My Thought on the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)

I have always found pressure cookers a bit intimidating- which is funny, since I use a pressure canner. Go figure. Anyway, a recent sale online prompted me to look deeper into the 'Instant Pot' cooker. Many wonderful responses came from all over the web- friends far and near encouraged me to jump on the boat and grab one up... so I did.

Five months of eyeing it warily as it sat in the box in the corner of the kitchen and I just now mustered the courage to use it. The verdict is in- I love it! Simple instructions and a plethora of available recipes on the internet have made this a counter top staple.

What have I used it for?

*whole chicken

*whole roast

*bone broth

*soup

*frozen chicken pieces

How amazing is it to pull something together in half an hour?

This particular pressure cooker can be used as a slow cooker or even a rice cooker- one of the reasons I chose this brand. The preprogramed timers do work nice, however, I often manually adjust to cook a bit longer if the cuts of meat are tougher.

Overall, I love mine- no I am not getting paid for this- just sharing my experience using it to get whole food on the table in reasonable time. Did I mention I made chicken soup for a sick relative in 30 minutes using a frozen chicken? Let me just say- for me, it has been well worth the investment!

Share your experiences!!! and Recipes...:)

The Magical Mystery of Roasted Things

Imagine with me, if you will, a crisp yet tender bite. A bite that is sweet, yet savory that leaves a hint of heat on the tongue but leaves you wanting more. Open your eyes and see the colors: bright orange, deep green and bold purple. What if this bite could complement any main dish? Could use any veg you have on had? Could be the perfect way to use up the end of harvest bits? It can.

This strange, magical bite is easier than you think. A simple act of tossing together bits of veggies with oil is all the prep needed. The key is temperature... and 425 degrees is the magic number. 

Roasting veggies brings to the surface natural plant sugars hidden deep withing their cells. These sugars caramelize leaving crispy bits on the surface while leaving a tender interior. Take this process one step further by adding a favored herb or spice. For example: carrots with parsley, potatoes with rosemary, green beans with thyme. Get creative and use cauliflower with some curry powder or broccoli with a creole seasoning. There are endless possibilities and pairings to try. 

There is no need to keep it to single veggies- mix things up. Toss several veg together and roast them in your favorite flavor combination. Be sure to keep the cuts close in size- I like mine rather 'rustic cut' meaning big pieces left rather natural. As for time, veggies about the size of a thumb roast for 20 minutes if you like them tender crisp, or 35-40 minutes if you prefer them softer. 

One exception is greens. Kale, spinach, mustards, and collards are amazing roasted-- but: add an acidic flavoring (lemon, vinegar, balsamic) with your seasoning; massage it in; roast only 10 minutes and they will give you a wonderful 'chip-like' result. 

Last tip- use parchment if you have it! I like the less messy results that come from lining the pan, otherwise you get to scrub a sheet pan-- yuk. 

To sum it up:

Oven 425 degrees

Veg cut 'thumb size' or 2" pieces

Parchment lined baking pan or lightly oiled baking sheet

Toss with oil and salt; add spices if desired

Greens get additional acidic element

20 minutes for crisp tender; 35 for tender

Enjoy!!!!

   

Our Farm Boy's Cinnamon Rolls

                                                           Farm boy's Cinnamon Rolls

There's nothing like a delicious home made cinnamon roll. The tantalizing aroma of hot bread and sticky cinnamon filling teases the senses. Our Farm boy is well known for his delicious cinnamon rolls. Today, after many requests. we share his wonderful recipe- adapted from an Amish roll recipe we found many years ago. These rolls were fair entries, sleepover treats, and many a holiday breakfast. Join me in the kitchen - let's cook up a batch!

Farm Boy's Cinnamon Rolls

1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
4 eggs
2 packets yeast
1 cup warm water
5 cups flour
One cup of brown sugar mixed with cinnamon to taste
enough butter to coat the dough (approx. 1 TBSP)
1 stick of butter
1 cup confectioners sugar

In a large mixing bowl - yes large, a big one, mix the potatoes and shortening until no lumps are found. Now stir in sugar and eggs. Dissolve the yeast in the slightly warm water before adding it to the potato mixture. (I use the liquid from my potatoes for the water or whey from cheese making) Stir in three cups of the flour, then knead in enough flour to make the dough smooth but not sticky. (I usually just knead this particular dough right in the bowl) Cover your bowl and allow the dough to rise one hour or until doubled in size.
 On a well floured surface (I use the kitchen table) roll your dough to 1/2 inches thickness. You want a long rectangle shape. Lightly butter the surface before spreading the cinnamon sugar mixture all over- covering every inch. Starting on the long side closest to you, roll the dough into a nice log. Cut your dough into two inch rolls and place them on a greased baking sheet. (we found that using dental floss helps the rolls keep their shape better than cutting with a knife) I generally get 16 to 18 rolls per batch. When they are all cut, cover them lightly and let rise thirty minutes while preheating your oven.
Bake your rolls for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. They should be lightly browned and "dry" looking- no gooey dough.
While they cool, mix with a mixer one stick of butter with one cup of powdered sugar. Frost the rolls when they are cool and serve at your own risk...warning...they are addictive!

Doesn't that sound good?

Of course, now I need to walk a dozen miles to work them off!

