Home-made Bread

My daughter asked me the other day for my bread recipe.  She knows I do not use a recipe and have simply made my bread according to how many loaves I need.  Do I need enough bread to make a ham- roll with onions and cream cheese and another couple of loaves, or am I wanting to make home-made hamburger buns, or just enough loaves for a couple of weeks?  Depending on the amount of bread needed, I use a large sauce pan full of water for several loaves, or a smaller sauce pan of water for just a couple of loaves.  Anyway here I will try to  narrow down my process.

Generally I begin by making a sponge:

In a large sauce pan gently heat cold tap water to around 110 degrees. 

For a large batch of bread use 6 cups of water, I estimate using 1-2 cups of water per loaf of bread wanted: 2 loaves 3-4 cups water etc. (Scalded milk can also be used instead of the water). 

Add yeast to warmed water,  I use the ratio of 1 tbs. of yeast per 1-2 cups of water. Sprinkle just a little sugar into the yeast to feed it.

In a large bowl, place 2-3 cups of flour,(I use half wheat and half un-bleached flour), 1/4 cup honey  and 1/2 cup melted butter or 1/4 cup olive oil.

The olive oil is added to bread I will be using for a more savory bread: toasted sandwiches, grilled cheese or croutons.  Butter is used for bread that  will be used for making toast with jam or honey. 

Usually when I use water I use olive oil.  When I use scalded milk, I use butter.

When the yeast is bubbly pour into the flour mixture and stir well with a wire whisk.

Cover and let sit for an hour.

Now stir down the sponge and begin to add your flour.  If you desire a denser bread add an egg, add a couple for a large batch.

When the dough is still sticky but holding together, take out of the bowl and put it on a floured counter.  Knead the dough adding in enough flour (again I use a half wheat mix) to make a firm, slightly sticky, dough.  Do not add too much flour or your loaves will be dry!

Knead for 10 minutes or more.

Bubbly Sponge

OLIVE OIL/ WATER BREAD is baked on a flat baking sheet covered with oil and corn meal.  I also put oil on the top of the bread along with seasonings of choice.  When I am adding fresh herbs, vegetables, or cheeses to a bread I always use the olive oil bread. Omit the honey for a savory bread.

BUTTER, SCALDED MILK AND EGG BREAD is also good to use for cinnamon rolls,  dinner rolls, or other sweet breads.

Hopefully this has given you some useful information.  I will give you the best tip I have come across in my years of making bread.  The best method I have discovered for kneading bread is to use an extra large (dish or metal) pan to make the bread in.  When you are ready to begin kneading your bread dough, leave it in the large bowl and place a towel on the kitchen floor. Place the bowl on the towel.  Kneel down by the bowl. The kitchen counter is a little high for me and I discovered that by lowering the bowl to the floor, it was so much easier to knead.

Delicious Savory Crepes

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chives from the garden

 are added to this easy crepe batter.

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbs. melted butter

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

whisk until smooth

add chopped chives 

2-3 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese 

let rest for 30 minutes before cooking.

Pour 1/4 cup of batter on griddle.

 lift pan and swirl the batter into a circle.

Makes 8 crepes.

\

Cook on an oiled, well seasoned, cast iron griddle until golden brown on both sides.

I filled the crepes with fresh spinach from the greenhouse, shredded smoked salmon, sauteed mushrooms, toasted slivered almonds, and dressed with Greek dressing.

Add scrambled eggs for a hearty breakfast.

DELICIOUS!

Apples, Apples, Apples

Hopefully you were able to harvest apples this fall.  If you do not grow your own, seek out farmers in your area who grow organically.  The following recipe suggestions use unpeeled apples.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a cast iron skillet.  Add several unpeeled, apples  chopped into large pieces.  Add  1 tablespoon of water and 1/2 cup of raw or brown sugar.  Cook until apples are soft. This is a good recipe to use cellar apples that are going soft. 

