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The Little House Cookbook Review

November 3, 2019 By Angela England
This may contain affiliate links and we may receive a small commission on purchases.

You can’t help but think about food as you read through the Little House books – so much of a pioneer’s life revolved around growing and acquiring food on a seasonal cycle. Indeed, large passages of the books are dedicated to the description of food and meals. So it’s no surprise that one of the books inspired by the Little House series would be a cookbook.

The Little House Cookbook Review

Basic Information About The Little House Cookbook

The Little House Cookbook: Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Classic Stories was written by Barbara M. Walker and was originally published in 1979 by Harper & Row (now HarperCollins). My paperback edition is over 225 pages of exposition and recipes centered around the books. There are a total of eight chapters, plus a glossary, conversion charts, bibliography, and a robust index. The chapters are:

  1. Food in the Little Houses
  2. The Cook’s Domain
  3. Staples from the Country Store
  4. Foods from the Woods, Wilds, and Waters
  5. Foods from Tilled Fields
  6. Foods from Gardens and Orchards
  7. Foods from the Barnyard
  8. Thirst Quenchers and Treats

Readers of the Little House books will recognize the hand of Garth Williams as the illustrator in this lovely cookbook – the classic pen and ink sketches adorn many pages. While typically cookbooks are best shown with photographs to highlight the recipes, it seems more than fitting to have Mr. Williams’ illustrations woven throughout the book instead.

In 2018, a revamped 40th-anniversary edition was published, containing more than 100 recipes, like pulled molasses candy and corn dodgers, alongside excerpts from the Little House on the Prairie books.

Little House on the Prairie Cookbook

 

What You’ll Love About The Little House Cookbook

If you are a fan of the Little House books and have wondered where to start in recreating some of the dishes mentioned, you will love the work that Barbara has put into writing the recipes. While it is very likely that Laura learned the recipes by observation and feel, for example, early cook fires did not have temperature control for baking breads or pies, the recipes have been translated into something more consistent and easily followed by today’s cooks.

Don’t expect this book to be a simple collection of recipes the way that many cookbooks are. Many of the chapters explore the hows and whys of food during that time period. Expect to see many quotes from the books, as well as historical references and educational tidbits. It will be the perfect addition to a homeschool unit study on the subject.

If you are tired of drooling over the amazing dishes described in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Farmer Boy and other books and want to try some for yourself, The Little House Cookbook is a must-read.

You can also find many step-by-step recipes inspired by The Little House Cookbook and Little House on the Prairie that we have published over the years below:

  • Baked Beans Recipe Inspired by Little House on the Prairie
  • Little House Creamed Carrots Recipe
  • Cornbread Stuffing Inspired By Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • Little House On The Prairie Lemonade Recipe (With Strawberry Lemonade Variation)
  • Pan Fried Fish Fillets With Lemon Dill Sauce
  • Fall Popcorn Balls
  • Old-Fashioned Farmer Boy Ice Cream Recipe (With Blueberry Variation)
  • Homemade Apple Turnovers
  • Laura’S Wedding Cake Recipe – Traditional And Blueberry Topping Variation
  • Little House On The Prairie Old Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Recipe
  • Old-Fashioned Spicy Apple Pie Recipe
  • Little House On The Prairie Rhubarb Pie
  • Vanity Cakes Recipe

Subscribe to the monthly Little House on the Prairie newsletter to see the latest book reviews and news.

 

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Angela England
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Angela England

Mother of five living in rural Oklahoma with her husband and children, Angela is the Founder of Untrained Housewife, co-founder of the Homestead Bloggers Network and Organic Gardening expert at About.com. She is the author of Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less), as well as several other books, all with the common theme of helping people embrace the journey towards self-sufficiency.
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Filed Under: Lifestyle, Recipes, Recommended Reading Tagged With: beans, popcorn, cake, pie, Book Review, Books, Carrots, Cookbook, corn, Food, ice cream, Inspired Books, recipes, Recommended Reading

« Grown-Up Laura Ingalls Wilder Party
My Little House Crafts Book Review »

Comments

  1. AvatarCaroline Koolen says

    September 30, 2020 at 12:46 pm

    Where can I buy the little house cook books.