Garden Salsa Three Ways

 

 

   This garden season has been a tough on; heavy rains and flooding followed by heat and humidity. Needless to say, the tomatoes are stressed. Fortunately our education gardens are all raised beds, offering a bit of help- their harvests this week have been impressive. Since some have managed to survive long enough to ripen, it's salsa time!  

   There are two main ways I make salsa at home: stove top and oven roasted. What's the difference? The flavor. Stove top salsas are delicious, simple and quite delicious- with the added bonus of not heating the oven. Oven roasted salsa is distinctly different- enhancing the natural qualities of the fruits and drawing a caramelized yummy-ness that's hard to beat. 

Simply Salsa- Stove Top

10 cups chopped tomatoes

5 cups chopped green peppers

5 cups chopped onions

2 1/2 cup chopped hot peppers 

(such as jalapeno)

1 1/2 cup lime juice or vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 teaspoons salt

In a large heavy bottom pot, stir all together mixing very well. Cook over medium heat until the color deepens and the juices thicken (about 30 minutes). Ladle into pint jars (approximately 6) leaving 1/2 inch head space. Process in water bath. 15 minutes. Hint: a food processor is a wonderful friend:)

Simply Roasted Salsa

12 Roma-style tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 large onions, quartered
5 hot peppers
olive oil
salt
1 lime

Spread tomatoes, garlic and peppers on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt modestly. Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until the onions start to caramelize.
Once cool enough to touch, peel skin off tomatoes before pulsing them in a food processor (with peppers, onion and garlic). Add juice and zest of one lime..stir well before ladling into pint jars (about 3). Process in water bath 15 minutes.

   If you are really in a pinch, or if you are cooking with kids, fresh salsa is a snap! I generally use the food processor to get things done quickly. Bear in mind, this can start to 'juice' as it sets- you may want to strain it a bit.

Salsa Fresca (fresh salsa)

5 medium tomatoes

1/4 an onion

2 hot peppers

3 cloves garlic

1 lime

salt and pepper

Seed and chop your tomatoes. Rough chop the onion, peppers and garlic *remove pepper seeds for a milder salsa. Toss them in a food processor, pulsing to incorporate to desired consistency. Juice and zest the lime and stir into salsa with the salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated if you have any left!

Note: this recipe is from Food Heros

A few notes:

- pepper seeds and veins hold the heat- remove for milder salsa

- pepper size also effects heat- larger ones are milder

- green tomatoes can be used, preferably in the cooked versions

- a blender also works for processing the salsas, as does a food mill

- salsa is a great dose of nutrition so put it on everything!

Now grab your favorite tortilla chips or a hearty "Mexican-style" dish and dig in!

Taking it out on the Meat

     It started with a mindless 'coffee in front of the TV' moment. Jaimee Oliver was 'whizzing' up a 15 minute meal (which I was only half paying attention to). Over the rim of my cup the sight of him 'swacking' a few chicken breast half to nonexistence caught my eye. Mmm. I could do that. I could totally take a few pieces of meat and beat them into submission; therapy and you get dinner. Now that is cooking!
      Later that day I grazed the internet, once again considering the violent notion of dinner pounded and put in a pan. A few sights seemed to offer up flavorful options along side some malicious beatings. That settled it; it was time to grab some breasts and get the mallet.
      The scene was set: four thawed chicken breast, patiently waiting their demise; a cutting mat placed in a baking sheet, perfect for catching the gory mess; a metal mallet formerly belonging to my grandmother, excellent for the dirty deed. Lacking in 'cling film', which I thing we all call Saran Wrap,  I opted to just do it outright and accept the mess. The cast iron skillet was heating as I took every bit of frustration out on that poor helpless bird. It was liberating and oh so soothing.
       Unfortunately, cling film was not the only thing not in stock- so was crackers, shallots, or fresh sage; items from the two recipes I was leaning toward. No worries. I improvised seasoning my beaten meat with smoked paprika, Cajun blend, and black pepper- blackened, beaten breasts seemed fitting for the evening.
       Let me just say, this is not only therapeutic, but a great way to get dinner done in 1/4th of the time; two minutes in the pan and done! I tossed some green beans in a small wok with a few almonds to accompany; it was delicious. Of course, I can't just pound poultry- no, steaks work just as well. I do believe I have discovered a new frustration buster (and a quick dinner plan).

 

 

Cajun Spice

black pepper

smoked paprika

 

4  skinless chicken breast          

olive oil

Put a square of plastic wrap over each one and bash a few times with the bottom of a pan until the breasts flatten out a bit

Season liberally with each spice - both sides

You can either bake or fry the chicken • If baking, preheat your oven to its highest temperature (475˚F), place your chicken on a sheet pan and cook for 10 minutes • If frying, put a frying pan (mine was heavy cast iron) on a medium heat, add a few good lugs of olive oil and cook the chicken breasts for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through, golden and crisp

The Rise of the Doodle

     A day of ice, drizzle, and cold stirred with in me the need to bake something. Those who know me are well aware of the family rut- I have been baking the same chocolate chip cookies for over 20 years with no end in sight. My children have grown up with little variance to that; changing my pattern always made me feel as if I were cheating on the standard favorite.
     While my challenge to the norm is rare, it seems over that past few years that another favorite has crept into the family. The farm boy has made his plight known- the chocolate chips are tradition, but a new competitor has risen. I introduce to you, the doodle, best known as the snicker doodle.
      I have no idea where the longing came from, or where it was first introduced. My mother-in-law started making them regularly a few years back; I had made them many years ago... but where did the farm boy get such a craving for them? Who knows. Maybe this is a teenage rebellion? A stepping out into male dominance? Either way.. there is a new cookie in town.. and he aims to stay.

