Category Archives: Farm life

Introducing cheese buttons – a German tradition

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Connie – pay attention, this one’s for you. Got it?

Earlier this summer, I finally wrote down my grandmother’s recipe for German Dumplings. I entered the recipe into an Iron Chef Challenge sponsored by King Arthur’s Flour…and somehow pulled away with a win! (I’ll be posting a recipe tomorrow, in a battle of the iron chef all-stars kinda thing. Stay tuned.)

It was requested that I work on a recipe for Grandma’s cheese buttons, and here it is. Well, kind of. If you want to go through the work of making your own dough, go ahead and use my recipe on the dumplings post. But I’m all for ease, and speed, and still tasting authentic. And oddly enough, my “new” way of doing this works just fine. Even my dad didn’t notice the difference!

So here it is, German Cheese Buttons, updated for 2011:

Ingredients:

  • Wonton or egg roll wrappers (egg roll wrappers can be cut into 4, wonton wrappers are just the right size)
  • Cottage cheese
  • Butter
  • Salt/pepper to taste
  • Meat of choice, I prefer fry sausage…but ham, pork or seasoned burger would work just fine…or go without

Place a kettle of water on the stove and heat it over medium to a boil. While water is heating, take your cottage cheese and place it in a bowl; season with salt and pepper to your liking. Take wonton wrapper and place a small spoonful in the middle of the wrapper. wet around the edges and fold the wonton in half, making a triangle with all the edges sealed. (It’s important that the edges seal, so that your cottage cheese doesn’t leak out.)

Yummy cottage cheese in middle, preparing to fold it in half! Notice the outside edges are wet...use water to seal!

Cheese button folded in half, press around edges to make sure it seals!

Make as many cheese buttons as you think you need…add 10 more. Trust me. They’re that good.

In a frying pan, melt half a stick of butter or medium heat. Place cheese buttons in the pot of boiling water, four or so at a time. Let them boil for 3-4 minutes. They should float when they’re done. Using a slotted spoon, take the cheese buttons out of the water, letting most of the water drain off. Place them directly into the frying pan. Continue until all cheese buttons are in the frying pan. Be sure to flip occasionally, to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Warning: some of the cheese buttons may rupture in the water, some may stick and rupture in the pan. It will not affect the tastiness of the dish, just might tarnish the presentation a bit. One taste and all thoughts of what the plate looks like will fly out the window. Again, trust me.

Water boiling, cheese buttons floating. They are ready!

Use a slotted spoon to drain off excess water...then...

Fry them in butter!

Once all cheese buttons are in the pan, add your sliced sausage, meat, etc. Serve when meat is heated through.

I try to find ways to incorporate as many food groups into one pan as possible. I make these meat chunks large, so that I can pick them out for George's diet.

One thing you may want to add in if you’re really wanting to be authentically German, is bread crumbs. Fry them up in the butter, along with the cheese buttons. You won’t be disappointed. But do me a favor, don’t tell your doctor I told you to do that, ‘k?

Things you need to know:

  1. German cooking is not low-fat, low-carb or anything else a health professional would claim as “good for you.”
  2. German cooking tastes wonderful. And my grandma was 89 when she passed away. I can live with that.
  3. You may need to add more butter as you’re cooking, to “keep it from sticking.” At least, that’s what I tell myself. I’m sure it’s true.
  4. Do NOT boil your cheese buttons for too long. They will rupture. And then the dough will get gooey. It still tastes fine, just not appealing to the eye. And the textures a little oozy. Consider yourself warned.

Good luck, have fun…and enjoy your meal. And stay tuned tomorrow. I get crazy with a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread.

I’m linking to the Gooseberry Patch Christmas Favorites Round Up today…this was truly one of my holiday favorites that Grandma would make!
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It all began with a list…

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I have a funny story to tell you (and I have permission to share). And it started off with me sending my husband to the store with a list.

Actually, he was going to town for another reason, and I thought it would save me a trip. I was wrong.

The list looked something like this:

  • Chickpeas
  • strawberries
  • blueberries
  • cilantro
  • orange juice, zest
  • all-spice
  • sea salt
  • flax seed, ground
  • sweet onion

Now, to be fair, I sent Boss Man to a store I’ve never been in. I left the orange listed as juice, zest, because I didn’t know if they would have oranges on the shelf. (Remember, we’re in North Dakota and it’s December…fresh fruits aren’t always available this time of year. And definitely aren’t local.)

