Mulching and Mowing

We are back to hotter weather, upper 80's.  We did get a little pop-up shower of 1/4 inch a couple of days ago which was very nice.

BACKYARD GARDEN

I got out early yesterday and mulched the strawberries and was surprised to find the ground almost too soft to walk on.
You can barely see the plants but they should take hold soon and begin to grow.



I also lost complete control of myself with having the mower back with sharp blades and ran it down a couple of passes in front of the berry patch and the asparagus row!  So much easier than pulling or hand cutting those tall weeds.  I was pretty pleased with the results.

This picture is to make Sue feel good about her weeds.


There is about 3 feet of ground next to the row of strawberries that I can now till.

I may hit the asparagus next. I already clipped part of it.  Behind this area is the berry patch.

I found a volunteer melon of some sort with two melons the size of oranges on the vine.  I hope it wasn't a hybrid.  I placed some hay under the melons to keep them off the soil.

 

 

This morning I finally planted two hills of crook neck squash and zucchini.  I also began hilling up the sweet corn.  I want to plant some very old sunflower seeds but the ground still seems a little damp to till.

I cleaned out my row of peppers, mostly red and yellow cheese from Ilene last year.  I dug up some volunteer garlic and got very small heads but I didn't want them to set seeds again.

 
That's the compost pile to the right, then volunteer tomatoes and then a patch of weeds waiting for my hoe.

Volunteer dill:



This little area may become my herb bed.  That is a thyme (white flowers) just to the left of the dill.

The garden is divided into a west side and an east side with a mowed path between that I enter from the backyard.

This is the west side,  out of range (almost) is the herb bed also on the west side.



The Peppers and hoop are on the east side. 

KITCHEN

While waiting for a new dishwasher (more later), I baked our favorite Gina's Pound Cake.



 Gina’s Pound Cake (allrecipes)

This is the best and last pound cake recipe you will ever use.  etc.

Ingredients:

3 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
1 (8 )ounce package cream cheese, softened
6 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Directions:

Do not preheat oven.  Spray a 10 inch Bundt pan with vegetable oil

Sift together flour, soda and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and cream cheese until light and   fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.  Pour the flour mixture into batter and gently fold in with a spatula.  Stir in the flavorings.  Batter will be very thick.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake in oven and set thermostat to 350°F.  Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and turn the oven off.
Let the cake sit in the oven for an additional 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes.  Turn cake over onto a cake plate and allow to cool while still covered with pan.

This recipe was taken originally from Allrecipes. I have found some really good ones there.  It is my go to site for anything I don't have in my files.

Lordy, this was long winded.  I am making up for lost time.

Cinnamon Bread and more Rain

Well our big storm prediction turned out to be just 3/4 inches of rain.  But we are delighted.  My sis in Iowa was getting some snow and she was happy about that too.

In fact she called this morning and we got wound up.....I forgot I was supposed to milk until she ended the call and it was 9AM!  No problem.....DH had Willow up and I just milked a little late.  She gave her normal amount.  I won't have to milk again for three days.

I don't know why....maybe the cool, cloudy day but I have been thinking about raisin bread and baking. I used to buy it often before I started making our bread but I don't think I have made it in many years. During our conversation (Sis in Iowa) I asked her what she thought about using our favorite sweet roll recipe only making in a loaf rolled up with the filling inside.  She thought it would be great and suggested I mix the raisins directly in the dough instead of on top of the rectangle with the filling. Since I introduced this recipe to her, it has become her  favorite sweet roll recipe too.  I got it from the internet (Thibault's Table) but it was originally from Joy of Cooking.
 I think I have already posted it.  Trust me on this one....it is a fantastic recipe.

The bread made such a large loaf I decided to do it sort of free form with no pan.  It held its shape very well.  I think I could have made two small loaves and used the bread pans.  We have had a sample slice.  It makes such a tender moist bread...now I am thinking about making just a loaf of bread using the recipe sans filling and fruit.

I also added the zest of an orange and diced very fine some of my candied orange peel.  I love to nibble on the orange peel.  It has been made since fall is is very tender and chewy.  It gave the bread just a hint of orange flavor.  I mixed the peel in the dough too.

Usually the icing for breads calls for just milk and powdered sugar, but I add vanilla and a tiny pinch of salt to mine.



Chickens
 
The girls set a record last evening.  We got 15 eggs!  That means some of my 'senior' hens are laying again.  It is really fun to gather eggs now.

Tomorrow is DH's birthday.  His Mom is taking us out to eat.  We are going to a popular place in Bolivar, not fancy but just good country cooking.  

Farm

We are running low on hay so now the current project is trying to find hay......I may have to order a semi-load in from up northwest....that will be some serious money.  Beef hay now costs what dairy hay cost us back before 2004.  Inflation has hit everything except peoples income!

Trials on Oatmeal Bread

Up at 3AM.  Rains are gone and it is in the 30's. 

Well, I began the trial baking on oatmeal bread yesterday. The first one I did was called Grandma's Oatmeal bread.  Here are  some various pictures.
It looks beautiful.....until I show you the other side.


