Friends

High on Pie

claudiaJuly 26, 2016Friends, Good Eats

Few desserts make people as happy as a homemade pie. And in our opinion, this one takes the prize. Perfect for summer. Perfect for hungry guests…and kids. And we know for a fact it makes neighbors smile when you deliver one to their front door. (Right, Megan and Robin?)

So here’s our contribution to National Blueberry Month — a deliciously wicked Lemon Icebox Blueberry Pie.

Trust us, you need this. 🙂

Lemon Blueberry Icebox Pie

Gather:

1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

1 tblsp freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup buttermilk

Store-bought graham cracker crust (we like Keebler)

Make:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Whisk first 3 ingredients together in bowl. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks with a mixer at high speed for 4-5 minutes or until yolks become pale.

Slowly pour in condensed milk mixture and stir until well combined; whisk in buttermilk.

Pour mixture into graham cracker crust.

Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes, until pie is set around edges (it’ll be slightly jiggly in center).

Cool pie on wire rack for 1 hour. Cover with plastic wrap (spray wrap slightly with cooking oil to avoid sticking).

Freeze 4-6 hours.

Top:

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

3 tblsp water

2 tblsp fresh lemon juice

1 tblsp lemon zest

Combine 1 cup of the blueberries with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer 8-10 minutes or until thickened and berries start to break down.

Remove from heat. Stir in remaining 1 cup blueberries. Cool for about 1 hour.

Keep topping chilled until ready to use. Pour over pie, then serve!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living.

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Lessons in Beekeeping

Rise ‘n Shine

Lessons in Beekeeping

claudiaJune 23, 2016Friends, Good Eats, In the Garden, On the Farm

Well, we’ve gone and done it. Just added about 10,000 honeybees to our place — they’re out back in the orchard. Thankfully, we’ve got good neighbors who know a thing or two about creating a healthy apiary, so we’re really just apprentices at this point. But our best-laid plans did soon go awry when our one little beehive (Mike was adamant: we could only have ONE) decided it was doing so well that it would do this thing called “swarm” and subdivide. So now, after our friend Charlie rushed over to help capture the wayward bees that thankfully chose to hang out in a low branch, we have TWO hives. If these little drones divvy up again, I may have to start looking for a new husband because the current one might just quit. But let’s hope not. 🙂

Here are shots from our adventures so far, including installing the first hive (which came from a beekeeper on Lookout Mountain), capturing the swarm, and later helping Charlie rob one of his own hives and make a delicious 2-gallon batch of honey.

No stings to report yet — well, except for Lola, who just had to go and poke her nose into one of the boxes.

Rise ‘n Shine

In Search of Cantharellus Cibarius

our own giving tree

Lisa Makes Ratatouille

Rise ‘n Shine

claudiaFebruary 26, 2016Animals, Friends, Good Eats, On the Farm

We love to surprise friends and neighbors with fresh eggs from all the girls. With spring now on its way, egg production here is heading into high gear, so place your orders soon! 😉

Fields of Gold

A Holiday Walk

Portraits of Dane

Lessons in Beekeeping

Friendsgiving

claudiaNovember 23, 2015Animals, Friends, On the Farm

In Search of Cantharellus Cibarius

claudiaSeptember 21, 2015Friends, Good Eats, On the Farm

One of our neighbors has been telling us the back woods are a great place to forage for chanterelles and after a recent rain she proved it, showing up for a visit along with her sister and a bag full of these freshly picked beauties. Years ago, a professor who grew up foraging for mushrooms in Germany’s Black Forest taught them the edible parts of the woods and now they’ve generously passed on some of those teachings to us. I admit we were more than a little nervous that night as we chopped up the golden mushrooms, sauteed them in a little olive oil with salt and pepper and cautiously ingested them (delicious!) with no signs later of intestinal distress (phew!). And now that Mike has realized chantarelles likes these are going for $25/lb. and higher at gourmet food markets, I think we’ll do some foraging of our own in the near future! Try these with eggs, on a pizza or in a creamy soup!