IN THIS ISSUE:
*Feature: An Innocent Calf
*Kitchen Extra: Dipping Herbs
*My Favorite Thing Right Now: These Three
*Recent Highlights: Things to Do with a Tree Stump, A Gander at the Goslings, Rustic Sunflower Bread, and More
*Sneak Peek: Celebrating One Year
*Farm Bell Recipes: Groups!
*Blast from the Past: Prodigal Sheep
*Feature: An Innocent Calf
A series of photos I took a few days before Glory Bee moved herself to BP-land.
Glory Bee: “What?”
*Kitchen Extra: Dipping Herbs
I wrote about open crumb Grandmother Bread recently, and there’s nothing that goes better with an open crumb bread than olive oil with dipping herbs. Luckily, Robin from Rurification posted her dipping herbs recipe here, so of course I had to make up a batch to go with all the open crumb bread I made when I was preparing that post. (See all about open crumb bread here. You need some to go with your dipping herbs!) Dipping Grandmother Bread in olive oil and herbs has been a favorite treat of mine for years, though I don’t use a recipe. I just toss some herbs and oil together and start eating. It’s handy to have a recipe, though, for a uniform flavor that comes out right every time. I tried this one, and I think it’s perfect, but you can easily adjust the herbs to suit yourself. I hadn’t tried red pepper flakes in my dipping herbs before, and that is a GENIUS addition. I also like the idea of making up a big batch to keep on hand.
I always add a splash of balsamic vinegar along with the olive oil when I make it. That’s really good, too! And for a different twist, you could also do this with Herbes de Provence.
Use the crushed versions of the herbs, not ground.
How to make Robin’s Dipping Herbs:
1/4 cup rosemary
1/4 cup thyme
1/4 cup oregano
1/4 cup basil
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Use one teaspoon dipping herbs per one tablespoon olive oil. To serve, place measured dipping herbs in a bowl or saucer and add the oil. Use to dip bread or mozzarella.
See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes for the handy print page and to save it to your recipe box:
*My Favorite Thing Right Now: These Three
It’s always so wonderful to see them together.
We had such a great time visiting Ross in South Carolina. See a few of the posts here and here and here.
*Recent Highlights: Things to Do with a Tree Stump, A Gander at the Goslings, Rustic Sunflower Bread, and More
Barn: We’re making progress, Me and Glory Bee. Also see my birthday surprise in Duck, Buck, Goose and take A Gander at the Goslings. Find all my farm animal stories here.
Cooking: Need a Homemade White Cake Mix? I’ve got one! And if you’ve got cake, you need to start Making Ice Cream! I’ve also been making Stirred-Curd Cheddar and Rustic Sunflower Bread. Don’t miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.
Country Living: Spring seemed to come slow this year and things were Cold, Muddy, Hard. Remembering to be grateful no matter what helps, so we had Thanksgiving in April. And, for those of you who have been asking for this, check out the Farm Map. See all my country living stories.
House & Garden: Stumped for ideas? I’ve got Things to Do with a Tree Stump! Also see what we’re up to in the garden and orchard in Newest Arrivals. Browse all my posts in house & garden.
*Sneak Peak: Celebrating One Year
We’re having a party!
May will mark one year since Farm Bell Recipes was launched as part of Chickens in the Road. Thousands of members, recipes, and community contributor blog posts later, we expanded last month to enable the full social networking capabilities of the platform with Groups. I’m so excited to be doing this, and so thrilled to have you as part of it. Throughout the month of May, watch for “Merry Anniversary Month of May” giveaways, fun, and games at Farm Bell Recipes! Don’t miss it!! (You must be a registered member to participate. Sign up at the top of the page here!)
*Farm Bell Recipes: Groups!
This community feature is here for you! Jump in and play around. You can find a handy FAQ page on using the groups here.
Current groups include: Tightwad Cooking, Dehydrating Adventures, Photography Fun, Lint Buddies, Menu Planners, Breakfast Club, Michigan Cooks, Wildly Wonderful (WV), Chicken Chatter, Sunshine State (Florida), Cheesemaking, Buckeye Country, Yellow Roses (Texas), Backyard Gardeners, Iowa Wild Roses, and Only in New England. Browse all the groups here. Join one (or more) and/or create your own!
There is a fantastic new post from community members every day on the Farm Bell Recipes blog. Don’t miss a single one. Read the Farm Bell blog here. Would you like to contribute a post to the community blog at Farm Bell Recipes? You can! See all the information here for submissions. We’d love to hear your voice!
April 2011 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:
Bonita
Cathy Jones
CindyP — Chippewa Creek ~ Our Life Simplified
Dede~wvhomecanner — Yahoo’s Canning2 Group
Kerrie — City Girl Farming
Larissa — The Henway
Launi — Gracious Rain
Rachel — The Henway
Robin — Rurification
Sheryl — Providence Acres
Syrup and Biscuits — Syrup and Biscuits
THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!
*Blast from the Past: Prodigal Sheep
They were leaving, even if they didn’t have a jet plane!
See the day Jester decided to take her twins to Paris–and how I convinced her to come home to the farm–in Prodigal Sheep.
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And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!
Thank you for your comments, your support, and just for being there. Here’s hoping to see you on the Chickens in the Road Forum (make friends, have fun, come join us!) and every day on the farmhouse blog!
Love,
Suzanne
*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on YouTube
We have a few spots left. Don’t miss CITR Retreat 2011!
What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes — your cooking community!
*I’m giving away a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving once a week (sometimes more!) so don’t forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.
