General

I have made this appetizer many times in varies combinations. This combination works well for the Holiday season with the beautiful red peppers and green basil.
Holiday Antipasto Skewers
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
2 pounds hot or mild Italian sausage links (fully cooked)
uncooked sausage links can be used also (cook according to pkg directions)
2 14 ounce cans Artichoke hearts (halved)
1 15 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes (in oil)
1 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese
1 small bunch fresh basil (at least 20 leaves)
20 6-8 inch wooden skewers
Slice the mozzarella cheese while cold and cut into chunks; allow to warm to room temperature
Cut red peppers into 20 pieces; set aside
In a large skillet over medium low heat add 3-4 tablespoons water and warm sausage links; remove and when cool enough to handle cut into chunks.
Place on each skewer one of each;  red pepper, basil leaf, cheese, sausage followed by 2-3 pieces of sun dried tomatoes and place one artichoke heart on the end.
Stack skewers onto a plate and drizzle some of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes over the top.
NOTE: This recipe is best served within 30 minutes after completed. Can be served cold if necessary
Black olives compliment this appetizer also
Yields 20
ENJOY!

A Christmas Appetizer Read More »

Fried Green Olives Stuffed with Gorgonzola and Bacon
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

12 large green olives, pitted
2 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese (at room temp)
1 tablespoon whole-milk ricotta (at room temp)
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons real bacon bits
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup dried plain bread crumbs or Andy’s Breading for Fish (cornmeal breading)
2 cups peanut oil for frying (or vegetable oil)

 

Make sure olives are dry; push a few bacon bits into each olive and set aside.

 

In a small mixing bowl combine the Gorgonzola, ricotta, pepper and thyme; spoon the mixture into a 1 quart size plastic storage bag; snip a corner of the bag to create a small opening; squeeze the mixture
 into each olive and  set aside.

 

Whisk egg in a small shallow mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon milk; pour breadcrumbs into another small mixing bowl; pour flour into a 1 qt size plastic bag and toss with the olives; remove olives and dip one or two at a time into egg wash (be careful not to wash off flour) drop olives into bread crumbs and roll to coat. Repeat till all olives are breaded.

 

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat to 350 degrees; fry olives till golden brown 30-40 seconds; remove and drain on paper towels. Let cool before serving

Serves 2

Enjoy

Unique Appetizer Idea… Read More »

When I was very young the summers seemed to last forever. I remember long summer days and the smell of fresh hay being bailed back by the pasture and orchard where many apple trees once stood. One of my chores was to deliver a jug of fresh squeezed lemonade to my dad and grandpa  who were working hard in the summer heat.
I hardly ever wore a pair of shoes during those hot summer days; which seemed to amaze my grandpa. Every time I showed up at the side of the field with that jug of lemonade he would remove his straw hat, wipe the sweat from his brow and say ” Ouchy… doesn’t the hay stubble hurt your feet”? I would simply reply with a quick “nope” stretch out my arms, hand off the jug of sweet goodness and run as fast as I could through the field as if to show him just how durable I was…it did hurt a little bit. But just seeing the grin on their faces as they watched me run off reassured me that it was all worth it!
Grandpa’s Favorite Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
  

6-8 large fresh lemons
1 cup sugar (or 1/4 cup Truvia)
4 cups cold water
1 cup crushed ice

Lay out lemons on the kitchen counter till room temperature

Slice the lemons in half; squeeze the juice and pulp out with a juicer, enough to make one cup of juice. Reserve one half of a lemon to slice for garnish. Pour into a one gallon pitcher and stir in the sweetener. Add the cold water; ice and slices of lemon; stir and Enjoy on the porch or patio if you don’t have a hay field…

Alterations: add 1 cup of your choice to the pitcher.
White Grape Juice
Cherries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Pomegranate Juice
Strong Tea
The juice of several limes and slices

I still own the juicer my mother used to squeeze the lemons. 

