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Friday, March 26, 2010

Kefir

I learned all about kefir grains at the westin price conference in the fall.  I finally ordered some and they finally came.

The grain came in a baggie with maybe 10 grains and some starter milk.  The grains look like very tiny cauliflower with the consistency of tapioca.

add the grains to a quart jar and fill with milk.  Let this sit for 24 hours and strain.  Please make sure that no metal touches the grains it will kill them.  The first couple of time I had to wait more than one day because I didn't have enough grains but now it is done in a day.




I like it plain but you can add fruit to it and make it like a smoothie.  I have added maple syrup or honey also but today it is just kefir and frozen raspberries.





If anyone would like some grains I have a bunch to share just let me know


If you wait a few days until the whey separates then you have kefir cheese.  This can be used on a salad and the whey can be used to ferment vegetable or the liquid is good in soup or anywhere water is used.  I have also heard that it makes a great face wash.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

leg of goat

If you remember last fall I butchered a goat.  You can read about it here.  I had a leg left so I make a roast.
I made up my own recipe



1 leg of goat
1 orange
1 meyer lemon
1 c. kombucha ( I  had it so why not)
cover with onion (about 6)[my moms fault she uses onions on everything]
sea salt
pepper
thyme
rosemary

I cooked it in the oven at 350 for 4 hours

This was so good and tender.  I enjoyed it but my boys didn't.  No surprise there they don't really enjoy any meat.





Sunday, March 21, 2010

what is this mom?

We were taking a back road tour and came upon something fascinating.  J&J want to know what is this mom.


I stopped the car to take a closer look I thought I would surprise the boys



they still aren't sure but very curious



go ahead open it



it is an outhouse.  Can we use it mom.  Boys will be boys.

here is the old building that the outhouse is behind it is either a church or school



lets take a closer look Mom!!



then they see something else they don't know what it is



I got it started for them by priming the pump they were astonished when water came out so they had to try it themselves. 

Saturday, March 20, 2010

my babies

Hopper and Lucky had some babies.  I have learned a lot about bunnies.  We had a hard start and lost several babies.  

Here they are at a day old

a week old getting cuter



here they are at 10 day they have their eyes open but no use of back legs yet



here they are today 15 days old




the little black one has a funky eye so I am going to try the eye drops that we had to get for lucky and see if that clears it up.

Friday, March 19, 2010

March can jam-----lemon garlic and rosemary jam

I still need to post pictures but here is what I did.

I found a recipe for garlic jelly and adapted it a little

1/4 c. garlic cloves
2c. distilled vinegar
1 meyer lemon
1 T. dried rosemary
5 c. sugar
3 oz of liquid pectin


I roasted the garlic clove in the oven 375 for 45 minutes


Take the vinegar and bring almost to a boil with the lemon and rosemary.  Take off heat and put a lid on to steep until the garlic is done.  (be aware that this step will make your eyes water)


strain the vinegar
take the vinegar and garlic cloves and blend in food procesor.  this is the point where it is either jam or jelly.  For jelly strain and just use juice I left the cloves in and made jam.



add sugar and bring to a boil


add pectin and bring to a hard boil for 1 minute stir constantly

fill 5 half pint jars with jam.  Leave 1/4 inch head space
Process  in hot water bath for 5 minutes.



This is pretty good but I would like to have fresh rosemary on hand and put a sprig in each jar.  I might also zest the lemon also and leave in the jar.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Do I smell spring?

Look closely


Do you see them?

NO


Here let me get closer



These little gems are garlic sprouts.  I planted them last fall.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Potatoes

One potato


Two potato



Three potato


Family of potatoes


but best of all king potato





KING WALLE!!!!
this says it all

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Snow oh snow where did you go?

This is what happens when snow falls off the roof
takes out the gutters and cable lines and starts to melt




You hire the kids to move it away from the wall to the basement and this is what you get


a bunch of kids playing in the snow


and water dripping off the roof

well. . . . good thing tomorrow is Sunday so I can do the rest

pizza with company

Nothing is ever easy with a kid who is gluten free but when you add in company you have pizza 5 ways.
First I made the crust from scratch.  I made a 100% whole wheat crust for the big pizza.  It was good but 2 of the kids don't normally eat anything wheat so they didn't like it.  I divided the dough into quarters and let the kids decide what to put on their own.  First I used a jar of spaghetti sauce(homemade) because we are out of pizza sauce.  I actually prefer this or we use homemade salsa instead.  My goal was to gross out the kids and expand their horizons so my quarter was
Kmom-spinach, home canned turkey, anchovies, and pineapples.
K-pepperoni, pineapple, and sausage
J3-pepperoni and pineapple
J1-pepperoni (he was the only one who tried mine and liked it)
added cheese after the picture and this is what we ended up with



Next J2 pizza
start with a gluten free crust



add toppings
homemade gf sauce
gf nitrate and nitrite free and filler free bologna (or sausage if you are talking to my son)
follow your heart cheese (cassein free but not soy free)


bake pizza and enjoy

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Baby rabbits----oh my!

Tons of excitement before school today. Hopper gave birth to 9 babies. All are alive but I haven't seen her feed them yet. I am just going to leave her alone and see what happens.  I am so excited myself I hope she turns into a good mama.  I really don't want to feed her babies every 3 hours.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Making GF hot dog buns

I am on a roll my son is actually trying a few new smells and shapes.  WoooHooo!!!
I made these french bread type rolls

Dry Ingredients:                            Yeast Mix:
2 c. rice white rice flour                   2 T. sugar
1 c. tapioca flour                           1 1/2 c. lukewarm water
3 t. xantham gum                            2 T. yeast
1 1/2 t. salt
2 t. egg replacer


Wet Ingredients:
2 T. butter or sub ( I used ghee)
3 egg whites (beaten)
1 t. vinegar

1.  Proof the yeast mixture until foamy
2. mix together dry ingredients
3. mix seperate bowl wet ingredients
4. add yeast mix (after 15 mins) to dry ingredients---blend in
5. add wet ingredients and beat on high for 3 minutes
6. form loaves on greased and cornmeal cookie sheets or special bread loaves
7. cover and let rise 20- 25 minutes
8. preheat oven to 400
9. bake for 40-45 minutes
10. enjoy