Farm Boy's Snicker Doodles

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

  *2 teaspoons each cinnamon & sugar for rolling cookies in

 

  Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients. Cream butter, shortening and sugar together before stirring in the eggs. Stir in dry ingredients until well incorporated. Shape by rounded teaspoons into balls, rolling them in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on a parchment lined (or lightly greased) baking sheet 2" apart- they do spread. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. I cool mine a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

  You can store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them soft and chewy. We place ours in zip bags and freeze them.

 

    Whatever the reason for this rising new favorite, there will never truly be a replacement for the standard chocolate chip cookie. Believe it or not, I made both today.. satisfying the cravings of both my hard working men and quieting my inner baking yearning.

     Now, enough of this out of place ice storm nonsense- I'm ready for sunshine and gardening! 

 

     

Late Night Special: Summer Sausage

Lately there seem to be plenty of stressful, sleepless nights here on my homestead. Nights like these make me long for home, and miss my late night comforts. 

   Nightfall can be an eerie time on the wide open prairie. A silvery moon quickly casts ghostly shadows brought to life by coyotes howling in the distance. Stillness creeps over you with not even the faintest breeze to calm you.
   There in my bed the silence is overwhelming. I strain to hear even a faint chirping cricket, but find none. Tonight even Buffy is restless. The heaviness of the day's burdens carries over into a restless night. Slipping from my covers I creep to the door and listen for signs of movement in the house. Ever so quietly my tip-toes take me down the dark hall.
   In the kitchen I find my grandfather sitting quietly at the table. The faint light of the oven reveals his face drawn and tired. Burdens of the day weight heavy on him tonight. With a ragged breath he spies me and gives his soft smile inviting me to join him.
   Her in the night we sit alone there in the big farm kitchen. Here on this sleepless night we share a late night treat; a favorite snack. Crunchy, salty crackers stacked with slices of hard cheese are topped with the best part of all- tangy summer sausage. Together here in the night there are no words, just him and me and our late night treat putting to rest the heaviness of the day and the restlessness of the night.

Grandpa's Summer Sausage

2 lbs. lean ground beef, uncooked

2 tablespoons canning salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Knead all ingredients well and shape into three small logs. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for twenty-four hours. 

Unwrap and bake one hour at 300 degrees. After baking, cool and drain the sausage on a wire rack.

Enjoy with salty crackers and sliced cheese! 

Wonderful in the Wok

     It was a Monday. A chase-ten-rabbits-put-out-five-fires kind of Monday. To relieve the crazy building up in my being I went to the gym to sweat out the ugly. While this is excellent therapy and amazing for centering the tension, it is not excellent to realize you only had a handful of cereal, a cup of coffee, and a smoothie. A high intensity workout on those rations- not excellent.
     The ride home found me zoning my attention toward the contents of my very old and oh-so-tired fridge- thank goodness the farm boy was driving because I would never have made it. Fresh kale, some roasted chicken were forefront; time to dream up some aroma.
      For me the staples are garlic, ginger and a touch of heat- to that add whatever your senses long for and you have the beginning of a wonderful meal. With those in mind, a bit of white wine for sweet, a touch of sesame for earthiness, and a swoosh of vinegar stand as base to flavor the elements. Kale being front and center, there must always (in my opinion) be a hint of lemon and a good hit of salt- otherwise it's just 'too green'.
      A frantic bit of chop, the gathering of a few bottles, and we heat the wok to the point of smoking before- let the magic begin! Remember, heat, oil, aroma, sear, then sauce. Let's fire it up.

Kale & Chicken Recovery Meal

Aroma:

drizzle of sesame oil

2 clove garlic, smashed

1 nub ginger, rough chopped

1 chile, crushed

 

Elements;

1 bunch kale, cleaned and chopped

1 large carrot, cleaned and julienned

1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

 

Sauce:

1/4 cup white wine

1 tablespoon sesame vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey

 

Add-in:

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup dried cranberry

 

Cut, prep, and whisk- get everything on hand.

Get that wok smoking hot before gently drizzling the oil down the sides and turning the wok to coat.

Toss in the aromatics and swirl them around to release their fragrance and flavor.

Remove them.

Toss in the carrots, sautéing until they have a bit of char (2 min).

Add the kale giving it a toss and turn until it takes on a hearty, dark color (1 min).

Add chicken to warm.

Drizzle the sauce down the sides of the wok.

Toss and incorporate allowing everything to meld together.

Sprinkle the pumpkins seeds and cranberry giving one more toss.

Serve it hot!

 

     Being completely honest, I ate two bowls of this wonderful dish- perfect recovery meal. Those wonderful nutrients, hearty protein, tossed with a warm sauce- seeds for crunch and cranberries for a hint of whimsy- yum! The farm boy was quite irritated no leftovers would be had tomorrow, although he did tell me to lay off the sesame oil- he is not a fan. Oh, well. You can't please everyone. 