A Simple Recipe with Great Memories… Read More »
Stuffed Shells with Meat and Spinach over Homemade Tomato Sauce and Melted Mozzarella
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

12 Barilla Jumbo Shells (or your favorite brand)
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1/4 lb ground beef
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup spinach leaves
5-6 scallions (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese (sliced)

Tomato Sauce

1 quart cooked tomatoes ( I used my canned tomatoes form last years garden)
or 1 qt stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
Splash of Cabernet to taste (optional)

In a deep skillet add all the above and bring to boil; cover with a tilted lid; reduce heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes while preparing meat and shells; stir often.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large pot of salted water boil shells according to package directions; drain, reserving some of the pasta water; set aside
In a large skillet over medium heat  brown the sausage and ground beef 5-6 minutes; drain any grease.
Add the olive oil, scallions, garlic, salt, pepper and seasonings with 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water; reduce heat and cook for 12-15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Lower heat to simmer and stir in grated Parmesan cheese and egg; remove from heat and let cool
Place several spinach leaves inside each shell then stuff with meat mixture. Pour sauce into a greased 9×9 inch glass casserole; position shells on top of sauce; lay the sliced mozzarella cheese on top of each stuffed shell. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes; remove foil and bake for an additional  2-3 minutes till cheese is completely melted. 
Serves 4
ENJOY!

Italian Dinner… Read More »

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Prosciutto, Spinach and Cheese
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts with skin removed
4 slices Prosciutto
5-6 large fresh spinach leaves
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
3-4 Garlic Cloves sliced
2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
4-5 leaves of basil chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Fillet chicken breast open; place in a plastic bag and pound out with a meat tenderizer on both sides
Lay out chicken breasts, salt and pepper, lay 2 slices of prosciutto on top of each breast; top with 3-4 spinach leaves; 1/4 cup cheese and the thyme leaves; Gently roll the breasts and tie with kitchen string or use tooth picks to secure

Place in a glass 9×12  baking dish; pour chicken broth over the breasts; Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Place the rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves in the broth and sprinkle the chopped basil over the chicken
and some into the broth

Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes till done
Let rest in baking dish for 5 minutes

Cut strings or remove tooth picks and slice each breast; pour gravy over to serve

Double this recipe if feeding more than two people and if using dried herbs cut in half 



Parsley Gravy

1 14 oz can (reduced sodium) chicken broth
2-3 Tablespoons flour
2-3 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon Fresh or Dried Parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat; add flour to form roux; pour broth in skillet and stir with a whisk or large spoon till thick and smooth; stir in parsley
ENJOY!

The Flavors of Fresh Herbs… Read More »

Iron Skillet Potato’s with Fried Leeks and Onions
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

5-6 baked potatoes sliced
1 fresh leek sliced thin
½ red onions sliced thin
4-5 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the leeks and onions; set aside

In a medium size iron skillet melt the butter over medium to high heat; add the sliced potatoes in layers, salt and pepper and fry for 15-20 minutes till golden brown.
While potatoes are frying; in a small skillet coated with olive oil, cook the leeks and onions till tender and slightly brown; 7-10 minutes; remove from heat and set aside
Remove iron skillet from heat and place a heavy plate over the skillet; using heavy oven mitts flip skillet over and allow the potatoes to rest onto the plate; top with the fried leeks and onions

Serves 4-5

ENJOY!

Have leftover pototoes? Read More »

Traditional Holiday Stuffing
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
10-12 cups dried bread (cubed)

1 cup celery plus celery leaves chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
½ cup onion chopped
1 teaspoon dried sage (more if desired)
1 stick butter
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spray a 9 x 12 inch baking dish with cooking oil; set aside; cut or tear the dried bread into bit size pieces and place in a large mixing bowl; set aside
In a medium size sauté pan over medium to medium high heat melt the butter; sauté the onions and celery till tender; 8-10 minutes, stir in the parsley and sage; pour the mixture over the bread and gently fold in; pour the chicken broth over the bread and continue to fold till bread is completely moist. Salt and pepper

Note: you may need to add more or less broth

Spoon the mixture into the baking dish; bake for 50-60 minutes till golden brown.

ENJOY!