Serve over home-made whole wheat pancakes add a drizzle of pure maple syrup.  YUMM!!!!
Here's a hint for making the store bought pancake batter taste like home-made.  For every cup of pancake mix add 1 cup of whole wheat flour.  Add an egg and buttermilk, you can use soured  milk , or try this, add 2 Tbs. vinegar per 1 cup milk, adding the vinegar will make it curdle.  Cook on a hot cast iron griddle for best results,

BOTTLED APPLES

 I use smaller apples for bottling.  Simply cut unpeeled apples in quarters.  Remove the core and seeds.  Cook until heated in a large kettle adding just enough syrup (water/sugar ratio) to keep them from sticking to the bottom. When thoroughly heated through, place in quart jars and add your favorite heated syrup mix.  I  use a light syrup mixture.  Process in a hot water bath canner according to the time recommended for peaches.  These apples are great right out of the jar, or heat them with a splash of the bottled juice for a quick pancake topping, we also enjoy blending them lightly in a food processor to make a chunky applesauce.  Add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.
Freeze the syrup from your bottled fruits in Popsicle molds or ice cube trays for a refreshing snack, try adding the cubes to smoothies.
When raising my family, over a 1000 quarts of produce would be bottled every year.  I found that leaving the peelings on Pears, Nectarines, and Apples saved so much time.  (purchase/use only organic, un-sprayed fruit)  My kids didn't know that bottled Pears were peeled before bottling until they went away to college!

This is the best apple pie you will ever eat!

GRANNY CRICKET'S
APPLE PIE

Make your favorite pie crust recipe and place in a 9 inch pie pan.
 (I prefer ceramic or glass pans)
Core and slice apples, but do not peel! (use un-sprayed)
In a large bowl place apples, 4 heaping tbs. flour, about 1/2 cup brown sugar, a tsp. of cinnamon and 5 Tbs. butter cut into small pieces.  Stir well until apples are coated.  
 Now add a handful or two of  Walnut halves, crush slightly before adding.  I also add some raisins.  Pour apples into the pie pan,  I fill it high above the rim.  Place pie shell over top, crimp edges, and cut vent holes.  Wash the crust with an egg white mixed with a bit of water and sprinkle sugar over top.  Bake until crust is golden, about 40 mins. at 350.

QUICK VEGE PICKLES

Gather a variety of veges from your garden.

I have beans, peas, carrots, radish pods, peas, broccoli, green tomatoes, and peppers.

Wash well.

Use the vinegar brine from purchased pickle jars, or your use your own favorite brine recipe. Simply add your vegetables and put in the refrigerator for several weeks.  To hurry the process along, add heated brine.  Keep refrigerated and use within a reasonable amount of time.

I haven't tried radishes before so I made a jar using this beautiful watermelon radish.

I generally eat these pickles after they have marinated in the fridge for 3 weeks.

Our Family Christmas Traditions

   It's the most wonderful time of the year. 

This year, however instead of getting together and sharing all our family traditions:

* making ginger bread cookies to hang on the sagebrush tree

find a recipe here

* spending many evenings together creating one of a kind tree ornaments

( angels made from corn husks unearthed from the compost pile)

* putting on our snow boots, grabbing a hand-saw and ax,

going out the back door to chop down a big ole
  sagebrush for our tree
more pictures here

This family tradition began one year when the snow was very deep
and going into the mountains after a tree was impossible,
But I knew just what to do,
stepping out the back door we cut down a large, beautiful sagebrush.
We have had a sagebrush tree for the past 10 years or so.

Christmas 2010

* purchasing gifts for less fortunate neighbors and then trying to deliver

them without being caught

*having our Christmas night "slumber party" on the floor of the "little red house"

this tradition came about from the many years my kids slept on the floor in our little one bedroom

600 square foot house. 

Well this year is going to be a little different

My kids are strung far and wide,

Georgia

Virginia

Texas

but traditions are worth hanging on to.
I made gingerbread cookies and sent them to the boys.
We will walk out the back door (of our rented house up north)
 tonight and cut down a sagebrush for our tree,
decorating it with hand made ornaments from years past.
Sadly, we will not be spending Christmas this year down on the farm
 at the "Little Red House",
surrounded by loved ones.
That is why family traditions are so important.
No matter where you are and how far apart you my be,
 your tradition's will bring you together.

