Pecan Spice Waffles with Molasses Cinnamon Syrup

Heaven...I'm in heaven... :)

I have been making these Pecan Spice Waffles/Pancakes using my Baking Mix for a couple of years now but teaming them up with this Molasses Cinnamon Syrup sends them right over the top! I found the recipe for the syrup here. The combination of flavors is perfect for the Holidays!

The pancake/waffle mix also makes a nice gift. Just put the dry ingredients into a baggie and then put that down into a fabric bag or gift bag and include a tag with the directions for making the pancakes or waffles. Pair it up with a jar of this homemade syrup for an extra special, homemade gift anytime of year.

Pecan Spice Pancakes/Waffles

1 1/2 cups Baking Mix
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (find the recipe at the end of this post)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon oil (for waffles only)

In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients; stir into the dry ingredients just until blended. Ladle onto a lightly greased, hot griddle for pancakes or a preheated waffle iron for waffles. Feel free to add a little more milk if the batter seems too thick.

Makes five 6-inch round waffles.

Molasses Cinnamon Syrup

1/2 cup demerara sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup molasses
6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon salted butter

In a small saucepan, heat together the sugar, molasses, water and cinnamon over medium heat. Bring to a low boil and continue stirring until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Cool slightly. Transfer to a pitcher for serving or a glass jar for storing. Keep refrigerated and use within two weeks.

Makes a little over 3/4 cup of syrup.

Linking up with Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Oatmeal Honey Wheat Bread

This is my absolute favorite sandwich bread! It's just a little bit sweet from the honey and the oats add a nice texture. Because it's half whole wheat flour and half bread flour, it's not real heavy either.

What really made it extra special this week was my new cast iron Camp Chef bread pan that I found at the C-A-L Ranch Store in Flagstaff this past weekend. I love cooking and baking in cast iron and I have been wanting a cast iron bread pan. Now that I'm baking just for us, I figured why not! It's even pretty with the decorative handles. :)

This one came pre-seasoned but I washed it before using it and seasoned it again. The way I care for all of my cast iron pans is to rinse with hot water and scrub with a nylon scrubbie as needed after using. I then apply a thin coating of olive oil on the inside of the pan and put it in the oven preheated to 350 degrees. Then, I turn off the oven and leave the pan in until cool, usually overnight. All of my cast iron pans now have an awesome "nonstick" finish! I thought the bread might stick just a bit because the pan was new but the loaf fell right out.

Oatmeal Honey Wheat Bread          **Click here to print this recipe**

1 cup lukewarm milk
2 tablespoons softened butter
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons bread machine yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast (If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk before combining with the remaining ingredients.)

Mix, knead and let your dough rise until doubled using your favorite method; bread machine, manual or stand mixer. Shape dough into a loaf, put it in a greased pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, cover loosely with foil after 10 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove from pan immediately and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Jerry commented that he thought this loaf even tasted better than usual...hmmm, must be the cast iron bread pan!

Disclaimer: I did NOT receive anything from anyone for this post, I just wanted to show off my new pan. ;)

Joining Farmgirl Friday, What I Am Eating, the From The Farm Blog Hop and Food On Friday the Bread Edition.

Sharing Recipes for Extras

I really enjoy cooking from scratch and that includes making my own seasonings, sauces and such. It is comforting to know exactly what we are eating, right down to the extras, so I thought it might be nice to share links to some of my recent favorite finds.

Grace at Queen of the Red Doublewide has a great recipe for homemade Seasoned Salt that I use all the time. She also has a recipe for Homemade Seasoning for Breakfast Sausage that even works well with ground beef.

Since I shared a recipe for Seasoned Salt, how about the one I use for Seasoned Pepper? I have been using this recipe for so long that I don't even remember where I got it, I think from a magazine years ago.

We really like this recipe for Ragu Style Pizza/Pasta Sauce from Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth. I took her suggestion and made extra for the freezer. :)

I recently went searching online for a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce and found a truly wonderful recipe for Red Enchilada Sauce at gimme some OVEN. I can't believe how expensive canned enchilada sauce is, especially after learning how easy it is to make! Make sure to use chile powder and not chili powder in this recipe. Also, I used a milder chile powder (Tampico brand ground California chile pepper found at Walmart) for my second batch, the first was so hot we could hardly eat it.

