Thursday, March 25, 2010
Watching the Chicks
David is fascinated by the baby chicks! He loves to watch them and would grab them if I let him.
New Tiller
We have a new BCS tiller! It is going to be so useful. We tried it out an it is fun to use.
Chicks Hatching
We hatched a batch of chicks from our eggs. It was fun and exciting to watch them hatch. We ended up with about 25 chicks.
Breaking Ground
We are expanding the garden this year, making a market garden. We had the opportunity to borrow a tractor to till the new areas. It is wonderful.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Happy March Birthdays!
March is the birthday month for my family. My mom, dad, and sister all have birthdays. So happy birthday to you all!
Playtime
When I work in the kitchen David enjoys watching me, and I often give him something from the kitchen to play with. Here he is playing with a plastic lid.
Sticking Up
David is finally getting a little more hair. The other night it was sticking up for the first time. It looked so cute!
Upside Down
Right Side Up
Upside Down
Right Side Up
Seed Starting Time
It's that time of year again! Time to get out the potting soil and all the seeds. This year we are starting lots of seeds for our market garden. We are doing things better this time with a handy soil blocker, wooden flats and grow lights.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Butternut Ravioli Recipe
Somebody has requested the recipe for the pumpkin ravioli I made earlier so here it is. I actually used a combination of recipes and added some of my own ideas.
First make the filling.
Filling Ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp. butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 cup roasted butternut squash puree (any kind of squash or pumpkin will work, but butternut has a good thick flesh)
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces
Pinch nutmeg
In a large pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and saute for 1 minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Secondly make the pasta dough. This makes quite a bit of pasta.
Pasta Ingredients:
6 cups flour (I used non-wheat flour, mostly sweet rice, but wheat is way easier to work with)
6 eggs
With flour in a medium bowl make a well in the center and add the eggs. Gradually beat the eggs in. I usually use a fork at first then use my hands to get it mixed well. Sometimes I have to add a touch of water or a little more flour to get the consistency just right. When dough is moderately stiff and can be rolled out, turn out onto a board and knead until smooth. If you have a pasta machine the next step is way easier, but I rolled mine out by hand. To roll out take a small section and flatten into an elongated oval. (Keep the rest of the dough moist by covering with a damp cloth) Using a machine, roll the dough through starting with a thick setting and continue until it is as thin as you want it.( It shouldn’t be too thin) If you do not have a machine just use a rolling pin to roll it out on a floured surface. It is a little tricky to get it very thin this way, but it works. Then cut your strips into rectangles and place some filling on each. Fold over to make a square and press the edges together. I found that using a brush dipped in water made the edges stick better. Repeat until either all the filling or all the dough is used up. This can all be done earlier in the day and refrigerated until you are ready to cook it.
Next make the sauce.
Sauce ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp. Butter
1-2 Tbsp. flour
2 Fresh garlic cloves
2 cups whole milk or part cream
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Dried ground sage.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Add the freshly squeezed garlic and milk or cream. Add seasoning to taste. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Turn onto low heat to keep warm until ready to serve.
Finally cook the ravioli in boiling water for approximately 8 minutes. Watch carefully though because it will cook faster or slower depending on how thick the pasta is. When it is cooked drain well. Serve immediately with the sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with fresh sage leaves or parsley and grated parmesan cheese.
Well I think that is all. I hope I didn’t leave anything out. If there are any questions please ask.
First make the filling.
Filling Ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp. butter
3 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 cup roasted butternut squash puree (any kind of squash or pumpkin will work, but butternut has a good thick flesh)
Salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces
Pinch nutmeg
In a large pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and saute for 1 minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Secondly make the pasta dough. This makes quite a bit of pasta.
Pasta Ingredients:
6 cups flour (I used non-wheat flour, mostly sweet rice, but wheat is way easier to work with)
6 eggs
With flour in a medium bowl make a well in the center and add the eggs. Gradually beat the eggs in. I usually use a fork at first then use my hands to get it mixed well. Sometimes I have to add a touch of water or a little more flour to get the consistency just right. When dough is moderately stiff and can be rolled out, turn out onto a board and knead until smooth. If you have a pasta machine the next step is way easier, but I rolled mine out by hand. To roll out take a small section and flatten into an elongated oval. (Keep the rest of the dough moist by covering with a damp cloth) Using a machine, roll the dough through starting with a thick setting and continue until it is as thin as you want it.( It shouldn’t be too thin) If you do not have a machine just use a rolling pin to roll it out on a floured surface. It is a little tricky to get it very thin this way, but it works. Then cut your strips into rectangles and place some filling on each. Fold over to make a square and press the edges together. I found that using a brush dipped in water made the edges stick better. Repeat until either all the filling or all the dough is used up. This can all be done earlier in the day and refrigerated until you are ready to cook it.
Next make the sauce.
Sauce ingredients:
1-2 Tbsp. Butter
1-2 Tbsp. flour
2 Fresh garlic cloves
2 cups whole milk or part cream
Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Dried ground sage.
Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Add the freshly squeezed garlic and milk or cream. Add seasoning to taste. Stir the mixture over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Turn onto low heat to keep warm until ready to serve.
Finally cook the ravioli in boiling water for approximately 8 minutes. Watch carefully though because it will cook faster or slower depending on how thick the pasta is. When it is cooked drain well. Serve immediately with the sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with fresh sage leaves or parsley and grated parmesan cheese.
Well I think that is all. I hope I didn’t leave anything out. If there are any questions please ask.
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
The Simple Woman's Daybook
For… Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Outside my window… a grey sky, some drizzly rain, and a green tint on the hillsides. Spring is coming!
I am thinking… about what to do after I finish this, I can’t quite decide.
I am thankful… that David is peacefully taking a nap giving me a nice break from his grouchiness. (teething I think)
From the kitchen... spaghetti for dinner and maybe some kind of huckleberry dessert.
I am wearing… my denim and blue and pink paneled skirt and a pink shirt. This skirt always reminds me of spring.
I am creating… lots of items to sell; cards, skirts, soap, candles…
I am going… to town in the next few days to do some shopping.
I am reading… “Lark Rise to Candleford”, so far I am enjoying it.
I am hoping… to finish above book before it is due back to the library, but that is doubtful.
I am hearing… the washing machine and the fan humming.
Around the house… it looks pretty nice right now, only a few little piles of things to put away.
One of my favorite things… baby boy clothes. They are just so cute!
Outside my window… a grey sky, some drizzly rain, and a green tint on the hillsides. Spring is coming!
I am thinking… about what to do after I finish this, I can’t quite decide.
I am thankful… that David is peacefully taking a nap giving me a nice break from his grouchiness. (teething I think)
From the kitchen... spaghetti for dinner and maybe some kind of huckleberry dessert.
I am wearing… my denim and blue and pink paneled skirt and a pink shirt. This skirt always reminds me of spring.
I am creating… lots of items to sell; cards, skirts, soap, candles…
I am going… to town in the next few days to do some shopping.
I am reading… “Lark Rise to Candleford”, so far I am enjoying it.
I am hoping… to finish above book before it is due back to the library, but that is doubtful.
I am hearing… the washing machine and the fan humming.
Around the house… it looks pretty nice right now, only a few little piles of things to put away.
One of my favorite things… baby boy clothes. They are just so cute!
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