Marvelous Muscadines

    Late summer in the south often find us strolling through the woods searching the treetops and under path for nature's juicy surprise. When my family came to Texas we were introduced to the wild grapes growing freely in the treetops. We traipsed the woods behind our home picking bucket after bucket transforming them into jellies and even one attempt at wild wine.

 

    Muscadine grapes are Texas natives thriving prolifically in our acidic soils. Being natives, they have wonderful disease resistance not found in common grape varieties. The only real pest are the ones who get to them before you do. These marvelous grapes do contain a small seed and rather tough skin- completely edible, they are more often used for jams, jellies, and that home made wine.
    My homestead is blessed to have wild southern Muscadines growing heartily in the canopy of several trees around our property. Since they are voracious climbers, harvesting is best done by laying out a tarp or sheet and shaking the vines with reckless abandon allowing the mature fruits to drop from the tree tops.

    While I generally manage to harvest several pounds of them, our curious donkey has managed to discover he has quite an appetite for them. Now, whenever he sees me head down the drive with a bucket he bellows with all his might absolutely convinced I am stealing precious treats grown specifically for him.
    Either way, the guys and I manage  to gather and freeze plenty before they dropped to the ground- forever lost to the herd who graze here. As soon as fall planting slows down a bit my frozen treasures will be delightfully transformed into pint jars of sweet Muscadine jelly.

Muscadine Jelly

4lbs muscadine grapes, washed

Mash the grapes with a potato masher or use a food processor, pulsing lightly.

Heat them in a heavy bottom pot to a gently boil and simmer 10 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent burning.

Using a sieve or colander lined with several layers of cheese cloth, strain the warm grapes over a bowl to collect their juices. I often run the mashed, hot grapes through a food mill before straining to extract more juice (not required). Strain about 30 minutes.

Discard pulp. You need about 5 cups of juice.

**prepare jars/lids and place a saucer (small plate) in the fridge.

Place your juice in a heavy bottom pot and stir in one and one half box of pectin.

Bring this to a full boil slowly.

Stir in 7 cups sugar and bring it back to a boil. Boil hard 1 minute.

Test for gel by dropping a spoonful of jelly onto the cold saucer (plate) and tilt the saucer. If the jelly gels, it is ready to ladle into prepared jars. If not, add the other half of the pectin box; return to a hard boil and boil 1 minute.

Ladle into jars leaving 1/4” headspace. Process in water bath for 5 minutes.

A few tasty variations:
Add lime zest to the mix offering a fresh twist.
Basil or rosemary steeped with the original simmer (before straining) is unique and wonderful!
Drop a chile pepper into the mashed grapes before simmering for a spicy hint of flavor.
Green apples can be added if you are a bit short on grapes, or if you have already strained the grapes and are a bit short of juice use apple juice.

While we Wok: Bok Choy

 

    My path to becoming a master gardener offers me the opportunity to meet many people of many different walks of life, each one sharing a bit of themselves along the way. One sweet soul introduced me to the marvelous world of Asian greens. Her encouragement led me to turn a new row in my garden for the sole purpose of growing Tatsoi and bok choy. Today we meet a new member of our garden greens family: bok choy.

    Bok choy,  brassica chinensis, is a member of the cabbage family. It doesn't look anything like a cabbage. To me, bok choy more closely resembles Swiss chard in both appearance and flavor. As a green, it lends well to salad or saute readily absorbing and carrying any flavor you introduce.   

    Enough technical stuff. Let' fire up the wok. Today we gently saute the chopped bok, introducing gentle flavor with a hint of citrus. You will need: bok choy (1 head or three baby heads), an onion, dry cranberries, segmented oranges, oil, garlic/ginger seasoning and a little cooking sherry.

    Prep everything and set up near your stove top before lighting the fire. Get that wok smoking hot and drizzle a hint of your favorite oil down the sides, rolling the wok to coat it. Drop those onions in and toss them until they are nice and translucent before adding the bok choy. Toss and turn the bok a good 2 minutes giving it a light sear and a slight tenderness. Sprinkle in some garlic/ginger seasoning and toss again. Lightly drizzle cooking sherry down the sides of the wok and work the veggies along to fuse the flavors. Drop in the cranberries allowing them a minute to plump.

     Toss in the oranges and garnish with pecans, if desired. We added a bit of salt, as greens tend to need it. Plate it before your oranges get mushy and enjoy.

    This time we served our bok with a piece of baked salmon, however, it went wonderfully with Soba noodles and chicken (we tested that first:). In all honesty, bok choy is quite versatile in any dish you would use a green in. Even a simple saute with garlic and crushed red pepper turned out beautifully.
     My family's take on it? Well, the farm boy ate it without pause but did comment he would have left the oranges out  (not a fan of warm oranges). My husband gave me the 'I think it's cabbage' face and simple nibbled a bite to appease me. His comment- it's okay, but he's pretty sure it's cabbage (not a fan of cabbage). He didn't complain a bit though when it was tossed with those noodles the other day..of course, I hadn't told him what it was then.

