Farmgirl Fare

Wordless Wednesday Dose of Cute: Pupsicle

2012-01-25T13:47:00.001-06:00

More Wordless cute? Here.

More beagle Bert? Here.

Recipe: Sunburst Carrot Soup with Fresh Ginger, Orange, and Carrot Juice

2012-01-24T14:42:00.004-06:00

Could you use a piping hot bowl of healthy winter sunshine? (recipe here)

This cheerful, low fat soup is packed with carrots and bursting with antioxidants and flavor. It also freezes beautifully. The flavor and color from the fresh carrot juice stirred in at the end add a wonderful brightness (we love our powerful little $49 Waring juicer!), but the soup tastes great even without it.

Adapt my easy recipe to suit your taste: try more fresh ginger, more orange zest, maybe extra garlic—or leave any of them out. A little ground cumin is a very nice addition. However you serve it up, cold and flu season won't stand a chance.

Can't survive on soup alone? You'll find links to all my sweet and savory Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes in the Farmgirl Fare Recipe Index.

Monday Dose of Cute: What the. . .

2012-01-23T14:13:00.000-06:00

Oh my.

More photos below. . .

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Sunday Dose of Cute: Another Sheep Working Sunday

2012-01-22T18:17:00.001-06:00

All lined up and ready to be drenched.

After almost a year, we're still being really good about keeping to our new Sunday sheep working schedule, which is a source of both pride and constant amazement to us both, considering how discombobulated our days on the farm always seem to be, and how much trouble we have keeping to any kind of agenda.

More below. . .

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Saturday Dose of Cute: About Those New Year's Resolutions (and Micro Actions)

2012-01-21T12:46:00.002-06:00

Our New Year's goals? That's easy—get more treats.

Did you make any New Year's Resolutions for 2012? I didn't actually write any down (mistake number one), but I did create the usual sprawling mental list: spend more time on my kitchen garden blog, post all those backlogged recipes on Farmgirl Fare, expand the raised bed garden by about 300%, plant a bunch of raspberry canes and fruit trees, declutter my entire life, organize my entire life, get back in better shape, and lose 15 pounds (okay, 20). Oh yeah, and work on that book proposal my very patient agent has been wondering about.

Overwhelmed? Me too.

Then the other day my publishing network, BlogHer, emailed to let me know that, as one of their Life Well Lived panel members, they wanted me to write a blog post featuring this Getting Organized question:

How do you keep/maintain your New Year's Resolutions?

My mind went totally blank.

Fortunately over at Life Well Lived, Alicia has come up with 5 Easy Ways To Keep Your New Year's Resolutions. My favorite? Limit the number of resolutions you make to no more than three.

More below. . .

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Friday Dose of Cute: Looking for the Weekend

2012-01-20T16:21:00.000-06:00

(and snacks)

Have a fun one!

Wordless Wednesday Dose of Cute: On the Trail

2012-01-18T16:21:00.000-06:00

More Wordless cute? Here.

More Dolores? Here.

More beagle Bert? Here.

Monday Dose of Cute: Beagle Break (and The Whole Picture)

2012-01-16T20:01:00.001-06:00

More photos below. . .

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Sunday Dose of Cute: Farmgirl Fare on Facebook, Easier than Ever

2012-01-15T14:05:00.000-06:00

Don't you like us?

Thanks so much for all your Facebook support! The Farmgirl Fare Facebook page has nearly 3,000 fans and is growing daily. I share links to each new Farmgirl Fare and In My Kitchen Garden post on our Facebook page, so it's a great way to keep up with everything that's happening on the farm.

And now it's easier than ever to find Farmgirl Fare on Facebook: just go to http://facebook.com/farmgirlfare.

See you there!

More Crazy Daisy? Here and here and here.

More Marta Beast? Here and here.

© FarmgirlFare.com, where today is Marta's birthday! I can't believe our goofy, awesome livestock guard dog is already four years old. It seems like just a few months ago this big bad beast was an adorable fluffy white pup—and I don't think she's been that white since. Our Marta could find a mud puddle in a desert—which just makes us love her that much more.

Saturday Farm Photo: Another Vintage Double Blanket

2012-01-14T18:44:00.003-06:00

There's nothing better for a new vintage treasure than drying in the fresh air.

Remember that vintage blanket mystery you helped me solve a while back? It turns out my snuggly score was a double blanket—and a few months ago I found another one.

