Pork Shoulder with Rosemary Rhubarb

If you were lucky enough, this past spring, to buy and freeze The Farms rhubarb, then this is a great way to use it. (or maybe you have your own plant) Wintergrass pork shoulder and this rhubarb "jam" go to together very nicely. Wintergrass pork shoulder (with the skin)  offers just the right meat/fat sweetness to round out the rhubarb. And of course the crunch from the crisp-just-right skin, well just sends it over the top.

2 1/2 c frozen rhubarb
1/4 c apple butter (or apple sauce)
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
1 c raw sugar (start with 1/2 then adjust to your taste)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
s/p
1 Wintergrass Pork Shoulder w/skin
1 lg The Farm onion, thinly slice
6-8 garlic cloves (the Farm has a bag of cloves, nice!!)

First preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. (very important to reach this temperature)

Using a very sharp knife, barely slice diagonal slits through the skin, do again in the opposite direction (diamond cut). Make 3-4 slits on both sides of roast and insert a garlic clove in each. Sprinkle with salt to season. (wait on pepper, or it will burn in the high heat).

Layer onions in a roasting pan and place roast on top. Place in oven for 20 minutes. Then reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Add a little water to the pan to preven the onions from burning.(do not pour water over the skin) Continue to roast for 4-4 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a pan combine rhubarb, sugar, vinegar, rosemary and apple butter. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until nicely thicken. Stir often to prevent scorching. Season with salt and pepper, taste for sweetness, adjust if needed. Allow to cool.

When roast is done, remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes. Slice the layer of crisp skin off, then slice roast thinly. You can rough chop the skin or serve in chunks. (I sometimes chop and sprinkle over the rhubarb for the crunch or just serve to side if not everyone doesn't like the skin...yea I know who wouldn't like that crunch? But there are some...)

Veal Meatball Soup

Oh yes winter is here, little snow but boy did those frigid temps move in! So a perfect day for soup! Having been rushing around for the last few days, I enjoy the convenience of Gaia's Breath Veal Meatballs, checked out the pantry for canned goods. I turned to the freezer and grabbed some pre-chopped onions,chopped greens and my bag of cheese rinds from Dutch Girls hard cheese (yes I know you can eat the rind, and I do, but I also save some to get that taste in soups and sauces). Basically, I turned to everything local and preserved from the summer goodies!

3 qt Chicken Stock (preferably your own)
1 qt heirloom tomatoes (preferably your own)
1 pkg Gaia's Breath Veal Meatballs
1 c chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 c chopped greens (I freeze bags by 2 c, your choice)
3-4 rinds of Dutch Girl Cheese
s/p
olive oil
optional: pasta of choice (I used orzo)

In a large stock pot over med/high heat saute onion and garlic in about 3 Tbsp olive oil. (No need too defrost onion, stir often to prevent burning). Season with s/p.

Once the onions are softened and most liquid has evaporated add in cheese rinds. Stir well, reduce heat and allow the rinds to soften, stir often. Add stock and tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add in the greens and meatballs (no need to defrost either). Let soup simmer for 45-60 minutes, giving a stir often. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with optional pasta.

Maple Syrup: Much more than just a pancake topper!

 Maple syrup, especially a local syrup like Mill Hollow Maple is full of not just wonderful flavor but nutrients and vitamins! Did you know that real maple syrup is predominately a North America product. Canada, Vermont and New York. New York produces some where around 564K gallons a season! My favorite is from Mill Hollow Maple and yes like honey each region (at least for me) has it's own unique flavor.

Both Grade A and Grade B contain these benefits, but Grade B is higher, because it is denser and more concentrated.

Again, something from nature offers many benefits such as zinc which helps raise your "good" cholesterol, provides 22% of Daily value of manganese in just 2 tsp (how..wait for it..... SWEET  is that!!), has been shown to reduce heart disease, increase your immune system, reduce prostate cancer and healthier reproduction system, especially male reproduction. Contains anti-oxidants, is 3 TIMES as sweet as cane sugar BUT has less calories! Has anti-inflammatory qualities.

