Jan. 7, 2009
Make your own butter
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
One day last week I remembered that I had bought some heavy cream over the holidays for Moma's Favorite Cookie, which I am GOING to post the recipe for! REALLY! :) Well, I thought with this much cream, it would be a good time to show the children how to make butter... well the easy way to make butter.
We pulled out the ole food processor.
Poured in all that cream and turned it on...
There were a few different stages that I told them we would see...
First of all we saw it just as a liquid, as it is as cream.
We would start seeing the cream slowly becoming thicker, until we had it at the whipped cream stage.
They all tried it at this point and sneered... sadly they thought it would taste like cool whip. Pitiful, huh? I told them at the enormous amounts of 'stuff' added to cool whip and this was so much better, and that we could add a little sweetner if we wanted whipped cream, but we want butter!
Keep it moving, keep it moving...
FINALLY!
BUTTER! :) HURRAH!
Please forgive the skunk stripes down my child's hair... our New Years Party got a bit crazy! :) haha
Mmm... this butter is good, Mom!
We even took the buttermilk and put it in a jar to use later and washed the curds with ice water to help get all the milk off so the butter would last longer.
Now a solid. How crazy are we? Doing school when we are supposed to be on holiday? haha... so is the life of a homeschooler.
I hope you have a great day friends.
From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Heritage Acres Farm
Dec. 14, 2008
Candy Bar Fudge
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I got this idea from a lady online and tried it recently. It was delicious. I do have a kitchen scale to weigh out the candy bars, but you should be able to chop up the candy bars to get 2 cups. The recipe calls for 12oz and I used a 12.8 oz bag of Snickers Bar mini candy bars and ended up removing about 2 or 3 of the bars to get the 12 oz. This recipe is just basically a marshmallow fudge recipe that I have converted into a candy bar fudge recipe.
I am giving this fudge away as gifts. My plan was to cut the fudge up into squares and put them in round gift tins that you can purchase just about anywhere. Then my daughter Emily had a great idea. She suggested lining the gift tins with saran wrap and just pouring the fudge into these instead of the 9x9 pan. How easy is that! 
Then we both had the idea that you could probably do two layers.. just put wax paper and maybe another layer of saran wrap over the first batch and pour the second batch on top after the first batch has chilled.. that way the recipients has more than one type of fudge to enjoy.
Candy Bar Fudge
4 Cups mini marshmallows
2/3 cup milk (I used half n half but evaporated milk would work and regular milk would probably work too)
1/4 cup butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups (12 oz.) chocolate semi-sweet morsels – I used chopped up candy bars in place of the chips as stated above
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine marshmallows, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a large cooking pot. While stirring bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring and boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and candy bar pieces (which ever you are using). Stir very well until candy bar pieces are melted. Pour into a 9x9 pan that has been buttered. Chill.
Crystal Miller
Nov. 24, 2008
How to Roast a Turkey
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I am sure a lot of you reading this already know how to cook a turkey. But I also know that many ladies have never done it before. I was in my late 20’s before I cooked my first turkey. My grandma or mom or mother in law had always done that part. When I went to cook my first turkey I was reading lots of cookbooks and talking with my mother to learn. It is not like we have the opportunity to practice turkey roasting too often!
I thought I would just share from my own turkey roasting experience how I have done it. There are lots of ways to do this and tips, etc.. and I am sure I won’t cover them all but will share what has worked for me.
First is the actual buying of the turkey. I typically have purchased frozen turkeys. The week before Thanksgiving you can find turkeys at the best price of the year. In fact I usually take advantage of these great prices and buy another turkey or two for the freezer. A mini Thanksgiving dinner at another time of the year is actually kind of fun. A couple of years ago I bought a fresh turkey from Costco and it was good too.
If you buy your turkey frozen you will need a few days to let it defrost. Do not sit it on the counter to defrost. The outside of the turkey will start to spoil before the center has completely defrosted. This is especially true for bigger birds. I put my turkey in the refrigerator to defrost. Two days ahead of time for a small turkey (say 12lbs or under) and three to four days for a bigger turkey.
The night before Thanksgiving I open the turkey up and wash him and remove the giblets. I put those in a bowl and put them back in the fridge. The next day I boil those with some salt and use the broth for my gravy as well as cutting up the giblets to add to the gravy. I rinse the turkey off in cool water making sure he has defrosted completely. I put him in a large roaster pan, cover him up with plastic wrap and put him back in the fridge until the next day.
