The Fragrance of Lamb Stew

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The forecast is ominous:  an Arctic air mass is about to descend, straight from the North Pole, bringing the coldest temperatures we have had all winter and that should kick up lake effect.  A term quite familiar to West Michiganders, it simply means “Snow.”

With dinner in mind, I think about soups and stews.  Which one will warm the body and feed the soul?  It needs to be something fragrant, delicious, and you know me by now, boring will never do.  So I walk to the freezer, pull out a package of lamb stew meat and with a few magical ingredients, turn it into something that rises to the occasion.   How am I able to do this?  Simple.  Last summer we raised a freezer lamb from which I can now create any number of flavorful dishes.  And you know what?  Three other customers are doing the same thing with lambs that we raised just for them.

Does this leave you longing for lamb yet?  Good, because it’s time to start thinking ahead.  We are ready to starting counting our sheep–at least those we will be raising this year–and we would love to raise one for you.

The process is simple. Contact me and pay your deposit which covers my purchase of your lamb.  I will raise and graze it for you.  In September, you pay the butchering costs and the balance of my fee (based on price per pound, hanging weight, according to current market prices), and pick up your meat.  You will work directly with the butcher to create a freezer-ready package that is perfect for you and your family.  Just imagine:  American, grass-fed, lamb in your own freezer!  How nice is that?

I’m sure you have questions, so be sure to contact me either by email or phone call.  Just remember that we start our lambs by the end of March–a date that will be here sooner than you think. In the meantime, just to tempt you further, here’s the recipe I discovered from American Lamb’s website for the most delicious lamb stew we’ve ever tasted.

 

Guinness and Lamb Stew

Ingredients

2 pounds American Lamb stew meat, cubed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 leeks, chopped (white and light green parts only)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 ounces Guinness®
3 cups water
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped

Directions

Season lamb with salt and pepper; toss with flour. In a pot over medium-high heat, brown the lamb in 1 tablespoon oil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lamb from pot. Add 1 tablespoon oil, leeks, onion and thyme; cook until leeks are soft, 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; return lamb to pot. Add Guinness and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes; cook until lamb and potatoes are tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hours longer.

Stay warm and happy eat.  Spring is on its way!

 

The Road Ahead

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Welcome Friends, to a brand new year!  As I write this, the sun is shining in a clear, blue sky and the trace of snow that we had has melted away.  What a wonderful way to begin 2019!

It would be easy to share an exciting assortment of ideas and plans for Love Led Farm with you today.  But not yet.  This year, David and I have chosen to begin with a new approach….one of preparing our hearts before our land.  And so, laying plans for the farm aside, we are beginning with a season of prayer for what God desires–first for us and then for His farm.

In the meantime, I encourage you to begin your own year in a thoughtful, prayerful fashion.  Before the making any resolutions, ask which ones He wants you to make, and then prepare to hold His hand as He leads you along the path.  The answers may surprise you by taking  you where you never thought you would be. But the path will be the right one because it has already been designed just for you.

Where will the road take us?  In the weeks and months to come, I will share that with you, for I think we have already been given some clues.  Better find your barn boots…you are going to want to come along, too!

Warmly, Robin

Chilly Days

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Winter arrives tonight with a forecast of snow.  Sounds like it’s time for some chili.

When it comes to chili, some like it hot, some like it not!  Personally, I like chili with flavor.  Red chili is certainly delicious and some day I will share my recipe.  But today, let’s try something different.

Spicy White Chili is made with leftover chicken and lots of cheese.   It’s so easy!  Imagine its aroma coming from your crockpot at the end of a long, cold day–and the flavor!  This dish will quickly become a family favorite.

Slow Cooker Spicy White Chili

What You Will Need:

4 cups of leftover chicken

1 48-oz jar of Randall’s Navy Beans (you’ll find this in the canned bean section)

8 oz. salsa (I use a medium, chunky style)

2 tsp. cumin

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

How to Make It:

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low 4-6 hours.  Add the cheese 30 minutes before serving–just long enough for it to melt.  Stir thoroughly to combine.

Makes 4-6 bowlfuls.

Terrific Tips:

*I used leftover turkey in the last pot that I made.  It was delicious–a great way to use up some of the Big Bird this month.

*Randall’s makes an organic version of their Navy Beans–just as good, and better for you.

*For a complete meal, serve with tortilla chips, salsa, and a salad.

A Time for Thankfulness

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Perhaps this is a teaser:  I have another soup recipe for you and will share it….next week.  But today, I am being led in different direction.

It is no secret that the pace of a farm is hectic for most of the year.  In these final weeks before snow flies and the ground freezes, our to-do list far outweighs our available hours and  manpower.  This morning, as I was preparing for yet another high-speed day, the Voice I depend upon whispered rather loudly, “Be Thankful.”

