Good, Providentially!

A recipe for friends

2011-04-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well, there really is no recipe for good friends. But to have one, you must be one. Kind of like, takes one to know one. But, a new good friend asked for this recipe. And since I have not blogged in SOOO long, I thought I would share it here. So, here goes... This recipe was from another good friend, with whom I shared a supper co-op. More on that idea later. Rocky Mountain Brisket with BBQ sauce 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 TBS chili powder 1 tsp crushed bay leaves 2 TBS liquid smoke (I use hickory, and generously) 4 lb beef brisket BBQ Sauce 3 TBS brown sugar 14oz. catsup (I don't really measure...eyeball it) 1/2 cup water 2 TBS liquid smoke (again, generously here) salt and pepper to taste 4 TBS worcestershire sauce (generously here, too) 3 tsp dry mustard 6 TBS butter (I just throw in a whole stick) Emphasis mine: add a little honey (about 1/4 cup), cayenne (about 1/2 tsp) Simmer the sauce. I mix all the spices for the rub and put it all over the brisket. I cooked mine in a LeCreuset cast iron French Oven for about 2 hours or so at 325 degrees F. I put in a tad of water, so it doesn't dry out and get stuck to the pot. Slice thinly and top with sauce. When I say generously, I usually mean I didn't really measure it...or I added a dash or so more. Clear as mud? And regarding good friends, generosity is a good rule. ;-) Enjoy!

Think out of the box

2011-02-02T11:23:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to realize how easily we come to rely upon certain things...like ground beef...when we need something quick or easy to prepare. Well, what does one do when there is none available? Ground pork and sausage have produced favorable results in a few recipes. But, I am here to tell you what is really good....lamb. I am very thankful that there are a few of those critters outside, safely grazing their way to my table. Ground lamb adds a delectible dimension to lasagne and spaghetti that I did not expect. So, tonight it finds its way into my supper plans. Lamb sausage will be the main ingredient...along with some pasta, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce, onions and garlic. Mmmmm....I can taste it now. I'd better go to the kitchen and get busy.

But, I think when we pick up the latest steer from the butcher next week, I'll look forward to what we have missed for a couple of months now...burgers, sloppy joes, meatloaf, meatballs (the boys' favorite!), tacos. My Eldest Maiden just said, "it's not just the boys' favorite, Mama!"

Is it supper time yet?

Soup's On!

2011-02-01T08:31:00.000-08:00

In these frigid winter days, soup is such a blessing. Take a few meaty soup bones, dredge in a little kosher salt and brown in butter. Some fresh garlic is good and good for you, so throw that in. Smells soooooo gooooooood!! Now deglaze your pan with a little wine, red or sherry, and add a dash of Worcestershire Sauce for good measure. Add enough water to cover and simmer until the meat practically falls off the bone. Take out the bones, leave the meat. Now you have a perfectly lovely, delicious and healthy broth. At this point, you can use your imagination and create a fabulous soup that your family will love. Not up for soup? Freeze the broth in ice cube trays for later. No more bouillion cubes for you! Banish the cans of broth! You have now had real food...you may never want to go back. The best thing to do now is make a nice bread to go along with it and invite your neighbors over. They can bring the salad...or not. Let your love be sincere...practice hospitality. It is good....Providentially!

Half-Sours

2010-07-14T13:09:00.001-07:00

...not half bad! Actually, very good! Recipe link to follow, and a photo if we can manage one before we eat them all.

From the Mouths of Babes

2010-05-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

Latest cute quote from the Happy Protector (age two), as he was thoroughly enjoying two desserts (Flourless Chocolate Cake and Fresh Strawberry Pie...handpicked and handmade by his sisters, of course).... "Our house is NOT desserted!" Profound in more ways than one.

