Cooking with Cast Iron

Hello sweets.......oh my what a fun time I am having with my littles that are in my family!!! They have brought so much joy and blessings!!! It sure has given me busy times and for that I am grateful!!! They are such sweet blessings!!! 

I have also been baking from scratch.....I cooked so much in the coffeehouse I was kind of burned out I think.....but now it is coming back!!! I have been using my cast iron pans so much more and love how they bake and cook up!!! Today and yesterday I made  rolls and Chicken Pot Pie!!  So so delicious. Wasn't sure if I would like the onion in the rolls......but they were amazingly good!! I really enjoyed baking them in my cast iron pan.....the bottoms were really soft and so were the top. 

Learning lots more about baking and cooking with Cast Iron.....so much better for our bodies!!!

I so enjoy the magazines called Cast Iron Baking and

Southern Cast Iron They are beautiful on the inside and the recipes are wonderful!! Here are one from an old Cast Iron Baking that you might enjoy. 

Cheddar and Onion Yeast Rolls Cast Iron Baking Fall 2016

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 cup minced onions (I only used a half a cup)

1 1/2 cups warm milk divided

2 1/4 tea. of yeast

1/2 cup of sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 3/4 cups bread flour

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese.

1. in a 10 inch cast iron skillet heat 2 t. oil over medium heat. Add onion cook stirring frequently, until tender. Remove from heat and let cool. 

2. In a small bowl stir together 1/2 warm milk , yeast and 1 teas. sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Bread flour Recipe

The recipe asked for bread flour.....I didn't have any and the roads were so icy I couldn't leave to get some. So I looked up a substitute for what I needed. 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon of gluten = bread flour......so good to know for future recipes. 

3. In a large bowl, stir together egg, Cheddar, salt cooked onion, yeast mixture, remaining sugar, remaining 1 cup warm milk, and remaining 2 tablespoon oil. Gradually stir in flour until a soft dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

 4. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let stand in a warm, draft free place until double in size about an hour.

5. Punch dough down. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

6. Divide dough into 13 portions, and roll each portion into a ball. Spray same cast iron skillet and cooking spray and place dough balls in skillet. Cover and let stand until double in size for about 1 hour. Mine rose in a half an hour. Preheat overn to 350 degree. Brush with water and sprinkle dough with Parmesan Bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. NUMMY!!

Chicken Pot Pie

Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_pie_crust/

It's a foggy day.....and snow is coming!!!

Hello sweet ladies..........it was so nice to hear from so many on you!!!! So here I am back on the and farm.....living my dream......farming.....gardening.....remodeling......baking......knitting......asking the Lord what He has for my sweet man and myself. For me my NUMBER 1 is helping my husband......now that the house is just us in it. We are enjoying our time.....working and cleaning up outside when the days are good......working on buildings that need repaired....helping our kids with their children whenever we can and just daily life!!  We have lots of plans when it gets to spring....!!  Soooo that catches you up a little on what is going on at Prairie Flower Farm! 

Look what happened to our world yesterday........I have a shepherdess farm friend who has had five of my Momma sheep for some time to help build her flock. She sent me a picture......it was Momma Olivia......and her two adorable baby lambs. I hopped in the car and off to her farm..... it isn't very far from mine. I could hardly wait to get out of the car....she said they were over in the shed and that there was another Momma in labor so we needed to quiet for her.......we walked up and there was Momma Olivia with her patchy black faced babies....she had a little boy and girl!!! I started to cry.....I know stupid but I was overwhelmed with Farm Momhood to these two littles!!! I so miss having children.....I know that might be weird.....but I do miss having someone to nurture and so my animals are what I care for now and I love it!! I will get to have them back here on the farm this next week!! You will find me out in their shed getting it ready on Monday when it is warmer!!!

Before CHRISTmas I visited Rosa and Aunt Ella to take one of my frozen chicken that I raised this fall. After feeding them they ended up being 10 pounds. I knew they would love this gift...because a fresh hen is wonderful especially when you know what they are eating....better then the store. When I got to their sweet farm......on the table Rosa had a jar of her own canned chicken......it was so funny that we both thought the same!!! When I got back home I placed my gift on the shelf for a special meal! The other night I put the chicken in a pan.....added a cup of milk with 1/4 cup of flour. Salt and pepper and let simmer with the chicken and broth until it was thick. 

