Colcannon

Posted on March 17, 2012 by okieranchwife

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Almost any Irish pub has a version of colcannon on its menu. The word Colcannon comes from the Irish Gaelic word “cal ceannan” meaning white headed cabbage.  Is excellent with a mushroom gravy sauce.

  • 6 medium White Potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 4 cups White Cabbage, shredded
  • 1 bunch of Green Onions, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh Parsley, destemmed and chopped
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste.

Cook potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. As the potatoes are cooking, cook the cabbage in hot water until tender about 15 minutes. Drain. Saute onions in butter and some milk.

Mash potatoes. Don’t make them creamy or smooth should still have some chunks in them. Mix in butter, green onions and enough milk to make them fluffy. Stir in cabbage. Add Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the parsley. Serve warm.

Posted in sides | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Irish Stew

Posted on March 17, 2012 by okieranchwife

This is another recipe that I posted late last summer and I thought that repost for St. Patrick’s Day was in order! I do have to do a little brag, I did drink a Guinness at the “Shrine” at St. James gate, Dublin.

The best Irish Lamb Stew I ever had was in a little pub in Dublin, Ireland. I don’t know if that famous Irish Extra Stout was in it but it was great tasting. This recipe gives you the flavor of Ireland in your own kitchen. And of course, it’s a one pot meal. This was our dinner tonight.

  • 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of Lamb Shoulder, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour or Wondra
  • 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry Mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Bacon Drippings (can use Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
  • 4 small Onions, quartered
  • 2 ribs Celery, cut in 2 inch pieces add in any leaves for extra taste
  • 2 medium White Potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks
  • 2 small Turnips or Parsnips, peeled and large diced
  • 2 cups Water or 1 cup Water and 1 cup Guinness
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried Marjoram
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme
  • 4 oz frozen Green Peas or 1/2 cup dehydrated whole Green Peas

Mix flour, salt and dry mustard. Coat lamb cubes with the mix.  Over medium heat, melt the bacon drippings or oil in a large cast iron skillet. Brown the meat on all sides. Brown in batches if needed so the meat is not crowded in the skillet.

Place all meats back into the skillet and add the vegetables and herbs to the meat. Cover with water. If using dehydrated green peas put them in skillet now.

Reduce heat to low – medium low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. If using frozen peas add them now and cook for 5 minutes.  Serve with Irish Soda Bread, Irish brown bread or any crusty type bread with creamy butter.

Posted in cast iron cookery, stew | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Irish Lamb and Barley Soup

Posted on March 17, 2012 by okieranchwife

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I just had to repost this recipe.

This recipe is only slightly different from my Irish Stew recipe that can be found in the “cast iron cookery” catagory.  This a little thinner consistency and some has barley and cabbage added.

  • 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 2 and 2 1/2 pounds of Lamb, can use meaty neck bones, short ribs or shoulder meat, cubed
  • 6 cups Water
  • 4 cups (32 ozs) low sodium Beef Broth or home-made
  • 1/2 small head of Red Cabbage, cored and chopped
  • 2 medium Carrots, peeled and shredded
  • 1 large Onion, large chopped
  • 1 medium Parsnip, peeled and diced
  • 2/3 cup Barley
  • 2 tablespoons of dried Thyme or 4 sprigs of fresh
  • 2 Whole Bay Leaves
  • Pinch of ground Allspice

Heat EVOO in a large cast iron Dutch Oven with a lid. Using medium high heat add the lamb. If you are using short ribs or cubed meat be certain to dry the meat. It will brown better if the meat is dry.  Saute meat until dark brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the water and deglaze the pot. Scraping any brown bits from the bottom or sides. This gives a great flavor. The mix will hiss when the cool water hits the hot pot. This is normal and good. It means that the brown bits are softening and mixing into the water.

Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 1 hour 45 minutes or until veggies and barley are tender and the soup is slightly thick.  Remove any bones. The meat should fall off the bone. Ladle into bowls and serve with Irish Soda, Irish Brown or any crusty bread with creamy butter. So good.  Enjoy!

