Monday, January 24, 2011

DDC Wk 7

Ky Bison "Ugly" Sirloin, Butternut squash, and roasted potatoes.
We now know why they are called "ugly" and cheap. They had a lot of grizzle. Not just fatty, but grizzly. While the Ky Bison is very good, we won't buy the "ugly" again. That is what we get for trying to be cheap! Ha! The squash was super yummy. I again drizzled it with KY Sorghum, and also some local honey, salt, pepper and some red pepper flaks. Could have used more pepper flakes, didn't really taste 'em. I topped the steak again with my Capriole Goat Cheese/butter/garlic/dried tomatoes mixture and it was, again, good! It is pretty snowy here for KY so they aren't getting too many vegetables out at the farm. Potatoes and squash were my only choices. I was kind of hoping for some parsnips. Maybe next week.

Seeds have been started and we are hoping to get more growing soon to add some variety to our local winter meals.  Around here we should definitely be getting something growing before the end of our challenge in April! I guess it all depends on how long winter wants to hang on, and it isn't looking too good the way this winter has been going! Maybe since it started so early it will leave early! I can hope...

Friday, January 21, 2011

Seed Starting January 21, 2011

Today the kids and I started seeds. Alaskan, Lincoln, and Super Sugar Snap peas. Thyme, Rosemary, Cabernet Onions and bunching onions, and spinach.

 The basil is still going as well, though not too strong. I did however get a HO light that is in there but still needs a bulb, which I plan to do in the next couple of days. I hope this will help us get through the next few seed starting months. Please, please, please! I hope it works out! I don't want all my seedlings to die out this year like they did last year!
Although I do have so much planned I hope I am going to have enough room. I am thinking about taking the cooler weather stuff out to the garage with the 4ft shop light to make more room.
Here are some of the new comers I can't wait to get started!
-Goldie Husk Cherry
-Matt’s Wild Cherry Tomato
-Sugar Buns Corn
-Robust Popcorn (popcorn)
-Red Russian Kale
-Cabernet Red onion
-Javelin Parsnips
-Lipstick Pepper
-Da Cheong Chae Pak  Choi
-Summer Ball Pumpkin
-Thyme
-Rosemary
-Black Cherry Tomato (thanks EG)
-Brandywine Tomato (thanks EG)
I still plan to get blueberry, cranberry and raspberry bushes.

I was very blessed this Christmas with some great gardening gifts, including seeds, garden shoes, a digital scale, plant label markers and more! They will get lots of use this season!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

DDC Wk 6

DH made week 6's challenge. He made it  before we had to leave on a last minute trip to Colorado. So, I am getting it up kind of late!
This was roasted potatoes, eggs with goat cheese, spinach, and dried tomatoes. And he tried to make sweet potato hash browns but they turned out like mashed sweet potatoes. They were still good. Maybe there is a trick to it! It was all very yummy! We are very happy that the farmers market and the farm are open again!
And, over the Christmas break, Foxhollow Farm gutted their store and remodeled the inside and it is so nice! Very cozy. A nice place for sitting. A counter top where they cook up a few samplings, a place to socialize and have coffee, all while picking up your local foods! It really is beautiful and maybe I'll get a picture for next time!

Friday, January 7, 2011

DDC Wk 5-Ribeye and Green Beans w/ Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Butter

Yes, green beans are getting a bit old. The farmer's market and the farm are still closed, until tomorrow. This week I was lucky enough to get some meat from a friend who has her own farm. They had a cow butchered recently and she knew of the challenge I was doing and offered a couple of cuts to me!
Since I was not able to get any other vegetables it was frozen green beans from our garden again with our steak and I really needed to think up something good to do with our meal. Looked online for some ideas and came up with my little butter and goat cheese concoction.  
I had these dried Juliet tomatoes just looking for a use! So, I put some butter(margarine) and goat cheese in the food processor with some garlic. Put some oil on the tomatoes and popped in the microwave for 30 seconds, then added it to the food processor. It turned out super yummy! I loved it! I think dh thought I put too much garlic in it, but seriously, can you ever have too much garlic? Ahh, maybe. I put it on some plastic wrap and rolled it up and put it in the fridge to solidify. Then put a slice on the ribeye and a slice on the beans.  Wonder what else I can do with it?
I got the goat cheese a few weeks ago at the farmers market from Capriole Farm. I did not make my own butter...though that is something I would be interested in learning to do at least once! It wasn't real butter anyways, just a vegetable oil spread.

I am finding myself dreaming of spring and all the new seeds I will be starting. I can hardly wait to get them started. The seed catalogs have been out, I got a gift certificate for Johnny's and I have already used it and I am impatiently awaiting the package in the mail! So much new stuff this year! Been working on plans for the garden as well. Trying to use my "Carrots Love Tomatoes" book to plan my companion plantings in hopes of reducing the pests this year! We'll see how it goes.
The farmer's market and the farm open up again tomorrow! I will be glad to have something other than green beans to show you!