When will Spring arrive?

I am more than ready. We have had enough warm weather to trick the grass into turning green, and to tease the delicate buds into erupting on the trees and shrubs then wham! Freeze warnings last night meant hauling tender plants back into the shelter of the porch, and covering the landscape with frostblankets. I hope there has not been too much damage. At least we can be thankful for crisp blue skies. I like the climate now in the daytime and just think of the vitamin D you can get from 15 minutes of sunshine. While we are on the subject of vitamins, we may as well throw in some fiber (14g), some calcium (4%), some iron (15%) some protein (7grams), a few carbs (22 grams) all found in a quarter cup serving of dried Pinto Beans. That is a great way to gather so much goodness for so little money. If you have a pressure cooker, it is a quick way to gather that goodness. You can have those babies on the table in about thirty minutes. While they are hissing away on the stovetop, you can bake a corn pone in a cast iron skillet, or if you are up for something a little more spicy, opt for the Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread below. Either way, you can't go wrong. Country goodness.

Speedy Pinto Beans Under Pressure

1 1/2 lbs. Dried Beans, rinsed and picked over for foreign matter or blemished beans
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Water to cover two inches above the beans
ham hock, jowl bacon, or smoked neck bones

Assemble ingredients in the pressure cooker, lock lid, and on medium high heat, bring pressure to high. Adjust stovetop to a lower setting but still keeping a steady steam aka hissing noise. Cook under pressure for twenty-five minutes. Remove pan from heat and use the quick release method of running cold water over the locked lid, until you no longer hear steam and the safety valve has dropped. Unlock lid. Taste for doneness. Adjust seasoning. If not done, bring back up to pressure and cook an additional five minutes. Any dried beans may be prepared this way. You may have to adjust your cooking time slightly.

Cornbread, or Mexican Cornbread makes these beans even better. Serve as a side dish or main course.








Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
Recipe by Barefoot Contessa
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups milk
3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra to grease the
pan
8 ounces aged extra-sharp Cheddar, grated, divided
1/3 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts, plus extra for garnish,
3 scallions
3 tablespoons seeded and minced fresh jalapeno peppers
Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large
bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and butter. With a
wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry until most of the
lumps are dissolved. Don't overmix! Mix in 2 cups of the grated
Cheddar, the scallions and jalapenos, and allow the mixture to sit at
room temperature for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-
inch baking pan.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with
the remaining grated Cheddar and extra chopped scallions. Bake for 30
to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and cut into
large squares. Serve warm or at room temperature. Read more!

I tried it and liked it, Mom tried it and liked it, Ms. Vi, you have a winner. YOU ARE A WINNER!

This recipe could not be easier. It only has a handful of ingredients. Assemble those few ingredients in a slow cooker and "set it and forget it". Southern comfort mmmmmm
Thanks Ms. Vi for sharing this one! Our Ms. Vi is quite remarkable. She is an octogenarian, still works as a receptionist and is an inspiration to all who know her.
ONE DISH BAKED CHICKEN and STUFFING SUPPER WITH GRAVY

4 BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN BREASTS
1 10-3/4OZ CAN CREAM SOUP (your choice)
1/3 C. Milk
1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix
1-2/3 C. water
Place chicken in slow cooker
Combine can soup and milk, pour over chicken
Combine stuffing and water, spoon over all and cook
on low 6-8 hours Read more!

What were they looking at, birds, planes, flying cows?---

Mariam and Buck are onto what was coming at all of them----it was flying Oskar!  When he visits the farm, he rules.  All six pounds of him.  He really is a big guy who brings a lot of energy and fun for us all.  If you double click on his photo, you can see how hugh he is.  David observed that Mariam didn't even flinch---neither did Buck. 

The recipe I am providing is awesome, and needs to be eaten while hot.  It is outstanding.  

                                                                  

                                                                

                                                                  

SHRIMP AND GRITS

Grits
4 cups water
1 cup grits
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tablespoons butter (I omit)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (4 oz)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (2oz)
Freshly ground white pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg (I only use a pinch of cayenne)


Shrimp
6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
Peanut oil for frying (Canola works for me)
1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined if desired, rinsed and patted dry
2 cups wiped clean and sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced scallions
1 lg clove garlic, crushed
4 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
Hot red pepper sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

serves 4

grits: bring water to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Slowly stir in grits, reduce heat, cook stirring frequently for about 20 min., or until they are thick and tender. Stir in the salt, butter and cheeses. Add a pinch each of white pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg, or to taste

shrimp: in a large skillet cook the bacon until browned at the edges. Remove and drain on paper towels, and set aside.

Add enough peanut oil to the bacon fat to make a thin layer of fat. Heat over medium-high heat until the fat is quite hot. Add the shrimp and stir, then add the mushrooms and stir well. Cook til the shrimp starts to color, then add the scallions, bacon and garlic. Season with the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the parsley.
Divide the grits among four warm plates. Spoon the shrimp over the grits and serve immediately.