I also make up my stuffing the night before. Don’t put the stuffing in the bird the night before to save time. This can once again cause spoilage. After I make the stuffing I store it in the fridge.
On Thanksgiving morning I pull the turkey out, preheat the oven, remove the plastic and stuff my turkey. I find the easiest way to do this is to set the turkey in my clean sink and use a big spoon (or my clean hands) to spoon in the stuffing. Then I set the stuffed turkey on my roasting pan. I melt a cube (we call them cubes here in my parts.. some call them sticks) of butter and if it is a big turkey I melt 2 cubes. I take a brush and brush the top of my turkey with this melted butter. Cover the bird with foil and put him in the oven to start baking.
After he has baked for about an hour I use my trusty turkey baster and baste him with the melted butter that has drizzled to the bottom of my pan along with any other juices that have also accumulated.
I continue to cook and baste for the required amount of time. The closer I get to the finish time the more frequently I baste. I also take the foil off for the last couple of hours so the turkey can brown nicely.
Now for some specifics:
Temperature to Bake a Turkey:
325 is what I have always done
How Long to Cook:
If your turkey is stuffed:
8 to 12lbs about 3 hours
12 to 15lbs about 4 hours
15 to 18lbs about 4 ½ hours
18 to 24lbs about 4 1/2 to 5 hours
If you don’t stuff your turkey you can subtract about anywhere from 15 minutes to a half hour off the above times.
However my experience has been that this is a rough estimate. I have had it take longer or shorter.. Your very, very best guide will be your thermometer.
The temperature of the whole turkey, no matter where you put the thermometer (but not touching bone) should read a minimum of 165 (and that includes taking the temp of the stuffing). I actually like it when the temps are a bit higher than that say.. 180.
I also wiggle the drumstick and it should move very easily. When the turkey has finished cooking, take it out of the oven and let is sit for 15 to 20 minutes. This will give you time to make the gravy and mash the potatoes.
I hope you all have a wonderful day of good food, family and much thankfulness.
Crystal Miller
Nov. 20, 2008
Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I love the liquid coffee creamers that come in all kinds of yummy flavors, but… I don’t like the unhealthy ingredients they contain. So every now and again I try my hand at making my own with better quality ingredients. I made this one today and I hope you enjoy it too!
.
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Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
Crystal Miller
1 cup half-n-half
½ cup cane juice crystals (can use white sugar instead)
3T canned pumpkin
½ t vanilla
½ t cinnamon
¼ t ginger
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t cloves
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat until cane juice crystals dissolved and ingredients are well combined. Enjoy in a hot cup of coffee. Store in refrigerator.
.
.
Crystal Miller
Nov. 17, 2008
Fall Baking: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
Want to do a little fall baking? Try these delicious pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They go great with a hot cup of coffee or tea on a cool autumn day.
Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Crystal Miller
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup butter (half of a stick or cube)
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup honey
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 T yeast
5 to 6 cups whole wheat flour**
¼ cup gluten flour**
Butter
Sucanat or brown sugar
Cinnamon
**Options: you can use half white flour and half whole wheat flour in place of all whole wheat and gluten flour
In a sauce pan combine milk and butter. Heat until the milk is hot and the butter almost melted. Pour the milk/butter combination in the bowl of a Kitchen Aid or Bosch mixer. Let this cool to lukewarm. Add the pumpkin pure, honey, salt, eggs and yeast. Stir until well mixed. Add flour and mix until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of your bowl but is still soft and pliable. Let this sit and rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
Turn the mixer back on to punch down the dough. Take the dough out of the bowl and divide it into 2 pieces. Roll the first piece out in a rectangle approximately 12x15 inches.
Butter the dough and sprinkle Sucanat or brown sugar all over. You can use as much or as little as you desire. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of this. Starting at the long side of the dough roll it up jelly roll style. Pinch the dough to seal. Cut the dough into one inch pieces. I like to use my kitchen scissors for this job.
Repeat this with the other half of the dough.
Lay out the cut cinnamon rolls onto a large jelly roll pan or in 2 9x13 pans. Let them rise until the have doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. Glaze with a powdered sugar (or powdered Sucanat) glaze as soon as they come out of the oven, if desired.
Glaze
1 1/2 C powdered Sucanat or powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 - 3 Tbs milk
Mix until smooth and thin enough to drizzle.