Speaking of Chili Powder, I found a really nice recipe at The Kitchn awhile back. I left out the cayenne and coriander and reduced the chipotle powder to one teaspoon.

I have even tried a couple of homemade syrup recipes recently. This Molasses-Cinnamon Syrup from Simple Bites is heavenly and there are a couple of more yummy sounding recipes included in the link.

Two of my favorites that I have shared before are Homemade Flavored Coffee Creamer and Spreadable Butter. They are indispensable around here!

Do you like to make your own "extras" for cooking and baking?

Sharing with Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Pear Ginger Crisp



We harvested the fruit from our Kieffer Pear tree last week. We ended up with 20 pounds of pears from our little, 8-foot-tall dwarf tree! :)

I used some to make spiced pear jam in the slow cooker (works GREAT for the PB&J cookies), we have been eating them fresh, I gave some away and I used some to make this crisp last Sunday. What a lovely recipe! Between the maple syrup, fresh pears, dried cherries and oatmeal topping this is a fabulous dessert for fall!

The original recipe, from Simply Recipes, is for a pie but I didn't have time to properly chill the dough for the crust that afternoon so I decided to just go with a crisp. The only other change I made was to add about a cup of dried cherries, dried cranberries would be nice too.

The Bisbee Farmer's Market has a pie baking contest every fall and I put some of the pears in the refrigerator to keep so that I can enter this pie in the contest. Actually, I never told ya'll, but I WON the pie baking contest last year for a Peach Blueberry pie. It was my first week attending that market and, honestly, I was a little embarrassed about winning. LOL!!

Linking up with the Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Meatballs For The Freezer

This recipe came from my grandmother many years ago and I love having a batch of these babies tucked away in the freezer for those nights when I have absolutely no idea what we are going to have for supper. My grandmother always made them as baked Barbecued Meatballs but the possibilities are truly endless! I have used them for spaghetti and meatballs, meatball sandwiches and have even baked them plain and dropped them into a big pot of vegetable soup.

 

Meatballs

 

3 pounds ground chuck

2 cups oatmeal

2 eggs

1 cup chopped onion

13-oz can evaporated milk

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

 

Mix well. Shape into balls (I use a cookie scoop). Place on a cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Package airtight in freezer bags or containers.

 

I used a combination of locally grown ground lamb and ground beef for this batch, adding some ground pork would be nice too. I also used my goat milk instead of canned milk.

Just take out however many meatballs you need for your meal, let them thaw, place in a baking dish and then top with your favorite sauce, or no sauce at all in the case of the meatballs for soup. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes until done. I also like the fact that there is no browning on the stovetop and all the mess that comes with it but you could use them that way too.

I like them the way Grandma used to make them the best, smothered in some slightly sweet homemade barbecue sauce and served with some macaroni and cheese and a nice salad or green vegetable. Yum!! :)

Linking up with Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Fruit & Nut Cookies

These cookies were inspired by a bar cookie recipe I used to make years ago. That recipe called for the addition of fresh banana and orange juice, which wasn't the way I wanted to go with these. I use a combination of dried blueberries, dried cherries and chopped dried apricots but any combination of dried fruit would be nice. The Apple Pie spice really adds a nice flavor and the dried blueberries are heavenly! A few of my die-hard Cowboy Cookie and Cowgirl Cookie customers at the Farmer's Market have actually switched and now buy these every week. ;)

Fruit & Nut Cookies

1 cup butter                         **Click here to print this recipe**
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups Baking Mix
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 1/2 teaspoons Apple Pie spice
2 cups diced mixed dried fruit
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in the Baking Mix, oats and Apple Pie spice; mix thoroughly. Stir in the dried fruit and pecans. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes and then remove to racks to cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Apple Pie Spice

4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon nutmeg

I use this Apple Pie spice in all kinds of baked goods, not just apple pie! Besides these cookies, I use it in fresh apple muffins and zucchini muffins for the Farmer's Market. It is also really nice in pancake or waffle batter with some pecans.

Sharing with the Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Update on Red:
He is still here and doing well. Jerry took him along this morning when he rode his horse out in the pasture and he did fine. We had to put him in the horse trailer last night since it was the only place we could think of that he couldn't escape from. Right now, he is actually sitting in the livingroom watching Gunsmoke with Jerry...

Freezing Potatoes

Have you ever had a potato go bad in the cupboard? A rotten potato smells worse than just about anything I know. Blech!!