As you can see it exploded.  Now I would rather I get a nice tall rise than not, but this is overdone!  I may not have had the sealed part on the bottom enough.   Or maybe the pinch of ginger helped the yeast a bit much.
But we have decided we  don't care.  It was just an excellent bread, very fine textured and soft and should make for some great sandwiches.  We find whole wheat breaks a little to much for good sandwiches, especially after a few days.


This one is well worth trying.

Grandma's Oatmeal Bread

From Blue Ribbon Breads by Hodgson Mills

Dough:

2 pkg yeast

½ cup 115° water

1-1/4 cup boiling water

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal (I have just chopped up regular in the food processor before)

½ cup light molasses (or honey)

½ vegetable oil

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

6 to 6-1/2 cups unbleached flour (you may mix with whole wheat- I did)

2 eggs beaten

solid shortening to coat bowl and two 9x5x3 loaf pans

Coating:

1 egg white

¼ cup oatmeal

1 T. water

Add yeast to ½ cup warm water and let stand 10 minutes (this is proofing the yeast)

Combine boiling water, oatmeal, molasses or honey, oil and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in 2 cups flour. Mix well.

Add 2 whole eggs and yeast mixture. Mix well. Add remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 10 minutes by hand or 4 in mixer. Put in a greased bowl, rotate to coat top. Cover with a damp towel and let rise about 1-1/2 hours. Knead down and let rise a second time until doubled, about l hour.

Divide into two equal portions form into loaves and place in greased pans and let rise about one hour.

While dough is rising preheat oven to 375°.

Brush loaves with the egg white coating mixture and sprinkle with oatmeal.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until top is golden brown. Remove from pans immediately and let cool on racks.

Makes 2 loaves.

Note:  I added 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

I used half honey and half molasses since my molasses was dark

I used half olive oil and half canola oil.

All else exactly the same.

I told you it is hard for me to follow bread directions to the letter!

Random Cat Picture

Our granddaughter took this one.  It appeals to me.

Cheesecake

Here you are with some modifications and ad libs by me.

Tyler's Ultimate Cheesecake (Tyler Florence)

Preheat oven to 325°

Crust:

I used two full packets of graham crackers, ground finely in the food processor.
I also added 1/3 cup sugar to them.
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted.

Mix well (I used my fingers). Spray springform pan with cooking spray (lightly)
Pour crumbs into pan. I begin by pressing up the sides of the pan at least an inch then using the bottom of my l-cup measuring cup, press all the crumbs to the pan pretty firmly. (don't do like I did and have the sides uneven. Sort of trim them to all the same height and press down again.

The Filling:

l pound cream cheese, 2 8-0z. blocks softened.
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon zested
dash of vanilla (I added some pure lemon flavor too because my lemon I zested was a little dry)

Beat the cream cheese on low speed for l minute until no lumps remain.
Add the eggs, one at a time and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the sour cream, lemon zest and flavorings. Beat in, scraping bowl down. Don't overbeat. I stop when all ingredients are combined.

Note: While mixing, put teakettle of water on to boil for the bain-marie.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of foil and pull up sides to form a bowl for the pan, pressing tightly to the sides. Pour filling in and spread with spatula.

Place the cheesecake into a pan large enough to hold boiling water half way up sides. Note: I may not do this next time. I don't have a large enough pan and some water always gets inside the foil...maybe from boiling too high? or don't use as much water. Be careful with this. The water seepage will make the bottom crust a little soggy if much gets inside the foil.

Note: I should have used the bottom half of the turkey roaster.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hours and 15 minutes. I baked mine 1 hour and 9 minutes. You still want the center to jiggle. Let cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. I do overnight.

Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Spread topping over or just per serving (I do the latter). I also like just some reserved crumbs sprinkled over the top....or nothing at all.

Slice with a thin, non-serrated knife dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.


Warm Lemon Blueberries (or berries of choice)

1 pint berries
l lemon zested and juiced
2 T sugar (or more to taste)

Cook in small saucepan just until berries begin to break. Cool before spreading on cheesecake.

Happy eating! This is one of life's great treats......

A warm Day - Cinnamon & Ginger Cookies

46° this morning but possibility of severe weather.

I found a good use for my leftover green whey. I used it in biscuits this morning with a little added milk to make up the l cup. DH said they were the best! He always says that when it is something he likes.

Out to the barn to milk at 8 AM. She was a little antsy but nothing severe so I milked her out completely. I stored the strained milk in the Milk Barn refrigerator and then went to the potting shed in the back and seeded 2 6-paks of broccoli seeds. I know I put seeds in this time. We will see how they do. The earlier ones didn't come up....not even one seed!

I made some Cinnamon Ginger Cookies this morning. I haven't made them in quite a while. I got the recipe from my Sis way back in the '70's.

Cinnamon – Ginger Cookies Preheat Oven to 375°

A crisp cookie similar to a ginger snap, but not as strong flavored.

This is one time you do not want to use butter.....too much liquid in the butter

Cream together:

¾ cup shortening
l cup sugar

Add and mix well:

l egg
¼ cup honey

Mix together and add:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

Mix well; form into l inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture

Place about 2 inches apart because they will spread out.

Bake on ungreased sheet for 12-15 minutes.


