Recipes

I came across this bread recipe earlier this year in Country Living Magazine. As I have done so many times before…I tore out the page with the recipe and stacked it on top of all the others I have in my kitchen. I do however go through them on occasion for inspiration. I like to add or take out ingredients to make it my own.

This bread recipe is vary basic and there is not much that can be changed, although the inspiration came when I figured out that this bread can be made with numerous combinations of seasonings. The recipe calls for rosemary, sea salt and a drizzled of extra virgin olive oil. I added extra flavor with Butter Infused Olive Oil and the next time I’m going to split the dough into two loaves and add salt, parmesean cheese and Basil Infused Oil and the other loaf with salt, Sage and extra virgin olive oil.  This recipe could be sweetened with Maple Syrup over the top too.

Give it a try and let me know what combination you come up with!
Rustic Herb Bread
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
 

2/3 cup half and half (or whole milk)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
1 ounce fresh active yeast
5 cups bread flour (sifted)
Fresh rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
plus extra for the top
Extra Virgin olive oil or Butter Infused olive oil

Sift and measure flour into a large mixing bowl with the salt; set aside

In a small pan over medium heat, heat the milk, water and sugar to just warm (90-95 degrees)
Remove from heat and stir in yeast till dissolved; pour mixute into flour mix and with your hands mix dough till it forms a ball. (If the dough is to dry add more water, if the dough is to sticky add more flour)
On a lightly floured surface knead dough for 4-5 minutes. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel, let dough rise in a warm draft free area until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

After an hour; flour a clean dry surface and punch down the dough; form into a 10 by 8 inch rectangle about 2 inches thick. (or divide into 2 seperate rectangles) Place loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet; cover with a towel again and let rise in a warm draft free area until it doubles in size. About 1 more hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Press some indentations on the top of the loaf with your fingertips. Place a few sprigs of rosemary
in some of the indentations. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 30-35 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack before slicing.  Serve with extra oil for dipping!

ENJOY! 

Make 8-10 servings     
    

Great Bread Recipe for the Holidays… Read More »

The Patty Pan Squash, also know as Scallop Squash.
The name “pattypan” derives from “a pan for baking a patty.” The French name, pâtisson, comes from a Provençal word for a cake made in a scalloped mould. Pattypan squash is also known  
as granny squash, custard marrow, or custard squash.
Pattypan comes in yellow, green, and white varieties.
This fun shape of squash once stuffed with meats and veggies is a meal in a bowl.

 
Patty Pan Squash with Fresh Spinach
 and Sausage Stuffing
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
2 medium size Patty Pan Squash
1 lb ground pork
½ cup chopped fresh parsley (Italian Flat Leaf)
1 Tablespoon Farm Girl Seasoning (or any all purpose seasoning)
1 large tomato (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 cups fresh spinach leaves (packed)
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese (divided)
Bits of the Patty Pan squash chopped (after hollowed out)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Wash the squash and cut out the tops removing the seeds; with a spoon or melon baller scoop out some of the squash to create a bowl. Reserve these pieces; chop and set aside
Place the squash bowls upside down in a large baking dish with ½ cup of water and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes till the squash is heated through and begins to soften.
While the squash is in the oven:
Wash spinach leaves; measure out 2 cups (be sure to pack, they will wilt down) place in a medium size mixing bowl and set aside 
In a medium size skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the pork, seasoning, onion and parsley; stir and cook till well blended and sausage is no longer pink; add the squash pieces and tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Remove from heat and pour the sausage mixture over the spinach leaves; add the bread crumbs and half of the cheese; mix well
Remove squash from the oven and turn right side up in the same baking dish; spoon the stuffing mixture into each squash; return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes; top with the extra cheese and bake for an additional 3-5 till cheese is melted and slightly brown.
Serves 2
ENJOY!

Squash Season… Read More »

Introducing!
Pork Seasoning!
New Seasoning Blend By The Gourmet Farm Girl.
 Full of flavor with Coriander, Smoked Paprika, Garlic, Black Pepper, Salt, Brown Sugar, Thyme and Rosemary.
order online through The Gourmet Farm Girl Store (through Etsy) on home page of website/blog
Grilled Pork Chops with Fried Cabbage over Mashed Potatoes
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
4 Thick cut pork chops
2 tablespoons of The Gourmet Farm Girl Pork Seasoning
2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
4 tablespoon butter
3 green onions (chopped)
1/4 cup white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
plus 1/2 tablespoon of additional pork seasoning
Preheat grill to 425 degrees
Sprinkle each chop on both sides with seasoning; place on a large plate and drizzle with the oil.
Place oiled side down onto the hot grill and cook for 8-10 minutes on both sides.
In a large sauté pan melt the butter over medium high heat; add the cabbage and onions. Sprinkle the additional half tablespoon pork seasoning over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Fry the cabbage for 8-10 minutes; till slightly charred; pour the wine over the mixture and toss to coat; continue to cook 3-5 minutes till tender.
Remove chops from the grill and tent with foil; let rest for 5-7 minutes
Serve over mashed potatoes and with the fried cabbage on the top  
Yields 4 servings
 ENJOY!