Note: use fresh stone ground grits if available
Source: Bill Neal’s Southern Cooking Read more!

Ta Da--finally - recipes of deliciousness from Kelly

Kelly loves Indian food and has mastered Tikka Masala. She and David eat it often. Look at the  beautiful photos they also provided. David usually makes homemade Naan, and they also serve Dal with this meal. What a meal!

TIKKA MASALA
2 lb chicken (boneless/skinless) breast, sliced and seared but not cooked
8 T ghee (we use half ghee, half oil)
4 onions, sliced
2" piece of ginger, grated fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1" stick cinnamon
12 cardamoms
4 tsp garam masala
4 tsp coriander, ground
2 tsp chili powder
2.5 c cream (we use 3/4 c light cream and the rest milk)
4 T tomato paste
8 T water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 lime

1) heat ghee, onions, ginger, and garlic gently until soften but not colored 5-10 minutes
2) add all spices and fry mixture 2-5 minutes
3) add cream, tomato paste, water, sugar, and salt, mixing and bring to a boil
4) reduce heat, add chicken and cook until meat is cooked
5) squeeze in lime juice, stir and serve




MASOOR DAL
this is my favorite, best mashed potatoes you could ever want. this is excellent with the spinach/tomatoes
4 T oil
6 cloves
6 cardamoms
1" stick cinnamon
1 onion, sliced
1" piece ginger, grated or sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1-3 birds eye chili
1/2 tsp garam masala
1.33 c lentils, pink/red
1 tsp (scant) salt

1) heat cloves, cardamoms, and cinnamon in oil, 3 minutes
2) add onion and cook until translucent
3) add ginger, garlic, chilies, and garam masala, cook 5 minutes
4) add lentils and cook 2-5 minutes
5) cover with water @1.25" above lentils, bring to a boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes or until it is a thick and tender mash
6) sprinkle with lemon juice (i haven't tried the lemon juice yet)



Bonus recipes:



INDIAN SPINACH AND TOMATOES
1lb spinach leaves (baby or cut in halves)
3/8c ghee (we use mostly oil and 2T ghee)
1 onion
1/2-1 lb mushrooms, sliced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2" piece ginger, grated fine
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper ground
1 14.5o can of diced tomatoes

1) heat garlic and onions in ghee until golden and soft
2) saute mushrooms until dry
3) add ginger and cook 6 minutes
3) add spices and cook 2 minutes
4) toss in spinach and coat until wilted
5) add can of tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring
6) simmer until cooked to your liking


KITCHEREE
this is david's favorite, full of fiber. when 

Indians fast, they eat this, so I can see now how they can "fast" so often... they eat this for

breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Ayurveda retreats, when ill, etc. they consider this in Ayurveda the perfect food...
1 cup basmati (we use brown basmati)
1.33 cup moong dal (split yellow chick peas, NOT split yellow peas)
5 T ghee (we use 2T ghee, 2T oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cloves
5 cardamoms
2" stick cinnamon
1 onion
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt

1) soak rice and lentils 1 hour, drain
2) in ghee, heat spices for 2 minutes
3) add onion and garlic and cook 3-5 minutes
4) add rice and lentils, cook 3-5 minutes
5) add enough boiling water to cover rice/lentils 1", cover and simmer 30-50 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked (we use a rice
cooker)

Read more!

Warnings come with this posted recipe

The warnings on the Everclear label: Caution!! Extremely flammable, Handle with care
Warning!! Overconsumption may endanger your health
They are only the beginnings of the warnings. The recipe that is about to be revealed has its' own warnings: Habit forming, may cause a statewide lemon shortage,may create an abundance of naked lemons,may lead to making other recipes calling for lemon juice, use only in small doses,er, glasses, may temporarily take up freezer space, so delicious may cause over consumption, may cause lingering or loitering on the porch on hot summer days/nights, yum.

Crema De Limoncello

Ingredients
10 Meyer lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle Everclear
8 1/2 cups of milk
5 cups of sugar (I used 3 on my last batch)(next time I'll try two cups)
1/2 cup of vanilla sugar (put a vanilla bean, split, in a jar of sugar and let sit for 2 weeks) Or use one packet Dr. Oetker Vanilla Sugar
Cheesecloth (optional)

Zest the lemons using a Micro-plane grater or another similar tool that also produce a very fine zest. Place in a jar with the Everclear and leave at room temperature for 1 week. Strain using the cheesecloth.
In a saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat. Add the sugar and the vanilla sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. In a large bowl or pitcher, combine the Everclear mixture with the cooled milk mixture , funnel into bottles, preferably with wide mouths and store in the freezer for up to six months. Serve neat in a chilled tumbler or martini glass. Depending on the proof of the Everclear, the drink will slushy or just very cold. Vodka may be substituted for the Everclear. Read more!

Squash Pickles---Who wants this recipe?

