baking sourdough sandwich loaves. Yesterday, I forgot to lay anything out, so a quick trip to the basement deep freezer for meatballs, then to the shelves for canned pasta sauce and noodles saved me. Having a pantry full of canned food, sauces and mixes saves me everytime.

Sourdough sandwich bread day!!!

We tried a new recipe tonight.... Philly cheesesteak pasta. It was a win!!!!

Our daughter requested Goulash for dinner tonight. This is a great way to use some of our canned tomatoes and a couple jars of tomato sauce.

Brownie Mix is always a staple in our house for a quick dessert.

Brownie Mix
2c. Sugar
1c. Unsweetened cocoa powder
1c. All-purpose flour
1/2tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Put in airtight container and shake well before scooping out.

To make a 9×9 pan of Brownies
2c. Dry mix
1/2c. Melted butter
2 eggs
2tbsp milk
1tbsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Grease a 9x9 baking pan.

Bake at 350° F For 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

If you like, add chocolate chips to the batter for extra rich brownies.

Its cold today in Iowa, so a perfect day for baking. Sourdough bread is in the oven and making some Chocolate Chip mini muffins this morning.

Muffin Mix
5c all purpose flour
2 1/2c white sugar
5tsp baking powder
2tsp baking soda
1tsp salt

Mix well and store in pantry.

To make muffins
2 1/2c dry muffin Mix
1c milk
1/2c melted butter
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla

Mix well, bake at 375⁰ for 20 min.

Add ins
Choc chip muffins - add 1c chocolate chips
Blueberry muffins - add 1c frozen blueberries

Making sandwich bread tomorrow, so I needed to discard and feed my sourdough starter tonight. More sourdough pizza dough in the fridge for our next pizza night.