Home made Caramel sauce

Having a "half milk cow" (half Jersey, half Angus) like I do, gives me the opportunity to have endless amounts of fresh milk, and with endless amounts of fresh milk, there are an abundance of delicious things you can make.  I don't want to debate the whole "hormone free" vs "hormone ridden" cow issue, nor do I want to debate the pasteurized vs raw milk issue.  Suffice it to say, I like knowing what is in my milk, and if I want to pasteurize it I can, if I want to drink it raw, I can.  I'm big on personal choice when it comes to food anyway.  I do know that while there is a fair bit of work involved with having a family milk cow, even someone with a crazy schedule can do it, if you leave the calf with her.  Initially, it does require some twice a day milking, just to get started while the calf is not drinking as much, but after about 2 weeks, the calf will "milk her out" pretty well, and you can transition to once a day milking fairly easily.  After a couple of months however, the calf will take nearly all the milk and if you want some, you will have to separate mom and baby for a few hours to let her supply build up.  By this time the calf is eating enough grass or hay to sustain himself and missing a few hours of nursing will not effect his growth.  But you can expect a lot of complaining from both mom and baby while they are separated.  It is a little easier if they can see each other, but there will still be some bawling.

I find that 6 hours is the magical number for miss Violet, and she will replenish plenty of milk in that amount of time.  I also have found that if I allow the calf to nurse on one side while I milk out the other side, the cow "lets down" a lot more milk, and I can get one and a half - two gallons from just one half of her udder.  That is plenty of milk for my family. Once the calf is weaned, you can milk her twice a day and over a few days transition to once a day milking.  At least 2 months before her next calf is born, allow her to dry up to ready her udders for producing colostrum for the new calf. 

Since fall is baking season at our house, I have taken to using the fresh milk whenever possible.  One common ingredient is sweetened condensed milk.  Rather than using the store bought, canned variety, I decided to make my own.  Here is how:

Using a heavy bottomed, stainless steel pot (a staple in any serious cook's kitchen) combine:

1 quart milk
1-1/2 cups sugar (I use granulated, but you can use brown, it will have a slightly darker color and slightly different flavor.  Do not use confectioner's sugar as it often has cornstarch in it and will not turn out well.)

Pour the milk into the pot.  Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.  Place the pot of sweet milk on the stove top and heat at medium heat, stirring frequently until the steam starts to rise off the milk.  Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 2 - 3 hours or until reduced to half the volume.  It is not necessary to stir but once in a while IF you use a HEAVY BOTTOMED pan.  Allow to cool slightly and pour into a hot, pint sized jar, cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.  (Tip:  You can make "evaporated" milk in the same way simply by eliminating the sugar.)  This can be use in any recipe that calls for sweetened condensed milk.  

One of my favorite things to do with sweetened condensed milk is to make caramel dipping sauce for apples (or whatever else you like!!).  You will need:

1 pint sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1Tbsp butter

Melt the butter in a skillet or pot preferably stainless steel.  Add the vanilla and the sweetened condensed milk, whisk until well combined.  Bring to a boil and cook for several minutes continuing to whisk until the mixture becomes bubbly and thickened.  Remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe container.  Allow to cool completely then enjoy with apples or whatever other fruit or treat you like smothered in caramel sauce.  

Enjoy!!
 

Dish Soap Money Saver

There are not a lot of luxuries in farming.  Most of what we do is sweaty, dirty and involves hard work.  But one small indulgence that I treat myself to is a periodic trip to the local mall to shop at "Bath and Body Works".  Their lotions are wonderful, aromatic remedies to winter's harsh drying elements and the foaming hand soap is a fragrant delight for hand washing both in the kitchen and the bath.  If you give them your e-mail address, they will send you all kinds of money saving coupons that actually can make their products quite affordable. 

