Power Outage Peaches

A few years ago, we had a nasty ice storm that knocked out power for 9 days in my neighborhood.  We spent 9 days with the wood stove being the ONLY source of heat.  Along with melting icicles in 5 gallon buckets for water for us and the animals, the stove had to keep us warm and heat our food.  I learned a bit about emergency food storage that winter. One is that food storage needs to be easy, in appropriate serving sizes and something you actually eat.  Canned food is generally most appropriate as water is precious and extra water for re-hydrating may not be practical.

Since that storm,  I have started cooking/heating on top of the wood stove as much as possible.  I have been learning what is practical and what isn't, how things cook on my particular stove...pans to use, timing etc.  Here's a recipe I have been "practicing"...just in case.  It's really yummy and satisfying.

1 can of peaches (avoid HFCS)
1-2 TBS gelatin per person
1 -2 TBS sugar/cream of tartar mix
1 large pinch of sea salt
1-2 TBS coconut oil, butter and/or cream
dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla (optional)

I used to drain the liquid off, but now just leave it in for a nice peach soup.  Brown sugar or sucanat is really tasty with peaches, but plain ol' cane sugar works too.  The nice thing about gelatin is that it will dissolve at fairly low temperatures.  If you use coconut oil or butter,  put a glop on top.  When it is melted, the gelatin will be too.   This can be a light snack or a complete meal depending on the portions sizes and amount of gelatin used.

Gluten Free Wednesdays 
PennyWise Platter Thursday

Oink, Oink...Ossabaw Island Hogs

Picked up two Ossabaw Island barrows and a gilt today.  They are a small heritage breed...leftovers from Spanish exploration of the New World.  

You can read more abut them here: Ossabaw Island Hogs  and here:  On the trail of fine ham 

UMMMM.........Can you say "Bacon"?


 

According to my processor, they have a higher proportion of bacon to hams than conventional breeds and are NOT white meat.  They take to "no nitrate" sugar cures very well.

These will be raised in rotation on pasture/hay and extra milk.  They seem to have an affinity for  ummm, "predigested" grass AKA goat berries, so may become a valuable assets in sustainable parasite control for the goats.

I expect these to be ready late spring/early summer.

They are cuter in person...but not TOO cute, if ya know what I mean!




Hearth and Soul Hop 
Real Food Wednesday 
Simple Lives Thursday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday

New and Improved GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

We have tweaked the original recipe to suit our specific nutritional needs....basically doubling the rising power with the additional cream of tartar and baking soda.  This makes a thinner, lighter, crisper cookie...wafer like.  If you prefer a chewier cookie, reduce the cooking time. Yum!

Ingredients
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
1 cup cane sugar/cream of tartar mix
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup rice flour
4 TBS potato flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
1 cup lecithin free chocolate chips 

preheat oven to 375*F

Beat eggs and blend in sugar and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients separately and then add to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips (or substitute broken pieces of a 70% chocolate bar or 2.) Drop from spoon onto cookie sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes.

Gluten Free Wednesdays 
Simple Lives Thursday

Fig Chutney

Fig Chutney

8 TBS (1/2 cup) Fig preserves
8 TBS ACV
4 TBS unflavored beef gelatin
4 TBS Sugar/Cream of Tartar mix
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
Horseradish or mustard to taste (optional)

Mix the dry ingredients together, then mix in the wet.  Heat slowly to dissolve the gelatin, stirring occasionally.  I used the soapstone on my wood stove.
Serve warm or cool, makes 4 servings.

This was a big hit for Sunday brunch served with homemade fries and milk fed pork brats cooked in coconut oil.  Ketchup Boy was caught wiping up any extra sauce with his fries.  No one in the house likes spicy quite like me, so I gave my self a large dollop of horseradish and mixed it together on my plate.  Scrumptious!

Hearth and Soul Hop
Real Food Wednesday

Apple Beef Green Curry Stew

I put up 4 cases of applesauce in the past week and had one jar that broke its seal the next day.  Rather than reprocess a single jar, I put it in the fridge for more immediate use.

Here's what I did with that jar...after a few nibbles, that is. ;)

1 pint of homemade beef broth
1 pint of water to rinse broth jar (or as needed)
about 6 potatoes, shredded
1 pound of beef, cut in small chunks
4 TBS Gelatin
1 can of crushed pineapple (optional)
1 can of coconut milk
1 pint of homemade applesauce
or fresh cut apples
1/2 jar Thai green curry paste
unrefined sea salt to taste

Pennywise Platter Thursday
Zero Waste Food Challenge
Fight Back Friday
Simply Lives Thursday 
Monday Mania

Ratios Reference page

Homemade Baking Powder = 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cream of tartar
Before the invention of commercial breads and such, people made their own baking powder.  Baking powder is the reaction between and acid and a base....traditionally baking soda and cream of tartar.   You can tweak the ratio with more or less cream of tartar or baking soda if you are using a base like salt or another acid like sour milk.

Sugar/Cream of Tartar mix = approximately 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar per 1 TBS of Cane Sugar
 This mix replicates as much as possible the natural sugars and potassium normally found in a tree or vine ripened piece of fruit...unfortunately, woefully lacking in commercial fruits nowadays.

