New Pigs on the Block and other Pics

 

Apparently, pigs have a similar sleep schedule to teenage boys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chicken saw me and assumed I was bringing milk.  Sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wilbur decided to see what the hubbub was about.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sooty wasn't leaving the nest.

French Toast - GF

Contrary to popular belief,  french toast is not a way to use up stale bread.  It is also not a way to use up an over abundance of eggs.  It is simply the ultimate vehicle for highlighting the exquisite taste of maple syrup....and butter, lots and lots of butter!  At least in our house. ;)

Ingredients
bread, sliced
eggs
cinnamon (optional)
nutmeg (optional)
vanilla (optional)
cane sugar (optional)
sea salt (optional)

butter
maple syrup

Preheat greased pan to a medium low heat.  Beat the eggs in a wide bottomed bowl....as close to the size of the slice as you can manage.  I use about 2 slices of bread per egg. This is an estimate only.  The size of the slice and the size of the egg can vary.  Any one of the optional ingredients can be added,  if desired.  I don't know that I would add all of them at the same time.  Soak the bread in the egg, coating each side completely, and carefully place in hot pan.  Cook for a few minutes on each side.  Keep warm in a low oven if doing a large batch.  Layer butter between each piece on individual plates.  When butter is melted, drizzle with maple syrup.

Lick plate when done.

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Melt in Your Mouth Monday 
Gluten Free Wednesday

Irish Soda Bread - GF

Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
1-2 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cane sugar (optional)

1 egg
2 cups milk#

1/4 cup melted coconut oil, butter or lard

• Preheat oven to 325* (I skip this step for my toaster oven.)

• Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  (Sugar is optional, simply because I forgot to add it the second time I made this and didn't notice.  Ketchup boy noticed.) 

• Set aside.  

• Beat egg and add milk in a separate bowl.  

• Mix egg/milk into dry ingredients and blend.  

• Add melted coconut oil or fat of choice. 

• Blend.  

• Pour ( or plop) bread mix into a greased bread pan.  It rises, but doesn't spread much, so you will need to add it evenly, if you want an even loaf.

• Bake for 65-70 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.  

• Let cool completely on wire rack before cutting.  I made this in the toaster oven in the evening,  let it cool over night and sliced in the morning.

#The original recipe called for buttermilk.  You can sour milk quickly by adding a little ACV, if desired.


Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Gluten Free Wednesday

Goodbye Hero

Hero was an endearing, crotchety old man who had retired from pasture protector to back porch warmer in recent years.  He couldn't see/hear well enough  to steal other critter's food anymore, so he stuck close and used his nose.

It is common for LGD to allow kids to climb all over them, Hero tolerated chickens...and apparently the cat too.  I think it was a win-win as both critters seemed to appreciate the extra body heat.

I shall miss him clunking down for his nap.

Sweet Potato Cranberry Cheese Melt

I intended to contribute some sweet potato pie for a Thanksgiving Get Together in addition to the cranberry sauce. So much for intentions....

I had a lot of precooked sweet potatoes that desperately needed eating.  I had a lot of cranberry sauce leftover too.  (I made enough, we could of eaten it as the main course.)

I was worn out from eating and visiting the day before. Necessity is the mother of invention, so......


Sweet Potato Cranberry Cheese Melt

1. Mash cool to touch sweet potato in bottom of baking dish.  
2. Layer spoonfuls of cranberry sauce on top.
3. Dot with butter chunks.
4. Salt generously.
5. Layer white cheese of choice.  I used mozzarella, but a nice Jack or Havarti would work too.
6. Bake @ 300* for 20-30 minutes.

This taste ok cool and I ended up making some again for lunch to go the next day too.

Later incarnations involved coconut oil fried, white corn tortillas...even better!

