Portobello Mushrooms with a Mushroom Garlic Gravy

At the first of the week our local grocer discounts produce that has just simply not sold, such as over ripe bananas, veggie/fruit dips, and overstock produce. One of our favorite buys is the overstock mushrooms, so now the fridge has a beautiful pack of large sliced portobello mushrooms and a big imagination plus a stocked fridge. So why not veggies covered in a gravy, yum! The lemon juice used to saute the mushrooms adds a nice acidity to balance the rich butterness of the gravy, extra yum!

Portobello Mushrooms with a Mushroom Garlic Gravy
1 Package of Sliced Mushrooms, preferably portobellos
2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice
Butter or fat drippings
1 Tablespoons Minced Garlic, I used a pre-minced refrigerated tube version
Milk
Flour
Salt

1. Saute the mushrooms in about 1 tablespoon of butter or drippings, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Saute on medium-high until browned yet still firm. Drain mushrooms on a napkin and set aside.

2. In pan add a little extra butter, about 1 table spoon more to the leftover browned bits. Add the rest of the garlic and about 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. Whisk until fully incorporated and all lumps of flour are broken down. Add about 1 cup of milk and continue to whisk until the gravy comes to a boil. Add salt as desired, about 1/2 teaspoon. Boil until the gravy is to desired thickness adding milk for a thinner viscosity. Allow the gravy to cool slightly and it will continue to thicken.

3. Serve gravy over drained mushrooms for a savory meat free dish.

Part of the Homestead Barn Hop

Farm Girl Friday

Lil' Suburban Homestead

Apple Butter & Brown Sugar Grilled Sweet Potato Rounds

This time of year root vegetables are in season; root vegetables include sweet potatoes, taro, beets, turnips, potatoes, yams, and then some. Root vegetables are just that, roots. Some varities of root vegetables greenery that grows above the ground is also edible, yet in some cases it is not. It is important to find out what parts are edible when you grow fruits and vegetables yourself. The following recipe is a delicious way to beat the winter blues with a grill and spurts of orange: orange is also considered the color for 2012 so this dish is also stylish.

Grilled Apple Butter & Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Rounds

Makes 2 Servings

1 Large Georgia Grown Sweet Potato

1/4 Cup Apple Butter

1/4 Brown Sugar

1. Slice potato into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Boil slices in salted water (1 pich of salt added to water) on high until the potatoes give slightly to being pinched, approximatley 10-12 minutes.

2. Pre-heat grill on medium-high heat.


3.  Make a glaze: mix apple butter with brown sugar. Glaze potaoes once before placing on grill of cooking in the oven(350 degrees Farienheight, until tender.) Place glazed slices on grill and cook until the glaze begins to bubble, flip slices and re-glaze.

4. When the oposite sides glaze begins to buble flip the slice once more and re-glaze. Turn when grill marks are evident and the potaoes begin to soften.

5. When the slices are cooked to your preferred consistency you can enjoy b(eating) the winter blue away.

Sweet potaoes served as a side with Vidalia chicken, recipe at link.

Shared with Verde Farms Farm Friend Friday & The Barn Hop at Homestead Revival

How to Divide & Pot Calla Lilies & Other Rhizome Plants

Rhizomes are plant bulbs that are flat in shape and very bulbous in size, a typical example of a rhizome is ginger. Ginger is the bulb of a tropical plant, mainly found in Hawaii, Asia, and the Philapens. Plants that you may know that have rhizome bulbs may include Irises and Calla Lilies. Rhizome, like other bulb forms, are perennial bases for plants, so they come back each spring or summer.

You walk outside and find this, a weedy mess. There is also a few plants emerging that must not be cut down: Calla lilies. Here is a tutorial on divide and pot rhizome based plants.

1. Dig a wide base around the plant so not to damage the rhizome and delicate roots.

2. Remove non-desired plant debris including the roots of said debris. Do this gently.

3. After cleaning and sprucing the plant remove inspect the roots for any infestation of bugs or root.

3. Remove the secondary plants that have budded from the parent plant, make sure it has its own rhizome and roots intact.

4. Choose a pot to plant secondary plants that are large enough to retain water and have no need transplant the plant any time soon. Fill to the top with light airy potting soil.

5. Dig a deep hole into the soil that can support the plant base

 and wide enough to allow room for the roots.

6. Some roots may be very long, gently coil the around the base loosely.

7. Gently press the soil down firmly and position the plant as straight and natural as possible. Water thoroughly to settle the dirt and eliminate any air pockets.

8. Replant the parent plant add new mulch and water very generously until the plant is reestablished in the soil.

9. Within a month or so you'll have extra pretty plants like these to give away to friends.

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Homestead Barn Hop hosted by

Homestead Revival, The Prairie Homestead, New Life on a Homestead, & A Blossoming Homestead.

and

Farm Friday/Girl Friday at

Verde Farm & Dandelion House

Clean and Fresh Spring

Spring has a sense of freshness, a sense of renewing. This is the time of year people clean their homes, exchange their wardrobes for dukes and t-shirts, and celebrate a new warmth of the Earth. God renews the world with the use of Spring, its crisp and vibrant feel. Spring reminds you that you are alive and that you are here for a purpose.

