Creating Holiday "Cheer" - Fruity Liquers

 
We have had some fun on the farm lately "brewing" holiday cheer for gift giving. I thought you might enjoy this SUPER easy recipe for holiday guests.




FRUIT LIQUEUR

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or frozen fruit
750 ml bottle vodka (I used Pearl brand - AMERICAN made)
2 cups sugar

Directions:
Equally split ingredients between 2 large mason jars. Screw lid and band on TIGHTLY. Shake and let sit on counter. Each day, I shook a bit and flipped the jar onto opposite end. If you miss a day it's not a big deal.

Leave for 30-60 days (or longer). The longer it "brews" the fruitier it gets. You can add more sugar if desired.

Besides drinking the liqueur straight out of the jar, you can use to add flavor to drinks such as tea. It's also a unique addition to fruit or dessert dishes. Try tossing a few berries together with liqueur and use as a topping for angel food cake. That's fine, you can thank me later!

I Can't Escape the Holidays

For those of you who follow me on any social media page, you would think that I absolutely relish the holidays. I post pictures of our holiday baking, special projects, cozy days with hot cocoa, snuggling children, holiday decorating and "elf traditions".  You will see the countless hours spent making "the perfect" gifts and trying to spread joy whenever possible.  That's who you know.

Here's the reality . . . I dread the holidays. I mean, I try every single tactic to avoid facing the holidays head on.  My hesitancy, no, it's not an obvious, look me in the eye kind of obvious, it's a little more subtle.

Leading up to the "big" holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, I feel absolutely overwhelmed  by emotions. Some refer to these emotions as depression, I just call them what they are . . . joy stealers.

It all begins when we approach Halloween and I picture my Grandma Gregory visiting every single business in town that she can think of, just so she can wear her nightgown with little pumpkin buckets located over her chest and say "trick or treat" in her sweet granny voice all the while laughing at the uncomfortable predicament someone feels to place a candy in her "buckets". I then realize she is gone and these fond memories of her will not exist if I don't relay them to my children.

I think of all the Halloweens we have spent rushing home to dress up our children in weird costumes, just so they can get candy which they don't really eat and come home exhausted. I then realize the limited number of Halloweens we have left to spend with our kiddos. This year was our last official trick-or-treating year, crying and rejoicing at the same time.

It's kind of a downward spiral from there. I have to find things to busy my hands and my mind throughout the entire season. I find joy in all the traditions and memories I have from my family, yet I miss them deeply and greatly.  I worry about a particular family member that is traveling her own path. I wonder where she is, if she is alright, if she knows how much we miss and love her, if she is safe and cared for. I often find myself crying in private, unable to hold it all in. Kind of like I am doing today.  There are just some moments that take my breath away, no matter how I prepare myself.

I thought for sure this year would be different, that I knew what was ahead and how I could approach this holiday crap fest. I have busied myself with cooking, cleaning, eating, binge watching funny shows, making hundreds of jars of jams and jellies, loving on my kiddos. Today though, it has hit me like a ton of bricks. These looming thoughts about how I am 40 years old this year, recently lost my employment due to downsizing, just got rejected from a half dozen jobs because I am either over-qualified or don't carry a fancy degree - what does that even mean? I miss some people in my life and no matter how many people are around me, I still feel like I am standing in a room alone. Shame on me, I have let negativity in.

I know what I have to do. I have to face all of these thoughts and fears head on. They won't go away unless I tackle them. I won't be taking this holiday season as a big chunk of crap pie, just trying to survive. I will be taking this holiday season day-by-day. I will cry when I need to, even if someone is standing next to me. I will laugh as I want, even if it's not funny. I will call a friend when I am having a difficult day. I will scoop myself off the floor when I don't feel like I can. I might pray a little harder some days and just not pray on other days, knowing that God hears my silence and is still present. I won't hate myself when I have an extra slice of pie and I will be proud when I choose an apple over the pie. I might drink an extra glass of wine or a 3rd cup of coffee if that's what it takes. I might even scrub the bathroom floor with a toothbrush if it allows for me to breathe through the moment.  I won't look at my current situation as a failure, but I will be grateful for all God has allowed for me to enjoy and for the support and love of my family.

So, for those of you who can relate to any of this, just know, you are not alone. You are loved and cherished, even when you can't see it or feel it. Nobody in your life wants you to suffer or feel sadness, nor do they want you to go through any of this alone. Reach out to someone, ANYONE and let them know what you are going through. Let them love you or just listen to you.

I know I can't escape the holidays and all that it brings to me, but I do know that today, I will cry and cook and clean and do whatever it takes to handle today.

Much love to you from this farm girl.

My True Love

Well, it's been a while since I've taken time to blog or write a post on or about the farm.  To be honest, I took some time away from the farm. Not because I disliked the farm, but because I needed to step back and evaluate my priorities and goals. During my "break", I took a full-time job off of the farm. I met fantastic people and learned new skills.  I recently returned to the farm work, not by choice, but by chance.  So, I will take this time as an opportunity to cherish my true love . . . dirt.