Gelatin to Muscle/Organ meat ratio = 1 TBS unflavored gelatin (preferably beef) to 1/4 lb meat (chicken, pork, goat, beef rump, thigh, liver etc.)  This approximates eating the "whole" animal.
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/gelatin.shtml

Chunky Tomato Soup

Chunky Tomato Soup
Homemade bone broth
Shredded Potatoes
Coconut Oil
Tomato Puree
Diced tomatoes and green chilis (optional)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Cane Sugar/Cream of tartar mixture
Stew Meat
Gelatin
Unrefined sea salt

Heat the broth with a little extra water for rinsing the gelatin out of the jar.   Cook the shredded potatoes in the broth and oil. Add tomatoes, sugar mixture and meat.  Cook at low temperatures, stirring occasionally until meat is tender.   I think we ate after about 2 hours.  Add a tablespoon of gelatin per 1/4 lb of meat and salt to taste.  This will be a naturally thick and hearty soup.  If using a Crockpot, add all the ingredients at one time and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Variation:
Using the leftovers, I made a cream of tomato soup by adding some fresh cream/milk and gently warming.  A dollop of sour cream would be a nice option as well.

Monday Mania
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Fightback Friday
Frugal Food Thursday 
Real Food Wednesday

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Coconut Cookie with Raspberry/Pomegranate Preserve

Coconut Cookies
4 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup coconut flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsp cream of tartar
1 TBS gelatin
4 pinches of sea salt
1 1/2 cups coconut flakes or shreds
 3/4 cup lecithin free dark chocolate chips
 Dollop of jam per cookie (optional)



I found this recipe online through a link from one blog to another blog.  I, of course, had to add my own twist to it.  Hence the addition of the gelatin and jam.  I think the next time I make them, I will use a little less coconut flour....and possibly more chocolate. ;)

Mix the wet ingredients first, then the dry ingredients in separate bowls.  Mix the 2 groups together and add the chocolate chips.  I used a ice cream scoop to form each cookie and then used the back to make an indentation for the jam.  I used the last of a raspberry preserve jar and some raspberry pomegranate.  The raspberry was slightly darker and thicker than the raspberry blend.  I think some orange marmalade would work well too.  I made some plain too, no jam, but they were a bit boring after eating one with the jam.

Bake at 350 for 10-14 minutes.  I think mine needed to go a little longer because of the jam.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Tuesday Twister 
Gluten Free Wednesdays 
Real Food Wednesdays

Frittata Soup

Chopped Leftover Frittata,
Herb Toss Broth
Water to rinse gelatin out of broth jar
Leftover BBQ Brisket with gelatin
Diced potatoes
Diced tomatoes
Glug of vinegar (ACV, red wine, or balsamic)
Unrefined salt to taste

My leftover brisket add so much fat, I didn't need to add any extra fat.  In fact, I added extra vinegar to cut the fat.  It seems to help lessen the clinginess of the fat globules or mouth feel of the fat.  Toss all the ingredients in the pot, heat, correct the seasoning and serve.

Real Food Wednesday

Floating Frittata

Floating Frittata
Eggs, whipped
Leftovers, chopped
Green or white onion (optional)
Unrefined sea salt to taste
Seasoning to taste (optional)

 We found TWO hidden nests, one with white eggs and one with brown eggs.  I don't like to store mystery eggs, so I needed to used them quickly.  I floated the eggs and kept the ones that stayed mostly horizontal and gave the verticals to the dogs.  We didn't have any "floaters" this time, but they would have been tossed FAR, FAR away out of smell distance.

    I had some leftover homegrown, grass fed brisket with BBQ sauce and gelatin and some failed potato lasagna (using potatoes instead of noodles).  I used the fat off the brisket to sauté some onion and chopped the meat and potato dish into bite size pieces.  I added the meat/potatoes to the pan and when they were hot added the eggs.  I think basil and tomato based sauces have this "understanding" that they always taste good together.  I added some sprinkles of basil and red pepper flakes for color.  I cooked on medium low, covered.  After 5 minutes, I turned the stove off and let sit for another 5 minutes.  Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the eggs...mine were pretty thick.

Tuesday Twister 
Zero Food Waste Challenge

The Ultimate Bedtime Snack - A Mocha by the Hearth

There is nothing better than a warm mug of mocha  right before bed.  Sweet, rich goodness to nourish the body as it repairs itself from the stress of the day.


The hearth...in my case a soapstone topped wood stove...is perfect for slowly warming the milk.


Making a batch of cocoa separate from the coffee allows for customizing. Some like coffee with a hint of chocolate, some a hint of coffee in their chocolate.
I like a half and half blend.


Don't forget the gelatin in the coffee.  Gelatin is high in glysine and "Glycine is recognized as an “inhibitory” neurotransmitter, and promotes natural sleep."    http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/gelatin.shtml


Consume your beverage with a little homemade cream of tartar (potassium) capsule and magnesium and you have it made.

Hearth and Soul Hop
Whole Foods for the Holidays

Cream of Leftover Soup

Ingredients:

Leftovers
Gelatin
Fresh Cream/Milk
Unrefined sea salt/Seasoning
Coconut Oil


I had some leftover diced potatoes with ketchup, mustard and salt already on them. (My seasoning!)  I sliced a single brat sausage (custom processed from a milk fed pig) into bite size pieces.  I heated them up in a pan with the oil.  The sausage had already been cooked in coconut oil and there was extra oil that had solidified when the sausage was stored.  I added the gelatin (a TBS per 1/4 lb of meat at least) and some cream/milk to cover.  When it was hot enough to eat, but not too hot as to kill the enzymes in the cream/milk, I added some extra salt to taste and served with a few apple slices on the side. It was a surprisingly big hit!