Feeding the Multitudes

2010-04-12T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we had a glorious Lord's Day. Worship, rest and fellowship is the order of the day for us each Sunday. Nothing like having a few friends over after church....you know, oh, 70 or so. As a very dear young lady was helping in the kitchen, she requested my bread recipe. While I confess, it may not be the same loaf twice around here, it is usually pretty tasty no matter what. And I know the Lord fed over 5,000 with five loaves. But here, a couple disappeared rather quickly with just a handful of young'n's. Maybe it was the peanut butter and jam...or greed? We'll say pbj. Think the best. And by handful, I mean 30 or so. You know, just a few.

And while I am one of those home-schooling, denim skirt-wearing, grain-grinding kind of gals, this recipe is the one we go to for quick, easy and yummy all in one package...white flour and all.

Anyway, here goes...

4 cups warm water

8 TBS softened butter

4 TBS yeast (I use instant)

2 TBS kosher salt (sea salt works well....if regular table salt, decrease by half)

1 cup sugar (choose your poison...mine is organic evaporated cane juice)

4 eggs (the emulsifier of choice, replaces soy lecithin)

1 cup oats, moistened (I used quick and about 1/2 cup water)

12 3/4 cups flour (here you may use your flour of choice, or combination of grains)

In your handy-dandy mixer (Electrolux for my bread, Kitchenaid for other recipes), mix all these ingredients until the dough is elastic and pulls away from the bowl. If it is too sticky, add more flour a little at a time. Resist the temptation to dump a cup! TBS at a time will do.

Now, here is where you make a choice. Rolls or loaves? Or both! For loaves, pull off as much as needed and shape. I pinch off my dough and using as little effort as possible (for the dough's sake, not mine!), smooth it from top to bottom. I realize this is hard to imagine without photos. Maybe a dough tutorial will follow later. Maybe. Put the loaves into pans with parchment paper (no greasing necessary). Allow to rise to desired fullness (about half an hour). Bake at 350 degrees F, for half an hour.

For rolls, allow to rise before shaping, about an hour. Then, shape; place on parchment paper; cover and rise again. Bake at 375 degrees F, for about 8-10 minutes. In my opinion, dark is dry and overdone. So watch for a light, golden color...and you will get a moist, smooth texture.

This recipe makes (usually) four loaves, or two loaves and enough rolls to feed our family supper (and have a few leftover if we are not gluttonous) or whatever combination thereof you desire. The amount of dough for one loaf constitutes about a dozen decent-sized rolls. There. Clear as mud. But much yummier.

Coconut Cake

2010-04-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Now, I am not sure whether or not I can share this recipe with you. I promise it isn't because I don't want to. But, friends, I am here to tell you, this cake was fantastic. A while back, (I know...it has been too long), I mentioned heirloom recipes and hinted that you should not keep them 'til you die! Didn't your mama teach you to share? There is one recipe, a family treasure you could say, that has eluded everyone who has ever asked for it. My Aunt Zelma made the best coconut cake you have ever tasted. She would not tell the recipe for love nor money, and ask me how I know. She took it to her grave. Sad but true. Actually, I think her daughter has it, but she isn't giving it up either. My sister and I have come pretty close, and we share our trials and triumphs with each other every time we try it. Well, I have found a new favorite. There's a new coconut cake on my favorites list. The recipe is from Paula Deen, in her book The Lady and Sons Too. So, as it is a published work, I'll send you in her direction for the recipe. But let it be known that it is worth the effort finding and preparing and waiting for.

It rests in the fridge for three days, so it's a perfect cake for Resurrection Sunday. Not perfect, however, for taking to the church picnic. (Sorry folks, but you'll have to come to Providence Farm to taste it.) It is a tall, cool, six-layered taste of Heaven on Earth. Move over Pepperidge Farms...this one is the real deal.

I told my mama that I thought this might even be better than Aunt Zelma's, but if she told anybody I said it, I'd deny it. I said Aunt Zelma would roll over in her grave. Mama said "ohhh, I am going to run down there right now and tell her!" Tattle tale...

Sabbath light

2010-01-31T09:17:00.001-08:00

Our Sabbath, 18th Anniversary dinner,

complete with Rolled Rump Roast.