See Ya In The Gumbo 
Heart and Soul Hop 
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday 
Simple Lives Thursday

Baked Sweet Potato

1. Poke the potato generously
2. Bake at 300-325*
3. When it oozes and smells the house up with a decadent burnt sugar smell, it's done....approximately 1.5-2 hours.
4. Split open to receive butter, salt and optional brown sugar

OR use as a base for further recipes.

'Nough said.

Our new calf.....

Barn Hop

What do you think....boy or girl?  LOL


This spunky little heifer was born Nov 16th 2012. She's an Avery Action granddaughter out of a grade mini jersey.  Her dam is on the smaller side too. The first time I saw her nursing, she was swirling around her mom's legs like a kitty cat trying to trip you on the way to the barn.

I think I'll call her Kit Kat.

Short Rib Curry with Lychees (Slowcooker) - GF

Ingredients
beef short ribs
coconut milk
red curry paste
pickled and sliced banana peppers
jumbo onion, sliced
straw mushrooms
whole lychees (or pineapple)
beef gelatin
cane sugar
sea salt

Ok...so I've never had a lychee before, but it was priced the same as pineapple...so I grabbed a can.  They look like odd shrimp and taste like a bland over sized raspberry without the seeds.  I am sure fresh is better.

Layer in order in the slow cooker, adjust amounts to the size of your cooker.  My oval cooker fit a 6.8 lb frozen block of ribs.  There was a small space on the side for the onions and peppers.  I added the mushrooms, lychees, gelatin, sugar and salt towards the end. This cooked over night and I pulled out loose bones in the morning.  Some of the interior pieces needed more cooking time for bone release.  An extra hour on high did the trick.
Use approximately 1 TBS gelatin per 1/4 of meat and roughly equal parts gelatin and sugar.  Measuring doesn't matter too much, except the salt.   Leave it out until finished cooking, then season to taste. Serve over rice or potatoes.

Hunk of Meat Monday
See Ya In The Gumbo

Unglazed Gelatin Donut Holes - GF, DF

The evolution of leftover onion ring batter.

Mix equal parts beef gelatin and cane sugar with a wee bit of cream of tartar and extra salt, if needed. Mix with leftover egg and rice flour and add extra flour until you can work it like Playdo and not have it stick to your hands.  I like to divided the ball in half and then half again, then half again and so on until I have multiple, roughly equal pieces, that are about the size of my thumb to the first joint.  They expand a little when they fry in the coconut oil.  They are more forgiving of temperature, so I usually stick them in last. You may have to roll them to get them to brown evenly.

I can think of all sorts of ways to doctor these up...cinnamon sugar coatings, dipped in melted chocolate, fruit centers....but I usually am so full on onions rings by the time I get to these, I don't feel like being adventurous anymore.

Orange Whip

Sweet and simple.

Orange Whip (recipe fits a "personal sized" blender)

• 2-3 oz frozen concentrated orange juice (pulp free)

• fresh milk, skimmed or whole (this is a good recipe for hold up queen's milk)

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• ice cubes (optional, but help the whipped cream effect)

• 2 TBS cane sugar (optional, recommended if using vanilla)

• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (extra potassium and makes it fluffy)

• dash of vanilla (optional, make it a really small dash if not using sugar)

I few months back, I got myself a "personal blender" to fit my 60's era blender....you know the kind that's compatible with mason jars. ;)  I didn't want it, but pricing wise, it was almost the same as the replacement parts I needed.  I admit, it's handy and I like the spill resistant personal drinking lid....fits on a regular mouth mason jar just fine.  Great for sipping.

Anyway, this is one of those blended drinks that need to be finished shortly after making, so small batches are good.  (OJ will turn the milk into cheese if left to sit too long, not nearly as appealing. IMO.)  Leave extra room at the top for the whipping, a few inches at least.  The minuscule amount of cream on my current batch of milk is whipped and firm when prepared this way and makes it taste very rich indeed.

See Ya In The Gumbo
Gluten Free Wednesday
Scratch Cookin' Tuesday
Hearth and Soul Hop
Fat Tuesday