This Bud's For You

 

 

 

Here we have a cluster of peach blossoms. Spring is a wondrous time to be in an orchard because the trees are loaded with delicate-looking blooms like these that fill the air with a heavenly scent.

 

But make no mistake, these fragile looking flowers come pre-loaded with enough sweetness to grow into full-blown peaches, given enough time, sun and rain.

 

Like these:

 

 

 

 

Can you imagine having that kind of power?

 

Well, actually, you do. Each one of us come pre-loaded at birth to become full-blown human beings, each one full of potential for sweet, rich lives that also enhance the lives of others.

 

 

SWEET!

 

 

Marcheta *'nuf said

 

P.S. I made this recipe  for Peach Pear Salsa from allrecipes.com several times last season because we also have pears. Yum! Yum!

Back in the Saddle

Do you ever get overwhelmed and think that your time is not your own?

Of course you do!

We have so many opportunities these days for work, for creative endeavours, to volunteer for our favorite organizations, to do things for our families and to go places with them, and these are all good things. Think of how boring life would be without them.

But often we over-commit, or maybe the things that we've committed to overlap for a week or so, putting us in that zone that we all hate; a zone that makes us feel walled in, un-appreciated, and frustrated.

Last week I was in that *Twilight Zone*.  The deadline for Out Standing in Her Field had me scrambling, as did designing and printing cards for The Cracked Pot's open house. I had promo work for NorthSide Farmers Market to wrap up.

The Good News?
All that "stuff" is done.

The Better News?
It all turned out in a good way.

The Best News?
It's all behind me now.

The Scary News?
I now have time to overload my schedule again...LOL

After all, we are creatures of habit. My habit is "feast or famine". What I am hoping for, this week especially, is to be smart enough to take a big "Time Out"  to let my brain cells settle down and line up again. Give 'em a rest so that they can make good decisions.

Here is a pic of my display at Jackie and Casey's store. The"Rest of the Story" is on today's World According to Marcheta blog.







http://marchetagibson.blogspot.com/2013/04/step-1-plunge-right-in.html


Marcheta *what to do?...what to do?....

Corinne's Corner

Today's post is the last in the Outstanding in Her Field story that I wrote for Acres of North Central Ohio, due out in May.

It is Corrine's part of the article. I posted the "q" and "a" part of the process, here is how I incorporated Corinne's information into the story that included Joan Richmond (who is also featured in a special section of today's Mansfield News Journal...go Joan!), Mendy Crim Sellman, and Brenda Kocher. All of these women have my admiration.

Also, to read about a new business venture that *this* country woman has brewing, check out my World According to Marcheta blog.

Marcheta *busy, busy

Corinne, Living the Dream

Corinne Gompf worked in office jobs in a large city for 10 years. It was not the lifestyle that she and her husband, Matt, wanted, so in August 2010, they bought a farm in Morrow County with market gardening in mind. The Gompfs christened their farm Heritage Harvest Farm and put down roots, literally.  By the following season the young family had established themselves as a first-class vendor at farmers markets. In 2012 they started a Community-Supported Agriculture, CSA, program. Now entering their third year as market growers, Corinne has no desire to look back on her days in the corporate world. “I love working at home, earning an honest, modest and hard-earned living. This is how I want to raise my children. This is the dream I've had for a very long time”.

 

Corinne says that she wanted to become a market grower because, simply, she loves growing food. “The taste of fresh, chemical-free food that I grew myself is beyond compare, and I truly enjoy discovering new plant varieties from all over the world that I can grow for my family and share with my customers. I love the connection to the land and teaching my children how to sustain our lives through farm-fresh food. I wanted to live this lifestyle, fully immersed in homesteading: growing and preserving our food, keeping chickens, raising my family, etc. I wanted to create this all-natural, farm-fresh food heritage for my son, Fletcher, 4, and daughter, Emery, 10 months.”

Corinne’s eyes light up when she explains her proudest moment. “It makes me so proud that Matt and I had a dream for so many years, and we took a chance and did it. We made things happen. So often, people have dreams and just think, "Oh, wouldn't it be neat if..." Well, we put our dreams into action. Our business tripled in one year, and that verifies, to me, that we are on the right path. Our hard work and dedication to growing chemical-free food is our passion.”

Like Mendy Sellman, keeping animals safe is what Corinne says is the scariest part of farming. Corinne tends a large flock of chickens, which at one point were pecking each other to death. She would go to the coop to do chores and find chickens on top on one, pecking it. The hen might be dead, or close to it. If it was still alive, Corinne did her best to save it. Corinne says that each time was heart-breaking.

