Recipes – Page 35 – The Gourmet Farm Girl

Fresh Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 t salt

1 cup sugar

3 eggs (room temperature)

1 stick melted butter

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 cup fresh blueberries
pinch of Nutmeg

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. In a medium size bowl lightly beat the eggs then gently stir into dry mixture (do not over mix) Combine the butter and milk in a medium size bowl and then gradually whisk mixture into the batter. The batter should be thick like a heavy cream, if not add more milk.

Heat a large seasoned griddle or a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. You may need to spray with a little oil. Pour ¼ cup of the pancake batter on to the griddle and make sure not to overlap when you pour. Drop 7-8 of the blueberries on top of each pancake.

Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancake surface then flip and continue to cook until the second side is golden, about 2-3 minutes longer. If making a lot of pancakes place on a large platter and tent with foil; place in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.

Maple Blueberry Syrup

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons water

Zest of half a lemon

In a medium saucepan add blueberries, maple syrup, sugar, and lemon zest. Simmer over low heat squishing a few blueberries as they cook Let mixture reduce to a thick syrup (12-15 minutes) Remove from heat and serve at room temperature over pancakes. You can make ahead and chill overnight and re-warm before serving.

ENJOY!

Cheesy Eggs with Fresh Asparagus and Green Onions

ByThe Gourmet Farm Girl

4-5 eggs slightly beaten

2 T. Milk

Salt and pepper to taste

4-5 stalks of fresh asparagus chopped

(I heat them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds to get them slightly tender)
2 green onions chopped
½ cup shredded blend of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero Cheese or any cheddar blend will work

Wisk the above together

In a heavy skillet on low to medium heat add 1-2 Tablespoons of butter and pour egg mixture in. Let it begin to cook for 20-30 seconds before stirring. Gently fold the egg mixture over and over till done. 2-3 minutes or until they are fluffy.

Make sure you do not get the heat to high. Always cook scrambled eggs at a lower temperature.

Sprinkle a little more cheese over the top and serve.

Makes 4-5 servings

Note: I use 1 egg and 1/2 T milk per person when scrambling with other ingredients

ENJOY!

Sunday Morning Breakfast Read More »

Seafood Gumbo with

Bratwurst

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

½ cup oil
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
3 chopped green onions (green parts included)
1 cup chopped peppers (I used green, red and yellow bells)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 8 oz jar of clam juice
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
1 ½ t dried thyme
1 t. dried basil
1/3 cup dried parsley
1 t pepper
Zest from ½ a lemon
½ t cayenne pepper
1 t sea salt
2 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 cup diced grape tomatoes
1 lb bratwursts or any fresh link sausage
1 lb fresh salmon (or crabmeat)
1 ½ lb fresh peeled shrimp
3 cups bay scallops
File powder (Fee-lay) the leaves of a sassafras tree ground up, acts as a thickening agent. Can be found in the Southern specialty section of the grocery store.

Step One:

In a large stock pot combiner oil and flour. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the roux has browned. Add the onions, peppers, celery and minced garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth, clam juice, water and bouillon cube and stir. Add the bays leaves, thyme, basil, parsley, cayenne, pepper, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce and the tomatoes.
Let simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Step Two:

Cut the bratwurst or sausage into chunks and add to the pot, let this simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours stirring occasionally.

Step Three:

Add the shrimp, scallops and salmon and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes or till seafood is done.
Stir in 1 T. file powder before serving or pass the file powder at the table to sprinkle on the top.
Serve over butterted rice or pilaf (see Pilaf recipe on previous post)

Serves 8-10

ENJOY!

Seafood Gumbo with Bratwurst Read More »

Feeding the chickens!

If you look close you can see the chickens at the base of great-grandma’s skirt.

I remember my grandma telling me how she would go to the barn yard and crab a young chicken, and well you know…then she would drop him in some boiling water and start to pluck the feathers. She would get this done and keep a hot fire going in the cook stove make all the other trimmings and bread and have dinner on the table by noon.

My mom and she actually did this one time. They had bought some young fryers (about 6) from a local neighbor and decide to butcher and pluck. I must admit the taste was incomparable to what you can usually buy. However I have discovered some great farm raised and organic chickens on the market.