I do! I do! As soon as I can get my hands on the recipe, I will post it here. They are delicious, not too hot, not too sweet, jussssst right! Tom Jeffers is a co-worker and friend who shares my interest in all the important things: grand-babies, family, cooking, growing veggies, just to name a few. Okay Tom, if you are reading this, give up the recipe-----now!
He did! He did! Here it is:

SQUASH PICKLES (adapted from an old Southern Living cookbook)

1/2 cup salt
3 quarts water
6 cups thinly sliced yellow squash
2 cups Kirby cucumber thin slices
2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
2 red or green peppers thinly sliced (Tom uses Cubanelles when he can find them)
1 (4 oz.) jar sliced pimiento, drained
Hot peppers, small,and left whole are entirely optional, quantity depends on your taste and how hot you like your pickles

Dissolve salt in 3 quarts water in large bowl; add squash. Submerge squash in water, using a plate to hold slices down; cover and let stand 3 hours. Drain and set aside.
Bring sugar, vinegar, and mustard seeds to a boil in a large non-aluminum stockpot, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add squash, onion, pepper, and remaining veggies to pot; return to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool. Store in airtight containers in refrigerator up to two weeks. Yield 2 quarts Read more!

I'm back, did anybody miss me?

Maybe not, except for Gene, Max, Rose, Buck and all of the other two and four legged creatures who get fed at the Ironhorse Farm. Mind you, Gene does all of the feeding, but I feed Gene, so I guess I have some importance around the place. I have been to see my Mom, Jake, Kelly and David. They all live close to each other in suburbs of Birmingham, in Shelby County Alabama. I had a great trip. My intent was to nurture my family, but they reversed roles and I came home nurtured too. Family works like that. I drove almost five hundred miles, alone, but not really. You see I took my cell phone, my link to the world, and my IPOD, my link to sanity and to the music world. My drive in both directions was a treat. My eyes were lenses, if only they had been cameras, I would have more to show you.  I only took a few real photos on the way home.  My photos do not do the rural countryside of Georgia justice. Red clay roads abound.  Dignified, unpainted barns and houses make me wish I could hear all of their stories.  The remnants of cotton crops already harvested lying in fields, and groves of pecan trees tell the tale of making a living.  The people in this area of Georgia look like they have always lived within their means.  Looks may be deceiving, but I hope not.

It has taken me a couple of days to cycle through doing not much in the kitchen arena but I am semi ready to get started again.  I had frozen my version of Ina Gartin's Chicken Stew(no pearl onions, added mushrooms instead) and I am planning to embelish it with a batter that I have used on an older recipe for Chicken Pot Pie.  Then after we eat I want to make Nigella's Granola.  I was excited to find the Brown Rice Syrup the recipe calls for  at the Whole Foods in B'ham.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (if in hurry, use rotisserie chicken from grocery store)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 4 teaspoons Chicken Soup Base
1 1/2 stick unsalted butter (I reduced this to only 1/2 stick and it turned out terrific.)
2 onions chopped
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups carrots diced
2 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 potatoes, peeled, and cubed
Sliced mushrooms (I added because we like them)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with
salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside and cool
enough to handle, then remove them from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken
into large dice. You should have 4-6 cups of cubed chicken.
In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a
large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to
15 minutes, or until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for
2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute,
stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add carrots and potatoes, simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes or until tender. Add the
chicken, peas, and parsley. Mix well.
This is where I stopped with Ina’s recipe. The night I made this, I divided the total into two casserole dishes, topping one dish with "ready to bake" store bought frozen biscuits, plopped them on the stew and followed the recommended temp and cooking time on the package. The second casserole I did not top with anything and covered it with plastic wrap and froze for a later time.    I defrosted my saved stew overnight in the fridge and topped it with the batter (recipe below) and it was delish!

Biscuit Batter Topping
1 1/4 cup self rising flour
1 tsp salt (optional) 
1 1/4 cup buttermilk, mixed with 1 tsp. baking soda 
1 stick butter, melted
dash pepper

Mix the flour, buttermilk, salt and pepper together to make the batter.

Spread onto the stew and pour the melted butter over all and take a fork and poke at it to distribute the butter.

bake at   for 425 for 50 minutes. *note; Next time I will heat the stew for 20 minutes prior to adding the biscuit batter topping and then spread to batter and bake.






















Nigella's Granola adapted from Feast

Dry ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats
2 to 3 cups raw almonds or pecan halves, or a mixture
1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds
¾ cup sesame seeds
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
Wet ingredients:
¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, such as canola or safflower

Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well. In a small
bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients. Stir to mix well. Pour the wet
ingredients over the dry ones, and stir well.
Spread the mixture evenly on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 35 to 40
minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Set a timer to go off every ten minutes
while the granola bakes, so you can rotate the pans and give the granola a good
stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it’s ready, remove the pans from the
oven, stir well – this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet – and set
aside to cool. The finished granola may still feel slightly soft when it comes out
of the oven, but it will crisp as it cools.
Scoop cooled granola into to a large zipper-lock plastic bag or other airtight
container. Store in the refrigerator indefinitely.
Yield: about 10 cups











       

Read more!