National Soup Month!

I make my soup from scratch - to me, there is no other way to do it!  I work from generational recipes for soup stock.  To make the stock, you heat your oven to a high temperature, (maybe 400 degrees F.) throw some cut up meat (with bones even) into a roasting pan.  Douse it with oil.  Add some carrots, onions and celery.  Let everything cook for about 1/2 hour, turning it, so that it does just burn.  Skim off any fat.  Next, you put it all into a large pot on top of the stove.  Add a bay leaf, herbs, tomato, and cover with water.  Cooking this over a medium heat for some 6 to 8 hours.  Skim off the fat.  Strain everything, keeping the liquid.  This is your basic stock.  It can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days, or you can freeze it for use at another time.

When you use a stock and make your soup from scratch, you are keeping all the natural nutrition.  And you don't need to add all the salt that you find in all those canned soups!  This is the way your ancstors ate.  Don't fall into the trap of eating out of a can just for convenience sake!  If you make your stock and keep it on hand, you'll have what you need to make soup any time. 

This is a good time, if you are one who is looking to make a New Year's Resolution to eat healthy - make some soup stock, you won't regret it!

"As far back as I can remember, the old times were good times.  They have been good all down through the years, full of love and service, of ideals and achievement - the future is ours to make it what we will."  Laura Ingalls Wilder

If you'll take the time to do this, you'll only be doing it a few times each year (unless you eat a lot of soup!)  If you if try it, please let us all know, by leaving a comment here.  Thanks. 

Happy "National Soup Month"!  I'll be posting some soup recipes on here this month, Lord willing.  The Old Man in the Bib Overalls

Farmer Boy Recipe for "National Dessert Day"

You may wish to use this recipe to continue your celebration of "National Dessert Month", or "National Dessert Day", or for "National Nothing Special Day"!   :)
Now, I've tried all varieties of Coconut Cream Pies - from "Pudding Mix Pies" to those made from "Scratch" and those topped with a ready-made topping, to those topped with meringue.  This recipe is my, "Made from scratch" version.  If you like those others, go for it!  If you are counting calories or sugar grams, this probably won't be for you!  But if you want to jump into a pie with both feet, and come up licking your chops, then maybe this is for you!

Farmer Boy Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients:

• 8 Tablespoons of sugar
• 5 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Cups whole milk
• 1 Cup heavy cream
• 3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
• 1 Cup flaked coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 pre-baked pie shell (9 inch)

Directions: In a heavy saucepan, stir together the sugar, milk, cream, flour and egg yolks.  Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes.  Add the vanilla and nutmeg, then the coconut.  Continue stirring, till the mixture is thick - probably another 5 minutes or so.  *Note: it should be slightly thicker than pudding.  Remove from heat to cool slightly.  Then pour it into the pre-baked pie shell. (You may use a store bought pie shell if you'd like.  But, I make mine from scratch ahead of time!)

Go on to make the meringue.  Using an electric mixer and the whisk beater, beat the egg whites with 4 Tablespoons of sugar, till stiff, with peaks.  Spread this over the pie, up to the edges.  Sprinkle coconut on top and place in a 425 degree F. oven to bake for about 10 to 14 minutes. (The meningue should begin to brown on the peaks and the coconut should begin to get a light brown color also.) *Note: if you have a browning element in your oven, you can bake at 375 degrees F. and then use the browning element to finish it up.

I like to chill my pie completely before serving, but warm is OK too!

Just one more hint: Try using 1/2 cup of toasted coconut, combined with the flaked, when making the filling.  And, for an even richer pie: substitute some of the milk with coconut milk!

"Just a little thread of gold, running through a fabric, brightens the whole garment, so women's work at home, while only the doing of little things, is like the golden gleam of sunlight that runs through and brightens all the fabric of civilization."  Laura Ingalls Wilder

I hope you'll try this pie and then let us all know, by leaving a comment here. Thanks.

The Old Man in the Bib Overalls

Farmer Boy Recipe - Fresh Pasta

What better way to celebrate "National Pasta Month", than to make fresh pasta?
Like so many, I have spent years buying dried pasta at the grocery store.  I never knew how much better fresh pasta was, till I finally decided to make it for myself!

