Homemade Tortilla Chips

Items needed:
White Corn Tortillas
Coconut Oil
Deep, wide pan
Slotted spoon or tongs
Sea Salt

 Heat the oil the in pan, filled only half way. We use a stainless steel wok that is dedicated to just this purpose.  It sits on the counter with a lid to keep it clean when not in use.  We strain and refill as needed, using the oil over and over.  Coconut oil doesn't go bad or rancid.


Cut a few tortillas in quarters with scissors or fold in half to break and half again.

When oil is hot,  drop tortilla quarters carefully into oil and cook until they float and have turned color slightly.

Remove from pan with a wide slotted spoon or tongs.  Salt to taste.  Repeat steps above as needed.


Dessert Variation:
When tortillas are hot, sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar and a little salt and cream of tartar.

The day the A/C died

I don't know about where you live, but it's been HOT here.  I can't remember a day when it hasn't hit at least 100* in the shade.  There doesn't seem to be an end in sight either.  Amazingly, the animals seem to be taking it in stride.  Granted, they aren't doing anything but sleeping and lying in the shade, but none appear overly stressed.  I suspect the cool nights help.

I first noticed something was wrong when I was sitting at the computer and drips of sweat were running down my face.  The blower had been going since about 2PM that afternoon.  I wondered if it was having a hard time keeping up and went to check the thermostat.  It was 87* in the house and rising and 97* outside and cooling.  We normally keep the thermostat at 80* as we are stingy and I consider A/C a necessary evil to control humidity levels.  I don't like the shock of hot to cold when coming in from outside.  I have been known to put a blanket on while sitting under the fan.

We decided to check the attic for leaks in the duct work since the air coming out of the vents didn't seem to be very cold. Quite a few spots were found where the ducts hadn't be sealed but clamped with plastic ties.  We finally got a chance to use duct tape for ducts!  I was hoping that would had solved the problem, but it didn't.

The next morning I KNEW something was wrong when it had only cooled from 87* to 85* inside and it was in the low 70's outside.  We turned off the A/C, cracked the windows and turned the attic fan on.  We got it down to about 78* inside before we had to close up the house again.  It was comfortable, but sticky already and it was only going to get hotter.   Thinking repairing the A/C was going to be expensive and a long wait getting anyone to come out during a heat wave, I started researching window units.

After my head started spinning, I called a friend to pick her brain.  She used a window unit in combination with her attic fan to keep her much larger house less than insanely hot.  She had just picked up a second window unit that day for her bedroom.  We chatted for a while, then she gave me the number of a fellow who did repair work.  If he wasn't retired, that is.  I gave him a call, left a message and waited.

He came over at 9:30 that same night, opened up the small side panel and said it was the capacitor almost instantly.  He went searching through his truck for a replacement, but had used his last one of that particular model.  He went back home and came back with a replacement about 45 minutes later.  It was a used one and got the A/C working for about 2 minutes before that capacitor blew.  He got the fins straighten out while he was there as best he could with a little brush.

He came back with a new capacitor the next afternoon (he had another job already scheduled for that  morning and he had to refill his stock, including my part) and he replaced it and nothing happened.
Panic!
I went inside to check the thermostat, it was set too high and wasn't triggered.  I reset it low and waited.  Wooomph!  The blower turned on and the air turn COLD coming out of the vent.  Woohoo!

Internal explosion causing top to bulge in capacitor

We learned:

• How to identify a blown capacitor - a new capacitor has a flat top, it visually expands when it dies....that's how he was able to identify it so fast.

• How to maintain my unit so it lasts a long time and runs as efficiently as possible - keep the fins CLEAN, turn unit off and hose down at least once/year.  I live on a dirt road, so more often wouldn't hurt.  Keep brush and weeds clear, air flow is crucial for life and cost efficiency of unit.  Protect from hail/ice damage, if possible.

• We won't have to replace it for a very long time - it's a 96 unit and the compressor has already been replaced once.  Power outages are hard on the capacitor, but not much you can do about those.  He said he has a customer with a unit over 25 years old that is still going.  

• We are blessed to have good friends and neighbors - not many people would come out after dark - twice and again the next day - and charge less than the cost of a cheapo window unit.

Homestead Barn Hop 
Simple Lives Thursday

Thai (ish) Tea and Iced Coffee

Thai Tea with Star Anise and Fresh Cream

• Fill a tall glass with already chilled sweet sun tea 1/2 to 2/3 full. 

• Add an extra 1-2 TBS of cane sugar (Sucanat adds a nice depth of flavor), if needed*, and stir vigorously

• Add milk and extra cream off top of jar of fresh milk 

If you aim for the side of the glass, the natural displacement will blend the ingredients and it will be ready to drink immediately.

