So...obviously I have not been around in a while. But I know you are not suprised. Currently the farm is in a hold pattern due to the weather and the fact that we just planted grass seed in the cleared 16 acres and are waiting for it to spread. We need to get our tractor up and running again so that we can cut it. It sufferred after a 6 inch rained moved it 30 yards through our lower field.
On to the monthly ingredient...I figured that maybe if I start now I will actually post some recipes this time. Black-eyed peas are one of my favorite vegetables, but I only really eat them one way. Boiled in water or stock with a nice chunk of salt pork served over fresh baked sweet cornbread. MMMM...
I will need to do a little research to find some good recipes and I have every intention of using fresh peas as they are far superior to the mush that comes in a can.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Monthly Ingredient - June - Zucchini
I actually love zucchini. I like it best sauteed with some butter, onions, summer squash and a little salt and pepper.
I would love to say that for all of these recipes, I will be using zucchini grown in my garden...but that is just not going to happen.
As far as recipes go, I think I will finally try a zucchini bread recipe and for the rest...well...I'll just have to see what the innernets offer up...
Happy Cooking!
I would love to say that for all of these recipes, I will be using zucchini grown in my garden...but that is just not going to happen.
As far as recipes go, I think I will finally try a zucchini bread recipe and for the rest...well...I'll just have to see what the innernets offer up...
Happy Cooking!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Monthly Ingredient Update - Carrots - Curried Carrot Soup
Curried carrot soup was nothing like I expected. As it sat on the stove bubbling away and I could smell the curry with its hint of cinnamon and cloves, I was expecting a sweet dish. And in actuallity, it was...I added quite a bit of salt to it, in order to cut the sweetness of the dish. Plus I added Ritz crackers to give it a little body. I guess in my mind, if I am eating carrots they should have shape (and most of the time some crunch), but looking at a big 'ol bowl of orange I was not so sure. All in all...it was good...but if I have enough carrots laying around to make this, I will make carrots au gratin instead.
Curried Carrot Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ½ onion, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoon curry powder
• 2 pounds carrots, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water, or as needed
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until tender and translucent. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chopped carrots, and stir until the carrots are coated.
Pour in the vegetable broth, and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the carrots and broth to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot, and thin with water to your preferred consistency.
Serve with caramelized onions, sour cream, and/or croutons.
Curried Carrot Soup
Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ½ onion, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoon curry powder
• 2 pounds carrots, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water, or as needed
Directions
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion until tender and translucent. Stir in the curry powder. Add the chopped carrots, and stir until the carrots are coated.
Pour in the vegetable broth, and simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
Transfer the carrots and broth to a blender, and puree until smooth. Pour back into the pot, and thin with water to your preferred consistency.
Serve with caramelized onions, sour cream, and/or croutons.
Monthly Ingredient Update - Carrots - Carrot Cake
Today I will be sharing with you a recipe for carrot cake. I have never made carrot cake from scratch...in fact, I can not even remember the last time I made a cake from scratch...since making it from the box is so easy. After making this particular cake though, I can say with all honesty...I probably will not buy box cake mix again. It was so easy, and very satisfying to know what was going into my food.
This particular recipe is lower-fat than it's original recipe, but still manages to satisfy my sweet tooth. So, without further ado...enjoy:
Carrot CakeIngredients
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, plus a handful
Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in carrots. Fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
This particular recipe is lower-fat than it's original recipe, but still manages to satisfy my sweet tooth. So, without further ado...enjoy:
Carrot CakeIngredients
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, plus a handful
Frosting:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, white sugar and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Stir in carrots. Fold in 1 cup chopped walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if desired.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Monthly Ingredient Update - Carrots - Carrots Au Gratin
Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite potluck dish...Carrots Au Gratin.
They are delicious. I think that they taste better than au gratin potatoes because they add a sweetness to the dish that potatoes just do not have. The recipe is below. Try it and let me know what you think:
Carrots Au Gratin
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups sliced carrots
2/3 cup crushed buttery round crackers
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup shredded processed cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place carrots in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 6-10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine crushed crackers with 1 tablespoon melted margarine. Mix well and set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over low heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of margarine and saute onions until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring to prevent browning. Gradually pour in milk, stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium and cook until bubbly and thickened. Add cheese and stir until smooth. Fold in carrots.
