| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Tina Kay |
Posted - May 16 2014 : 1:28:59 PM
I just recived my book in the mail today! I am so excited! I slowly glanced through it and boy I know it won't disappoint.
The recipes are just wonderful. I am really excited about cheese making and the recipe for the The Pastora Wife's pie looks delish.
Now for a cup a tea and a soft cozy corner! |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Chives |
Posted - Aug 05 2014 : 6:42:03 PM
Its the best book ever. I don't have a cow yet, but I need one soon. |
| Cissik |
Posted - Aug 05 2014 : 4:02:58 PM
Thanks to this wonderful book, you got me making cheese now! Delish!
Sylvia
Kent, WA
Farm Girl #5389
http://vintagehousegoods.blogspot.com |
| auntjenny |
Posted - Aug 02 2014 : 6:48:31 PM
Got my copy yesterday and just loved it. My favorite of Maryjanes books and I love them all. |
| ceejay48 |
Posted - Jun 29 2014 : 11:19:06 AM
I just use my food processor to make butter . . works like a charm!!!
We made the Cauliflower Crust Pizza for supper last night . . . TASTY!!! We'll be doing that again and doing other things for toppings as well!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665.
2010 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
Mother Hen: FARMGIRLS SOUTHWEST HENHOUSE
my aprons - http://www.facebook.com/FarmFreshAprons
living life - www.snippetscja.blogspot.com
from my heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
from my hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Jun 29 2014 : 05:35:48 AM
Yesterday I took the buttermilk from my previous Sunday butter making adventure from MaryJane's Milk Cow Kitchen and made James Beard's Buttermilk white bread.
MaryJane mentioned making pancakes or waffles with the buttermilk, but I wanted something I could use everyday all week. First of all, this buttermilk does not resemble the buttermilk you purchase at the store. It is much thinner and has a nice sweet flavor just like the butter. Boy, did this bread turn out delicious! 
The recipe calls for 4 cups of white flour. I changed it up to include 2 cups of my fresh ground Montana whole wheat flour using my hand grinder made by Retsel out of Idaho.
Here is the result showing my fresh baked bread, pat of homemade butter and a "taste"! We put together some other treats to enjoy with the bread along with a bottle of local Blueberry Wine from a vineyard close by. It was all delicious!
See what Milk Cow Kitchen can inspire? I need to consider trying to make some of the cheese recipes included to go with my bread! This new book is very motivational once you get started trying out the ideas. The other great part is that the recipes have been kitchen tested and actually work if you closely follow the directions (ahem, and don't multitask at the wrong time!! )
If anyone else has made some recipes, can you include a picture and share what you learned?
Winnie #3109 |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Jun 25 2014 : 4:27:06 PM
Ashley, thank-you for this great idea. I do have a food processor and I am going to try it next time! My husband likes the taste of the homemade butter so much he asked me if I was going to start making it instead of buying it. With a "safer" machine to make it with, I feel certain we will be enjoying homemade butter frequently! Next up? Page 41 with the flavored butters! I am thinking the Raspberry Honey butter will be perfect this weekend on pancakes made with the buttermilk that didn't slosh on the floor!!
Winnie #3109 |
| Ashley |
Posted - Jun 25 2014 : 2:51:40 PM
Winnie,
I’m glad to hear that although it was messy endeavor, your butter-making yielded delicious results. Having made my fair share of butter, I have come to prefer a food processor to a mixer. This can also make a decent mess if filled past the max fill line, but as long as it's not over-filled, the food processor is faster, and it enables me to multi-task. I always know when I have butter because the sound of the processor changes – a much better warning than buttermilk sloshing all over the kitchen!
Ashley
|
| sonshine4u |
Posted - Jun 25 2014 : 06:55:20 AM
Do tell.... 
Farmgirl Hugs!
~April
River Valley Farmgirls
Chapter Leader
~Playing in the Sonshine~
|
| Bonnie Ellis |
Posted - Jun 24 2014 : 9:06:27 PM
If you use a pint of whipping cream you can make the butter and luscious cake at the same time. Anyone want the recipe?
