Maple Syrup Season

Cold Nights and warm mornings make for Maple Syrup , in Maine.

Walnut–Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Maple Syrup Glaze

3 very ripe bananas, peeled
2 cups (10 oz./315 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1⁄4 tsp. fine sea salt
6 Tbs. (3 oz./90 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3⁄4 cup (6 oz./185 g) sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1⁄2 cup (4 oz./125 g) sour cream, at room temperature
1 cup (6 oz./185 g) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (4 oz./125 g) coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch (23-by-13-cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom and long sides of the pan with parchment paper. Butter the top of the parchment. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.

Using a fork, mash the bananas in a bowl; you should have about 1 cup (8 oz./250 g). In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a third bowl, using a handheld mixer on high speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Gradually beat in the eggs and then the mashed bananas. Reduce the
speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with the sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed, beating until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips and half of the walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto the rack and remove the paper. Invert again, and let cool completely. Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 1 loaf

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar sifted

1 tablespoon  maple syrup

¹⁄₂ teaspoon maple extract

2 -3 tablespoons heavy cream

¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt

BOTTLE TOWER GARDENS

Butter

  

Directions for all compound butters

1. Add all ingredients to the mixer bowl. Using an stand (or any electric) mixer, beat all ingredients until well incorporated and fluffy. (If you do not have an electric hand mixer, you can do this by hand using a strong spoon, it will just take a bit more work.)
2. Place a medium-size piece of plastic wrap onto a clean, flat surface. Using silicone spatulas, gather the butter together in the bowl, then spoon the butter mixture out of the bowl and onto the center of the plastic wrap.
3. Grabbing the bottom portion of the plastic wrap, pull it up over the butter and begin forming the wrap around the butter, rolling and forming a log shape. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap and place butter in the fridge to set.

Copy Cat  " Texas Road House" Butter

Cinnamon Honey Butter:

½ cup butter

½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

 make the honey butter, whip together butter, powdered sugar, honey, and cinnamon and serve on warm rolls.

Containers

Do you container garden? 
In the past some of my favorite container gardens ,  have been re purposed water troths and tubs.

With the addition of the pizza oven, I am looking for vessels to house loads of herbs.
 The beauty of growing in containers is you can put your herbs anywhere — a patio, porch, steps or the edge of a driveway. The pizza oven is located on the deck, just out side the kitchen twenty two feet in the air.
Large or small water troths, half barrels, window boxes and old chicken feeders all make beautiful containers for herbs. Make sure they have drainage holes and place them where they get six hours of sun.
For a fast kitchen herb garden that looks instantly lush and delicious, I have purchased mature plants you can use almost immediately.

Experiment with a few unfamiliar herbs to broaden your tastes. Leafy and tender annual herbs, like parsley, basil, dill or cilantro, are often used on pizza fresh, after they come out of the oven. Woody perennial herbs — think rosemary, thyme, oregano and lavender — have woody stems and are most often used in cooked dishes, like roast vegitables and chicken.

I find it is better to grow mint in a container, as it’s invasive in the ground, great in ice tea and better in Sangria!

HOW TO PLANT HERB STARTS:

1. Fill the bottom of the container with a 2” layer of pea gravel, then fill the container about ¾ full with vegetable or cactus potting mix.
2. Pop herbs out of their pots and gently spread the roots. 
3. Plant the herbs the same depth as their containers, placing the tallest in the center and the trailing ones around the edges.
4. Cover the roots with any remaining soil from the pots mixed with potting mix. 
5. Feed with an organic vegetable fertilizer and water thoroughly.
6. Feed plants weekly with a diluted solution of fish emulsion and water.

Thinking Fairy Gardens

Last year I planted a fairy garden , in an old bath tub.

My little garden and it's tenants seemed quite happy, and I enjoyed watching it grow and change.

So on this freezing cold  eight degree morning in Maine

I am fantasizing of Spring.

I am going to gather up some miniatures to have ready to set up this years fairy garden as soon as possible.

There's loads of Fairy Garden web sights MyFairyGardens.com

I plan to start with the local Good Will and see what can be re purposed.

 Although I may send for this little barn, seems fitting!

Horse Drawn

Today we took a road trip with friends, out to Brattleboro ,Vermont.

www,fairwindsfarm.org

We were in Vermont to drop off my husbands horse drawn mower for repair.

This is a McCormick-Deering No.9 Mower  that my Uncle Frank located in Northern Maine near Brownfield.

Once this project is complete we will return to VT. pick up the cutter and return it to the farm, for use with our team of Belgians in the spring.

The farm today had some interesting sight .

I liked the horse drawn sleigh that was in their barn.

Animal Tracks and Thoughts of Spring

Did you know that Hooves and Hounds Farm , is a certified Natural Wildlife Habitat.