4. Pour mixture into a 9x12 inch baking dish and sprinkle with the crumb mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
They are delicious. I think that they taste better than au gratin potatoes because they add a sweetness to the dish that potatoes just do not have. The recipe is below. Try it and let me know what you think:
Carrots Au Gratin
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups sliced carrots
2/3 cup crushed buttery round crackers
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup shredded processed cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place carrots in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm, about 6-10 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine crushed crackers with 1 tablespoon melted margarine. Mix well and set aside.
3. In a medium skillet over low heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of margarine and saute onions until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, stirring to prevent browning. Gradually pour in milk, stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium and cook until bubbly and thickened. Add cheese and stir until smooth. Fold in carrots.
4. Pour mixture into a 9x12 inch baking dish and sprinkle with the crumb mixture.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Grass
Last night, Doug, my mom and our friend Ron, planted our first batch of grass seed on the cleared 16 acres.
While I was waiting at home for them it hit me just how much this lifestyle if governed by nature. I knew that it was...but it was always a background thought...until now. Now, we have to hope and pray for rain. Not too much and not too little.
I think that as a society we forget just how much nature governs our life. It is true that in the urban life we feel much removed from the weather and in control of what happens in our life...unless it rains on the day of our perfectly planned picnic. But even still we can not escape the rath of a severe storm such as a tornado or hurricane. But it is there...still dictating our lives. If there is not enough rain or too much even, the cost of our food goes up. But with so much processed food in the stores and in our mouths, we just pick something else to eat in order to prevent being inconvenienced.
I think that this removal from nature has taken away our reverence for life in general. If we can't even appreciate all of the detail, work, and even luck that goes just into making our food...how can we even begin to appreciate all that goes into living a life? And how can we begin to show that process the proper respect?
While I was waiting at home for them it hit me just how much this lifestyle if governed by nature. I knew that it was...but it was always a background thought...until now. Now, we have to hope and pray for rain. Not too much and not too little.
I think that as a society we forget just how much nature governs our life. It is true that in the urban life we feel much removed from the weather and in control of what happens in our life...unless it rains on the day of our perfectly planned picnic. But even still we can not escape the rath of a severe storm such as a tornado or hurricane. But it is there...still dictating our lives. If there is not enough rain or too much even, the cost of our food goes up. But with so much processed food in the stores and in our mouths, we just pick something else to eat in order to prevent being inconvenienced.
I think that this removal from nature has taken away our reverence for life in general. If we can't even appreciate all of the detail, work, and even luck that goes just into making our food...how can we even begin to appreciate all that goes into living a life? And how can we begin to show that process the proper respect?
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Garden
I know that I have lamented REPEATEDLY on this site about my lack of skills in the garden.
Drum Roll....I MADE A SIDE DISH FROM MY GARDEN THIS WEEKEND!!!!
I managed to grow a zuccinni and a squash. So I cut them up and sauted them in butter with a few green beans that I had just harvested. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! Even more so because it came from my own garden. MY OWN GARDEN!!
See kids...dreams can come true...just stick with it...don't give up. Oh yeah...and don't forget to fertilize! :-)
Drum Roll....I MADE A SIDE DISH FROM MY GARDEN THIS WEEKEND!!!!
I managed to grow a zuccinni and a squash. So I cut them up and sauted them in butter with a few green beans that I had just harvested. IT WAS DELICIOUS!! Even more so because it came from my own garden. MY OWN GARDEN!!
See kids...dreams can come true...just stick with it...don't give up. Oh yeah...and don't forget to fertilize! :-)
Monthly Ingredient - May - Carrots
I am excited and apprehensive about this months ingredient. I love carrots dipped in a homemade butternilk dressing, I LOVE carrot cake and no mirepoix is comeplete without carrots, but that's about it.
My grandmother never made "Copper Pennies" and carrot raisin salad makes my stomach turn. That being said, I wanted to do one tranditional recipe and two out of the box. Now, these may not be out of the box for you, but let me assure you that carrot soup has NEVER crossed my lips.
