Spring Planting...and Growing...

With the mild winter and early spring weather a lot of my garden is up and growing.

These beautiful sunny and warm days have allowed me to get a lot of early planting done.   

Thought I would share it with you...

Herbs that survived through the mild winter

Lettuce and Spinach Garden

Early and Late Cabbage

Herbs, Leafy Greens and Onions 

The Strawberry Patch

To be Continued...

ENJOY Your Day!

The Gourmet Farm Girl

Spring Time Soup...

 Swiss Chard with Ham and Beans

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 stalks celery plus some light green leaves (chopped)

3 green onions (chopped)

3-4 cloves garlic (minced)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 quarts low sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 medium size bunch of Rainbow Swiss Chard

(chop stems and leaves)

1 15 .5 oz. can Cannellini beans

2 cups cooked smoked ham (chopped)

In a large stock pot heat the oil and saute the celery, green onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes till fragrant. Add the chicken broth, seasonings and stems of the Swiss Chard; cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes with lid tilted.

Add the Swiss Chard leaves, beans and ham; reduce heat to simmer; tilt the lid and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes; stir occasionally.

Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Grated Parmesan cheese works well as a garnish.

ENJOY!

Memories of the Past...

I posted these photos several years ago of my two sons playing (working) at getting their tractor repaired and ready for the fields. They are both grown up now and do this for real.

I wonder if they enjoy it as much as they did 25 years ago....?

Time to get the equipment ready...Spring is here!

The Test Drive...

 

 

Enjoy your Day!

 

The Gourmet Farm Girl

Sunday Morning...

Paying attention to the world around us is a form of praise. It's an expression of gratitude for what we have been given.

~Pattiann Rogers~

Art of the Wild

Happy St. Patrick's Day...

               

If you like Porter Beer, you will like this burger.

Potato Buns work well with this recipe in place of the Pretzel Buns.

Porter Cheese Turkey Burgers

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 pound ground turkey

5-6 cloves roasted garlic (smashed)

1 package Pretzel Buns

4-5 tablespoons soft butter

lettuce

tomatoes

1 cup Porter Cheese chopped into small chunks

In  a medium size bowl mix the ground turkey and the smashed garlic together; form into four patties.

Grill at 425 degrees until cooked through; 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and top each burger with the chopped porter cheese. Cover with an inverted plate and let rest for 3-4 minutes to allow cheese to soften and melt.

Cut the Pretzel Buns in half and butter each side. Place under broiler till just golden.

Assemble your bugers with the lettcue and tomatoes or garnish as you like.

Have the beer cold and serve um up!  

  Enjoy Your St. Patrick's Day!



Chocolate Cake Memories...

I came across the old cake recipe while searching for something else. I just had to take a moment and look at it. It was carefully typed out by my mother in order to keep it readable, since the original recipe had been used so many times by my grandmother that you could scarcely read it. Even this one had smudges of cake batter and frosting fingerprints. I didn’t make the cake but I thought I would share the recipe with you. As you read through it, you will notice a few unusual techniques that were used many years ago. I estimate this recipe to be at least 100 years old. Give it a try… and let me know how it turns out!

Old Time Fudge Cake

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2/3 cup soft butter

1 ¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 squares unsweetened chocolate (melted)

2 ½ cups sifted cake flour

1 ¼ t soda

½ t salt

1 ¼ cups ice water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla till fluffy; beat for 5 minutes at high speed scraping bowl occasionally

Sift together flour, soda and salt: add to the creamed mixture alternately with ice water; make sure to beat well after each addition

Bake in 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or till a tooth pick come out clean. Cool cakes on a wire rack

Chocolate Fortune Frosting

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar

3 T (hot) water

1 egg

1/3 cup soft butter

1 t vanilla

1 1/2 cups walnut halves (optional) 

Melt chocolate in a medium size mixing bowl over hot water or in the microwave a few seconds at a time till just melted.
(Grandma didn’t have a microwave)

Mix in sugar and water; beat in the egg then the butter and vanilla

Frosting will be thin at this point so place bowl on top of a bowl of ice water; continue beating until spreading consistency. Frost cake and trim sides with walnut halves

ENJOY!

Good Morning...

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.

I John 5:14

Have a Peacful Day...

The Gourmet Farm Girl