It's not nearly as soft as that beautiful blue one (which I was thrilled to find for just $7) and it has some really worn spots and a few bleached out areas along the edge (it's been well loved!), but I couldn't resist the wonderful pattern and colors—and of course the fabulous size. It was a $26 splurge (I didn't really need another blanket) that I plan to enjoy for years.

Double blankets don't work very well on king size beds (too long one way, too short the other), but they sure are nice for cozying up on the couch, especially with someone you love. Let's hear it for the season of snuggling!

More vintage? Here.

More laundry line? Here.

More Mr. Midnight? Here.

Friday Dose of Cute: Snack Time!

2012-01-13T17:22:00.001-06:00

More photos below. . .

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Wednesday Farm Photo: Morning Light

2012-01-11T18:01:00.000-06:00

I love the muted colors of winter.

More hayfield photos? Here.

More sunrises and sunsets? Here.

More farm landscapes? Here.

© FarmgirlFare.com, where I spent the afternoon coming up with gratifying little outdoor tasks so I could sneak away from my indoor To Do list and enjoy the beautiful, warm (50s!) day instead—before cozying up for tonight's snowstorm and tomorrow night's predicted single digit temps. Digging chicken manure into kitchen garden beds and working on a compost pile in January? Yes, please.

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Cluck, Cluck, Cluck, Cluck. . .

2012-01-10T17:10:00.001-06:00

Peep.

Every few months one of our hens lays an itty bitty, yolkless egg. It's the darndest—and cutest—thing.

Love chickens? Get to know ours here.

Chickens and eggs that came before:

7/1/07: On Loving Lettuce and Eggs on Salad for Breakfast

4/20/08: Chick Days Are Here! (hatching photos)

11/11/08: Farm Fresh Eggs, They're What's for Breakfast

3/7/09: Cluck! Cluck! Cluck! Ouch.

10/25/09: Egg Layers, the Next Generation

12/16/10: Somebody's Laying Green Eggs

© FarmgirlFare.com, currently laying about three dozen beautiful eggs a week—and hoping that the next time somebody goes broody she'll hatch out some hens. Three of our four most recently born chicks turned out to be roosters—and two roosters around here is already plenty.

Sunday Dose of Cute: Equal Opportunity Treat Thief, Version Two

2012-01-08T18:05:00.001-06:00

(Click here to see version one)

More photos below. . .

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Saturday Dose of Cute: Pregos Looking for Treats

2012-01-07T16:21:00.001-06:00

Eating for two or three (or four!) really works up an appetite.

Life on the farm revolves around treats. Here's proof:

Treats Part One

Treats Part Two

Treats Part Three

© FarmgirlFare.com, the outnumbered foodie farm blog where everybody is always trying to convince us they're ~~hungry~~ on the verge of starvation, no matter what their size, shape, color, or species—and even if they just ate.

Recipe: Classic Meyer Lemon (or Regular Lemon) Scones

2012-01-06T16:41:00.001-06:00

These oversized scones are crunchy outside, moist & tender inside (recipe here).

Meyer lemons are in season! These beautiful fruits are mostly grown on backyard trees, but their rising popularity in recent years means they can often be found at farmers' markets in warm climates, as well as at natural foods stores and supermarkets around the country. Meyer lemons are sweeter, less acidic, and have thinner skins than regular lemons. They also have a wonderful floral scent—and make delicious scones.

This recipe is a variation of the traditional currant scones I used to sell at the little bakery cafe I had in my previous California life, back before I moved to the wilds of Missouri and became an enthusiastic but clueless farmgirl. They taste great plain, but you can fancy them up by adding currants or raisins and/or sprinkling coarse sugar on the tops. Butter, berry jam, and a proper pot of your favorite English tea are optional. I recommend serving them warm.

If you can't get your hands on any Meyer lemons, these scones—which freeze beautifully—are still very nice when made with regular old lemons instead.

Any sconeheads out there? You might also enjoy these:

Savory Feta Cheese and Scallion Scones (one of my most popular recipes, made with cream cheese instead of butter)

Cranberry Christmas Scones (tasty any time of year!)

Lazy Susan's Easy Whole Wheat Cream Scones with Currants and Oats

Can't survive on scones alone? You'll find links to all my sweet and savory Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes in the Farmgirl Fare Recipe Index.