An alternative would be to dice the apples small and serve IN the soup.

Simple Lives Thursday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Zero Food Waste Challenge
Real Food Wednesday

Herb Toss! (or making bone broth)

I normally make broth with just bones, onion tops, a few glugs of ACV, unrefined salt and water to cover.  In addition to bones available from processing an animal, I save my bones from meals and onions top/skins in the freezer.  It's the connective tissue and the stuff INSIDE the bones that adds gelatin to the broth.

I decided to clean out the "cupboard" a bit today.  I tossed in older carrots that were never going to get eaten, some celery seed from who knows when, some dried parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

It sure looks pretty!  This is when it is just coming to a boil.  Right after taking a picture, I turned the stove way down to just above the lowest setting and covered.  it will cook for about 12-24 hours or when I get around to straining it.

UPDATE:  Here's the final result, 24 hours later.







Tuesday Twister
Hearth and Soul Blog Hop

Fresh Apple and Fruit Dip

Fruit Dip: Water, Gelatin, Cane Sugar, Cream of Tartar, Unrefined Salt, Vanilla Extract, Coconut Oil, Cream, Milk

I started out making a marshmallow creme sauce and then just started adding things. I dissolved a large eating spoon's worth of gelatin in about 1/3 cup of water, then added about 1/2-3/4 cup of sugar and about 2-3 tsp of cream of tartar with a few gratings of finely ground salt.  I melted on the next to lowest setting on my stove while stirring periodically.  I continued to cook and stir for a few minutes after the sugar was totally dissolved.

Thinking I was done, I added a dash of vanilla.  It occurred to me to sneak some coconut oil in and added a small glop of coconut oil, about 2 TBS or so.  I turned the burner off and continued stirring to aid in the cooling.  Then I thought it could use some cream to help keep the coconut oil blended in.  When it was still warm, but I could hold my hand to the side of the pan (to not cook the natural enzymes in the dairy), I stirred in some fresh cream and milk....about 4-5 gravy ladles worth.  The color comes from the unbleached sugar and the ramekin is holding a little less than half the mix.

We were a tad impatient to taste it, so started eating when it was a thick sauce consistency.  It cooled to a more custard like consistency.

Whole Foods for the Holidays
Gluten Free Wednesdays
Dip Blog Hop

Olive Oil Giveaway

I like olive oil for a few things, but use coconut oil for just about everything else.  However, this description caught my eye:

"The olives are hand harvested late in the season producing an oil with a mild, buttery flavor rather than the typical sharp, grassy flavor of store bought olive oil. "

Who could pass up buttery flavored extra virgin olive oil?

Olive Oil Giveaway

P.S. I had to disable my ad blocker to see the link.

Pan Fried Potatoes

Pan Fried Potatoes

diced potatoes
coconut oil
small onion, sliced or diced (optional)
egg (optional)
maple syrup (optional)
unrefined salt to taste

Heat a generous amount of oil in a wide pan. Add onions, if using.  Sauté.  Dice up the potatoes to fill the pan single layer.  Stir to coat potatoes in oil.  Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes on "egg" temperature or medium low.  Uncover and "flip" potatoes with a spatula...or at least un-stick them from the bottom of the pan.  Cover and cook for another 7-8 minutes.  Add an egg or two, if desired,  to the pan and stir.  Turn off heat and cover.  Egg will be done by the time you call everyone to table.  Salt to taste.  The potatoes should be "melt in your mouth" soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.  If you used onions, you can drizzle with a little maple syrup too to balance the sugars. 

Blue Cherry Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup OG sweet cherries
1 cup wild blueberries
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8-1/4 tsp almond extract
1/8-1/4 tsp unrefined salt or trace minerals
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or shavings (optional)
3 cups or so freshly ladled cream

I use a wide mouth quart jar to mix my ice cream ingredients.

Place all the ingredients in the jar except the cream, then fill the jar with cream.  Shake.  You can make right away or leave the mix in the fridge 24 hours for the freezer bowl to freeze and the flavors to meld.  Makes a very pretty ice cream.

Mint Chip Ice Cream

One of my favorite ice creams is peppermint-stick ice cream.  I don't eat it anymore due to the HFCS in the peppermint sticks...the bright red/pink food coloring probably isn't the best either.

This is my approximation of what I think it should taste like.

1 quart of freshly skimmed cream/milk
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
1 cup cane sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Mix the first 3 ingredients in the ice cream maker until desired consistency. Add the chips at the end.

Take a little cream of tartar (potassium) on the side and you're good to go.

If you backed off the peppermint extract, you could probably back off the sugar too.  I liked it strong,  It was a bit much for those in the family that didn't really care for peppermint stick ice cream to begin with.

Monday Mania

Orange Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I modified this from the Joy of Cooking.

Mix in ice cream maker until slushy:
3 cups freshly ladled cream/milk
1-1.5 cups sugar
1-2 TBS cream of tartar

Add:
1.25 cups Orange Juice
1-2 tsp gelatin (optional)

Add at end:
.5 cups dark chocolate chips (Optional)

If you wanted to sneak some gelatin in, you could mix a teaspoon or two into the OJ ahead of time, heat it until dissolved and chill.

Maple Onion "Pie"

or "How to eat the same thing over and over and yet try to make it interesting."  