My favorite soap for dish washing is "Dawn".  I buy the very large bottle at Costco.  It is however, difficult to pour your dish soap from the huge bottle without getting way more than you need.  I find it very frustrating to literally pour this extra down the drain and since I like to save money whenever possible, I have discovered a little trick to make my "Dawn" go a lot farther.  I use a foaming dispenser to extend the soap, make using it easy and my favorite, save money.  Here is how you do that:

You will need:

Concentrated dish soap of choice (I use Dawn)
Foaming soap dispenser (I recycle the Bath and Body Works ones or you can buy one here)
Water

In an 8 ounce bottle put approximately 1 tablespoon of your concentrated dish soap.  Fill with water (approximately 7.5 ounces).  Screw on the lid and gently agitate until the soap and water are combined without shaking and foaming the soap.  It should look like this:

To use, dispense one pump of soap foam onto your sponge or dish cloth and wash the item to be washed.   If you want to fill a sink and do a lot of dishes, just dispense several pumps into the sink and wash away.  I have had my Costco bottle for 2 years and it is only half empty.  Now you can use the extra money you save to buy some of the wonderful Bath and Body Works Lotion!!  (My favorites are "Country Chic", "Butterfly Flower", and "Beautiful Day")

Happy dish washing!!

Chicken and Corn Chowder for a Brisk Fall Day

I love these brisk fall days.  Every one of them brings chilly mornings, sunny and bright afternoons and cool evenings.  They are perfect for getting the last of the "summer" chores done.  Today was spent cutting, splitting and stacking firewood for winter.  Since this is our main source of heat, we must prepare for at least one full cord of wood per month, and a little extra in case it gets really cold.  That means about 8 cords for an average winter.  This one is supposed to be a cold one, so we have gathered up about 11 cords.  Any that is not used this winter will be a head start for next winter.  

The beauty of heating with wood is the fact that you don't just put it in the stove and get warmed once.  Wood used as a heat source has the benefit of warming you several times; you get warmed when you cut it, when you split it, when you stack it and when you burn it.  You can't say that with a gas or electric furnace now can you?

There is nothing better than coming in from the great outdoors where you have been doing a satisfying job like putting up wood only to have the comforting aroma of a Chicken and Corn Chowder that has been cooking all day in the crock pot greet your nose.  It does not take very long to prepare, and if you have about 30 minutes to throw this together before you go out to work, you will be rewarded with a yummy supper when you are done.  This is what it will look like:

Chicken and Corn Chowder

Here are the directions:

Chicken and Corn Chowder

3 or 4 skinless boneless breasts of chicken (or 8 skinless boneless chicken tenders)
3 tsp powdered chicken stock or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 cup dried onion flakes or 1/2 medium onion diced very fine
3 large or 4 medium carrots
2 large or 3 medium potatoes
corn cut from 2 cobs or 1/2 package frozen whole kernel corn
3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp beaumond seasoning
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste) 
1/3 cup all purpose flour
Water

Place the chicken in a microwave safe dish and cook at high power for 10 minutes or until the chicken is slightly cooked.  Shred the chicken with a fork (slightly cooking it helps make this step easier) and place in the crock pot with 2 cups of boiling water.  Turn the crock pot on high.  Add the bouillon and onion.  Cut up the carrots and potatoes into coarse bite sized pieces and add to the chicken.  Add the garlic salt, beaumond seasoning
and celery seed.   Add a bit more water if needed to cover everything, then place the lid on the crock pot.  Allow to cook for at least 3 hours.  At least one hour before serving, add the frozen corn, milk and black pepper.  Whisk in the flour a little at a time to thicken adding a bit more if needed to your taste.  Cook for an additional one to two hours on high.  Serve with warm home made rolls or garlic bread if desired.  Enjoy!!

Storing Carrots, Beets and Potatoes for the Winter

We had another beautiful day.  The leaves are beginning to turn color and fall to the ground.  I decided to get the rest of the vegetables into storage before the snow flies.  It was 60 degrees today, but that can change in a heartbeat.  

One of the biggest questions people ask is 'now that I've grown all these beautiful veggies, how do I best store them for the winter?'  Many vegetables can be frozen or canned.  Root veggies, however, lend themselves to fresh storage so you can enjoy the goodness of them for months to come.  Some people leave them in the ground and just dig them as they need them.  Unfortunately, our winters can be very unpredictable, sometimes raining for days on end, sometimes dumping 3 - 4 feet of snow with the ground frozen to 2 or 3 feet deep.  This makes leaving them in the garden inconvenient.  Since I prefer to have them easily at hand, I have tried several different ways of storage, sometimes ending up with a pile of moldy, soggy carrot mush, squishy beets, and wrinkly potatoes. But after some time and research, trial and error, I believe I have discovered a method that is successful.