Zaida's Feta

    Along my path to a home dairy many a cheese recipe has come. Some pass through with a slight nod and others remain household staples. I received a recipe for feta in a cheese making kit purchased early on. It was okay but nothing to call the neighbors about. After research, reading, trial and error the farm boy and I have put together a marinated feta we just can't live without.
    In the past, we tested our recipes with purchased pasteurized cow's milk as well as purchased raw cow's milk both of which had excellent results. Having a small dairy herd on our homestead, all of my cheeses are now made with fresh, raw, unpasteurized cheese from our very own dairy goats. A heavy bottom stainless steal stock pot with a lid serve us well along side a digital thermometer. Instead of purchasing expensive cheese cloth for our cheeses, I use cloth diapers- the unfolded kind purchased just for this purpose. They hold up well to multiple washing and are sturdy for hanging heavy cheeses.
    Without further ado, I share the recipe we make every week with fresh, raw milk from our herd queen, Zaida.

Zaida's Feta

1 gallon fresh milk

1/4 cup cultured buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon liquid rennet

1/4 cup water

kosher salt

    

Slowly heat milk to 86 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in the buttermilk. Allow the culture to work for 1 hour. Stir rennet into 1/4 cup water and let rest at least 20 seconds. After the buttermilk has cultured in the milk 1 hour, stir in rennet. Cover and allow to set 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes, test for a 'clean break'. This means you will see curd breaking away from the whey. If there is no clean break, allow another 30 minutes before testing again.

Once a clean break is seen, cut the curd vertically, horizontally, and at a 45 degree angle. The goal is about 1"curds. Let the curds rest in the whey 10 minutes. Line a large colander with butter muslin, cheese cloth, or a cloth diaper. 

Ladle the curds into the lined colander and let drain there 15 minutes. My colander is in a larger pan to catch the whey which I feed to our chickens. If you have no use for the whey, let it drain in the sink.

Gather the curds in the cloth and knead it, working out as much liquid as possible. 

Place the cloth/curds into a mold or any container that will drain well. My mold came with a cheese kit preciously purchased, but before that I used a plastic container we had punched holes in. 

Flip the cheese every 15 minutes for 1 hour to allow even draining as well as good shape formation.

After that, allow to drain wrapped in the cloth in the mold at room temperature 12 hours.

Flip the cheese and drain another 12 hours.

Remove the cloth. Salt the outer surface of the cheese before setting it to ripen at room temp 24 hours. As you can see, I flip my mold upside down in a bowl resting the cheese on top. This allows for any further drainage that might occur. 

The block of cheese is now cut into cubes and set to cure another 24 hours. If desired, the cheese may be 'crumbed' even further. 

From here, it can be stored in a brine solution; 5 tablespoons salt/20 oz. water. I prefer to marinade my feta in olive oil and herbs, such as herb de provonce. Oil marinated is allowed to set at room temp three days before refrigerating or freezing. 

    There you have it! Farm fresh, wholesome and totally healthy! 

If you have questions, suggestions, or resources to share please feel free to leave them in the comment box or email me at simplyscaife@yahoo.com. 

Let's Talk: Dairy & Chevre

     It's no secret- I'm a goat mamma. Those little blue eyes and nubby wet noses just melt my heart every time my feet take me past their fence. My love for these feisty characters isn't the only reason they make their home here, it's the milk, of course. For several years now we have had our very own little homestead dairy set up; a gift and blessing to every growing family who has one.
     Let's be clear and honest by saying keeping a home dairy up and going, even if it is just for you own family is a challenge; rewarding, but a challenge. Illness happens, accidents occur, a power outage, loss and life are all part of the every day run of things. Dairy work is a commitment much like being a parent is, after all, goats don't milk themselves.
     Our home dairy produces half a gallon of milk a day, and this is the low season for production. That fresh milk becomes yogurt, kefir, cheese, and even ice cream. It was a long learning process, but those delicious products are now a family staple; one I can't imaging being without. The easiest, most simple cheese we make is Chevre; creamy and rich with a hint of tang, we use it just like cream cheese.

Chevre

1 packet Chevre direct set culture

1 gallon milk

# Bring milk to 86 degrees.

# Stir in Chevre culture, let rehydrate 2 minutes, then stir.

# Cover and let set for 12 hours..temp is ideal at 72 degrees.

**My kitchen is very warm..sometimes I set the pan in a sink of cool water to keep the culture from being too warm.

# Ladle curd gently into a butter muslin lined colander; hang and drain 6 to 12 hours..to your desired consistency. 

**Our Chevre is kept on the creamy side; easy to spread..so 6 hours for us.

NOTE: I order my starter cultures here. I realize that cultures can be purchased, activated, and maintained, but I have just not yet arrived at that place in my cheese making; it is a goal, just one I haven't attained.

   Admittedly..I love the flavor and versatility of this cheese and use it daily in my kitchen. The down side is their need for a purchased culture, however, that is something I am working on. For now, I buy in bulk, rotate the types of cheeses we make: culture based, rennet cheeses, and when all else fails..cheeses made with lemon or vinegar as a base. Now, excuse me while I go make a snack..all this talk of cheese gave me a craving!