Country Friends

Today I am participating in the Cracked Pot's Mother's Day Open House, "A Taste of Spring". Yesterday I set up a photography display. So if you are in the area (Galion, Ohio) stop in and see my "Cardshop Cafe" display. The Blue Plate Special is Humor :)


Many thanks to Jackie for the opportunity to showcase my work and to Noel (who is set up with taste samples and her cookbook, Apron Free Cooking) for brainstorming on how to display my card designs. This is what I think friendship is all about: a circle. I introduced Noel to Jackie, which led to the open house which I helped to plan, which led to Noel and Jackie helping me figure out how to display my items.

SWEET!

Mendy is joining us, with taste samples of her naturally raised meats. She is a powerhouse in our parts for networking and promoting "shop local". I've written about her several times, already, but feel that I need to include her part of the Outstanding in Her Field story I wrote for Acres of North Central Ohio because she's a vital part of it.

Marcheta *running in a good circle :)

Mendy, Born to Farm

Mendy Crim Sellman says that she was born to farm. She and her husband, Russ, are the sixth generation to work the Crim family farm in Crawford County.  Mendy explains that she has always loved the farming lifestyle and never had a desire for any other occupation. The Sellmans are grain farmers and also raise naturally fed meat.

Mendy has been instrumental in bringing local farm products to her community. Her first step was to offer part of her land for a community garden. To help sell the bounty of the garden, Mendy then helped to establish two farmers markets. Those successes led to selling their meat at the markets, which let people know that locally, naturally raised meats were available. The meat became so popular that Mendy was able to realize her dream of having an on-site farm store and in 2012 opened The Farmers Wife. The store quickly grew into a “general store” of sorts, offering goods, such as eggs, raised by vendors that Mendy met at the farmers markets, and fresh dairy products from Hartzler’s Dairy in Wooster.

All of those accomplishments could fit into a “proudest moment” category, but Mendy says what fills her most with pride is when she sees her children answering customer’s questions and taking responsibility for the farm.  Emely (and husband Dustan Tate), Jesse, and Elaina are the seventh generation of the Crim family to have a heart for agriculture, embracing the challenges that come with the uncertainties of farm life. Mendy says that the scariest part of farming is when the family goes out during storms to protect the animals. With a legacy like that, no wonder Mendy’s own heart is full of joy and satisfaction that she is fulfilling her life’s purpose by following her passion.

Serving up Inspiration

My friend, Jackie, owns a store in Uptowne Galion. Over the years we've worked together on many events and "Country Gatherings".  In brainstorming for a theme for a Mother's Day open house, we first thought of gardening and flowers, of course. But the theme took a turn of events because the vendors who are setting up are all "foodies".

Except for me.

Noel is setting up with tasting samples from her cookbook, Apron Free Cooking. Mendy is setting up with samples of her naturally raised meats. Jackie carries Tastefully Simple and other upscale food mixes. I suggested that the theme name be changed to "Taste of Spring". Doesn't that sound yummy?


 I just didn't see how my photography was going to fit in, but Jackie still wanted me to be a part of the event. With writing for publications behind me for a while, I turned my attention to what I've wanted to do for a long time. All week I've been busy designing cards...10 new designs in all. Last night I was still in a quandary as to how to set up a display, especially one that fits into the new theme.

Enter Noel and her creativity. I need a way to keep cards separated, but do not like the idea of plastic containers. Noel suggested loaf pans.

Loaf pans!

*B*R*I*L*L*I*A*N*T*

But I don't have any loaf pans.....

:(

A trip to Goodwill netted me one new loaf pan.

Back home, I started digging through my many cupboards of dishes and came up with a few serving bowls, an enamel-ware pan, and a gravy boat.

A Booth Display was Born!

The picture shows my practice set up at home. Of course, the display will look much different at the shop. I know I'll need to add other kitchen-type of containers to accommodate the different sizes and designs of other cards and prints. But at least I feel confident now that my contribution to Taste of Spring will fit in with the theme.

Tomorrow, inspiration is being served up at The Cracked Pot.
Come visit us:)

Marcheta *order up

Aunt Grace's Granola

Today Noel shares her aunt Grace's recipe for home made granola that she has posted on her website, Apron Free Cooking.  Last week I bought ingredients for a granola recipe that uses pure Ohio maple syrup, but so far have not had the time to actually make a batch. Noel's aunt Grace's recipe calls for honey, again a locally produced ingredient. Both pure Ohio maple syrup and local honey are available at The Farmers Wife store and at NorthSide Farmers Market (located at Galion KFC).