First, we will start with potatoes.  Once they have been dug out of the ground, if the weather permits, lay them out to dry a bit.  Potatoes should be dry when they go into storage.  If they are wet they will most certainly mold.  Be sure that the potatoes are not cut, as in when you slice into one with the shovel or fork while digging them. Pick out all of the ones that have been damaged.  Those potatoes should be used as soon as possible, but not left in storage as they will also mold and ruin many of the others.  Now that they are dried off a bit, just put them in a cardboard box and into a garage or other area where the temperature will be below 50 degrees F but above freezing. That is how you store potatoes.  

Beets are a different story entirely.  Again, dig them up and dust off the dirt as much as possible.  Be sure they are not damaged.  In order to prevent them from drying out and shriveling, they must be kept moist.  The best way to do that is to store them in damp sand.  Put a layer of damp sand in a cardboard box that is resting on plywood or plastic so the bottom doesn't fall out.  Add a layer of beets.  It is best if they do not touch each other.  Cover them with a layer of damp sand.  Be sure they are completely covered.  Add another layer of beets and another layer of sand.  Continue in this manner until all of the beets are in the box.  Finish with a layer of damp sand.  Store in a cool area where the temperature will be between 50 degrees F and above freezing.  And that is how you store beets.

Carrots are basically the same as beets.  Dig them and dust off.  Layer with sand as you did the beets.  Finish off with a layer of sand.   Store in an area that is between 50 degrees F and freezing.

The carrots and beets can be stored in plastic boxes if you'd like, be sure to put a good thick layer of sand 1- 1/2 to 2 inches in the bottom of the plastic container.  This will give an area to absorb any excess fluid that may develop since the plastic does not breathe like the cardboard does.   Leave the lid ajar and open it to let it air out if excess moisture is building up.  Potatoes, should be stored in cardboard since it does breathe.  If you must use plastic boxes, put a layer of dry sand underneath.  Check them frequently to be sure that moisture is not building up in the box.  Leave the lid off.  

Tip: Presuming you planted heirloom carrots and beets, you can take a couple of each that you stored fresh and plant them back in the garden in the spring.  Allow them to go to seed and in the fall you can harvest the seed for future use.  (Check out my earlier post from October 7.  I show you in detail how to save the seed.)  The small potatoes that collect at the bottom of the box can be planted in the spring.  Just put 2 or three in each hole you dig and they will produce beautiful plants and potatoes next year.  

Pumpkin Ice cream

I got home today from work a little early, which afforded me the time to work with the little heifer, Pansy.  She has graduated to the larger halter with the help of a couple of new holes in the strap to allow me to tighten it a bit more.  After about an hour and a half, she is leading a little better, but still needs some work.  It is a perfect day to milk the cow, Violet again, so I put her in a separate corral where she could have access to lots of fresh green grass and water.  Her calf is quite big now, so he drinks a lot.  I only have time to leave her penned up for about 4 hours, so will probably only get a quart or so.  But that is enough to make some ice cream.  Since I have all this lovely pureed fresh pumpkin, it is time to make some ice cream with it.  Here is how it is done:

You will need:

An Ice Cream Maker (read and follow the directions for use)
Rock salt
Ice
Recipe for Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream (as follows - makes about 1- 1/2 quarts):

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream:

2 cups whole fresh milk
2 cups fresh cream
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
dash of salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1-1/2 cups fresh cooked pumpkin

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until well mixed.  Pour pumpkin mixture into the ice cream maker's inner container and follow the manufacturer's directions for freezing the ice cream.  You can enjoy the ice cream now, or scoop finished ice cream into a freezer safe container and store in the freezer.  It should be used within one week for best flavor.  Here is a picture of the finished product:

This is soooo good! Put some in a bowl, drizzle some caramel sauce over the top, and enjoy!!

