We have had several inquiries about eggs this week… so I will be at the New Albany farmer’s market(under the pavilion) in the morning, Saturday, with fresh free range eggs. I have a couple of deliveries scheduled for 11 am tomorrow and I thought I would bring a few extra just in case someone needs them for their Christmas meals. No need to pre-order, just stop by around 11. I will only stay for fifteen or twenty minutes ’cause it’s cold out side!
Merry Christmas,
Kenny & Val
Unfortunately for market goers we are running out of produce, therefore, this weekend will end our season for 2012. This is bittersweet for us; we will miss all of our faithful customers but are welcoming the down time.
We still have some produce available but this will be the end for cabbage, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, fall/winter squashes… acorn, buttercup, carnival and butternut. Our fresh baby lettuce will be cut and ready this weekend along with some greens… Swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, turnips with tops and fresh radishes.
Don’t forget your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market… just a reminder, we have been selling out each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get them.
Thank you for supporting us throughout the 2012 season, look forward to seeing you Saturday,
Val & Kenny
P.S. We will have greens, lettuce and eggs available throughout the winter months but available by pre-orders only and delivered every other weekend.
I tried this with our plums this year, it’s almost ready… I’m in the process of straining and bottling now. I think it will make excellent Christmas gifts if I ever get finished straining and get it labeled. It looks beautiful and taste even better. It’s definitely worth making if you ever get the opportunity.
2 lbs Damson plums
2 cups sugar
2 cups vodka
1 cup grappa (white brandy, or regular brandy)
2 slices lemon peel, 1/2” wide x 3” long
2 Qt Mason jars
Wash the plums well and pat them dry. This is especially important with any fruit you may purchase as it may be sprayed with pesticides. Ours are not sprayed after the fruit sets. Remove the pits and cut into quarters.
Cut the peel from the lemon making sure to get as little of the white pith as possible.
Divide the sliced plums between the Mason jars. Add the sugar, lemon peel, vodka and grappa. Seal the jars well and shake vigorously until the sugar is dissolved.
Place the jars in a cool, dark place for two months. I’ve read recipes that take 1 month so you could have it for Christmas if you needed. Shake occasionally as you pass by, as the liqueur ages the color will turn from clear to a very dark purple.
Place a strainer over a large bowl (I use an 8-cup measuring cup) and strain out the solids. Press the liquid from the plums with a spatula, and discard the pulp. Re-strain the liqueur again through clean cotton cloth until clear, and bottle.
The liqueur is ready now, but for best results let it age for another four weeks.
I can hardly believe it’s almost December… it will be on Saturday. The year is almost over and the produce is almost gone. We have three more weeks at the firehouse and still have a few thing available, cabbage, onions, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, fall/winter squashes… acorn, buttercup, carnival and butternut. Sad to say our tomatoes are gone for the season, but our fresh baby lettuce will be cut and ready this weekend. Plenty of greens too; Swiss chard, kale and spinach as well as some, mustard greens, turnips with tops and fresh radishes.
With such short hours at the market on Saturdays, only 10-noon, we will not be bringing as many greens as in the past. We have been taking home way too much produce, the chickens love us but it’s too much work for Kenny. Please be sure and e-mail your orders by early Friday morning and we will have them ready when you arrive.
Don’t forget your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market… just a reminder, we have been selling out each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get them.
We still will have Mistletoe. Kenny and his buddy Lee harvested some for the holidays, pick some up for your holiday decorations.
Hope to see you Saturday and thanks for supporting us with your purchases,
Val & Kenny
P. S. Honey will be at the market this weekend. My friend Valerie Shealy will be there with local honey, fresh from farms in Starlight and Floyds Knobs Indiana. She may also have some other items you would enjoy, stop in for a visit and check out her provisions.
Shealy Farms ~ Floyds Knobs, Indiana
It’s small business Saturday so make your way to beautiful Downtown New Albany and support your local businesses and all they do for our community. You can stop by your local farmer’s market on your way downtown and pick up fresh veggies as well as holiday gift giving ideas. We do appreciate your patronage throughout the year and know that each of you support us in your own way. We look forward to your visits and enjoy bring you the freshest and finest produce we can possible produce.
We will have cabbage, onions, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, fall/winter squashes…acorn, spaghetti and butternut. Sad to say our tomatoes are gone for the season, but our fresh baby lettuce will be cut and ready this weekend… we will have Red Sails and European Mix varieties this week. Plenty of greens too; Swiss chard, kale and spinach as well as some turnips with tops, fresh salad radishes and mustard greens. I will have a few fresh herbs again this week if you are still in the cooking mood.
Don’t forget your farm-fresh, free-range eggs at the market… just a reminder, we have been selling out each week so come early or pre-order to make sure you get them.
We still will have Mistletoe. Kenny and his buddy Lee harvested some for the holidays, pick some up for your holiday decorations.
Thanks for supporting us with your purchases at the market,
Val & Kenny
P. S. Honey will be at the market this weekend. My friend Valerie Shealy will be there with local honey, fresh from farms in Starlight and Floyds Knobs Indiana. She may also have some other items you would enjoy, stop in for a visit and check out her provisions.
Shealy Farms ~ Floyds Knobs, Indiana
I don’t usually follow a recipe, but wrote one down this time so I could share. The amount of sugar used will depend on the type of apples used. I have cooked these for years with apples we have leftover, and are on their way to the compost pile… ripe but not quite there. These remind me of the apples served at Cracker Barrel, everyone loves them especially the little ones. On the menu for Thanksgiving this year just for Quincy, my little apple lovin’ nephew.