I called him when he was done with his appointment and just on the way to the store. I asked if he would bring some bottled water. He said he would, and would cover the list. I said to call with any questions…and heard nothing.

I was so hopeful when he arrived awhile later, complete with several bags full of groceries. And then I started looking at what was in the bags.

Tortilla chips.

Ranch dressing.

Carrots.

Grapes.

Two LARGE containers of orange juice. Check!

Two loaves of bread.

6 pack of water. Check! (I’ll get back to this in a minute.)

Enormous container of sea salt. Check! (Overkill, but probably only size available. No big deal, almost out of regular salt anyway.)

Sea Salt for years to come...and season-all

 

Nature’s Seasonings. Hmmm…what? Oh dear. Season-all is NOT the same as all-spice. (For those that don’t know the difference, all-spice would be used in something like pumpkin pie. Imagine the taste of pumpkin pie if you used Mrs. Dash or something similar? See the problem?)

*sigh*

Oh well, I’ll be going in this afternoon to get the rest of what I need. It really wasn’t that big of a deal, but if he had questions, I just wished he would have called. Or asked a clerk.

I told him that he wouldn’t have been as understanding if he had sent me to the parts counter for an oil filter for his combine, and I returned with an air filter. Sometimes close isn’t close enough. 😉

And the water? Well, later on, after doing my exercise routine, I went to get a great big drink of nice spring water in a bottle. As I opened the bottle, the water exploded all over me. Can you guess what it was? That’s right. Sparkling water. Which in my opinion kind of tastes like salt. But I love him, because he thought it was a better kind of water. (But I did make him taste it.)

Sparkling water...not a refreshing after-exercise drink.

 

Lesson learned: Even after 10 years, I still have hope.

Tasty Tuesday – Two Treats!

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I have two snack recipes ready to go…first is Homemade Root Beer, the second are Homemade Mozzarella Sticks. They are both super easy and sooooo delicious! Made a great after-school snack today! (And don’t forget about my Gooseberry Patch cookbook giveaway!)

Here we go!

Homemade Root Beer

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp. dry yeast
  • 1/2 bottle root beer extract

Doesn't take much, but tastes so good!

Dissolve yeast in a little tepid water. Mix extract with sugar, add a quart of water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a gallon jug. Add dissolved yeast, add enough tepid water to fill jug. Let stand 6 hours with cap off, then screw on cap and put in refrigerator. It is ready to drink as soon as it’s cold. (Root Beer recipe came from the Fullerton 125th Cookbook.)

Letting the yeast dissolve in tepid water.

Not dark in color, but full in flavor!

And treat number two:

Homemade Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients:

  • String cheese
  • Egg roll wrappers (or wonton wrappers)
  • Water
  • Oil

Only two main ingredients! So simple!

Place string cheese on egg roll wrapper, fold ends in and roll up the wrapper. Wet the corner of the wrapper with water to seal. Heat oil on stove top, place 3-4 sticks in hot oil. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until brown. Turn and cook other side. Drain on paper towel. Enjoy! (This recipe came off Pinterest. That’s right. I actually made something off Pinterest. Amazing. I know.)

Roll up stick (make sure ends are tucked in) and seal with a dab of water!

Send those sticks for a little swim in hot oil...this is extra virgin olive oil.

Really...to die for...really.

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Yes, Virginia…

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I knew it would happen one day, but this one was a doozy…and I’m thinking someone may end up paying for it with her job.

Apparently a news anchor expressed her opinion during prime time that the easiest way to handle Christmas in these tough economic times was to tell children that there is no Santa Claus. Wow. I’m guessing the big guy’s gonna have some coal for someone’s stocking this year.

Now, as a mother of four children, oldest age 9, I’m constantly bombarded by the question, “Mom, is Santa real?” And my answer is always the same, “What do you want to believe?”

To me, the answer is simple. In a day when we are hit with so much bad news, so much doom and gloom, so many heart aches and issues, why do we need to pop the bubble of happiness that surrounds the Christmas season? Yes, my children know that celebrating Christmas is ALL about the birth of Jesus and what He has sacrificed for us. Christmas is a religious holiday in our house. Always has been, always will be. But does believing that someone delivers a gift for you, without expecting anything in return, all that different?