I've never made granola before, so I am looking forward to giving it a try PLUS saving money :)

Marcheta *frugalista

With warmer weather approaching, many folks I know are thinking about exercising and getting into shape. One simple change that will help towards the goal of feeling better is to give up the fast food breakfast in exchange for a bowl of granola.

Not only can this change help your physical wellness, it might also help your financial wellness. The last time I checked a fast food breakfast was about $3 or $4. You can make your own granola for a lot less than $3 per serving.

My Aunt Grace recently shared her granola recipe with me. It’s wonderful in its simplicity. You’ll love the versatility of the simple granola, too. A simple recipe is easy to modify!

Aunt Grace’s Granola

6 cups old fashioned oats1 cup chopped pecans1/2 cup honey1/2 cup oil1 cup chopped dates

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a very large mixing bowl, combine oats, pecans, honey and oil. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients. Place mixture into an oiled 9 x 13 dish, and bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from 9 x 13 pan and put back into mixing bowl immediately (dish still hot – may overcook oatmeal), and cool. Once the granola is cooled mix in 1 cup chopped dates.


Make it a Meal: Place a half cup of granola over your morning yogurt. Serve as cereal with slice fresh fruit and milk. Sprinkle over your salad to add some crunch to the greens.


Approximate Nutritional Information: Servings Per Recipe: 24, Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262, Total Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 1mg, Total Carbs: 37g, Protein: 7g.

Variations: You may substitute any dried fruit in place of the dates. Raisins are easy to find and always a good choice. Dried cranberries or blueberries are also available in most groceries. If you want to really change up the flavors, create a tropical granola by adding some coconut flakes, dried pineapple and apricot. Another way to change the flavor of your granola is to replace the pecans with chopped walnuts or peanuts.

Granola is full of fiber, which is vital for digestion, as you know if you watch TV commercials. I think a better source for information might be a reputable nutritionist or other health professional, but I do believe in all things in moderation. However, I do know that a small bowl of granola with a little milk or yogurt has got to be healthier than a fried breakfast.

If you’re looking to make some lifestyle changes in nutrition and exercise arenas, then start with some small changes. Aunt Grace’s Granola is easy to make, simple to store (up to a month in airtight container), and provides a tasty breakfast.

You’ll be doing your budget a favor as well, since the cost of this oatmeal is pennies per bowl. The other great thing about having a container of granola sitting on the counter…it’s easy to fix a bowl to eat while your checking your morning emails!

Noel Lizotte is breaking free of corporate stress with convenience cooking! This recipe is similar to ones printed in her cookbook Apron Free Cooking which is available on the website www.apronfreecooking.com.

Full-time country woman profile: Joan Richmond

I met Joan Richmond a few weeks ago when I interviewed her for my story about women in agriculture for Acres of North Central Ohio. I love Joan's place because the land gently rolls; each vista is a treat for the eyes. Here is Joan's part of "Outstanding in Her Field".


BTW... I have no idea why the second part of the story is in bold, or why the text displays as double spaced. It is not how I have it here on my workspace.  I have done everything I can think of to format the story in regular type. Apparently Blogger and MS Word aren't always in agreement :)

Marcheta *baffled

Joan, Home Again

 

Joan Richmond works double-duty as a professor of English at The Ohio State University at Mansfield and owner/operator of Meadow Rise Farm.  Joan was raised on 80 acres near Bellville, Ohio.  Careers took Joan and her husband, Reed, to Texas. Twenty years later, inspired by Gene Logsdon’s book,

 “You Can Go Home Again: Adventures of a Contrary Life”, the couple decided to

make a lifestyle change. In 2000, with their then teenaged daughter, Catherine, in

 tow, they moved back to the rolling land in Richland County that Joan had called “home” to be nearer Joan’s aging father.   After building a new house and settling into new jobs, Joan planted a huge vegetable garden.  The garden produced more than the family needed. Not wanting the vegetables to go to waste, Joan joined the Bellville Farmers Market, and a new enterprise was born.

 

In 2003, Joan stared Meadow Rise Farm with several quarter acre plots of land in production of intensive growing and crop rotation. Mentored by her father, Joan describes his teaching method as “learn by doing”, which has made for some interesting moments. Her scariest moment, so far, was when she was headed downhill on a run-away tractor. Her heart was thumping until she was finally able to engage the brake. With that learning curve behind her and knowing that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, Joan feels confident that she can handle any situation that may arise.