Traditional Thai Tea is made from sweetened and condensed milk and sometimes food coloring is added when served in American restaurants.  I prefer not to cook my milk and get the "thickness" from the cream.  If you were making a fresh batch of tea strictly for this purpose, you could make it more concentrated and add spices like star anise or cardamom and serve over ice. Just add the whole pod to the beginning of the brew. See this link here: How to make Thai Tea

For Iced Coffee, the steps are identical.

I make a large batch of coffee when I brew it. Any leftovers are refrigerated immediately eventually.  I don't like my coffee as sweet as other family members, otherwise I would probably sweeten the leftovers before chilling.  The next morning, I fill a mug halfway with cold coffee, add the sugar, then fill with cream/milk.  When the coffee runs out, we repeat the process.

If I were making a fresh batch just for iced coffee, I would make it stronger so it could be served over ice without tasting watery.

If you want to add gelatin, pour a serving size amount into a wide, shallow pan and sprinkle with .5-1 TBS of gelatin.  Heat until just dissolved (doesn't have to get really hot), remove from burner and let sit to cool a touch. Pour into glass, add milk down the side  to mix and enjoy. 

*Depends on how sweet you make your sweet tea initially.

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Fresh Food Friday

Fa Fa's Mom's Spaghetti - A tribute

I have a dear friend who I have known since we were in diapers together. We spent a lot of time together in each other's homes, playing, laughing, fighting, getting into trouble.  Fa Fa was a nickname given to her by a pesky friend of the family.  I had one too, but I'm not tellin'.  For some reason, we thought it was hilarious to call each by these names as we got older....YEARS of entertainment.

Fa Fa's mom was a petite woman with a quiet, yet spunky demeanor and a BIG voice.  She was a beautiful singer and her voice could sing a song like a bear hug or stop you dead in your tracks. (Remember the getting in trouble part?)  Fa Fa was taller than her Mom in 4th grade or so, I think I passed her in height a year or so later.  She was still short even when wearing platform heels.  They suited her though.

She made the BEST spaghetti, I LOVED it!  I never could figure out how she made it though......until I came across this post during a "follow the rabbit trail" session from blog link to blog link. Oh wow....could it be...the missing, "secret" ingredient that had eluded me all these years....it was too simple.....

KETCHUP!   But of course, cheap, easy and beloved by kids with picky and overly bland taste buds.

So here is my version as best as I can replicate it from the depths of my memory:

Ingredients
Spaghetti pasta (Lundburg makes a nice Rice Pasta if you want to avoid gluten)

• Cook according to directions, then let sit in water at least a few minute longer...kids prefer soft or even borderline soggy pasta.

Sauce:
3/4-1 cup ketchup (Real cane sugar sweetened only...this is pre HFCS days)
Sugar/Cream of tartar to taste (kid's meal, the sweeter the better)
4 TBS unflavored beef gelatin (not likely to part of HER original recipe, but it works for good quality protein)
Sea Salt to taste ( I used approx 1 TBS)
Freshly grated dry cheese to taste (I used Asiago because that is what I had, but she probably used Parmesan.)

• Melt the above together until gelatin and cheese are completely dissolved
• Drain pasta completely

2 TBS butter (Enough to cover pasta to keep from sticking together, not much more)

• Mix sauce and pasta together and let sit until just above room temperature. (I don't remember ever having to blow on my serving of spaghetti to cool it down, it was always just right.)
• Add extra cheese as desired to individual servings.

I was going to add some leftover bacon to jazz it up, but decided against it this time.

Plain and simple, just right.

Full Plate Thursday
Friday Food 
Friday Potluck

Stoveless Sweet Tea (Fresh Brewed SunTea)

Supplies Needed

Sun Tea after an hour or so outside

• Sunny porch railing, picnic table etc for letting tea set safely for a spell.

• Large glass jar

• Cover to keep bugs out (lid, cloth and rubber band, plate that fits just right) that the cat won't knock over.

• 2nd lidded glass jar or pitcher for holding finished tea

• Black Tea of choice (loose or bagged)

• Cane sugar (Rapadura, Sucanat, C&H, evaporated cane juice, whatever)

• Cream of Tartar (adds lemony taste and potassium)

• Baking Soda, optional (just picked this tip up recently here, cuts the tannin taste)

• Strainer (if using loose tea)

• Funnel (if 2nd jar has a narrow top)
• Lots of ice!

Finished...brew time 1/2 day

Fill jar number one with desired amount of tea.  I like 1 1/2 TBS loose leaf per half gallon.  Add water, leave some extra room if you prefer a high sugar to tea ratio, otherwise fill to top if your 2 jars are similar in size.  Let sit for half a day or overnight.