FALL is my favorite time of year

The leaves have fallen off the Ash Trees,

I am slowly collecting them and piling them high in the garden to be tilled in. 

I will also be adding large barrels filled with goat manure I hauled up from the farm,

and sawdust from the firewood we have been cutting up in the back yard. A portion of the garden spot in Roosevelt is in an old gravel driveway.  I have been working

 on building up the soil and adding in loads and loads of humus over the past few years. 

these plants have been moved indoors and placed in a sunny window

I enjoy this time of year.

  The cool crisp mornings, the smell of frost in the air.  I hurriedly squirrel away

the last of the garden produce.  Digging potatoes and hauling boxes and boxes of them downstairs

into the cool basement storage room.  Carrots are next on my list. 

 They will be sliced, steamed and frozen.

TRY THIS:  Select 10 or more carrots and cut the bottom portion of the carrot off one inch from the top. Trim back the green tops to one half inch and then plant together in a pot using garden soil or potting mix. Leave just a small portion of the carrot and the green tops exposed. Place in a sunny south window.   Water frequently. The carrots will re-grow their lacy tops and make a beautiful houseplant.

Carrots purchased from a grocery store will also grow new tops.

The canning is done. I will be harvesting the last of the tomatoes from the vines hanging

 in the wood shed and making more oven dried tomatoes.

The crisp cool air reminds us that winter is on it's way. 

 Trips to the mountains after our winter wood is something else I love about fall.

Driving to the top of the world (well almost) 

 we gather in enough wood to get us through the winter.

Taking along a picnic lunch and plenty of water we spend several hours filling our

8 foot long trailer to the top.  Sure do miss the youngin's help, especially when there

 are 4 or 5 more loads to get. 

 After a long day's work out in the cold weather, nothing can compare with a nice warm fire in the wood stove and a cup of this decadent hot chocolate! 

Home-made hot chocolate mix:

4 cups dry powdered milk

2 cups powdered confectioners sugar

1 and 1/2 cups cocoa powder

1 cups non dairy creamer (try your favorite flavor)

1 12oz. pkg. of white chocolate chips 

Mix  together all ingredients except the white chocolate chips.  Splitting the batch in half, place half in a food processor.  Add half of the chips and pulse until fine.  Repeat a second time with remaining ingredients.  Stir both batches together and store in an airtight container.

  Use about 1/3c. mix in a mug and fill with hot water or milk.

 I carry it one step further and stir it with a plastic spoon I have dipped in melted chocolate.

To make the spoons use regular dipping chocolate and simply dip the spoons in the chocolate and place on a sheet of wax paper.. Make enough to get you through the winter and store in an air tight Freezer Bag.

Homemade CARROT CAKE

Have you ever made a cake from scratch?  It tastes delicious, much better than the cake mixes purchased in the store and really doesn't take much more time to make.  We always made cakes from scratch when I was growing up, in fact, I did not know that there was even such a thing as "cake mixes" in a box.

True Story.........  When I was in college, I was asked to coordinate several girls in my church ward to make cakes for a big dinner we were having, and I was asked to get them the supplies to do so.  I hesitantly commented that it would be rather difficult for me to measure out all the ingredients, (flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, etc.) bag them up individually and get them delivered to the girls.  The committee just looked at me funny and said, " just go buy some cake mixes".  "You can buy a cake mix?" I replied.  They had to inform this ole country hick that you could actually go to the grocery store, purchase a cake mix in a box, and that all you had to do was add eggs, water and a little oil to the mix and bake it.  "WOW, are you serious?"  I was truly amazed by the concept.  Well, I went off to the store and purchased 7 or 8 boxes of cake mixes ( I discovered they even came in different kinds and flavors) and delivered them to the girls.  At the dinner I tried a piece of that cake made from a mix out of the box and let me tell you,  I think the box it came in probably had more flavor!

