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Recipes

Discover seasonal recipes made for gathering around the table. From comforting dinners and fresh summer favorites to homemade breads, desserts, appetizers, and everyday meals, you'll find trusted recipes inspired by the seasons and made from simple, wholesome ingredients.

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Appetizers
Bread + Dough
Breakfast
Desserts
Main Dishes
Side Dishes
Soups + Stews
Wild Mushroom Recipes
  • Close up of loaded baked potato soup topped with bacon, cheese and chives in a white bowl
    Ultimate Creamy Loaded Baked Potato Soup
  • A bowl of oxtail soup with chunks of meat, cannellini beans, carrots, and potato in the broth all sitting on a counter surrounded by fresh thyme, garlic, and cherry tomatoes
    Delicious Slow Cooker Oxtail Soup Recipe with Cannellini Beans and Potatoes
  • Bowl of hearty venison chili with kidney beans, topped with shredded cheese and green onions, served in a black bowl on a dark plate.
    Best Venison Chili Recipe (Hearty & Flavorful)
  • Bowl of old-fashioned vegetable beef stew with tender beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, and corn in a thick savory broth, served with bread.
    Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Stew (From Scratch Recipe)
  • Creamy cheesy vegetable chowder with broccoli and shredded cheddar in black bowls
    Creamy Cheesy Vegetable Chowder Recipe
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Better than Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
  • Fried chicken gizzards on a plate
    Southern-Fried Chicken Gizzards Recipe
  • Hearty venison stew in a white bowl topped with parsley and surrounded by a green towel and fresh garlic
    Ultimate Hearty Venison Stew
  • Glass jars of beef tallow
    How to Render Beef Tallow
  • Classic beef and onion cheese ball on a plate surrounded by crackers.
    Easy Classic Beef Cheese Ball
  • A rustic bowl of pastina soup with fresh herbs and grated Parmesan, styled on a dark wooden table. The soup is surrounded by scattered dry pastina, lemon slices, and fresh parsley for a cozy and inviting presentation.
    Quick and Easy Pastina Soup | Italian Penicillin Soup
  • A warm and inviting bowl of hearty fall vegetable beef soup, filled with tender beef chunks, garden-fresh vegetables, and a rich broth. The soup is garnished with fresh herbs and served in a rustic bowl, with vibrant carrots and garlic resting nearby on a light-colored surface, creating a cozy and comforting autumn-inspired scene.
    Hearty Fall Vegetable Beef Soup with Garden Vegetables
  • Two small glass jars filled with golden dandelion-infused honey, one with a honey dipper dripping amber sweetness. Dried chamomile and a soft golden cloth add a cozy, seasonal touch to the rustic dark wood background.
    Dandelion Honey
  • Smoked corn on the cob brushed with chili lime butter, served with fresh lime slices and red pepper flakes on a wooden board.
    Best Smoked Corn on the Cob Recipe
  • Smoked barbacoa shredded beef on a black platter with lime wedges, corn tortillas, and chipotle braising juices
    Best Smoked Barbacoa Recipe
  • Close-up of juicy smoked chicken thigh with crispy skin and dry rub, garnished with fresh rosemary.
    Smoked Chicken Thighs with Mop Sauce (Juicy & Flavorful)
  • spoonful of wild ramp pesto with pecans over glass jar showing texture.
    Wild Ramp Pesto with Pecans (A Wild Spring Staple)
  • Close-up of saucy smoked pork ribs on a wooden cutting board, cooked using the 3-2-1 method until tender and falling off the bone.
    Smoked Pork Ribs (the best 3-2-1 baby back ribs)
  • Spring honey cake with lemon buttercream frosting topped with lemon zest and fresh lemon slices on a wooden cake stand.
    Honey Cake with Lemon Buttercream
  • Golden homemade garlic knots topped with parmesan, garlic butter, and herbs, served on a wooden board with a side of marinara sauce.
    Garlic Knots with Parmesan & Herb Butter – Soft, Buttery Perfection
  • Freshly baked St. Nicholas speculaas cookies topped with red and green sugar on a festive platter.
    St. Nicholas Cookies (Speculaas)
  • Cast iron skillet filled with seared pork chops simmered in a cranberry and red wine sauce, topped with fresh rosemary and thyme.
    30-Minute Cranberry Pork Chops (Juicy, Sweet + Savory)
  • Three hobo dinner foil packets with hamburger patty, carrots, potatoes and onions arranged on a sheet pan.
    Delicious and Easy Hobo Dinner Foil Packets
  • Fresh loaf of homemade honey oat bread
    Delicious Honey Oat Bread Recipe: Simple, Moist, and Perfect for Sandwiches
  • Chicken pot pie topped with homemade biscuits
    Easy Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
  • Pan of buttermilk biscuits
    Flaky and Buttery Buttermilk Biscuits: A Perfect Recipe for Soft, Savory Delights
  • Pulled pork sandwich
    Easy Crockpot Pulled Pork: A Simple, Delicious Recipe for Busy Days
  • A close-up shot of perfectly cooked slow cooker barbecue ribs on a plate, drizzled with BBQ sauce, with a garnish of fresh herbs.
    Ultimate Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs: Tender, Flavorful, and Family-Approved
  • A rustic skillet cornbread sliced into wedges, showcasing its golden crust and soft texture. The cornbread is served in a cast-iron skillet, surrounded by butter, a honey jar, and scattered crumbs on a dark wood surface, creating a warm and inviting homemade feel.
    The Ultimate Southern Skillet Cornbread Recipe
  • Slice of homemade lasagna on a plate
    The Best Lasagna Recipe You'll Ever Try!
  • Homemade chicken chimichangas topped with hot sauce, sour cream, and tomatoes
    Easy Chicken Chimichangas Recipe: Quick & Crispy Weeknight Dinner
  • A close-up shot of a steaming bowl of American goulash, garnished with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
    Classic Easy American Goulash
  • Spiralized raw zucchini noodles (zoodles) arranged in nests on a marble surface—fresh, crisp, and ready to cook or preserve.
    How to Make, Cook, and Preserve Zoodles
  • Plate of crispy homemade fried chicken served with creamy coleslaw and lemon wedges, garnished with fresh parsley, perfect for a rustic, comforting meal.
    The Ultimate Southern Fried Chicken Recipe: Crispy, Golden, and Delicious
  • Freshly made pie crust in a pie plate
    Flaky Homemade Pie Crust Recipe: Perfect Every Time
  • A ball of homemade pizza dough resting under a cloth on a wooden board, with a scoop of flour, rolling pin, and vintage scale in the background. A warm and rustic scene perfect for bread and pizza making.
    Easy Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe: Foolproof & Delicious
  • Easy, No Knead Dutch Oven Bread
  • Wet burrito on a plate, covered in red sauce and melted cheese, topped with a dollop of sour cream.
    Easy Wet Burritos Recipe
  • A plate full of beef and noodles
    Best Beef and Noodles Recipe | Crockpot, Instant Pot