Here is my recipe…

Chicken Noodle Soup

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

Step One

Pluck and pull all feathers and pins from the young hen…

JUST KIDDING!

You will need;

1 ½ -2 quarts chicken stock

(Use the stock from the Barbeque Chicken Slider recipe)

Skim some of the fat off the top of the cold broth, reserve for later use

Add 2 cans (14oz) of chicken broth to make 2 qt’s if needed

Or use 2 quarts store bought chicken broth

Bring broth to a slow simmer

Step Two

Add; 2 stalks celery sliced into bite size pieces and some of the light green leaves

2-3 carrots peeled and sliced into bite size pieces

1 small onion chopped

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley or 1 tablespoon dried

Salt and pepper to taste

Add a tablespoon or two of the reserved chicken fat for flavor (secret ingredient)
Skip if keeping it low calorie

Let simmer for 12-15 minutes

Step three

Turn heat to medium-high and add 2 cups of your favorite egg noodles

Cook for 8-10 minutes or till noodles begin to tender

Add the cooked chicken and simmer for 8-10 minutes longer

(Remember the chicken is already cooked you just need to heat it through and let flavor up)

If using other chicken such as rotisserie the same applies

Tip: If using fresh chicken (do this first) chop 4 chicken breasts into bit size pieces and cook in medium size skillet in 3-4 tablespoons olive oil till done, 12-15 minutes, salt and pepper while cooking. Drain on a paper towel and add to soup in step 3

Serves 4-6
Double if more is needed

Serve with some fresh baked bread and a side salad or

White Cheddar Cheese slices and whole grain crackers are great with this soup!

This is my daughters favorite soup…she has often mentioned when she calls (now that she is all grown up) how much she would appreciate a bowl of my chicken noodle soup!

Remembering how good it was to sit down at the supper table and ENJOY!

Here is your recipe little one!

The Farm Girl’s Chicken Noodle Soup Read More »

This cake is made with a chocolate graham crust with cherry vanilla ice cream, extra dark sweet cherries, my decadent homemade chocolate fudge sauce with chopped walnuts and whipped cream. All pressed into a

spring form pan and frozen. Hint; you can make the fudge sauce a day ahead and store in the refrigerator.

This is a great fudge sauce recipe also, use over any flavor of ice-cream

Cherry Chocolate Ice-Cream Cake

The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 Qt. quality cherry vanilla ice-cream

1 8 oz. whipped cream
1 cup frozen dark sweet cherries
2 packages of chocolate graham crackers
½ stick Butter
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Step one

Place graham crackers in 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

Set in freezer for 5-7 minutes to set up

Step Two

Thaw a cup of frozen cherries in the microwave and cut into pieces

Gently press the ice-cream on top of the crust,

Place on top of the ice-cream the cherries and chopped walnuts and place back into the freezer to set up

30-40 minutes

Step Three

Fudge sauce

1 stick butter

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

1 cup chocolate chips

2 cups powder sugar

Melt all together in sauce pan on 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.

Pour into a container and refrigerate till cool

Reserve a ½ cup to use as a drizzle over the sliced cake

May need to microwave for a few seconds to thin out for drizzle

When fudge sauce is cool and cake is frozen spread the chocolate sauce over the ice-cream a place back into the freezer to set up

20-30 minutes longer

When set up spread the whip cream over the top and garnish the top with chucks or shaved chocolate

Place back into the freezer to set up 15-20 minutes

Take out and lift spring pan from the cake and ENJOY!

Frozen Birthday Cake… Read More »

All three of my kids loved spaghetti, what kid dosen’t.

Especially my boys…

Spaghetti Supper was always a favorite in our house. Whenever my kids had friends over they would always ask “Can your mom make spaghetti for supper”?

You can spend all day cooking down tomatos and simmering…adding your herbs…but here is a simple great way to keep your kids and their friends happy!

It’s really simple to make, the key is to add some extra’s and let it simmer for about 45- 50 min’s on the stove to get the flavor.