Without further ado, the recipes I will be trying this month are: a homemade carrot cake (from scratch...no box mix here), curried carrot soup, and carrots au gratin (anything au gratin makes me happy). Since the month is almost over...I guess I better get crackin'...
My grandmother never made "Copper Pennies" and carrot raisin salad makes my stomach turn. That being said, I wanted to do one tranditional recipe and two out of the box. Now, these may not be out of the box for you, but let me assure you that carrot soup has NEVER crossed my lips.
Without further ado, the recipes I will be trying this month are: a homemade carrot cake (from scratch...no box mix here), curried carrot soup, and carrots au gratin (anything au gratin makes me happy). Since the month is almost over...I guess I better get crackin'...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monthly Ingredient - April - Roasted Garlic Hummus
This recipe is one of my all time favorites. I used to hate humus. They texture was what threw me off. However, my wonderful MIL turned me around when she said "It's only bean dip" and I was hooked. I decided try some from Target after that and haven't looked back since. After getting tired of spending so much money on it, I decided that I would try my hand at making it myself and that's how I ended up with this recipe. It started from this one, and I made a couple of modifications.
Roasted Garlic Hummus
3 large roasted garlic cloves (I just roast a whole head of garlic and use however much I need to make it taste nice and garlicky)
One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained (I actually used 2 15 ounce cans)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (make 1/2 cup and have ready)
3 tablespoons sesame tahini
3 tablespoons water (may need more)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
Assorted crudites, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place garlic cloves on a small piece of foil, and lightly drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Seal foil to form a pouch, and roast garlic in oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven, and allow garlic to cool slightly; peel and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the chickpeas, and process until finely chopped.
2. Add lemon juice, sesame tahini, water, salt, cayenne pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and process until the texture is light and fluffy but not entirely smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in chives, and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with assorted crudites, if desired.
Personal Notes:
Since I used 2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas, I had to adjust the other ingredients to get it the way I wanted it. Also, I like my hummus to be VERY creamy, so I had to add more water and lemon juice.
This hummus is amazing...it is absolutely the best on herbed pita chips.
Roasted Garlic Hummus
3 large roasted garlic cloves (I just roast a whole head of garlic and use however much I need to make it taste nice and garlicky)
One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained (I actually used 2 15 ounce cans)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (make 1/2 cup and have ready)
3 tablespoons sesame tahini
3 tablespoons water (may need more)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh chives, minced
Assorted crudites, for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place garlic cloves on a small piece of foil, and lightly drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Seal foil to form a pouch, and roast garlic in oven until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven, and allow garlic to cool slightly; peel and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add the chickpeas, and process until finely chopped.
2. Add lemon juice, sesame tahini, water, salt, cayenne pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil, and process until the texture is light and fluffy but not entirely smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in chives, and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with assorted crudites, if desired.
Personal Notes:
Since I used 2 15 ounce cans of chickpeas, I had to adjust the other ingredients to get it the way I wanted it. Also, I like my hummus to be VERY creamy, so I had to add more water and lemon juice.
This hummus is amazing...it is absolutely the best on herbed pita chips.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Monthly Ingredient - April - Roasted Garlic
Roasted garlic is delicious...Doug will eat the cloves straight out of the oven. I like to use them in recipes or spread them on toasted french bread.
There are myriad of tips and pointers on the innernets about roasting garlic. I have seen suggestions of putting the heads in muffin tins topped with foil (which is a pretty neat idea, but I don't want to have to wash an extra pan).
Roasted Garlic
Several heads of garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
All I do is cut off the tops of the head of garlic, set them on a small piece of foil, pour some olive oil on them (enough to cover) and sprinkle them with salt and fresh ground pepper. The wrap up the foil and place them in a 350 degree oven until they are done (about 40 minutes). "Done" would be when they are very soft. You can either pull them out with a fork or just squeeze the cloves out.
Roasted Garlic is a versitile ingredient that we will be using for our next and last April recipe. Have fun experimenting with it.
There are myriad of tips and pointers on the innernets about roasting garlic. I have seen suggestions of putting the heads in muffin tins topped with foil (which is a pretty neat idea, but I don't want to have to wash an extra pan).