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
| sonshine4u |
Posted - Jun 23 2014 : 07:04:31 AM
Winnie,
That is so exciting and such a great story! Thanks for sharing your experience and new found wisdom while making butter! I had a good chuckle over the image you painted on your adventure!
Farmgirl Hugs!
~April
River Valley Farmgirls
Chapter Leader
~Playing in the Sonshine~
|
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - Jun 23 2014 : 06:09:34 AM
Last night I successfully made my first batch of creamy butter. But, I have to confess I made a HUGE mess in the process. So, first I tried using a jar with marbles and shaking away. Suddenly, it became whipped cream (soft peak stage) and nothing would shake anymore. The marbles just stayed at the bottom of the cream. So, I moved on to page 37 of the book and moved the contents into my machine mixer. Per the instructions, it all continued just as described. Now, I made the mistake of multi-tasking at the same time and left the kitchen for a moment to grab something. Meanwhile, the batch hit butter stage and now the mixer was merrily flinging the buttermilk all over the cabinets, counter and floor! YIKES! Note to self: on page 32 of the book, Mary Jane says that " the final separation is a dramatic, hallelujah moment, with a butter island suddenly emerging in a sea of splashing buttermilk!!" Yep, when in doubt, always carefully read the instructions and pay attention to what they say! So, I pass along this tip: don't multi task when you try this process out or your "to do" list will include a rather messing clean-up. This also might mean I just need to splurge and get a Butter Churner from Lehman's ( similar to the one shown on page 35) because it HAS A LID which evidently is something I really need!
HOWEVER, the result in the end was a delicious, sweet and creamy butter. It tastes so much better than anything I have purchased here in the store. I started with Organic whipping cream and the butter has that same sweetness that whipped cream has. I did not add salt this go around just to see how it was without it. I also split the result in half, and formed the other into a mini loaf, wrapped in parchment paper ( a tip I read on the internet) and wrapped the parchment in foil so I could freeze it for later use. I also did end up with over a cup of buttermilk, despite the splashing everywhere, which I am saving to make something this week. Mary Jane suggest pancakes or waffles, but I might make something else like a loaf bread that I can make into mini loaves and freeze.
It was raining cats and dogs outside and thundering away while I was happily making my first ever batch of butter. Totally the best way ever to be inside on a typical Florida summer afternoon!!
Winnie #3109 |
| Bonnie Ellis |
Posted - Jun 15 2014 : 8:38:21 PM
I think that book is just the best. Great job as usual, Mary Jane .
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
| Southern Farmgirl |
Posted - Jun 11 2014 : 8:20:45 PM
My book arrived last week and I have already used it multiple times. The photos are beautiful and all the information great, but the cheese receipes are more detailed than what I have been using and the pictures show exactly how the process should look at each step. I have been most discouraged until Mary Jane's book arrived.
Sister #5933 |
| KayB |
Posted - Jun 02 2014 : 1:18:49 PM
I want one so badly - I think I'll talk my girls into getting me one for my birthday. It will happen!!!
KayB
Life's a dance you learn as you go
Farmgirl Sister #2351 |
| Tina Kay |
Posted - May 27 2014 : 12:22:58 PM
This is such a beautiful book. And full of information I needed about a yer and a half ago. Lol We did everything wrong when we bough our pretty jersey. Turns out she was very ornery and sterile. So we have beef now and are looking for the right cow for us. We were so excited and very new to our farm life, that we just saw a pretty face and bought. Ugh!!! Lesson learned.
So excited about these recipes though. I have a friend I get milk from and I think I will start with the clotted cream! Yummy. I also will make the cultured cream and go from there.
I can't wait!
Tina Kay
"Where there is a home, there must be a cow." ~ R M Gow, 1936 |
| ceejay48 |
Posted - May 27 2014 : 08:07:07 AM
Found a local source for raw milk (we don't milk our Longhorns) . . .it is Jersey milk and it's yummy.