Rolled Rump Roast

2010-01-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we have been at this grass-fed beef growing venture for some time now. We are still in the process of trying each cut of beef and learning just what makes them the tastiest. This weekend, we were planning a very special meal...Sabbath preparation and anniversary celebration kind of special...Dear and Loving Husband says plan something fine. So, I planned on lamb, because I thought we had some in the freezer. Dear and Loving Husband, after searching diligently, asks just where said lamb may be found. Uh-oh. That was veal I was thinking of. Ok, move to plan B. Break out one of those cuts we have not tried yet and make it fine. Enter Rolled Rump Roast. Now when it comes to roasts, I am not of the rare, succulent au jus loving kind. My mama would brown it and cook it to death with Lipton onion soup mix. Well, that has MSG, which we try to avoid (headaches and whatnot, you know...). Anyway, I did a little research in my cookbook collection and compared notes with a few sites online. I decided to branch out of familiarity and try something new, of my own design. It was SO good! I mean, lick your plate good if you don't have manners and it isn't a fine meal...but we do and it was, so I didn't, though I wanted to. Nonetheless, here you go...

Rolled Rump Roast (preferably from Providence Farm!) about 3.5 lbs.
1 Vidalia Onion, cut into eighths
1 head of garlic (from our garden!), peeled and each clove halved lengthwise
~1/3 cup sherry
~1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
~1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
~1 TBS kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 TBS butter
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

The ~ means "about," because I don't measure. This is where I got to really put my LeCreuset French Oven to the test. Preheat your cookware over low heat, then add oil and butter and cover with the lid. Turn heat up to medium and NO higher. Rinse and pat dry the roast. Rub with pepper and salt and place in oil/butter to sear on all sides. Remove and set aside the roast. Place onion & garlic into the oil and cover. Allow to slightly brown, then place the roast on top of the onions. Pour liquids into bottom of french oven and cover. Let braise for a few hours, turning occasionally, until fork-tender and juices & onions have carmelized. Remove string netting and slice for serving. Pour pan juices over the meat before serving. Try not to lick your plate when you are done. At least use a roll to sop it up! ;-) Mmmmmm....Good, Providentially!

a few of my favorite things

2010-01-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

These are things I love to use in the kitchen and hope to fill my daughters' hope chests with. Well equipped kitchen essentials.

best to cook in: cast iron, hands down
All-Clad stainless steel, a close second
favorite to serve in (and cook): Polish pottery and Le Creuset cast iron, no cheap imitations...ask me why?...You get what you pay for.
utensils: Whetstone Woodenware, silicone spatulas and All-Clad stainless steel spoons
dishes: Homer Laughlin's Fiestaware, all colors, and nearly any pattern of red transferware
handmade potholders (Ok, the girls make them for me so I think I'll have to hide a few for them later.)
lovely tea towels
cloth napkins and tablecloths

More to follow.

keeping the homefire burning

2010-01-05T12:01:00.000-08:00

I am sorry to have disappointed everyone eagerly awaiting thanksgiving recipes. In the hustle & bustle of the season, that fell to the wayside as I have been tending the fire...filling love tanks. And since Nana hadn't been here in over two years, we decided to savor every bit of the three weeks we had her. So, I beg your forgiveness.

And speaking of fire...I came across a gem of a book. Hearthside Cooking by Nancy Carter Crump has had my attention of late in those brief moments of leisurely reading while nursing the baby. Having learned about the finer points of radiant heat (wishing for that four-oven Aga) and the joys of using cast iron and our woodstove, I thought it may be prudent and interesting to add open hearth to my growing repertoire. We are all about doing (some)things the old fashioned way around here. That just fits right in with our Slow Food concept of farming. The cover hints at recipes of traditional Southern, specifically Virginian, cuisine for hearthside cooking and modern interpretations thereof. What I did not expect is the wealth of historical context, thoroughly researched and presented in an enlightening manner. Before we moved to Providence Farm, I would say I'd like to live along Duke of Gloucester Street and have our whole family of interpreters in our Colonial attire, cooking at a grand hearth like the one at the Governor's Palace, with our Heritage breed animals and abundant kitchen garden and smokehouse, etc. (Aside: in these frigid hours, I am thankful to have a furnace that will kick on when the woodstove fire dies out around midnight!) Anyway, since our grill bit the dust on Christmas Day (literally, blew off the back porch just as we were cutting our steaks at the dinnertable), I've had a notion (actually my Dear and Loving Husband had it first & I concurred...before the grill bit the dust but doom was imminent) to design and build a hearth out back. That is a project that may not come to fruition in the very near term, but we do need to replace the grill before summer. What else for cooking all that fabulous, grass-fed beef growing in the back forty? I'm thinking a spit & andirons may be in order...I am reminiscing of Spiesbraten and Bratwurst. Thinking ahead to hot dogs and steaks. Why wait for warm weather? We need fire now!