Family Favorite… Read More »

When growing up on the farm I remember riding my bike up the road to a creek that cut it’s way through the fields. It was called the Mud Run…appropriate name for this stretch of flowing water; it was shallow in most parts except for one spot by an old abandoned and broken bridge. The tree that grew on the bank of the creek by this spot was so big and full that it’s branches hung like giant arms over the water. This particular pool of water was at least four to five foot deep and the water was so cool that you could not resist jumping in….except when you had a line or two dropped to the bottom to catch some Catfish.
There was nothing better than going home with some Cats to fry…  
Try my simple recipe with home made relish.
Pan Fried Catfish
by The Gourmet Farm Girl
1 pound of fresh catfish
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
4-5 Tablespoons butter
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon of The Gourmet Farm Girl Seafood Seasoning
Or salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Rinse cat fish in cold water; pat dry and sprinkle with seasoning (or salt and pepper) set side.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a cast iron skillet (any heavy skillet will work) pour the Panko crumbs into the butter and gently stir till the crumbs are lightly toasted. Remove from heat and pour onto a large plate.
Beat the egg in a medium size mixing bowl and dip the cat fish into the egg then in the crumbs to coat.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat; fry cat fish 3-4 minutes on each side till golden brown and breaks apart easily.
Homemade Relish
Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1/4 cups pickle relish (or more depending on taste) I used my Zucchini relish that I made this summer. Pinch of red pepper, stir and serve
ENJOY! 

This recipe serves 2-3
Double if serving more

This is me…deep sea fishing on the family vacation 1968 off the coast of Florida.
I caught a King Mackerel…with a bit of help!
Have a great day!

Gone Fishing… Read More »


Farm Girl Peach Crumble
by The Gourmet Farm Girl

7-8 fresh medium size peaches (reserving 1 half peach for garnish)
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup all purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans
6 tablespoons butter
½ cup Home Made Granola (optional; see recipe for granola in archives)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

With a fork; mix in a medium size bowl the brown sugar, flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, pecans and 2 tablespoons butter till crumbly.

Spray with cooking oil a 9×9 casserole dish and pour half of the crumb mixture into the dish; drop the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over the crumbs.

Wash and peel peaches; slice and layer on top of the crumb mixture; cover with remaining crumb mixture and granola.
Bake for 30 minutes; remove and garnish the top with the fresh peach slices; return to oven for an additional five minutes. Remove and let cool for 8-10 minutes; serve warm with vanilla ice-cream or fresh whipped cream and a sprig of fresh mint.
ENJOY!
Note: Apples and Pears work well with this recipe also.

Fall Dessert Idea…Sam’s Club demo.. Read More »
Strawberry Shortbread Ice-Box Cake
by The Gourmet Farm Girl
This recipe is an original design for one of my Ice-Box Cakes. It is a wonderful dessert on a warm Summer’s evening, it is cold and refreshing and not to mention very yummy…make one up ahead and at the end of the day sit back on the porch and ENJOY!   

You will need:

1 Qt. quality vanilla ice-cream
1 8 oz. container whipped cream
2 cups fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 package of shortbread cookies
1/2 stick Butter (melted)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
6-8 Nilla wafers for garnish
4-5 fresh strawberries for garnish

Step one: Place shortbread cookies in large bowl of a food processor adding the melted butter till blended
Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9-10 inch spring form pan to form a crust
Place in freezer to set up

Step Two: In a medium size sauce pan add the strawberries and sugar; simmer over low heat till the sugar is melted and the berries are semi-soft; take off heat and set aside to cool 
Step three:  Fudge Sauce
 by the Gourmet Farm Girl
                                                                                      
1 stick butter
1 12 oz can evaporated milk
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups powder sugar
Melt all the above together in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat, whisk at first to blend then stir with a wooden spoon continually till smooth and thick; 8-10 minutes or till the sauce sticks and coats the spoon. Set aside to cool or pour into a container and refrigerate till cool. Reserve a half cup to use as a drizzle over the sliced cake; may need to microwave for a few seconds to thin out for drizzle

Step four: Remove the spring form pan with crust from freezer and gently place in scoops the vanilla ice-cream on top of the crust followed by a layer of the chopped walnuts; pour the cooled strawberry sauce over the top then the fudge sauce; place back into the freezer to set up, 2-3 hours   
Final Step: Remove cake from freezer and spread the whip cream over the top and refreeze for at least 1 more hour; will freeze and keep up to 1 week.
Before serving:  remove from spring form pan and garnish with sliced fresh strawberries and wafers  

Cool Summer Time Dessert… Read More »