When we obtained our farm nearly 7 years ago, it was purchased with the intent of preserving my families homestead and providing the same opportunity for my children. It hadn't been a farm for many years. The work required to just clean-up the property nearly killed me and definitely tested the bonds of marriage and sanity of parenting.  It continues to be an ongoing battle with the hundreds of tasks which still have yet to be completed.  I've resigned myself to prioritizing things which will have the best outcome long-term and relieve us of repetitive work.

We started "market farming" while both my husband and I held down full-time jobs and were raising 2 young kids and a teenager. We made the mutual decision for me to begin staying at home full-time to better raise our children and be "present".  As I worked in the fields side-by-side with my children, my mind began to see the potential this land could yield. So began the journey of developing larger garden plots, more varieties of vegetables and participating in programs to sustain such an endeavor.

This plight was exhausting and lonely.

After a time I realized the love-hate relationship I had as a producer of food. I wanted to produce the best of the best, open new possibilities for those who may or may not have tried a true farm-fresh vegetable and to do so with integrity. I wanted to preserve what my grandparents and their grandparents before them had worked so hard to provide for our generation. I wanted a sustainable life on the farm. And most importantly, I wanted my children to love the farm and all it has to offer.

What I did though, was opposite. I moved away from my goals and found myself spiraling into emptiness. I lost my love for producing food because I no longer produced what was important . . . at least in my view.  I needed to find my "groove" again.

I stepped away and became an outsider looking in, so as to gain perspective.

I don't know what this next year will bring, but I do know that I have spent the last month just loving the farm and all it has to offer. Digging in the dirt, preparing it for winter and upcoming spring plantings, cooking and preparing what our farm has to offer and just appreciating these moments.

My children are a bit older now and have been requesting that they have an opportunity to work this land that their grandparents loved. How can I say no to that? I simply can't. What I can do is teach them how to truly care for the land and produce what they love.

Maybe all the hard work that was invested wasn't for nothing. Maybe, just maybe, it was for something bigger than I could have envisioned.

So, until next time . . . thank you for always supporting our farm family and all the life changes we experience. It truly is a blessing to be part of such a community.

Bomb-Diggity Basil Creamed Chicken

Ya'll, this dish is the bomb-digitty of basil dishes. This really is one of my kids absolute favorite dinners. A perfect segway into fall as the basil is growing out of control on our farm!

As with all my recipes, I write it as I prepare it, so adjust to your tastes and remember, it's not science so just love your food and it will love you back.

This serves our family of 4 with maybe a plate of leftovers (if lucky)

Gather your ingredients. ..
3 lb chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken breast pounded to 1/2 inch thickness, but have also used boneless thighs or bone-in pieces as well - your preference - cooking method is the same, you will just need to adjust cooking times)
2 cups heavy cream
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
A few pats of unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1.5 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese
2 cups (handfuls) fresh basil = 1 cup or so chopped

Cook it...
Heat a skillet on medium heat, add a splash of EVOO or just enough to coat the skillet. Add 1/2 the chicken, don't crowd the pan, it's not a mosh pit at a rock concert. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Cook till browned on all sides, adding small pat of butter to pan during last few minutes of cooking. You can omit that step if you hate adding flavor to your dish. Cooking time depends on how thick your chicken is. Place cooked chicken in pan and into oven at 300 degrees to keep warm while you finish rest of steps. Repeat for rest of chicken.  I cook 3 lbs chicken in 2 batches.

Add heavy cream and a bit of cracked pepper to skillet, making sure to whisk all those tidbits off the bottom of your skillet. The cream will begin to turn a bit darker in color and will begin bubbling. Let bubbble for a minute to thicken slightly. Add parmesan cheese, whisk till smooth. Add basil. Add chicken back to pan, making sure to bury the chicken in the sauce like you buried those secrets from your past. 

Serve chicken over mashed potatoes (or rice or whatever suits your fancy), making sure to get a little of that creamy sauce all over everything. And don't be a slob, make sure to sop up all the extra sauce with a slice of bread.

I usually serve with a side salad or green beans.

This recipe can easily be cut in half or doubled.

Enjoy!

Sweet Rice!!!! Arkansas Grown!

With the hustle and bustle of school back in full swing, I thought I would share with you one of my go-to breakfast "treats" for the kiddos.  They are rice lovers and as some of you already know, Arkansas is the nation's largest rice growing state and we love to support local!!!!! GO ARKANSAS!!!!!!! Arkansas Grown!!!!

Anyhow, back on topic.  To make this recipe easy peasy, I simply make a double batch of rice for dinner the night before and set half of it in the refrigerator.  So this is great on taco night, just remember to set aside the rice ahead of time or your vermin kids will eat the rice and this plan won't work.