“Hmm, ” I acknowledged.  “As usual, You are so right!  I need to stop and be thankful….how about next month?”

“Check your calendar,” He said.

A quick glance reminded me that November first was….tomorrow…which is now today.  How timely!  Was this a coincidence?  I hardly think so.

And so, I am about to begin a new adventure which I am calling, Thirty Days of Thankfulness.   If you would care to join me, I will post pictures and prose on Instagram and will share them to Facebook each day for the month of November.  If you don’t follow Love Led Farm on Instagram yet, consider this your invitation to do so or invite someone who would also enjoy these posts.  And if you would really like to participate, why not add your own thoughts of thankfulness?

Joyful hearts begin with thankful hearts.  Let’s all take a break from Life to be grateful for the limitless blessings that we enjoy each day.

Soup Week

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We arrived home from a relaxing vacation to discover that the thermostat on our enormous upright freezer had stopped working.  This is the freezer into which I had been faithfully stocking this summer’s fruits, vegetables, and yes, meat—lots of meat.  Thankfully, almost everything was still frozen.  And we had purchased a chest freezer this summer in which to store chickens for customers.  So until the repairman could visit,  David and I worked in tag team fashion, stuffing both the chest freezer and the kitchen freezer with everything that would possibly fit.

However…

Throughout the year, I had accumulated a nice collection of bones and bits of leftover meat from chickens, hams, and even a turkey.  The idea was that when the cold weather returned, I could use these nuggets of frozen inspiration to fill the house each week with the fragrance of warm bone broths and soups. Now, without even an extra inch in which to store them, I turned to Plan B.

“Why not spend a week making the soups now?” I thought. “By freezing them in meal-size portions, one dinner each week will be a simple matter of heat and serve.  Plus, what a great way to have a stockpile of soups ready to share with others at any time.”

And so this week has been all about soup.  Through the chilly months to come, I will gladly share with you from the collection of recipes I have accumulated over the years.  Each will feature meat that we raise on Love Led Farm.  Each has been tested and approved by Critic Number One–my husband.  And, with each recipe I will share some tips for making it easier and healthier.

So, grab your cutting boards and soup pots.  It’s time to make soup!

Today, let’s start with Basic Chicken Soup.   Uncomplicated, soothing to the body, and so good for you–it’s comfort in a bowl.

Chicken Soup with Vegetables and Noodles

What to Put In It:

The bones and meat from a roasted chicken

2 large stalks of celery, rough chopped

1 medium onion, rough chopped

2 or 3 medium sized carrots, sliced

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. thyme

1 tablespoon salt (you can reduce this if your chicken was already heavily seasoned)

1/2 tsp. pepper

water to cover–6 to 8 cups

1 large package of frozen mixed vegetables or 4 cups of fresh, chopped vegetables

2-4 cups of uncooked noodles (depending on how “noodly’ you like your soup.)

How to Make It:

Load the chicken, celery, onion, and carrots into your stock pot.  Sprinkle the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper on top and cover with water.

Bring the liquid to a boil and then cover and simmer for until the meat falls off of the bones–1 or 2 hours.  Turn off the heat and allow the soup base to cool.  Pull the meat off of the bones.  The bones get discarded; the meat goes back into the pot.  Add the remaining vegetables.  Bring the soup back to a boil, and then lower to a simmer until the vegetables are tender.  Add the noodles 10-15 minutes before serving.

Terrific Tips

*Making Broth.  Since chicken broth is a basic ingredient for a lot of other soups and casseroles, I always keep several jars in the freeze. Instead of finishing the soup, I strain the liquid and discard the meat and vegetables.  Then, I cool the broth in the refrigerator so I can skim off the fat before transferring the golden liquid to freezer containers.

*Use Your Crockpot.  It’s so easy!  After we have enjoyed one of “Robin’s Roasted Chickens,”  I transfer the bones and juices right into my largest the crockpot.  I add the onion, celery, carrots, seasonings, and water, and let it cook overnight.   On soup day, simply add the rest of the vegetables and cook it on low during the day, adding the noodles towards the end.

*Instead of Noodles, Try Zoodles.  We like to add vegetables wherever possible.  So instead of noodles in our soup, I make zoodles.  I use 1 large zucchini and my spiralizer to create mine but they are also available in the frozen vegetable section of your store.  Some people like to salt and drain them before adding them but for soup, I have not found this necessary.  Just add them to the simmering soup about 10 minutes before serving so the zoodles can cook thoroughly, and since they tend to get mushy, don’t overcook them.

Soup season is here!  It’s time to stir up something warm and wonderful for your family.  What will be in your soup pot this week?