Tammie

Seed Saving, Harvest Time and Pumpkin Pie

This weekend was absolutely lovely.  The weather was cool but sunny and dry.  This time of year is very busy as we try to prepare for winter.  There is wood to cut, and winterizing of the yard to do.  This is also time to start saving seeds.  Since the whole garden is now heirloom and open pollinated, I can save seeds from year to year.  This time, I needed more of the Tendersweet carrots and the Detroit dark red beets.  Since these two plants are biennials, it was necessary to save a couple of carrots and beets from last year and plant them into the garden this spring.  These are just allowed to go to seed, and are not harvested as vegetables.  Once they have bloomed, allow the blooms to fade and the seed heads to form.  This is what they will look like:

Carrots:

Beets:

You can either cut off the seed heads and shake the seeds off later, or just go ahead and shake them off still attached.  Shake them into a bowl.  

Once you have removed the seeds, they will need a few days to dry out before storing them for next year.  A paper plate with the name of the plant written on the corner works great for drying.  Once the seeds have dried out, it is time to put them away for next year.  I save my seeds in little glycerin envelopes, but you can just use paper envelopes if you don't have the glycerine ones.  Don't forget to write the name of the vegetable, the variety and the year the seeds were saved on the outside of the package.

I also allow some of the green beans and yellow wax beans to "go to seed" which simply means, leave them until they become dried and brittle.  Pick the dried pods and shell out the beans.  Allow them to dry out just like you did the carrot and beet seeds and store them away for next year.  

This was the first year I planted "Amish Pie" Pumpkins. 

Now I must tell you that these are the most awesome pumpkins ever.  It is an heirloom and comes true to form when you save seeds.  (Tip:  Don't plant pumpkins and summer squash anywhere near each other as they will cross pollinate.  They should be separated by at least 100 feet.  Otherwise your pumpkins will eventually start looking more like squash!) The insides are not gooey and stringy like regular pumpkins, instead the insides come out quite dry, the seeds are thicker and the meat is thicker.  Save the seeds by allowing them to dry out on a paper plate as before, then store them in an envelope till next year.  These pumpkins make the best pie.  To get your pumpkin into something that can be made into pie, cut the pumpkin in half, remove seeds and core.  Cut the pumpkin into wedges (like a cantaloupe) and peel.  Cube the wedges down to 2" pieces and place into a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 25 - 30 minutes until very soft.  Puree in the blender or food processor.  It is now ready to be frozen or made into pie, cookies, cakes, breads or whatever your heart desires.  Speaking of pumpkin pie, Here is the recipe I always make, which is adapted from the "Libby's Pumpkin Pie" recipe that is found on the canned pumpkin.  There are a few minor adjustments that I have made over the years.  The crust comes from my Grandma Toftner:

Pumpkin Pie

You will need:

A large deep dish pie plate
rolling pin
pastry cutter
large bowl
medium bowl
Recipe for crust (see below)

In a large bowl add:
2 eggs lightly beaten
1-3/4 cup pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1-1/2 cup fresh whole cows milk (or what ever milk you have available) 
Whisk the ingredients together until combined.  Pour into prepared crust.  Cover edges of crust with tin foil and bake at 425 degrees for 15 min.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a butter knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool completely and refrigerate until cold.  Top with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!!

Grandma Toftner's Pie Crust:

Each recipe makes one crust - for a double crust pie (such as apple) double the recipe.  

1 cup all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp shortening (I only use Crisco brand)
3 tbsp ice water

Using a pastry cutter combine the flour, salt and shortening until well blended in the medium bowl.  Add ice water a little at a time while stirring with a butter knife and just until blended.  Do not stir too much and only add as much water as needed to get the flour mixture to stick together.  This should be slightly dry while not having excess flour left in the bottom of the bowl.  Place in refrigerator while making the filling, or for at least 10 - 15 minutes.  Roll out on a lightly floured surface, taking care to not work the dough too much as this will make it hard and less flaky.  Fold the dough in half, place in a greased pie plate and open out.  Lightly press the dough to fit the pie plate and trim off the excess with a butter knife.  The bottom crust should always be thicker than the top crust.  Flute the edges, fill and bake as instructed above.  

Enjoy! 
Tammie

Recipe for Beef Ole' and Tomatoes Tomatoes!!

