It's all about the food!

As much as I enjoy trying new bread recipes I have already found a favorite, Oatmeal sandwich bread.  It is great at any meal, has no sugar in it and such a wonderful taste.  I'm still working on a favorite biscuit recipe and I'm open to suggestions.  Typically each week I only bake one loaf of bread and make biscuits to freeze so they are ready to pop in the oven at breakfast or dinner.  But as the holidays approach I will be making more bread in hopes of sharing it with others at special meals or for gifts. 

Speaking of gifts - the Vanilla seems to be cooking well, it is becoming a nice rich amber color.  I am still looking for bottles to put it in.  I am working on my gift list and will tweak the foods I plan to share in the next week or so.  I hope to also try my hand at making a nice scrub. 

My friend, Linda, and I are both interested in learning to make scrubs, salves and such.  Last week we both joined a food co-op, the Barren County Good Food Buying Club.  I just received all of my purchasing info today and I can't wait to carve out a few hours to work on planning for the next month and placing my order.  I will be interested to see the amount of money we can save and also the additional local foods we will be able to purchase.  While we were at the co-op pick up location we met a lady who grows medicinal herbs.  I bought a bag of Elecampene for making a decoction whenever I have bronchitis.I have found a source for local beef and pork but still looking for fresh chicken, although I did find a farmer in Orlinda, TN - windy acres farm that grows organic and blends chicken feed.  So even the girls can eat local and organic!

Tommy and I trimmed a few brances from the evergreens on the farm so we can make a couple of wreaths and some garland.  I was able to get the front door wreath done on Monday afternoon.  It's not perfect by any means but we think it looks nice on the front door.

I promised some friends I would add the Chunky Pecan Pie Bar recipe.  I got the recipe on the outside of my light brown organic sugar bag.  Give it a try, I think you will really enjoy them.

Chunky Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients for the crust: 1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour, 1/2 cup butter softened, 1/4 cup organic light brown sugar

Ingredients for the filling: 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup corn syrup (prefer organic), 3/4 cup organic sugar, 2 tablespoons butter (melted), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 3/4 cups (11.5oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chunks, 1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350, grease 13x9 baking pan.

For the crust - beat flour, butter and brown sugar in a small mixer bowl until crumbly. Press into baking pan and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.

For the filling - beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla in a medium bowl with a wire whisk.  Stir in chunks and pecans, pour evenly over baked crust.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until set.  Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars, makes 2 1/2-3 dozen bars.

This recipe is a great addition to the Thanksgiving table.  I think I will whip up some whipped cream and just add a small dallop!  If you have never made homemade whipped cream it is so easy and the taste is...so good!

Kitchen...happening spot

I've been up and at it, in and out of the kitchen since 5:45 this morning!  Started the day by making some Fair Trade/Organic coffee and tea.  Before Tommy came down I had a frittata ready to go in the oven and had started on my Homemade Vanilla recipe. 
The try at sourdough bread was not a success, although the birds and the chickens will enjoy it... I know better than to make bread on a cold, rainy day. 
After a little cleaning and homemade egg salad with a friend, I headed back to the kitchen....Irish Soda bread has just came out of the oven and the Oatmeal sandwich bread is resting before it goes in.
Many chores await me so for now I must return to the kitchen!

If you are looking for some great organizing or recipes check out www.kitchenmonki.com or just spend a little time in your kitchen - I'm sure you can create a masterpiece or food for the birds!!!

Peace

So busy cooking, no time to write

I had hoped to find time to write each Monday but as you can see it is Wednesday and my first time to settle in for the week.  I have been so busy cooking, playing with the chickens and Lydia the Barn Cat, I have had no time to write.  Of course, I can't leave out work, reading, having tea, conversations with Tommy & Bennett and playing with our dog, Hank either.  But - one of my favorite times on the farm is the sunrise each morning.  Today is was such a slow rise that it seemed to be hiding behind the tree line just poking a bit of glow out through the bare limbs.  I love to stand outside of the barn and just watch the morning appear.
Lydia the Barn Cat continues to stretch her borders.  She has now found her a comfy spot right on the back deck! So much for living at the barn full-time.  The oddest part of adopting a barn cat is the fact that prior to bringing her home we had not seen a cat anywhere on the farm or even in the area.  In the past month we have seen 4 cats and they have all found there way to the backporch!  Maybe we have adopted a partying cat....

This weeks challenge in the kitchen has been creating a whole wheat sourdough bread starter.  I have been "feeding" it for 5 days now.  Yesterday, I used some of the cast-off to make Sourdough Banana Pancakes (so tasty).  After much searching I found a recipe that uses no yeast and tonight started the "sponge" process.  I'm not sure I have the patience for sourdough bread but we will see how it tastes before I make my final decision.  The Oatmeal Sandwich bread I made on Monday was a nice balance of sweet and nutty.  We used it for sandwich's, hamburgers and toast! Tommy joined in on the cooking this past Sunday evening and made whole wheat crackers.  Another item we can mark off of the grocery list.
Still to do this week is gathering a soil sample where we have our new garden space.  It is about 25 x 50 give or take.  I am going to work on the layout this winter...
Highlight of the day...I received my order of organic vanilla beans from Mountain Rose Herbs.  Tommy is buying me some Kentucky Bourbon tomorrow and then let the vanilla "cooking" begin.  I also ordered some organic lemon essential oil for making Lemon Sugar Scrub.
On the agenda for the weekend is a trip to a local farm to buy some meat for the month and trimming the evergreens to begin making wreaths for the doors and windows.  Tommy and I are planning our Christmas decor for the house and the barn!

...time to snuggle up to a cup of Roobios and my new Mountain Rose Herbs catalog