I always look forward to the middle of the summer when the carrots are big enough to grate for a cake.  Here is my recipes for the best carrot cake you'll ever taste!

FarmHer Jill's Famous Carrot Cake

1/2 c. vegetable oil

 3 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. chopped walnuts 

4 c. grated carrots, just picked from the garden

3 c. flour

1 c. raisins

1 c. coconut

cream together eggs, oil and sugar

add drained pineapple, salt, soda, cinnamon and vanilla

mix and add

flour and carrots

fold in nuts, raisins, and coconut

pour into a greased 9x13 pan

bake 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes

do not over-bake!

when a knife inserted comes out clean the cake is done.

LET CAKE COOL COMPLETELY 

before frosting

FROSTING RECIPE

1 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese

1/2 square of butter, softened

2 tsp. vanilla

 powdered sugar

In mixer, mix together butter and cream cheese, slowly add powdered sugar to desired consistency.  Frost cake adding coconut and chopped walnuts over top if desired.

These also make yummy cupcakes!

String Beans and Bacon

This is one of our favorite fresh from the garden meals.

Gather your ingredients fresh from the garden.

STRING BEANS AND BACON

1 pound of bacon cut into 1 inch pieces

a bowl full of fresh picked string beans

4 or 5 tomatoes cut into about 1 inch squares

add other vegetables fresh from the garden if desired

(peppers, squash, carrots, etc.)

Bring a large sauce pan of water to boil.  Add trimmed and snapped beans and cook until beans are semi-cooked about 5 to 7 minutes.  Meanwhile fry bacon in a cast iron skillet.  When bacon is done do not drain off all the grease (leave at least 2-4 tbs. of grease).  Add semi cooked beans and stir to coat beans.  Let cook another 2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook down until tomatoes are tender.

(about 2 more minutes)

Delicious!

sorry, I do not have a picture of the dish,

 it tasted sooooo goooood it disappeared before I could take a picture.

Please be sure to cast your vote in the poll on the right hand column.  Your input will help me decide if I should continue with this blog.  THANKS!

Onion Pie

My stash of winter onions are getting a little soft so I need to use them up quick.  I love onions and use them as a main dish more often than as a complement to a meal.  Give the following recipes a try.

ONION PIE

1 1/2 c. course cracker crumbs

1/2 tsp. curry powder

6 Tbs. butter, melted

2 large onions thinly sliced

1 1/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. grated cheese
6 eggs

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix cracker crumbs, curry powder, salt and 6 Tbs. butter together.  Line a greased 9 inch pie pan with the mixture.  Hold back 1/4 cup for the topping.  Saute onions in olive oil until transparent.  Put into pie pan.  Heat the milk in a double boiler, add grated cheese and stir until melted.  Slowly stir in beaten eggs.  Pour over onions.  Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture.  Bake for 40 minutes


ONION TART

Make your favorite bread dough recipe.  Line a large round baking sheet with a thin layer of dough over-lapping the edges with a couple of inches all around.  Cut 3-4 large onions into slices and spread over dough.  Drizzle with olive oil and add seasonings of choice.  I like to add sun/oven dried tomatoes that I have prepared from the summer harvest and kept in the freezer.  Add sauteed garlic and freshly ground sea salt.  Fold edges over and brush with egg whites for a crusty edge.  Bake 350-375 degrees until dough is cooked.

 Oven Dried Tomatoes  
use this link for an earlier post about how to make your own sun/oven dried tomatoes

I will planting onions in a couple of weeks!
.

Tasty Cabbage Stew

Harvest cabbage in the fall and make this warm, comforting, tasty stew

CABBAGE STEW

1 pound sausage
1 large onion diced
1 medium cabbage sliced thinly
3-4 large carrots sliced
4 medium red potatoes
2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes
1 20oz. can drained black beans
32 oz. chicken broth
1 quart water

Boil carrots and potatoes in 1 quart water
Cook sausage in a skillet.  Remove sausage and brown onions 
in a small amount of sausage grease.
Remove onions and slightly wilt the cabbage in the hot skillet.
When potatoes and carrots are about done add tomatoes, beans,
and broth. Do not drain off the water.
Add sausage, cabbage, onions, salt and pepper to taste. 
Cover and simmer on low for an hour.