We finally got a frost.  Just  before it came, we picked all the tomatoes we had on the plants.  My table is covered in tomatoes:
 

So more canning is in order and I must find a good recipe for fried green tomatoes.  In the meantime, I decided to make "Beef Ole", a recipe I got from my mother-in-law many years ago.  It is very easy, filling, and makes good use of the tomatoes.  You will need:

About 7 ripe tomatoes (if you don't have an abundance of tomatoes, a 15 oz can of tomato sauce will also work)
3 tbsp taco seasoning (any brand will do)
3 tbsp sloppy joe seasoning (any brand will do)
2 lbs ground beef
2 cups of chopped or shredded lettuce
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 can sliced olives (if desired)
1/2 avocado diced (if desired)
1 cup shredded cheese
taco sauce
tortilla chips
 
Peel, seed and coarsely cut up the tomatoes, allowing them to drain for a few minutes in a colander.  Puree in the blender or food processor and cook over med-high heat stirring frequently until boiling.  Reduce heat.  Simmer and continue to stir until thickened and bubbly.  Cook until reduced by about 1/2.  This will take about 1 hour.  In the meantime, place the ground beef in a large frying pan and add the seasonings.   Cook completely until nicely browned.  Add beef to the tomato sauce and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until thickened to the desired consistency.    

In a cereal bowl, place about 10 tortilla chips and lightly crush.  Add a couple scoops of beef mixture over the chips.  Top with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, olives and avocados.  Drizzle some taco sauce over the top if desired and enjoy.  This is great on a chilly evening.

Enjoy,

Tammie

Cinnamon Pull-Aparts

This weekend was chilly and rainy.  With a toasty fire in the wood stove, I decided that we needed some comfort food to go along with the morning coffee.   So I made some Cinnamon Pull-Aparts.  This is a recipe that has gone around and around, and I really don't know who to credit for the original thought, it certainly wasn't me, but I think it warrants repeating.  Here it is:

You will need:

A Bundt pan 
Non-stick spray
3 cans of ready-made biscuits (I use the real inexpensive store brand)
1-1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp cinnamon
1-1/2 sticks or 3/4 cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350.  Coat the bottom and sides of the pan with the non-stick spray.   In a small microwave bowl, melt the butter.  In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and the cinnamon, stirring well.  Open one can of biscuits and place a couple of them into the warm butter.   They will start to puff up a bit.  With a fork, take them out one by one and coat them thoroughly with the sugar mixture.  

 Lay the biscuits standing on edge around the bottom of the pan like this:

Continue until all three cans of the biscuits are in.  You can pack them in tightly if you want, they will pull apart nicely when you are done.  Pour the remaining butter over the biscuits and then pour the remaining brown sugar mixture evenly over the top.  It should look like this:

Place the pan onto the center rack of the oven.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, depending on your oven.  To test for doneness, they should separate nicely without being doughy if you try to pull them apart.  They should look like this:

Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.  Run a non-metallic knife or spatula around the outer and inner edges.  Place a plate on top of the pan and flip it over to remove the biscuits.  It will be all gooey and yummy like this:

Cinnamon Pull-Aparts

They are so yummy in fact that a couple of them didn't survive long enough for the picture!  My husband thought they were wonderful with his coffee, a little pre-breakfast treat. This is a simple and relatively quick way to satisfy the cinnamon roll craving that comes in the fall, but with only a fraction of the work.  Enjoy!!

Tammie

Farm Photos

I follow a photography blog where they feature different photographers and their art.  There are some amazing photos here, and some really awesome farm pictures.  Check them out at Photography Blogger and search "farm"  You will see some incredible talent.