Roasted Garlic
Several heads of garlic
Olive Oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
All I do is cut off the tops of the head of garlic, set them on a small piece of foil, pour some olive oil on them (enough to cover) and sprinkle them with salt and fresh ground pepper. The wrap up the foil and place them in a 350 degree oven until they are done (about 40 minutes). "Done" would be when they are very soft. You can either pull them out with a fork or just squeeze the cloves out.
Roasted Garlic is a versitile ingredient that we will be using for our next and last April recipe. Have fun experimenting with it.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monthly Ingredient Project Update - April
Garlic...mmm...I love it, but often feel limited by it other than as a seasoning. This month will feature 3 recipes (2 of which are my favorite ways to enjoy everything garlic has to offer). So I guess technically I'm cheating on my resolution, but I just have to share them with you. Maybe I'll be an over-acheiver and try some more recipes...but I doubt it.
The first recipe is a new one for me. It was taken from the 101 Cookbooks website here.
Richard Olney's Garlic Soup Recipe
1 quart (4 cups) water
1 bay leaf
2 sage leaves
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
a dozen medium cloves of garlic, smashed peeled, and chopped
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Binding pommade:
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
day-old crusty bread & more olive oil to drizzle
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the bay leaf, sage, thyme, garlic, and salt. Heat to a gentle boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain into a bowl, remove the bay and sage leaves from the strainer, and return the broth and garlic back to the saucepan, off the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
With a fork, whisk the egg, egg yolks, cheese, and pepper together in a bowl until creamy. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, beating all the time, then add (slowly! slowly!), continuing to whisk, a large ladleful of the broth. Stir the contents of the bowl into the garlic broth and whisk it continuously over low-medium heat until it thickens slightly. Olney states, "just long enough to be no longer watery." I usually let it go a wee-bit beyond that - until it is the consistency of half-and-half or cream. Place a handful of torn bread chunks into the bottom of each bowl and pour the soup over the bread. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve immediately.
Makes about 4 cups of soup.
This recipe was adapted from The French Menu Cookbook by Richard Olney. Originally published in 1970, this edition was republished by Ten Speed Press in 2002.
A few personal notes:
DO NOT...for even one second...step away from the soup once you have combined the binding pommade in it. You will regret it...I promise. It's not that it takes away from the flavor of the soup, but it takes away from the appearance (and we all know that we eat with our eyes first). What happens is the cheese and egg start to separate from the broth and it looks a little weird. It still tastes fine, but I do think that it takes away from the dish.
I would also like to note that while making this dish made me try a new cooking technique (using a binding pommade), I would rather make potato soup and add a lot of garlic to it during the cooking process (either when boiling the potatoes or right before I puree the soup). But it was good and one I will probably try again if I am short on potatoes and can't make potato soup.
The first recipe is a new one for me. It was taken from the 101 Cookbooks website here.
Richard Olney's Garlic Soup Recipe
1 quart (4 cups) water
1 bay leaf
2 sage leaves
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
a dozen medium cloves of garlic, smashed peeled, and chopped
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Binding pommade:
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
day-old crusty bread & more olive oil to drizzle
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the bay leaf, sage, thyme, garlic, and salt. Heat to a gentle boil and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain into a bowl, remove the bay and sage leaves from the strainer, and return the broth and garlic back to the saucepan, off the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
With a fork, whisk the egg, egg yolks, cheese, and pepper together in a bowl until creamy. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, beating all the time, then add (slowly! slowly!), continuing to whisk, a large ladleful of the broth. Stir the contents of the bowl into the garlic broth and whisk it continuously over low-medium heat until it thickens slightly. Olney states, "just long enough to be no longer watery." I usually let it go a wee-bit beyond that - until it is the consistency of half-and-half or cream. Place a handful of torn bread chunks into the bottom of each bowl and pour the soup over the bread. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve immediately.
Makes about 4 cups of soup.
This recipe was adapted from The French Menu Cookbook by Richard Olney. Originally published in 1970, this edition was republished by Ten Speed Press in 2002.
A few personal notes:
DO NOT...for even one second...step away from the soup once you have combined the binding pommade in it. You will regret it...I promise. It's not that it takes away from the flavor of the soup, but it takes away from the appearance (and we all know that we eat with our eyes first). What happens is the cheese and egg start to separate from the broth and it looks a little weird. It still tastes fine, but I do think that it takes away from the dish.
