Category: Fun in the kitchen

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Quick and yummy lentil pork chop soup

I was organizing my pantry and found a bag of dried lentils – it was great timing because we had leftover smoked pork chops from the night before … so how about a lentil and pork chop soup?

It was DELICIOUS … our guests thought so to and asked for the recipe!   So here it is 🙂

Ingredients:

2-3 pork chops diced
1 large onion diced
3 Tbls Olive oil
1 bag frozen chopped spinach (12-16 oz)
1 bag of dried lentils (2 lbs rinsed/sorted)
1 Tbls thyme
1/2 Tbls garlic powder
Salt/pepper to taste

•Saute onions and a pinch of salt and pepper in olive oil on medium heat in heavy stock pot.   Stir frequently until light brown and lightly caramelized (about 10min).

•Turn heat up to medium high and add in diced pork chops,  thyme,  garlic,  and another pinch of salt/pepper.  Until golden brown.

•Saute in spinach another pinch of salt/pepper until evenly incorporated.

•Add lentils and fill pot with water.  (The amount of water you add depends on how thick you like your soup.  I filled mine 3/4 full.)  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on med low for 10min.  After 20 min taste the broth and add salt/pepper to taste (be careful it’s very hot!).  Let simmer for another 40 min stirring occasionally.

That’s it … easy peasy lentil and pork chop soup!

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“Fraked” chicken recipe

“Fraked” is a word we made up here on the farm to describe the perfect way to make fried chicken … fry and bake it at the same time!!

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs Chicken pieces (however you like them – bone in or boneless,  skin or skinless)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups Flour
Panko (or Bread crumbs)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional seasonings: Paprika, thyme (or poultry herb blend),  garlic powder, onion powder
Frying oil (canola or vegetable)
Roasting pan

Place all the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet and season well on both sides (I used all the optional seasonings listed but a simple salt and paper works well too).

In a flat bowl (something you can easily dip the chicken into) whisk the eggs and heavy cream together and set aside.

Now it’s time to assemble the “breading station”.  Make sure the bowls you use are flat enough to dip the chicken into.  It will look like an assembly line in this order:

Seasoned chicken –> Flour bowl –> Egg mixture bowl –> Panko bowl –> Clean cookie sheet

Working your way through the the line, pick up the chicken and dust it in the flour (both sides).  Shake of excess and dip it in the egg mixture,  let excess drip for a second and place in panko.  Place breaded chicken on cookie sheet.  Once breaded it is time to “Frake” the chicken.  The longer you let the breaded chicken rest the easier it is to fry it without loosing all the breading.  (I try to prepare the chicken in the morning and let it rest in the refrigerator before I fry it for a Saturday lunch but most days I only have 30 min to let it sit while I make the side dishes!)

Fill a high sided roasting pan with 1 inch frying oil.  Place in the oven at 450°F.  When the oil has reached 350° gently place the chicken in the oil and close the oven.

Flip once half way through cooking.   When chicken reaches 170°F pull it out of the oil and place it on a cooling rack to drain and cool slightly.

Use caution when working with hot oil – I used long heavy tongs to handle the meat.

And that’s oven Fraked chicken … I hope you love it as much as we do!!

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Farmer J’s perfect strawberry lemonade!

The perfect strawberry lemonade!

My hubby makes the BEST fresh lemonade.   When we had an abundance of strawberries I decided to add pureed strawberries to his recipe.  It was delicious!!  Here is the recipe …

Ingredients:
4 washed medium-sized organic lemons (halved)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup of warm water
2 cups of pureed strawberries
Ice
Filtered water

In a 2.5 quart jug squeeze the lemon halves and drop the rind in the jug with the lemon juice.  Mix the sugar and warm water together until completely dissolved and add mixture to jug.
Add pureed strawberries and stir the mixture.
Then fill the jug with ice and add filtered water.  Stir mixture again and serve.

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Gooey Cinnamon rolls using natural yeast

**To Pin this recipe for later use the “Pin it” button at the end of the instruction section**

Gooey Cinnimon Rolls Using Natural Yeast

Now that we have this lifetime supply of FREE yeast, homemade vanilla extract and easy to make cream cheese what are we going to do with all of it … well I’m a sucker for a gooey fluffy cinnamon roll so let’s do that first!


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Gooey Cinnamon rolls using natural yeast


INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups Whole Milk
  • ½ cup Butter
  • ½ cup Sugar
  • ½ cup yeast starter (find out how to make it here)
  • 4 cups All-purpose Flour + 1 Cup
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • ½ Tablespoon Salt
FILLING
  • 2 Tabelspoons Butter (melted)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cinnamon 
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
Mix Whole Milk, butter, and Sugar in a pan. Bring to a 180°F. (You are just scalding the milk here. If you boil it you went too far, it will curdle the milk.) Remove from the heat and let it cool until warm (110°F).