I usually set aside about 3-4 cups cooked rice.  We usually use brown rice, but on this particular occasion, we had white rice for whatever reason.  Either is fine.  Don't kill over with the details here.

When I sleepily awake, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees

I then generously butter a 9x9 Pyrex pan. A round glass pan works fine too. Don't get caught up in the details here.  Use what you have on hand.  If you are anti-butter, use non-stick spray.

At this point, I again get creative. Depending on what you have on hand and what you prefer in taste is what you can use.  We are sugar-free around here, so our mix is a bit different.  If you aren't, then tweak it a bit with milk and a bit of sugar.  (I didn't die growing up and that was what my mom used.)  The combo we use is as follows - 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup whole milk, 2-4 tablespoons honey depending on if you like sweet or not, 1 tablespoon good vanilla, 1 good dash of cinnamon and a sprinkle of nutmeg and cloves.  Stir it together.  It will be a bit soupy.  Rice is starchy so it will absorb more of the liquids as it bakes and thicken slightly.

Pour into your baking dish.  Add a few dollops of butter (or not if you aren't into that kind of thing).  It just kind of melts into the sauce and makes it a bit richer.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes till it starts to get bubbly around the edges.  If you want to hurry this process along a bit more, you can raise the oven temp to 375 degrees during the last 10 minutes of baking for a more golden brown topping on the rice.  Just be warned, the edges will also brown a bit more.

Dish into bowls and watch your kiddos lap up like little kittens.  I serve this with scrambled eggs and toast to round out the meal.  This is such a treat.

PS - all the prep work for this can be done the night before and simply placed in the oven while you are scurrying around getting the kiddos ready for school.  Seriously, it's that easy.  Just be warned, your kids might love you a little more and think you are a super fab mom after this and you might get morning kisses with bad kid breath!



Sweet Rice Recipe

Ingredients

3-4 Cups Rice (brown or white)

2 cups milk type liquid (we use 1 cup coconut milk & 1 cup whole milk)

2-4 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon good vanilla

1 good dash cinnamon

sprinkle of nutmeg & cloves

Few dollops of butter for top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9x9 dish. Mix all ingredients.  Pour ingredients into pan. Place dollops of butter on top.  Bake 20-25 minutes till bubbly around edges. Serve in bowls.  Accept hugs gratefully.

Thoughts from the farm 8.30.16 NEVER GIVE UP

Thoughts from the farm this morning. Sometimes it takes someone showing us how much they care for us for us to recognize that it is ok to love ourselves. Loving ourselves despite our weaknesses and failures is tough, sometimes impossible. It's like trying to cook the perfect fried egg on a rusted out old, unseasoned cast iron skillet. It's near impossible, but with some ingenuity it might happen. I saw a friend of mine turn one upside down, coat it in aluminum foil and problem solved, while camping one time. 

Yesterday was full of little reminders of how full my life is of people who have loved me and still love me and that giving up is never an option. Just look at that pie pan. I wonder how many pies my grandma made in that and how many of life's problems were solved sitting around that very pie plate eating every crumb of those delicious pies she baked. I know Adam's world felt right last night. At least his 23rd thank you might have indicated that lol. 

Have a great day ya'll and remember NEVER GIVE UP! I know at least two people who love and care about you...me and God!

The Jam Junkie Alert!

I just wanted to take a quick minute to say THANK YOU for giving Bald Knob Farm a GREAT YEAR thus far!  YOU my farm friends have been great and inspiring support for our farm.  Just yesterday we had a couple stop by the farm and remind us that they are expecting to see us again at Easter and that is "their families tradition" to visit our farm.  It is interesting to hear all the stories from all of our farm friends through the years.  Keep them coming.  They put a smile on our face.  Well, our season is nearing a close, and it's hard to believe.  We are only 7-8 weeks away from season's end and that means NO MORE fresh veggies from the farm and NO MORE jams or jellies at farmer's market!  That's right!!!!  You should know, we HATE season's end.  It means we go for months without seeing your smiling faces and it also means that if I don't sell all these little beautiful jars of goodness, they will sit on my shelves and nobody will get to enjoy them quite like they should be enjoyed.  So, over the next few weeks, I am going to be doing something I've never done before.  I am going to be offering these once a week in special and unique packages like these here.  I will post them with a link and you can simply go in, select what you might like and make arrangements for either pickup here at the farm or directly from farmer's market.  The packages are a SUPER fab way to try new and exciting flavors that you might otherwise shy away from OR a great way to buy ahead for Christmas gifts.  I appreciate you supporting our FARM and our FAMILY and most importantly keeping your money LOCAL!!!!

So, here is the link for this week's Jam Junkie Alert . . .  Click Here for The Jam Junkie's LIMITED EDITION Specials for August 29th!