Tammie

Home made salsa --and how to use it to season steak

Did I mention this was a great garden year? Here it is two days before October and we have not yet had a frost.  This has been a blessing especially for my neighbors who started heirloom tomatoes from seeds.  The seedlings did so well, that they ended up planting 103 tomato plants!!  Needless to say they have been supplying tomatoes to many lucky people who are fortunate enough to live nearby.  I am blessed to be one of them, and along with the tomatoes from my own plants, I have had plenty to make all kinds of wonderful dishes.  
Now, I like salsa.  The flavor combination of all the ingredients is delightful, but I like it MILD.  It is difficult to find really tasty MILD salsa.  So years ago, I started experimenting with different recipes to come up with one that is both mild and flavorful.  If you like heat, this one is not for you, but if you, like me, do not like the feeling of a burning tongue when you eat salsa, give this recipe a try.  I found the basic recipe in the "Better Homes and Gardens Presents America's All-Time Favorite Canning and Preserving Recipes" book (copyright 1996).  It is on page 39 entitled "Chunky Homemade Salsa" and modified it to meet our family's taste.

You will need:

An 8 quart stainless steel pot
Colander and large bowl to set it in
Large heat resistant spoon for stirring
4 cup measuring cup
Water bath canner or large stock pot to process the jars of salsa
Jars and lids for canning (see canning tips in my other post, or go to Ball (TM) Getting Started With Canning for more information.)

Assemble the tools above.  Wash jars and lids and place in the dishwasher or a pan of water and heat them.  Keep them hot until ready to fill.  Prepare the fresh ingredients:

8.5 lbs of tomatoes (about 25 medium)
4 or 5 Anaheim chili peppers
3 jalapeno peppers
3 or 4 sweet bell peppers
2 cups coarsely chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
6 cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Wash, seed and core the peppers.  (Tip:  Wear rubber gloves while working with the peppers to prevent the oils from burning your hands.)  Measure 1/3 cup jalapenos, and 2 cups of Anaheim and bell peppers combined.  Place in a large bowl.  Chop onion, measure and add to peppers.  Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro and add to the peppers and onions.  Add the vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper to the bowl.  Set aside. 

Wash, peel, seed and core tomatoes.  (Tip:  Dip washed tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for 10 - 15 seconds then transfer to a bowl of cold water.  The skins will come off very easily).  Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters and put in the colander over a bowl and allow to drain for 30 minutes.  Coarsely chop tomatoes and measure out 16 cups and place into the stainless steel pot.  Cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently until boiling.  Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 45 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency while continuing to stir frequently.  (Tip:  If you use a heavy bottomed pot, it will be less likely to stick or burn.)  Add the pepper mixture and return the sauce to boiling increasing the heat to med-high and stirring frequently.  Once the mixture reaches boiling, you can remove from heat.

Fill the large stock pot or canner with hot water and set on stove top to heat.  (Tip:  If you live in an area with hard water, add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the water in the canner to avoid a white scale from forming on your jars.)  Put the canning lids into a small pot with boiling water.  Remove from heat and set aside.  Ladle hot sauce into hot jars and wipe the rims with a clean, wet cloth.  Put the lids in place and secure the bands.  Put into the canner and submerge in the hot water.  There should be at least 1 inch of hot water over the top of the jars.  Bring to a boil and process half pints or pints  in the water bath for 35 minutes.  Remove from  the canner and set aside to allow the jars to seal.  Once they are sealed you can store them in your pantry.  This should yield you about 6 pints.  

It seems that whenever I make a canning recipe, there is always some left over after I've filled all the jars, not quite enough to fill another.  This was the case today, and I had about a 3/4 cup left over.  As it happens I had thawed some steaks for dinner and thought I'd try something different to season them before grilling.  This is what I came up with:

3/4 cup fresh home made cooked salsa
2 tbsp taco seasoning (McCormick's, French's, Schilling, whatever brand you have).
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground paprika

Combine these ingredients and stir thoroughly.  In a large bowl, place a little of the sauce on the bottom and add a layer of steaks.  Spoon a generous amount on top of the steaks and spread over them completely.  Add another layer of steak and spoon more salsa mixture on top.  Continue until all your steaks are layered with the sauce.  Cover and set aside for at least 1/2 hour.  Prepare your grill and heat it to high.  Place the steaks with the sauce on the grill at high heat for 1 - 2 minutes and turn over.  Spoon any remaining sauce over the steaks and sear for 1 - 2 more minutes.  Turn the heat to low and cook until done to your desired taste.  I served this up with a simple salad and fresh corn on the side.  It was delicious.  I hope you have the opportunity to try this. Enjoy!


Goodnight,
Tammie

Building a chicken brood pen

Friday was a great day.  I decided I needed a new brood pen for my chicken coupe since I have a momma with a baby.  I priced out the ones at the feed store and they were about $120.00, too rich for me.  So I built one.  I like to reuse old wood for projects like this, because I don't mind if the boards don't match. Eventually they all change color and fade, so it doesn't matter and it saves a lot of money.  In this case, the only thing I had to buy was hardware for the door and hardware cloth, which cost me about $45.00  You will need:

table saw (to rip the boards)
chop saw or small skill saw
power screw driver
power drill
small square 
Level
tin snips to cut the hardware cloth
stapler with staples
three 2x4's cut to 36" and 4 scrap pieces 6-8" in length
one 2x4 cut to 27"
four 2x2's cut at 36"
four 2x2's cut at 27"
five 2x2's cut at 24"
four 1x2's cut at 27"
four 1x2's cut at 24" 
1 1/4" screws
2 1/2" deck screws
3" deck screws
a drill bit that is the same diameter as your deck screws.
screw driver tip to match the heads of the screws (phillips, roberts, etc)
hardware cloth
one pkg of two small hinges
window sash lock (one or two)

I started with several boards that were at least 24", 27" and 36" in length.  I ripped them down on the table saw to make them into 2x2's and 1x2's. (2x2's are actually 1-1/2 x 1-1/2" and 1x2's are actually 3/4" x 1-1/2")  You can buy the lumber and start with new wood if you need to. Cut your wood to length as outlined above.  To make the top of the pen, lay two of the 36" pieces and two of the 27" pieces out like this:

building a chicken brood pen square up the corners

(Tip: If you use a flat surface and a square to match up the corners, you will have less problems later with wracking or twisting of your project.) Drill a hole at the end of the 27 inch piece completely through the board.  By pre-drilling all your holes(through just the 1st piece of wood) you will avoid splitting the ends and ruining your piece:

build a chicken brood pen -  pre-drill the corners

(Tip: If you drill the hole at a slight angle, it will prevent the pieces from rotating on each other.)  Drive a 2-1/2" screw into the hole and into the perpendicular piece of wood:

build a chicken brood pen - screw together the corners

Continue this process all the way around until the four boards are connected into a rectangle.  Repeat this process for the bottom but add a center support board 24" long in the middle like this:

build a chicken brood pen -  floor

Cut your hardware cloth with tin snips to fit the top and the bottom and staple in place.  Next add the upright pieces 24" to each corner pre-drilling through the top or bottom as before.  Be sure you have the hardware cloth on the top of the bottom piece before you place the uprights:

build a chicken brood pen

 You will now have a box with no sides.  Decide where you are going to place the brood pen.  I chose the southwest corner of my chicken coupe near the electric outlet so I can add a heater when I need to:

build a chicken brood pen -- choose the location

  I decided to put it up off the ground, so this requires some bracing.  I took two of the 36" 2x4's and cut a bevel at each end 45 degrees facing each other.  You can do this on the chop saw or with a skill saw.  (Tip: If you tack a small piece of 2x4 scrap with 2 screws to the ends of the boards it makes it easier to attach to the wall and to the pen):

build a chicken brood pen -- support boards

Then I measured how high I wanted the bottom to be, and drew a line on both walls (Tip: if you use the level as your strait edge, you can draw your line perfectly strait and level at the same time).  Next attach the remaining 36" 2x4 to one wall and the 27" 2x4 to the other.  These will act as ledger boards and your pen will sit on top of these.  Using the level again, hold your support boards against the wall and lay the level from the ledger board to the top of the support board.  Mark a line where the support board meets the wall and pre-drill and screw the supports to the wall below the 36" ledger board.  Put the brood pen on top of the ledger boards and secure with 3" screws to both the ledger boards and the wall, getting at least a couple of the screws in the wall studs.  Use a level to adjust the support boards and screw them into the bottom of the pen remembering to pre-drill your holes:

build a chicken brood pen -- screw in the supports

Cut some additional hardware cloth to go along the outer side of the pen.  To make the door, take two of the 27" 1x2's and two of the 24 1x2's and put them together in the same manner as you made the top or bottom of the pen.  Cut hardware cloth to cover this square and staple in place.  Take the remaining four 1x2 pieces and place them on top of the section you just made, taking care to reverse the order of the boards so that the ends overlap.  Using 1-1/4" screws, pre-drill the holes and screw them all together.  This makes a nice secure door that won't twist.  Using the hinges, attach the door to the pen at the top.  Because my pen was against the wall and the door fit nice and snug, I was able to use just one window sash lock.  I installed this on the side.  You are now ready to put your pen to use:

build a chicken brood pen -- finished project

I put momma hen and her baby inside, which gives her significantly more room than in the dog kennel.  Also, with the hardware cloth floor, spilled water and refuse falls through to the floor below, which keeps the pen drier and tidier. 

 Now for the evening task of picking, husking and freezing corn.

An evening's chores and homemade pasta sauce

Good evening. Here is tonight's clutch.  I love the subtle color differences in the individual eggs, they are so pretty!  Too pretty to eat, almost.

 

Spent a little time with the cows too, gave them a new bale of hay, they are very happy now.  This is Pansy, my little 3 month old heifer.

 

She is learning to lead.  I am a firm believer in tame cattle, as they are much more predictable and easy to handle than wild ones.  

Dinner tonight was pasta with homemade-from-scratch sauce.  It takes several hours to prepare, but can be made ahead and canned in a water bath or frozen. Recipe:

Home made Pasta Sauce  (Yield 6 pint jars)

20 large or 30 medium tomatoes.
2 cans chopped olives
about 6 - 7 medium mushrooms chopped
6 cloves of garlic (roasted - see below)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion or 2 tbsp dried onion
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp finely chopped oregano
2 tsp garlic salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp fine black pepper
1tsp olive oil (to roast the garlic)
2 tbsp ketchup 
1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar (to taste)
1/4 c vinegar

Peel, core and seed the tomatoes. (Tip: Put the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water for 20 - 30 seconds then plunge into cold water.  The skins will slip off much easier!)  Let drain for 30 minutes in a colander over a bowel to remove some of the water.  Puree all but 3 cups of the tomatoes in the blender or food processor and pour into a large stainless steel pot.  Coarsely chop the remaining tomatoes and add to the puree.  Cook for 1 - 2 hours over med-high heat stirring frequently to prevent burning. (Tip:  If you use a heavier pot, it won't burn as quickly).  This will reduce the volume by approximately 1/2. Meanwhile, place the unpeeled cloves of garlic in a piece of foil and drizzle the olive oil over the top.  Wrap tightly and place on an oven safe dish in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Once the tomato puree has cooked down, remove the garlic from the foil, cut in half and squeeze the cloves from their peels and mince.  Add the minced garlic, olives, mushrooms and onions to the mixture and cook until softened.  Add the herbs, seasonings, vinegar, ketchup and brown sugar.  Adjust the seasonings to taste if you desire.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes.  Ladle hot sauce into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch of head space.  Place lids and screw bands and process pints in a water bath for 35 minutes.  (Tip: Get canning parameters from your local county extension office or refer to Ball (TM) Getting Started with Canning for more information.)  Alternately you can place in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 6 months.  Enjoy any way you would ordinarily use store-bought pasta sauce, but with the knowledge that you are bringing the freshest ingredients to your family's table.

Let me know how you use pasta sauce, or if you have a recipe you'd like to share.

Tammie









 

September 26, 2013

It is amazing outside right now.  No frost yet, a remarkable thing given that we often have a frost by late August.  This has been an unusual garden year, corn and tomatoes coming out of my ears (pun intended!).  The chickens are laying beautiful eggs now, and one momma hatched out a chick just last weekend.  It is awesome to see the little one following her mother all over the yard, and to watch the hen fight off all comers, even the other chickens.  
Well, I'm out to the barn to feed and water the chickens and gather the eggs.  Does anyone have a great recipe for deviled eggs they'd like to share?

Welcome to my blog

I'm a farm girl heart and soul.  Raised on a farm, and continue the tradition in my own life now.  My passion is farming and I want to spread the fever!  I want to inspire you to go out and grow something.  I want to share what I've learned, and learn from others.