We eat a LOT of potatoes now a days.

Ingredients:
Shredded potatoes
Small onion, shredded
Munster cheese
Real Maple syrup
coconut oil
unrefined sea salt

Coat the bottom and sides with a heavy layer of coconut oil.  Added potatoes and salt heavily.  Shred cheese (I used Munster, but any white cheese will do) and onion together and layer on top.  Drizzle lightly with maple syrup.  Maple syrup is NOT cheap, but helps balance the sugars in the onion.  Maple syrup is higher in glucose than fructose, onions are higher in fructose than glucose.  If you don't have it available, better to substitute a little cane sugar or leave it out than use honey.

BAKE at 350* for an hour or so.  Cooking time varies on how thick you layer the potatoes.

This is nice drizzled with apple cider or red wine vinegar...even Ketchup Boy thinks so.

Gluten Free Wednesday 
Ingredient Spotlight: Onions

Savory Potato "Pie"

Savory Potato "Pie"

Ingredients:
Shredded potatoes
Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
Red pepper flakes AKA Crushed red pepper
Unrefined Sea Salt
Coconut Oil

Slather coconut oil along the sides and bottom of a round casserole or pie dish.  Put a little salt on the bottom on the dish.  Add a layer of shredded potatoes.  Add a sprinkling of red pepper and more salt. Repeat as needed to fill dish to the top. Add shredded cheese for top layer.  It's ok if it mounds as the whole thing will shrink as it cooks.  Bake at 350* for 1 hour.  Let sit for about 15 minutes, cut into "slices" and serve.  Makes great leftovers, a "slice" reheats at 300* in about 15-20 minutes.

Fried Mashed Potatoes

Fried mashed potatoes sprinkled with freshly ground salt

Something rare and wonderful happened the other day...we had LEFTOVER mashed potatoes!

This particular batch of mashed potatoes was made with potatoes, salt and freshly skimmed cream. I wasn't very careful in my skimming...I am sure it was more of a half and half mix.

I heated my pan with a thick layer of coconut oil to "egg" temperature, a medium low.  Using a serving spoon, I glopped out individual patties of potatoes and browned.  It only took a few minutes per side.  I used a metal spatula to unstick and serve the patties.  I enjoyed mine drizzled in apple cider vinegar and extra salt.  Large volumes of non HFCS ketchup works too...I am told.

Simple Lives Thursday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday 
Fight Back Friday 
Monday Mania

Keeping a Family Cow Calendar 2011 Available Now

My cows are the August fashion plates. 

Keeping a Family Cow 2011 Calendar

Proceeds from the calendar help keep the forum ad free...and pay for the actual calendar too, of course.



 

Coconut Green Tomato Curry

Take your left over green tomato stew and add a coconut milk, pineapple, green curry and extra basil and salt to taste.  Warms the bones on these brisk fall evenings.  I think I may like it even better than the stew...the coconut milk balances the sweet tart so well.

Posting for Fight Back Friday
Monday Mania

Green Tomato Stew

Ingredients
1 large glop of coconut oil
1 glug of ACV
1 pound of stew meat
1 small onion
4 TBS sucanat
1 tsp cream of tartar
4 TBS gelatin
green tomatoes, diced
4 potatoes shredded, hash brown style
handful of salt, to taste
basil (optional)

Before frost, (or in our case, a freeze), pick the tomatoes that are left in the garden.  Throw it all in a slow cooker on low and let it cook for the day.  The tomatoes provide the broth.  Enjoy!

Pennywise Platter Thursday 
The Ultimate Soup Recipe List

Ice Cream Making Setback

Strawberry/Blackberry Ice Cream

Not 5 minutes after I said, "Don't break it." it was broken. 

Our ice cream making marathon has come to a screeching halt.

Those plastic paddles were just not made to turn in freezer hard ice cream.

 What you see here is what is left of  strawberry ice cream with blackberries picked at our local u-pick.  We use a rice paddle to scoop with, works wonderfully for what is normally more of a soft serve textured ice cream.  This was a second batch of the same mix and the canister wasn't quite cold enough to firm it up enough...so we stuck it in the freezer.  It was supposed to be temporary.  I'd been doing it all weekend long with great success.  I was told it was hard to turn, but didn't actually look at it myself.....




It tastes wonderful...severe rationing is in order.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Tuesday Twister

Coffee Ice Cream

Coffee Ice Cream
(modified from the "Joy of Cooking"***)

1/2 cup strong coffee ( I used an OG Kona blend...on sale, of course)
1.5 cups sugar
1/2 tsp unrefined salt

dissolve and let cool a bit

2  beaten fresh eggs
2.5 cups fresh whole milk
1 cup fresh cream
1 tsp vanilla

add slightly cooled coffee mix slowly to cold cream mix while stirring

chill over night  and churn in a well chilled ice cream maker

Garnish with shaved chocolate, if desired

Exquisite!


(***It takes work to keep a cow for fresh milk and chickens for eggs...why ruin that with scalding and such?)


Monday Mania

Strawberry Ice Cream

We are finally getting the cream from our cow...now that her heifer is gone.  Extra cream in our household means ICE CREAM!

Strawberry Ice Cream
(adapted from the "Joy of Cooking")

1 quart strawberries
1 cup cane sugar
2 TBS cream of tartar
1/4-1/2 tsp unrefined salt
4 cups fresh cream


Chill mixture overnight, shaking periodically to mix up sugar and spread strawberry flavor.  This recipe makes 2 batches in my manual canister ice cream maker.  It was incredible decadent and yummy.