I used to milk cows and make all kinds of things, but it's been a long time.
Anyway, was able to whip up some wonderful butter and plain yogurt. Those are the two things I'm mainly focusing on for now. Perhaps some cheeses later.
YUMMMMM!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665.
2010 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
Mother Hen: FARMGIRLS SOUTHWEST HENHOUSE
my aprons - http://www.facebook.com/FarmFreshAprons
living life - www.snippetscja.blogspot.com
from my heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
from my hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - May 27 2014 : 06:28:09 AM
I finished reading mine last night and it was such a great journey into all things for a backyard cow or small herd. Being a city dweller on a rather small lot, the rules and realities of a backyard cow here are not possible. But, the book was full of lots of yummy recipes and cheese making that could be done at home which I intend to try. First up on the try list is homemade butter. On page 32, there are complete instructions on what to do. I need two marbles, which I don't have, but will look this week for some and then try out the shaking method in a jar and see what happens. And how about those milkmaid knickers in the back under clothing? MaryJane sells them in her online store and I have to admit I would love to have a pair! I could wear them making butter in my kitchen!! LOL!!! This book, like all of her others, offers topics of interest for everyone who has an interest in farming and trying old ways in today's modern lifestyle. Plus the photos are so beautiful and fun to look at. Even if owning a cow is not possible, one can join in reading how it is done and enjoy the visual trip around the barn on a typical day.
I would be interested in hearing more from other farm girls on what they are going to try after reading the book. We can post here on this link and share our trials and questions. Anyone else interested? Anyone else inspired to try some of the ideas in the book that fit where you live?
Winnie #3109 |
| sonshine4u |
Posted - May 27 2014 : 05:57:45 AM
I got mine! so excited to take some time to sit down and really read it! It's beautiful and full of so much great information and inspiration! Thanks MaryJane! You've done it again! Fantastic!!!!
~April
Farmgirl Hugs!
~April
River Valley Farmgirls
Chapter Leader
~Playing in the Sonshine~
|
| Killarney |
Posted - May 21 2014 : 5:18:41 PM
Thank you Brian!!
Connie
Imagine....#3392 |
| Brian |
Posted - May 21 2014 : 2:29:52 PM
Happy pre-birthday Connie. |
| Killarney |
Posted - May 21 2014 : 2:22:00 PM
Mine came today! 1 day before my Birthday! So tomorrow afternoon I will make myself a cup of tea and sit in my comfy chair and enjoy learning all about Jersey Cows! They are so cute! they have Teddy bear faces!
Hugs! Connie learning all about the |
| Killarney |
Posted - May 19 2014 : 8:12:22 PM
I got an email saying mine has shipped! Can't wait for it to get here!
Connie
imagine....#3392 |
| ceejay48 |
Posted - May 19 2014 : 5:01:24 PM
Received my book today! Once again, a beautiful book! Love the content, the photography and LOADS of info!
Thank you Mary Jane, for another AWESOME book!!!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665.
2010 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
Mother Hen: FARMGIRLS SOUTHWEST HENHOUSE
my aprons - http://www.facebook.com/FarmFreshAprons
living life - www.snippetscja.blogspot.com
from my heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
from my hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
| Red Tractor Girl |
Posted - May 19 2014 : 4:28:11 PM
I received mine this past weekend and just love it! Wow, all the photos and recipes combined with stories and tidbits on everyday husbandry of raising cows. If I lived on a farm, I would try to raise a few of the miniature cows for fun. Mary Jane's cows are just so adorable!
Winnie #3109 |
| ceejay48 |
Posted - May 19 2014 : 08:30:12 AM
Looking forward to receiving mine!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665.
2010 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
Mother Hen: FARMGIRLS SOUTHWEST HENHOUSE
my aprons - http://www.facebook.com/FarmFreshAprons
living life - www.snippetscja.blogspot.com
from my heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
from my hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