    Reply
    • AvatarJen Shinn says

      September 30, 2020 at 1:22 pm

      It’s available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3l43I9Y

      Reply
  2. AvatarVickie Mayberry says

    August 9, 2020 at 7:46 pm

    I always love watching Little House on the prairie and the W The Walton’s my dad had 7 in his family he was the oldest child.He always love watching these shows.I always love watching Laura and Nellie .Best TV shows ever!!!!!😊🤠👩‍🌾🚜🏕️⛺🏠

    Reply
  3. Avatarstephanie quarles-jackson says

    June 12, 2020 at 10:57 pm

    I have been trying for years to find the recipe that was in one of her books. The heart cookies. They were like shortbread. My daughter made them all the time. They were easy but soo good. Do you have the recipe. If so I would love if you would share. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  4. Avatarinah green says

    April 21, 2020 at 9:31 am

    Caroline always made salt rising bread and biscuits. I’d love those 2 recipes

    Reply
  5. AvatarEli says

    March 25, 2020 at 8:17 am

    If I were to buy one cookbook for our family, which edition would you recommend? Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Avatarapril-lynn carter says

    November 30, 2016 at 4:01 pm

    I’ve watched the show since I was a kid and still watch re-runs, can’t get enough how can I purchase a cookbook

    Reply
    • Angela EnglandAngela England says

      December 2, 2016 at 12:01 pm

      Just click the link and order one from Amazon and they will ship it to you right away. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060264187/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0060264187&linkCode=as2&tag=lithouonthe0e-20&linkId=LS3NCY4MADN5I4M3

      Reply
  7. AvatarDee says

    April 21, 2016 at 5:16 am

    I still watch it every day, this show is from my childhood, I would have loved to live in those days, seemed so peaceful nd easy. Not like today where it’s so difficult nd horrible, so much hate. ..

    Reply
  8. AvatarOlivia Lujan says

    February 25, 2016 at 10:33 am

    I love Little House On The Praire and still watch it.

    Reply
  9. Avataramanda richards says

    September 23, 2015 at 2:49 pm

    I really want Laura’s cookbook

    Reply
  10. Avataramanda richards says

    September 23, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    if Laura Ingalls Wilder was still alive I would go to meet her for the very first time.

    Reply
  11. AvatarCarleen says

    September 8, 2015 at 7:13 pm

    I’ve had that very cookbook for a good 15 years…I still use it

    Reply
  12. AvatarJerri Forzano says

    September 8, 2015 at 5:47 pm

    I watch Little House every day still all 3-4 rerun episodes.. I would love to purchase the cookbook because I try to have a pioneer family night once a month with my family where we have only candles and meals that I see made on the show to eat for supper… No cell phones, no television, no lights just us with 6-7 candles lit in the middle of the table talking and eating…

    Reply
  13. AvatarSherrie crocker hicks says

    July 31, 2015 at 12:41 pm

    I love everything about Little house on the praire. I’m 59 and still watching.

    Reply
    • AvatarValerie Exar says

      December 10, 2019 at 5:36 am

      I’m 54 and watch every day…twice a day! 🙂

      Reply
  14. AvatarNanno Geller says

    July 12, 2015 at 7:35 pm

    I used to watch Little House on the Prairie a long time ago. And now I am watching it again. It was one of my favorite shows. Can’t wait for your newsletter. Thank you.

    Reply
  15. AvatarLindsay@Homespun Sprout says

    March 7, 2015 at 7:48 pm

    I have SUCH fond memories surrounding these books and the imagined flavors of the foods Laura and Mary would have eaten. Everything sounded so delicious in the stories…I think it would be so fun to make these recipes as I read these stories to my own children!

    Reply

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