The Pioneer Cookbook

Pioneers definitely fall into my homesteading review week as they had to use only things they grew to cook, no local grocery for them to run and pick up some frozen pizzas for dinner!

When I saw this cookbook was out I sent to the publisher Leatherwood Press, asking for a review copy. I knew it would be right up my alley! I love reviewing books that I am excited about without even seeing them first!

I first noticed a recipe for Machaca which I recently had a friend of Mexican heritage tell me about for using up some of my roasts. A great recipe for basically making a tender shredded beef to use in other recipes. Pasties or meat pies are in the main dishes, something the upper Michigan folks know much about. Chicken dishes, even seafood, though I do question the recipe for boiled lobster, I am thinking the good ole pioneers didn’t get too much lobster come their way.
Interesting recipes that the pioneers used and perhaps some current day homesteader would try like Baked Rabbit and Roasted Duck. The recipe for Roasted Raccoon I could do without. Those varmints each my chickens and I don’t think I could roast and eat them.
As typical of cookbooks we have our main dishes, soups and stews, sauces and dressings, side dishes, breads and biscuits, desserts, and candies and drinks. I love the section on food preservation, great idea for a pioneer cookbook. It even has a small section on self-care and remedies for your basics.
I will soon be getting some whole wheat berries so I can grind my own flour and try some of these hearty bread recipes. I had hoped to do that before my review so I could post pictures, but you will just have to stay tuned! Bread was sure a staple food for the pioneers.
There is reminiscent clip art throughout, and fun little pioneer sayings and poems. It has a definite pioneer feel to it. There aren’t any photographs, I know you wanted to see the Roasted Raccoon, I did too. A few here and there would have been fun if the background was pioneer/rustic like.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I know a lot of recipes can be found online now, but that just doesn’t give the cook the same feel as having a good ole cookbook in hand!

Blurb:

The Pioneer Cookbook: Recipes for Today's Kitchen returns us to a simple
time when food filled our souls and everything was made from scratch. This book contains over 200 pioneer recipes adapted for today's kitchen. Each recipe uses everyday ingredients and includes easy to-follow instructions.

Some of the mouthwatering recipes in this book include:

* Dutch oven chicken
* Traditional beef stew
* Apple butter
* Potato salad
* Hoppin' john
* Pioneer lettuce salad
* Homemade noodles
* Buckwheat pancakes
* Irish soda bread
* Poblano enchiladas
* Grandma Checketts' Cherry Cake
* Applesauce wedding cake
* Pumpkin pie
* Peach cobbler
* Honey cookies
* Bread pudding
* Salt water taffy
* Dried apples
* Beef jerky
* Blackberry jam

Whether you're making fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, apple pie, or dill
pickles, you'll love the recipes in this cookbook!
Thanks to Leatherwood Press for allowing me to review this book.