Studies recently have shown that Maple Syrup may actually reduce the onset of of Type -2 diabetes. If we take back some of common sense, we start to see where this makes sense. Type-2 has only increased over the years as the use of maple syrup has decreased,so it isn't the syrup, but common sense: what "others" say is good for you (you know that HFS and all the other cheap chemicals used to make "cheap" food and I say this  is only cheap to make and highly profitable to corporate owners!) is not better for you and what nature has to offer is. It is time to take back some of our common sense and use our wonderful local Maple syrup (and honey). Yes you can over do with these sweeteners as well, but again using common sense we already know that.

Give me nature and local any day!

Honey: more then a sweetener and How to make Honey teas

I wanted to share some info that I have gathered about using local honey. I have converted many of my recipes to using honey or maple in place of granulated sugar. But yes I still use granulated, but I would honestly say, I have reduced that by, oh... at least 60%, so on the right track. (I also use raw sugar in place of that  40%).

I was discussing with a friend how I started taking bee pollen a little over a year ago...I think I bought some at the first Shed family gathering. I choose the pollen...oh do I really say this....okay yes I confess, I didn't like the taste of honey....ugh sorry, but more on that later! But I had heard some buzz about the 96 different nutrients, 40 % of the pollen is protein and of that almost all it is usable by the body with breaking it down, or metabolism. Hmmm better then any synthetic thing out there...

Speaking of synthetic...scientist have been unable to come anywhere near making a synthetic mutation of this super food, GO BEES!! Nature...So in Honey (best is in raw form) and Pollen you will find: 22 amino acids, vitamins: c, b-complex, folic acid...this is impressive: ALL of the anti-oxidants discovered to date also contains trace amounts of iron, zinc, manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium and potassium...I feel better just reading about it! But read on...

Honey also strengthens your immune system, helps with allergies (taken daily builds up a natural resistance to allergens), helps reduce stress, increases energy (vitamin b- complex) and endurance, helps fight against asthma, my personal testament migraines (I have suffered years with 5-6 severe migraines every month, now I have only had 2 since I started taking the pollen and one was because I had for a period stop taking the pollen and the other was stress induced), it has been found to decrease the side effects from certain chemotherapy's, a blood "cleanser", has anti-cancer properties, reduces heart disease...told you it is impressive!

Did you know that it also has been studied and under laboratory conditions, it is effective in killing MRSA. Honey has anti-microbial properties, a natural anti-inflammatory, helps kill of virus, bacteria and fungus. It is also a natural anti-septic, slightly warmed honey on a wound has been shown to aid greatly in healing in over 600 cases. It is also great has a rehydrate, so when you have the "uh-ohs"  and start to dehydrate, take some honey. It aids in digestion, is an anti-anemic, aids in relieve cold/flu symptoms.

If you are thinking of adding bee pollen to your intake, like anything else start slow and increase over time. I started with a tsp a day (morning is best for me) and over a month increased to 2 tbsp/daily. I let the pollen disolve my tongue, a very unigue taste expereince, each pellet has it's own unique taste. But you can sallow with water or place in a caplet. (Of course dissovling is best).

Okay, yes I like honey now! I couldn't stand it when I was younger, but gave it a try again and was surpirsed how I did like the taste.Somewhere along the way our taste buds change and more then likely it was because it was a local honey I sampled, not some "I don't know where it came from store honey." So as I always say, just give a try...you never know...and it would be shameful to miss out on new culinary experience!

For the past several years now, I have been trying to ever decrease any OTC medicine and turn to homeopathic remedies. I found the following varieties of Honey teas to be some of my go-to's for when I am starting to feel down, start of cold/flu thing or a sore throat. I found them to be more helpful then OTC meds, but the key is to start immediately when you feel something coming on and drink 3-4 cups a day.

For just feeling rundown:

Infuse 2/3 tsp ground ginger or 2 tsp of grated fresh and in two cups of boiling water. Steep for 3-5 minutes.

 Add 2 tsp of honey to cup and pour in tea. Stir, sit back and sip til gone.

For cold/flu symptoms: Use the above infusion but add in one or more of the following:

1/4 tsp of: onion powder, garlic powder, chopped rosemary (dry), thyme, dried citrus peel or cayenne (with the cayenne start with 1/8 tsp then adjust to your own tolerance).

