Friday, September 24, 2010
Viili, Cultured Milk
Viili is a cultured dairy milk product of Finland. It's similar to yogurt and contains active lactic acid bacteria so very good for your tummy. I make a smoothie every morning for breakfast containing this and some fruit. It's where I put my fish oil and coconut oil. I'll try to have a couple of pints in the refrigerator at the Barn Store most of the time. Please let me know if you're interested in having this in quarts or pints.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Trail Mix
O.k., Gene, this is a quick post about my "Honey Sweet Trail Mix" that I have in the Barn Store. I have a friend who is not only gluten free but grain free. She asked me one day if I could make granola without the oats. Hmmmmmmm........without oats? Isn't that just nuts and seeds? Well, after a little trial and error "Honey Sweet" was developed. It contains four kinds of nuts that have been soaked and dried, seeds, raisins and fruit juice sweetened cramberries. The honey and coconut oil combination sticks it together and gives it that sweet taste. And it's gluten free! Mmmmm good! It's a great snack while watching a movie....just ask Gene!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Creamy Chicken Soup
Once again, this soup evolved from trying to make a creamier chicken soup but one that had chunks of meat for husband Ron. No just broth soup for him. You might have to play around with the vegetables a bit until you find the right blend for you personally. Thanks to my friend Sherry who encouraged me to post this one.
Creamy Chicken Soup
Boil one whole chicken or just a chicken carcass. Cook until tender. Remove meat from bones and set aside. Chop up vegetables:one onion, at least 5 cloves garlic, carrots, celery, about 4 or 5 potatoes (depending on the size, more if small)and any other vegetables you'd like to add. I found strong ones, like broccoli, can overtake the flavor so be careful how much of those you add. The potatoes are what make this soup a little thicker when blended so don't leave those out. Cook until all veggies are tender. Put most or all of them in the blender or food processor and blend until smooth. When blending take the middle plastic part of the lid off and put a towel over the hole. Be very careful of the hot liquid. Pour back into pot. Add salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp. each thyme and sage. Bring to simmer and add chopped chicken. When serving add a Tbsp. or so of cream to each bowl and serve. The cream just brings all the flavors together. Yummm!
Creamy Chicken Soup
Boil one whole chicken or just a chicken carcass. Cook until tender. Remove meat from bones and set aside. Chop up vegetables:one onion, at least 5 cloves garlic, carrots, celery, about 4 or 5 potatoes (depending on the size, more if small)and any other vegetables you'd like to add. I found strong ones, like broccoli, can overtake the flavor so be careful how much of those you add. The potatoes are what make this soup a little thicker when blended so don't leave those out. Cook until all veggies are tender. Put most or all of them in the blender or food processor and blend until smooth. When blending take the middle plastic part of the lid off and put a towel over the hole. Be very careful of the hot liquid. Pour back into pot. Add salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp. each thyme and sage. Bring to simmer and add chopped chicken. When serving add a Tbsp. or so of cream to each bowl and serve. The cream just brings all the flavors together. Yummm!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Roasted Tomatoes
I wanted to wait and post this recipe when we had an abundance of tomatoes but I don't know if that's ever going to happen this year. We need sunshine and a little heat to get these guys to ripen. Maybe it's tomatoes hanging in the house this year!
This is one of our favorites. I even make some toast and spread a couple of halves on it. Very good cut up and put on pasta with other vegies.
Roasted Tomatoes
12 Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. honey or sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
12 fresh basil leaves, chopped or 1 tsp. dried basil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay a length of foil on sheet pan and oil. Put tomatoes on pan cut side up. Mix rest of ingredients together and spoon onto each half. Roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to caramelize. Sometimes it takes over a hour. Cool and store in refrigerator. Enjoy!
This is one of our favorites. I even make some toast and spread a couple of halves on it. Very good cut up and put on pasta with other vegies.
Roasted Tomatoes
12 Roma tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. honey or sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
12 fresh basil leaves, chopped or 1 tsp. dried basil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay a length of foil on sheet pan and oil. Put tomatoes on pan cut side up. Mix rest of ingredients together and spoon onto each half. Roast for 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are starting to caramelize. Sometimes it takes over a hour. Cool and store in refrigerator. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Frogs in the Zinnias
As I was picking flowers a couple of days ago I noticed a cute little green frog in the zinnia that I was ready to pick. I decided to leave him/her alone and pick the next one. Low and behold, there was another one in the next flower! Soooo cute!
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Stuffed Zucchini
Since we've had so many zucchini this summer I had to start using them some way besides the usual sauted. Somehow some of those zucchini hide and when you find them they are BIG. This is a great way to use those guys.
