Farmgirl Follies

Flamin’ fungi

Posted by Farmgirl on December 11, 2009  |  5 Comments

He said he would take care of supper. And he did … as you can see. I feared for the safety of my kitchen at one point, but it survived. And so did the mushrooms, much to my delight.

Imagine walking into your kitchen at the precise moment flames shoot two feet into the air. You jump, you screech something along the lines of “Hoooly Moses!”

And then you move in for a closer look. Because although it was intimidating at first glance … the flames die down eventually.

And after he’s done showing off, you have a chance to see what’s in the skillet.

And you can’t help but say, “Oooooohhhhh. Aaaahhhh.”

Can you blame me? Sauteed mushrooms in flaming bourbon sauce …  that’s what he made to accompany his grilled tri-tip. The man amazes me. He can take one look in the pantry and come up with something fabulous. I have to plan fabulous … and it doesn’t include the glitz and glamour of flaming fungi, let me assure you.

FarmGuy’s Friday-night Flamin’ Fungi

1/2 pound of sliced button mushrooms (or any kind you like)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Black pepper to taste
Splash or two (or three) of bourbon

Drizzle a little olive oil into a cast iron skillet. Saute mushrooms until they begin to shrink, then add other ingredients. Simmer until sauce begins to thicken and mushrooms become tender.

Now if you want some flame in your game, move the skillet away from the heat, add your bourbon, then tip the skillet a bit onto the gas flame … vavoom! you have flames in your skillet. There’s really no need for that, however.

And if you prefer to do without the bourbon, so be it. These mushrooms will still taste mouthwatering and rich.

Enjoy!

Farmgirl’s Apple Donuts: downfall of humankind

Posted by Farmgirl on November 5, 2009  |  1 Comment

Yes. They are THAT good. I’d show you a photo, but someone — or somebodies — ate them all.

According to this Web site, November 5 is National Doughnut Day. In celebration, I’m offering you my super-secret-always-under-lock-n-key Baked Apple Donuts recipe.

I know. I love you lots.

First, a few tips: the batter is very thick — a pastry bag works best. Don’t have one? No problem. Spoon the batter into a quart-sized plastic bag, snip off the end and squeeze. You’ll also need a donut baking sheet or pan. Mine is more of a mini-bundt style donut pan.

Most importantly: these are donuts. DO NOT, under any circumstances, use margarine in place of butter. It would be downright shameful! And I suggest you avoid red delicious and Granny Smith apples — they’re not juicy enough to impart great apple-icious flavor!

Farmgirl’s Baked Apple Donuts

Sift together:

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1-3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Crisco (shortening)

Combine:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup finely diced apples

After baking:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Cut shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. Set aside.
2. Combine: 1 egg, beaten; milk and apples. Mix well. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until blended.
3. Spoon batter into pastry bag and squeeze into 12 greased muffin, donut or mini-bundt cups; fill 2/3 full.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until done.
5. Meanwhile: melt 1/2 cup butter, set aside. Combine 12/ cup sugar with cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
6. Remove donuts immediately from bake pan. Roll first in butter mixture, coating completely. Roll in sugar/cinnamon mixture.
7. Cool on wire racks.
8. Farmgirl recommends making 2-3 batches at a time. They disappear right before your eyes!

Hope you enjoy these naughty little bites of heaven!

Love,
       Farmgirl

Scare tactics: kids to the kitchen

Posted by Farmgirl on October 7, 2009  |  1 Comment

Do you remember … way back in early spring when the kids and I tested some recipes?  They were Halloween treats that encouraged folks to cook with their kids.

I documented the whole sordid ordeal here. (It wasn’t really sordid, I just like that word.)

I wasn’t able to share those fun and yummy recipes with you then, but now I can …

Spooky Spiders Ground Beef Biscuits

Hot Dog, Its A Mummy!

Leaky Cauldron Soup

Frightfully delicious
The kitchen may be mom’s hallowed ground, but these recipes give kids a chance at culinary creativity. They’re sure to delight – not frighten – your little monsters this Halloween.

Kitchen considerations

Posted by Farmgirl on August 27, 2009  |  2 Comments

Pondering. I was thinking about my kitchen today. What could I do differently? Is it set up correctly? Is there anything I can change to make my jobs easier?

I got to thinking about open shelving … how much I love it in magazines. How easy and handy they appear. And then I experimented.

No, not that kind of shelving. What I mean was open shelving for my dishes. Why must they hide behind cupboard doors? Wouldn’t it be handy to pull them from the dishwasher or sink and deposit them quickly on a shelf until they’re needed again?

Like this.

Whad’ya think?

I think it’s not bad. It’s handy. But it’s missing something. It’s too predictable. It’s not like these … from Country Living magazine.

Hmmm. Texture behind the dishes. Maybe my shelves need some texture …

I have an idea. I’ll let you know if it works out. It involves old burlap sacks.

For now, though, feast your eyes on these delightful kitchens.

Now there’s an idea. Take some old (or new) lace and tea stain it. Hang it across your windows for a valance. What a cool, economical and primitive idea! Try it … and let me know how it turns out — I’d love to see your photos!

Egg on my face

Posted by Farmgirl on June 24, 2009  |  No Comments

I discovered this sticky mess late this afternoon. It had been there awhile.

No one … I repeat … no one knew how it happened — or who did it.

I may have ranted and raved and raised my voice a bit.

Just a little bit, mind you.

And then …

I opened the carton and dropped two more.

On the floor.

What a chore.

I don’t look so hot with egg on my face … but my kids think I’m funny.

And scrambled.

Though I’m not a push over-easy.

I try to see the sunny side-up, even when life is a little hard-boiled.

Tour of Kitchens

Posted by Farmgirl on March 22, 2009  |  2 Comments

Let’s take a tour of kitchens. Disclaimer: You will not find modern or urban style here. I like to mix up traditional, rustic, country, primitive and even a hint of Victorian. Cowboy style is my new obsession. I avoid clean, modern lines, however; they leave me cold and lonely.

I really like the black cabinetry in this photo, but I’m not diggin’ the brushed stainless knobs.

And in this one: I love, love, LOVE the table and chairs. Not a fan of the cabinet color here, or the tile behind the stove. Still … it’s very pretty.

I really like this one. I would never choose white cabinets, just a personal preference, yet I truly love the look of this kitchen. Especially the wood-tone beadboard under the white cabinets. It’s light and bright and welcoming.

What do you think of this one? I’m crazy about the beams. Love the black accents. To me, though, the cabinets look too nice—too pristine. They don’t seem to match the rustic “bones” of the space.  

Now this, below … very primitive. Huge fan of the open shelves. Love the plain and simple cabinet fronts. If you love primitive decor, you probably covet this kitchen.

I need more counter space—maybe because I usually have three helpers. That candle and basket of bittersweet on the table? Wouldn’t last five minutes with farm boy running around. Though I appreciate this kitchen, it wouldn’t work for me.

On the other hand, I like the attention to detail, to time period. You can almost see someone making butter or covering the cream or pumping water or picking bananas from the tree out back … oh, sorry. Got a little carried away there.

Adore the deep window sills. When we were first married, we rented the first floor of an 1860s brick farmhouse. It had 12″ window sills. The interior doorways were at least 12″ thick and my, was that house cool in the summer. Old wood floors … original fireplace … mice. I miss that old dump. It could have been a showplace … for about a million bucks.

I digress … love the sills. Love the wood countertops. Really like the apron front, under-counter-mounted soapstone sink. I’d probably break all of my dishes though.

So which kitchen is your favorite? Which elements do you prefer? Leave your comments below!