Again add 2 tsp of honey per cup. Stir, sit back and relax and sip til gone.

For sore throat: Again use the basic infusion of feeling down tea, but add in one or more of the following:

1/4 tsp of ground cinnamon, anise, cayenne, dry lemon peel or dried thyme.

Use 2 tsp of honey per cup. Stir, sit, relax and sip until gone.

Curry Coconut Squash Soup

With the Farm B/B doing all the hard work of peeling and cubing winter squash this soup is a snap to make! Enjoy this with a sprinkle of toasted unsweetened coconut, berbere paste (or your favorite spicy pepper paste).

2 lbs The Farm B/B cut/peeled squash
1 The Farm B/B onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced (The Farm or Russia Corner)
1/2 tsp gr. cinnamon
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger (about a 2" piece)
2 tsp gr. curry
1 13 oz can coconut milk
4 c veggie stock
3 c water
S/P
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread squash out on baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and season well with S/P. Toss to coat all pieces well. Roast for 40-45 minutes.

In a large stock pot, saute onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes in about 2 tbsp oil. Add in cinnamon, ginger and curry. Stirring cook for 1 minute. Add in roasted squash, stock and water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth thickness. (Can use a blender or food processor and do so in batches). If the soup is to thick add a little water. Return to heat and stir in coconut milk. Do not let boil at this point, but just heat through.

Goat Leg Chili

I used Saranac Bohemian Pilsner here, but you could use your favorite pilsner. You could also use goat stew meat, but the leg really lends some depth of flavor and the meat offers a sweet tender firmness. (If you were lucky enough to roast and freeze some of The Farm B/B tomatilla's add them in the last 1/2 hour of cooking).

2 c cooked Turtle black bean
2 c whole kernel corn (this past summer really produced some great corn)
1 Saranac Bohemian Pilsner
1 qt heirloom tomatoes (preferably your own canned)
1 c water +
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp Hungarian paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to your taste)
2 c chopped peppers (hopefully you froze some from Old Path)
2 c leeks (The Farms B/B that you also froze)
1 Jones Family Farm Goat leg
3-4 tbsp oil
s/p

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large oven safe pot heat 2 tbsp oil over med/high heat. Season goat leg with s/p. Brown off in hot oil on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove to a platter; set aside.

Add remaining oil and caramelize the leeks and peppers (if you defrosted the onion/pepper drain first) Stir together the cumin, paprika, coriander, chili powder and cayenne. Sprinkle over leek/peppers stir to combine and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in beer and de-glaze all the yum-yum from the bottom of the pan.

Add the goat leg back and pour in tomatoes and water. (add extra water if needed to bring liquid half way up the leg). Bring to a boil, cover and place in  oven.

Cook for 2 1/2 - 3 hours.Place pan on top of stove burner over med heat. Remove leg to a platter and add in beans, corn and tomatillas. Remove meat from leg and dice into bit size pieces and return to the pan. Simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Serve with shredded cheese, Maple Hill Creamery Greek yogurt or your favorite fixin's.

Bacon Farmers cheese cornbread

This is great for a brunch, to go with soup/stew or a dinner. The best way to bake this, really is with a cast iron skillet, just something that really comes together when you use it. If you wanted you could easily add jalapenos to have a little heat.

1 c cornmeal
1 c AP unbleached flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt 
1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c lard (or bacon fat),melted and slightly cooled
1 c milk
1 egg
1/2 c Sweetgrass Bacon ends, chopped and rendered crisp
1 c Mountain View Dairy Farmers Cheese, shredded

Preheat heat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt lard in a cast iron skillet. Pour off into a heat prove dish. Once the oven is hot, place skillet in oven while you prepare the batter. (I use the same skillet that I rendered off the bacon, no sense in wasting that extra flavor)

In a large bowl whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt together. In a separate bowl whisk together the syrup, milk and egg.

Pour the wet into the dry and still just to combine. Fold in lard, cheese and bacon.

Pour batter into hot pan and return to oven for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted tooth pick comes clean.

Serve hot or room temp.