Fight Back Friday

New England Style Clam Chowder

What do you do when the cow is producing an abundance of milk?     Make chowda!

 I originally learned to make chowder from my handy dandy OLD "Joy of Cooking" book.  I haven't checked it in a while, I don't know how closely I follow the recipe anymore.

Ingredients:
Homegrown Bacon or Salt Pork
Coconut Oil
Potatoes
Clams
Gelatin
Unrefined Sea Salt
Fresh, whole milk
Pepper (optional)

A friend of mine used to raise a couple pigs a year on clabbered milk and we would trade for grass fed beef.  We have a stash we are hoarding in the freezer....but when the bacon is gone, it's gone, as I won't eat commercial pork if I can help it.  We do enjoy the good stuff while we've got it though.

Cut the bacon into "bite size" pieces.  I usually just tear it up by hand by twisting the slices as a group.  Crisp the bacon in the coconut oil, then add diced potatoes.  I like to use the juice from the clams to cook the potatoes in.  The liquid doesn't have to cover the potatoes if you cook with a lid.  Cook until tender.  Add the clams, salt and gelatin and stir.  We use at least a TBS of gelatin per 1/4 lb of bacon.  Turn the burner off and add milk right before serving.  Correct the salt and add pepper if using.

We are big fans of leftover chowder, so this batch was about a cup of oil, 1 lb + of bacon, a half a pan of potatoes,  a 28 oz can of clams, 5-6 TBS gelatin, 2 handfuls of course salt, 1/2 gallon of milk from a few nights ago and I just peppered my individual bowl of chowder.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Simple Lives Thursday 
Whole Foods for the Holidays

"Hot" Chocolate

I'd be hard pressed to think of anything more cozy and satisfying on a cold morning than a cup of real hot chocolate....except maybe real hot chocolate with a large glob of whipped cream.

Allow for 1 cup of fresh milk per person, but only make what you will use immediately...it doesn't carry over well, in my opinion.



Ingredients:
Fresh Milk
Cocoa powder
OG Sugar or sucanat
Salt
Vanilla


If you are meticulous, you can measure the dry ingredients exactly and mix together until fairly smooth, then add to the milk.  If you are like me, you will just eyeball it, tossing straight into the milk and call it good.  I use 1 part cocoa powder to 2 parts sugar...mostly because it's easier to remember that way.  I add a small pinch of salt for one or 2 glasses and a large, 3 finger pinch for anything above that. Heat at "egg" temperature, a low medium heat and whisk until the cocoa is melted into the milk.  You don't HAVE to use a whisk but it really, really makes it easier and go faster.  Add vanilla at the end.  Watch out for extra ingredients like HFCS in the vanilla.  It's done when the side of the pot feels comfy in your hand.  Any more than that will kill the enzymes in the milk.  

Simple Lives Thursday
Fight Back Friday

Freezer "Fudge"

I modified a friend's recipe for "healthy chocolate" to make this:


Freezer "Fudge"

1 cup coconut oil
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ cup cane sugar
2 TBS Gelatin
1 cup cocoa powder 
2 tsp. pure vanilla
1/2 -1 tsp unrefined sea salt



Melt coconut oil and maple syrup together on low heat.  Mix dry ingredients together and add to pan and stir until smooth.  Add vanilla and stir.

Pour into a greased, wide and shallow pan like a lasagne pan or broiler pan.  Spread evenly. Chill in the freezer for about an hour.  Slice and enjoy.  I forgot to grease my pan but used a metal spatula for scraping up off the bottom.  Wonderfully decadent with a nice "bite."  Actually.......reminds me of a tootsie roll.


.

Spicy Oyster Chowder

Spicy Oyster Chowder
Diced Potatoes
Broth
Coconut Oil
Onion (optional)
Tomatoes with Green Chilis
Oysters
Gelatin
Unrefined Salt
Sugar/Cream of Tartar mix
Mushrooms (Optional)

I used a couple handfuls of potatoes, 1 small onion, what was left of some broth from the back of the fridge,  a large glop of oil, 2 cans of tomatoes (Best Choice brand doesn't use BPA lining), 2 cans of oysters, a handful of unground salt, 4 TBS of gelatin and 10 TBS of sugar with 5 tsp of cream of tartar.  I was feeling a little off so added a LOT more sugar than I usually do....my liver needed it.  There are no rules here, just use what you have on hand and what pleases your eye.


Cook potatoes in broth until tender, add onions if using.  Add all other ingredients and sweeten to taste.   Slow simmer for about 15 minutes. Chowder lends itself to leftovers as the flavors meld over time.  You can substitute clams or whatever for the oysters, but oysters are a good source of copper as their blood is copper based instead of iron based.

Fight Back Friday 
Ultimate Recipe Swap 
Heart and Soul Hop
Gluten Free Wednesdays 
The Ultimate Soup Recipe List

Mexican Sour Gherkins

First harvest of the Mexican Sour Gherkin

This is the first year I've planted these...well, any gherkin, for that matter.  I've had the seeds for a while, bought them at Baker Creek a few years ago.  I finally got around to planting them because I wanted to make pickles and liked the idea of not having to cut them.

I planted late and really didn't think they would ever come up.  I spent a long time thinking I had pulled them by accident, confusing them with a weed. When they finally did grow, they grew up the cattle panel, across the panel and back and forth a few times.  Very prolific foliage!