My children have never been told that a man in a red suit and reindeer is at our house. We don’t have a fireplace, and cookies aren’t always left. Sometimes we’re home, and sometimes we’re not. They know that the Santa’s in the mall are not the “real” Santa. And whatever else they have made up in their mind, is just that, their own beliefs.

Telling the world during the newscast that the solution to your financial woes at Christmas is to break your children’s hearts and tell them that the mystery surrounding Christmas is fake…well, that’s just plain mean. And I can tell you for a fact that it’s not true. There is a Santa Claus. He might not live at the north pole, he might not like cookies and he may be allergic to reindeer fur, but he’s real and he’s important and he lives inside each and every one of us.

And if you don’t believe it, then why would a woman from North Dakota set up a project to send gifts to and from people all around the country? (Speaking of which, click on the blue angel in the top right corner…I’m looking for more angels!) Why would a company set up red kettles throughout the country, knowing that others will give when they can? And why would children willingly give up their gifts, to another child that they know would appreciate it more?

God and santa CAN coexist…I’m pretty sure both big guys are OK with that. I know I am.

Thankful Thursday – Children on the Farm

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Normally I don’t discuss a lot of political stuff and government-type news. We get enough of that every day, I feel. But this latest proposal hits close to home…in fact, it hits our family directly, and possibly yours, too.

The US Department of Labor has submitted proposed new “rules” regarding children under the age of 18 working agricultural and non-agricultural jobs. Some of them make sense, and seem almost silly that we need to have a law for it. (Who truly believes that a 16-year-old should be allowed to work with dynamite?) Yet others would severely affect our farm…and many farms across the country.

The proposed laws would eliminate children from the farm-labor work force, or at least not without proper training and certification. Sounds great, right? I’m all for more safety on the farm. But upon closer inspection, these rules do very little to ensure safety and do a lot to infringe upon farm families.

For instance, a child would no longer be able to pick up sticks and branches around the yard while Mom or Dad is using a chainsaw, or some other mechanical method to bring down trees and shrubs. (Actually, the child couldn’t be using ANY power tool…that would include battery-operated drills, screwdrivers, etc.) The only exemption would be if Mom and Dad own the farm wholly on their own (not in cooperation with someone else, including family). I know that not everyone is aware of this, but many farms incorporate and set up business structures, so that success can be shared throughout the family equally, same as expenses.

Is this the closest he'll get?

Another portion of the proposed rules states that a child under the age of 16 could not work “on a farm in a yard, pen or stall occupied by a bull, boar, stud horse maintained for breeding purposes, sow with suckling pigs, or cow with newborn calf (with umbilical cord present).”

Trust me, as a mother of four young children, our house already has laws and rules in place regarding what our kids can and cannot do, including not being anywhere near the bulls, staying out of the yard when the cows are calving, etc. But now would we be open to fines if our children were to go into the barn to feed the cats while cows were in the barn with their calves? (And just to clarify, there are pens that keep each cow/calf separate and out of the main part of the barn.)

EJ, keeping me company while waiting for the silage cutter to be fixed.

And yet one more silly section would make it against the rules for anyone under the age of 18 to even ride IN a tractor with someone who is working, or in the process of working.

How in the world are we supposed to educate and involve the next generation? What about those that don’t have farm backgrounds, but are interested in becoming involved in agriculture? How do we tell the next generation that we don’t want their help, until they’re adults? One thing I have learned quickly, raising four boys, is that the more involved I get them earlier on, the more they enjoy and want to learn about the farm. If you leave them out, where will farming be in 40-50 years?

Waiting his turn...his dad is in the tractor, his grandpa is in the combine. Is his future in jeopardy?

And what about 4-H?

The answer is not clear. Would children be able to show their animals if their parents weren’t direct owners of their operations? Would they be able to sell their livestock and receive the money for college funds, as so many kids in 4-H do?

My oldest two have found excitement and education in 4-H. Is that in jeopardy as well?

I understand the need to update regulations…the present set hasn’t been updated since 1970. Yet, can common sense come into play, please? They rattle off statistics of children that are injured or killed in farm accidents, but if you look closely, some of those statistics are misleading.

One such example they give is a 17-year-old who was illegally employed and was a fatality in an accident. The way I look at it, if the child was already illegally employed, then changing the laws would do nothing to ensure that child’s safety. Laws only protect those that follow them.

Yes, I’m all for protecting our children, especially those that live on or near farms, but we cannot protect our children while making their home off-limits and telling them that they’re not wanted, or needed, on the farm. That’s a disservice to all.