Wednesday Dose of Cute: Bear on the Mole Patrol (and The Whole Picture)

2012-01-04T10:29:00.001-06:00

More photos below. . .

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Sunday Dose of Cute: Do Donkeys Get Hangovers?

2012-01-01T16:22:00.002-06:00

More photos below. . .

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Saturday Farm Photo: It's a Beautiful Day To. . .

2011-12-31T15:37:00.000-06:00

Breathe in the crisp winter air.

Hang laundry on a breezy line.

Bake Farmhouse White and roast sweet potatoes with apples & onions.

Snuggle seven lovable donkeys.

Munch on Napa cabbage broccoli slaw and giant chocolate chip cookies.

Be a pregnant sheep on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

Visualize all of the wonderful things that are possible in a brand new year.

Happy, happy, new, new!

Friday Dose of Cute: Marta Beast off Duty

2011-12-30T16:28:00.001-06:00

Wishing you a playful and relaxing New Year's weekend!

More Marta Beast? Here and here.

More farm dogs? Here.

Thursday Farm Photo: Light To Do Evening Chores By. . .

2011-12-29T18:10:00.000-06:00

I walked out the door and said, "Wow."

More sunrises and sunsets? Here.

More farm landscapes? Here.

Tuesday Dose of Cute: Holiday Recovery Mode

2011-12-27T13:58:00.000-06:00

Not to be confused with weekend recovery mode

I hope you're enjoying a comfortable, laid back week!

More Bert? Here.

More Bear? Here.

Sunday Dose of Cute: Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:36:00.000-06:00

Heading off to enjoy the holiday.

Happy, happy, merry, merry from all of us to you and yours!

Need a bigger dose of Christmas on the farm?

12/24/05: It's Over 100 Years Old but Should Work Just Fine

12/24/05: Christmas Eve Greetings from the Farm

12/25/05: Merry Christmas to You

12/24/06: There are So Many Ways to Show Someone You Love Them

12/25/06: Wishing You Life's Simply Joy's This Christmas

12/25/07: Today's Holiday Performance Schedule

12/20/08: An Early Christmas Gift

2/16/09: Looking for Santa?

12/25/09: Holiday Surprise in the Greenhouse

12/25/09: Christmas Dose of Cute—It's White!

12/8/10: Patiently Waiting for Santa

12/24/10: Tracking Down Some Christmas Spirit

12/25/10: It's Another White One!

12/24/11: Dear Santa

Christmas Eve Dose of Cute: Dear Santa

2011-12-24T14:21:00.000-06:00

We've been really good.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

More donkeys? Here.

More Christmas? Here.

Recipe: Shredded Raw Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pecorino Romano, Chives, and a Lemony Caper Dressing

2011-12-23T18:52:00.002-06:00

This healthy, festive salad—gussied up here with dried cranberries and garbanzo beans—is packed with antioxidants, beneficial ingredients, and flavor.

I once saw a magazine ad where a woman was saying something like, "Is it weird to have a daydream about salad dressing?" which at the time I did think was a little weird. But then one night I found myself telling my hunky farmguy Joe that I couldn't wait to go to sleep so I could wake up and have leftover brussels sprouts salad for breakfast.

Not being a brussels sprouts fan himself, this announcement was met with a worried look and probably an eye roll (it was dark), which was fine, because I wasn't planning on sharing my leftover salad with him anyway.

I love this salad even more than I love my Quick Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parmesan, and you know I love them a lot. I created it back in 2009 and have been devouring it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks ever since. My recipe notes from 4/15/09 say I mixed up that batch at midnight. You've been warned.

Raw brussels sprouts have a wonderful taste; it's as if the flavor from an entire regular size cabbage has been concentrated down into each little sprout. And of course they're extremely good for you. It's always nice to be crazy about something that's heavenly and healthy.

The brussels sprouts for this salad are quickly shredded in the food processor—thus rendering them unidentifiable by confirmed brussels sprouts haters—and the tangy dressing, which is whizzed up in the blender, can be made several days ahead. I usually make a double batch of dressing to keep on hand for tossing together last minute salads. Try it drizzled over arugula and cherry tomatoes or tossed with thinly sliced raw kale.

This would be a festive, last minute addition to your holiday table, but if one of your goals for 2012 is to up your intake of cruciferous vegetables, it would also be a delicious way to usher in the new year. Raw brussels sprouts at midnight, anyone?

Recipe below. . .

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