Cooking Tip #1 - Wash Those Pumpkins!

 Many people, at this time, are canning and freezing up their bountiful harvest of pumpkins, putting up the ones they found on that wonderful super sale after Halloween and Thanksgiving were over, or just plain making up some delicious pumpkin pies. Pumpkins are so versatile and packed with nutrition, they are well worth the effort of putting them up for use all year long.

But before you begin to cut into one of those pumpkins, be sure and wash the entire outside off thoroughly with a naturally antibacterial soap. Give it a good scrubbing. Make extra sure you get into all of those creases and crevices. Weather you purchase your pumpkin at the grocer, from your local farmer's market, or grow it yourself, there is always the risk that odd, unusual and even dangerous germs could be lurking on the skin of those pumpkins. The cooler, damper climate of Fall, with fluctuating warmer days just before pumpkins are harvested, can lend to a faster growth/spread of some germs and fungi. A good scrubbing should easily take care of anything that might pose a danger and is very easy to do.

Then let your pumpkin(s) air dry. Don't get in a hurry and be tempted to dry them off with that dish towel that is setting right there at your fingertips. You will just put germs right back on your pumpkin! Especially for long term storage, you want every germ possible off of your pumpkin before you cut into it. If you don't wash them, and any unsafe germs are on the skin of your pumpkin, the moment you stick your knife into it, you push the germs right inside, where they quickly absorb into the softer flesh.

Have a happy and tasty holiday season, and watch for more great cooking tips to come!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING - 2012

FROM ALL OF US AT

TWO FARMS ONE

WE WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU THE 

SAFEST, HAPPIEST, AND MOST BLESSING FILLED

THANKSGIVING YOU HAVE EVER HAD!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

AND TO THOSE OF YOU OUTSIDE OF THE US

HAVE A VERY BLESSING FILLED DAY!

Scalloped Corn

 It is the season for holiday festivities. And at all of those BIG holiday meals, there is always so many wonderful, delicious and rich foods. But sometimes, all of those fancy and rich foods can get to be a little overwhelming, not to mention setting heavy in our tummies.

But there is one vegetable dish that, amidst all of those rich foods, really hits the spot with me during the holidays (or any time of year for that matter). That is my Scalloped Corn recipe. It is always a hit at every dinner I take it to. It is just fancy enough to be a little 'exciting' at a special meal, but simple enough that it is still enjoyable even when you just can't face another bite of fancy, rich food. Best of all, it is simple and quick to make.

Scalloped Corn 

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 5 T. butter or margarine (I prefer butter)
• 2 (15-oz.) cans cream-style corn
• 1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• 3 large eggs, slightly beaten 

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 1-quart casserole dish and have ready.

Melt butter in skillet and add onion and pepper. Amount of onion and bell pepper you use is adjustable to your own taste. Saute until tender; remove from heat.

Stir in corn and bread crumbs; mix well.

Add eggs and mix well.

Pour into casserole dish and bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until set.

Note: If you have any dry, stale bread, you can crumble that up and use it in place of the seasoned bread crumbs... then just season to taste.
If you have any questions on how to prepare this recipe, please feel free to ask them in the comments. Someone else may be wondering the same thing.

BREAD ON MONDAY - Special Occasions Pancakes

Oh, my.... we have had such a busy couple of weeks that we have neglected to get anything posted on here since last Monday! This past week, I have been working on a bread recipe that had been brewing in my mind, and I was hoping to post it here today, but it is still coming out too heavy. It is very tasty, and Dave has been a sport and enjoyed eating the 'flops' (poor chickens, lol), but I want to get the kinks out of the recipe before I post the it here. So since I don't have a new bread recipe ready for this week, I am going to post a recipe for the other thing in the bread family that I have been enjoying this week . . . . PANCAKES. For some reason, I just really got into a pancake mood this week.

I have two good pancake recipes that I have developed and used over the years. One is my very tasty, yet very economical recipe (remember, I raised 6 kids), and the other is my even lighter and tastier, 'for special occasions' recipe. It is the latter recipe that I will share with you today.

Special Occasions Pancakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (I use aluminum free)
• 1 tablespoon sugar (I use Zulka)
• 1/4 tsp. (scant) salt (I use unrefined)
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• your favorite oil or fat for frying

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; set aside.

In a smaller bowl, lightly whisk together milk, egg and oil.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until all is moistened.

Cook pancakes on a heated, lightly oiled skillet or griddle until covered with bubbles. 

Flip pancakes over and continue cooking until the other side is golden brown. DO NOT 'smash' pancakes with turner, as it will toughen them.

Serve hot with your favorite pancake topping.  Makes about 6 average sized pancakes.