There’s a New Kid on the (Chopping) Block! Read More »

I had mussels for an appetizer recently and they were delish. Mussels are easy to prepare and there are many various ways to season them.
Here is a great weekend appetizer idea for game day or an evening at home.
 
Drunken Mussels
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

 
2- 2 1/2 pounds Fresh Mussels (beards removed)

4-5 garlic cloves chopped
2-3 hot peppers or chilies
1 red onion chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers (yellow, orange and green)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons butter
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 Tablespoons dried cilantro or 3-4 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
2- 12 oz bottles of beer (Dos Equis, Modelo, Tecate or Corona’s)
1 lemon or lime

In a large stock pot over medium to medium high heat melt the butter and olive oil; add the onions, garlic cloves and peppers; sauté till tender, 4-5 minutes; add the canned tomatoes and cumin; continue to cook for 2-3 minutes; pour the beer into the pot and heat up for 2-3 minutes; add the mussels, give a quick stir and cover. Cook mussels for 8-10 minutes till all are open (discard any that did not open)

Add the cilantro; squeeze some lemon or lime juice over them, stir and serve immediately in a large bowl with some of the broth and toasted or crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 3-4

Mussels & Beer…Yum! Read More »

These stuffed mushrooms not only taste wonderful but they become part of this beautiful sunflower plate design. I served these this past weekend and my guests were amazed…
Any plate with a flower design in the middle will work; have fun creating.
Portabella’s with Sausage, Ricotta, Roasted Garlic
and Sweet Red Peppers
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
6 medium size portabella mushrooms
1 1/4 cups fresh ground pork sausage
1 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 medium sweet red bell pepper sliced thin and cut in half
1 tablespoon roasted chili pepper seeds
3 tablespoon red onion (minced)
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Plus additional for garnish
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Peel the outer skins from 1 head of garlic; remove the end and place on an oven proof pan or stone.
Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and bake for 40-45 minutes still the garlic is soft and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool
Wash and remove the seeds from the pepper and slice into thin strips; set aside
In a medium size skillet over medium to medium high heat drizzle 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; add the pork sausage; chop into small pieces as your brown the meat; 10-12 minutes
Reduce heat to low; stir in the ricotta, onions, pepper seeds, salt and pepper. Gently squeeze out some of the roasted garlic cloves into a small mixing bowl; smash with a fork and add to the meat mixture.
Remove stems from the mushrooms and a few of the gills to create a pocket. Stuff each mushroom with some of the meat mixture and lay several slices of the red pepper on top.
Bake on a cooking stone or heavy cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes or till soft; remove from oven and top with grated cheese and chopped parsley.
Plate and add additional sprigs of parsley or rosemary if desired; great right off the baking stone too!
Serves 2-3
Double if serving more
 ENJOY!

When Food Meets Design… Read More »
Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes Fresh Herbs and Roasted Garlic over Grilled Chicken
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1 medium size Spaghetti Squash
Small batch of fresh chives, basil and flat leaf parsley chopped
1 head of garlic roasted
2 small ripe tomatoes (seeds removed) chopped
1 teaspoon of The Gourmet Farm Girl House Blend
Shredded or grated  parmesan cheese  
few grinds of fresh ground pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut squash in half and remove seeds; place halves in a 9 x12 baking dish and add 2 cups water; cover with foil and bake squash 45-50 minutes till soft
Cut ends off of the head of garlic; remove the outer layer of skins; drizze with olive oil and bake for 25-20 minutes in the same oven as the squash  
Preheat grill to 400 degrees
Sprinkle House Seasoning over the chicken breasts; drizzle with olive oil and place on hot grill
While chicken is cooking; drizzle some olive oil in a medium size saute pan; over medium heat add the roasted garlic by gently squeeing out the cloves; shred the squash with a fork to create spaghetti like strings. Add to the skillet; stir in the herbs and tomatoes. reduce heat to simmer
When chicken is cooked; remove and let rest for 3-5 minutes; cut the chicken into thin slices and place the squash over the top or on the side. Sprinkle with cracked pepper and parmesan cheeese.
 
Serves 4
ENJOY!


Squash Season Read More »

I purchased a package of yellow and green split peas at the market and thought how delicious a ham and split pea soup would be. I remember the smell of smoked hams in the old smoke house on the farm so I decided to cook and smoke a ham over an open wood fire.
Step one…build a fire.
Buddy helped…
I used a grill rack and two metal fence posts to support
 my ham and placed it over indirect heat.   
I placed a cook pot over the top of the
 ham to capture the smoke and heat.
Buddy and Georgie kept a watchful eye…
Georgie was exceptionally interested…

Two hours later…I have a smoked ham!
Ham should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Once the meat cooled, I trimmed the fat and sliced
 the outer layers of meat for later use. 
Rinsed the peas and removed any foreign pieces… 
Returned the bone and the attached meat to a stock pot
with 2 quarts of water 3 Bay leaves and 5 cloves of garlic.
(Strain the stock before using in soup)

I now have more meat to pull off the bones and add to my soup. 