Bringing milk mixture up to 180°F

Getting the natural yeast ready while waiting for milk mixture to cool to 110°F

Put mixture in a mixing bowl and add the natural Yeast starter.  (I now switched to my stand mixer and used a dough hook but you can stick with the mixing bowl and spatula if you don’t have one).  Add 4 cups flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt.  This mixture will be very sticky, that’s normal.  Cover the bowl (I used a glass pot lid) that let rise for 6-12 hours (until doubled). After it has risen, turn out to a floured surface and add 1 more cup flour while kneading it all in.

Combine filling mixture and set aside.

Adding cloves and nutmeg to the classic brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
Roll dough into into a rectangle.  Cover with a thin layer of melted butter, sprinkle liberally with filling mixture.

Starting with the long side away from you, roll the dough up towards you. Fold the dough up and close the roll by pinching it together.


Now take a pastry cutter (or a sharp knife) and cut the roll in half.  Then cut the right half in half, and those 2 pieces in half until you have 4 equal pieces.  Repeat on the left half.  You will end up with 8 equal pieces. 


Place them in a greased pan without touching each other (giving them plenty of room to rise). 

Cover and let them rise about 1-2 hours (until they fill the pan).


and put them into the oven at 400 for about 15 minutes. 



Remove and cover with frosting!

Enjoy!!!

^^To pin this for later click here^^

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A lifetime supply of FREE yeast!! How to feed your yeast starter

My favorite part of making bread, gooey cinnamon rolls, or any other carbo-licious treat is seeing the yeast work to fluff up the dough.

Bread dough before rising with natural yeast

Bread dough after rising with natural yeast

Store bought (lab created) yeast is not good for you AND expensive!  A good natural yeast starter will last you generations … and it’s FREE.  (Click here if you need to start one from scratch)

As long as you feed your starter you will have free yeast.  If you keep your yeast starter in the refrigerator this will be every 2-3 days.  Here is how:

Once you pull out what you need for your recipe (1/2 cup for every 4-5 cups of flour) you will need to feed your starter.  It is an equal ratio of one part starter, one part filtered water, and one part flour.

I find it easier to put the starter in a measuring cup, then add an equal amount of filtered water and stir until combined.

Then pour the mixture back into the jar an add the flour.  Then stir to combine.   Move your market to mark where your starter is.   When it has bubbled and risen it is ready for use again.  When my yeast was running low I just feed it without using it for a recipe.

Here I had 1/4 cup of yeast left after I took out what I needed.  I added the 1/4 cup of water then poured it back into the jar.

I then added a 1/4 cup of flour.   And remarked my jar.

A few days later when my yeast was ready to feed again I added 3/4 cup water, then 3/4 cup flour.  I moved half of the starter to a clean jar and gave it to a friend 🙂

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How to make a SWEET yeast starter!!

After many MANY failures I finally have an active yeast starter that makes fluffy slightly sweet bread.  We started making our own bread a few years ago but have always purchased the yeast.  This yeast starter will make bread indefinitely as long as we keep feeding it!  (Some have been around since the 1800s!)

This starter was made by fermenting organic unsweetened raisins.  You will need THREE ingredients. Filtered water, flour, and organic unsweetened raisins …

Firmented raisin water:
â–ª Mix 3 parts water to one part raisins in a mason jar for one day (at room temperature).
â–ª Every morning open the lid, gently swirl the liquid and replace lid.
â–ª Throughout the day shake the jar 2 more times with a lid on.
â–ª After 6-7 days all the raisins will float to the top and you should hear the raisins and water mixture fizing (like a can of soda).

Yeast starter:
â–ª In a clean mason jar stir 4 tablespoons of the fermented rasin water with 4 tablespoons of flour.
â–ª When the mixture doubles in size stir in 8 tablespoons of filtered water and 8 tablespoon of flour.
â–ª When the mixture doubles in size again you now have an active starter!!

To learn how to feed, use and store your yeast click HERE!

For the perfect natural yeast bread recipe click HERE!

An incredibly delicious gooey cinnamon roll recipe using natural yeast is posted HERE!

**3/1/2016 Update!!!**
I recently helped a reader work through her first starter too.  Here is the link, she has pictures of her process in the comments as we worked through it together 🙂

Hi there I was using your recipe for making my own bread starter and have a few questions. I’ve fermented the raisin…
Posted on Friday, February 26, 2016

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Quick Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

Quick Refrigerator Pickle Recipe

I’ve gotten lots of requests for the refrigerator pickle recipe on the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MiniSliceOfFarm)  … So here it is!  Enjoy!!

3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar (or honey)
1 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon salt

4 medium sliced cucumber
1 small onion, thinly sliced

Place sliced cucumber, onions and celery seed in a large container. In a separate bowl, stir vinegar, sugar, water and salt together until dissolved. Pour liquid over cucumber and onions.  I put a small glass (like a shot glass) on the top to push the cucumbers and onions down before closing the lid.  Refrigerate for 5 to 7 days – lasts about 3 months.

It almost seems too easy doesn’t it? 🙂  Trust me those 5 to 7 days of waiting will be torture lol!!  But the longer you wait the yummier they get.

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Chicken and mushrooms in fire roasted tomato sauce

Growing up we ate a lot of sauce over rice dishes.  I have many favorites but this one tops the list.  I now make a double batch and can half of it for a quick lunch or dinner option!

What you will need:

  • 1 large onion diced
  • 24 oz sliced mushrooms
  • 2 large green bell peppers diced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic grated (or finely diced)
  • 48 oz (3lbs) fire roasted diced tomatoes
  • One whole chicken cut up
  • 2 tsp each:
    • Italian herbs
    • dried thyme
    • garlic powder
    • onion powder
    • garlic powder
    • paprika
    • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a large heavy pot (I use a big dutch oven) saute the onion with a smsll pinch of salt and pepper on med/high until translucent.
  2. Add green bell peppers with another small pinch of salt and pepper and saute for another 5 minutes.
  3. Add mushrooms and greated garlic with another small pinch of salt and pepper until the water is released from the mushrooms and re absorbed (about 10min).
  4. Add chicken with salt and pepper.  Stir mixture around for 5 min then add all the rest of the herbs and spices.
  5. Add the tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water.  Stir the mixture to incorporate everything well. Bring to a bubble then reduce heat, cover the pot, and let simmer for 90 minutes stirring occasionally.
  6. Serve over a bed of white or brown rice.  photo I have of this recipe is after I canned a batch.  I will take some next time I make this dish and post them for your reference 🙂

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Homemade cream cheese

A few days ago I shared my momma’s (slightly improved) homemade yogurt recipe.

When I make yogurt I usually do a full gallon because I can turn half of that yogurt into cream cheese by simply pouring it through cheesecloth!

Place a fine mesh colander in a large bowl and line it with a double layer of cheesecloth.  

Pour your yogurt into the cheesecloth and let the whey drip out for one hour undisturbed.

Then pull the sides of the cheesecloth up to form a pouch around the yogurt. Hang that pouch (I use a rubber band) above the bowl and allow to drip for another 24-48 hours.

After the cheese reaches the desired consistency, use a spatula to move it to a container and store it in the refrigerator.

You can also make this in a Greek yogurt mesh sieve, (pressing the cheese with the back of a spatula at the end while its still in the sieve will get it to the desired consistency)


We love it sweet or savory.  Our favorite way to eat it is on fresh bread under a layer of strawberry jam!

Enjoy!



*Note: I am a participant of the Amazon.com associates program.  This is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.  I have personally purchased or researched all of the products linked and will not suggest a product otherwise.  By purchasing through these links you support this Mini Slice of Farm blog without any extra cost to you and allow us to continue posting great content for you.  Thank you for your support!! 

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How I save over $110/Month on baby food

Oganic non GMO is very important to us as a family.   Since we still don’t have proper GMO labeling and most of the “organic” babyfood had some “natural” preservative or additive we had to come up with an alternative way to feed our precious boy.

When it came time to start feeding our baby solid foods we came up with some delicious, homemade and easy recipes.  I was shocked how much it saved us when I calculated the savings!!

Here is an easy (and incredibly yummy) one to start with.

Roasted butternut squash puree

1 – Preheat oven to 400°F
2 – Wash and cut butternut squash lengthwise
3 – Scoop out seeds using a spoon (save those for later – more on that in a future post)

4 – Place squash cut side down in baking dish with 1″ water
5 – Roast at 400°F for 40 min
6 – Let cool until it’s not too hot to touch and start peeling.  I pull off the peel with my fingers but you can also turn the squash and scoop out with a large spoon.
7 – Puree in a food processor or blender.

And that’s it!  My 1.5lb squash gave me 32oz of baby food.  If I were to buy this in the prepackaged jars I would pay $0.30/oz.  That is $9.60 for 32oz.  I payed $2.20 for the squash, a savings of $7.40.  My baby eats 32oz of food in 2 days.  So that is a savings of $111/mo!!  Not bad for 10min of actual work!  AND it was much yummier than anything prepackaged in a jar … I had to hold myself back from eating it all 🙂