Sweet Harvest Homestead

I Remember Mama

Honeysuckle Vine around our old Persimmon Tree

 

The flowers around our homestead are bursting with a profusion of color.  The wild roses down by the stream are in full bloom, and when old Mother Westwind and her Merry Little Breezes pass by, the fragrance is carried all the way up to the house.

When I stand at the kitchen window and wash my dishes, I can look out and see flowers in bloom all along the thorny branches of the blackberry bush.  Those tiny, white blossoms will soon turn into deep purple, sweet berries that I will make into cobblers and ice cream, come July.

When I go out to feed the chickens in the evening, I pass by a honeysuckle vine that grows around an old persimmon tree.   The vine has started to bloom now and even though I am a grown woman, I must stop and pick a blossom, pull the stamen out from the bottom and taste the sweet nectar.

Honeysuckle will always remind me of my mother.  I remember the first time I tasted the sweetness that the flower holds.  I couldn’t have been more than two years old, and my mother was barely 21 when she showed me that mysterious treat.  I remember the taste on my tongue and her gentle smile at my surprised reaction.

Mother’s day is coming up this weekend.    I always made a big deal of Mother’s day for my mother, because she was so good to my brother and me.  (It took getting married and leaving home to realize that.)  She was raised in an extremely difficult situation, but she and my father never let that show through in our upbringing.

We lost my sweet, kind and gentle mother six years ago to pancreatic cancer, two days after her 56^th birthday.   For several years afterward, I was terribly sad on Mother’s day because she was gone.   What a fool I was, for I am a mother and have three beautiful reasons to celebrate the day.   Sometimes we get so busy mourning what we have lost that we forget to be grateful for what we have.  Thankfully, I saw the light and no longer feel sad.

For many years, we took my mother to the Walker Sister’s cabin in the Smokies on Mother’s day and had a picnic.   We would take along a blanket and fried chicken with all the fixings.  It was a great way to spend an afternoon.  I will do that with my family this Sunday. We will be bringing some homemade cookies too because after all,  it’s not a picnic without something sweet.

Here is a recipe for a great traveling cookie that I make with good old fashioned lard.  Yes, I said lard.  Everything old is new again, and lard is in that camp.  Store bought lard is okay, but if you can find someone who raises pigs and renders their fat, you will have yourself a super delicious treat!  I have found the best lard at The Naked Pig in Oakboro.

Lemon Cookies

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup Naked Pig lard

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1TBS milk

1 TBS Powdered *Real Lemon Brand Powdered Flavoring*

2 cups self-rising flour.

Cream together first five ingredients then add flour.  Roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

Be sure to stop by and see me at the Locust Farmer’s Market on Thursday, May 5^th from 11-4.  I’ll have all sorts of goods for sale.  Jams, Jellies, Handcrafted Soap, Herbal Salves, Homemade Bread and I might just have some of these Lemon Cookies.

That’s the news from the homestead, see you next week!

Sweet Harvest Happenings April 6th

Having good neighbors can add such richness to our lives.   We don’t live in a neighborhood- we live down a country lane but that doesn’t stop us from getting to know one another and being friendly to the folks who reside near us.

Our neighbors range from horse trainers to farmers, bakery owners to herbalists, missionaries, quilters and couples who have been married over 50 years (and that’s just a few of them.)

When we first moved to our land, I made it a mission to get to know our neighbors.  I prepared tins of homemade hot chocolate mix and my young children and I went door to door delivering them.  That simple act introduced us to some of the most wonderful people.

They have come to our rescue by watching our children for us when I had to rush my husband to the emergency room after a painful fall.    Another always checks up on us if a strange car pulls up the driveway.   Even though our blood relatives are far away in Tennessee, we feel that our neighbors have become an extended part of our family

Upon moving in to our little white farmhouse on Smith Road, we met one kind neighbor who gave us tickets for a fundraising dinner hosted by his church.  That church meal was our introduction to a couple of North Carolina specialties- Sundrop pound cake and red slaw.  That same neighbor’s mother sent over homemade cookies and a church cookbook with a hand written note to welcome us to the community.

A few weeks later, a large van pulled up to our house and out walk a beautiful family with 8 children.  The oldest girl was carrying a chocolate cake that she and her mother baked from scratch, also to welcome us.

After being treated like that, how could you help but to fall in love with this place?