For lunch I made sauce for pasta from a quart of frozen San Marzano tomatoes, small can of tomato paste with onions and garlic and some sliced smoked sausage. I still don't like the texture of frozen tomatoes....won't be doing that again. Dessert was the above cookies.

Granola Recipe

I tried to find it using the search feature and couldn't so here it is:

Max's Favorite Granola

4 cups oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup nuts
½ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
dried fruit – l cup

Mix all. Spread on sheet cake pan. Bake at 300° about 40 minutes. Stir every 20 minutes or so.


I need to take Blog lessons on how to organize things so they are easier to find.

Doughnuts - Meatloaf and another Day of Shoveling

We woke up to a much warmer morning, 24° but two more inches of snow.

This is DH's 73rd birthday so I thought he deserved something more than oatmeal (his usual) breakfast.
We had biscuits, sausage and eggs and always a glass of milk. I think some strawberry jam found its way into the menu too.

Dinner will be meatloaf (made yesterday), a baked Yukon Gold potato and a salad of lettuce, avocado, mandarin oranges and onion rings.

No special dessert because I made doughnuts yesterday.

Our evening meal is just a 'to-each-his-own affair'.

DH collected the eggs yesterday evening and they set a record, 6!

More snow removal with the tractor and me following up with the shovel. We can now get to the wood shed and I can replenish bird feeders without wading l8 inches of snow. We count our blessings.
More snow is predicted which doesn't thrill us.

I tried another Joy of Cooking recipe yesterday, doughnuts. It is a super recipe. I now have three different recipes for doughnuts, all good, but this may be our favorite. I tried the chocolate glaze recipe and it was a disaster, the chocolate seized! I reread the recipe realized that I had used unsweetened chocolate squares instead of the semi-sweet or bittersweet. That may have been the problem.....I will still be nervous to waste all that chocolate again. I just made my usual icing with very little butter and made it thinner. It worked fine and got hard which I wanted.



Here is the recipe (from Joy of Cooking)

Cake Doughnuts (about 18 – I got 20)

Whisk together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed:

4 cups AP flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon cinnamon or l teaspoon grated lemon zest
Opt: ¾ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg (I would use both next time)

In a large bowl beat well

2 eggs

Add slowly and beat until thick and creamy

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

On low speed add and beat until blended

¾ cup milk
5 tablespoons butter, melted
Note: I also added 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix with a large spoon just until blended.
Note: I finally found a use for my Swedish dough hook

The dough will be soft and sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24.
Note: I left in the bowl and sealed it in plastic wrap.
.

Flour board, roll out about 1/2 inch thick, cut out, fry.

I fried mine just under a minute per side, golden brown, in three inches of oil at 375°. I used a thermometer in a pan of oil on top of the range this time. I don't think my electric pan was getting hot enough. You have to really monitor the oil or it gets too hot, but it worked great.

Drain on paper towels. I dipped some in sugar, left some plain (DH's favs) and glazed 6.

The meatloaf was a 'no recipe' one....just my normal, eggs, salt and pepper, minced onion, and bread crumbs. I did use l lb hamburger and my last pound of ground pork.
The difference was I added about a 1 cup of my homemade salsa. My sister told me she always made hers using salsa. We thought it was very good.



I have used a pound of sausage mixed in with the hamburger and that is quite good too.

Random Picture

This was taken during our second bout of snow late yesterday afternoon. Most of the other feeders were empty so they "flocked" to the kitchen window one.

2nd attempt - Banana Cake, etc.

I have been having lots of nit-picking computer problems all on Gardenweb so did some ad-ons....still have trouble logging in...this morning added another No Script!
That may have been a mistake....lost my post here...just disabled it and will try again........Dang I did a long one too.

OK, abbreviated version.

I milked yesterday and than did a 45-minute walk straight down the middle of the farm to the Big Pond Field. The pond there isn't the biggest in area, but is supposed to be the deepest. We assigned names to the various field way back so we could identify where we were going or what area we were talking about. Sometimes I think DH and I speak different languages so we need all the help we can get.

I started out walking down the lane that runs through the center of the farm. From this lane you can access what area of the farm you want to go to, yet move cattle down it safely to the loading or working area.

I took lots of pictures but will share them just now and then....don't want to bore anyone to death. Here is the top of the bank leading down to the pond; it doesn't look steep here but is so I picked up a long stick for support. The pond is frozen and would probably would support me but I didn't want to test that theory.

Here is the frozen pond.

There were lots of turkey tracks and some others that may have been coyote. The snow isn't new so the tracks were not in pristine condition.



I did make the cake! You knew I would, didn't you.

This is from my old l970's era Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook. I have made it many times and it is always good. It is a good cake for beginners because it is a dump everything in one bowl and beat cake. I always use butter for shortening in my cakes....except for my favorite white cake....for obvious reasons....I want it white.

I like to cook/bake like our old Home Ec teacher taught us...get out all the ingredients first...move them to one side once you have added them. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour either round cakes pans (2) or (l) 9x13 which I always use.

