Egg Shells and Tomatoes

After our below freezing weather last weekend, I was finally able to get my tomato plants in the ground! They spent the weekend in the garden shed under a heat lamp but now they're basking in the sunshine in my garden.

A tip for more productive tomato plants is putting a little something extra in the bottom of the hole before you put your tomato plant in.....the something extra being epsom salt and egg shells!

Simply pour about a tablespoon of epsom salt in your hand and sprinkle in the bottom of the hole. 

Next, crush an egg shell and add to the bottom of the hole.

Then plant your tomato plant on top of the epsom salt and crushed egg shells! Built in fertilizer!!

Personally,  I prefer using heirloom tomato plants over hybrid tomato plants.  Hybrids are created by crossing two selected varieties. Sometimes this can result in a vigorous plant that will yield more than heirlooms. However, heirlooms are old-time varieties, open-pollinated, and the seeds are saved and handed down. Heirloom vegetables have diverse colors, more flavor, and rich nutrition. A lot of the breeding programs for modern hybrids have sacrificed taste and nutrition. If you're going to all the trouble of growing your own garden, who wants to sacrifice taste and nutrition?

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Healthy Zucchini Muffins

As planting time in the garden rolls around, I am realizing that I still have a TON of zucchini squash in the freezer. Some we sliced and froze, but most we grated and froze with the intention of using it for breads and muffins.
This is a super easy, plus super healthy recipe!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/3 cut extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (I use maple syrup)
2 eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini (if your grated zucchini is very wet, drain it to remove the moisture)
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour (I use spray Pam with flour) a 12 cup muffin pan.
Once the oven has finished preheating, toast your walnuts for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring halfway.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil and maple syrup (or honey) and whisk until well combined.

Add the eggs and beat well.

Next, add the buttermilk, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla extract and whisk to blend.

Switch from a whisk to a spoon and stir in the grated (and drained) zucchini

and stir in the wheat flour.

Last, fold in your toasted walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. 

Remove muffins from the muffin tin and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Muffins may be stored, covered,  at room temperature for two days or in the refrigerator for four days. These muffins also freeze very well.

Saving Matilda

Recently, while my husband was working out of state for two weeks, we had 18 first-calf heifers that were starting to calve....quite stressful, to say the least! However, we have 9 healthy babies on the ground so far!
I did have one particular momma who decided she wanted nothing to do with her new heifer calf, no matter what.
I watched, for several days, as this baby went to the other mommas in order to nurse. She was getting enough milk (along with the first colostrum) to survive, but certainly not thrive.
She's shown here, at the back of another momma, trying to nurse, while her own momma, #33 ignores her.

After several days of watching her own momma kick her and walk away from her, and watching other mommas knock her away, along with seeing her shiver in the cold, I knew I had to intervene. 

This little baby certainly had a lot of determination and a strong will to live. I was able to catch her and give her a supplemental bottle, which she took to instantly. She was hungry!

I then moved her to the big barn, gave her fresh water, a bed of straw and a heat lamp. For the first time in her life, she was full and warm and content.

Lots of people gave me lots of advice. Some was wonderful and helpful, some was very well meaning, but just not feasible for me to do by myself (like putting the momma in the chute and tying one of her legs up so that the baby could nurse.)

So this sweet little baby calf, now named Matilda, is a bottle-fed baby. She's adorable and full of spunk and personality! I'm thankful that I intervened and saved Matilda!

Easy Creamy Chicken Spaghetti

This is a super fast, super simple, super delicious recipe!

Here's what you'll need:

1 stick of butter
1 yellow onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 can of Rotel
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 chicken breasts
1 small package of spaghetti
1 small box of Velveeta

First, season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper and bake in a 400 degree oven until they are done.

Next, melt your stick of butter and saute the onion and bell pepper.

Add the Rotel and soups to the pan.

Mix well and put your spaghetti noodles on to boil.

Meanwhile, cube the block of Velveeta cheese and add a little at time to the soup / Rotel mixture. Stirring after each addition until completely melted. 

Drain your spaghetti and chop the chicken breasts (or you can shred them, your preference).

Then stir it all together.

I poured mine into foil pans to cover and freeze. If you like, you can top with a little grated cheese and melt it in the oven. 

Enjoy!

Homemade Vegetable Broth

I've made lots of chicken and beef broth, but this was my first attempt at vegetable broth. It was super simple and, it's quite tasty too!
I used an acorn squash, a leek, carrots, celery, parsnips, garlic cloves, an onion, whole peppercorns, salt, dried thyme, oregano, basil, cilantro, parsley and bay leaves.  (I did not use potatoes or corn. Starchy vegetables can make your broth cloudy.)

I washed all my vegetables but peeling isn't necessary. I cut them into chunks, placed them in my crock pot along with the seasonings and then filled the crockpot with water.

Next, turn the crockpot on on low and let the vegetables cook for 10 to 12 hours. I cooked mine overnight. Next, you'll need to strain the delicious broth. I strained mine into a large pitcher and then let it cool in the refrigerator. 

Once the vegetable broth had cooled, I poured it into jars (be sure to leave headspace to allow for expansion. The jars are labeled with a fill line). I also poured some into an ice cube tray (frozen broth cubes are very handy to have around). I immediately put the cubes in the freezer. I put the jars in the fridge overnight, then put them in the freezer. Cool jars are less likely to crack in the freezer. 

Now, I'm on the lookout for some tasty recipes using vegetable broth!

Favorite Reading Material

Well, I can't believe it's been about 6 months since I've blogged. Between a broken arm, physical therapy, hunting season, the holidays, etc......I have seriously neglected my blog.
But, I do want to share with you (and, hopefully, I'll continue to share a lot more....)
my new favorite book and magazine! Not that there's a lot of downtime for reading on the farm, but when there is, oh my, how I love to read.
I was given Eva Shockey's new book, Taking Aim, for Christmas. It is a "must read". Even if you're not a hunter and never plan to be a hunter.....it gives you a great perspective on life.
http://evashockey.com/
My new favorite magazine is The Farmhouse Movement, which is more about simplifying and getting back to basics than actually living in a farmhouse.
https://farmhousemovement.com/product/the-farmhouse-movement-subscription/
I think you'll love them both!!