Here is my final recipe…
Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham
By The Gourmet Farm Girl 
2 quarts of smoked ham stock (or chicken broth)
1 medium onion chopped
2 medium potatoes chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
3 Bay leaves
3 cups pulled ham (or use precooked ham)
2 cups split yellow and green peas
salt and pepper to taste
Bring stock to a boil and add the potatoes, celery and onion. Cook for 10-12 minutes till vegetables start to tender.
Reduce to simmer; add the bay leaves, peas and ham. Simmer for 1 hour or more till peas are soft and tender. Stir on occasion smashing some of the potatoes against the side of the pot to help thicken.  
Garnish with fresh parsley and ENJOY your soup!

Serves 6-8

A Fall Supper… Read More »

When growing up on the farm it was not unusual for my dad and grandpa to work late into the evenings. I used to love to grill burgers and garnish them with fresh vegetables. I would pack a supper basket and take to the fields where they were working. There was something special about those burgers…or maybe it was just the pure simple pleasure of eating one among the Killdeer birds screeching across the hay fields or the smell of the dirt freshly tilled. Sometimes it’s more about the company kept and surroundings that makes a meal memorable.  

I recently discoverd these Salmon Burgers in Marysville Ohio at Barry’s Perch n More. Barry raises his own Yellow Perch for his business. He sells beef, chicken, pork and other variaties of seafood also. If you live in the Central Ohio area, look him up at
 900 Columbus Ave. Marysville, 43040.
I bet these burgers would of tasted exceptional packed in my supper basket.

Grilled Salmon and Zucchini Burgers 
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 lb Salmon burgers (frozen)
1 medium size zucchini sliced
1 package quality hamburger buns
Leaf lettuce
4 tablespoons real mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of The Gourmet Farm Girl’s Seafood Seasoning
(Or your favorite)
4 tablespoons butter soften
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Allow burgers to thaw out slightly

Mix together the mayonnaise and seafood seasoning; set aside in refrigerator

Salt and pepper the zucchini slices and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil

Grill burgers over medium heat till cooked through; 5-6 six minutes on each side. At the same time place the zucchini on the other side of the grill

Spread the soft butter onto both sides of the buns and broil till golden brown. Layer the bun with lettuce, salmon burger, seafood sauce and place zucchini slices on top

Serves 4

ENJOY!

Burger Business… Read More »


Grilled Eggplant and Tomatoes with Rosemary and Feta
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
1 medium size eggplant sliced
2-3 fresh tomatoes sliced thick
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons of The Gourmet Farm Girl Infused Vinegar House Blend
Or 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
Plus 1-2 sprigs for garnish
Pinch of salt and pepper
6 slices of crusty bread sliced thin
¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
Preheat grill to 425 degrees (this recipe can be done under a oven broiler also)
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, chopped rosemary salt and pepper
Brush one side of the bread slices with some of the oil mixture and broil till lightly brown and semi-crisp.
Brush the oil onto both sides of the sliced eggplant and place on grill for 3-5 minutes on each side till soft. Place tomato slices onto grill and grill for 3-5 minutes till just soft.
Stack the eggplant and tomatoes on top of bread and top with some of the feta cheese. Drizzle any leftover oil on the top and garnish with 1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary.
Serves 2-4
Double if serving more
 Enjoy!


Labor Day Appetizer Idea… Read More »

One of my son’s had a hog butchered recently and I was privy to receive some of the meat. (After all I fed him for many years)  Just kidding…actually he wanted to test it out. I must admit I love the freshness of pork that has been farmed raised and straight to the plate.
Remember two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle, onion, on a sesame seed bun? You know who I’m talking about….here is The Gourmet Farm Girl’s all natural quarter pound pork pattie, special seasoning, lettuce, cheese, grilled pickles and onions on a toasted sesame seed bun! Yum!
Sausage Burger with Grilled Pickles and Onions
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
1 pound fresh ground pork sausage
1 tablespoon of the Gourmet Farm Girl Seasoning (or your favorite)
1 medium onion sliced
1 fresh cucumber sliced
1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese slided
1 medium fresh tomato sliced
1 8 ct package sesame seeds buns
4 tablespoons soft butter
leaf lettuce

Preheat grill to 400 degrees

Slice all the vegetables and cheese; drizzle some extra virgin olive oil over the cucumbers, lightly salt and pepper; set aside. Place sliced onions on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with oil; set aside.

Mix seasoning into the sausage; shape into 4 quarter pound patties and grill for 6-8 minutes on each side till cooked through. Place the sliced cucumbers and onions on the other side of the grill and cook at the same time. Place sliced cheese on top of each patties 1-2 minutes before completely cooked to allow time to melt.

While sausage patties and veggies are cooking; spread the soft butter onto both sides of the buns and broil till golden brown.

Now build your burger!

Yields 4

ENJOY!

  

Fresh Pork… Read More »