Banana Cake (from Better Homes & Garden Cookbook)

2 cups all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mashed ripe banana
½ cup buttermilk or sour milk
½ cup shortening (I use butter)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

In a bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix; add bananas, buttermilk, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Beat on low speed till combined. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Pour batter in two round pans or a 9x13 oblong pan that have been greased and floured.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven until toothpick in center come out clean.....35 minutes or so. Maybe longer,..

Cool completely before icing.

We love this icing:

Cream Cheese

2-3oz packages cream cheese
½ cup softened butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
4-1/2 cups or more of powdered sugar.

Cream together cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy.
Gradually add sugar beating well.
Add enough sugar to make a spreading consistency.

Will frost a layer cake or the oblong with some left over.

These cakes are supposed to be refrigerated with this icing...I rarely do, but if cake isn't used quickly, I would.
The batter is very thick and rich looking.

and here is a piece:
I don't know why but somehow this cake has a very moist,luscious taste, more-so than some others.

Bread Making Day

Saturday, 5:00 AM. 24°

This was bread making day. Our new, favorite bread just makes two loaves so I am making it more, but don't mind. It is easier on my ancient KA mixer that Mom gave to me many years ago.

This time I toasted about a half cup of sesame seeds by just browning on a skillet on top of the stove. That gives them a nice nutty flavor.
All I did different this time was add the sesame seeds to the dough and then glaze the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with the seeds. I still want a more chewy seed inside the bread but sesame was all I had. I don't know if what I have used before was cracked wheat or sunflower seeds, but I like that little chewy bit inside.

This bread turned out super again.

From Food

Funny how I have baked bread for years and just read in my new Joy of Cooking book that you are supposed to turn it out on its side to cool! How did I miss that?
I mentioned this to my Sis and she said she always does that.So now I do too!

From Food

The rest of the day was filled with general housekeeping (not much), bottling up yesterday's milk and reading. Talked with my Sis again.

Sunday, January 10, 2011 4:45 21°.

This was our splurge breakfast morning. I made a new recipe for 4-grain pancakes (Joy of Cooking) and bacon (using griddle on new range).

I am happy to report we loved the pancakes. I always feel guilty making a l00% white flour anything....and feel better if I can use some whole grains. Of course the helpmeet ruins my good efforts by refusing to use the low-calorie syrup.

Four Grain Flapjacks
(about 18 4-inch pancakes)

Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 cup whole wheat four (I used my ww pastry flour that I have had forever)
3/4 cup white flour (I always buy unbleached white flour)
1/3 cup cornmeal (Tip: I keep a pint jar at the ready in the frig. The rest in
the freezer)
1/4 cup old fashioned or quick oats (I whirred regular in the food processor)
(Another tip: I keep a small jar of oats pulverized for thickening things).
2 T sugar
l t salt
1/2 t baking soda (but no buttermilk? It worked fine)
Optional: 1/2 t cinnamon 1/8 t nutmeg)

Combine in separate bowl:

1-3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup melted butter (I used the bacon fat from cooking the bacon)
1/4 cup honey (I cut this way back....sounded too sweet to me)
3 eggs

Add to dry ingredients.
They are very filling. 1 and a half was plenty for us

Next time I will try cutting this in half.We will use the rest up within a day or two. I also read in the cookbook that most pancake recipes are better if left for a few hours or overnight in the refrigeration and then stirred down and cooked.

Random Farm Picture:



This was taken when I was crossing the holding pen to milk. I milk just to the left out of camera range. This cat is one of the babies the stray cat blessed us with. There are two more. I believe this puts our total up to 9!

.

New Simple Bread Recipe

It was another cold day here.

I decided to try a much touted bread recipe from the Cooking Forum. It was attributed to Annie1992 on the forum. We liked it very much. If you are looking for a finely textured bread more like store-bought (Ilene, I am thinking of your husband here), you might give this one a try.

3 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour)
3 cups whole wheat (I had some Prairie Gold White Wheat flour)
2 packages yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey (I was out so used raw sugar instead)
1/4 cup butter
1 egg

2 loaves of bread

I use my KA mixer so here was my routine. I heated the water and milk, sugar or honey and butter to around 105-110°. Poured into the mixer bowl, added the yeast to dissolve along with the egg. Mix to blend the egg and yeast into the liquids.

While this was heating, I added the measured flours into a large bowl and mixed.

To the bowl of liquids, add enough of the flours along with the salt to make a thick batter and beat a minute with the regular flat beater. I think this gets the gluten working. Then I changed to the dough hook and slowly added the rest of the flour mix. You can let the mixer do the job of kneading or you can dump out on floured board and do it by hand. I sort of do half and half. I like to finish the kneading by hand to get the 'feel' of the dough. You can't over knead.

Place in greased bowl (I just use the mixer bowl without washing by pouring a little olive oil and spreading it around with a paper towel). turn dough to oil the top or just pat with the paper towel. Cover with damp cloth and let raise until doubled in size. It took over an hour in my cool kitchen yesterday. Punch down; divide in half; form into loaves and place in greased pans and let raise the second time. This went much quicker, not an hour. By now I had the oven preheating so the kitchen was much warmer.

Note: I added a little ascorbic acid to the batter and 1/2 cup of oat bran hot cereal for more fiber but no other enhancers since I was using bread flour which is higher gluten.

I will be toasting a slice shortly to see how that does.