From my herbalist neighbor, I have learned how to companion plant vegetables, use herbs to heal and how to properly use my serger/sewing machine.

From our neighbors who have been married for 57 years, I have learned that a union between two teenagers can, and will endure if they both stick to the commitment they made.   

From my neighbor who is a quilter, I have learned how to speed up the process of cutting out quilt blocks and the value of teaching the next generation the art of sewing up a beautiful, warm cover.

They all come from different walks of life but they all have one thing in common, the love for the land, community and for this little patch of paradise we call home.

The recipe that I wanted to share with you this week was adapted from one that my friend and neighbor, Margo Plyler shared with me.  I walked into her house one evening as she was cooking this and the smell was heavenly, it tasted even better.  I could never get the hang of cooking cubed steak until Margo showed me how.

5- Cube Steaks
3 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
1 Small Onion, halved and sliced
Salt & Pepper
Flour
2 cups Chicken Stock
Vegetable Oil

Directions
Put your cube steaks on a plate and season both sides with salt, pepper.  Coat both sides of steaks with flour. Pour enough oil into your skillet cover the cooking surface with oil, about 1/3-1/2 cup. Heat oil on medium high. When oil is nice and hot, test with a pinch of the flour for the steak plate to see if it bubbles & sizzles. If it does then add your steaks to the pan. Cook at medium high for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove steak to a clean plate. Remove Pot from burner; discard all oil except about 2 tablespoons. Return to heat, add mushrooms and onions and stir to get any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until mushroom and onions start to turn golden, make sure nothing burns.  Add 2 table spoon of flour and stir.  Add Chicken stock and stir well. Turn stove to low and return steaks to gravy.  Let cook and get really tender in the gravy for about an hour.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

That’s the news from Sweet Harvest Homestead.

Crunchy Chocolate Easter Egg Recipe

Crunchy Chocolate Eggs

I clipped this recipe from a Taste of Home magazine years ago.  We make them every Easter.  I have modified the recipe a bit because the original was way too sweet.   Let me warn you -they are addictive.

¼ cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

4 cups rice cereal

3¾ cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1½ teaspoons shortening

Candy Sprinkles

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and peanut butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth.  Remove from heat and add cereal.  When cool enough to handle, drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.  Form into egg shapes.  If you find that mixture sticks to your hands, spray a little cooking spray on them to keep from sticking.  Refrigerate until firm.  In double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening together; stir until smooth.  Dip eggs in chocolate; allow excess to drip off.  Place on waxed paper to harden.  Decorate with sprinkles.  Let stand until set.  Yield about 4 ½ dozen eggs.

Weekly Report from the Homestead

March is a month of gentle renewal.   Mother Nature has changed her brown winter frock into a delicate green gown and is showing it off in the fields that surround our home.

The daffodils and grape hyacinths that were given to me by a friend long ago, push through the earth and unfurl their yellow and purple flower buds at the same time every year, just like clockwork.

Yesterday, as I walked through the woods, I passed an ancient peach tree planted by a farmer who lived on our land many years ago.  Peachy pink colored buds were budding out along its branches giving a glimpse, in miniature, of the fruit to come.

At night, the woods come alive with the sounds of spring peepers and barred owls calling out to their potential mates.  I love to hear their chosen one, replying from a distance.

With the morning sun comes the birdsong.  What a lovely way to awaken with the sounds of house wrens, mocking birds and song sparrows serenading you.

The squirrels are entertaining to watch as they scurry through the leaves, digging up hidden treasures of nuts that they stored away for themselves back in the fall.

Late March is a time for us to ready the garden spot once again at the homestead.  This year, we are going to try something new, straw bale gardening.  We are conditioning the bales right now with nitrogen and watering them daily.  Instead of dirt, the nutrient rich straw will be our growing medium.  In 12 more days, they will be ready to use.  I think I will start them out by planting peas, carrots & broccoli.  Later in the season, we will plant tomatoes, lettuce, watermelon and cucumbers.  I do love the feel and smell of digging and planting in the dirt, but I am a lazy weed puller.  Most years, by the time late June rolls around, I have a beautiful crop…of weeds.   Supposedly, growing in the straw will help keep weeds at bay.  I hope so.  I’ll keep you posted.