Rolled the dough.......see my little heart.......????

I whipped up a  nummy 1/2 batch of egg noodles......having fresh eggs and a food processor makes the work so much easier......like in 5 minutes you can have them made up and rolled out it.....easy to start cutting. I made mine pretty......used a cracker cutter!!! 

Then I made mashed potatoes.....we love our chicken and noodles on the top!! It was so good........it has been years since I canned chicken.....before spring I will try to get some done! So nice to grab a pint off the shelf for a fast meal. Chicken is easy to put up too!!!

Well I hope all is well.......a storm is coming our way.......rain and snow........I will be in the house working on my craft room......a never ending job!!! So foggy outside but so nice and warm inside!!!!!

I have 5 more calendars available if anyone is interested. Please email if you are......prairie flower farm at gmail dot com. They are  $24. and 4 for shipping. I do paypal so I will need your email address to process. If you want to send a check please email me that you are interested and put calendar in the subject!!!  Please do not feel any presser....I am just making them available to those who have shown interest.  I have a goal at our farm to build a small building....for woman and I am trusting the Lord to help me do that! 

Thank you so much for writing and leaving comments.......it was so good to touch base with each of your lives again.....!!!! 

God bless your day and know that you are loved!!! 

Linda

A New Year!!!

Hello sweets........a new year......and I can't wait for it!!! Life has changed for myself and my sweet man! 

We are back on the farm and it is wonderful. God has been so good to us!!! Trying to get things done that we couldn't when we inherited it. Got to work on the big coop and decorated it for CHRISTmas!! A favorite for to do!!! Looks so cute!!

As you know we did sell the coffeehouse...so we have been home since May.....we got to put in a garden and I canned lots of tomatoes!!! We harvested our regular potatoes and sweet potatoes......we got so many and our family is enjoying the bounty!!!

For CHRISTmas I was able to do a lot of homemade gifts and one that I did for my girls were littles was these adorable pompom garlands. So cute and easy. I wrapped my yarn around my three fingers 50 times. Took it off real easy and laid it on my lap.....took a long piece of yarn...tied it from the back to the front and tied in a knot. Then cut the loops all around. After all the loops are cut start shaping the ball by cutting and making it a round ball. They are so cute and so easy to make!! Decide what string twine you want to use......I used red and white thread...you can lots of strings now in all the stores. Thread with needle....poke needle into the middle of the pompom.....you can add as many as you want....and make it as long as you like. I made each of my littles a set. Just an idea!!

I do post a lot more on my facebook site. It is a little faster for me to get something up.....but I do want to write more here on my blog also for those who don't follow on fb. I have know idea how many from here still follow since I haven't been able to post due to life and working outside the home.  I would love to hear if any are though and  so if you could please just leave a comment in the comments to let me know you are still out there I would love to reconnect? No pressure!!!!! Also I just put up a post a week ago about selling a Prairie Flower Farm Calendar. I reordered because they sold so fast and have some still on hand. I also want to make them available to any of you if you would like one. You can email me at prairieflowerfarm@gmail.com and let me know. I can do PayPal or check. I sold some 4 years ago and thought it would be fun to do one again. They are $24. and $4. shipping. I have 12 picture photos on the inside that can easily be framed. Please put calendar in the subject please. That will help me a lot!! Thank you!!! No pressure honest.......just want you to know they are here and available!!!

Thought you might like to see my Blue Ameraucana!!! She was a little last spring and she has blossomed into a pretty Momma!!! She lays blue eggs......which are so pretty! I decorated their coop......thought it turned out to fun for the girls and the Roo!

They love it!!!!

Well hope all is well......the Lord has been faithful as we walk this new adventure out!!! We are always asking what is it that He wants us to do. Praying about some things and He will lead!! Can't wait......and until then we will just keep doing what He has in front of us!!

I personally am praying for a building.......a Gathering building to do ministry with ladies and young ladies....or whoever the Lord has. I know there is a need for learning to start your seedling......planting a garden......sewing....knitting......building furniture.....to start a green house....cold frames......I have had lots of interest.....just need a place. God has the plan.....I want to be in it.....He provides. Can't wait.....the calendar is my start.....small start but we have to start somewhere. I am sure you have dreams also.....lay them before Him.....He wants to be a part of our everything!!! I want to be a part of His......He delights in that. 

Praying for each of you today......lots of hugs sent your way!!!

me