I would also like to note that while making this dish made me try a new cooking technique (using a binding pommade), I would rather make potato soup and add a lot of garlic to it during the cooking process (either when boiling the potatoes or right before I puree the soup). But it was good and one I will probably try again if I am short on potatoes and can't make potato soup.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
You can't appreciate the light until you have experienced the darkness
I had an epiphany this morning in my vehicle (as this is where I have a lot of my epiphanies - among other places) in regards to our work on the farm. Yesterday, I was reading through some of my journal entries voicing (?), noting, my frustrations with the lack of progress on the farm around the holidays last year. I noted that I was ready to either do something or walk away...the frustration was distracting to me. I wasn't depressed (that only happens when I don't get my way) but I was certainly feeling defeated by the lack of progress, issues with the neighbors, and no resolution in sight.
Since then we have had the back property line cleared and started putting in the fence. The16,000,000 16 piles of trees have been moved to a better spot (creating a sort of fencerow splitting the cleared fields), and the fields have been disced, which makes it much easier to walk on without spraining an ankle. Not to mention things are really greening up out there and we have been trying to make nice with the neighbors.
But this morning, while sipping my coffee, sitting in traffic, I realized that I needed to have those moments of frustration with a lack of progress in order to truly appreciate the things we have accomplished in just the last couple of months. When I go out there, I can see things taking shape (yet it still looks pretty much the same as when we last went out there). When I think back to the fact that this land started off as 30 acres of trunk to trunk mesquite, I am amazed that we have come this far (even if it has been 3 years) and it makes hopeful of how far we can get in just a short amount of time if we communicate, plan, and prepare properly.
Since then we have had the back property line cleared and started putting in the fence. The
But this morning, while sipping my coffee, sitting in traffic, I realized that I needed to have those moments of frustration with a lack of progress in order to truly appreciate the things we have accomplished in just the last couple of months. When I go out there, I can see things taking shape (yet it still looks pretty much the same as when we last went out there). When I think back to the fact that this land started off as 30 acres of trunk to trunk mesquite, I am amazed that we have come this far (even if it has been 3 years) and it makes hopeful of how far we can get in just a short amount of time if we communicate, plan, and prepare properly.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Farm Update
We met with Milton the last weekend of January to go over the items we wanted to get done at the beginning of this season, to include:
Clearing the back property line – so that we can get the place fenced off
Moving the piles of mesquite into rows – so that the discing and raking can be done
Discing and raking the already cleared 13 acres – that we can get seed in the ground so we can get cattle out there this year
As luck and the weather would have it, none of this has been done yet, because it has been pretty rainy the last month. In the next week or so I think we can get this party going and get some things done out there.
Speaking of the weather, there is a book that I would like to recommend, “The Contrary Farmer” by Lodgson. It speaks a lot to what we are trying to accomplish here and some of the issues we face with this project.
Monthly Ingredient Project Update – March
March – Barley
I am excited about this ingredient. I know that I have a recipe in mind. Granted it is one that I have made several times and LOVE it, and that is why I want to share it with you guys. It is a little time consuming as it is made like a risotto, but it is amazing!!
Mushroom Barley Risotto
Bon Appétit November 1997
Barley replaces rice in this twist on the classic Italian risotto.
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup pearl barley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as oyster, stemmed portobello and stemmed shiitake), sliced – I like button mushrooms in this just fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Bring chicken stock to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
Melt 2 teaspoons butter in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley, thyme, bay leaf and 2 cups warm chicken stock; bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most of stock is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add remaining stock 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender, about 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in another large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Mix in parsley and barley mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon risotto into bowls and serve immediately.
I am excited about this ingredient. I know that I have a recipe in mind. Granted it is one that I have made several times and LOVE it, and that is why I want to share it with you guys. It is a little time consuming as it is made like a risotto, but it is amazing!!
Mushroom Barley Risotto
Bon Appétit November 1997
Barley replaces rice in this twist on the classic Italian risotto.