Working outside for hours at a time makes one a bit thirsty.  You need a tasty, nourishing and energizing drink to give you pep enough to see the job through.  We have been making a very old (but new to us) concoction called a shrub.  Shrubs are a drink made with vinegar and originated in 17^th century England.  James Swafford of The Chef’s Farmer taught me how to make one and it is delicious!

This recipe is one that James developed and he generously gave me permission to share it with you:

Moon Drop Shrub

1 gallon water

¼ cup fresh juniper berry

2 Tablespoons coriander seeds

1 cup fresh turmeric, grated

1 cup fresh ginger, grated

2 cups honey

1 cup apple cider vinegar.

Fill stock pot with cold water, in a dry pan, toast juniper and coriander seeds.  Once spices become aromatic, add to stock pot and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Add turmeric, ginger, honey and vinegar.  Simmer and clarify for 30 to 45 minutes, skimming off any impurities off the top.  After 30 to 45 minutes, remove from heat and strain through cheesecloth.  Bottle and cool.  Yields 1 gallon shrub concentrate.    To drink, mix 2 oz concentrate to 8 ounces of still or sparkling water.  Makes a tasty mixed drink too!

 

Easy, Scratch Made Pudding Recipe

 

chocolate pudding from Lindy Sellers on Vimeo.

Pudding, the ultimate comfort food.  Dipping your spoon down into a big bowl of this warm sweetness is heavenly.  My family loves this recipe and I love making it.  The version below is for plain vanilla pudding.  In the video, I show you how to make a chocolate version.  Either way, your family or friends will be impressed.

Easy Homemade Pudding Recipe

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 cups milk

4 beaten egg yolks

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. In a medium heavy saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat. Gradually stir 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture into egg yolks.
2. Add egg mixture to milk mixture in saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove pan from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour pudding into a bowl. Cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Serve warm or cold (do not stir during chilling). Makes 4 servings.

Jam Making Class at Sweet Harvest Homestead

Jam Session!

 

Strawberry Season is almost here, learn how to make a delicious Vanilla Bean Infused Strawberry Jam!

Spend a few hours at my home out in the country and enjoy some southern hospitality and learn a new craft.

When: Saturday, April 23rd
Where: My House, Stanfield, NC (directions will be mailed after payment is received)
Time: 10:00am-11:30am
Cost: $40 or $70 for two.

Come Hungry! I can’t let you come to my house and not feed you! We’ll have ham and bean soup, corn bread, salad and tea.

 

Be prepared to work!  Showing you is one thing- I want you to make this with me so that you will feel fully capable when you do it in your own kitchen.  Aprons provided.

You will go home with a how to booklet and a jar of jam.

Since we will all be working together, class is limited to 4 participants. Spots are reserved with payment.

For more information email Lindy Sellers @ LMSellers@gmail.com

 

Spinach Maria

spinach maria from Lindy Sellers on Vimeo.

Tomato, Basil & Bean Salad

This salad is the perfect way to use the abundance of tomatoes that you have in your garden right now. It is delicious, filling, and so fresh! I think you'll really enjoy it!

2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 cup white beans, rinsed
1 cup homemade croutons
1 cucumber, sliced
1 handful sliced basil

Dressing:
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
salt, pepper to taste

Assemble all ingredients in a large bowl and pour dressing over mixture. Let sit for a few minutes so that the croutons can soak up the dressing.

Apple Relish is Back

Sweet, Savory, Tasty.

This is the good stuff, right here.  Made with apples, onions, bell peppers, sugar & vinegar.

Perfect accompaniment to a bowl of beans.  We use it on everything...even as a sandwich spread.

This, along with all of our other goodies will be at the Farmers Market in Locust this Thursday.

See you there!

Grape Jelly

Few things can transport us to another time and place like fragrances.

Yesterday, as I made up this batch of grape jelly, I was taken back to the kitchen of my Great Grandmother Lynn.  Her house always smelled of green beans cooking in fatback and, for an old southern girl like me, the smell of fatback is always a good memory.

How in the world do grapes and green beans smell alike?  I am not sure but in the beginning stages of heating them up, they do!  After the juice is extracted, the sweet, grape scent comes forth and it is divine!  It nearly didn’t even get made into jelly as we all just wanted to keep it and drink it ourselves.

I look forward to seeing you all at the Farmers Market in Locust today from 2-6. We will have freshly made Grape Jelly, Strawberry Jam, Handcrafted Soap and Art Cards.

See you soon!