When it looks like the right color for you, add sugar to 2nd jar using a funnel, if necessary, and pour finished tea, straining as you go...unless tea bags were used.  The displacement of water by the tea leaves should leave room enough for displacement of water by the sugar.  Cap tightly and shake vigorously or turn upside down a few times to dissolve sugar.  It won't take long as the water will be warm from the outside heat.  Add baking soda and cream of tartar to the main jar or the individual glasses. Add ICE to glasses, pour and enjoy.

If you actually have leftover tea, it should keep for a day or so.  Fresh brewed is best though, so start your next batch accordingly.

The Classic Cheese Sandwich updated

A cheese sandwich is kind of boring...yet is so satisfying.  I became hooked on them on my first real babysitting job (non sibling and good money) many, many.....many years ago.  It has been very hot lately and cooking  is as appealing as teeth pulling right now.  Nourishing foods that can go directly from fridge to plate are coveted. (We made an exception for one of the optional ingredients initially, but it became a fridge item soon after cooking.)

Old Version as taught to me by the kids I was in charge of:
2 slices of bread
Mayo on BOTH slices
Mild Orange Cheddar Cheese slices to cover bread
Cut in half, NOT diagonal (these things matter, you know.)

New Version as dictated by an adult palate
2 slices of bread
slathering of mayo on one slice
slathering of mustard on the other (optional, may use mayo for both)
sprinkle of cream of tartar
sprinkle of cane sugar (optional, depends on the mayo used)
sprinkle of sea salt
Raw, white, sharp cheddar  to cover bread

Opened face cheese sandwich with bacon and nectarine

Optional ingredients:
baked bacon strips
tomato or cucumber
bread and butter pickles or dill slices
fruit of choice
salted or pickled beet slices

I used Brunkow raw milk "Aged cheddar" in a 5 pound block which makes for square slices that fit perfectly on the bread.

The mayo was Hain's Safflower Mayo (no soy or HFCS) instead of homemade because I needed to use it up.  Once it's gone, it's gone.

The mustard was Gulden's spicy brown mustard.  I grew up with Gulden's and now a days, it's one of the only ones I can find that hasn't been watered down.  Seriously...even "gourmet" mustards are now sporting water as one of the top 3 ingredients.

Bread was a sourdough spelt from Berlin Natural bakery....just spelt, water and sea salt.  I don't make my own bread....not for one loaf a year.

The bacon is homegrown and baked in a  350* oven on a broiler pan for 25 minutes, not preheated. I used the oven instead of frying because I think that helps make flatter bacon and we don't need the extra fat in the summer.  We will save it to flavor a cool weather dish someday.

I used a nectarine for mine because it needed using and made an open faced sandwich because I only had one piece of bread left.  The sandwiches were more popular than expected...not a bad problem to have.

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Nectarine Spritzer

I picked up some wonderfully smelly (in a good way) nectarines recently.  I was blog hopping and came across this recipe for fruity spritzer:  http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/2011/07/fruity-spritzer  It sounded wonderful, but no peach nectar here.

So I cut up a nectarine and plopped in in the food processor, added some cane sugar and cream of tartar and some sea salt.  I turned it on and added orange juice to my desired thickness and added a glug of aloe vera, just because.  I split a can of club soda between the glasses and poured the blend on top at the side of the glass.  This makes the two liquid turn over each other and blending better than if poured in the middle.  I couldn't find any strawberries in the upstairs freezer, so I grabbed a baggie of homegrown wild gooseberries for "ice cubes".  Yum!  They only thing I would change is maybe add a squeeze of lemon for a little more tart.

Nectarine Spritzer
Nectarine
Orange Juice (not from concentrate)
Cane sugar/C of T  
Sea Salt
Club soda or Seltzer water
Frozen fruit for chilling
Fresh Squeezed Lemon or Lime (optional)

Percolated Coffee...sort of

I was "in town" the other day and scored this oldie but goodie at the local flea market.  It was in excellent condition, was priced right and had all the parts...or so I thought.  It turns out, the inner filter/basket lid was missing.  I learned why shortly AFTER I bought it.  It was part of a recall and the inner lids were turned in to make them "unusable". 

Did that stop me? Nope.

Did you know that a wide mouth mason jar lid is slightly too large to fit inside the basket and the cut off tin from a can of pineapple is slightly too small?  I thought, perhaps, something lightweight, but porous, might work to allow water through and keep the grounds down.

I went ahead a tried a batch.  I filled with cold water to the 10 cup mark inside the pot, inserted the "parts", added the grounds and sea salt and topped it with my attempt at grind control and the lid.

I set the stove on slightly above medium, trying to simulate the kind of heat my wood stove would put out.  Nothing like a cup of coffee to warm the bones in the dead of winter during a power outage, eh?  It took about 20 minutes to come to temperature...or start spurting water out the middle thingy.  It turned coffee colored fairly quickly.  It started getting a little violent in there, but smelling lovely, so I turned it off completely and just let it sit on the burner.  It spewed for about 5 more minutes before it settled down.  It was too hot to touch any part of it, but the handle for a while.  Eventually, I was able to use a pot holder to turn the clear knob on top to remove the lid.