Joan attributes the increase of women in agriculture to the rise of people wanting to escape a wage/slave way of life. “My farm is ‘my’ work. I am my own boss. I’m free to be innovative and to create something meaningful by growing food for people who rely on me to produce healthy food.”  For Joan, business is personal. The “eye-to-eye” contact and interaction that she has with her customers has built trust and loyalty.  Joan says, “Growing food for Emma, an eight year old cancer patient, and the trust that her family has placed in me to be a part of Emma’s battle, is what I am most proud of.”

Joan already grows a huge variety of fruits and vegetables that give market consumers opportunities to try new and different foods. She is working on expanding the operation at Meadow Rise with plans that include new fruit orchards, blackberry patches and asparagus. But she does not want her business to become too huge. Joan says that she is satisfied with a “different kind of wealth. Of being ecologically and economically sustainable and learning that true wealth is finding out what you can live without.”

 

Full-Time Country Woman profile: Brenda Kocher

 

 

My part time job as a writer for the Galion Inquirer lets me highlight people that I know, get to know people better who were formerly just acquaintances, and meet new people. I've known Brenda Kocher for a long time; she was one of the nurses in the nursing facility my grandmother was in. But I didn't really know much about her until last year when she set up at NorthSide Farmers Market with herb plants. Brenda  had purchased a greenhouse from her neighbor, Rose (a friend of mine), and started an herb and plant business which she named Monarch Homestead.


When Acres of North Central Ohio wanted a story about women in agriculture, my editor at the Inquirer asked me to write it. In thinking about who to include in the story, Brenda came to my mind right away as a perfect fit not only because she farms with her husband, Mike, but also because of her new business as an 'herb lady'. :)


Last Saturday I had a nice visit with Brenda to see her new business.
Here is Brenda's part of the story.

Marcheta *making new friends

Brenda, Herbal Healer

Brenda Kocher and her husband, Mike, are “farm bred and country raised”. It was only natural that when they married, they wanted to continue the lifestyle for their family.  Brenda says that she chose to farm because “God has put us on earth to help feed people”.  In 1985 the young couple took over managing the Kocher farm, which includes grain and beef feeder cattle. Their children Nick and Heather (now grown), are also “farm bred and country raised”.

While growing up on her family’s dairy farm, Brenda learned many “old time” farming skills, such as making maple syrup, apple cider, soap making, gardening, and tending animals. More training came from FFA.  A natural -born caregiver, Brenda is a private duty nurse with an interest in holistic healing. In 2012, she bought greenhouse and started Monarch Homestead. Along with herb plants, Brenda also raises flower and vegetable bedding plants, and water plants for lily ponds. She currently has four aquaponic tanks. Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines traditional aquaculture (such as fish) with hydroponics (raising plants in water).

Brenda says that the scariest thing to happen on the farm came in 2012, shortly after her greenhouse was constructed. A volatile windstorm swept through the state, blowing over the Kocher’s grain legs which landed on other grain legs.

Brenda’s business is still in its infancy.  She says her proudest moment so far is her success in raising a large variety of plants from seeds. She sells the plants by appointment and occasionally sets up at farmers markets, but at this point her goal is more about informing and teaching than retail sales. At markets, Brenda’s enthusiasm for incorporating herbs for healthful living, along with the fragrances and textures of her herb plants, draws people in to learn more about natural, sustainable gardening.  Brenda sees her role as a 4-H leader and president of Crawford County Farm Bureau as opportunities to teach others about aquaponics and herb gardening.

 Contact information

Brenda Kocher: Monarch Homestead

Phone: (419) 543-0537

Facebook: Monarch Homestead

Happy Earth Day

Several years ago I came across this barn in Delaware County. The message says, "Every day is earth day to a farmer".

Every day can also be earth day for the rest of us, too.

I love today's Google animated logo. If you are interested in learning more about Earth Day, just click on the logo.

Marcheta *daughter of the Earth

Wonderful World of Color

Several times yesterday Snow fought Spring, but the flacky water is finally running out of energy. It was spitting mad when I drove out to interview Brenda Kocher, of Monarch Homestead, but by the time I got to Brenda's place, the snow had given up.

All I can say about that is, *YA*Y*

I truly love winter, but enough is enough already.

The temperature inside Brenda's greenhouse was still fairly low, but the plants inside were warm enough and, more importantly, protected from the cold wind which had brought the snow and hadn't given up yet on freezing us out. Inside those plastic walls, life abounds.

Growing, colorful, fragrant life. Enough to make a grown gal smile.

Brenda and her business are part of a story that I am writing for Acres of North Central Ohio. I also plan to profile Brenda here at OCJ, so stay tuned to read more about this Nurse/Herb Lady's story :)

Marcheta *caught that smile

Ticketed!

Six-years-old Ava loves to give tickets. When she was in all day pre-K, her teacher gave "tickets" to the children for various achievements. So, for Ava, getting a ticket is a good thing, and she is on a mission to share her joy by writing and giving tickets to people she loves.  She also uses tickets to let me know when she's not so happy with me.

I am honored to be the recipient of Ava's tickets. Whether the tickets are lovey-dovey or meant to keep me 'in line', I adore getting them.

I had some of them in a pile of bits and pieces of things that I had intended to put in a scrapbook. Yesterday when I was organizing my sewing/craft room, I had an idea. Why put these things in a scrapbook, which will sit on a shelf only to be looked through every now and again (mainly the next time I add something to it)? Where could I put them so that I could enjoy them every day? Hmmmm..what to do, what to do....

Think

Think

Think


*BINGO*

Why not just pin them on the wall? After all, I am not lacking for sewing pins. So...with no design strategy in mind, I began pinning bits of ephemera. Ava's tickets have their own little niche, with plenty of room to add more as she deems necessary to write me up. :)

Now, everytime that I go into my workroom the first thing that I see are my tickets. What could be better than to be reminded that "I love you, Nana?"

Marcheta *Written Up

Corinne Gompf, Part 2, Expanding on the Dream

 

Today concludes my interview with Corinne Gompf, of Heritage Harvest Farm, but it is far from the end of the story. Corinne, Matt, and their two young children are really on the cusp of their journey of becoming market growers and living a sustainable lifestyle.

Corinne and Matt Gompf are proud
parents of Fletcher and Emery.

An easy way to share in the bounty that the Gompfs are working towards is to sign up for their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares, where you will receive a weekly portion of their harvest. Other ways are to shop at the farmers markets that the Gompfs participate in, or to stop by The Farmers Wife store where several of the Gompf's products are sold by Mendy and Russ Sellman of Rus-Men Farms.

Here is the rest of my conversation with Corinne, enjoy!

Marcheta *sharing

 OCJ

What is the scariest thing that ever happened to you on the farm?

Corinne

When I was pregnant with Emery, we were having a hard time with chickens pecking each other to death. I think we lost about 12 chickens. I would go to the coop to do chores and find chickens on top on one, pecking her. She might be dead, or close to it. If she were still alive, I would have to do my best to save her. Each time was heart-breaking.

 

OCJ

What was your proudest moment?

Corinne

It makes me so proud that Matt and I had a dream for so many years, and we took a chance and did it. We made things happen. So often, people have dreams and just think, "Oh, wouldn't it be neat if..." Well, we put our dreams into action. Our business tripled in one year, and that verifies, to me, that we are on the right path. Our hard work and dedication to growing chemical-free food is our passion.

OCJ
How do you market your produce?

Corinne

Heritage Harvest farm will participate in two farmers' markets for the 2013 season:
Mount Vernon Farmers' Market, Saturdays, May - October, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Powell Chamber of Commerce Farmers' Market, Saturdays, May - October, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

There will also be CSA pick-ups at:
Heritage Harvest Farm, Wednesdays, May - October, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. at 8546 County Road 46, Galion, Ohio 44833
The Farmer's Wife, Rus-Men Farms, Thursdays, May - October, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Customers can also find Heritage Harvest Farm's specialty items at
Harvest@TheWoodward, Mount Vernon

 

 

OCJ

What is your contact information that you want to share?

Corinne

www.heritageharvestfarm.weebly.com, and we always direct our customers and CSA shareholders to like our Facebook page.

 

Full-time Country Woman profile: Corinne Gompf, part 1

Corinne and Matt Gompf talk with a customer at NorthSide Farmers Market
as son Fletcher hams it up for the camera :)

The thing that I notice most about full-time country woman Corinne Gompf is her infectious smile. The thing that I admire most about Corinne is her dedication to the healthy family lifestyle and business that she is growing with her husband, Matt.

This young mother of two left the corporate world for work in  sustainable agriculture. In just a few short years she and Matt have expanded their operation to include CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares, setting up at farmers markets, and supplying eggs and other products to The Farmers Wife store, run by fellow full-time country woman Mendy Sellman (read Mendy's profile here).

Recently I interviewed Corinne for a story about women farmers for Acres of North Central Ohio. Here is part of that interview in the original Q and A format.

OCJ

Why did you decide to become a farmer?

Corinne 

I wanted to become a market grower because, simply, I love growing food. The taste of fresh, chemical-free food that I grew myself is beyond compare, and I truly enjoy discovering new plant varieties from all over the world that I can grow for my family and share with my customers. I love the connection to the land and teaching my children how to sustain our lives through farm-fresh food. I wanted to live this lifestyle, fully immersed in homesteading: growing and preserving our food, keeping chickens, raising my family, etc. I wanted to create this all-natural, farm-fresh food heritage for my son, Fletcher, 4, and daughter, Emery, 10 months.
OCJ

When did you start your business?

 

Corinne

My husband, Matt, and I bought our farm in August 2010, with market gardening in mind. The following spring was our first year growing fruits and vegetables for farmers markets. In 2012, we started our Community-Supported Agriculture, CSA, program. This will be our third year.

 

OCJ

What are the biggest challenges on being a woman on the farm?

Corinne

Being an effective, creative, nurturing mother to two young children and operating a market farm is challenging. I never want my children to feel like I don't have time for them because I am working so hard to keep the farm operations in check. This is still a learning process for me. When things happen, I can't wait until 5  o' clock for my husband to come home and take care of something.

 I have to problem-solve, or at least make a temporary fix. Women farmers never get enough credit for the work they do, and that is very frustrating. Farmers are always men in the media, and women are "just the wife." This is not true on any American farm, and it sure isn't on ours. We're partners; we're both farmers.

OCJ

What are the best things/ advantages/ joys of being a woman on the farm?

Corinne

I love working at home, earning an honest, modest and hard-earned living. I worked office jobs in Columbus for 10 years, and I never want to go back to that. This is how I want to raise my children. This is the dream I've had for a very long time.

 

Stay tuned to this blog for part 2 of Corinne's story tomorrow :)

Marcheta *questions, questions

 

Easy, Like Sunday Morning, French Toast

The next Full-time Country Woman to be featured here on O.C.J. is Corinne Gompf of rural Morrow County, Ohio.  I met Corinne and her husband, Matt, when they became vendors of NorthSide Farmers Market here in Galion and immediately liked them. The care that they put into their booth set up reflects the care that they give in growing and making their products. 

Not being a baker, I was a big fan of Corinne's home-baked breads.
Last summer Corinne,  Matt  and "big brother" Fletcher have welcomed baby Emery to their family. With a baby and pre-chooler to take care of, plus adding a high-tunnel green house to their operation, Corinne does not have the time to bake bread for the markets these days. But, that said, any type of artisan bread will work to spiffy up ordinary French Toast. :)

 

The following story was orignially written for NorthSide Farmers Market's Facebook fan page in 2011.

 

 

 

Easy, Like Sunday Morning, French Toast

 The name, “Cinnamon Pecan French Toast” sounds a bit fancier, doesn’t it? And even brings up an image of being complicated to make because, well, what if you are out of pecans? But this delicious variation on classic French toast really is so easy to make that while I was fixing it, the song lyrics “easy, like Sunday morning” from the song, “Easy” by Lionel Richie ran through my head :)

What makes this recipe easy and uncomplicated? Corinne Gompf’s Cinnamon Pecan Bread. The only ingredients I needed to add were an egg and a splash of milk, and the milk is optional.

For my Sunday brunch meal, I used two slices of the cinnamon pecan bread dipped in one medium egg mixed with milk. I sautéed the slices in a bit of real butter. While they were cooking, I melted a tablespoon of my own strawberry freezer jam in the microwave. It took 20 seconds. I cut up half an orange and rinsed off about a dozen dark cherries.

Serve with a glass of your favorite beverage and you are Done!

What could be an easier ‘fancy’ brunch?

In making this I discovered that one egg was adequate for the two slices of bread. If I had a bigger appetite and wanted three slices of toast, I’d use a bigger egg and/or more milk. A good guide in making French Toast for several people is one egg per two slices of bread.

 

Marcheta *easy-peasy fancy...that's for me!

