Thursday, November 29, 2012

Looking Ahead and The Menu

It is getting very very cold here in Maine.
 This morning when I started chores it was 19, Nickel and Charm boy are loving the cold air Jake not so much. Jake will be getting more stall time and blanket time.
The oldest of the remaining Bloodhounds Beau is really showing his age I suspect this will be his last winter, I cook him hot meals every day but people food does not give him what he needs,(he is getting supplements) and he flips his bowl over if I suggest dog food.
 Bob is in the process of making a new seat for our fore cart, so I am looking for fabric to make a seat cushion. The holidays are quickly approaching , there is much baking to do.
 The economy is such there will be little shopping and none in malls. Every week we see an increase in the cost of feed especially corn, I feel so bad for full time farmers struggling to keep their live stock fed. I was clearing out the fridge of Thanks given left overs and thinking I will get another piglet come spring.
 I have given away three of the hens and the last hen and rooster will go as soon as they are captured.
The hen's aged and stopped laying and I decided I can not continue feeding hens who will not produce.
Old laying hen's do not make good eating so off they have gone.
 The farmer I gave them to has 30 hens, he's going to give them a chance with the addition of supplement light and if that fails they will be soup for his family. Hennie will remain because Jake seems to enjoy her and she lays a nice little egg every day.
Last night it was dark at 4:45 I am once again looking at crock pot ideas and quick dinners for week nights.


This Weeks Menu
Friday: Clam Strip Rolls
Saturday: Pork Chops and Baked Beans
Sunday Meat Loaf and Mashed
Monday Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot
Tuesday: Easy Pepper Steak in Crock pot
Wednesday: Pizza and Salad
Thursday: Chicken Fiesta / Crock Pot

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

This Weeks Menu

My tablet is still not allowing me to blog, if you have any idea how to help please drop me an email.
In the mean time I"ll post when I can get a computer. We have teamed the boys a couple times, (Nickel and Charm boy). I have a couple of photo's to post and when I can work out the tablet I'll share.

 With all of the heavy dining we enjoyed over the week end, the challenge this week was a lighter less expensive week night menu.
 This is what I came up with:
Monday: Cheese Burgers and Sweet potatoes
Tuesday: Steak subs loaded with veggies on hollowed out crusty bread
Wednesday: Mandarin Chicken Bake (left over chicken from Sunday)
Thursday: Soft Shell Taco's

A side from cooking and chores I am thinking of Christmas decorations, hope to start decorating Saturday. Thinking less glitz this year more farmhouse, been checking out ideas at pintrest and all over Blog Land.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Holiday Week End

Welll yesterday was Thanksgiving, and we enjoyed the day with our son and his fiance at the farm. We had a wonderful dinner most of it very traditional turkey's stuffing gravey. I'm sorry to say no photo's as my tabet via google acount is still not cooperating. Today is my least favorite day of the year "Black Friday" not much fun for those of us in retail.
My daughter was unable to join us for the holiday Ingredients


15 whole Large Red Potatoes

1 stick Butter, Softened And Cut Into Pieces

5 slices Bacon, Cooked And Crumbled

2 whole Green Onions, Sliced

¾ cups Sour Cream

Salt To Taste (add Plenty!)

Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste (ditto!)

¾ cups French Fried Onions, More For Topping

Preparation Instructions

Nuke potatoes or bake in the oven until fork-tender. Add to a large bowl and smash with a potato masher. Immediately add softened butter, green onions, bacon, and sour cream and stir with a rubber spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add french fried onions and fold in.



Serve hot, sprinkling on extra french fried onions and green onions. Yummy with grilled steak

but she and her husband will be out to the farm Saterday.

Monday, November 19, 2012

This Weeks Menu n Some Pics

My tablet is stilllll not working so here 's some photo's from our week end.
Bob hitched the TEAM





In this photo Nickel is on the Right, at 7 years old large and in charge.

Here Charm boy is on the Right, three years old Tall n LeanIt was a little nerve racking helping to hitch them , but it was loads of fun going out with a team again. Hope to find a sled before the real snow.

AND THE MENU




Tonight Portabella mushroom pizza burgers for me Cheese burgers n mashed for Bob



Tomorrow: Beef stew n bread bowls



Wednesday: Tortellini chicken stock n grill cheese




Turkey day: 2 birds n all the fixings

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Team Work

I have not gone for a drive with a team we own in a very long time. Last week Bob took Nickel n Charm out as a team for the first time ever, he was joined by a fellow teamster
. Today we harnessed, hitched and drove our "new" team for the first time together. What a pleasure.