Nourish and Recover

Hot and nourishing soup

    Tonight I sit with ice chips in hand, recovering for this morning's rude awakening. Nothing stops me in my tracks like a wicked stomach bug. This is the first time I have been sick with out any of my girls at home. Usually we take turns fetching ice, gathering tissues, and making a pot of hearty chicken soup. Tonight I relied on my own devices as my farm guys managed feeding and milking; have I mentioned, my guys do not milk..but that is another post!

NOURISHING CHICKEN SOUP

Broth:

1 whole bird, skinned and washed

8 cups water (or enough to cover bird in pot)

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 onion

5 garlic cloves, smashed

2 chilies (fresh or dried)

Place all ingredients in a stock pot (or crock pot) and cover. Simmer 12 hours- low and slow. Remove the bird- take the meat off the bones and refrigerate until needed. Place the bones back in the stock pot and simmer 12 more hours..skimming if needed.

The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it is. 

After 24 hours, strain through a fine mesh sieve (or cheese cloth), discarding bones/veggies. 

Either freeze the stock in quart containers or place it in a large pot and make soup.

Soup:

Broth from above (fresh or thawed)

4 onions, coarsely chopped

8 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

6 celery stocks, coarsely chopped

2-4 zucchinis, thick sliced

1 small head broccoli, coarsely chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 inch of ginger, grated

2-4 tablespoons sea salt

2-4 teaspoons crushed red pepper

small bunch basil, rosemary, sage and oregano

a large bunch of thyme

chicken meat from earlier cooking

fresh parsley (to top at serving)

In a stock pot, simmer all ingredients (except the meat parsley) until veggies are fork tender. Stir in meat just to warm..adding parsley at serving time. 

This soup freezes well in serving portions or quarts.

Fortunate for me, broth was already made and frozen for days like this. Chicken was leftover from Monday's dinner, and veggies were on hand making this a bit quicker process.

   We have been eating this soup for several years now; when recovering from illness, detoxing after heavy meals (or seasonally), and after a nasty migraine. It is a blessing to us..I hope it is a blessing to you. Now, off to enjoy a little nourishing..after... :)

Oh Yes I Did...

   It started with a comment, continued with a strange notion, and became a full blown challenge when I saw it on Pinterest. Who in their right mind attempts to combine the rich glory of creamy banana pudding with moist, tender cake? At least two crazy people in this world have attempted it and let me say, the results are shameful... deliciously shameful.

   

    In my quest to conquer this challenge I traveled over the web to The Country Cook for an answer. I found one..but something was missing. Mulling over the recipe for days it finally hit me. The vital, key components of amazing banana pudding were missing- bananas and nilla cookies. They weren't there. No offence to the country cook, but thoughts of instant pudding and a faint dust of cookies deflated my hopes of presenting this to the spoiled rotten men in my family. 

     Not one to be defeated I posed the dilemma to my hungry fellows. They graciously and wisely posed a notion back to me. Why not simply use the 'tried and true' family banana pudding recipe with a simply vanilla cake..put the cookies and bananas in between. They are geniuses- each one of them. 

     Simply Scaife's Not So Simple Banana Pudding Cake

The cake:

• 
  
• 2 cups sugar,
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, soft
• 1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish. Whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and blend with a hand mixer until 'sandy'. Add the vanilla to the milk and blend into the sandy mixture, blending for 30 seconds until well incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and blend 30 more seconds. Add one egg at a time, blending 30 seconds after each one. Pour into the baking dish, baking 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool while preparing the pudding. 

The Pudding:

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs (three if they are small)

1/2 cup flour 

1 large can evaporated milk

1 small can evaporated milk

(or skip the evaporated milk and use 3 cups full fat fresh milk)
1/3 cup butter (yes real butter), soft

1 tsp vanilla

In a heavy bottom saucepan, mix eggs and sugar, then flour. Pour in milk and stir gently (if using evaporated, measure in cup and add enough water to make 3 cups). Drop in the butter and set this over medium flame. Gently stir and cook until it begins to thicken and will coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat, cover to prevent a "skin" forming on top, and cool to room temp.

Assemble it with:

3 bananas
1 box vanilla wafers
whipped cream

Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes at random in the cake. Pour half of the lightly cooled pudding over the cake. Let the cake drink it up before layering with a hearty scattering of the wafers. Slice the bananas and scatter them over the wafers before drizzling the rest of the pudding all over the whole thing. Spread with cool whip and chill thoroughly. 

     So it was born- the Scaife Family Farm version of Banana Pudding cake. Rich, moist, dreamily delicious and so full of calories you will need to fast for a week. This recipe is so dangerous it has to be set aside with great reserve and saved for only the most special of occasions. We share it with you to use at your own risk..we are not responsible for the sugar laden euphoria that will result from consuming unrestrained portions of this amazing delight. Bonn appetite! 

In the Kitchen With the Farm Boy: Spanish Rice

 

    My family is growing up. Some are moving on. One is still at home. As the days find the farm boy and I alone together, our cooking changes as well. More and more we find ourselves cooking side by side making dishes we might not have made before. As his indoor cooking skills grow and develop, new tastes are rising to the surface. 

 

     Today a light rain drizzles outside my window as the farm boy cooks Spanish Rice...his way. Now, there are many variations and methods to making this particular dish..and our boy has his own. Being of the male persuasion, he likes to use as few dishes as possible..so this is a one dish version. He also prefers the dish to be complete...combining all components in one place...starches, veggies, meats, and such. So, without further introduction....

