Mid Winter Meltdown on the Farm, Lemons, Lemon Extract and

Mid Winter Meltdown on the
Farm
Heading up the hill to the poultry
area, I notice that the walk is a little easier. The large
mounds of snow and ice have shrunk down. Now the slippery
footing is due to mud. Ahh well.
all of it’s snow.
The duck area has lost almost
Do you think the ducks ate the snow?
In the chicken pen, it is still pretty snow covered. Part of
the area has been covered by straw to lure the chickens from
the coop.
TJ the Rooster feels spring is
in the air and shakes his long blonde hair. But afterward, he
gets right back to work watching the hens enjoy the beautiful
day.
Mrs. Duck and her friend the
Ameraucana hen are still serious
about their work.
Leave no
treats undiscovered.
The roof tops are letting go of their snow and ice blankets.
But, it is still winter so there
is still time for a long
afternoon nap.
And time for pig frolics.
Paths have been created by the animals, and we can see the mud
that will be happy to take over when the snow gives way.
The garden areas are waiting for
more sun and warmth before being ready to come to life.
Lemons, Lemon Extract
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
and
Living in the east, or maybe because I am just not a foodie,
I had not heard of Meyer Lemons, until a friend in Texas
offered to send some to me from her over producing Meyer lemon
tree.
I thought I would be getting a box of lemons, just
like any other lemon I was used to.
But when the box
arrived, I soon realized that I was looking at a whole new
breed of lemon!
Meyer Lemons are sweeter and look rounder in appearance than
regular lemons. Some people compare them to a cross between a
tangerine and a lemon. I am not sure how I would describe
them, but I liked the taste and knew right away I would be
using every last bit of these yellow sweeties for something.
The first thing I did with the lemons was to create a photo
shoot. I love a bowl full of lemons.
I squeezed a jar of fresh lemon juice, enjoyed lemon slices
in tea, water and fruit juice. I dehydrated slices, and made
lemon vinegar cleaner out of the used lemon peels.
But I still had lemons that needed to be used.
I really
enjoyed making vanilla extract last year, so I thought it
would be good to make some lemon extract.
Simple enough to
do.
Here is how I made the lemon extract.
Lemon Extract Instructions
Trim off the zest of 6 lemons, being careful to
not get the white pith underneath the peel. The
pith can lead to bitterness.
I used two pint jars. Separated the lemon zest
into the two jars.
(or just make one jar- it’s up to you)
Add vodka to the jars to fill.
Cap the jars.
Place the jars in a cool dark place, such as a
cabinet.
Let the mixture sit for about 4 weeks. Open the
jar after the 4 weeks and smell the contents. The
lemon smell should be primary. The extract will
be ready when the mixture doesn’t smell like just
alcohol and there is a slight yellow color and
slightly oily appearance.
Strain the extract through a coffee filter into a
clean jar. Discard or dry the leftover peels.
I
added the zest to a potpourri blend when
completely dry. I just couldn’t bear to throw
them out!
I then poured the extract into small brown
bottles. Ready for gift giving!
Now, I had 8 bottles of lemon extract and I was not sure what
I would do with it. I couldn’t remember ever having used it
before. First, I looked on the internet to find some recipes
and uses for lemon extract.
I was astounded at how many
recipes used lemon extract! Where have I been? This liquid
was really versatile.
How much to use?
McCormick Spice company recommended a use of 1 tsp lemon
extract for 1 tsp fresh lemon peel.
Ask.com recommended half that strength at 1 tsp lemon extract
for every 2 tsp of fresh lemon peel called for.
Cooksthesauras.com
suggested that homemade lemon extract
might not be as strong as commercial brand. I can tell you
that this was not my finding. My lemon extract was definitely
strong and full of lemony flavor.
Over on Livestrong.com, Suzanne Robin, wrote that lemon peel
contains limonene and citral, two active ingredients in lemon
zest and oils of lemons. Early testing shows promise that
lemon extract and lemon zest can reduce the stress hormones.
In addition to using lemon extract in cooking and baked goods,
lemon extract can be added to whipped cream, yogurt, and ice
cream and sorbets. I would add a teaspoon to vanilla frosting
to make a refreshing topping for vanilla cake.
Now to try it out in a real recipe! I searched and searched
through so many recipes on the web. Finally, I decided to make
Lemon Crinkle Cookies because I saw it listed in many sites.
The recipe looked easy enough and easy to adapt, because I
never make a recipe exactly as it is written. I don’t follow
directions well!
The recipe for the Lemon Crinkle Cookies follows. I really
like how they turned out.
Lemony, yes, but not in an
overpowering way. I frosted some of the cookies because my
husband likes a very sweet cookie. I like a milder cookie and
these are more of a tea cookie. Just to my liking!
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
2014-02-14 05:13:45
Yields 30
Light, lemony goodness with a crinkle top
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Ingredients
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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10.
1 and 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon zest from one Meyer lemon
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper
3. In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking
powder.
4. In the large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and the
lemon zest. add the butter and beat until smooth and
fluffy.
5. Add the eggs mixing well.
6. Add the vanilla extract and the lemon extract
7. Add the dry ingredients mix until just combined.
8. Put the confectioners' sugar in a wide bowl or pie plate
9. Scoop out approx two tablespoon sized balls of cookie
dough. roll into a ball.