Sunday

It is 5:40  on Sunday morning, I think (fingers crossed) that I finally fixed my tablet. For weeks every time I tried to post it failed,I think it was an issue with GMail.
Out the window the farm is covered with frost, the thermometer reads 21. I hope to spend most of my day inside, getting caught up. My ironing basket is full and the bananas on the counter should be transformed into banana bread.
Short work week ahead,looking forward to the holiday. Yesterday Bob took Nickel into the woods to help a neighbor retrieve a huge down tree, They had him hitched and done so quick I missed the photo, but maybe Ill get to snap some today.

The Turkey Day Menu
4 people 2 birds one will be done in traditional slow roast oven fashion, and the second outside in the "Big easy" ,
Mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes
green beans
gravy
rolls
and chocolate truffle



test

123

Tuesday, November 13, 2012


THE "NEW" TEAM



 
OK the long awaited  "NEW" team harnessed together for the first time, ever.
Introducing Nickel and charm Boy .
So Jake and Nickel were are great "team" when Jake was on his game. However Jake was unpredictable due to his history , he could be unsafe. Now we have Charm and Bob as been working towards the team hitch, that happened this Sunday. We have a long road Nickel took hours of practice and dedication, but hopes are high. it will be nice to have a team again.
ps. Jakes not going any where, he just does not wish to be a work horse, this is his time to chill.

Thinking holiday AKA test kitchen

Starting to think about holiday get together, looking through the cook books and surfing the web.
Going to cook up two turkeys next week , Stonewall Kitchen Brine is on the must have list.















Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients


2 (10 ounce) cans chicken 2 (8 ounce) packets cream cheese 3/4 cup hot sauce  1 cup ranch dressing 2 cups mild cheddar cheese 2 loaves baguette Directions

Drain canned chicken and put in medium sauce pan.

Add hot sauce and cook on medium until heated throughout. My personal favorite is Frank's hot sauce.

Add cream cheese and stir until blended thoroughly.

Add ranch dressing and mix.

Add 1-1/2 cups of cheddar cheese and heat for a few minutes until mixed and melted.

Pour the dip into the crock pot and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on the top. Keep heated on low.

I serve on baguette that has been sliced and toasted. However, it is also tasty on corn chips.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Checking in, and the Menu

So I have not been posting on this blog because, it will not accept any photo's and that frustrates me.
But lets catch up and maybe later I can use Bobs new lap top to add some photo's.
First the two storms, we were lucky compared to many. The first storm brought us rain and high winds, we cleaned up with pumps and rakes last weekend.This week brought snow  and more rain from which we will clean up today.In the middle of raking last Sunday morning, we received a phone call from the slaughter house. As the result of a cancellation, they had an opening and offered me the opportunity to bring BBQ in.We dropped BBQ off Sunday at 12:30,now I have pork in my freezer.Cleaned and processed my lean pig dressed out at 119lbs. a perfect pig for a small family freezer and a great return on a ten month project.Almost one half of our meat is at the smoke house,50lbs. I have them smoking the hams,shoulders,bacon and jewels.When all is said and done I would have spent the equivalent of 2.39 per. pound, that's darn cheap for fresh lean farm pork, I will get another piglet in the spring.
Sunday : Chicken with stuffed baked potatoes/ broccoli and cheese
Monday:Cheese burgers and garlic fries for Bob and portabella burgers for me
Tuesday: Pork chops and Baked beans Apple sauce
Wednesday: Stuffed chicken Breast rice and veggie
Thursday: Pizza and salads

Sunday, November 4, 2012

New Space

I decided to take over the "breakfast nook" and make it my own. This will be my new menu planning space. We have not sat in this room for a meal for over a year,so I did not take a vote I just did it. You see coffee is always at the island, meals with company at the dining table and work night meals are usually in front of TV so this makes perfect sense to me.. I am hooked on menu planning and my cook books have out grown the book shelf.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

This Weeks On The Menu





Friday: Fish and Chips
Saturday: Buffalo wings
Sunday: French Toast Breakfast
Chili Lunch
Monday: Burger n Fries
Tuesday: Baked Chicken
Wednesday: Tortellini and Grilled Cheese
Thursday: Pastrami Sandwiches