Pinecone Cheese Ball

 This cheese ball recipe was inspired by my husband's sister Jean. She brought a cheese ball to a family gathering last year that caught my eye. I knew right then & there I'd be making one similar and asked for the recipe. She promptly ( she is so good at quick responses like being prompt, R.S.V.P.s and any & all such considerations that really do matter ! ) sent me the recipe which I copied and put away somewhere. I'll find it soon I am sure. Anyway, I improvised until I find the recipe. Take 1 or 2 packages of cream cheese and let warm to room temperature. When the cream cheese is room temperature , knead into it herbs of your choice. We chose basil and dill.With your clean hands, form it into a pear shape. Flatten it onto a plate. Then poke sliced almonds into the  cream cheese imitating the seed pods of a pinecone. I surrounded the cheese ball with rosemary cut from our herb garden. The rosemary grows there all year long. You can plate your cheese ball with any greens you have available. Serve with plenty of crackers , this cheese ball goes fast !

Lamb Chops

Lamb Chops

~ Raise up a lamb kindly. Let it nurse from it's mother at least 3 months, then let it play happily and enjoy life. When the time comes, dispatch quickly , thanking God for His provision of this life and the privilege of being able to raise your own meat. Butcher and wrap appropriately.This is the recipe Jim used ( his own ) in preparing our Jacob Sheep lamb chops.

 

• Combine 1 can of cola ,rosemary,garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in desired proportions.
• Marinate the lamb chops in this mixture 4 to 6 hours.
• After marinating, place the chops in a roasting pan, salt & pepper to taste and roast 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Then put fat side up under the broiler until the fat begins to sizzle and is crisp, watch carefully , this doesn't take long . ( don't burn the chops ! )
• Take the chops out of the oven and let rest for a few minutes while you plate the salad & veggies. We like a fresh green salad and Brussels sprouts with our lamb.

Venison Steak

My son 'CT' got his 3rd deer a few weeks ago with my brother.  He decided to cook up some of the steaks the other night so he marinated the meat in Dr. Pepper overnight ( in the fridge ).  This takes away any gamey taste and tenderizes the meat.  While the coals were heating up on the barbecue, he drained the Dr. Pepper off the meat, then soaked it in teriyaki sauce, just enough to go half way up the steaks.  Then he seasoned them with steak seasoning and barbecued them until medium / rare.  They were the BEST steak I've ever had.  I don't think I'll let him move away from home - ever.

Cooking Smoked Trout by the Norwegian Fjords ~ Can you imagine a more perfect place to cook your freshly caught trout ?

Grandpa B's Peanut Brittle

 Ingredients:  3 cups sugar
                      1 cup Karo (corn ) syrup
                      1/2 cup water
                       3 cups peanuts
                      2 tsp baking soda
Stir together sugar, syrup and water in a 3-4 quart heavy pan over medium heat until it boils.
Stop stirring and cook to 280 degrees.  ( use candy thermometer ).
Now add 3 cups peanuts very slowly.  Peanuts should be room temp, not hot, not cold.  Cook until thermometer reads 300 degrees.  Watch carefully.  Remove from heat and add the baking soda.  Mix in and be careful as it bubbles up.  Now pour into 2 buttered 12 inch round pizza pans.  ( should have edges on the pans. )
Let cool and harden.  Once completely cooled, break into pieces.

 

 

 

Sugar Cookies~ A Family Favorite

 Sugar cookies, made with real butter, fresh eggs from my flock of chickens, real vanilla, & love.Nothing beats a good plain sugar cookie accompanied by a cup of good coffee, tea,  or tall glass of cold milk. If it happens to be around Christmas the cookie may be frosted and liberally adorned with various sugared sprinkles, but still the best cookie in my book.This recipe comes from the November 1983 edition of 'Country Home'. I have baked many different sugar cookie recipes and all have turned out deliciously yummy, but this recipe is the best.Every year with grandchildren I have made these cookies for Christmas festivities.Baking these cookies with them is now a Christmas tradition, but these cookies are good all year round.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg ( farm-fresh best )
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt.Beat butter & shortening until they are combined, then add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well.Add dry ingredients; beat well.Divide dough in half; wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for about 3 hours or overnight. (Sometimes I leave this in the fridge for a week or more until I am ready to bake.)

Working with half of the dough at a time, on lightly floured surface, roll to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into desored shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove to wire rack; cool. Frost & decorate if desired. Makes 36 to 48 cookies.
NOTE: Often I will simply form the dough into a roll , wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and place in the fridge. When I want fresh baked cookies I pull it out of the fridge and cut slices of the roll and bake.No rolling out on a floured board, no cookie cutters needed. Just fresh, hot, simple sugar cookies to go with my cup of good , hot coffee.

Far I Kal ( Lamb & Cabbage )

Lamb & Cabbage, or "Far I Kal " in Norwegian, is delicious! We cooked our lamb & cabbage in a crock pot and found this is a perfect way to cook this meal. Far I Kal is very easy to make, and given we have a home grown supply of lamb this recipe is a natural for us.

• To make Far I Kal you will need ~
• 1 1/2 pounds of shoulder or breast of lamb
• 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 cups water
• 1 head of cabbage
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• peppercorns, as many as your taste dictates

( We doubled this recipe for our large crock pot.) Cut the lamb into 1 inch cubes. Heat the oil of choice in a large saucepan , dredge the meat in flour seasoned with Johnny's all purpose seasoning, or seasonings of your choice and brown. Then put in the crock pot . Discard outer leaves of cabbage , quarter the cabbage, then layer on top of the lamb. We did this 4 times. 4 layers of lamb & cabbage. Sprinkle liberally with peppercorns between the layers then add the water. We then left the crock pot low for 4 to 6 hours and busied ourselves with all the activities a busy weekend day offers.

Finally ~ time to eat! Look at this lovely dish filled with lamb and cabbage, seasoned with peppercorns.

We served our lamb & cabbage over rice, but most Norwegian Americans choose potatoes for this honor. I s'pose you could use noodles too. This is a versatile dish.

Yum! Home raised lamb and cabbages, easy-peasy and affordable too.

"This dish is said to be better every time you re-heat it. The nineteenth- century Norwegian cookbook writer Olaug Kauken claimed it was best the 7th time around.". Andreas Viestad ' Kitchen of Light'