I have a few pots of Iris that have been in their pots for a few years, this is the first and only pot to bloom in nearly three years.

I would love to be a honey bee, the chance to smell these sweet flowers all day long would be wonderful; but, the whole living for one year is not the greatest thought though.

Do you happen to know hat this bush is? I have researched and pondered its species. It grows to over 10 feet tall and the blossoms have four white petals. Please leave your thoughts in the ramblings below.

The Sequoia strawberries are looking cute, even for an unripe berry.

The field ferns are emerging along the shaded parts of the field and around the house.

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Somethings Just Go On

I planned for weeks to go on a trip to the 83rd Georgia State FFA Convention held in Macon, Georgia. I had not planned on worrying about my family and celebrating a death. I am from Catoosa County, Georgia; the town that declared a state of emergency after a tornado went through I-75 and the heart of the town. The majority of my family lives in Ringgold and I left for Macon Thursday crying in fear. I received the all's okay call Friday evening when partial cell service returned to the area, everyone is okay and spared by God's graces.

You probably never heard of celebrating a death, but our country was thrust into a war when I was really young. I haven't known an America free from war, maybe soon I will. Osama bin Laden was killed by a American troops in a mansion in Pakistan a few hours ago; I celebrate within because of the hope that the world may feel some peace. God bless those who lost loved ones because of hatred.

Now onto happier news: FFA State Convention.

For three days I watched and walked on this stage, as members received rewards for their achievements this past year. I have been a proud FFA member for 5 years and an alumni member for one. The FFA has helped mold and bring out what I could only dream of.

I never thought I would wear blue corduroy again, I did this past weekend. The FFA official dress displays this proud emblem on the back, each component standing for something good.

Cross section of corn stands for unity. The plow for hard work. The owl for the wisdom of our advisors and leaders. Rising sun for honour. Eagle for America. The component go on, this emblem will continue to be strong.

I did receive a state proficiency plack and I was stoked to receive it.

This is the first view I had of the destruction caused by the tornados. This was taken in near Forsyth, Georgia. The tornado nearly wiped out a one mile section of forest along both sides of I-75.

Below is a video of the damage, sorry for the speed we were going about 70 mph.

God showed his power and that he is still in control this past week . I hope that you may be kept safe and within the embrace of God.

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An Unseen Artist

After celebrating a wonderful Easter I begin to think of what God has created. Can you imagine how he designed every little thing to work together and to sustain our lives? Imagine the artwork in it all? And what artwork it is.

As I wait until May 8, the day we plant corn,beans and everything else that goes in the garden, I get anxious. I am anxious to see a harvest, to do something. It is hard to imagine that a month ago there was a foot of snow, now foot high grass. God is an artist and shows his best work in the Spring.

Pine continues to grow in the Spring, the little pine cones and future needles are a beautiful contrast to the green needles.

Sustenance, life gives way to death to provide life to others. God designed life to be that way. Young birds are lucky to survive their first flight without a predator attack, little tufts out feathers show that life come full circle.

Spiderwort is beginning to emerge from the flower beds. It is hard to walk through the mountains and not notice their little purple flowers in clusters. Did you know that Wandering Jews are related to this wild plant known as Spiderwort.

Isn't it amazing how plants grow from the tips outward with little buds that hold the new leaves.

There are so many Dogwood blossoms, they are hard to see.

If you still don't believe in God being an artist, look at the sunrises and sunsets; they make you believe.

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Southern Sweets: Georgia Cornbread Cake

There is always one dessert that shows up around my great aunts house during a celebration or chance of sweet tooth: Georgia Cornbread Cake. We all call it Cornbread Cake, but if you look the recipe up for that you find a whole different recipe. It is kind of redundant when you call something Georgia when you live in Georgia. The product is crisp on the top and creamy and semi-gooey, nuts add a bit of texture to the cake. The cake is not really a cake, it is dense like a brownie or blondie. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as our family has.

Georgia Cornbread Cake:

1 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 Cup White Sugar

1 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar

1 Cup Chopped Nuts, Pecan preferably

1 Cup Oil

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

3 Large Eggs

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Grease a 9"X13" cake pan with oil. Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan and wad a paper towel and use it as a brush to coat the entire inside of the pan.

3. Sift your flour, to add lightness and remove clumps of flour, into a small bowl. Remeasure sifted flour to account for one cup of flour. Add to a mixing bowl.

4.  Add packed brown sugar to flour in the mixing bowl. Before adding the white sugar you should check for clumps, you may easily sift the sugar. Add sugar to the  flower-brown sugar mixture.

 5. Add eggs, oil, vanilla, and nuts to flour mixture.

 6. Mix everything together until completely blended. I recommend doing this with a spoon, not any electric mixers. The batter is very sticky and a spoon is easier to clean.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan in a centralized as possible in your oven.

7. Allow to bake for 20 minutes, then check for stiffness; pat the top, if it wiggles it is still undercooked: cook 5 more minutes. It should take approximately 25-27 minutes to bake. Please check often after twenty minutes; because, ovens bake at different times.

8. Remove when done and allow the cake to cool before serving.

9. When cool, cut into sections like you would a brownie: approximately 3"X3" squares.

10. The best step of all, serve warm with milk. Leftovers taste good also, warm or cool.