It is very much , still winter here on the farm.

As I walk I can not help but think about spring.

These "candy birds nests" are a blast from my past.

When I was at Munch Kin Montessori School , we would make these every spring for the kids.

Chocolate Easter Nests:

8 ounces (227 grams) semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped

2 - 2 1/2 cups chow mien noodles

Garnish:

small jelly beans, speckled malted milk eggs, or other egg shaped candy

Spring 2016

begins Sunday, March 20

Time To Add

I have decided it is time to add to my flock of chickens here at the farm.

I am down to 3 birds and have had a growing number of folks looking for farm fresh eggs.

I have decided to get my birds at Orchard Ridge here in Maine.

http://www.orchardridgemaine.com/

Red Sex Link

(aka Golden Comet, Production Red, Red Star) The best and most feed-efficient layers of brown eggs. Calm and friendly.

                   

                        

---

Clean Out The Produce Draw Frittata

Throw all your favorite produce into a frittata and you have a fantastic and simple meal.

Serves 4 to 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small zucchini, chopped into 1/8 inch-thick rounds
• 1 ear of corn, kernels removed
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• A couple basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 6 large eggs
• Salt and pepper

1. In a medium (around 9-inch) oven-safe skillet I use cast iron, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmering. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until they have softened and browned, around 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the zucchini rounds and corn kernels and cook until softening, about 3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and basil leaves plus a couple pinches of salt and pepper and give a stir.
3. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the veggies hang out until the tomatoes just start to soften, a minute or two. During that time, in a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with a few pinches of salt and pepper and turn your oven broiler on.
4. Pour the eggs over the vegetables and let the frittata cook until it is most of the way set, but the top is still uncooked, then transfer the frittata to the oven and broil just until the top is cooked. Remove from the oven. This frittata can be served warm, room temperature, or cold. It’s good with a salad and really yummy sandwiched between pieces of bread, especially with some pesto.

Made In Maine

Just ordered this made in Maine biscuit cutter, and I do not bake.Just loved the craftsmanship and the value.

Made by a local craftsman from ash.

Edit Recipe Add Photos

Author Notes: Okay. Fruit pizzas are yummy, but my friends from the South insist on something more substantial. Here's what they like! Also, they insist the the difference between great biscuits and ordinary biscuits is not so much in the ingredients but in how the dough is handled (as little as possible!). (less)               

For the buttermilk biscuits:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into tiny chunks
• 3/4 to 1 cups buttermilk

1. For the biscuits: Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl; using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until pebbly. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and pour in buttermilk. Use your hands to fold the buttermilk into the dry ingredients. Add a bit more buttermilk if it seems too dry. Season with salt.
2. Place the dough on a floured surface. Trying not to use your hands too much, turn the dough over a few times until it has a few layers and then pat it out until it's a little more than 1 inch thick.
3. Take out your fancy smancy made in Maine biscuit cutter to cut out biscuits (fold scraps together to make the last biscuit); place on an ungreased cookie sheet so that the sides do not touch.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Split and top with sausage gravy.
5. Meanwhile, make sausage gravy: Crumble sausage into skillet; sauté until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out sausage and set aside; drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat. Return the pan and the reserved fat to the heat; stir in flour, scraping up sausage bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in sage, thyme, and bouillon granules, stir to mix, and add milk. Stir over medium heat until thickened; adjust with extra milk. Stir in reserved crumbled sausage and serve over split biscuits.
   
   
   
   
   

Making Whoopie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (or butter)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

WHOOPIE PIES

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined.
Continue to mix on low speed while alternately adding the buttermilk and flour mixture. Stop to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Spoon about 1/4-cup  of batter roughly 3 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets (a scoop works well here). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegetable shortening (or butter)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a large bowl, blend together all of the ingredients until smooth.
Spread the flat side of half the cakes with filling. Top with the remaining cakes to form a sandwich, then wrap individually in plastic wrap until ready to serve.
For Valentines Day you can roll the edges of the fluff filling in red sprinkles!

Copy Cat

Last night we were at The Village Tavern in West Kennebunk Maine

I had the most amazing

Crisp Fried Goat Cheese & Marinated Beets with Baby Lettuce and Creamy Lemon Basil Dressing , that I am now on a mission to recreate.

The Tavern does offer recipes on there web sight, but sadly not this one, so this is the best I could come up with :

Fried Goat Cheese

1 (11 ounce) log herbed Goat Cheese

2 extra large fresh egg whites beaten with 1 tbsp water

Fresh white bread crumbs

Directions

Slice the Goat Cheese into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.


Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the vinegar and orange juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and and good balsamic vinegar

Lemon Basil Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put all dressing in Mason Jar close lid and shake