Kitchen Tips & Guides

CCooking doesn’t have to be complicated. In this section of This Farm Girl Cooks, you’ll find practical kitchen tips, simple cooking guides, and helpful ideas that make everyday cooking easier.

Whether you're trying to figure out what to do with extra garden produce, how to stretch leftovers into another meal, or how to make weeknight dinners simpler, these posts are designed to help busy families get food on the table without a lot of fuss.

Around here we cook with real ingredients, simple methods, and plenty of common sense. Most of these guides are based on the same kind of questions I hear from readers and neighbors all the time — things like:

What should I do with all these tomatoes from the garden?
What can I make with leftover pulled pork?
What sides go well with tacos or fajitas?
How can I make dinner easier during busy seasons?

If you’ve ever stood in your kitchen wondering “What should I make with this?”, you’ve come to the right kitchen.

Garden Produce Guides

If your garden is producing more vegetables than you can keep up with, these resources will help you use and preserve fresh produce before it goes bad.

What to Do With Extra Cucumbers (future)
What to Do With Too Much Zucchini (future)
How to Freeze Tomatoes (future)

You’ll find ideas for fresh recipes, simple meals, and ways to freeze or preserve produce for later.

Meal Planning & “What to Serve With” Guides

Some nights the hardest part of dinner is simply deciding what goes with what. These kitchen guides help you pull together easy meals with ideas for sides, leftovers, and simple menu planning.

These posts are designed to make dinner easier when life gets busy.

Kitchen Shortcuts & Cooking Help

Ever stare into your freezer, refrigerator, or pantry and wonder what to make? Me too! These posts share practical kitchen shortcuts and simple ideas to help you cook with what you already have.

Entertaining & Feeding a Crowd

Hosting a graduation party, birthday gathering, or holiday get-together? These guides make it easy to feed a hungry crowd with simple food bar ideas and crowd-friendly meals.

Practical Cooking Tips

You’ll also find simple kitchen tips that make everyday cooking a little smoother — whether you’re prepping ahead for a busy week or figuring out how to use ingredients you already have on hand.

If you enjoy practical cooking advice and simple recipes, this section will give you plenty of ideas to keep your kitchen running smoothly.

Looking for a specific recipe?

You can browse all recipes here:

Main Dish Recipes
Side Dish Recipes
Breakfast Recipes
Dessert Recipes

Or explore more practical kitchen ideas right here in Kitchen Tips & Guides!