Comments on the proposed changes are being accepted through TODAY, please make your voice heard. Visit www.regulations.gov, it’s RIN 1245-AA06.

Today is Thankful Thursday. Today I am thankful that my children can be raised on our farm, in a safe and loving home. I’m thankful that I, as a parent, can teach and instill in my children the love and respect for the farm that it deserves. But it’s MY job to be a parent…not my government’s.

Gooseberry Patch Recipe #10 – Spicy Layered Enchiladas – and a Giveaway!

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I did it! Recipe number 10 is in the books! And now that I’ve finished, you can win this great cookbook yourself!

Here’s my recipe #10:

Spicy Layered Enchiladas

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, chicken, beef, turkey or beef (the extra beef’s are for a friend!)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 c. water
  • 2 1-1/4 oz. pkgs. taco seasoning mix (or use this recipe!)
  • 15-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 18 to 20 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 16-oz. pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Optional: chopped green onions or fresh chives

All those lovely tortillas, lined up and waiting for sauce!

Brown meat and onion in a skillet over medium heat; drain. Stir in beans, water and one package of taco seasoning; simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat. In a bowl, combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with juice and remaining taco seasoning; mix well. In a lightly greased 9″X13″ baking pan, spread enough of sauce mixture to just coat the bottom. Layer 1/3 of tortillas on sauce. Evenly spread half of meat mixture on top of tortillas, layer with 1/3 of remaining sauce mixture and 1/3 of cheese. Add 1/3 of tortillas, remaining meat mixture, half of sauce mixture and half of remaining cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce mixture and cheese. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares; sprinkle with green onions or chives, if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Note: I skipped the first part, because I used the leftover taco meat that I had from Sunday. Layered it all together, like you would lasagna. Hubby gave it two thumbs up!

A BIG hit in our house!

Cost breakdown:

  • Leftover meat – $0
  • Sauce – $1.50
  • Tortillas – $1.50
  • Cheese – $1.97
  • Total – $4.97, that totals out to 41 cents a serving!!! Woohoo!

That is recipe #10 – and here’s a recap of my other nine recipes:

  1. Iowa Freezer Corn
  2. Easy Cheesy Potatoes & Sausage
  3. Country Chicken & Dumplings – a family fave!
  4. Taco Ole’ Bubble Bake
  5. Creamy Macaroni & Beef
  6. Mini BLT Cups
  7. Buttery Parmesan Potatoes
  8. Magic Peanut Butter Cookies
  9. Taco Seasoning Mix

Now…to get on to the winning! You will have until Dec. 11 to enter, using any one (or ALL) of these 11 methods!

  1. Follow me through Twitter @wagfarms
  2. Become a fan of Wag’n Tales on Facebook
  3. Follow Real Farmwives of America and Friends through Google
  4. Follow @realfarmwives on Twitter
  5. Becoming a Fan of RFOA &Friends on Facebook
  6. Follow GP on Twitter @gooseberrypatch
  7. Fan Gooseberry Patch on Facebook 
  8. Leave a comment on Gooseberry Patch’s blog 
  9. Join the Gooseberry Patch Circle of Friends email club 
  10. Leave a comment on this blog, giving one sure-fire, money-saving tip for the kitchen
  11. Leave a second comment on this blog post listing out how many of the above methods to register for this giveaway you have completed and which ones.

And a quick reminder! Please, don’t forget about the Christmas Angel Project going on now (until Dec. 15)…we would love to share our love with those that need an extra hand this holiday season! (Check out details by clicking on the Blue Angel in the right hand corner at the top of the page!)
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Wordless Wednesday – Winds of Change

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This summer we were hit hard by a storm. Although it was not ruled a tornado, just straight-line winds in excess of 125 mph. Yeah, the wind blew a little. There was not a building on the farm that wasn’t damaged…and Boss Man is lucky to be alive. You can read about it here.

Harvest finished early this year, giving us time to get things taken care of before snow flies. And here it is, almost Dec. 1, and still no snow. Amazing!

So Boss Man, his dad and a friend worked on repairing the damage.

This is the west end of the shop Mark was in when the storm hit. The whole side is caved in.

 

And now it looks like this:

Good as new!

 

The old wooden bins that used to set on the east side of the farmstead were blown away:

This bin should be sitting on the cement slab...the other bin is strewn across our corn field.