Farm boy's Spanish Rice

1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 16oz can diced tomatoes

2 cups broth (chicken or beef)

2 cups whole brown rice (not instant)

olive oil

roast beef, already cooked and chopped

creole seasoning to taste

Drizzle some oil in the bottom of a pan and warm it. Saute your pepper, onion and garlic till tender. Add the dry rice and "toast" it until it is translucent. Add your diced tomatoes (juice and all) and your broth (I used beef). Add the roast, season with creole seasoning to your taste, and stir well to incorporate all the ingredients. Cover your stockpot and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid (approximately 20 minutes). Serve.

Our rice was served with a side of sauteed summer squash, however, a green beans or a fresh salad would also go well. For dessert we had fresh peaches with a drizzle of yogurt and honey.

Note. You could use any meat or leave it out completely. We used roast because it was already cooked and ready. Typically ground beef is seen in this dish, however, chopped chicken would be nice. If you want to add fire to your dish, chop some jalapeno into the veggies before you saute them, or add Tabasco sauce when served. 

    Here comes the honest truth. I absolutely despise Spanish Rice. My family made it when I was at home and you couldn't pay me to eat it. Hunks of stewed tomato, mushrooms, enough bell peppers to gag a rabbit- it wasn't my thing. Farm boy's version? It didn't make me gag. I did eat it. Was it a favorite- no, sorry, but Spanish rice will just never be my favorite dish. No worries. That boy will have this devoured by noon tomorrow I'm sure of it. 

Eating in the Green: Cucumber

     For many of us, fresh cucumbers bring to mind tangy pickles or briny cold salads. In our kitchen cucumbers are a versatile morsel eager to take on a variety of flavors and tasty treats. Yearly our canning shelves find a place for mouth watering bread and butter pickles as well as a few spicy dills. Satisfaction fills my heart when I see them waiting there to grace a sandwich or relish tray, but there's no need to stop at pickles.

    Cucumbers add crispy crunch to a tray of tomato and basil drizzled with fresh olive oil and a pinch of salt, or slipped inside the pocket of a stuffed pita sandwich. I love to stir dill into fresh Chevre to dollop atop cucumber slices for a cooling afternoon snack, but the farm boy has another plan for crispy cukes. Last year he worked through a salad recipe phase that brought us a wonderful 'Greek-style" creation. Based on a salad he read in an old magazine, he added roasted chickpeas to fresh greens..tossed some toasted pita wedges in and worked up a zippy, creamy dressing for a great 'end of a hot day' salad.

 Cucumber and Roasted Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, well rinsed
4 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 medium-sized cucumber

3 tablespoons yogurt
juice of one lemon, about 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

greens (leaf lettuce or spring mix)

whole wheat pita bread

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place chickpeas in a shallow roasting dish and cover with olive oil. Place unpeeled garlic cloves at edge of pan. Roast for 30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Slice cucumber.
3. Whisk remaining teaspoon of oil with peeled roasted garlic and lemon juice. Stir in yogurt adding salt and pepper to taste. Toss with cucumbers.
4. When chickpeas are cool, add to cucumbers.
5. Place a hearty amount of greens onto four plates; top with cucumber-chickpea mixture. Serve with toasted whole wheat pita wedges.

    This salad has become a staple in our summer meal plan paring well with seared steak, grilled fish or a little roasted chicken. Frozen berries with honey-sweet yogurt as a finishing tough and the farm boy has done it again. Have I mentioned that boy can cook?
     As we seek to use the fresh produce available to us, let us not forget to be creative..have fun in the kitchen..and never hinder the valiant efforts of an ambitious youth..you never know what they may stir up!

At the Grill

    As southern temperatures start to climb we find ourselves more and more at the grill. For several years now the majority of our warm weather cooking has been done outdoors on the grill or the side burner..leading us to explore the fine art of 'cooking out'. The farm boy has developed quite a knack for grilling and regularly volunteers to light it up.
  

A Few of Farm Boy's Grilling Tips

* Marinate: long and strong. The best way to work up a good flavor and a tender bite is plenty of acid, oil, and season.

* Fire it up: keep it high. A good 500 degree heat is perfect for sealing in those juices while cooking through it.

* Leave it alone: seriously...walk away. Smashing and constant flipping are a sin. This leaches out the natural juice and flavor leaving your grilling dry and flat. Let the grill mark it and work it..sip tea or something.

* Anything can go in the grill: anything. There are no limits to fire cooked foods. We have made pizzas, veggies, loaf/flat breads and even a few cobblers on the grill. Once you try it, you'll be hooked.

   This weekend found our farm boy hard at work with some tasty marinated burgers with whole grain buns and fresh watermelon. Let me just say..the boy can cook...but, how does Daddy feel about this grill takeover? Let's just say, he couldn't answer because he had a mouthful of juicy hamburger.

A Little Experimenting

    I think the heat is getting to us all. Poor Hadassah has been trying to get comfortable all afternoon and just can't seem to find a good position. Flies are flying, mosquitoes are buzzing- it's just a muggy, no good mess. These warm days find us taking a break under the shade of a big oak tree and sipping plenty of cold ice tea, but not for too long.

