Cook with love or not at all.
A friend who’s a chef once told me, “Cook with love or not at all.” She knew the secret: that love makes good recipes extra-delicious. While I collect cookbooks, I hardly cook. Not because I don’t want to, but because I need to slow down and be more patient about it all–plus Mike D’Avanzo does it so much better. He truly cooks with love. But starting this year, I’m going to spend more time in the kitchen (both of them) and take a few lessons from my man. And if you’ll indulge me, I thought we’d share some great recipes here on Our Green Acres. Please send us some favs of your own, okay? We’ll even post them…if you’ll let us. 🙂
SUNDAY MORNINGS IN THE KITCHEN
Edna Mae’s Sour Cream Pancakes*
Makes about 12 4-inch pancakes
1 cup sour cream
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar (to taste)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter
Maple syrup
1. Place iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat. Get it nice and hot.
2. Place sour cream in a medium bowl and stir. Dump in the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
3. Stir together very gently.
4. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.
5. Add the vanilla to the eggs and stir to combine.
6. Pour the egg mixture into the sour cream/flour mixture.
7. Stir together gently. Don’t worry about the mix being totally combined. A little white and yellow swirling is fine.
8. Melt about a tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet 1/4 cup at a time.
9. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, then flip the pancakes over. Cook for another 45 seconds and remove to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter.
10. Stack the pancakes on a plate and top with plenty of butter and warm maple syrup.
Eat to your heart’s desire!
*From The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond.
Wise Words
“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common–this is my symphony.”
William Henry Channing (1810-1884)
Antiquin’
B. Brown ’91
Found this at OutsiderInside Art in Atlanta which, sadly, recently closed up shop. The painting is by Betty Brown and was done in 1991. Apparently, she was married to a well-known primitive artist who has since passed away…last name also Brown, but whose full name I can’t recall. (Where is folk art expert Randy Siegel when I need him?) Kathy, OutsiderInside’s owner/dealer who originally purchased this work, told me that as she tried to negotiate the price, Betty walked up to her painting, stood close and stared at it for a long time, then turned around to the dealer and said slowly, “Well, that cotton took me a long time to do.” Kathy relented. Ms. Brown, wherever you are, your sweet painting has found a permanent home at our farm.
Snapshots
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