Posted in cast iron cookery, soup | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Oatmeal Scones

Posted on March 15, 2012 by okieranchwife

I just could not allow St Patrick’s Day to come and go without adding more Irish favorites. And yes, I will probably embarrass my Irish Wolfhounds when I put the green shamrock antennas on them again. Photos will be posted! LOL!

  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Quick Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 5 tablespoons Butter
  • 1/2 cup Golden Raisins
  • 2/3 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 large whole Egg

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease one 8 inch round baking pan. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut the butter into the dry mix with a pastry blender or knife until the dough is coarse crumbs. Fold in raisins.  Wipe the buttermilk and egg together and stir it into the flour dough until just mixed.  Press the dough into the baking dish and score the dough deeply into 8 wedges. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Serve with butter or apple butter.

Posted in breakfast, dessert, snacks | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

French Silk Pie

Posted on March 11, 2012 by okieranchwife

A couple of days I was looking through an Oklahoma RT 66 guide book. I saw an advert for the Flamingo Restaurant in Elk City, on the western edge of the state. One of their specialties is French Silk Pie. This isn’t their recipe but it is good! I use this non-cook recipe with my own fresh eggs from my little flock, so I don’t have to worry about salmonella.

  • 1/2 cup Butter, at room temp
  • 3/4 cup Sugar
  • 2 squares Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Whole Eggs
  • 1 (8 inch) Pie Shell, cooked and cooled

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. Add the cooled chocolate and vanilla. Beat throughly. Add one egg and beat on medium for 5 minutes. Add the second egg and beat for an additional 5 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Pour the chocolate mixture into the baked, cooled pie shell. Chill for 2 hours. May top with whipped topping, shaved semi-sweet chocolate or crushed nuts.  So good with a bold French Roast coffee.

Posted in dessert, snacks | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Posted on March 10, 2012 by okieranchwife

I found this recipe in a Popular Kitchen magazine that is published by Hobby Farms magazine. If you like mushrooms, this rich and creamy soup is for you. I made it a couple of nights ago when we had that cold rainy weather here. I changed the original recipe a little bit for our taste.

  • 1 medium Onion, chopped
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and pressed
  • 4 tablespoon Butter
  • 2 pounds Mushrooms, sliced (I used a mixture of Baby Portobello, White Mushrooms and Shiitake) Don’t use the shiitake stems they are too woody.
  • 2 teaspoons dried Dill Weed
  • 1 tablespoon Paprika ( I used Smoked Paprika)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ginger Powder or 1 teaspoon fresh grated Ginger
  • 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 1 quart Vegetable Stock
  • 1 cup Milk
  • 3 tablespoons All Purpose flour or Wondra
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped Parsley or 1 tablespoon dried Parsley
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt

Over medium heat and in a medium stockpot, sweat the onions and garlic until tender. Add mushrooms, dill, paprika, ginger, soy sauce, and vegetable stock. Simmer until the mushrooms release their liquid about 15 minutes.  In a small bowl, whisk milk and flour together. Allow to sit at room temperature as the mushrooms cooks.  Slowly add a 1/2 cup of the hot broth to milk and flour mixture. If using dried parsley add it now. Whisk together to temper the milk mixture then add to the stockpot. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add sour cream and fresh parsley just before serving.

Posted in soup | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Posted on March 8, 2012 by okieranchwife

Today is a cold March day here in Oklahoma and my thoughts have turned to soup again. To be sure, soup is never far from my mind. It is favorite meal around our place. I started thinking about the mild winter we have had and I’m thankful for that. We had no winter storms so we had no power outages. But if we had lost power, soup is so easy to cook over a propane grill or even a firepit.  The firepit does take a little practise so the soup doesn’t burn over the hottest part of the fire. But practise makes perfect.

You can make this soup using fresh or dehydrated vegetables.