      In between the rough housing and pestering pranks, the farm boy and I manage to get some work done. Today we focused on laying mulch and running some irrigation in the victory garden area. When milking, mucking, and mulching aren't tying us up, there is always harvesting to be done..and this week we have a hearty dose of strawberries and dew berries coming in off the vines.

        A kitchen full of anything leads to experimentation..and my farm boy loves testing out new recipes and ideas. This week we worked on flex recipes for cobblers and crisps; had to use up some berries, you know. From biscuit topping to cake style and even a granola topped version, we bubbled and brewed our concoctions and tested them out on every teen/college youth that made it through the gate.

on the left, crumble..on the right, cake style cobbler

 Cake-style Cobbler Flex-recipe

for every 1/2 cup fruit you need:

1 teaspoon sugar to toss with the fruit

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

splat of butter for the cup/bowl

Toss berries with prepared fruit (cut in bite size pieces). Set aside while preparing the rest. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and milk.

Place a splat of butter in the baking cup/dish and heat in oven until warm and melted.

Pour batter in cup..top with fruit..bake 20 minutes for small cup/40 for larger batch.

Top with fresh whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy!

A few notes:

adding lemon/orange zest perks up any fruit

frozen and canned fruits were tested with excellent results

if using canned fruit, skip tossing with sugar

for a gooier fruit filling, we stirred in a spoon full of preserves before baking

Add another tablespoon of flour and crumble on top fruit for a different texture

For a crumble:

For every 1/2 cup fruit

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons oats

1 tablespoon flour

2 tablespoon chopped nut

Toss fruit with sugar. Place in lightly buttered cup/pan. Crumble together remaining ingredients..place on top fruit. Bake 400 degrees 5-10 minutes for small cup/30 minutes for larger batch or till bubbly. 

You can replace the crumble mix with granola for a wonderfully speedy version.

As for the taste testers..I think they liked it, but it was a little hard to tell with all the clinking and slurping and burping. I thought it was delicious!

Spring Berries and Flex-Recipes

 

 

   Spring berries have arrived! The sides of our herbal garden are teaming with wild thorny vines sporting plump juicy goodness. Over the past several days we harvested a cup here and a cup there..hardly enough not to just swirl into some yogurt and devour (we did do some of that:). Having enough berries for a favored recipe can be quite a challenge..I love berry fresh berry pies and jams..but there's not always enough to go around. After many seasons of berry experimentation, the farm boy and I have good news and great recipes to share!

    Let's address pie. I love pie..cold, fresh whipped cream melting down a slice..yum. Okay, my berries tend to come in about a cupful at a time; no where near enough for a traditional pie. To work this one, we need a flex-recipe to help us adjust to what we have available. I like to work with home made pie crust, but you can surely use whatever crust you like. We have tried biscuit dough, pie dough, and crepes for this.

Fresh Fruit Pie Flex-Recipe

for each 1 cup of fresh fruit you need:

1 golf ball size amount of pie crust

1 teaspoon of sugar

1/4 teaspoon lemon, if desired

For large fruit, such as peaches or even figs chop them into bite size pieces after washing, then toss with the sugar and lemon juice. Roll pie crust thin and somewhat round--it's okay if we're off shape a bit. Lightly grease a baking sheet before transferring the crust to the center of it. Mound the fruit/sugar mixture right in the center of the crust leaving a inch or so edge. Gently fold the edge of the pie crust over the top leaving a nice center for the juices to bubble and vent from while baking. You can brush a beaten egg over the crust edges and sprinkle with a little more sugar, if desired.

Bake pie at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. The crust should be lightly browning a bit while the fruit will be tender and bubbly. 

    Now it's time to jam! We drizzle home made jam into yogurt, on top of granola,,waffles, toast..add a spoonful to iced tea. It's a treasure here in this kitchen. Traditional jam recipes need several cups of berries and a ton of sugar- not to mention the pectin. Am I the only one who goes to make jam and doesn't have pectin? Well. our seasons of experimenting left us with a flexible jam recipe just right for small batch harvesting..and no pectin required.

Fresh Fruit Jam Flex-recipe

For every 2 cups of fresh fruit:

½ apple, chopped and peeled

1 ½ cups sugar

If you are using berries, mash them in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Other fruits should be peeled and chopped into bite size pieces before placing in the pan. Add the chopped apple and sugar. Cook fruit over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves; stir frequently. Simmer and stir approximately twenty minutes. Test jam by dropping a spoonful onto a chilled plate; if it gels the jam is ready for jars. This jam freezes well and is excellent when processed in a water bath canner for seven minutes.

Want to add a little whimsy? Try adding fresh chopped herbs such as rosemary or mint..a vanilla bean, or even chopped citrus peel. Our last batch had cardamon..and we plan to try anise. Jump outside the box and test some nontraditional flavor.

Note. to help seedy fruits such as berries, run the jam through a mill or fine strainer.

   Whether the harvest is great or small, whether spring berries or fall figs, there is no reason not to enjoy them in our favorite treasured treats. All we need is a little flexibility to work with what we have and enjoy them as they come in. If you would rather wait and use a full recipe, simply freeze your fruits as they are harvested. It's time to grab a basket, pick some berries and make something wonderful!