This is absolutely DELICIOUS!

after cooking the potatoes and carrots I pour the soup into a crock pot

adding the canned, stewed tomatoes and  chicken broth

brown the sausage, cook the onions until transparant and wilt the cabbage

then I add them to the crock and let it simmer on low until supper.

 make a stuffed bread filled with diced cabbage, onions, spinach, chard,

 (or whatever green you have in the garden)

 grated cheese

to accompany the meal

Roll dough and place the seam down on a lightly greased baking tray
that has been sprinkled with corn meal
drizzle olive oil aver top and add seasonings of choice

Radish Pods

I purposely let some of my radishes go to seed so I can collect the seed pods to eat.  Most radishes are just a little to spicy for me (other than the french breakfast) so I prefer to eat the pods.  They are milder and sweeter than the radishes.  However, you will want to keep a close eye on them and pick before they turn pithy and the seeds have fully formed and matured.

Flowers and pods from White Icicle Radishes. (my personal preference for the pods) 

 You may let the pods dry on the stem and then harvest the seed for next year's crop.

I plant cherry belle, french breakfast, easter egg, watermelon, and winter radishes for eating. I set aside a spot for the white Icicle to set seed.  They can grow up to 4 feet tall and are beautiful when in flower.
The leaves of the radish are also editable, not intended solely  for the chickens or the compost pile.

Radishes mature in the early spring and late fall so this soup recipe is a good way to use the greens.

RADISH LEAF SOUP

6 TBS.  Butter

12c. radish greens coarsely chopped

1/2 LB. scallions diced

41/2c. water (or chicken stock for more flavor)

freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan melt 3tbs. butter over med heat.  Add radish greens and wilt down for about 4 minutes.  Add the water and boil until greens are cooked and tender, about 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly.  Puree in batches for 2 minutes or until smooth.  Add freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.  Gently reheat soup, adding remaining 3 tbs. butter.  Serve with a dollop of sour cream and diced  fresh herb of choice

 (sage, chive, parsley or oregano)

Kale

Kale is a member of the Brassica family.  It is a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin K, the B-vitamin folic acid, and beta carotene.  It is also exceptionally high in carotenoids, including zeaxanthin and lutein, which are powerful antioxidants.  It is a great source of calcium and magnesium and other trace minerals.
Kale is a wonderful fall crop,  it is sweetened by a frost or two.  It is quite hardy and will last well into the winter.
This year we have grown several varieties of kale here on the farm, the Dwarf Blue,  an Italian heirloom 'Lacinato', and Red Russian.

As the harvest increases with the cooler weather you might try a few of these recipes.

KALE CHIPS

cut kale into 2 inch squares

toss with olive oil and salt

place on a baking sheet

crisp in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes

(try using broccoli or cabbage leaves also)

KALE AND BEAN SALAD

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 large onion diced

1 bunch of kale leaves, stripped from stems

1 small cabbage chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2c. chopped parsley

1 cup cooked navy beans (plus 1 cup cooking fluid)

Cook beans until tender.  I usually do this the night before.  Chop all vegetables.  In a large skillet, heat oil, add the onions and cook until soft. Add the kale, cabbage, garlic, parsley and salt to taste.  Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are reduced, about 30 minutes.  Add the beans and 1 cup of cooking liquid.  Simmer until the beans are heated through and the greens are completely tender.  Serve over or alongside garlic toast. 