Crystal Miller
Sep. 3, 2008
Flavored Vinegars
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I recieved these in my inbox today . They sound so fresh and inviting I wanted to share them.
Grandma Rosie
Blueberry Vinegar
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
white vinegar, to fill
Crush blueberries and put into half pint jar. Fill with white vinegar. Cover and
let stand in a cool place for 3 days.
Strain and fill bottle or leave in for a stronger flavor.
Makes: 1 half pint
-----------------------------------------
Chive Vinegar
chives, length of jar height or 1" lengths
1 lemon peel, 1" square
4 peppercorns
3 mustard seeds
white vinegar, to fill
Fill pint jar loosely with chives. Add lemon peel, peppercorns and mustard seeds.
Fill with vinegar. Cover.
Let stand in cool place for 4 weeks. Strain into pretty bottle. Two or three
lengths of chives can be left in botle for looks.
----------------------------------------
Herb Vinegar
2 cups white cider or wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, rosemary or tarragon thyme or oregano
3 to 4 whole garlic cloves, optional
1 fresh herb sprig per bottle, optional
1 whole red or green chili per bottle, optional
Place the vinegar in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the
chopped herbs in a clean, hot glass jar. Add the garlic. Pour the hot vinegar
over, cover and place in a cool, dark place for 5 days, stirring once a day.
Strain. Add the sprigs of fresh herbs and chili for a zestier taste and garnish.
Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months. Refrigerate for longer storage.
Makes: 2 cups
---------------------------------------
Italian Vinegar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 sprig fresh sage
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 pint white wine vinegar
Sterilize a glass bottle.
Insert spices in bottle. Add vinegar.
Let the mixture rest in a dark cabinet or closet for at least a month.
Makes: 2 cups
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Tarragon Vinegar
4 sprigs of tarragon, about 5 inches each
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 lemon peel, 1 inch square
2 black peppercorns
5 white vinegar, to fill
Fill pint jar carefully with tarragon, without bruising. Add garlic clove,lemon
peel and peppercorns.
Fill jar with vinegar. Cover. Let stand in a cool place for 4 weeks. Strain.
Return 1 sprig of tarragon to bottle for looks. Keeps at least 1 year.
Makes: 1 pint
Jun. 17, 2008
It's that time of year again!
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
Yep... gardening time is here again, and here in the south things are coming up daisies er, I mean zucchini's!
We all know how quickly these veggies can grow, we can pick our garden before we go to bed and then the next morning we can find a big ole zucchini that seems like it came out of nowhere!
So what do you do with your zuchs?
What I would like to do is to compile a list of everything each one of you adds to this entry and then I will make an entry with all the recipes or ideas submitted! Sound good???
Here is mine,
- I make zucchini and squash stir fry. A little olive oil in my cast iron skillet. Sliced zuchs and squash go in next and then I add a bit of Bragg's Amino Acids and saute until tender. YUM!
- Of course being from the south I make fried squash, but I also fry zucchini sometimes. Just as yummy!
- I made zucchini bread. It is my husbands grandmother's recipe and it is FABULOUS! I will share it on our big tip post.
- I have made zucchini chocolate chip cookies. Great way to get in a veggie and a yummy treat!
- Casseroles! Grate the zucchini up and throw it in one of your favorite casserole recipes... another great way to get in some veggies.
- Relish. I have a recipe for squash relish. I have not tried this one yet, but I am sure you can add some zuch's in there as part of the squash... and the relish is good!
- Grill it! Put it on your grill with a little butter and garlic...mmmm!
- Chop it up with some potatoes, squash, onions and whatever you like. Lay a sheet of tin foil out, place all your veggies in the center, add a few pats of butter and some seasonings of your choice. Fold up the edges of your tin foil and make a little pocket... make sure you fold it up well, the steam will cook it up and make everything nice and tender. Put it in the oven or on the grill alongside your main dish (or make this your main dish). Perfect for a hot summer supper!
-
I am going to leave the rest for you! Please leave me your favorite way of preparing this lovely veggie and if you have a great recipe, please share that as well!
Have a great day on your homesteads!!
From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
My Cup Runneth Over at Heritage Acres Farm
Jun. 3, 2008
Make your own bread crumbs
Mar. 14, 2008
Verbena Simple Syrup
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
Lemon Verbena has to be my #1 all time favorite. The smell drives me wild. it is so delicious. Here is a good way to use the herb in your kitchen.