Feast Preparations

2009-11-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Daddy did some grocery shopping and I ordered the Pepper Jack Cheese from September Farm for the Spinach Madeline. Today's work may include making cranberry sauce (done this morning), roasting pumpkins and butternut squash, cracking pecans. Tomorrow is a day out for the family, so more shopping errands. Friday is tidy up, once-over-lightly, before Nana arrives on Saturday. Sunday is worship and fellowship, so the preparations will resume on Monday.

Farmstead Fresh Holiday

2009-11-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

I was working on the menu for our Thanksgiving Feast and realized that we are really having a made-from-scratch, grown by us or friends dinner! Not everything we are having has been raised on Providence Farm, but a goodly portion is. And some things come to us from other special farming friends. Over the next few days, I will try to post photos and recipes as we prepare for the monumental Providence Farm Thanksgiving Feast. In the meantime, you can drool over the menu and get ideas for your own Feast. And, of course, all these dishes are from scratch...some recipes from dear friends...new and old holiday traditions for our family. No premade, processed gobbledy gook here!

Fresh Turkey from Full Quiver Farm (thank you, Scott & Alison Wilson)

Cornbread Dressing with Andouille (thank you, Margaret Doskey)

Sweet Potato~Apple Casserole (thank you, Julie Heverin)

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce (thank you, Susan Post)

Spinach Madeline (thank you, Amber Prigge)

Creamed Silver Queen Corn (thanks Nana)

Butternut Bisque (thank you Sara Hemmeke)

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Rolls & Biscuits

and of course, iced tea

That is the plan so far. It is, naturally, subject to last minute insertions, alterations or substitutions. But that is the least we'll do...Providentially.

So, what did WE grow? Sweet potatoes, pumpkin and pecans. Organic, Naturally. Good, Providentially. And the other farms with ingredients we can be thankful for?

Full Quiver Farm, September Farm, Adams Acres.

Heirloom Recipes

2009-10-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

As I was making cornbread last week with fresh corn and Aunt Barbara's recipe, I planned to take a picture of it to post with the recipe. Alas, we ate it too quickly. But, I will share the recipe nonetheless, as soup season is upon us and what goes better with soup than fresh cornbread? (Well, maybe a boule or biscuits fresh from the oven...a later post to be sure!) Anyway, that got me thinking about heirloom recipes. You know, the ones that are passed down from generation to generation. Or, maybe the ones coveted because they are not shared (like Aunt Zelma's Coconut Cake). The ones that when you make them, you are transported to another time and place by just the scent (like Memal's Black Walnut Cookies). Family treasures that last longer than the people. If you have one of those, share it here in the comments!

Aunt Barbara's Cornbread (with my notes in parenthesis)

1 cup self-rising cornmeal (white, preferably Patrick Henry or Dixie Lily)
1/2 cup oil (I use olive oil)
2 eggs (fresh from Providence Farm, of course!)
8 oz. sour cream (Breakstone's is the only one I've found that is really all natural)
1 small can creamed corn (or freshly creamed off of a few cobs)

Mix well with a wooden spoon. Pour into a well-seasoned, hot, cast iron skillet. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden...not brown. Serve immediately with hot soup that has simmered on the woodstove while the winds have whipped the leaves off the trees. If your family is the size of mine, you'll need to double it.