CREAMED KALE

A Danish dish to serve with pork
(this recipe is not for the faint of heart)

2 pounds of KALE
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
1c. milk
1c. light cream
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
salt and pepper

Cut off the tough stalks and cut the kale into bite sized pieces.  Wash and drain.  Put the kale in a sauce-pan and cover with water.  Sprinkle with salt and cook about 15-20 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan and drain.  Make the sauce by melting butter in a large cast iron skillet.  Add flour and stir until well blended.  Add milk and cream.  Stir constantly until thick and smooth.  Add the kale.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

FREEZING KALE

steam or blanch in boiling water

plunge into ice water to halt the cooking process

place in a colander to drain, bag and freeze

use in place of recipes calling for frozen spinach

DRYING KALE

cut into 2 inch pieces

place on drying rack

dry until brittle

I crumble up the leaves and store in a glass jar

add to soups and vegetable dips


What's your favorite to serve KALE?



ONION RINGS

For the best onion rings, stop by your local farmer's market

 and purchase a fresh, sweet onion 

To make golden breaded onion rings,  simply mix equal parts:

flour

Italian seasoned bread crumbs

cornmeal

a pinch of baking powder

salt to taste

enough water to make a smooth batter

Dip thickly sliced, separated, onions rings into batter.

                                Deep fry until golden brown.

Enjoy eating with a mixture of ketchup and mayo

 with a dash of vinegar or lemon juice

and salt

Fresh Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Harvested my first garlic head for the season.  I would have shown you a picture, however I promptly took it home and ate it, but I stopped along the way to pick a sack full of fresh spinach.  Rinsed the spinach while sauteing the chopped garlic in butter, removed the golden brown garlic and added the  drained and chopped spinach.  Wilted the spinach down and removed from the pan.  Added a little flour to the garlicky melted butter to make a rue and then added an 8 oz. package of cream cheese.  Melted the cream cheese and  added a big spoon full (1/2 c.) of sour cream, a spoonful of mayo, and a 3/4 c. of grated Parmesan cheese ( or use a cheese of your preference).  Stirred over warm heat until all the cheeses were melted.   Added 2 small cans of artichoke hearts (drained and cut), the wilted spinach and garlic.  Stirred this all together and popped it into the oven for 20-30 minutes. Browned thick slices of crusty bread on a cast iron griddle using lots of olive oil.  Served with tomatoes and cucumbers from the greenhouse to offset all the fattening cheese.  Whew, going to have to work really hard the next few days to account for all those calories, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!!!!!!  Good thing we had company so there was only one helping each.
  ( and Yes, I used my fine un-matching china).

SAGE

An old saying says,  "Shall a man die if he has sage in his garden?"

This statement refers to the health benefits of the humble sage.  Sage tea is a good blood tonic and is beneficial for colds and sore throats. 

Sage is one of the herbs I use excessively at the farm.  Dice the fresh sage and mix with scrambled eggs.  Incorporate it into the dough of biscuits and bread.  We also like to dip large individual sage leaves into a tempera batter and deep fry it.  Add dried or fresh sage to sour cream, cream cheese, or home-made acid set cheese.

Sage can be started by seed quite easily, but my preference to obtaining a sage plant is by laying a stem from an established plant on the ground.  Cut a small nick on the underside of the woody stem (leave the stem attached to the mother plant).  Place this cut section in a small indentation in the ground and put soil over the top of the stem.  I lay a brick or heavy object on the buried stem to keep it from pulling up from the ground.  Leave it for a couple of months ( I water this fairly often) so new roots can grow from the cut.  To transplant I wait until late summer and then cut the stem away from the parent plant and using a large shovel scoop out the new plant with as much soil intact as possible and transplant to it's new home.

Sage likes a moderately dry, chalky soil.  Lime the area well if you have acidic soil.  If your winters are cold I recommend covering with burlap and hilling with a thick leaf mulch.  I have a place in the green house for mine.  I also have success planting right next to the greenhouse to give the plant some additional warmth during the winter.