Verbena Simple Syrup
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Generous handful fresh lemon verbena leaves
Bring all ingredients to a boil, then let cool to room temperature. Remove lemon verbena leaves - the syrup should be a light yellow-green color and have the definite flavor and odor of lemon verbena. This syrup has an infinite number of uses; here are some of my favorites:
Use it to sweeten your favorite herbal, black or green tea.
Brush it over your favorite white or citrus cake or sweetbreads and muffins; this will add a delicate flavor and help keep your baked goods extra moist.
Gently drizzle over a bowl of freshly sliced strawberries, blueberries, or peaches.
Use as a sweetener on top of crepes, french toast, or pancakes.
Grandma Rosie
Jan. 31, 2008
Cast Iron Cookery
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
I have both traditional cast iron cookware – a Dutch oven and skillets which were my grandmothers’ – and modern porcelain enamel over cast iron cookware made by Le Creuset. My 4 quart Le Creuset round oven is by far the piece of cookware I use the most. The large 10 quart round oven comes in handy for serving a crowd or boiling a whole chicken for broth. When I make pot roast, it is always in my grandmother’s perfectly seasoned 4 quart cast iron Dutch oven.
Lodge Manufacturing Company, the largest producers of cast iron cookware, distinguishes between the two most common types of cast iron ovens. According to Lodge, the “Dutch” oven is the one with the rounded top and flat bottom (no legs). The oven with the flat lid with the lip around it and the legs on the bottom is a “Camp” oven. Obviously, the camp oven is the one you would want to use in coals or over a fire in an outdoor setting.
I use my cast iron every day in my kitchen. The Le Creuset is expensive, yes, but I know I will be able to pass these pieces on to my daughters and their daughters after them. A wise investment. I have collected it piece by piece over the last 20 years and have often asked for a piece for my birthday or Christmas. Lodge also makes porcelain enameled cookware.
Porcelain enameled cast iron would not be appropriate for the outdoor-style cooking – that is what the traditional cast iron camp ovens are for. The ability to cook virtually anything for your family with only a good campfire or hot coals is a useful skill indeed and one I plan to work on this summer. During power outages, I have used my cast iron on top of our wood burning stove to make everything from pancakes to stew. Cast iron is an indispensable part of the homestead kitchen. Here are a few resources from the web to learn more: Lisa
Byron’s Dutch Oven Cooking Page –
Very informative site with lots of resources and recipes.
Lodge Manufacturing
Family owned and operated out of S. Pittsburg, TN they are the largest producer of cast iron cookware in the U.S. for over 100 years. Order their free catalog and get on their “What’s Cooking” email newsletter list for recipes and specials.
International Dutch Oven Society
The premier organization for all Dutch oven enthusiasts.
Perfect Cornbread
Sift together 1 ½ cups cornmeal, 1 ½ cups flour, one tsp. salt, three tsp. baking powder and ¼ cup sugar. Add just enough milk to make a thick batter consistency. Add one egg, and two tsp. warm bacon fat and pour into hot lavishly bacon-greased pan and bake in hot oven until done, ½ to ¾ hour.
The above excerpt is taken from Woodstove Cookery, by Jane Cooper, Garden Way Publishing, 1977. This recipe was originally created for a wood cookstove, but can be made in a regular oven at 400 to 450 degrees.
Old-time temperature equivalents:
Very slow oven 200 - 250°
Slow oven 250 - 325°
Moderately slow oven 325 - 350°
Moderate oven 350 - 375°
Moderately hot oven 375 - 400°
Hot oven 400 - 450°
Very hot oven 450 - 500°
Lisa Vitello
From the January/February 2008 issue of New Harvest Homestead
Jan. 18, 2008
Crockpot Cooking
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
Lately I have using my crockpot a lot and love it! I have had a great sense of freedom throughout my day knowing that my dinner was slowly simmering away in the kitchen. When meal time comes I add a salad, set the table and my family and I sit down to a delicious meal. I do all the prep work and clean up in the morning so after dinner the only mess to clean up is the dinner dishes.
Crockpot cooking does require a little preplanning. I need to know what I am cooking and what preps I need to take care of before morning time arrives. It may be pulling out meat to defrost, soaking some beans or rice, or pulling out other ingredients before going to bed so in the morning I have everything I need ready to go.
Here are some recipes that have been tried by family as of late. They were all given a hearty “thumbs up” from everyone!