 

 

Adventures in Ravioli Making

As promised, here are the steps that I took in making homemade pumpkin ravioli.

I must say, making ravioli is not for the faint of heart. We are so used to cooking frozen or heating up canned ravioli that we take for granted how much effort goes into making the tasty pasta pockets.

BUT...now that I know how, I will be making it on a regular basis. Not just for one or two meals, though. The dough recipe that I used came with the gadget and makes 24 ravioli. This is enough for 2 meals for the two of us, so I cooked 12 and froze 12. My made-up recipe for filling was enough for 2 recipes of the dough. So, next time I'll probably make a double batch of dough to have ravioli in the freezer for future meals.

BUT, Part II...I did not like the dough recipe. It was tough to roll out thin. The thing that I did not like the most was the dough-to-filling ratio in the ravioli. When I eat ravioli, I want to taste the filling, not chew through twice as much pasta as normal to get to the inside.

That said, here's how my first attempt at making homemade ravioli went down:



1. Roll the pasta dough into a rectangle large enough to cover the metal part of the ravioli making gadget. I had problems with the dough made from the recipe that came with the gadget, my flimsy upper arm muscles were not cooperating, either :)

2. Place the dough in the bottom metal part of the gadget. Then place the plastic part of the gadget on top of the dough and gently press. This creates wells to hold the filling.

 3. Put filling in each well. It does not take much filling, be sure to not overload or they will leak.

4. Place another rectangle of dough on top of the filled layer.

5. Using a rolling pin, begin going back and forth over the top layer, pressing it into the bottom layer. Gradually add more pressure until the metal part shows through. Cut away excess dough.

6. The instructions say to tap the ravioli out of the gadget, but that did not work for me. I used the point of a knife to gently lift the ravioli out of the gadget. Be careful not to cut through the dough.

7. The ravioli are now stuffed and ready to cook.

 

If you decide to try this yourself and find a better way, please let me know!

Marcheta *bon appetit!









 

On Journals and Blue Skies

Do you journal?

Journals do not have to be fancy or complicated, or written in fancy leather bound books. In fact, to me, the best journals are simple, heartfelt pondering.

There are many ways to journal. I have two ways that I record my thoughts and feelings. One is via my favorite hobby; photography. With it, I try to capture emotion in a scene, such as in the picture above. A young woman seems to be consoling a young man. They chose a quiet spot on Lake Michigan to talk over the problem. The lighthouse in the background represents a "guiding light", a reassurance that everything will work out.

My other way to journal is with words, of course. Most of my words are written in inexpensive spiral bound notebooks. Some are in word files on this computer. I came across this particular entry as I was cleaning out files:

Don't You Just Love It When……

1. People are polite? What a great feeling it is when someone holds the door open for you, says 'please' or 'thank-you', or simply gives you a smile that comes out of no where.

 

2. You are polite? What a greater feeling it is to see and feel the reaction of people whom you've held a door open for, said 'please' or 'thank you', or smiled at for no reason what-so-ever, other than you are happy.

 

3. The sky is blue? I am not sure why 'blue' was ever chosen to describe a feeling of being down. 'Grey' seems more appropriate to me. After all, a cloudy, dreary, grey day seems to make people feel tired, grouchy, and even depressed. But as soon as the sun comes out and the sky turns blue, spirits are immediately affected. People stand up taller, chins up, smiles appear, and a relaxed feeling washes away tenseness.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Both of those methods are solitary; recording what I see and how I feel. My newest way to journal is this blog. It is totally different, in that it is social. It includes other people, what they see and how they feel. It is wonderful for me because it lets me get to know people better, and to meet new people, too.

If you do not journal, why not give it a try? It may become the favorite part of your day :)

Marcheta *country recorder

P.S. I haven't forgotten about posting the ravioli making process. It will take more time than I have to devote to it this morning. Stay tuned, I *hope* to have the pictures processed and words written for tomorrow's blog post, so please don't give up on me just yet :)

Pumpkin Ravioli an *Almost* Success

Yesterday's pumpkin ravioli making was an education, for sure!

Tomorrow I'll give the step-by-step method I used. For now, I'll say that yes, I will definitely be making my own ravioli from now on. I need to tweak how I make it, but that is what learning is all about. I did not really expect to get it perfect the first time out. :)  I give my first attempt 3.5 stars...not bad, eh?

I made 24 ravioli. I cooked 12 and froze 12. As you can see, my portion is a lot smaller than Jim's, as he ate the remaining 8.

