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Easy yeast bread

12/19/2018

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This recipe yields 2 loaves.

What you need.

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups warm water (not over 110 degrees farenheight)
5 1/2 to 6 cups All-Purpose Flour
Cornmeal or flour for dusting
Boiling water

In a large bowl mix together yeast, sugar, salt, and water. Let this stand until the yeast is fully dissolved and mixture starts to foam and bubble.
Gradually add the flour to the liquid and mix throughly until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead it: Fold the far edge of the dough back on itself and towards you. press into the dough with the heels of your hands and push away. After each push, rotate 90 degrees. Repeat this process in a rhythmic, rocking motion for 5 minutes, sprinkling only enough flour on your kneading surface to prevent sticking. Let the dough rest while you scrape out and grease the mixing bowl. Knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes.
Let it rise: Return the dough to the goal and turn it over once to grease the top. Cover it with a damp towel and keep warm until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Shape it: Punch down the dough with your fist and briefly knead out the air bubbles. Cut the dough in half and shape into two Italian or French style loaves. Place the loaves on a pizza stone and generously sprinkle with cornmeal. Let the loaves rest for 5 minutes.
While you are letting the loaves rest, boil some water in the pan to fill approximately 1" of the bottom of a roasting pan.
Lightly slash the tops of the loaves 3 or more time diagonally and brush them with cold water.
Place a roasting pan on the bottom of the oven filled with 1" of boiling water. Place pizza stone on the shelf above. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 - 45 minutes, until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

- Farmer Jess

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pumpkin spice latte.

10/31/2018

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This recipe yields 2 cups.

what you need.

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
1 to 3 tablespoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like it
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (blend of ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon)
1/2 cup strong hot coffee
Whipped cream, for serving

Add milk, pumpkin, and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat.
Heat until hot, but do not boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla pumpkin pie spice, and the coffee.
Divide the mixture between 2 mugs and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Enjoy!

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What you need.

2 Pie Pumpkins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut pumpkins in half and remove stems.
Place tinfoil down on a baking sheet and place the pumpkins cut-side-down onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the flesh is soft.
Scoop the softened flesh into a food processor and blend until smooth.

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Butternut squash soup.

9/25/2018

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It's that time of year again and this soup is the perfect fall comfort food. Serves 6-7.

What you need.

1 large butternut squash, or 2 small (4 lbs total)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
8 fresh sage leaves (minced), or 1-2 tablespoons dried sage
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 cups water
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup cream

Preheat oven to 425 degree F.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds.
Place the squash cut side up on the baking sheet. Brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter making sure to coat the flesh. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast the squash in oven for 50-60 minutes, or until tender. A knife inserted in flesh should slide through easily. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, chop the apples and onions.
In a large pot or dutch oven, melt the other tablespoon of butter over medium heat. When it is hot, add the apples and onions. Stir in chopped sage or dried sage. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook over medium heat until softened, about 7-10 minutes.
Use a spoon to scoop the flesh of the butternut squash into the pot with the apples and onions, throwing away the skins.
Add broth, water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon, paprika, and 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Bring to boil over medium heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, breaking up any large chunks.
Turn off heat and stir in cream.
Blend soup using an immersion blender and serve.

- Farmer Jess

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Zucchini bread.

8/15/2018

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This recipe yields 2 loafs of Zucchini Bread.

WHAT YOU NEED.

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini
Optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Sift flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
In a separate large bowl, beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Stir in zucchini and optional nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool before storing in preferred storage.

- Farmer Jess

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Garlic dill pickles.

7/23/2018

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What better thing to do with an abundance of cucumbers than to pickle them. The recipe below yields roughly 4 quarts of Garlic Dill Pickles.

What you need.

10 small pickles
8 cloves of garlic (halved)
4 tsp Dill Seed (1 tsp per quart size jar)
4 tsp Minced Garlic (1 tsp per quart size jar)
2 tsp Dill Weed (1/2 tsp per quart size jar)
2 tsp Mustard Seed (1/2 tsp per quart size jar)
2 jalepenos (quartered)
2 sprigs of fresh dill

Brine.

6 cups water
6 cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
1/2 cup canning salt

Before beginning, be sure you have the necessary canning materials. You will need 4 quart size mason jars, canning tongs, a canning funnel, and a 21.5 qt canner with jar rack or something similar in addition to the ingredients listed above.

Carefully wash dirt of cucumbers. Then fill bucket up with cold water and ice. Place cucumbers in the bucket you just filled and let set for an hour or two. This helps with the pickles crispness.
Divide the Dill Seed, Minced Garlic, Dill Weed, and Mustard Seed between the 4 quart sized jars.
In a large stainless steel pot or other nonreactive pot, bring the brine ingredients to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
While your brine is boiling, cut the ends of your cucumbers and cut them how you would like them cut. I cut mine into quarters.
Place cut up cucumbers into your quart sized jar fitting them like a puzzle. Wedge 4 half garlic cloves and 2 quartered jalepenos in with the cucumbers.
Ladle hot brine into jars. Use a funnel to safely transfer the brine into each jar, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
Use a stainless steel butter knife other nonreactive tool to eliminate any air bubbles trapped in the jar. Wipe rims of jars with a clean, dry towel. Place a canning lid on each jar and twist on the canning ring until it fits snug.
Carefully transfer lidded jars into your water bath using canning tongs. Process in water bath for 10 minutes. Note the 10 minutes does not start until your water is boiling.
Carefully remove the jars from water bath using canning tongs and placers on towel. Leave untouched for 12 hours.
Unsure lids sealed and lat pickles rest for 4 months before tasting,to give flavors a chance to meld together. Once seal is broke store in refrigerator.

Side notes.

Cucumbers 3 inches or smaller is ideal. Some of my cucumbers were a bit larger than this. This allows you to pack the jar with 2 levels.
Select the freshest, firmest cucumbers and plan to pickle them the same day. Freshness is the key to a crunchy pickle. Soaking them in ice cold water 1-2 hours before pickling helps with this as well.

- Farmer Jess

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BASIL PESTO.

7/6/2018

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This morning I trimmed all of my basil back and this is what I got. A basket FULL of basil!
So what better thing to make than Pesto!

What you need.

1/3 cup roasted and salted sunflower nuts
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (about 2 ounces or 2 large bunches
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the basil, sunflower nuts, Parmesan, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides if necessary.
Store pesto in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week or freeze to last up to 3 months.

Side Notes.

Instead of basil, try other greens such as spinach or arugula.
Instead of sunflower nuts, use pine nuts, pecan, pistachios, almonds, or whatever nut your heart desires.
Add your favorite herbs like cilantro, mint, or parsley into the mix.
Make it your own by adding your favorite spices like cayenne, ground ginger, or paprika.
For a little kick, add a dash of your favorite hot sauce.

- Farmer Jess

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Easy yeast bread

What you need.

pumpkin spice latte.

what you need.

Pumpkin puree.

What you need.

Butternut squash soup.

What you need.

Zucchini bread.

WHAT YOU NEED.

Garlic dill pickles.

What you need.

Brine.

Side notes.

BASIL PESTO.

What you need.

Side Notes.

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