Please share your treasured recipes. Don't let future generations wonder just how Aunt So-and-So did that fabulous thing you do so well. Don't let your famed dish be missed more than you. Let the recipes live beyond you, and you will be remembered in the making and the feasting.
It is bound to be good, Providentially!

BEEF...

2009-08-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

It's what's for dinner. Providence Farm beef shares are currently available, freshly arrived today!

Mama's Back in the Kitchen

2009-08-11T11:13:00.000-07:00

My midwife said "one week, no cooking or cleaning." Daddy was on leave for three weeks. Church friends sent meals. What was I to do? Emily tearfully said "Mommy, it's so hard when you can't cook!" Well, time's up! Mama's back in the kitchen! Here is what three weeks without cooking does...

1 lb. Penne pasta (the small variety), cooked al dente
1 stick of butter (divided into halves)
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (freshly harvested from our garden!)
sea salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper
grated parmesan cheese (oh, about half a cup and then more to garnish)
lemon juice (TBS or so...maybe a whole lemon)
2 lbs. grilled shrimp (sprinkled with Old Bay and lemon juice)
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, grilled
1-1.5 cups milk (heavy with cream)

Half the butter goes into the drained pasta to keep it from sticking. The other half goes into a saucepan with the lemon juice, garlic, sea salt, pepper, milk, cheese, and just enough flour to bring it together into a creamy consistency (1-2 TBS). Whisk and simmer until ready to serve. Pour over pasta & shrimp...toss to coat. Serve sausage on the side.

I also grilled our veggies....drizzle olive oil and sprinkle sea salt over asparagus tips and sliced zucchini...grill until hot & tender. Only complaint was that there ought to have been more.

Now, what am I going to do tonight?

Chocolate Rendition

2009-08-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

In the comments section of the last post, I asked our dear friend, NanaB, for her chocolate ice cream recipe. We shared this one pleasant evening after PapaB, Daddy and the children took turns at the hand crank. I thought you might want to have it, too...albeit with minor adjustments. All the lovelies say "thank you," NanaB! Tell PapaB that the wildebeasts crossing the Serengeti may look like cows, but the cows must have definitely NOT come home. ;-) We do love you!

2 packages chocolate pudding (I used dark chocolate fudge, instant, 3.9 oz each)
2 cups sugar (sorry NanaB, I cut the sugar a bit...and actually think I used 1.5 cups)
pinch of salt
1 TBS vanilla (ain't nothin' like the real thing, baby!)
milk (honestly, I used whole milk and just poured until it looked like enough...but, NanaB says to use 3 small containers of half and half and then enough milk to hit the fill line.)

I mix the dry ingredients first and then add the milk...and I actually forgot the vanilla yesterday. Blame it on the "after baby fog." It freezes remarkably quickly compared to other recipes...must be the pudding. It is also very yummy served chock full of almonds. And I am entirely surprised that a table full of little people passed it up yesterday for gummy lightning bugs (since the real ones are few and far between maybe?). (One young man was heard to say that we can have ice cream anytime!) That's ok with me, though. More for Daddy and Mama. ;-)

Summertime treat

2009-07-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

So, what does one do with an abundance of milk? Make ice cream! When it comes to ice cream, we are purists. Actually, I'd say my husband is an expert at it (eating it, I mean). So, our latest adventure with cream involves two fine ingredients...bing cherries and dark chocolate. Mmmmm... Inspired by our youthful indulgences, when we'd each have a pint of Ben & Jerry's (he...chocolate chip cookie dough...me...cherry garcia), we introduced our children to a culinary delight without all the additives and yucky stuff. So, here it is....

2 qts plus 1 cup cream (the real deal)
2 cups organic evaporated cane juice
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS flour
a dash of pure almond extract
2 lbs bing cherries, pitted
about 8 oz. dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Mix all but the chocolate and follow your ice cream freezer directions for freezing. About 5 minutes before completion, add the chocolate. If you do it too soon, it will be too hard to eat. Be careful...when you open that canister, it will be too hard to resist.