1 pound apples (preferably tart), peeled and cored and cut into slices
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired
In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When butter is bubbly, add the sliced apples into the pan and stir until they are coated with butter. Let them cook a couple of minutes, stirring gently and then add the sugar and cinnamon which has been mixed together. Cover pan with a lid and cook for about 5 minutes. Check apples as they cook rather quickly this way. When the apples are tender, uncover and cook until the juices are thick and bubbly. If there isn’t as much syrup as you would like, you may add 1 tablespoon of water to the skillet after you remove the lid, and continue cooking until thickened. Don’t stir too much at this point or the apples will fall apart. Total cooking time will depend on the amount of apples you are cooking. These were done in 10 minutes, but a large pan full will take a bit longer. Remove apples to a serving dish. Enjoy!
Tags: Apples, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, lemon juice
Fresh from the oven!
If you are fortunate enough to have a friend like mine, Valerie Shealy, you would have fresh South Carolina pecans for this Thanksgiving recipe. While visiting her a while back she offered me some fresh organic pecans, of course being the pecan hound that I am, I accepted; and am now making a rich, delicious, and easy pecan pie.” Thank you Valerie!
You won’t be able to use Valerie’s pecans for Thanksgiving, but if you are lucky enough to visit the New Albany Farmer’s Market this weekend you might be able to pick some up for your Christmas Holiday baking. She will have a limited amount available for purchase along with her family’s local honey.
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pie shell in a 9 inch pie pan.
In a medium bowl, gently beat eggs. Stir in sugar and flour, then the syrup, butter and vanilla. Fold in pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; knife inserted in center of pie should come out clean.
Tags: brown sugar, butter, dark corn syrup, Eggs, flour, pecans, vanilla
You probably take pumpkin pie from canned pumpkin for granted. You’re there, the can is there, there’s a pumpkin on the label… open it and mix it up with spices to make a pie, right? Ah, but a pumpkin pie made from a fresh pumpkin tastes so much better than the glop that was processed last year!
Wash the exterior of the pie pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap. Cut the pumpkin in half.
Basically, you cut and scoop out the seeds… but SAVE THE SEEDS**, place it cut side down into a covered oven container. Cover the ovenproof container, and pop it in a 350 F oven. It normally takes about 45 minutes to 60 minutes (it can vary a lot!); just test it periodically by sticking it with a fork to see if it is soft!
Use the spoon to gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin. It should separate easily and in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is cooked enough.
To get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a hand blender. By blending it, you give the pie a smooth, satiny texture. Now you are ready to make your pie. I use Pillsbury’s ready to use crust from the refrigerated case because I am horrible at making pie crust from scratch. Of course you can use your homemade crust if you like.
2 cups fresh cooked pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 9-inch unbaked pie
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F .
Whisk together pumpkin puree and eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg; whisk until thoroughly combined.
Fit pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate and crimp edges.
Pour filling into the pie shell and lightly tap on the work surface to release any air bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake until just set in the middle, 30 to 40 minutes. A knife inserted into the filling, 1 inch from the crust, should come out clean. Allow to cool completely before serving.
**Roasted Pumpkin Seeds – I made these for snacking on and to use in a few fall salads. It’s really simple, just clean them from the pulp; I did this by rinsing in a colander under running water. Then I melted 1 tablespoon real butter, 1 tablespoon honey and a teaspoon of season salt (Johnny’s) mixed together with the seeds and placed them on a large baking sheet and roasted on the top rack of a 250 degree oven for 1 1/2 hours checking every 2 minutes for brownness. They turned out beautiful and delicious.
Tags: cinnamon, Eggs, ginger, nutmeg, Pumpkin, sweeten condensed milk
One of our customers asked that I might post a few of my recipes we have at our Thanksgiving dinners, so I thought I might abide that request. Here is another family favorite… it is so quick and easy to prepare and usually I have everything I need on hand. It’s cabbage season so they are always right out back, fresh for the picking… actually cutting. It’s delicious so give it a try, and if your’e not a fan of mushrooms, creamed celery or chicken soup can be substituted.
1 lg. head cabbage
2 c. cracker crumbs (I use Keebler’s Club, aka “Pappaw’s crackers”)
2 c. shredded American cheese
Salt
butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
Cut up cabbage in pieces and cook in salted water until tender; drain. Layer cabbage, cracker crumbs, cheese in 2-quart casserole dish; sprinkle salt, pepper, and dot with butter each layer. Pour the cream of mushroom mixed with milk over top, then sprinkle with a few more cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until light brown.
Tags: american cheese, butter, cabbage, cracker crumbs, cream of mushroom, milk
This recipe was actually taken from Mary C. Crowley’s “Hostess Delights” Cookbook that I received many years ago. Mary C. Crowley was the founder and President of Home Interiors & Gifts, Inc and my aunt “Jo” worked with her for years. Jo gave me a copy of this wonderful cookbook, and it has been a family tradition to have for Thanksgiving dinner every since we first tried them. I tweak it a little to suit us but, this is the original recipe and it is SOOOOOO good!!
Ingredients:
7 Cups Water
2 teaspoons Salt
2 Cups Grits (NOT instant grits)
Cook according to the directions on the box. I use Quick Grits. Do NOT use Instant Grits. They do NOT work.
Directions/More Ingredients:
Into hot grits, stir:
1/3 cup grated onion
1/2 jar Cheese Whiz
1/2 pound grated cheddar cheese
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon Accent
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Dash of red pepper
1 small can diced green chilies. These are green chili peppers and add a zest to the dish. They are optional.
Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.
Note: My mom tweaked it once… she had no Cheese Whiz and thought to substitute Port Wine Cheddar…oh not so good. She still to this day is not allowed to bring the cheese grits to Thanksgiving dinner. 🙂
Tags: Accent, butter, cheese whiz, Eggs, garlic salt, grated cheese, green chilies, grits, onions, red pepper
