Simple family recipes rooted in a heritage of family, food, and faith
In a world full of options, we hunger for simplicity. In a world full of change, we feel nostalgia for the memories of old. In a world of limited connections, we long for deeper relationships. In a world full of the digital, we want to touch and taste.
The Homestead Cook celebrates tradition, simplicity, and relationships through classic recipes from a Christian family farmstead. These recipes—from appetizers and beverages to main dishes and desserts—are rich in flavor and use common ingredients, offering simple twists on beloved favorites. Many of the dishes have been enjoyed around the author’s family dinner table for generations and are ready to be shared at yours. Author Jody L. Bahler also incorporates favorite dishes from her family business, The Homestead, a home-style bakery, deli, and gift shop in Indiana.
If you’re looking for a cookbook that will stick around in your kitchen, this is the one. With practical recipes, engaging stories, and beautiful photography, The Homestead Cook is rooted deep in rich heritage. It’s a cookbook to pore over rather than pick through; to savor rather than sideline.
Appetizers and Beverages (17)
Caramel Apple Dip
Caramel Corn Puffs
Slow Cooker Nacho Chicken
Fresh Garden Salsa
Frozen Cappuccinos
Grandma Isch’s Nacho Cheese Dip
Guacamole
Jalapeno Poppers
Peanut Butter Power Balls
Piña Colada Slush
Punch
Puppy Chow
Smoked Cream Cheese
Strawberry Smoothie
Stuffed Mushrooms
Sweet Dill Pickles
Veggie Pizza
Breakfast (10)
Three-Cheese Egg Bake
Bacon Egg Salad
Breakfast Casserole
Feather Pancakes
French Toast / Raspberry Sauce and Maple Pancake Syrup
Grandma Bahler’s Breakfast English Muffins
Hard-Cooked Egg Casserole
Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
School Morning Puff Pancake
Spinach Bacon Quiche
Soups, Sandwiches, Salads, and Dressings (11)
Aunt Ilene’s Italian Dressing
Cheesy Broccoli Noodle Soup
Creamy Italian Dressing
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Garden Pasta Salad
Homestead Chili
Italian Beef Sandwich
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
Sausage Potato Soup
Strawberry Lettuce Salad
Side Dishes (17)
Autumn Baked Apples
Baked Potatoes with Topping
Browned Butter Redskin Potatoes
Buttery Mashed Potatoes
Cheesy Carrots
Cheesy Noodles
Creamed Asparagus
Fried Potatoes
Grandma Isch’s Homemade Noodles
Green Beans and Bacon
Mom’s Potluck Baked Beans
Parmesan Baked Potatoes
Potatoes with Cheese Sauce
Refrigerator Cucumbers
Sliced Frozen Peaches
Slushy Chunky Applesauce
Snicker Apple Salad
Breads, Muffins, Coffeecake, and Rolls (14)
Three-Cheese Garlic Herb Rolls
Buttered Farmhouse Cornbread
Butterhorn Dinner Rolls
Focaccia Bread
French Bread Loaf
Glazed Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Grandma Hartter’s Poppyseed Bread
Jody’s Homemade Bread
Mom’s Bubble Bread
Our Favorite Bran Muffin
Pizza Crust
Pumpkin Chip Muffins
Pumpkin Knot Dinner Rolls
Frosted Cinnamon Rolls
Main Dishes (25) - 8 chicken, 8 beef, 8 pork
Bacon-Wrapped Caramelized Chicken Tenders
Mom’s Chicken and Rice Casserole
Christmas Dinner Roasted Cornish Hen
Swiss Chicken Breast
Crispy Coated Baked Chicken
Deep Dish Chicken Potpie
Chicken or Beef Stir Fry with Buttered Rice
Smoked Chicken Thighs with White Barbecue Sauce
Bacon-Wrapped Beef Patties
Aunt Marilyn’s Wiggles Casserole
Mom’s Crock Pot Roast
Horseradish Sauce
Meatloaf
Montreal Marinated Grilled Steak
Spaghetti Sauce
Taco-Filled Pasta Shells
Tater Tot Casserole
Barbecue Ribs
Herbal Roasted Pork Loin with Cilantro Cream Sauce
Ham and Noodle Cheese Bake
Sausage and Potato Casserole
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Oven-Roasted Sausage and Potatoes
Italian Stromboli
Porkchops
Cookies and Bars (9)
Aunt Heidi’s So-Easy Sugar Cookies
Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
Grandma Hartter’s Christmas Peppernuts
Grandma Hartter’s Crispy Rice Caramel Bars
Mom’s Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Monster Bars
No-Bake Cookies
Scotcheroo Bars
Spritz Christmas Cookies
Desserts (15)
Apple Crisp Bake
Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
Dessert Pizza Breadsticks
German Chocolate Cake
Grandpa Bahler’s Vanilla Ice Cream
Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Kenzie’s White Chocolate Cheesecake
Mile-High Meringue
Peach Cream Pie
Pie Crust
Pie Fries with Pie Filling
Pumpkin Pie Dessert
Pumpkin Whip and Gingersnaps
Sugar Cream Pie
Winter Night Tapioca
Jody L. Bahler is founder and owner of The Homestead, a specialty home-style bakery, deli, and gift shop, where she creates, tests, and tries every recipe. Family-owned by Jody and her husband Mike since 2010, The Homestead is one of the Midwest’s top fresh bakeries and has grown to two locations. Jody and her husband have raised five daughters on their family’s five-generational farmstead in rural Indiana.
