Laughing Wind Farm

Pumpkin Maple Biscuits

Pumpkin Maple Biscuits

*We made up a test batch and these are a new family favorite

Tam

Thinking about Christmas already...

About this time every year I begin to think about Christmas...baking, candy making, gifts to sew for the family.

Last evening I came across a really easy recipe for fudge that I thought I'd share here:

Super-Easy Rocky Road Fudge

Ingredients

2 (12-oz. pkg.) cups NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 (14 oz.) can CARNATION Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

LINE 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil; grease lightly.

MICROWAVE morsels and sweetened condensed milk in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Stir in vanilla extract. Fold in marshmallows and nuts.

PRESS mixture into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

Monday Questions...from The Front Porch

Happy 4th Of July!

Yesterday was an exhausting but productive day. We ended up processing 25 chickens…nothing like filling up the freezer w/your own home-grown meat. In about another 3 wks. we’ll have 30+ more ready to be done. We also worked quite a bit in the kitchen preparing appetizers and sides for today’s party and have almost everything that could be done ahead finished. We also have several batches of lasagna stashed in the freezer in case the worst case scenario happens and we get thunderstorms and can’t bbq this evening.

Once we get our regular morning animal and house chores out of the way we will set up the tables and chairs out on the deck and lawn and do any remaining straightening up of the house that’s needed.

I hope all of you have a wonderful day with your family and friends!

Blessings,

Tam

Weekend On The Farm

Tam, homeschooling/homesteading mom to 14 fantastic blessings

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The Big news…Jessica is expecting Twins! They got back from the townhouse yesterday afternoon (picked up my dad & Fran from airport on the way) and gave us the great news. Other than her showing earlier this time around there has been no clue that she might be expecting more than 1 cutie. The lucky girl has had almost no morning sickness, which makes Aja and I quite envious.

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day…hope the 4^th turns out as well w/no afternoon thunderstorms and rain like we’d gotten several days in a row. Aja and Tony went over to dad & Fran’s house to freshen it up and took some of their favorite meals to put in the fridge.

Some other things we did yesterday:

*before 9a.m. routine
*daily maintenance chores
*started batch of cheese
*light morning of school
*made another batch of strawberry jam
*went riding w/Nicole
*a bit of work on the gardens…the weeds loved the rain
*relaxed a bit before taking middles & teens to see a fireworks show at one of the big churches in the city. We considered taking the 2 yr. olds (Angela, Allison and Gabe) but decided to wait another year.

Today we’re going to have a fairly relaxing day w/just basic maintenance chores, pursuing hobbies and messing around w/the animals (one mama goat had her baby 2 days ago!). Oldest dds and hubbies will be heading off to church after breakfast (we alternate wks. of who goes and who stays home w/the Littles).

Basic plan for the day:

*before 9a.m. routine

*daily maintenance chores

*prep meat processing room for doing 20 chickens Monday

*sewing w/Nicole

*groom horses and work w/Percheron

*spend time outside w/middles and Littles

*games and a movie in the evening

Blessings,

Tam

Menu For The Coming Week..

Tam, homeschooling/homesteading mom to 14 fantastic blessings

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Mon.

B: H’made toaster pastries and fruit

L: Italian tuna salad in pita bread and veggie tray w/dips

D: Almond chicken w/yogurt dipping sauce, apricot glazed carrots, tomato-onion salad and two-berry crumble

Tues.-Having an Open House beginning around noon w/big bbq around dinnertime

B: Egg and cheese stack with bacon

L: Buffet: assorted cheeses and crackers, sweet & sour mini-meatballs, spicy sausage nacho dip w/tortilla chips, garden veggie pizza squares and "make your own mini-pizzas" for the children

D: bbq dinner: hot dogs, brats, variety of burgers (some stuffed & some plain), chicken and steaks. Sides: grilled corn on the cob, baked beans, german potato salad, reg. potato salad, coleslaw, variety of h’made bread and rolls. Desserts: fresh fruit – watermelon, honey dew, cantalope, strawberries and grapes, blackberry roll, apple pie, apple cake, blueberry cobbler.

Wed.

B: Breakfast quiche and toast

L: H’made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

D: Baked ziti, garlic bread, Caesar salad, and black-bottom banana cream pie

Thurs.

B: H’made bagels w/cream cheese and fruit

L: BLT salad and h’made bread

D: Baked ham, 3 cheese garlic scalloped potatoes, baked veggie medely, rolls and brownies w/ice cream

Fri.

B: Oatmeal w/brown sugar & cinn., toast

L: Peanut butter plus fajitas, selection of fruit

D: Crusty southern cornmeal chicken, dill potato wedges, asparagus w/lemon butter, biscuits and cookies

Sat.

B: Granola bars and fruit smoothies

L: Leftover buffet

D: Chicken and beef enchiladas, refried beans, mexican rice, nachos w/salsa & guacamole and layered jello dessert

Sun.

B: Jelly and cream filled doughnuts and fruit

L: Sandwiches – choice of fillings and chips

D: Crockpot roast w/mushrooms, carrots and potatoes, feta cheese salad, h’made Challah bread and banana cheesecake

Blackberry Roll

Tam, homeschooling/homesteading mom to 14 fantastic blessings

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We'll be making a couple of these for our big open house and bbq on the 4th:

BLACKBERRY ROLL

2 cups blackberries, drained
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shortening
2 TBL sugar
Water enough to mix well (stiff dough)

Blend blackberries, sugar & lemon juice. Combine flour, salt, shortening, sugar & water to make dough. Roll dough out smoothly. Spread with blackberries. Roll up the dough into a nice roll. Bake in a moderate 325° (preheated) oven 25-30 minutes. Serve with ice cream.~~

I decided to add this to tonight's dinner...another family favorite

Tam, homeschooling/homesteading mom to 14 fantastic blessings

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Old Fashioned Baked Beans

Prep: 10 min. Total: 14 hrs.

2 lbs dried navy beans (4 cups), sorted and rinsed

10 cups water

3 cups water

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup molasses

1 Tbsp. Yellow mustard

2 tsp. Salt

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

• Place beans and 10 cups water in 6-quart Dutch oven. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 2 hours. Drain and discard liquid.
• Mix beans, 3 cups water and remaining ingredients in 4-5 quart crock pot (all mine are 6 quart and work fine)
• Cover and cook on Low heat setting 10-12 hours. Beans will hold on Low heat setting up to 1 ½ hours; stir occasionally.

20 servings

For variety: add 1 cup chopped, smoked ham or ½ cup chopped, cooked bacon

Here's a new favorite of ours...

Tam, homeschooling/homesteading mom to 14 fantastic blessings

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Our freezer is loaded w/pork from processing 2 of our pigs over the past few months.

Crockpot California Pork Chops With Rice

4 bone-in pork loin chops (1" thick)
1 to 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine or chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
Hot cooked rice

In a skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in oil; transfer to a crock pot. Add garlic to drippings; cook and stir for about 1 min. or until golden. Stir in soy sauce, wine or broth, brown sugar and red pepper flakes; cook and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over chops. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hrs. or until meat is tender. Remove chops. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Return chops to crock pot. Cover and cook for at least 30 min. or until slightly thickened. Serve over rice.
Makes 4 servings

Smoothies