I had one go bad in a bag of red-skinned potatoes this week, which is why I usually don't buy bags of potatoes this time of year. They just don't keep well during our rainy season. However, there was a really good sale on 5-pound bags of red-skinned potatoes and I just couldn't resist!

Luckily, I found a way to salvage the rest of the bag. I know lots of folks can or dehydrate extra potatoes but I didn't have that many and I wanted a quick and easy way to preserve these. I looked online and found lots of info on freezing mashed potatoes. Most recommended using red-skinned or Yukons in this instance because the Idaho (baking) potatoes get mushy/mealy when frozen as mashed potatoes. The next time I have extra Idaho potatoes, I'm going to try Grace from Queen Of The Red Doublewide's suggestion for homemade frozen hashbrowns. :)

For frozen mashed potatoes, just make your favorite mashed potato recipe and let cool a bit. Then, use an ice-cream scoop to portion out servings onto a cookie sheet lined with foil. This could also help with portion control. I don't know about you, but I tend to overeat when it comes to mashed potatoes, my ultimate comfort food. Yum!!

Put them in the freezer until they are frozen solid and then pop them off of the cookie sheet and put them into a freezer bag. To serve, remove however many portions needed and reheat them from frozen in the microwave. You could also thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and heat them in the oven.

Not only did I save the rest of the bag of potatoes but I now have a ready made side dish in the freezer for busy nights when time is short for cooking supper. My only problem with this was having to eat the extra potatoes that didn't fit on the cookie sheet. Yep, comfort food at it's finest. ;)

Linking up with Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

German Chocolate Cookies

The inspiration for this recipe came courtesy of my blogging buddy Carolyn at Krazo Acres. You can find her original recipe here. Thanks Carolyn, these cookies are awesome and I know they will be a big hit with my Farmer's Market customers!!

German Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter, softened               **Click here to print this recipe**
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 1/2 cups Baking Mix
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in cocoa powder and Baking Mix; mix thoroughly. Stir in pecans and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. I like them just a little on the softer side for more of a German Chocolate cake taste and texture.
Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes and then remove to racks to cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Yum!! All I need now is a big glass of ice-cold milk! :)

Linking up with The Country Homemaker Hop, Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Individual No-Bake Cheesecakes

We love cheesecake around here but I very rarely make it because we just don't need to eat the WHOLE thing! The April/May issue of MaryJanesFarm magazine had some recipes for mini cheesecakes made in 4-ounce canning jars. Well, that was too little so I used 8-ounce wide-mouth canning jars and it was just right! ;)

You could try different crusts and toppings to suit your tastes and what you have on hand. The thing that really impressed me was making a no-bake cheesecake without a tub of non-dairy whipped topping and I gotta tell you, this tastes sooo much better than the ones I remember from my youth that used the non-dairy whipped topping! It comes out light and fluffy and not too sweet.

 Crust                    **Click here to print this recipe**

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar

In a small bowl combine all ingredients. Divide evenly between four 8-ounce wide-mouth canning jars. Press lightly into bottom of jars.

Filling

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla; mix well. In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff; gently fold into the cream cheese mixture. Divide evenly between the jars.

Topping

2 cups fresh (or frozen and thawed) berries, I used fresh blackberries
1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine berries, sugar, cornstarch and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Let cool completely before spooning over cheesecake filling in jars.

Top each jar with a lid and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

Joining the Country Homemaker Hop, Rurality Blog Hop, Pie*ography, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Gilding The Lily - Multigrain Bread

 

Recently, I picked up the May 2013 copy of Cook's Country magazine, it has some awesome foodie photos and I'm always looking for ideas. One of the recipes that really caught my eye was for Dakota Bread, a lovely multigrain bread all dolled up with a generous coating of seeds over the top. I thought that it looked like something that would really sell at the Farmer's Market. :)

Once I read the recipe, I realized that it was very similar to the multigrain bread that I have been making for several years...as a loaf bread, as rolls and even as a free-form round loaf. This is one of my favorite breads for sandwiches for us and it sells but, honestly, it looked kind of boring. I decided to try "Gilding the Lily" by adding sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds over the top before baking and WOW, what a difference! Just that little extra attention to detail makes people look twice and (usually) buy some.

Multigrain Bread                         **Click here to print this recipe**

1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup 7-grain hot cereal (I use Bob's Red Mill)
3 tablespoons raw wheat germ
3 tablespoons oat or wheat bran
2 tablespoons bulgur wheat
1 cup whole-wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons bread machine/instant yeast OR 1 packet active dry yeast (If using active dry yeast, dissolve it in the warm milk before combining with the remaining ingredients.)
1 egg beaten with a bit of water
Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and poppy seeds for the top (Use any combination you like)

Mix, knead and let your dough rise until doubled using your favorite method; bread machine, manual or stand mixer. Shape the dough into a smooth ball for a large loaf or divide the dough in half and shape each half into a smooth ball for smaller loaves. Place on a baking sheet, slash the top and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size. Just before baking, brush top and sides with egg mixture and generously sprinkle with seeds of your choice.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown; cover loosely with foil after 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

Linking up with The Country Homemaker Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

We love having pineapple with our homemade cottage cheese but it seems there are always a few pineapple rings left over. I have been using them to make Pineapple Upside Down cake. Oh, how we suffer! :)
I only had five leftover rings this time, one or two more would have been even better.
This makes a nice dessert, of course, but it is really, really good as a breakfast coffee-cake type thingy. YUM!!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake               **Click here to print this recipe**

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
6 or 8 pineapple rings from a 20-ounce can

Cake:
2 cups Baking Mix
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the 1/4 cup of butter into chunks and put it into a 10-inch cast iron skillet, put the skillet in the oven as it preheats to melt the butter. Remove the skillet from the oven and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter. Arrange the pineapple rings over the brown sugar.
Combine the Baking Mix and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the milk and melted butter and mix well. Spread the cake batter over the pineapple.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. It should come out easily.
Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving.

Under NO circumstances should you try to use your finger to push any dripping, molten hot syrup back onto the plate! ;)

Sharing with The Country Homemaker Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Pie*ography Thursday - 04/25/2013

I thought I would share another portable pie for Pie*ography Thursday this week. The inspiration for these actually came from some packaged goodies I saw recently at the grocery store. I liked the way they were braided and figured I could do that! I started with a little different pastry recipe and used some apple pie filling that I had in the freezer from last fall. I found this lovely post for an Apple Lattice Galette utilizing a Danish braiding technique and knew that that was the effect I was looking for.

Filling               **Click here to print this recipe**

3 pounds apples
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Peel, core and dice apples. Combine sugar, flour, spices and apples. Let stand until juices begin to flow, about 30 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken. Cool completely before using. Store any extra filling in the refrigerator and spoon it over waffles or pancakes. Yum!

Pastry

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter cut into chunks
1/4 cup cream cheese
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Mix the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour using a pastry cutter. The mixture should look like large crumbs and begin to cling together in clumps. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar and cold water over the dough and with your hands, mix it in until the dough holds together adding more water if necessary. Roll out the dough to a 12-inch square. Cut into 4 six-inch squares. Follow the excellent directions for making a Danish Braid found here at the bottom of the post. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

I guess part of my Pie*ography story is that I get bored making the same thing all the time for the Farmer's Market and I'm always looking for new ideas. These turn out really pretty even if they are a bit fussy. ;)

Pie*ography Thursday, Farmgirl Friday, What I Am Eating.

Shepherd's Pie

Like a lot of people in this country, we don't eat much lamb and I have to confess that I had never made Shepherd's Pie until this week. Actually, I don't think I'd ever even eaten it. All I can say is...boy howdy, was THAT a mistake! I'm really, really looking forward to the leftovers for tonight's supper!

Jerry is so funny, when he looked at what I was making and I told him it was Shepherd's Pie, he said "Why can't we just have that with the mashed potatoes?" He was afraid it was going to be like a pot pie with a pie crust and he is NOT a fan of pot pie. Just so you know, he went back for seconds. ;)

One of the vendors at the Farmer's Market sells his homegrown lamb and beef. He has been out of hamburger so I bought some ground lamb from him last week. Since I had lamb, Shepherd's Pie just seemed like the right thing to make. There are hundreds of recipes out there for Shepherd's Pie but it is basically a ground meat and vegetable mixture topped with a "crust" of mashed potatoes which is then browned in the oven. Here is what I did.

Shepherd's Pie               **Click here to print this recipe**

4 large red-skinned potatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons butter
Milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
6 or 7 Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
1/2 pound ground lamb
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Mediterranean Seasoning (recipe here)
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Dice the potatoes and cook in salted, boiling water until tender (I didn't even bother to peel them). Drain well. Add the butter and mash them up a bit. Add enough milk to get a mashed potato consistency. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, in a large cast iron skillet, saute the onion, carrot and mushrooms in the olive oil until softened and lightly browned. Add the ground lamb and cook until no longer pink, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper and Mediterranean Seasoning. Add the flour and stir to combine, let it cook for a minute or so. Stir in the beef stock to make a gravy. Add more stock if necessary to get the consistency you like. Stir in the corn and peas.

Spread the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture, making sure to go all the way to the edges of the pan. Don't make it perfectly smooth on top, you want the potatoes to have some texture so they will brown. Sprinkle the cheese over the potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or so until the top is nicely browned.

Linking up with Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, What I Am Eating and Pie*ography Thursday.

 

Pie*ography Thursday III

"Pie, pie, me oh my!" Who remembers the Pie Song sung by Andie MacDowell in the movie Michael? ;)

These portable pies were inspired by the lovely cookbook "The Homemade Pantry - 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying & Start Making" by Alana Chernila. If you are interested in making more things from scratch, this book has a lot of good recipes.

I sell these yummy little pies at the Farmer's Market where people appreciate goodies that can be eaten without the use of utensils.

Toaster Tarts               **Click here to print this recipe**

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons cold water
Filling(s) of choice (I used homemade apple butter this time)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter. The mixture should look like large crumbs and begin to cling together in clumps. Sprinkle the apple cider vinegar and cold water over the dough and with your hands, mix it in until the dough holds together adding more water if necessary.
Divide dough in half. Roll one half of dough out to a 9 x 12 inch rectangle. Cut into six equal rectangles, 4 1/2 x 4 inches. Transfer to a baking sheet leaving at least two inches in between. Spoon at least a tablespoon of filling down the center of each rectangle. Roll out other half of dough and cut into six rectangles as above. Put the "tops" on and crimp all edges with a fork. Prick holes down the center of each tart. If desired, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.
You could also drizzle with a powdered sugar icing when cool or simply dust with powdered sugar.

I really want to thank everyone for the tip about adding the apple cider vinegar, what a difference! You can see how incredibly flaky it makes the pastry!

Pie*ography isn't just a fun linky party, it is also a beautifully written and photographed book with
"42 Fabulous Recipes Inspired by 39 Extraordinary Women" by Jo Packham. I just had to have it and received my copy last week. What a treat!! Our hostess for Pie*ography Thursday, Anne Marie Klaske, did the food styling for the book and it is awesome, as is the stunning photography by Traci Thorson.

Linking up with Anne Marie for Pie*ography Thursday, as well as The Country Homemaker Hop, Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, and What I Am Eating.

Making Cheese - Fromage Blanc

This is my favorite cheese that I make with the goat's milk and it is just SO stinkin' easy and provides a pretty good yield! :)

I use a culture to make this Fromage Blanc. I used to make a goat milk Chevre using buttermilk and liquid vegetable rennet but using the Fromage Blanc culture gives a more consistent result. This cheese is also a little drier than the Chevre, which I like, it makes it easier to crumble. It can be used in any recipe calling for cream cheese or goat cheese.

All you have to do is heat one gallon of milk to 86 degrees F, stir in the packet of culture and let it sit overnight on the counter. In the morning, pour the curds into a piece of real cheesecloth (not the stuff from the grocery store) and hang to drain for 6 to 8 hours.

I then mix in 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and put it into a container in the fridge. If desired, you can also mix in some dill, garlic and chives, diced jalapenos, sun dried tomatoes, or anything else that would be found in "flavored" cream cheese. This cheese also freezes exceptionally well but freeze it without the extra add-ins and mix them in after thawing.

I buy my cheesemaking supplies from Caprine Supply but they are also available from New England Cheesemaking Supply.

This Fromage Blanc is really good stirred into pasta sauce to make it creamy, stuffed in celery, crumbled over a salad, spread on a cracker, or combined with some shredded cheddar to make a substitute for "processed cheese spread." More on that later! ;)

Linking up with The Country Homemaker Hop, Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Pie*ography Thursday II

Anne Marie at Na-Da Farm Life has started Pie*ography Thursday, what a neat idea! :)

If I could be a pie, I would want to be a quiche. Making quiche defines my current philosophy towards cooking and baking...use what you have on hand and use as many homegrown or locally grown ingredients as possible. For this basic quiche, I used our farm fresh eggs, some spicy, pepper-jack style cheese made with our goat milk and some of the milk itself. The bacon is local and came from one of the vendors at the Farmer's Market. During the late fall and early winter, I can even get locally grown onions at the Farmer's Market. The beauty of quiche is that pretty much anything goes for the filling, meat or no meat, any type of cheese or even no cheese, and any vegetables you want to include.

I have always been more of a cookie and cake person and only recently started making pies. It's only been in the last year that I even started making my own pie crust! This pie crust recipe is my absolute favorite and comes from Ree Drummond's "The Pioneer Woman Cooks - Food From My Frontier." For a two-crust pie, double the ingredients.

Crust               **Click here to print this recipe**

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter. The mixture should look like large crumbs and begin to cling together in clumps. Sprinkle the cold water over the dough and with your hands, mix it in until the dough holds together. Roll out the dough two inches larger than your pie pan. Place dough in pie pan, crimp the edges and put it in the refrigerator while making the filling.

Quiche

6 to 8 slices bacon, depending on size
1 1/2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups half & half (I use half goat milk and half heavy cream)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups grated cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Chop up the bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook in a heavy skillet until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet, add the onions and cook over medium low heat until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Mix the eggs, half & half and salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the bacon, onions and cheese, stir to combine. Pour the filling into the chilled pie shell, cover lightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the quiche is set and the crust is golden brown. I put a pie shield on towards the end so the crust doesn't burn.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Serve warm or cold, either way is delicious!

So, what kind of pie are you?

Linking up with The Country Homemaker Hop, Farmgirl Friday, What I Am Eating and P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday.

Kale with Sausage and Beans

Last week, I had a lovely bunch of kale from the Farmer's Market to use up and some spicy Italian sausage. I thought about making Sausage Potato Kale soup but Jerry was about "souped out" for awhile.

I did a search on the internet for ideas and came across this recipe from one of my favorite sites, Simply Recipes. I did make a couple of changes to the original recipe. I used spicy Italian sausage and I substituted some leftover pinto beans for the white beans, since that was what I had on hand. I also added some mushrooms. Wow, this dish is simple, quick and full of flavor!! The above picture is actually some leftovers that I had for breakfast the next morning with a poached egg on top, YUM! :)

Kale with Sausage and Beans

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
1 onion, sliced thin
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I love baby Bellas)
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 pound kale, remove center rib and roughly chop leaves
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 cups cooked pinto beans
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the onions and mushrooms. Cook until the edges of the onions start to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the kale, sprinkle with salt, then add the chicken stock. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 or 3 minutes to wilt down the kale. Uncover, mix well and add the beans. Cover again and turn the heat to low. Cook for another 5 minutes and then turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Linking up with The Country Homemaker Hop, Down Home Blog Hop, Rurality Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday and What I Am Eating.

Valentine's Day Cookies

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! These beautiful cookies are really easy to make and assemble but give the impression that you worked on them for hours. ;) This is my P52 Sweet Shot Tuesday entry.

I used my favorite Brown Sugar Shortbread cookie recipe, cut out rounds and then cut out a heart shape in half of the cookies for the tops. After baking, when they are completely cool, liberally dust the tops with powdered sugar. Spread some (homemade) strawberry jam on the bottom cookies and then add the cut-out tops. Jerry is a serious chocoholic and he couldn't quit eating these. With the rich shortbread cookie and the sweet jam, they are a special treat for your Valentine any day of the year. Of course, you can use any cut-out cookie recipe, or even refrigerated cookie dough, and any jam for the filling to make them your own! :)

Because Jerry is such a chocoholic, I also made a batch of Dark Chocolate Cherry cookies. Oh, by the way, make sure you really read the label when buying the dried cherries. I accidentally bought a bag of cherry juice infused Craisins! Hmmm...no wonder they were so cheap. They do have a very good cherry taste though! LOL!!

Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups Baking Mix
6 tablespoons cocoa
1 10-ounce bag dark chocolate chips
1 5-ounce bag dried cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add Baking Mix and cocoa; mix well. Stir in dark chocolate chips and dried cherries; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

I'm joining Lisa and Nancy for the Valentine's Day Boost My Blog Party! I'm also linking up with What I Am Eating and Farmgirl Friday.