These have taken much longer than 70 days to harvest as this is October and we've just had 2 nights of "almost" frost.  There's a little damage to the leaves at the very top, but there's more plump fruit than there were a few days ago too.  I suspect our marathon, week after week heat wave may have arrested the development of the fruit...or fried them.

I am hoping the cold of the past few days was a glitch and we can have a nice fall and prolonged harvest.  There are a lot of immature fruit on the vines right now.  Next year I would like to grow them on an arbor (bent cattle panel) so the fruit hang down away from the leaves for easier picking.  They are much smaller then the leaves and hide very well.  Sure are pretty though.....

I took what few gherkins I had and mixed with some vinegar, salt, sugar and cream of tartar.  I am not sure how long to wait for refrigerator pickles...maybe just as long as you can stand it, I guess.

Tuesday Twister

Thai Style Potato Soup

Thai Style Potato Soup
Potatoes and/or Sweet Potatoes 
Pineapple
Coconut Milk
Broth
Shrimp (optional)
Gelatin
Basil (optional)
Unrefined Salt
Green/Red Curry paste
Dried Mangoes (optional)
Sucanat/Rapadura (optional)
Cream of Tartar (optional)


Cut up the potatoes, place in pan and cooked covered in broth.  When potatoes are tender add pineapple, mangoes (if you have them, fresh or frozen would work too) coconut milk, salt and curry paste.  Be careful with the paste, a little goes a long way.  Add gelatin, basil and sweeten to taste.  Extra sugar will help cut the "burn" if you've added too much curry.  Use approximately 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar per tablespoon of sugar.  Add the shrimp at the very end, if you use it, when the burner is already turned off.  They will be done before you can fetch the bowls for serving.

Hearth and Soul Hop 
Gluten Free Wednesday 
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Grinding Salt

I buy my unrefined sea salt in bulk....cheap.  It's not ground and an average size piece can be the size of an eraser on the back end of a pencil.  I was grinding it in my suribachi or mortle and pestle, but it was SLOW.

I decided to invest in a salt mill with a ceramic grinder as I have read they hold up better to "wet" salt.  I chose the Kyocera brand because it got good reviews.  The "white" fine grinder is ok for a pinch or dash of salt, but a little slow for the volume we usually need.  The "yellow" course grinder is wonderful and we can salt our potatoes in just a few turns.

It helps tremendously to prevent caking to NOT grind over steaming food, but to instead, grind into the cap and then sprinkle over the food.  I think the black adjustable grinder might be a good choice as well, but it had mixed reviews as to the ease of adjusting the grind.  Based on my experience with these, next on my WISH LIST is the coffee mill with ceramic grinders for large batches.

Tuesday Twister
Pennywise Platter Thursday 
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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes (with skin)

Potatoes
Butter
Coconut Oil
Garlic
Salt
Pepper

The potatoes I used were a bit "dusty", so they got a thorough scrubbing before insertion into the Cuisinart.  I chose the smallest ones so I could fit two in the slot and keep them upright...and therefore no cutting necessary.  I wasn't sure they would cook well because I just dumped them in the steamer without separating stuck together pieces.  Worked fine.  While the potatoes were cooking, I slowly melted what was left of a stick of butter with about 4 small cloves of garlic sliced about 1/8" thick.  The idea is to soak the garlic in the warm butter, not really cook it.  I find this method brings out the sweetness in the garlic.  I added the coconut oil, less than half plus some salt and pepper to the butter.  When the potatoes were done, I emptied the water from the bottom pan and poured in the butter.  I added the potatoes and mashed with a wire masher and added a lot more salt.  Fabulous!  

For a little variety, I made an indentation with my fork as for gravy and added a little apple cider vinegar.  Added a little sweet tart to it reminiscent of potato salad, but more subtle.

Since potatoes have a small amount of egg quality protein, this is a complete, balanced and inexpensive meal all by itself.

Pennywise Platter Thursday 
Frugal Friday

Coffee

A little coffee with my milk!

Coffee is GOOD for you....fully caffeinated in all it's glory.
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/caffeine.shtml

Baked Cheesy Potato Shreds

It was another wet and dreary day and I was in a hurry.  I shredded some potatoes and pepper jack cheese in the Cuisinart  all together and poured some coconut oil in the baking dish.  I added the shreds to the dish and kind of tossed it around like a salad...to mix the oil in and to disperse the cheese a little more evenly.  I forgot to add salt....it did need it.
The dish was filled to the top before I stuck it in the toaster oven at 300*F for an hour.  We went and did other things for a while, so I am not sure how long it sat, cooling.  As you can see, it did reduce by about a third.
I LOVE this dish!  It took 2 minutes to prep and didn't need my presence to cook.

Fight Back Friday

Ooh applesauce...or is it pie filling?

Applesauce with Nectarines

This is my FIRST attempt at canning...looks good, doesn't it?

I followed the guidelines from here:
How to Make Homemade Applesauce
We like chunky in our household, so I decided to skip the grinding part, left the peels on, and fed the cores to the chickens.