Here is a recipe for one of our favorite suppers:

GARDEN HARVEST STEW AND SAGE BISCUITS

In a large cast iron skillet, brown 1 pound hamburger.  Add fresh  pole beans and 2 cups corn cut from the cob.  Add 3 cups of pre-cooked black beans, dice 6 tomatoes, an onion, add whatever else is ripe and ready to harvest.  Pour in about 1-2 cups chicken broth or water.  Cook this down until the vegetables are tender.  Add more broth if needed, this needs to be a little "soupy".

  In the meantime make some baking powder biscuits and add a good amount of
                                                               chopped sage to the dough.

Drop biscuit dough by large spoonfuls (or use my suggestion below) onto the top of the vegetables stew and put  the cast iron skillet in the oven at about 400 degrees until the biscuits are done (12-15mins.).  To serve scoop out into individual bowls, making sure everyone gets a biscuit or two.  I have an extra large 20 inch skillet so I double the recipe for both biscuits and vegetables.

Just a note about biscuits:    Try this, instead of rolling them out and cutting into circles and re-rolling the dough to cut in circles, and then re-rolling yet again to cut the last circle,  Just pat the dough into a large, thick square and cut into equal  square pieces.  A square biscuit tastes just as good as a round one!  Actually I think they are better because you don't over work the dough.  Brush a little milk on top to help brown the biscuits.

POTATO CAKES

 

To make potatoe cakes you use left-over mashed potatoes.  

If you make the origional mashed potatoes rich, smooth and creamy, the cakes will not hold their shape as well.

 

 I have best results mashing  with a fork or potatoe masher and adding a small amount of milk and butter.

 

 

 

Just form the cold mashed potatoes into cakes and fry in butter or olive oil

 

 

 

 

When crisp, turn and add cheese if desired

 

 

 

Try adding onions, minced garlic, chives, or grated cheese to the cakes before frying.

Serve with a spoon of sour cream on top.

 

An egg  and flour can also be added.

 

 

IRISH POTATOE CAKES

 

3 lbs. boiled and cooled potatoes

grate or mash pototoes

add

3/4c. flour (more if needed to form a stiff dough)

1 tsp. baking powder

dash of salt

3/4c. butter

mix with your hands

roll out dough 1/2"- 3/4" thick with a rolling pin and cut into circles

Fry on a hot griddle.

Serve with a fancy cream cheese topped with smoked salmon

or sliced tomatoe

 

 

SQUASH PIE/PUMPKIN PIE

 

 

 

Been makin pies.

pumpkin pie

squash pie

apple pie

It's the pie makin time of year. 

 

 

Here is my all time favorite recipe for squash or pumpkin pie

 

 

First make 2 pie crusts using LARD

yes, lard

I have had enough close calls in my life to realize how short is it

so 

use LARD

I don't have a recipe for the crust

just get a bunch of flour

add some salt

stir

add LARD

crumble it into the flour with your hands

I was taught how to make pie crust by my neighbor

HE always said add enough lard to form small peas

add cold water to make a stiff dough

(I'm sure there is a good recipe out there for pie crust)

 

o.k.

now for the pie

cut up your pumpkin or squash into large pieces

place on a baking sheet

or just on the baking rack

 

 

bake 350 degrees til soft

 

 

don't throw away the seeds

 

 

put them aside to make roasted pumpkin seeds

 

 

(Don't wash the seeds, just spread out on a large baking sheet and cook in a low 250 degree oven until seeds are dry.  Stir often.)

Note:  don't use squash seeds to roast, they do not work as well

and aren't very tasty

 

 

scoop flesh into a bowl, mash or puree

I like to freeze 4 cups in a bag so I can just grab a bag pre-measured for pies

drain off liquid after thawing

 

YUMMY PUMPKIN PIE

 

makes 2  pies

 

4 cups pumpkin or squash pulp (I especially like Banana Squash)

6 eggs

 1 cup sugar

1 can evaporated milk

1/2 to 1 tsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

Bake 10 mins at 450 degrees

turn oven to 350

and bake until a knife inserted comes out clean

about 35-45 mins

 

This is almost like a thick custard or pudding. 

Absolutely delicious!

 

Top with REAL CREAM of course.