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup pearl barley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (such as oyster, stemmed portobello and stemmed shiitake), sliced – I like button mushrooms in this just fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Bring chicken stock to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
Melt 2 teaspoons butter in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley, thyme, bay leaf and 2 cups warm chicken stock; bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most of stock is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add remaining stock 1/2 cup at a time, allowing stock to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until barley is tender, about 50 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in another large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Mix in parsley and barley mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon risotto into bowls and serve immediately.
Monthly Ingredient Project Update – February
February – Broccoli
Okay…I will be completely honest here. I didn’t do anything with broccoli this month. Partly due to being busy, partly due to being lazy, and partly because I think that broccoli is a culinary curmudgeon. In fact, the only way I really like broccoli is smothered in ranch dressing or Velveeta cheese. Perhaps, then, it was the perfect candidate for this experiment and I may move it to coincide with another ingredient in a later month.
Okay…I will be completely honest here. I didn’t do anything with broccoli this month. Partly due to being busy, partly due to being lazy, and partly because I think that broccoli is a culinary curmudgeon. In fact, the only way I really like broccoli is smothered in ranch dressing or Velveeta cheese. Perhaps, then, it was the perfect candidate for this experiment and I may move it to coincide with another ingredient in a later month.
Monthly Ingredient Project Update – January
January - Quinoa
I can tell you that my first experience with quinoa was not a pleasant one. I tried it at a spa retreat that Doug sent me to for my birthday several years ago. To be frank, it was just plain gross and only one spoonful made it past my lips. So, to say I was apprehensive about this ingredient is an understatement.
The goal was to make 3 or 4 different recipes with this ingredient throughout the month. In actuality what I did was make one recipe four or five times because it was so amazing. I will, however, post the other recipes I was going to try for anyone else that might want to make it for themselves.
These recipes were taken from cookbooks at a Border’s store here in San Antonio. Unfortunately, I did not write down the names of the books or author, so I don’t know who to give credit to. I will do that in the future. It was hard enough standing in the store trying to copy down the recipes in shorthand while the store manager glared at me, but I was not about to buy three different books for one recipe (especially experimental ones). Perhaps that’s from my low moral fiber, but I will deal with my Karma when that day comes.
So without further ado, here are the recipes…
Aztec Quinoa – this is the one I made repeatedly
1 tsp butter
1 lg onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 poblano chile, diced
3 c. vegetable stock
Salt
3 med. Potatoes, peeled and cut in ½” cubes
2 carrots, sliced in ¼” rounds
1c. quinoa, washed
1 c. corn, frozen whole or cut from 2-3 cobs
1c. whole milk
Pepper to taste
Minced Italian parsley and cilantro
Grated Pepper Jack cheese
Sour cream
Tobasco or hot sauce
Melt butter in a large soup pot on medium heat. Sauté onion and cumin 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add poblano chile and sauté for 3 minutes more. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Add potatoes, carrots, and quinoa to the pot. Return to a boil, stir well, and turn down to simmer. Cover pot and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add corn and cover and cook for 5 minutes more.
Turn off heat and pour in milk. Stir once and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with parsley and cilantro. If you like, pass the cheese, sour cream and hot sauce to add at the table.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
1 c. quinoa, raw
2 c. water
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh chopped mint
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper
4 scallions
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ c. lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Rinse and drain quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove any residue of bitter coating. In a covered sauce pan on high heat, bring quinoa, water, salt, and mint (if dried) to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender (approx. 15 min.). Fluff with a fork and place in a serving bowl.
While quinoa cooks, finely chop bell pepper, mince the scallion and garlic and finely chop parsley and mint (if fresh). Add to the serving bowl with cooked quinoa. Pour on lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Salt & pepper to taste.
Menu ideas: Garnish with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped toasted almonds, grated feta and or kalamata olives. Goes well with all things Greek.
Asparagus Quinoa Salad
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
Salt
12 spears asparagus
½ c. kalamata olives
1 lg. tomato
1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Pepper
4 oz. crumbled feta
Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water. While quinoa cooks, cut asparagus into 1” pieces. Place in saucepan and ½” of water and bring to boil. Cover and cook on medium low heat 3-4 minutes or until barely tender. Drain under cold water for 1 minute to cool.
Cut olives into thin slices. Seed tomato and cut into ½” pieces. Zest lemon and strain for 3 tbsp of juice.
Combine quinoa, asparagus, olives, tomato and zest. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil together and pour over mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and top with feta.
I can tell you that my first experience with quinoa was not a pleasant one. I tried it at a spa retreat that Doug sent me to for my birthday several years ago. To be frank, it was just plain gross and only one spoonful made it past my lips. So, to say I was apprehensive about this ingredient is an understatement.
The goal was to make 3 or 4 different recipes with this ingredient throughout the month. In actuality what I did was make one recipe four or five times because it was so amazing. I will, however, post the other recipes I was going to try for anyone else that might want to make it for themselves.
These recipes were taken from cookbooks at a Border’s store here in San Antonio. Unfortunately, I did not write down the names of the books or author, so I don’t know who to give credit to. I will do that in the future. It was hard enough standing in the store trying to copy down the recipes in shorthand while the store manager glared at me, but I was not about to buy three different books for one recipe (especially experimental ones). Perhaps that’s from my low moral fiber, but I will deal with my Karma when that day comes.
So without further ado, here are the recipes…
Aztec Quinoa – this is the one I made repeatedly
1 tsp butter
1 lg onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 poblano chile, diced
3 c. vegetable stock
Salt
3 med. Potatoes, peeled and cut in ½” cubes
2 carrots, sliced in ¼” rounds
1c. quinoa, washed
1 c. corn, frozen whole or cut from 2-3 cobs
1c. whole milk
Pepper to taste
Minced Italian parsley and cilantro
Grated Pepper Jack cheese
Sour cream
Tobasco or hot sauce
Melt butter in a large soup pot on medium heat. Sauté onion and cumin 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add poblano chile and sauté for 3 minutes more. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Add potatoes, carrots, and quinoa to the pot. Return to a boil, stir well, and turn down to simmer. Cover pot and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add corn and cover and cook for 5 minutes more.
Turn off heat and pour in milk. Stir once and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with parsley and cilantro. If you like, pass the cheese, sour cream and hot sauce to add at the table.
Quinoa Tabbouleh
1 c. quinoa, raw
2 c. water
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh chopped mint
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper
4 scallions
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ c. lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Rinse and drain quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove any residue of bitter coating. In a covered sauce pan on high heat, bring quinoa, water, salt, and mint (if dried) to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender (approx. 15 min.). Fluff with a fork and place in a serving bowl.
While quinoa cooks, finely chop bell pepper, mince the scallion and garlic and finely chop parsley and mint (if fresh). Add to the serving bowl with cooked quinoa. Pour on lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Salt & pepper to taste.
Menu ideas: Garnish with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped toasted almonds, grated feta and or kalamata olives. Goes well with all things Greek.
Asparagus Quinoa Salad
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
Salt
12 spears asparagus
½ c. kalamata olives
1 lg. tomato
1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Pepper
4 oz. crumbled feta
Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water. While quinoa cooks, cut asparagus into 1” pieces. Place in saucepan and ½” of water and bring to boil. Cover and cook on medium low heat 3-4 minutes or until barely tender. Drain under cold water for 1 minute to cool.
Cut olives into thin slices. Seed tomato and cut into ½” pieces. Zest lemon and strain for 3 tbsp of juice.
Combine quinoa, asparagus, olives, tomato and zest. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil together and pour over mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and top with feta.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Foiled Again...
Doug and my mom were supposed to be meeting with the guy today to talk about getting our back property line cleared for a fence and having the other 16 acres he cleared disked and raked so we could get some grass seed out there for the cattle. Unfortunately, due to this cold front, he had some work he had to get done for another guy before the cold front came in. So we have to postpone the work a little while longer. GGGRRRRHHHH!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Zen And The Art of Farm Maintenance
We got a lot of work done one the property this weekend. In fact, aside from the stock tank, I think we got more done on the property this weekend than all of last year.
Doug and my mom put t-posts along the fence line where there were just twisted spacers. Then we went in and wire clipped the barbed wire to the t-posts. Wire clipping the barbed wire to the t-posts is actually really meditative. But, after awhile, you forget to meditate because your hands can't even grip the plyers anymore.