This may become my regular bread recipe.

From Food

I have been reading seed catalogs. Lots of fun, but still plan to cut way back this year.

Homemade Pizza

Ilene's blog got me thinking about homemade pizza so I hope this won't be considered copycat if I post my recipe and technique. It is fresh on my mind because I made it for our daughter's family for their lunch before they left Saturday. I have to make it at least once for both kids when they visit. Sometimes I make it in two regular pizza pans and sometimes I make it on my cookie sheet pan that has a small lip.

This crust recipe is from Farm Journal's Homemade Breads cookbook (1985)

I use the food processor

l pkg yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
3 to 3-1/4 cups A/P flour
2 tblsp. oil (I use Olive Oil)

In small bowl, sprinkle yeast and sugar over the warm water; stir until dissolved.
Place salt and 3 cups flour into food processor (can use part whole wheat flour)
with the metal blade. Whir to mix salt.

While processor is running, pour yeast mixture through feed tube. Process until soft dough forms that leaves the side of the bowl. About 45 seconds is all.
Add oil, process l more minute. If dough sticks to side of bowl add more flour l tblsp at a time, processing 10 seconds after each.

Now just leave lid on and cover top of feed tube. I sometimes let this raise a few hours. Make in the morning,use at night or noon....or just 30 minutes. Whatever works for you.

Punch down. Toss out on lightly floured board, cover and let rest 5 minutes.
If making in pizza pan, divide in half.
Roll out using your favorite method. My favorite for a crisp crust is to use the oven stone which has been preheated at 500°. Sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal (to act as ball bearings for sliding the crust off onto the stone.

Roll out crust on lightly floured surface; transfer to either the peel or directly into well greased pans.Make up pizza on peel or pans and then slide onto stone or set pans on lowest rack and bake about 15 minutes or until done to suit you.

My favorite pizza sauce is very simple,not much spices at all.

1 chopped onion
1 quart tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce or some paste (just to give depth of flavor and color
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar.
1 tsp basil, some garlic powder and whatever tastes good to you.

Cook all in saucepan until very reduced, not too runny. Tip: add basil at the very last to retain flavor.

I spread some Parmesan cheese on crust, then sauce and then toppings and lastly the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bread making day:
I decided to make my old white French bread recipe.....I get a craving once in a while for just white bread......

This is from a recipe I got out of the local newspaper about 40 years ago. It is a very fine textured and tender bread. DH does not like the holey, tough and chewy real French bread and I have never made it.I did use bread flour for the recipe but you don't have to.

3-1/2 cups warm water
2 packages yeast
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons salt
10-2/3 cups flour
Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar; add shortening . Add 4 cups of flour and beat with the flat beat for a few minutes. Switch to the dough hook and add enough flour to make a fairly stiff dough and dough begins to come away from the bowl. Knead 6 minutes with mixer or about 8 by hand. My mixer is overloaded with this much flour so I hand knead it. I add the salt with the last of the flour.

Place in greased bowl, cover with damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour in a warm kitchen. Punch down. Form into 3 long loaves. I roll it out into a rectangle and then roll up, pinching sides and ends together, tuck ends under. Place on greased cookie sheets and let raise again until double (about 45 min to l hour). The last 30 minutes, preheat oven to 400°. Slide in bread and bake about 40 minutes. I test with an instant read thermometer for a temperature of 190 to 200° . Let cool before slicing (I never do!).

From Food

From October 2010

The hole on the left hand side of the loaf is where I stuck the thermometer! It looks like a worm hole.

More Tallow Rendering:

We found 3 more packages of beef fat in chunks so I thawed those overnight. I considered just tossing them, but dedided I should grind and render. I did and added it to the previous can of beef tallow. I should be set for soap making for a long, long time now. I also make suet cakes for the birds in the winter.

My kitchen was a disaster area (again) . After lunch and a rest, I attacked the mess. Finished all but hand mopping the floor.

I did nothing outside all day long.

Wednesday October 5, cool morning 39°.

Woke too early but we decided to just get up and start our morning coffee early.

Some wondered how I cook and use the sweet potatoes so I will try to remember and list the ways:

1.Baked. Served plain with just butter added at eating
2.Candied the way Mom always did: Cooking down in a little water with sugar until just begins to candy and scorch.
3.Calico or confetti fries like they serve at Silver Dollar City. Slice white potatoes, sweet potatoes, green peppers, onions and fry in usual manner. We love these.
4.Sweet potato pie....just like pumpkin
5.Smaller ones....scrubbed and baked and eaten cold as a snack – DH won't touch these.
6.Diced in soups either with white potatoes or alone. Can't tell the difference.
7.Peeled and sliced thickly and sauteed in butter. Toward last of cooking, add cream and finish cooking. Add a little butter to taste.

I think that is all the ways I do them. They need to be cured for a few weeks before using for best flavor. I will have to lay them out in flat trays and bring them in.....usually we have warm days and I can cure them in the garage, but we won't reach the 80° required for a few days.....or I may wait and see how warm the garage gets in the sunshine.

First thing I need to do this morning is go out to the milk parlor and skim the cream off and bottle my last milking. We are on out last ½ gallon in the house now.