I have coupled the process of making pasta along with a spaghetti sauce recipe that I got from an Italian lady years ago.  But, let me first say this: there are probably as many recipes out there for "Authentic Italian Sauce" as there are villages in Italy and maybe those even vary according to the traditions of each family!  This recipe is one that Maria gave me.  She came from northern Italy.  I watched her make it and have tried to duplicate everything. But there is still some variance between hers and mine.  She made a very large pot of sauce, because she was taught that way by her mother, who came from a large family.  Her mother learned it from her mother and so on down in their ancestry.  So I have adopted the basic recipe to fit my needs, not having a large family to cook for - if you, on the other hand, have a large family to cook for, then you'll need to adjust the amounts of ingredients to fit your needs.  And, as I've said, this is only one cook's interpretation of authentic Italian sauce.

First the instructions for making fresh pasta: *Note: If you like making bread from scratch, you'll like this too!  It is more of an art than a science!

• Using flour (Whole Wheat, or other - I use Semolina Flour), make a mound (maybe about a cup) on a clean large bread board or hard surface, like a counter top
• Make a well in the center of the flour
• Add an egg (or eggs, depending on how much flour you are using) in the well
• Gently loosen the yolk, but don't beat vigorously
• Using a fork or your hands. gradually bring the flour into the egg from all sides
• Using your floured hands, begin to mix and knead the mixture
• As you knead, - you'll be looking to create a dough that is smooth, not too sticky (This may take about 10 minutes)
• Once your dough is smooth, use a rolling pin and roll it out (you may need to divide the dough into smaller portions to do this)
• At this point, the dough needs to be cut into the desired pasta - you can do this with a pasta cutting machine or with a pizza or pastry wheel or even a sharp kitchen knife - then it can be used immediately or dried

Fresh pasta cooks in about half the time, or less, than dried pasta (you'll have to experiment with that).
Also, if you use wheat flour it is lower in glycemic index, higher in fiber and protein.
For spaghetti noodles: you'll want to cook them in boiling water, "al dente" (this is Italian - it is translated as "to the tooth" and means to cook the noodles so that they are not too hard and not too mushy, just cookable).

Now the sauce recipe:

Farmer Boy Spaghetti Sauce

*Note: this is the basic recipe & can be used for a variety of dishes

Ingredients: *Note: the amounts of each will vary, according to the total amount of sauce needed (this recipe reflects my personal usage, for 6 to 8 servings over spaghetti noodles or Ravioli)

• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium sized green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 medium sized yellow onion, minced or finely chopped
• 1 rib of celery, finely chopped
• 1 large can of tomato puree
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon of chopped basil
• 1/2 Tablespoon of chopped, dried oregeno
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon of chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon of fennel seed
• 1/8 teaspoon of mint extract
• salt & pepper to taste
• Optional: 2 links of Italian sausage, without the casing (mild or hot flavor)

Directions: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat.   Drop in the peppers, onions, and celery to sweat. (if you are using the meat, brown it at the same time)

Add all the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer for at least 1/2 hour. (If you like a little kick to your sauce, you can add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper seeds.)

"We eat too much! Everyone says so! But we keep right on eating." Laura Ingalls Wilder

"Some people eat to live, others live to eat!" The Old Man in the Bib Overalls

You are welcome to tweak this recipe to suit your own tastes.  If you make this recipe, please let us all know, by leaving a comment here.  Thanks.  The Old Man in the Bib Overalls

Farmer Boy Kitchen Tips: How to boil water

Things you'll need to work with:

1. Water (preferably clean)
2. A Container (pot, kettle, pan, bucket, or something of adequate size to hold the amount of water you wish to boil - it should also preferably be clean.)  * Note: it must be fireproof.
3. A source of heat (stove top, microwave, open fire, the sun, or in a pinch - the hot air coming from a politician will do.)

Directions: 

1. Pour the water into the container.
2. Place the container over the heat. *Note: Be careful not to spill it on an open flame, as it will extinguish the flame.
3. Wait till it boils - but don't watch it; or it will never boil! * Note: After it boils, use it as you see fit. But be careful, it's hot!

If this doesn't work out for you, please don't blame me!
* Note: An alternative to waiting for it to boil would be, to add salt to the water; which speeds up the process. *Note adding salt to the water will make it taste saltly.  * Note: If you add salt to the water, be careful not to spill it onto an open wound, as it would be like adding salt to an open wound!  * Note: That would hurt!

Please feel free to leave a comment on this subject.  Thanks.  :)                         The Old Man in the Bib Overalls