  • 3 cans (14 ozs each) Chicken Broth or 5 ¼ cups homemade Chicken broth
  • 1 cup Powdered Milk
  • ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon White Pepper
  • 1 cup fresh Onion, chopped or  1/3 cup dehydrated chopped Onion
  • 1 cup fresh Celery, diced or 1/3 cup dehydrated diced celery
  • 3 tablespoons Butter
  • 16 ozs frozen Broccoli, chopped or 4 ozs dried chopped Broccoli

Using fresh vegetables:

In a large bowl, combine powdered milk, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. Slowly add the chicken broth and whisk until you have a smooth roux. Set aside. Heat the butter in a medium soup pot and them until tender about 10 minutes. Add broccoli and cook until heated through, another 10 minutes.  Whisk in the milk mixture. Heat the soup to a gentle  boil and cook until slightly thickened about 10 minutes. In several batches puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return back to the soup pot and heat again. Season again to taste. Makes 8 servings.

Using dehydrated vegetables:

In a large bowl, combine powdered milk, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside. In a medium soup pot, heat the butter and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, add all dried vegetables and reduce to high simmer. Simmer the dehydrated vegetables until tender about 20 to 30 minutes. Take about 1 cup of the hot chicken broth and gradually stir into the milk flour mixture to make a thick roux. Whisk the tempered flour-milk into the soup pot. Mix well and cook until thickened about 10 minutes. In several batches puree the soup in a blender or food processor. Return back to the soup pot and heat again. Season again to taste. Makes 8 servings.

Serve with crusty bread!

Posted in emergency cooking, soup | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Creamed Spinach

Posted on March 4, 2012 by okieranchwife

This goes great with a nice grilled steak!

  • 1 pound fresh Spinach (or frozen. Canned doesn’t work well)
  • `1 medium Sweet Onion, fine chopped
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted Butter
  • 2 cloves Garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 2 1/1 tablespoons All Purpose Flour or Wondra Flour
  • 1 cup warm Cream or Half & Half
  • 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon Red Cayenne Pepper
  • Sea Salt and White Pepper to taste

Over medium low heat and in a large skillet, sweat the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter. When the onions are tender but not brown add the fresh spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes. In a medium sauce pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and blend in the flour. Gradually add the cream and mix well until thick. Add the spinach mixture. Season with salt and red and white pepper. Mix in cheese and serve.

Posted in sides | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Beer Battered Venison Steak

Posted on March 2, 2012 by okieranchwife

Early in the week my husband made this for dinner and it was great. The batter was so crispy and light just like fish and chips wrapped in newsprint that I used to eat in Scotland!

Batter:

  • 1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 2 teaspoons Fuzz’s No Salt Cajun Blend
  • 1 teaspoon powdered Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground Red Cayenne Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • Splash of Milk (just enough to make a thin batter)
  • 1 Whole Egg, beaten
  • 2 cups Beer (He used Erdinger Hefe-Wiezen)
  • Salted All Purpose Flour

 

  • 1 thin Venison Steak or Medallion per person
  • Canola Oil

Combine the first 9 ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Dredge the venison steaks in the salted flour and dip  in the batter.

Heat about 2-3 inches of oil over high heat in a cast iron skillet.  Immediately put in the hot oil. You need the oil to be very hot so the flour coating doesn’t get greasy. Also if the oil is not hot enough the coating may fall off the meat.  Deep fry at 365 to 370 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes. Til the batter is crispy and the meat is medium. Remove to plate and place on a paper towel. Enjoy!

Posted in main dish | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Sorry, Sorry, Sorry!

Posted on March 1, 2012 by okieranchwife

I have been a little lazy with the recipe postings the past several days. But Mike has been feeling SO good this past week and a half, we have been tilling the garden, weaning our filly, and planting the kitchen garden. We have also got 7 more chicks which are Hampshire Red Pullets. Mike is searching CraigsList now for Bar Rocks. And an incubator.

Some bad news, one of my older Rhode Island Reds drowned in our horse trough last week and a month ago one just disappeared. I think an owl got her. But 7 out of my 8 hens are laying. One is a bantam hen, Booted and Bearded d’Uccle. She has feathers on her feet and is SUCH a diva! She is the smallest hen, about 22 ounces but she is the loudest and sounds like the original Jungle Fowl when she starts.

Stay turned for more recipes. Mike made a beer batter chicken fried vension steak a couple nights ago and it was excellent. I’ll post that recipe tomorrow as soon as I finish making some homemade Italian sausage.

Thanks again for reading!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment