Making Honeysuckle Jelly - it's EASY!

The nectar from honeysuckle flowers smells divine - in our area, they are blooming in the wild right now, and they're everywhere! Nothing says springtime like a jar of sweet, floral-y jelly. This makes a beautiful, bright-yellow to gold colored jar, that is wonderful on toast, biscuits or scones! HONEYSUCKLE JELLY (Yield: 7 half-pints) >>>INGREDIENTS: *4 cups honeysuckle flowers *4 cups boiling water *1/4 c. lemon juice *4 cups sugar *1 package liquid pectin >>>DIRECTIONS: First you need to make an infusion to draw the flavor out of the flowers. Prepare the flowers by removing the tiny green tip at the base of the petals. Next, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan, turn the heat off, then add the honeysuckle flowers you’ve gathered and allow them to steep for about 45 min., stirring occasionally. Strain the flowers from the liquid. You need two cups of the infusion for this recipe. In the same saucepan, stir together 2 cups flower infusion, the lemon juice, and the sugar - bring it to a hard boil that won’t stir down. Add the pectin and boil for 2 minutes, reduce the heat if necessary to avoid boiling over. Ladle the jelly into hot, sterilized jars, and screw on the lids. Allow it to cool for 24 hours, then test the lids to make sure the jars are properly sealed. Store in the refrigerator after opening. If you won't be using it right away, you can process the jelly in a water bath canner. ********************************************************************************************************************************************* "He with cowslips pale, Primrose, and purple lychnis, decked the green Before my threshold, and my shelving walls With honeysuckle covered." ~Mark Akenside

On your mark, get set, GARDEN!

Friday Felicitations! We are anxiously awaiting the time we can transplant into the garden. Seeds are on standby. Go for tilling! The unseasonably cold spring has kept us tapping our green thumbs with impatience. Soon! Soon! Soon! We'll have to wait until Monday though, according to the moon phase guide. By the way, here's the Farmer's Almanac (moon phase) planting guide for May: ---MOON PHASE Planting Guide (from Farmers' Almanac)--- May 2013 16th-19th A Barren Period. Good For Killing Plant Pests, Cultivating, Or Taking A Short Vacation. 20th-21st Excellent Time For Planting Corn, Beans, Peppers, And Other Aboveground Crops. Favorable For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers. 22nd-24th Excellent For Planting Aboveground Crops, Starting Seedbeds And Planting Leafy Vegetables. 25th-26th Do No Planting. 27th-28th Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops. 29th-31st Kill Plant Pests On These Barren Days. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ My Grandpa used this guide, and so do I! So, while we wait, we've fenced in and tilled the new garden area: (You can see our neighbors' visiting peacocks in the background!) AND....started a few "Stacked Stone" projects, like new beds and foundation facing. Here's a work in progress, a small cistern under the downspout for the chickens to use when they get thirsty: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** I start with a layer of brick to make a level surface, and then add stone on top. First I take the wheelbarrow down to the stream bed, load it up with flat shale rock (we have A LOT of it!) and then cart it to the project area. I can feel my biceps building! ON MONDAY, there will be a FRENZIED FURY OF PLANTING up in here! How are your garden plans shaping up? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them." ~Liberty Hyde Bailey

Homemade Hair Chalk - Color for your Locks!

Hello my farm followers! If your kids are anything like mine, they ADORE the new hair color craze! For a more lasting color change, my girls have tipped their hair with Jerome Russell's "Punky Color". It lasts about a month, is very bright at first, and then gradually fades out. It shows up MUCH better on blonde hair (which they have) rather than brunette. You paint it on with a brush, (We use a small sponge brush and just throw it away afterwards!) let it sit a bit, and then rinse it out with water. BE CAREFUL not to get it on anything else! But here's a great way to add temporary color to your locks - use oil pastel crayons! Just lay your hair on a piece of paper, and scribble away. Use long strokes, following down the length of your hair. Simple, easy to do, and it washes out with your next shampoo. It's great for matching your hair to an outfit, or for spirit days at school. Here's my daughter Rowan, tipping her hair with green and blue for Earth Day: We also made Earth Day recycled toilet tissue tube kazoos, with only 3 items - *empty toilet tissue tubes, *wax paper circles, * rubberbands. She used the oil pastels to decorate the kazoo too! What are you doing today for Earth Day? ******************************************************************************************************************************************** "And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair." ~Khalil Gibran

Family Favorite EASTER goodies!

I miss all of the old, sentimental Easter traditions, don't you? When I was little, I remember all the ladies coming to church on Easter morning - and they ALL wore HATS and GLOVES! Isn't it sad that we hardly dress up at all anymore? Well, not this year! I am determined that I and my girls WILL wear Easter Bonnets this year, and I'll post pics when we do. Here are two yummy Easter recipes that we love, enjoy your holiday - and WEAR A HAT!!! "In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it, You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade. I'll be all in clover and when they look you over, I'll be the proudest fellow in the Easter parade. On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us, And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure. Oh, I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet, And of the girl I'm taking to the Easter parade." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOT CROSS BUNS >>>INGREDIENTS: 3/4 cup warm water 3 Tb butter 1 Tb instant powdered milk 1/4 cup white sugar 3/8 tsp salt 1 egg 1 egg white 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tb active dry yeast 3/4 cup dried currants (optional) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 egg yolk 2 tablespoons water 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons milk >>>DIRECTIONS: 1. Put warm water, butter, skim milk powder, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, egg, egg white, flour, and yeast in bread maker and start on dough program. 2. When 5 minutes of kneading are left, add currants and cinnamon. Leave in machine till double. 3. Punch down on floured surface, cover, and let rest 10 minutes. 4. Shape into 12 balls and place in a greased 9 x 12 inch pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place till double, about 35-40 minutes. 5. Mix egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water. Brush on balls. 6. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately and cool on wire rack. 7. To make crosses: mix together confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk. Brush an X on each cooled bun. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PEANUT BUTTER EGGS >>>INGREDIENTS: 2 cups creamy peanut butter 3/4 cup butter 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 3 cups crispy rice cereal 1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons shortening >>>DIRECTIONS: 1. In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter and butter. Stir in confectioners' sugar and crisp rice cereal until a dough is formed. Place this mixture in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow it to cool until it is easier to work with. Shape mixture into egg shapes and freeze for 20 minutes. 2. Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a double boiler over low heat. When melted, dip egg shapes in chocolate. Place on waxed paper and allow to cool. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Here comes Peter Cottontail Hoppin' down the bunny trail Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way Try to do the things you should Maybe if you're extra good He'll roll lots of Easter eggs your way You'll wake up on Easter mornin' And you'll know that he was there When you find those choc'late bunnies That he's hiding ev'rywhere"

Recipe Wednesday! PARTY HEARTY with these quick appetizers...

My two NO-FAIL recipes for feeding folks FAST at a party! You can prep both ahead of time and cook when ready. The ingredients are simple and cheap, the results are yummy. Make a lot - and enjoy all of your holiday get-togethers!

COCKTAIL DOGS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ +++INGREDIENTS: *2 pkgs. hot dogs, cut into quarters *1 cup ketchup *1/2 cup sweet relish *1/2 cup brown sugar +++DIRECTIONS: Place the hot dogs in a rice cooker or saucepan. (We use a rice cooker, because it switches to a warm setting to serve.) Mix together the ketchup, relish and brown sugar, and pour over the dogs, stirring to coat. Heat through, and serve warm with toothpicks or skewers for grabbing.

MINI CRAB CAKES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (makes 25, can double - we do!) +++INGREDIENTS: *2 Tbsp green onions or fresh chives *2 Tbsp mayonnaise *1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce *1/2 tsp salt *1/4 tsp cayenne pepper *3 eggs, lightly beaten *1 1/2 cups dry bread crumbs *16 oz. real or imitation crabmeat, flaked +++DIRECTIONS: (Preheat oven to 350 F.) Mix green onions, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and cayenne pepper; stir well. Add in eggs and bread crumbs; add crabmeat and blend until mixed. Shape mixture by tablespoonfuls into 25 patties and place on an oiled baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve on a plate garnished with thin lemon slices, and if desired, with cocktail sauce or remoulade. (If you prebake them, warm them again by microwaving them lightly until just warmed.) ******************************************************************************************************************************************* “At every party there are two kinds of people -- those who want to go home and those who don't. The trouble is, they are usually married to each other.” ~Ann Landers

Recipe Wednesday! Twin recipes for Baked PORK CHOPS...

AUTUMN PORK CHOP BAKE >>>INGREDIENTS: *1/4 cup butter *3/4 cup brown sugar *4 garlic cloves *4 green onions, sliced *2 cups baby carrots *3 small red potatoes, cubed *1/2 - 1 small apple sliced *1/2 - 1 small pear sliced *1 Tbsp each fresh snipped rosemary + parsley *6-8 pork chops *olive oil *1 1/2 tsp kosher salt *1 tsp pepper *4 Tbsp dijon mustard *2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar >>>DIRECTIONS: Melt butter and brown sugar in a frying pan. Saute green onions, carrots, garlic, kosher salt and pepper approx 5 minutes then add potatoes, apples and pears and herbs and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until everything is well coated but not cooked tender. Sear pork chops in a hot frying pan with 2 Tbsp of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper until just browned. Place in a baking dish and pour vegetables and glaze over pork chops. Stir together the dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar (or water) just enough to make it thin enough to drizzle over pork chops and vegetables. Snip fresh parsley and rosemary on top and cover dish with 2 layers of foil. Bake at 400 F for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to 250 F and bake for 30-40 more minutes. Make sure pork chops are cooked through and are no longer pink. ***********************************************************************************************************************************

CIDER CABBAGE CHOPS >>>INGREDIENTS: *1/2 head cabbage, shredded *6-8 pork chops *salt + pepper to season *1/2 tsp caraway seeds *2 cups apple cider *3 Tbsp vinegar *4 Tbsp melted butter >>>DIRECTIONS: Place the shredded cabbage in the bottom of a baking dish. Season the chops with salt + pepper, and place them over the cabbage. Stir together the remaining ingredients, and pour over the pork chops. Seal the pan with foil and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes, then at 250 F for 2 hours. ******************************************************************************************************************************************* “In the childhood memories of every good cook, there's a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot and a mom.” ~Barbara Costikyan

IMPOSSIBLY EASY Natural Holiday Wreath

Seasons Greetings!

Here's how to make an IMPOSSIBLY EASY wreath for the holidays: STEP 1: USE A FRESH OR FAUX GREENERY WREATH FOR THE BASE.

STEP 2: GATHER NATURAL ITEMS FROM YOUR YARD, SUCH AS LEAVES, TWIGS, FLOWERS, BERRIES, PINECONES, EVEN THISTLES AND BURDOCKS. WEEDS MAKE GREAT PIECES FOR THIS. SPRAY THEM WITH METALLIC SPRAY PAINT, I USED SILVER, BUT METALLICS IN GOLD, RED, BLUE, ETC. WORK WELL ALSO. DIP THE TIPS OF THE SPRAYED PIECES IN HOT GLUE, AND ATTACH TO YOUR WREATH BASE.

STEP 3: CLOSEUP OF SPRAYED PIECES - HERE I USED HOLLY BRANCHES, HYDRANGEA FLOWERS, AND TWIGS FROM MY YARD. ADD A BOW IF YOU'D LIKE, AND HANG WHEN FINISHED.

*TIP* When evenly adding sprayed pieces around the wreath, use multiples of the same piece in odd numbers - for example, 3, 5, or 7. It's an old florist's trick for making an arrangement look balanced! ***HAPPY HOLIDAYS!***