Ingredients:

Coconut Oil 
10 lbs Nectarines
10 lbs Pristine Apples
10 lbs Ginger Gold Apples
Sucanat/Cream of Tartar Mix 
(1/4 tsp CT/TBS sugar)
Unrefined Sea Salt

Yield: 8 1/2 quarts

I put oil on the bottom of the pot to cover and prevent scorching.  I don't know that it was necessary, but I like to sneak it in where possible.  I filled the pot, with room to stir,  and set it on low with the lid on and went and did other things.  When it was mushy, we had some for lunch.  I just mixed in a little gelatin for protein and....viola...a complete meal.  WOW! Exquisitely yummy!  Totally NOT like anything store bought.

After lunch and with renewed motivation, I started filling jars.  I put it in my HOT jars from the dishwasher and placed them in the canner. My first batch only filled 3 jars.  My second batch filled 5 jars.  I had expected twice that amount...at least.  I suspect I may have cooked a lot of the water out.  I will  be having another go today with the rest of fruit.  I intend to have these on hand for emergency food....either the  "I'm hungry RIGHT NOW" type of emergency or the "power's out during an ice storm" emergency.  It mixes hot or cold with gelatin and can be reheated easily on the wood stove.

1 jar didn't seal due to too much space from the looks of it.  We were FORCED to eat that jar right away....with extra coconut oil and gelatin. Butter would work too.  Theses were store bought OG apples, picked under done.  I am so looking forward to tree ripened apples.

Two for Tuesdays
Tuesday Twister
Pennywise Platter Thursday
Simple Lives Thursday
CANNING WEEK 2011

Milestone

I had to tighten the band on my watch by one notch this morning...it was so loose, it was dangling like a bracelet.

Scalloped Potatoes

Today was a dismal and soggy day...over 9 inches of rain!  The creek was as full as it could be without going over its banks.  I craved hot, slow cooked, comfort food.  Here's what I chose to make:

Ingredients
Potatoes
Cheese
Milk
Butter and coconut oil
Salt 
Pepper

I sliced 3 medium potatoes in the food processor, then grated about 8 oz of  Munster and a little Parmesan type hard cheese.  After a heavy coating of the sides and bottom of the baking dish with coconut oil, I layered the mix of potatoes and cheese.  I ground some salt and pepper over the top, added about 1 cup of milk (what was left in the jar) and dotted with thin slices of butter, about 1-2 TBS.  I baked it in my toaster oven at 300* for an hour.  It sat for 15 minutes before our digging in.

This would be a good use for older or clabbered raw milk.

We didn't have any leftovers.

Simple Lives Thursday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday

Blackberries and Sour Cream

 We managed to pick a few gallons of blackberries this year from the local u-pick.  We ate some and froze the rest.  Blackberries don't lend themselves to our usual "berries & milk" dish like strawberries do.  The milk makes them taste bland for some reason.   They are enhanced, on the other hand, by sour cream.

Ingredients:

Fresh or frozen blackberries
Real sour cream (should only have 1 ingredient)
Cane sugar (whole cane lends a nice caramel flavor)
Cream of tartar
Pinch of unrefined salt

Mix the sugar and cream of tartar together 1/4 tsp to 1 TBS of sugar and the salt.  Sprinkle over the berries  with a dollop of sour cream or mix with sour cream  and mix into berries like a fruit salad.  I used equal parts sugar to sour cream, about 2 TBS of each for a cup of berries.  Fabulous!

This post part of Two for Tuesday Real Food Blog Hop,   Tuesday Twister

Beauty, Simplicity, Sustainability........an Orchid

Another new beginning....

My mother gave this to me about 5 years ago.  The first year I think it had a single flower and fit in its pot quite nicely.  As you can see, it will have 4 blooms on one stalk this year.  What you may not see is the other buds forming on the "leaf" in the back right of the picture.  I am eagerly anticipating the continuous display.

I've never had an orchid live over a year before, much less actually rebloom.  This sits in the "dead" space behind my kitchen sink.  The window on the left faces south, the window on the right faces west.  I have heavy duty, cream colored duette (double hexagon) shades on both windows which help reduce the sun in the summer and slow the cold air flow in the winter.  We open the windows when we can, but this summer has been a marathon of continuous hot and humid weather.  I water when I remember...usually when I see wrinkled leaves. I mist in the winter, but rarely water, with my little old fashioned brass mister.  It gives a very fine spray.  I leave dirty dishes in my sink for too long too often.  (That must be the secret, yes?)  I did purchase some fertilizer one year after I realized it wasn't going to die on me. It's still sitting in the basement in the bag it came in.  Now, I'm afraid to use it for fear of messing it up.  I think it's happy, what do you think?

Sept 5th 2010

UPDATE:  Here it is, one stalk in full bloom...glorious!

Cold Cocktail (antiviral)

At the first hint of a cold or flu or if you know you're going to get exposed to something...airplane, sick kids etc.

Mix 2 TBS ACV (apple cider vinegar) with a little water or juice and add 1/2-1 tsp baking soda and drink immediately....while still bubbling.  Do this 4x/day the first day, 3x/day the second and 2x, then 1x per day until kicked.  Don't stop just because you feel better or you can relapse, finish the cycle.  Kinda like antibiotics, continue for a few days after symptoms are gone.

I did this myself when I had a cough/deep lung thing starting.  I didn't care for the taste unless I used a little maple syrup, but it worked wonderfully!


Oh...and use a TALL glass.... ;)


UPDATE:
This worked well for cold sores too.
I've started taking some once/day (sometimes in the middle of the night) just because.  I think it's helping keep my core body temperature up.