I hope to mow off the kitchen garden this morning.....we will see how things go.
AS usual things didn't go as planned.

I chopped out about 20 feet of poke from the garden fence out back so DH could see when the chickens go to roost at night. The weeds were so tall you could barely see the hen house. While doing this I kept seeing various broken limbs that needed to be chain sawed down.
I have been promising myself a very light weight electric chain saw so we cleaned up and went shopping. I finally found one at Lowes for just $50. I think it will do all I want it to do and it just weighs 6.1 lbs.

My kitchen “tool” came today. It is called a maslin pan, used for jams and jellies in Europe for a very long time. It is larger than I expected. I can foresee lots of uses for it. I will use it first for cooking down the apples for applesauce. It would have been great for rendering the fats. It has a very heavy bottom. I found it at Lee Valley Tools where I bought my wonderful garden spade and fork. They are a good company to do business with. I wish it had a pouring spout, but can live without it.

Here it is:

From canning

Pie Crust Recipe - Taking a Break

Having difficulty using my left hand so will be taking a break from typing for a bit- not long I hope.

Here is the recipe. I got it from the Cooking Forum. I believe it was originally posted by Sharon (Canary Islands)and reposted by Annie.

I used part lard and part butter. All else the same.

NATHAN'S NEVER FAIL PASTRY
**********************************
These quantities make enough pastry for 3 double-crust pies or 3 1/2 dozen tart shells - muffin size.
5 cups flour
1 teasp salt
2 teasp baking powder
1 lb (454 grams) Tenderflake lard
2 teasp white vinegar
1 egg - slightly beaten. Add water to vinegar and egg to make 1 cup
1) Mix together flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in lard until crumbly (using two knives.)
2) Add liquid and mix gently with hands. (I use a fork to help me here.) Roll into a ball.
3) Roll out amount needed on a floured board. Refrigerate or freeze remainder.
Source: 'I've GOT To Have That Recipe'
Doubleday Canada - Victoria, B.C. 1986
sharoncb's tip: After step two I often put it in the fridge for an hour to make it firmer and easier to roll out.
Annie

Thinning fruit Trees and White Cake

We had a very cool night here, 39° early this morning around daybreak. The day is very pleasant with lots of sunshine. I am staying pretty close to the house; serviceman is expected for the stove and dishwasher check up.

The county road crew is also working out front of the house and creating severe dust. We don't know what they are spreading but it makes DH cough a lot. We have both come inside for the duration.

They are blading out the ditches on both sides of the road very deeply. There goes my mowing the ditch....back to the string trimmer or not....may just leave it.

FRUIT

This year is a first! We have two peach trees and an apricot and a plum tree absolutely loaded with fruit. I know I am supposed to thin relentlessly. Here is a branch before thinning on a peach and after. It is dark because I was "inside" the tree and could only use one hand on the camera.

From Fruit

From Fruit

It hurts to do it, but I know it is for the best. I am leaving 4 to 5 inches on the peaches and a little less on the apricots. I do a little each day on what I can reach from the ground....may break out the ladder later.

FOOD

I promised I would do our favorite white cake and post it on the blog. I did it yesterday. We had two pieces and into the freezer with the rest. I need more people to cook for!

I have been making this cake for a long, long time taken from the back of the cake flour box.


My White Sheet Cake (actually the Softaslik Cake Flour Exquisite Coconut Cake recipe)

2-1/4 cups cake flour (this is important to use instead of regular flour)
1-1/2 cups sugar
3-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Crisco
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla (I add 1/2 tsp. almond extract also)
4 egg whites.

Heat oven to 350°

Grease and flour pan (I use cookie sheet pan or something at least l inch deep, or 13x9 or
layer cake pans)

Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, 2/3 cup of the milk and the vanilla
into the large mixer bowl. Beat 2 minutes on high speed, scraping the bowl several times.
Add remaining milk and egg whites. Beat 2 minutes more, scraping the bowl
occasionally.

Pour into pans, bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean from center. 20 minutes or so for the sheet cake, be sure and check so it doesn't brown much at all.

Cool and ice.

I like a baker’s white icing.

about 1/2 cup crisco
some milk, start with 1/4 cup.
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp .. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract.( maybe a little less)

and as much powdered sugar to taste grainy, not greasy (I used 4 cups sifted yesterday)
Whip it until light and fluffy.

Note: I always sift powdered sugar to prevent tiny little white flicks in icing

From Food

Usually we leave it in flat single pieces but I stacked these for storage in the freezer.

Lettuce, Peas, Pancakes and Cows

This is supposed to be our last hot day.  Tomorrow back to the normal 60's.  Good!


Milking

I have been following Chickens in the Road Blog.  Suzanne has a new milk cow.  I t has made me stop and really think about having a cow and what that means.

First, I had the barn for one.  Second, I had owned some before Willow so I knew how to milk. and most of all, we had a small commercial dairy for 15 or more years.  I feel  like I pretty much know and understand milk cows, a real asset!
For me now, it is a very smooth routine and only requires maybe 30 minutes of my morning.
I do not pasteurize the milk.  I believe the raw milk is the most nutritious.  We drink it whole; I do not skim the cream.
I suspect the milk is around 3.5% butterfat.  If I want some for coffee,  I can skim a little. 
I just get about 5 quarts at the morning milking.  I let her calf have the rest in the evenings and when I don't want or need to milk.

Gardening

I finally planted three varieties of lettuce and two of radishes all from seed.  The seedling lettuces I planted several days ago are finally looking good.

I also did a 15-foot row of Sugar Snap peas.  The ground is so dry I filled the pea trench with water before covering.  I also watered in the lettuce seed.  I will try to sprinkle it daily to keep it moist.  I have been thinking a roll of horticultural burlap would be a good thing to have to cover seeds to keep the hot sun off and keep the soil moist.  I t would also keep the sprinkler from washing out the seeds.  I need to check into that.

I trimmed the front west side ditch  (west of driveway).  They are working on our county road, redoing the ditches and covering it with some kind of cement looking gravel, very fine.  The gravel trucks kept zipping back and forth, so I decided to finish another time!  I like what they are doing and want to see how they will do it in front of the house and how it will affect mowing, trimming, etc.


Food

DH had requested pancakes, so I made our new favorite.  We tell ourselves they are healthy because they are made from oatmeal and whole wheat flour.  I like that it is a perfect size for just two people.

I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com.  It was called Oatmeal Pancakes II submitted by mom2hhh.

I change it somewhat so will list what I now use:

Healthy Oatmeal, Whole Wheat Pancakes for Two

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup quick oats (I just food process regular for a little to chop them up finer)
1 Tablespoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder (alum. free)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 to l cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, I don't use)
2 Tablespoon oil
1 egg

I mix up all the dry ingredients, toss in egg and buttermilk.  Stir vigorously until smooth.  I use a 1//4 cup measure and scoop and pour onto hot oiled griddle.  It makes six medium sized pancakes.



Random Pictures

I took a picture of the heifers a couple of days ago.  This one came right to the  fence watching me watching her.

and this is Willow's (milk cow) 2008 baby.  She is now in the breeding heifer group.  I think she is going to be bigger than her mother.  She is a full-blood Milking Shorthorn out of a very good bull.  We love her coloring.

Lilacs and Biscuits

 I was up at 3 AM this morning...again.  I think all the meds are affecting my sleep.  I will be glad when they are finished by the end of the week.  It was 59° this morning and is a lovely 81° now.


FOOD

We had a ham dinner for DH's parents Sunday and that has been bearing on my mind ever since.  I believe we deserved a country breakfast and so at 6 AM we had one.  I try to limit us to only one of this kind once a week or less.

We had biscuits, ham and ham gravy, Willow's milk, homemade apple jelly, butter and fried eggs.
For several years now I have been making biscuits using a slightly different recipe from Mom's old standby.

I know it by heart:

Biscuits    preheat oven (I use a counter top one) to 450°
2 cups flour (I use unbleached)
1 Tablespoon aluminum free baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening (I use my home-rendered lard)
3/4 to l cup  buttermilk (I use my, " " "" "")
Mix together dry ingredients, cut in shortening,
Add buttermilk and stir until all dry are moistened.

Now here is my next routine so I don't have to mess up a bread board.  I lay paper towel or two on a  cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with flour.  I knead the dough a couple of times  and press out to about a 1.5 inch thick round   Cut out with floured cutter (I like small biscuits so I use a tomato paste can). 
Note:  While the oven is preheating, I place the pan inside so it is hot too.  Place  biscuits in pan and bake until brown.  Times will vary but about 10  to 15 minutes is a good starting point.  With the little oven I have to place foil under the pan and over the top to keep from burning.  I do this after the tops and bottoms have browned.  I just hate to heat up that monster over for a little pan like this.

I never cook over 5 or 6.  Place cookie sheet with remaining biscuits  in freezer and freeze. When firm, put in baggie and seal.   When cooking the frozen ones, I put them in the oven before preheating and let them thaw as the oven warms up.  You can't tell them from fresh. 
I just bagged up these,
I noticed there were just five.........one was stuck to the top shelf of the freezer drawer!  I found it.

and here is how they looked this morning:



GARDENING

Most of my lilacs are just the old syringa vulgaris but I do love them!  I don't prune them or do much else for them.  They are almost tree size.  I can't even reach the top to cut off the old blooms.  I will try to do better with my new, named variety 'Annabel' lilac.  Here is how Martha Stewart describes her:

Lilac: Syringa x hyacinthiflora Annabel. 'Annabel' produces sweet-scented double, soft-pink flowers in densely-branched spikes in spring. 

I knew that bloom looked slightly different; she is extremely fragrant and has bloomed her second year in the ground.  I am very pleased.  I will try to get a better picture today.  She is so short I will have to get on my knees. I did and I think she is about 36 inches tall, I am 5 3.5" and on my knees.

and a closeup of the the bloom,


 I hope these pictures aren't too large.  I will go back to the medium size.  You all let me know if the size bothers you loading.

This is just the regular lilac.  I think it is darker because of the location,  it doesn't get as much sun.  The previous owners planted it between the well house and the garage, just a narrow little strip of ground.

and these are the two massive clumps in the shrub border by the road out front,
This first was supposed to have been a white; obviously it was not!