A milk filter with a hole cut in the center did nothing to keep the grounds from bubbling over the edge of the basket.

I found a screened ladle, removed the filter basket apparatus by the middle thingy, set it aside and poured a cup.  There were 4 or 5 grains of coffee screened out.  I added my sugar and gelatin and STIRRED briskly.  I wanted to make sure the gelatin was dissolved and help release some heat.  (I have a feeling this batch was significantly hotter than with a drip machine as there was zero evidence of gelatin being added.  Usually, there's at least a little stuck to the spoon.)  I added the cream when I thought it was sufficiently cooled, so it wouldn't curdle the cream...... and I was tired of waiting.

Verdict:  It's a keeper!  It tastes the same, if not better, should work during an outage....AND I may figure out a simple solution to the spewed grounds problem.  The only real drawback is it may fall apart without notice.

I'll make it a point to bring the cup to the pot instead of the other way around, I guess.

Simple Lives Thursday

Mom's Red Sauce

Heat tall sauce pan or small stock pot to medium heat
Add:
1 pound homegrown ground beef or pork or both.
(I guess that would make 2 lbs then)

Coconut oil
(keeps it from sticking to the bottom of the pan while you try to cook the still frozen meat you forgot to defrost ahead of time)

4 fingered pinch of salt

When the meat is browned and looks at least 90% cooked, Add:

A large can of tomato puree (fewest additives) or diced tomatoes or tomato what ever variety you prefer or 2 small cans.

A handful of dried basil
a few dashes of red pepper flakes (optional)

4-8 TBS Unflavored Beef gelatin
(use more if you use more meat)

Balsamic Vinegar (optional)
Cane Sugar/Brown Sugar/Molasses/Cream of Tartar (optional)

Salt to taste

Serve a large glop over a fist size amount of pasta
(We like Mrs Leeper's Rice ribbon noodles, but haven't found it again)

Keeps well in the fridge for leftovers.  The gelatin will be firm when cool, so just slice off what you need for the next meal and reheat.

Fight Back Friday 
Simply Delish

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

Watermelon and Cucumber Salad

1/2 cup vinegar (I used rice)
1/4 cup unflavored beef gelatin
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/4 cup cream of tartar
1-2 TBS Salt

1-2 sliced jalapeño peppers(optional)

4 cucumbers, sliced and deseeded
1/2 seeded watermelon, cubed and deseeded



Dissolve the dry ingredients into the vinegar in the order listed and  add sliced peppers while heating. Stir and remove from heat when combined.  Let cool while the cucumbers are prepared.

I used organic cukes, so didn't bother peeling, just washed and wiped.  I used the end of my knife to reduce the number of seeds....but wasn't overly careful about it, as it shows in the picture.  I salted and stirred the cukes, then let sit while I prepared the watermelon.

I prefer the taste of seeded watermelon.  I think the taste is consistently superior to seedless watermelon...but use what is available.  I sliced with a sharp knife in a criss cross pattern, then loosened the cubes by slicing horizontally.  I held the watermelon over a separate bowl and they just popped out.

Drizzle sauce over cucumbers and stir.  Make sure it's mixed in thoroughly to avoid clumping of the gelatin.  Add watermelon and toss gently.  Serve immediately.  This recipe makes a potluck size amount of salad and is deceptively filling do to the addition of gelatin.  It would work as a light supper all by itself on a hot summer night.  I don't think it is a "keeper" type salad, I would recommend reducing the recipe for a small family supper or side dish.

Here's the original recipe: Watermelon-Cucumber Salad
I ended up doubling the sauce because it didn't seem to be enough...maybe my cucumbers were larger?  I used whole peppers and rice vinegar because I had them on hand and left out the onions because I didn't have any.  I added the gelatin...well, because I try to sneak it in where ever I can.

Lemon juice would probably substitute very well in this recipe.

P.S. I actually did end up with leftovers.  It tastes wonderful still...but the cucumbers are limp and tired looking.

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Calling All Salads

Piggies...for fun and food

Pan Fried Ham Steak (the ham bone is smaller than my thumb)

 Our motivation for getting pigs was for good, clean meat.  Our motivation for continuing to keep pigs is for entertainment....with food as an added bonus.   The remaining boys are going to their appointment tomorrow.  We will lure them into the truck this evening and head out early in the AM.  We will miss their antics...but we will be needing the buck pens for the bucks in about 2 weeks.

We ate the above pictured ham for breakfast with some sweet and sour gelatin sauce over rice.  I just cooked it quick over medium heat in a little coconut oil.  

Taking a bath

The runt

"Ham"....every part of his body jiggles

Side by side view shows the size difference

Hunk of Meat Monday
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