Freemotion's food journal: Expanding the gardens, pics p 53

[freemotion]

Tonight's supper.....pig! It is cold here, and rainy today. It is really making things green up nicely, though. The folks moved into their apartment yesterday, about 3 miles down the road. I invited them over for supper tonight, and we had a lovely pork and gravy, served with roasted root veggies. There is a pie in the oven now for desert. Here is how I made it:

Cut up about four lbs of carrots into steak fry sized peices, along with one good-sized rutabaga. Tossed them in melted bacon fat and into a 450 oven on a greased baking sheet for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, I heated up my large cast iron skillet, added plenty of bacon fat, and fried up some cubes of pork tenderloin I had previously frozen. Fried 'em up nice and brown. Then added some garlic, a bit of water to deglaze the pan, then a pint of home-canned cream of mushroom soup made with discount-store dried shiitakes on the cheap. Ran out in the cold rain in bare feet (important part of the process! Be in touch with the spring garden! ) and cut two scallions to add to the gravy, along with some homemade sea salt and some black pepper. I let it simmer while the veggies were cooking.

Then I cut up some parsnips and a big sweet potato and tossed those in more bacon grease and onto the baking sheet they went for another 25 minutes or so, stirring once.

Pie was made with one crust (top crust only) from the freezer (white wheat, kamut, lard) and filled with apples and strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar and two spoonfuls of cornstarch, and a couple squirts of liquid stevia.

I am stuffed!!! So is everybody else!

 

[freemotion]

Hmm, could've sworn I posted this....maybe somewhere else? Was I dreaming about it? My class is asking me how I manage to get everything done, so I thought I'd talk a bit more with some details about how I manage my time in the kitchen.

Sunday (yesterday) is food-shopping day, and I haven't gone in a couple of weeks. DH picked up a few things here and there to get us by, but we ate from the fridge, freezer, canning jars, cupboards, etc. It was nice to have a whole bunch of fresh veggies again, and some interesting meats to cook with.

It was too nice out to spend much time in the kitchen, so I just spent about an hour and a half, working at a furious pace, so I could get some stuff started and get outside to play. I also had a class to teach, and I like to be in two hours ahead of time to go over my notes and have a bite to eat and make a double cup of chai tea. So here is what I did for advance prep in anticipation of a busy week coming up:

I put 3 pounds of black beans to soak with a glug of raw apple cider vinegar.

I started another two gallons of kombucha tea. With the hot weather coming, we drink a lot more, and I want to supply my parents with all they want. So I have four gallons in the fermenting closet right now, due to be finished a few days apart.

I put my big cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up at 375 degrees, then started grinding wheat....kamut and hard red wheat, for bread dough. I made a batch of basic French bread by putting in the bowl of my KitchenAid stand mixer with the dough hook: 2 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons of yeast, a small glug of molasses, a tablespoon of sea salt, and about 6 cups of flour....half red wheat and half kamut. Hard red wheat is a standard bread flour wheat, having a high gluten content. Gluten is needed to support the bubbles and the weight of the dough so you will get a lofty, lighter bread. Kamut is a heritage wheat, and ancient variety that is very high in nutrients, and it is a much smaller grain. It tends to grind up a little coarser, too, but has great flavor.

Soft white wheat is the other type I buy, for making pastry flour. It is lower in gluten so the bonds are not as strong. This is needed for a flaky, tender texture that is more desirable for pastry, biscuits, pancakes, pie dough, cookies, cakes, and the like. I often mix it with kamut, too.

I use kamut by itself for pasta.

The French bread dough was set aside to rise, the I started a double batch of no-knead bread. I used the recipe for "Artisan bread in five minutes a day" from Mother Earth News. I make the dough using the basic recipe, substituting whole wheat flour. I let it sit on the counter at room temperature for 24 hours, then put it into the fridge for up to two weeks. This is to prepare the grains in a traditional way, in a modern kitchen, to maximize the nutrient profile and digestibility of the final product. I plan on making and freezing pizzas with this, for quick suppers when we are too busy to cook, or just don't feel like it during the busy days of spring and summer.

I pulled the hot skillet out of the oven and greased it generously with lard, and put in 3-4 lbs of pork neck bones I'd picked up at the grocery store. I returned them to the oven to brown for an hour. Later, I transfered them to a stock pot with lots of water and a glug of apple cider vinegar, then deglazed the skillet and added all the good browned bits to the pot. I put it on to simmer for 24 hours.

I ran outside to enjoy the day for a couple of hours. I got my animals all cared for, walked the dogs for a good, long walk, and finished cleaning out the box that housed the buck, then the two barn cats, and soon to house the meat chicks once it is rodent-proofed. I raised it up on cinder blocks (all by myself! With a metal pole and some spare bricks, I raised one corner at a time until it was sitting on four concrete blocks, to dry out thoroughly for a few days. Whew!)

Then back in to make pizza for supper. I used half the French bread recipe on a large baking sheet. I thought I still had some frozen pizza sauce, but nope, it was all gone. In a hurry, I threw a can of stewed tomatoes, a small can of tomato paste, a heaping teaspoon or so each of basil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and a dash of red pepper into the blender. It went onto the dough without the benefit of cooking it first....it can separate if you do it this way....it was fine, though. Maybe the blending and the high proportion of tomato paste saved it.

I topped it with a generous amount of Romano and mozzarella cheeses, pepperoni and home-made sausage. DH made a salad with romaine lettuce, baby spinach, pickling cukes with the skins, tomatoes, red peppers, carrot shreds made with the carrot peeler, and snow peas. I whipped up a quick batch of Parmesan Peppercorn dressing.....half mayo, half sour cream, a bit of milk to get the texture right, and some garlic and onion powders, sea salt and lots of coarsely-ground black pepper.

Today I had to continue what I'd started yesterday. I cooked the beans, and put up 7 baggies (inside a gallon ziploc freezer bag) of 1.5 cup portions and froze them. I put about a quart and a half into a large bowl in the fridge for soup to be made tomorrow.

I scooped the neck bones out of the stock pot and set them aside to cool on a dinner plate, then I strained the pork broth into a smaller pot that would fit into the fridge for the night. Then I picked the meat off the bones to be used in the soup that I will make tomorrow.

DH cooked tonight, as he was home and I was working. He made bison burgers and a veggie smoothie for each of us.

Tomorrow I will make a big pot of soup, and we will have some for supper and I will freeze some for future quick meals. Maybe I'll make two types, while I am peeling and chopping...depends on how nice it is outside! I am off tomorrow....at least from paying work!

Meanwhile, egg production is up again. I think it has more to do with the cats and less to do with the chickens. I think they are making a dent in the local rat population. I keep them locked up in the hay storage area, but I could swear that I saw the black one, the mama kitty, shoot strait up the wall and disappear through an opening near the top that was left for ventilation in the coop. From there, she can scoot right out the pop door that the hens use. She must be coming and going at will. I see her daughter on occasion, as she is far less shy. I cannot approach her, but she looks at me for a second or two before silently disappearing behind the hay bales.
Speaking of hay bales, the goats are really getting a lot from the pasture suddenly. Their hay consumption has dropped dramatically. I use about a quarter of a bale a day for them now, a bit more if it rains. It looks like my few bales just might get me through.
The tom turkey has been very interested in the hen turkey lately, strutting his stuff outside her stall throughout the day. For the past three mornings, I have found him inside the stall. He roosts on the wall of that stall, and she has been trying to join him, finally listening to her chicks frantic calls and going back to keep them warm.
Someone.and Im not pointing fingers here, Tom.someone smooshed a chick. One is suddenly wobbly and cant get around quite as efficiently as its siblings. It seemed to be doing ok for a couple of days, eating and drinking and wobbling around. Tonight, it did not respond when I tossed a big handful of freshly picked grass and dandelion blossoms into the stall. It sat, crouched, at one end of the stall. Sometimes these chicks rally, but my hopes are not high for this one. Morning will tell.

 

[freemotion]

Tomorrow I will be having guests for lunch. One is vegetarian. So I will be making two soups and a big salad. Everyone (six people) is interested in eating healthy and avoiding grains in every meal, so that makes it easier.

I chopped a bunch of veggies tonight to make tomorrow easier. I plan to make a black bean cake, a salad with baby greens, tomato, cukes, snow peas, and red peppers with a coupe of homemade salad dressings....Italian and Parmesan Peppercorn. I will also bring some of my homemade feta.

I will make my favorite new soups....Taco soup, but I will have cooked ground sausage on the side out of respect for the vegetarian, and I will also have a Garden Cheddar soup....YUM! No grains to go with either at all. I crave biscuits, but it will be just too much prep. I plan on making very large soups so I will have leftovers to send to my folks for quick meals. Mom is having some difficulties with cooking, so I want to ease the pressure a bit for them.

I forgot to look.....I seriously hope we have some strawberries in the freezer for that cake! If not, I think I have a dark chocolate baking bar, maybe I will melt some of that with some coconut oil and drizzle it over the top. I forgot to plan for dessert. This crew won't miss it, but will appreciate one that is good for their waistlines.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Tomorrow I will be having guests for lunch. One is vegetarian. So I will be making two soups and a big salad. Everyone (six people) is interested in eating healthy and avoiding grains in every meal, so that makes it easier.

I chopped a bunch of veggies tonight to make tomorrow easier. I plan to make a black bean cake, a salad with baby greens, tomato, cukes, snow peas, and red peppers with a coupe of homemade salad dressings....Italian and Parmesan Peppercorn. I will also bring some of my homemade feta.

I will make my favorite new soups....Taco soup, but I will have cooked ground sausage on the side out of respect for the vegetarian, and I will also have a Garden Cheddar soup....YUM! No grains to go with either at all. I crave biscuits, but it will be just too much prep. I plan on making very large soups so I will have leftovers to send to my folks for quick meals. Mom is having some difficulties with cooking, so I want to ease the pressure a bit for them.

I forgot to look.....I seriously hope we have some strawberries in the freezer for that cake! If not, I think I have a dark chocolate baking bar, maybe I will melt some of that with some coconut oil and drizzle it over the top. I forgot to plan for dessert. This crew won't miss it, but will appreciate one that is good for their waistlines.

Make that fudge recipe I posted for the frosting!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[freemotion]

Oh, yeah!!!! Thanks for the reminder!!


(runs off to copy/paste.....)

 

[freemotion]

I couldn't find it on the site and the link didn't work! Does anyone have the recipe saved to their files?

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

Tomorrow I will be having guests for lunch. One is vegetarian.

snicker snicker snicker.... so you're having guest for lunch - how will you cook them? and if you eat a vegetarian for lunch, does that make you a vegan??

hee hee hee .... i need more coffee......hee hee hee hee

 

[modern_pioneer]

Vitamix (sp) has an advert in MEN last month and mentioned that it gives your body more nutrition because it breaks down the cell walls as well as grinds up seeds. I don't understand how using this is better than using a blender/juicer? Could you explain it any better?

 

[freemotion]

The VitaMix goes beyond both a juicer and a blender in that it is so powerful, you can put raw veggies in it and it pulverizes them so much (even breaking the individual cells) that it turns the most fibrous veggie like a carrot into a thick liquid that is drinkable. It is also broken down for easier access to the nutrients, since you can't chew the food that much. So it makes the nutrients more available, which is very important for some people who have health challenges.....maybe digestive issues, or swallowing challenges, or they need a higher level of nutrients to overcome an issue.

My hubby and I notice a BIG difference in how we feel when we are making raw smoothies with it regularly. A blender cannot handle raw carrots or the stems of spinach, for example. A juicer removes all the fiber, so juiced fruits and veggies cause huge spikes in blood sugar.....steady blood sugar is needed for good health, and spikes are never good, even if caused by juice made fresh from fruit you just picked. Not saying NEVER EVER drink fresh juice if you enjoy it and are slim and healthy, but limit it, and take it with food, always. Remember glassware sets that came with little tiny juice glasses?

With a VitaMix, you can enjoy those wonderful, fresh flavors without the health concerns of juicing. I often have a shake for lunch and I am satisfied for the rest of the day, since my blood sugar levels are then very stable and steady, with a steady supply of fuel for my body. I add good fats to my lunch shakes in the form of whole milk, whole milk yogurt or kefir, and raw egg yolks.

A shake made with a VitaMix and using frozen berries, kefir, stevia or whole red grapes (we freeze these, too), carrots, baby spinach or frozen collards, and 3-4 fresh egg yolks tastes fruity and reminiscent of newly-mown lawns....in a good way!

Worth every penny. When ours goes, we WILL replace it, no matter what the economy is like at the time....we will scrape up the money to fix it or replace it!

Oh, and you can get a special canister and blade that will grind grain for flour, cornmeal, etc. I've even made chick starter in it for a few chicks....I wouldn't risk my precious VitaMix for grinding feed for a lot of chicks, though. Just the little broody hen batches.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Ok, Free, you should be a salesperson for them, cuz youjust sold one. I have never been a fan of juicing, I always thought it wasteful, and your were wasting the best part. but then you said you can buy an attachement to gring grains to flour (now since we are doing GF) I would be able to grind up the grains I need to make GF flour.