 

The Chickens Have Flown

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Just as summer has quickly drawn to a close, our summer meat birds sales have quickly ended.  Hopefully, you have tucked a few of them into your freezer for the months ahead.

Now it’s time to start thinking of ways to use that delicious meat.  Since our hot summer is finally cooling into a more comfortable fall, let’s turn on our ovens.  Roasted chicken and one-pot meals are great for both family and friends.  A few months ago, we talked about how to roast the perfect chicken (See, “Robin’s Roasted Chicken”).  Now let’s start learning how to use the leftovers.

My husband loves Mexican food–the hotter the better.  I prefer a milder meal.  My Chicken Enchiladas are a dish we can both agree on–enough heat for his spicy palate, but plenty of cheesy chicken for me.   Try them and see what you think.

Chicken Enchiladas

The Ingredients

1 medium chopped onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

3 tablespoons of chicken broth

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 oz. can of chopped green chilies

14 oz. of chicken broth

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

10 oz. can of diced tomatoes with chilies

2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided

2 cups of sour cream

10 flour tortillas

In a saucepan, soften the onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons of chicken broth.  Add flour, cornstarch, green chilies, and 14 oz. chicken broth.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbly.  Add the chicken, and remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of mozzarella, the tomatoes with chilies, and the sour cream.  Now add the chicken mixture and mix thoroughly.  This will be the filling for your enchiladas.

Spoon some filling into each tortilla and place seam side down in a lightly oiled baking dish.  Pour any remaining sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle the second cup of cheese on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

To make this Mexican comfort food a bit healthier, I use arrowroot instead of cornstarch and I substitute plain, goat milk yogurt for the sour cream.  I have also found tortillas that are lower in carbs and even some that are gluten free.

This recipe makes enough bubbly goodness to easily please 8 – 10 people.  Serve it with chips, salsa, and a bit of salad for a fiesta of flavor.

 

 

 

Making Cheese

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Our dynamic duo, Holly and Edith, have been producing gallons of sweet, refreshing milk for us this summer.  Thanks to them, we have more than enough to satisfy our own needs and those of our herd share participants.   And so I have been practicing my culturing and cheese making skills.  Buttermilk, yogurt, several flavors of Chevre’, and jars of Feta with kalamata olives now fill our extra refrigerator and freezer in anticipation of the dry months when the does’ bodies need to rest.

Recently, I discovered a new cheese to try.  Some call it Paneer, some spell it Panier.  Either way, you’ll find it typically in Indian and Mexican recipes.  Paneer is a bland, almost flavorless cheese that can be used as a protein substitute for meat.  With the consistency and properties of tofu, this cheese adds a nutritious boost to many dishes while absorbing the flavors of sauces and other ingredients.

And guess what?  No soy! It’s made of easy-to-digest goat milk.

Do you have a vegetarian friend or family member?  Use this as a meat substitute in their chili or spaghetti sauce.  Add it to tacos or curry for an easy, meatless protein.  I recently used Paneer in lamb meatballs which baked in a fragrant, curry sauce.  Delicious!

Paneer is easy to make and can be adapted to whatever amount of milk you have on hand.  It calls for two ingredients:  milk and white vinegar.  That’s it!

Now, here’s how to make it:

The Equipment:  a heavy bottom pan (I like a double boiler), a thermometer,  food grade cheese cloth, and a cullender or strainer

The Ingredients:  1/4 cup of white vinegar for each  gallon of milk that you are using, and of course, raw milk.  Although I haven’t tried it, I am sure you could also reduce the vinegar for smaller amounts of milk.

Gradually heat the milk to 185 degrees, stirring frequently so it won’t scorch on the bottom of your pan.  Hold that temperature for 10 minutes–using a double boiler makes this easy.  Then pour in the vinegar and stir thoroughly.  The milk will begin curdling and coagulating almost immediately.  Let it sit for 30-40 minutes or until it cools.

Set the cullender over a large bowl or pan and line it with a double layer of cheese cloth.  Then carefully pour the milk/cheese curds through the cheese cloth.  Now tie the ends together to form a bag and allow the cheese to drain for at least 12 hours. As you can see, I hang mine from the knob of a kitchen cabinet.

When the whey has drained off, the cheese can be sliced, cut into cubes, or crumbled.  I divide mine into 1 pound portions to freeze for winter, making it easy to substitute for a pound of meat.

And now it is time for your imagination.  How could you use Paneer?  Smoothies?  Stir fry?  In a soup?  Why not!

As far as the goat milk to make it with…we still have herd shares available through December/January.  Contact me if you are interested in cold, fresh milk for your family.

 

 

 

Meeting the Challenge

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The word that summarizes our 2018 farm year is:  Challenge.