Stuffed Zucchini
Cut 1 large zucchini in half the long way. Scoop out the seedy, pithy part and discard. Using a spoon scoop out some of the zucchini meat and set aside to saute. Chop 1 onion and 4 to 6 cloves of garlic. Saute those with the zucchini till tender. Combine those veggies with about 2 cups of cooked brown rice, salt, pepper, 6 or 7 leaves chopped fresh basil (1 tsp. dried), 1 cup grated cheese and whatever meat you'd like. We've used chicken mostly but sausage was yummy, too. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 till tender. Probably about 1 hour. Unwrap foil and sprinkle with parmesan and broil for a few minutes till brown. I've put roasted tomatoes in it, too, but that's another recipe I'll post sometime.
Stuffed Zucchini
Cut 1 large zucchini in half the long way. Scoop out the seedy, pithy part and discard. Using a spoon scoop out some of the zucchini meat and set aside to saute. Chop 1 onion and 4 to 6 cloves of garlic. Saute those with the zucchini till tender. Combine those veggies with about 2 cups of cooked brown rice, salt, pepper, 6 or 7 leaves chopped fresh basil (1 tsp. dried), 1 cup grated cheese and whatever meat you'd like. We've used chicken mostly but sausage was yummy, too. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 till tender. Probably about 1 hour. Unwrap foil and sprinkle with parmesan and broil for a few minutes till brown. I've put roasted tomatoes in it, too, but that's another recipe I'll post sometime.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
My new blog! The Barn Store
Welcome to my new blog....The Barn Store. I'm hoping to update it on a regular basis as new things arrive in the store or just daily happenings. Please check back often.
This week we have lots of fruit....peaches, nectarines, pears and also some winter squash. We still have produce out of our garden and still more to come. Tomatoes are just starting but I don't think there will be many. Not a good tomato year. Of course we still have lots of zucchini and crookneck squash. We dug over 200 garlic heads and they are drying but will be in the barn soon.
There's new jam on the shelves! I think my favorite is the Blue Raspberry, raspberry with blueberries. Also, there's pear/raspberry which is quite interesting. The grandkids love it. It has a quiet pear taste with that yummy raspberry flavor. The regulars on the shelf are pear butter, strawberry and strawberry/rhubarb. I should be making blackberry soon.
This Saturday is chicken butcher day. If you'd like to put some of these delicious chickens in your freezer for the winter please stop by prior to that or give me a call/email to get on the list. I have a few left. They are soooo yummy! I think this will be our last batch of the year. We'll also have a limited number of stewing hens available.
Eggs are still quite a popular item......maybe due to the salmonella scare. If you want to be sure to get some call/email ahead of time. They go fast! We'll be getting a new batch of laying chicks within a month so they'll be ready to give us eggs in the spring. I'll keep you posted as to when they arrive. They are so cute as babies.
Come check out the regulars in the store. My knitting buddies have put a few things in along with my stuff. The granola and trail mix go out of here like crazy. I have to admit that they are both so good. The handbutter I make is so soothing for those gardeners or winter chapped hands. And, of course, there's always Saturday mini pie day. This Saturday will be mixed berry and peach. You gotta try one (or maybe more) of these little delicacies!
We're open most every day except Tuesday and Friday morning. I try to have my sign at the end of our road up by 10:00 and down by 6:00. The Barn is a great place to pull up a chair and sit for a spell. Hope to see you soon!
This week we have lots of fruit....peaches, nectarines, pears and also some winter squash. We still have produce out of our garden and still more to come. Tomatoes are just starting but I don't think there will be many. Not a good tomato year. Of course we still have lots of zucchini and crookneck squash. We dug over 200 garlic heads and they are drying but will be in the barn soon.
There's new jam on the shelves! I think my favorite is the Blue Raspberry, raspberry with blueberries. Also, there's pear/raspberry which is quite interesting. The grandkids love it. It has a quiet pear taste with that yummy raspberry flavor. The regulars on the shelf are pear butter, strawberry and strawberry/rhubarb. I should be making blackberry soon.
This Saturday is chicken butcher day. If you'd like to put some of these delicious chickens in your freezer for the winter please stop by prior to that or give me a call/email to get on the list. I have a few left. They are soooo yummy! I think this will be our last batch of the year. We'll also have a limited number of stewing hens available.
Eggs are still quite a popular item......maybe due to the salmonella scare. If you want to be sure to get some call/email ahead of time. They go fast! We'll be getting a new batch of laying chicks within a month so they'll be ready to give us eggs in the spring. I'll keep you posted as to when they arrive. They are so cute as babies.
Come check out the regulars in the store. My knitting buddies have put a few things in along with my stuff. The granola and trail mix go out of here like crazy. I have to admit that they are both so good. The handbutter I make is so soothing for those gardeners or winter chapped hands. And, of course, there's always Saturday mini pie day. This Saturday will be mixed berry and peach. You gotta try one (or maybe more) of these little delicacies!
We're open most every day except Tuesday and Friday morning. I try to have my sign at the end of our road up by 10:00 and down by 6:00. The Barn is a great place to pull up a chair and sit for a spell. Hope to see you soon!
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