Pennywise Platter Thursday
Simple Lives Thursday 
Home Remedies Carnival

Gone off the deep end.....homemade laundry soap

I haven't purchased laundry detergent in YEARS.  I am just now reaching the bottom of 2 boxes of commercial size laundry detergent.  Yeah, that's a lot of loads.

I have read about people making their own soap for a while now, but have just not been interested.  I didn't see the point and didn't quite realize just how significant the savings really was.  I like my current brand, it is biodegradeable, it works, it's cheaper than store bought.  Most "natural" cleaning products I had experience with in the past were...disappointing...to put it nicely.  However, this year is different...cash flow is a challenge, so my priorities have undergone some readjustment.

After doing some research, it turns out I already had all the ingredients I needed to try it...no "flow" necessary....a good thing!

Grating by hand...about 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 or 2 parts soap 

1 part baking soda

1 part Borax (optional)

That's it.  

I used 1/2 cup of hand grated Kirk's castille soap about 1 quarter of the bar or 1 oz, because that's what I had in the cupboard.  I would have used more, but I got tired of grating.  You can use a food processor if you have one, just cut or slice it into smaller pieces first.  The soap is the most expensive ingredient here, so use what is available in your area and is compatible with your skin/nose needs....or homemade, if you've got it.  Avoid soaps with added moisturizers and such as they can leave spots on clothing.

I added about a 1/2 cup of Arm & Hammer "Rumen Buffer" (larger granule baking soda) and 1/2 cup of  20 Mule Team Borax that I had on hand as a supplemental fertilizer.  I decided that there wasn't enough difference between washing soda and baking soda to warrant buying it special.  Apparently, you can convert baking soda to washing soda by heating the baking soda.  Maybe it would make a difference if I only washed in cold water?

Finished product...24-48 loads!

I estimated the cost of the baking soda (50 lb bag from the feed store) at $.05, the borax at less than $.25 and the soap at $.32 for the batch.  I don't remember how much I paid for the borax and soap, so I guessed and rounded up.  The recommended dose is 1-2 tablespoons per load, so a 1 1/2 cup batch is $.62 for 24 or 48 loads or $.013-$.026 per load.

I wanted something that actually WORKED, not just something cheap or "natural," so I tested this on my toughest stuff first...the barn clothes!  I loaded my front loader with 2 pair of overalls (one dirty stiff and one with buck stink) plus my barn washcloths and other assorted rags.  I washed in warm water with a cold water rinse.  I used 1 rounded TBS of soap and my "softener" dispenser holds about 2 TBS of vinegar.  I used a rounded TBS because I didn't have anything to scrap the top with...since it didn't come out of a box.

The laundry came out at least as clean as my other stuff, so definitely takes the dirt out.  I will have to pay attention if I wash anything with blood or milk....since there no "enzyme" action.  Who knows, maybe that's just marketing?

If you want to make liquid soap, you can use the same ingredients plus heated water.  This blog has great step by step pictures.

UPDATE: I was at the local grocery store today and checked pricing on Washing Soda and Fels Naptha soap. Washing soda was 5x the price of the baking soda and the Fels Naptha was the same as the Kirk's but was a slightly bigger bar and had a VERY strong odor.

This post part of
Simple Lives Thursday 
Make It From Scratch

Potatoes anyway you like...as long as they're FRIED

Diced, fried potatoes

We're finally expecting a break from this weeks long heat wave.  It was a little cooler this morning than it's been in a while, only 76*, so fried potatoes are coming back to the menu.

To say that we like potatoes in our house, would be an understatement.  We like them fried, mashed, hot, cold, baked, scalloped, fried, sliced, diced, fried...you get the picture.

I used to think they were junky, of little nutritional value....like Wonder bread.  I was wrong.  According to www.nutritiondata.com, a potato has a complete protein profile, like an egg.  A large potato will have 7.5 grams of protein, a large egg has 6.3 grams of protein.  Add some good fat, like coconut oil, butter,  or sour cream and you have a complete meal all by itself.  (A sweet potato is lower in lysine and not quite as balanced.)

The wonderful thing about potatoes is they are so versatile.  You can make fried potatoes, french fries or potatoes chips just by changing the way you cut the potato and varying the length of frying time.   I use a SS wok with a narrow base and wide mouth.  It needs a slightly higher temp (MED) than if you used a larger burner. (MED/LOW)  Coconut oil lends itself to crispiness without high heat. When I am done frying and have scooped out all the food, I let it cool, cover with a lid and just set it aside for the next time.  I can reuse it over and over without it going rancid.

For fried potatoes, you can heat the coconut oil while dicing or slicing the potato into bite size pieces. Starting temperature of the oil is flexible...just cook until tender and add a good, unrefined salt.  I'm partial to a larger grind on my fried potatoes.

For french fries cut lengthwise to whatever thickness you prefer. Make sure the oil is already at temp before adding the potatoes CAREFULLY.  When they float, they are done.  Remove with a wide, flat, strainer  and add salt to taste.

For potato chips, slice very thin.  We've used a potato peeler quite successfully.  The end result was almost identical to a "Kettle Chip" brand potato chip.  Add salt to taste.  There's is no picture because if I left the room to get my camera, they would be GONE!

ENJOY!....and don't forget to CHEW!

This post part of
Make it Yourself Monday 
Two for Tuesdays 
Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
Tempt My Tummy
Real Food Wednesday 
Gluten-Free Wednesdays
Pennywise Platter Thursday