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About

Elle McCoy, author of The Rustic Elk, with long wavy hair reflected in an ornate vintage mirror, sitting at a candlelit vanity with makeup brushes, perfume, and dried flowers.

Hi, I'm Elle.

I'm a storyteller, photographer, and home cook who believes the best memories are often made around the table.

Here you'll find seasonal recipes, preserving, smoky dinners, garden harvests, and the stories gathered along the way—because good food is about more than what we eat. It's about where we've been, who we share it with, and the moments we remember long after the plates are cleared.


→ Meet Elle

Currently...

📖 Reading: The Eyes are the Best Part
🎵 Listening: Gathering the Beautifully Ordinary
Savoring: Peach Whiskey Sour
🌿 Growing: All the Herbs
🗺️ Planning: Back to School
📺Watching: Lee Cronin's The Mummy

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Recently...

  • Homemade canned peach pie filling in Ball mason jars made with fresh peaches, Clear Jel, cinnamon, and vanilla using a safe water bath canning recipe.
    Canning Peach Pie Filling
  • Wooden pantry shelves filled with homemade canned tomatoes, green beans, jams, and preserves in mason jars.
    The Ultimate Guide to Home Canning & Preserving

Recent Favorites

  • Slewfoot by Brom
  • Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
  • We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
  • The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager

Listen with Me

"If we are not remembered, we are more than dead, for it is as if we had never lived." Karen Maitland

Found Along the Way

A good paring knife doesn't ask for much attention, but it earns its place every single day. From peeling peaches to hulling strawberries and slicing garlic, it's the one tool I reach for without thinking.

Find it Here ->

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Building a life smelling of wild herbs and quiet rebellion since 2016.

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