Spaghetti Supper

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

½ lb of lean hamburger (If you like it meaty… add 1 lb lean hamburger)
3 T. olive oil
1 1 lb. jar (23.5 oz) jar of quality Spaghetti sauce ( I like Prego) it really is in there…
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 sm. onion
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 c. fresh mushrooms
1 t. dried basil
½ t. dried dill weed
1 t dried oregano

Pinch of salt
Pinch of cracked pepper

Step One

Use a 4 qt pot and brown the meat in bottom, while the meat is browning add the chopped onions and garlic.

As the meat finishes cooking add the spices to it and let simmer for about 5 min.’s

While your meat is simmering get your pot of water boiling for your spaghetti noodles

Step Two

Add the spaghetti sauce, crushed tomatoes & mushrooms to the meat mixture and let simmer for on low heat for another 35-40 min.’s

Salt and pepper

Don’t forget to taste test…

Add your spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.

Drain spaghetti and let cool while your sauce finishes simmering, make sure you keep stirring it to avoid sticking and splattering.

Step Three

Pile it high on the plate and serve it up…

Serves 6

Double the recipe if you have a big group

Don’t forget the Cheese!

I like to use a combination of fresh grated parmesan, asiago & mozzarella cheeses and top it off with some fresh chopped Italian leaf parsley

Serve with toasted garlic bread and a fresh green salad

ENJOY!

Oh…and maybe a nice bottle of Cabernet too…for the adults of course!

It’s about the LOVE!

Spaghetti Supper Read More »

Hot Chocolate, who doesn’t love this hot creamy delicious drink on a cold snowy day or on one of those damp dreary days winter seems to offer us on a regular basis.

Of course the best hot chocolate in my opinion is the use of real milk and cream warmed up in a pan on top the stove with some chunks of chocolate, chocolate syrup or chocolate powder added and a hint of vanilla extract.

I would love to come in from being outside and have a cup…it always tasted so special when mom made it. Probably because you knew it came from the heart. This was especially true when we would return home from the neighbor’s pond on Sunday afternoons after ice skating or playing a game of (disorderly) hockey. It seemed like dad would take us every weekend back then, this was the early 1970’s. Just doesn’t seem to be enough ice these days?

At least there is still plenty of hot chocolate to go around. Here is a simple tasty recipe for a hot chocolate mix. It makes a lot so get a gallon size or larger container to store it in.
This makes a great gift idea also. I put some mix in a decorative tin and buy a nice coffee mug to coordinate with it, really nice at Christmas time. Put a few cinnamon or peppermint sticks with it….yum!

You will need:

1 box of powder milk (the one that makes 8 qts)
16 oz. premium coffee creamer
1 lb. powder sugar
2 lb. Chocolate drink mix

Mix well

Add 1/3 cup of the mix to one cup of hot water and stir with a cinnamon stick

Enjoy!

Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place
Will last for several months

Great surprise gift to send to your college student!

Remembering Hot Chocolate Read More »

Potato Corn Chowder

By The Gourmet Farm Girl

Step One

8-9 medium sized peeled Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold or White potatoes
1 Qt. of water
4 Chicken Bouillon cubes
3 cans chicken stock
2-3 stalks of chopped celery and a few light green celery leaves (chopped)
1 small chopped onion
½ t. salt (or more to taste)
Pinch of white pepper
3 bay leaves

Simmer all the above till the potatoes are tender, start smashing a few of the potatoes against the side of the pan as they simmer.

This will help to thicken the broth

About 30-40 minutes

Step Two

When all is tender & soft, remove the bay leaves and add:

1 can of creamed corn
1 can of kernel corn
Or 2 cans of kernel corn
(The best corn to use is some fresh sweet corn picked from the corn patch or from your local farmers market__3-4 ears would work depending on their size)
4 T. Butter

Simmer 10—12 min’s longer

Step Three

Add 1 pt. of half and half
½ t. ground black pepper
4 T. of cornstarch dissolved in cold water (mix it well before pouring into soup)
Reduce heat and simmer till thick
5-8 minutes longer

Serve immediately topped off with; shredded cheddar cheese, fried bacon bits & chopped green onions and some cracked pepper.

Serves 6-8

Alterations:

Add left over mashed potatoes to thicken soup in step three

Add chunks of cooked smoked ham in step two

Add some leeks in step one

Serve with fresh baked bread and a garden salad.

ENJOY!

Potato Corn Chowder Read More »