From Gardening 2010

and Miss Kim,  maybe ??? I thought she wasn't so large so who knows.  She is a lighter color than the other one,

Sweet Rolls for Breakfast

Good morning. I am feeling very proud of myself. Up showered, ready for the day (to the barn to milk!), exercise bike for 20 minutes and breakfast over with. Now just waiting for 8AM to head to the barn.

We had DH's folks out for Sunday dinner. I made my usual 24-Hour Refrigerator Roll recipe which makes a lot! I took enough out for dinner rolls and now have a lot of dough left in the frig. This morning I took enough dough out to make a pan of cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I don't do this often, I promise!

I pinched off a wad maybe the size of a grapefruit. While still cold, I rolled it out on the counter top (didn't need flour at all except for my hands). I made a small rectangle about 2 x 10 or so. Spread butter, brown sugar and cinnamon over and rolled it up jelly-roll fashion. Cut into 1 inch pieces and put in buttered pan. Let rise to double on top of range with oven preheating so it was pretty warm. Bakes at 400° for maybe 15 minutes. Iced with maple icing which is just powdered sugar, little maple flavoring, dab of salt, enough milk to make barely spreadable. Drizzled over warm rolls. Here is what we had:

I got this recipe from a local cooking show back in the 1970's. What I love is that you can make it a day or more ahead of a big dinner and don't have to make a huge mess in the kitchen the day of the dinner.

Overnight Refrigerator Rolls

I use my Kitchenaid Mixer with the flat beater for the 1 minute and then switch to the
dough hook for adding the rest of the flour. I then knead it with the mixer for about 5
minutes.
If you want you can just mix the dough well by hand. Seal it in a tight bowl (very large)
and put in refrigerator without any kneading at all.

2 packages yeast
2-1/2 cups 105-115° water (feels hot on underside of wrist)
3/4 cups soft shortening (I use butter)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
8 to 8-1/2 cups bread flour
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
In mixer bowl:
Add yeast to warm water; stir to dissolve yeast.
Add shortening, sugar, and beaten eggs; blend slightly. Add 4 cups of the flour and beat
one minute with mixer until smooth. Add rest of flour.

Spray top of dough with Pam or rub oil over., Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
If you want to make the rolls without refrigeration, you will have to either knead the dough in the mixer for 6 minutes or on the floured board for 8-10 minutes and then let raise until doubled, about l hour. Then punch down dough and make rolls.

This recipe can be divided into thirds and make the following:

Dinner Rolls - make up in your favorite shape. Let rise to double and bake at 400° for 20 minutes.

Doughnuts: Roll out 1/3 dough to 1/2 inch thick. Let rise on floured surface. Deep fry at 360° for 3-5 minutes turning once.

Coffee Ring: Make walnut size pieces. Dip in a mix of 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon after dipping in melted butter. Layer in Bundt pan sprayed with Pam. Let rise and bake.
Note: You can also make the dough by hand just stirring it all together with a large
wooden spoon. , spray top with Pam, seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate. I have a large plastic bowl with a snap on lid that I use and don't use the plastic wrap. When you bring it out of the frig, let come to room temp and then form into rolls, don’t let the dough begin to rise again. Just let it get warm enough you can work with it.

I have also made cinnamon raisin bread from this dough and think I will try just a standard bread loaf with the rest this time...just to see what it does.

Angel Food Cake

I had tried one many years ago and it fell flat when I took it out of the oven and I have hesitated to ever try it again. But we had accumulated about 4 dozen eggs and I got brave yesterday morning. An internet friend had given me her Betty Crocker recipe that she had been using for many years so I pulled it out from the files and began.

Tip: I have always separated eggs by pouring them back and forth in the shells draining out the whites. That is what Mom always did. I just saw a chef on TV putting them into a bowl and gently scooping up the yolks in his hand. What an improvement over my old method! I did break one at a time in the bowl just in case a yolk broke.




This how it filled the pan.


And this is the first slice

DH thought it was the best one he had ever tasted but he always says that! I did agree that it was delicious and very, very tender.

Here is her recipe:

Angel Food Supreme BC style

1 cup cake flour (always sift before measuring)
12 egg whites
3/4 cup plus 2 T sugar (I sifted this too to remove any larger grains)
1-1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (I may cut back this a little next time)

Heat over to 375°.

Stir together flour and first amount of sugar, set aside.

In large very clean mixer bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until foamy. Add second amount of sugar, 2 Tbls at a time, beating on very high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks.

Gently fold in flavorings. Sprinkle flour/sugar mixture over egg whites, 1/4 cup at a time, folding in gently (by hand)until flour disappears.

Push batter into ungreased tube pan. Cut through batter gently to remove air bubbles.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until top springs back and looks dry between brown patches. Mine took 35 minutes. Invert pan over tall funnel shaped bottle (I used a soy sauce bottle)leave until completely cool. Cut around sides and hole with long knife. Invert over cake plate, remove pan. I then slice between bottom of pan and cake and the cake falls directly onto the plate.

Note: Can also add chopped maraschino cherries or flaked coconut to batter before baking.

From 1972 Better Crocker cookbook.