Dark Days Challenge Week 1

Bourbon Smoked Pepper Roast

This weeks Dark Days Challenge took me to Foxhollow Farm where I picked out the easiest thing. Beef Roast, carrots and potatoes! While I was browsing I noticed a  Bourbon Smoked Pepper and thought it might make a good seasoning for my roast. Who doesn't think of bourbon when they think of Kentucky, right? It smells so yummy, like beef jerky! Bet it would be good on some smoked jerky too!

I also used up the rest of my tomatoes that turned on the window sill. 

These are the goods from the farm.  I discovered Foxhollow is very close and I have passed by it several times never knowing it was there! They had quite a few local items including meat and produce from their own farm and other local farm items such as eggs, flour, seasonings, fish, cheese and milk. It will be a great resource through out this challenge since they stay open all winter!

 I put the potatoes, tomatoes, roast and some garlic (I found at the Bardstown Road Farmers Market from Field Day Family Farm) all in the crock pot to simmer all day! Doesn't it look yummy!

 Then I roasted the carrots in the oven with a little oil for about 20 minutes each side. Yummy, they were the best part of the meal. So sweet and tender! We made a nice candle lit dinner out of it! Then the kids ruined it because they wouldn't eat any of it, well, dd ate a few carrots!

I have to admit, I felt like a lost child when I walked into the Farm store. They had a decent amount of stuff to choose from, but trying to figure out an entire meal knowing it had to be entirely from scratch to meet the challenge was a bit intimidating. You really have to know your recipes to know what you can do with what they have. It will get easier I'm sure, as I get to know the store and what they have and whatever else I can find locally. 

For next weeks meal, which will only be in a few days, I visited the farmers market for the first time. I will be doing something with pork chops, squash, broccoli and apples! Come back and see what I come up with!