This was Thursday and Friday. Saturday we continued down the fenceline, removing prickly pear and pencil cactus, along with some mesquite trees, as we went. I HATE CACTUS! (insert footstomp here) I know it serves a purpose...but when you have to dig out entire neighborhoods of it that are older than you are, it gets tedious. Plus I think I have stickers in places that have never even seen the light of day and I was stuck using The World's Heaviest Shovel. On a side note, yesterday Doug and I saw a shovel with teeth marks in the blade...I was ready to give up our first born for it, to not have to use the other one again, but Doug said he'd rather take a saw to the other shovel and do it himself. Foiled again...
Our tractor was in a low spot where it was moved 30 feet by rainwater overflow the last time it rained 3 inches. Our friend James was wonderful enough to come out with his Jeep and help Doug move it up the hill, where we don't have to worry about it floating down to our neighbors property and can get it fixed.
Getting that done actually felt like the biggest accomplishment of the weekend, though, clearing 165 feet of cactus and mesquite and fixing fenceline is nothing to sneeze at either.
Doug and my mom put t-posts along the fence line where there were just twisted spacers. Then we went in and wire clipped the barbed wire to the t-posts. Wire clipping the barbed wire to the t-posts is actually really meditative. But, after awhile, you forget to meditate because your hands can't even grip the plyers anymore.
This was Thursday and Friday. Saturday we continued down the fenceline, removing prickly pear and pencil cactus, along with some mesquite trees, as we went. I HATE CACTUS! (insert footstomp here) I know it serves a purpose...but when you have to dig out entire neighborhoods of it that are older than you are, it gets tedious. Plus I think I have stickers in places that have never even seen the light of day and I was stuck using The World's Heaviest Shovel. On a side note, yesterday Doug and I saw a shovel with teeth marks in the blade...I was ready to give up our first born for it, to not have to use the other one again, but Doug said he'd rather take a saw to the other shovel and do it himself. Foiled again...
Our tractor was in a low spot where it was moved 30 feet by rainwater overflow the last time it rained 3 inches. Our friend James was wonderful enough to come out with his Jeep and help Doug move it up the hill, where we don't have to worry about it floating down to our neighbors property and can get it fixed.
Getting that done actually felt like the biggest accomplishment of the weekend, though, clearing 165 feet of cactus and mesquite and fixing fenceline is nothing to sneeze at either.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Farm To Do List
1. Clear back property line and install fence
2. Clear roadways around property
3. Buy and spread road base on all cleared roads
4. Rake and disk the 16 acres cleared 6 months ago
5. Continue perimeter and interior fencing
6. Plant native grasses on disked 16 acres
7. Repair tractor
8. Build water troughs and install in paddocks
9. Buy cattle and release on property
10. Build cattle shelter on South corner of property
11. Buy and install solar fence charger
12. Build garden shed that will sub for temp. shelter
13. Install culvert at water feature on easement
14. Improve water quality in tank and stock with fish
15. Dig second tank
16. Cut channel from 1st tank to 2nd tank
17. Improve channel between tanks for improved drainage
18. Improve dams on both tanks
19. Dig water well
20. Improve paddock fencing
21. Buy and release goats on paddocks
22. Establish rotation and implement
23. Disk the garden and plant
24. Install irrigation
Friday, January 1, 2010
2010 Resolutions
Piano –Complete Music Theory Book (Complete 1 Chapter per week), then move on to other music theory books
Practice 30 minutes 4x/week
Healthy Eating & Weight Loss –
Pick 1 ingredient each month and make at least 3-4 recipes using that ingredient
January – Quinoa
February – Broccoli
March – Barley
April – Garlic
May – Carrots
June – Zuccini
July – Basil
August – Summer Squash
September – Tuna
October – Black-eyed Peas
November – Bulgar
December – Duck
Workouts – Strength Training MWF (work through circuit on home gym)/Cardio TuTh (30-45 minutes on stationary bike)
Property –
Create to do list with Doug and post on blog
Coven -
Meet every 2nd & 4th Friday
Garden –
Grow enough food to make one meal (this is apparently a stretch for me)
Follow planting schedule on Angel Song Acres Farm
Homework – Weekly, review where I am at with my goals and if I am still on track. This will probably happen at Sunday breakfast.
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