If it breaths, it has been affected by the cold, wet spring (did we even have spring?) and the hot, dry summer.  A lamb died of pneumonia.  Two beloved mama goats and all of the babies had to be removed because of parasites that lingered in the wet dirt of our barn floor.  Our chicken processor–the one who lived only 2 miles away–retired.  The meat birds failed to thrive as quickly as they should have.

And then there were the laying hens who simply decided that it was too hot to produce eggs…at least in any spot that we could possibly find.  Several of these beauties decided that the other side of the road was worth crossing (we aren’t sure why) and irritated the locals on a daily basis.  One kind lady called the farm because she was worried.  I assured her, “It’s okay…hit the chicken.”

Am I complaining?  Certainly not. I share these experiences with you for two reasons.

First, we chose to farm for the challenges knowing that meeting each would teach us something.  In every case, we have learned, adapted and have made changes that will improve Love Led Farm for years to come.

We have plans for a larger flock of lambs next year.  We added two beautiful registered dairy does this year and will raise a stronger, healthier herd of goats with them  We have found another hatchery for our meat birds and are working with a new chicken processor–helping him launch his new mobile unit.  And those free ranging hens will soon find that their world doesn’t include the other side of the road.

The second reason I share all of this with you is to give you a glimpse of “real” farming.  Real farmers produce delicious food.  Real farmers also get tired, dirty, and disappointed.  Victories come after more than a few setbacks.  But this is Life–the one that real farmers have chosen, accepted, and love.

If you want to see a “real” farm, why not call us for a visit and a tour?  We enjoy sharing what we have learned.

And if you would like to purchase some of the most delicious chicken you’ve ever tasted, be sure to place your order…our last 2018 flock will be butchered in September.  You are going to want some for your freezer.

The Special Sauce

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We were young, in graduate school, and barely scraping by.  So when an older couple invited us for supper, we eagerly accepted.

On the menu was barbecued chicken, but with a sauce unlike any I had ever tasted before or after.  Our hostess graciously shared the recipe–a gift more appreciated than even that delicious meal.  It quickly became my own special sauce.

Tangy Mustard Barbecue Sauce has a refreshingly unique flavor with just the right touch of heat.  “You should bottle and sell this stuff,” is a comment I often hear.  Maybe in another lifetime, but for today, let’s just start the grill!

This recipe will make enough sauce for at least a full chicken.  Double the recipe and you’ll have enough for dipping and for leftovers.

Mustard Barbecue Sauce

1 Stick of butter

6 Tablespoons of yellow mustard

3 Tablespoons of Worcestershire Sauce

2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Sugar (You could substitute honey or an alternative sweetener)

A liberal dash of red hot sauce, adjusting to taste

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Add the remaining ingredients, stirring carefully.  Bring to a boil; reduce the heat; and simmer for  a minute or two.

When I grill my chicken, I wait until the last 15 minutes to brush on this sauce.  I have also used this on roasted chicken, adding it about 30 minutes before the end of my cooking time. 

And now that you have my recipe, what will you put it on?  Better hurry up!  Chicken Pick-up Days are almost here.  Have you ordered enough for your freezer?

 

Allow Me to Introduce You!

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Goat milking season normally begins in early May on Love Led Farm. 

This year, we weathered a bumpy beginning and our existing herd share customers patiently endured an unexpected delay with us.

Now, after retiring one beloved doe and adding two beautiful new milkers, we are enjoying our reward:  cold, sweet, delicious goat milk.  And who are the gals who are providing this delicious treat?  I thought you’d never ask!

This is Junie was named at birth by our granddaughter, Eisley June.  Now, at two years old, Junie is the proud new mama of twins.

Next is Edith, a newcomer to Love Led Farm.  She is four years old, is a proven milker, and has a sweet personality. 

And finally, this beautiful girl is two-year-old Holly.  She is also settling in nicely at her new home and is trying her hardest to get used to this crazy new routine called, milking.

Why am I taking the time to introduce you to goats?

Because at Love Led Farm, we do things a little differently.  We believe that whether you buy eggs, order chicken for your freezer, or become a herd share customer, you become part of our farm family.  And in our family, honesty, integrity, and transparency are values we practice.

Are we experiencing a delay or a disappointment?  We will contact you with a full explanation and a solution.  Is there a problem with your purchase?  We will make it right.  Do you have a question or a concern?  We will work with you to find the answer you are looking for.

So stop by and take a look at the mobile pens filled with your chickens.  Ask to see where the hens lay your eggs.  And, yes, talk to your goats who provide your milk.

We love being your farmers and friends.  We are Love Led Farm.

Notes to Remember:

  • The first chicken Pick Up Day is July 1st.  Have you placed your order yet?
  • Not sure if you like goat milk?  Contact me and ask to try a sample.  We still have room for a couple of herd share customers.

 

 

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