My side was mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, butter, and a bit of minced garlic (the kind you buy in a jar with oil). When the mushrooms were about done, I tossed in fresh spinach to wilt it. To serve, I put roasted pumpkin seeds on top. This could also be a cold salad with your favorite dressing.

To serve the ravioli, while it was cooking I heated chicken broth in a deep skillet and thickened it with a bit of cornstarch. Just before the ravioli were done, I switched the ravioli to the chicken broth. I let the broth reduce for about a minute. Then I sprinkled the same shredded four cheese blend that I used in the pumpkin recipe on top. Just before serving, I dusted the dish with Penzey's Fine Herbs and, for color, Penzey's Forward.

In my book, this is a nice vegetarian meal. :)

Marcheta *tweaker

How Recipes are Invented...

 

I have never made ravioli in my life.

 

 

 But I like to eat it.

My first taste of this Italian staple was when I was in high school, and it came in a big can. Chef Boy-ar-Dee. I thought it was great.

Since then my taste buds have grown to appreciate fresh ravioli. Until a few years ago, the only ravioli I knew about was either meat or cheese filled and served in a tomato sauce. On vacation in Vancouver, Canada, I found pumpkin ravioli on the menu at a dock-side restaurant. It was served in a white sauce that had spinach in it, and sprinkled with roasted pumpkin seeds on top.

!!!!!!*W*O*W*S*E*R*S*!!!!!!

 

Was I ever impressed!

 

Just one bite and I knew that I had to include pumpkin ravioli in my regular diet. Finding it proved to be a challenge. I stumbled across a few frozen dinners with pumpkin ravioli and did not like any of them. My quest led me to the frozen food section of Meijer's Grocery, where I found the pasta-stuffed squash "as is", meaning you cook the frozen ravioli and make your own sauce. Again, I thought it was great! And I still do.

 

 

But still, I've had this burning desire to make my own. For one thing, the frozen product is shipped from Italy. I know! Kinda far, eh? The other factor being that it is kinda expensive. The last factor is that we grow plenty of pie pumpkins, and if we have a crop fail, I can always get locally grown pumpkins from our farmers markets. 

 

Making my own pumpkin ravioli with fresh, local ingredients and no preservatives or additives makes sense to me. Looking up ravioli recipes left me discouraged because the process seems too complicated.

 

AND THEN...

 

Monday I found a handy kitchen gadget for making ravioli! Being a gadget-fanatic, I bought it without giving it a second thought. Well, actually I did have a second thought...and that is that before the week was over, I'd be making my own, homemade pumpkin ravioli.

 

ANOTHER QUEST was begun; hunting down a recipe for pumpkin filling. I searched websites and cookbooks to no avail, and then it hit me. Like most cooking, making a ravioli filling is a process. The recipes usually called for a cup of pumpkin puree and about half a cup of Parmesan or Ricotta cheese. Then a few spices.

 

So....armed with this information and not caring if I make a disaster, I decided to make the filling *my* way.

 

I am half-way through the process now. My plan is pumpkin ravioli for dinner tonight.

 

For the filling I decided on one cup of canned pumpkin puree (we are out of pie pumpkins) and one-half cup of shredded Italian cheese blend. I want a savory filling, so I added 1 teaspoon of Penzey's Mural of Flavor. Now...this is the 'iffy' part. Is that enough spice? After all, pumpkin is pretty bland, making it the perfect food for flavoring it how you want it. Or...is one teaspoon the perfect amount? After all, I don't want to choke on ravioli that has been over spiced.

 

I decided to err on the side of caution, and left it at one teaspoon. Only tonight's taste test will let me know if I've guessed correctly.

 

That's all I've got, so far. My next adventure will be in making the pasta dough and actually assembling the ravioli.  The gadget makes it look simple enough, but my many years of kitchen cooking experiments have taught me that looks can often be deceiving! But I figure, what is the worse that could happen? That the recipe is such a failure that we have to eat chili twice today?  I must admit...I "over spiced" the chili that I made for lunch. My throat is still  angry at me. My plan is to add more tomatoes and beans to the remaining chili to cool it down a notch or two before serving it again. :)

 

One last thing, the pot of green in the picture is the parsley that I started on January 29th. All four herbs that were seeded that day are growing nicely. YAY! Success! Now if it would only warm up enough that I could plant a few things outside :)

 

Marcheta *curious epicurean

 

P.S. Do you invent your own recipes? If you would like to share your tasty concoctions, I'd love to post them for you. :)