10. coat each ball in the confectioners' sugar
11. Place the cookies on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
Cookies will not spread much so you can put 15 on each
sheet
12. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the tops of cookies get
crinkled. They are fairly light colored when done.
13. Cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes then
transfer to cooling racks or a sheet of foil to continue
cooling.
Notes
1. Enjoy with tea, coffee, or anytime. A refreshing light
cookie
Adapted from from The Cooking Channel
Adapted from from The Cooking Channel
Timber Creek Farm http://timbercreekfarmer.com/
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In the
Day!
Chicken
Coop-
Snow
It’s no secret that most chickens do not like snow. I can’t
blame them. After all they do have bare feet.
We had a
storm today that was more than the usual one or two inches.
The chickens, predictably, chose to stay inside, eat grain,
and…. Well let me have them tell you about their snow day in
their own way.
TJ Rooster- its much easier for me to keep an
eye on all my girls when they aren’t wandering all
over the chicken yard.
today.
I may even get a nap in
Patience and Belle were too
busy staking out the rabbit hutch/ small coop to take time for
a comment. They looked like they were about to snuggle in for
the long haul.
Mrs. Duck:
I would go
out. I am not afraid of snow. But I prefer company,
so if they chicks are staying in, then I guess I will
stay in too. Unless I want a swim. There’s not enough
water in here for a proper swim.
Amelia:
breakfast.
me:
Fabulous!
You brought us eggs for
no Amelia, I am taking those eggs with me.
Amelia: Well! You don’t have to be so bossy.
then. Leave us alone.
Go on
Black Auracana:
We are
going to need more nest boxes if we all have to stay
in here all day. I can’t hold this egg forever you
know
Goldie: I am just going
to find all the stuff I can in this patch of straw.
Oooh look a crumb!
Some chose to stay up high where the rooster would leave them
alone. Some chose to spend some time on personal grooming.
And some chose to be a little bit grumpy looking.
Don’t worry girls. The extended forecast calls for a warm
up! I think the worms might even crawl up out of the dirt to
say hello.
Mr. Tweet
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Healthy Homesteading
Eating Healthy Foods for
Homesteading Success
(Part 4 in So You Want to be a Homesteader Series)
Taking care of a dream takes energy. It takes stamina, long
hours, and strength. How do you maintain a body ready for the
challenges presented by homesteading?
Eating healthy is
the number one way to be a successful
homesteader. You will need to fuel your body properly to
tackle the jobs ahead. Entering the world of homesteading and
becoming more self sufficient from a more sedentary, urban
lifestyle may require some muscle building. Muscles require
lean protein and calories from good food sources.
If you
rely on take out food on a daily basis, there is no better
time to quit. Go to the grocery store and begin shopping for
ingredients and not prepackaged, assembled meals.
Set aside
time each day to prepare meals
If you work outside the homestead, too, cook enough extra to
take some leftovers for lunch. Not only will
this save you money but it will also ensure that
you are eating healthy during the day
Crock pot cooking makes your life
easier.
Start by defrosting the meat the day before, placing it in the
refrigerator. Assemble all ingredients and have them on your
kitchen counter the night before. As you are leaving for work
or chores in the morning, throw everything into the crock pot,
turn the heat to low/ 8 to 10 hours, and come home to the
delicious aroma of a healthy dinner.
Make a shopping list.
Check for food that has more than five ingredients in it.
Eliminate these foods.
You can learn to make these items
using healthy ingredients.
Planning your weekly food needs
will help you stay on course to eat nutritious foods.
Many times, people confuse eating healthy with eating
organic. Now, I do believe that there is a definite benefit
to eating organic food, but,
it is not the only way to
consume healthy food. Buying local produce in season is one
way to eat good food.
Farmer’s Markets and seasonal farm
stands are a great place to buy fresh seasonal produce. Some
markets also have vendors that sell meats and cheeses.
PhotoCredit
Jo
Relime
http://homesteadchronicles.c
om/
Another tactic would be to shop the outer regions of the
traditional grocery store. The outer most isles are where the
fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy, and fresh meat are usually
located.
Freeze or Can Extra Produce
When the growing season is going strong, freezing and canning
the extra for winter can ensure that you are eating local
healthy food during the off season.
Try to eliminate as much packaged food as possible.
Hey, we
all have our favorite foods from these isles in the grocery
store. Look at them more as a treat, rather than an everyday
answer to preparing meals.
Try preparing your meals from
whole foods and ingredients for a month. See how you feel. I
am almost willing to bet that you will feel more energetic and
healthy.
Consuming a lot of processed sugars and
preservatives eventually drags our bodies down.
After a time
period of being more aware of what was in the food we were
eating, I actually now have a hard time eating something with
a long list of ingredients on the box.
In order to take care of others you will need to take care of
yourself. Whether you are taking care of children or livestock
or both, if you are not taking care of yourself, you cannot be
counted on to take care of others. Remember, bringing home
livestock is a 365 day a year commitment. Fuel your body with
the nutrition it needs and set the stage for success in your
homestead plan.
You may also be interested in this post from Homestead
Chronicles
– Sweet Corn in the Dead of Winter.
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The Backyard Farming Connection
Mountain Woman Journal blog hop
Simple Saturdays
From the Farm Blog Hop