Blog

June 30, 2012 - July 2012 Monthly Contributor Giveaway

Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors are eligible (and automatically entered!) in a giveaway each month in which one contributor will be drawn (by random.org, using the days of the month that posts run) to receive a prize. Each month’s prize (and previous month’s winner) will be listed here, in a blog post on the Farm...
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June 27, 2012 - My First Fried Chicken

When was the first time you cut up a whole chicken? In 1977, my 31-year-old mother passed away. I was thirteen, and the oldest girl in my family. My mom, being sick for awhile, hadn’t taught me how to cook very many things. After she died, summer rolled around and I was out of school....
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June 16, 2012 - Rhubarb Galore!

My momma has a patch of rhubarb that is very ready to use this week. I actually picked a stalk that had a leaf over 3 feet across! Who needs an umbrella? My mom said there’s an old picture that shows my aunties wearing jungle outfits made out of rhubarb leaves when they were little!...
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June 11, 2012 - Lightened-Up Cottage Pie

My boyfriend is originally from the U.K., also known as The Land of Meat and Potatoes. He grew up eating Sunday roasts with Yorkshire pudding (basically popovers made with beef fat), pies, Cornish pasties, bacon with bread fried in the grease—-you know, traditional English food meant to fuel you up for hours of farming, fishing,...
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June 1, 2012 - June 2012 Monthly Contributor Giveaway

Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors are eligible (and automatically entered!) in a giveaway each month in which one contributor will be drawn (by random.org, using the days of the month that posts run) to receive a prize. Each month’s prize (and previous month’s winner) will be listed here, in a blog post on the Farm...
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May 25, 2012 - Tuna and Green Pea Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing

When I was younger (much younger) my mother would occasionally make us a wonderful green salad for lunch with canned tuna, green peas, and mayonnaise. I always enjoyed that salad, but as I got older, I realized I liked it even better with Ranch dressing. Now that I am eating healthier, I make my own...
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May 23, 2012 - Farm Market Finds

When I was in college, I lived in a rural mountain town. Sure, we had a grocery store (where I actually worked for a few years), but I preferred going around to all of the farm stands for as much of my food as possible. There is nothing better than making friends with the farmers...
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May 21, 2012 - No Sugar in These Honey Muffins

As we now have bees and will eventually have honey, I’ve been keeping my eyes open for honey recipes. A while ago I saw a recipe for Honey Cake in the Penzey’s catalog. I was intrigued. So I tried it. It was good, but somewhat heavy on the cardamom. (And I love cardamom.) Even though...
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May 16, 2012 - Micro Greens

Do you ever feel bad about pulling out all of those seedlings from your early crops? I do. I call it environmental guilt. I don’t have critters that will eat them so they generally go to waste. I noticed how cute the radishes were and the arugula was looking at me, too! Fancy restaurants grow...
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May 14, 2012 - What’s Not to Love About Apple Fritters?

I don’t know what it is about apple fritters, but I love them. The crisp outsides, the tender insides dotted with sweet apples, the spicy cinnamon and the sweet, sticky glaze on top. All those together make a wonderful treat! The only problem was that when I went to search out a recipe, all the...
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May 11, 2012 - Happy Birthday, Mom

As I get older, and older, and older, the more I realize just how much I miss my mom. And just how much she gave to me that I didn’t know I had. Her birthday is tomorrow, May 12th. She entered this world in 1917. She left us in 1993. She would have been 95...
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May 9, 2012 - Hot Bites Meal

There are many reasons that I cook. First of all, I enjoy cooking. Also, it is cost efficient compared to eating out and I know what is in the food we are eating. When I do eat out, my inner smarty pants takes over and examines the food that we have ordered. If we like...
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May 7, 2012 - Cheese Please! (and butter!)

I have been wanting to try to make cheese for a long time. In fact, I was looking for a cream cheese recipe when I found Chickens in the Road. I finally got around to making a batch with my Ricki’s Basic Cheesemaking kit from New England Cheesemaking that I got from my mom. I...
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May 4, 2012 - Afternoon with the Girls

A couple months ago, my two youngest nieces came over for a Sunday afternoon. Mom and Dad needed a babysitter and I was only too happy to have them over. It was one of those cold days at the end of February, and we were getting our last snow (finger’s crossed). They brought some video...
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April 30, 2012 - May 2012 Monthly Contributor Giveaway

Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors are eligible (and automatically entered!) in a giveaway each month in which one contributor will be drawn (by random.org, using the days of the month that posts run) to receive a prize. Each month’s prize (and previous month’s winner) will be listed here, in a blog post on the Farm...
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April 28, 2012 - The Birth of a Recipe

Several years ago at a lovely Church function for the ladies, a delicious soup was served. It was the first time that I had tasted a cold soup. I liked it. OK, I really liked it and ate the bowl from the person beside me who didn’t show. That may not be appropriate, but I...
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April 25, 2012 - I Highly Suggest a Double Batch

I like cookies. I like cookies a lot. I don’t bake cookies a lot…’cause I’d eat them a lot. My sister sent me a recipe a few weeks ago. Cookies that she has created. Wait for it… HEALTHY. Cookies. You heard it here first, folks. Get out a couple of your mixing bowls. And make...
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April 21, 2012 - Saint Paddy’s Day Tradition

Saint Patrick’s day in our house is a holiday that we use to remember family. My maiden name is McGinnis, and being red headed and freckled it’s easy to understand that I embrace my Irish heritage. It wasn’t always like this for me, as it used to be one of my hardest times to cope...
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April 18, 2012 - Family Dinners

From my early memories of Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house, I can hear her clearly as she called out, “Shut the screen door you are letting the flies in.” I have a new appreciation of her wisdom because my husband is constantly letting flies in the kitchen. I sing one of my childhood songs as...
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April 16, 2012 - Pi(e) Day 3.14

To celebrate Pi(e) Day on March 14th (3.14), I wanted to recreate a childhood memory for my boyfriend, but couldn’t find a recipe for the pie he loved as a child. His fond memories of picking wild blackberries as a child in the UK, then bringing them home to be turned into a pie by...
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April 14, 2012 - A Discovery of Forgotten Treasure

My husband was cleaning out the garage and brought an old, dusty, falling apart box inside. He told me that I should look through it. The box was set aside and I took the time to unpack it a couple of days ago. I was thrilled with my discovery! The box contained china! Beautiful, delicate...
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April 12, 2012 - Doughnut Maker Carrot Cake

I know. I know! They sound fabulous don’t they! Trust me, they are. And they’re good for you! – Carrots! Oats!! Mmmmm. We made these with that wonderful doughnut machine that I won here on Farm Bell Recipes–Brownies–In My New Doughnut Maker It made wonderful brownies! But I was hungry for carrot cake. And cream...
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