Cheesy Chicken and Rice (for the crockpot)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
3T olive oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup (organic kind such as the brand Amy’s)
1 can evaporated milk
2 to 3 cups grated cheese
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 can green beans, drained
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a medium sized frying cook onions, mushrooms and chicken in the olive oil until chicken is no longer pink and veggies are soft. Put in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Notes: I soak my brown rice before cooking, so with this recipe I soaked it the night before and cooked it in the morning. After the rice had cooked I assembled the rest of the recipe and let simmer all afternoon.
Crockpot Bean Dish
2 cups dry red beans
1 cup dry navy beans
1 T salt
1 onion, chopped
2t dry mustard
½ t smoke flavoring
½ cup Sucanat
½ cup honey
1 cup bbq sauce (homemade preferred)
The night before serving this meal cover beans with water and let soak. The next morning drain beans, cover with more water and salt and cook until beans are tender. When beans have finished cooking, drain, reserving some of the bean broth. Put beans in crockpot and add remaining ingredients. Add some of the reserved bean broth till it is your desired consistency. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
Note: I have 2 crockpots and served these beans with the Cheesy Chicken and Rice dish above.
Crockpot Chili
1 lb hamburger
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped peppers (these can be green or red or yellow peppers or a combo of any of them)
1 cup chopped celery
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
4 to 5 cups cooked red beans – Reserve a couple cups bean broth from cooking the beans
2T chili powder
1T hot pepper sauce (such as the brand Tabasco)
1T minced garlic
1t salt
In a medium sized frying pan cook the hamburger and veggies until the meat is completely cooked and the veggies are tender. Put in crockpot. Add remaining ingredients and enough reserved bean broth to give it your desired consistency. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa or cornbread and a green salad.
Corned Beef and Cabbage for the Crockpot
2 onions, sliced
2 t minced garlic
3 potatoes, chopped into bite size pieces
1 corned beef, 3 to 4lbs
Small head of cabbage or half of a bigger one, cut into slices
1 cup water
In the bottom of a large size crockpot layer onions, garlic and potatoes. Set corned beef on top and lay cabbage slices on to of the meat. Pour in 1 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 11 hours.
Crystal and her husband Tobin, along with 6 of their 8 homeschooled children make their home on 18 acres in SW Washington State. Crystal enjoys caring for her home and family and her farm. You can visit Crystal’s website: The Family Homestead or Crystal’s Country Store where she sells her own goat milk soap, ebooks and more!
Jan. 4, 2008
Dried Apple Cakes...From OGH
Posted in Homestead Kitchen
These are wonderful and well worth a try.
SHAKER APPLE CAKE.
******************
1 cup dried apples
1 cup molasses
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour, sifted
2 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
Soak dried apples overnight. In the morning cut them fine
and simmer in the molasses for 20 minutes. Cool. Combine
sour cream, sugar and egg. Beat until smooth. Combine dry
ingredients and sift 2 times. Blend both mixtures and beat
until smooth. Add fruit and molasses and turn into buttered
loaf pan bake at 350 for 1 hour.
DRIED APPLE STACK CAKE
*********************
1 c. butter
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 c. molasses
5 c. plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp. soda
1 c. buttermilk
DRIED APPLE FILLING:
3 c. dried apples
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. cloves
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beating well. Sift dry
ingredients together. Add to creamed mixture alternating
with buttermilk. Mix well. Pour batter in round cake pans
that have been greased and floured well. After putting
batter in pan put enough flour or approximately 1 teaspoon
on top of batter. Pat down and spread out to cover pan.
Bake approximately 15-20 minutes in 375 degree oven. Cool cake
layers.
Mash dried apples, spread between layers.
Best to leave set 1-2 days before served.
Dried Apple Cake
****************
Ingredients:
3 cups dried apple
4 eggs beaten
1 cup sugar and 1 cup butter, cream well
1 cup sour milk
3 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
lemon extract or flavoring to taste
Directions:
Soak 3 cups dried apples in as little water as
possible overnight. Chop the apples fine and boil
30 minutes in 2 cups sugar. Cool.
Add rest of ingredients as for any cake mixture.
Oven 350 degrees F. Bake in buttered lightly floured
sheet pan or in 2 deep 9-in. layer tins 40 minutes.
Cover with thick boiled frosting. This cake will keep
moist and delicious.
Grandma Rosie