Mama's Delight

2009-07-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

What a sweet thing...sisters working together. The macaroons they made were sweet, too! These little mamas-in-training know their way around a kitchen. They are overtaking Mama's domain! Actually, not...they are learning to share it. And pretty soon, (not soon enough in their minds), they will have another little sister with whom to share. This is "fruitful vine in the very heart of your home" training. One day, some fine, Godly young men will be thankful. I am thankful now.

Berry Sweet...

2009-07-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just have to brag on my friend. This is the very delicious cake that my very dear friend made for the lovely baby shower that some other very dear friends blessed me with last week. Those flowers and cherries are fondant made from marshmallows. Inside all that prettiness is the tastiest lemon cake with raspberry filling that I have ever enjoyed. She made this recipe for a very special wedding last autumn. ;-) If I say please, maybe she will let me have the recipe. If you say please, maybe I will share it. Maybe.

Garden Fresh Supper

2009-07-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is what was for supper at Providence Farm last night...

Tomatoes, cucumbers and blackberries (albeit not many...very sweet!), but sadly the carrots were not from our garden.
and certified organic Carola Potatoes freshly dug when Daddy got home from the office. (ok, so the corned beef isn't from the garden either...nor the cabbage that you don't see...maybe next time) The potatoes were cut, not peeled and place into boiling water for just a few minutes to make them tender, but not mushy. Toss with butter, oregano, garlic and sea salt. Simple. Simply good...Providentially!

My grandmother taught me to cook cabbage to bring out the most delightful taste. Cut the head into pieces about one inch square and place into a bowl or sink of cold water. Put about 1-2 TBS of bacon drippings in a large pot. Transfer the cabbage to the pot, dripping wet. Cook over high-medium high heat quickly until cabbage wilts, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. You may add a tad more water if you feel nervous about that. But just a tad, we're not boiling...we're steaming. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover to retain steam until ready to serve. Mmmmm....

the Purist's Confession

2009-07-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

One thing you must know about me from the get-go...I am notorious for altering recipes and not writing down what I did. I do not always pay attention to how much I have used. Why do we need to measure everything? I don't. There are some things that just go better with a pinch of this, a dash of that or a mess of the other. So, please forgive my kitchen talk...it isn't always precise, but I mean precisely what I say!

That being said, I do also like to find more edifying versions of things which have been blindly used in the past. Like, Cream of Anything Soup. With my apologies to Mr. Campbell, soup isn't always good food. So, here is what I have found works for me. Cream. Fresh, skimmed off the top before Sam gets to the milk jar. So, for every recipe that calls for Cream of Whatever Soup, I use real cream with whatever makes up the flavor that is poorly imitated by partially hydrogenated ick, soy protein, msg, etc. You know, the bad stuff. Our highly processed past has been left behind for the things that they were made to imitate, albeit poorly so. So, you will find here no low-fat recipes or artificial anything. I am a purist in that sense. I use cream, butter, sea salt and pure vanilla (among other things...and generously). And when something is available fresh, all the better.

Now, on to the debut...

Tuna Noodle Casserole for Barbara

1 lb organic pasta, cooked according to directions (I used rotini this time with great success)

5 small cans albacore tuna (you do the math, this is what we had)

2 large spoons of no-soy mayo (bring out the Hellmanns and bring out the best!)...about 1.25 cups

1 vidalia onion, diced

2 handfuls of white cheddar, shredded (read: 1.5-2 cups)

Cream (about 1 cup mixed with about 1.5 TBS flour and a TBS or so of chicken base...this time...stirred together over medium heat until slightly thickened, but not to the consistency of what gets dumped from a can)

Mix all these just until incorporated, with salt & pepper to taste. Pour into a casserole dish and top with one sleeve of crushed crackers (Townhouse for me...no matter what is in them...I know, hypocrisy) mixed with half a stick of melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for about 15 minutes, or until bubbly on the sides.

Serve to a friend who needs comfort...guests when Daddy isn't home ('cause he doesn't like tuna)...or just because your daughter has a hankering for it. Or Mama does. But, you must have a glass of iced tea.