 

That area now looks like this:

EJ has instructed me that these bins are for his corns. Dad gets to use the big ones further east of the farm.

 

Sometimes, when we’re not ready to adjust to change, the decision is taken out of our hands. The best we can hope for is to hang on for the ride and sort things out when all is said and done.

We still have a few roofs to fix, garage doors to put on, fence to mend and a barn to put back together, but God has blessed us so far…and I know we’ll get it done. One step at a time, that’s the way it all goes.

 

Trucker Tuesday

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Cross one thing off my bucket list…I can drive a semi. OK, not only do I have the ABILITY to drive a semi, I actually did it. This morning. By myself. With a load of straw. And nothing fell off. Really.

What? It’s not your dream to drive a semi? Well, it wasn’t mine either. But when the boys got on the bus this morning, the house phone rang and Boss Man was in a bind. He needed to get the straw bales off the field before the cows came home…today. I know, I know, nothing like waiting for the last minute. But it encouraged me to bite the bullet and say, “Sure!”

This was the view through my windshield:

Big rig mama, that's right!

 

I will admit, all the buttons and switches and doodads kind of fascinated me. But I didn’t play and stuck to the guidelines given. And I would do it again, in a heartbeat!

Some days, when I’m all wrapped up in kids and house-stuff and dishes and laundry, I wish that I was more involved in the day-to-day activities on the farm. I know I’ll have my time (once some of the wee ones aren’t so wee), but I love being outdoors. And the thought of spending a day in the peace and quiet of a tractor is like balm to my soul.

But for now, I’ll enjoy each of these little snippets of farm life that I get to enjoy. Who knows when the next one will come!

Yes, those are black fuzzy slip-ons...I didn't say I was DRESSED to drive semi, just that I was able to! 🙂

Wordless Wednesday – Breakfast

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I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about today…but thankfully, I have a little guy in my house that usually makes these posts pretty easy to write. He didn’t disappoint today!

While I was checking email, and assuming George was quietly eating his breakfast, I found out he was really trying to make ME breakfast! Wasn’t that sweet of him? (I keep telling myself that.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunt My Meat Monday – Success!

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That’s right, after a few failed attempts this week, I managed to finally bring down my deer. In fact, as I type this, my dear is at a local butcher shop, being turned into pepper sticks and dried venison (and I’ll have a recipe for that at a later date). I can’t WAIT!

But, the story on how I got my deer is an entertaining one…and since I happen to like to entertain you, my reader, I will share my story with you:

It all started Sunday morning, as I woke up to the promise of another beautiful day on the prairie (seriously, 50 degrees on the prairie…in North Dakota…in November?!? Pinch me, I’m dreaming!)

A friend of my husband called and said that there were some deer west of our house a bit. I drove a mile west, saw the deer he was referring to, walked a half-mile in, shot three times, missed, and walked the rest of the way home. Great way to get a mile walk in, but not a successful hunt. It was now almost 9 a.m., I had to get myself and four boys ready to greet at church at 9:35, plus have the refreshments ready for the Fellowship Time following church. But I wasn’t in a hurry. 😉

We made it through church (did I mention that we were also Sunday morning greeters/ushers for church?), made it through the snack preparation for after church, made it through Sunday School (did I mention that I was asked to sub for a Sunday School teacher that was sick?) and then headed home. I had a long, busy day already, and it was barely noon.

As we pull up to the grocery store to pick up some milk (we go through milk like CRAZY!), my little sister called, telling me that there was a buck just west of the farm. I’ve been down this road already…in fact, I had walked that mile already that day! But she was insistent that I hurry out and see if I could shoot him. And so we hurried home, I grabbed my orange sweatshirt (state law to wear blaze orange while deer hunting during gun season), grabbed my gun and headed back west again.

As I got out of the suburban to cross the fence and head out into the field, it dawned on me that my attire was not the best suited for hunting excursions. This is what I was wearing:

My version of hunting...with style.

 

 

Yes, I am wearing a green cowl-neck sweater dress, complete with brown leggings and knee-high dress boots. I was a fashionable hunter as I crossed the field, even kneeling to use my scope to spot my target. The buck got up, I shot once and missed. I reloaded and shot a second time. I didn’t miss that time. The buck did a summersault and was down. I had filled my tag.

Now, to be clear, I hunt for food and to protect our crops and livestock. I am not a trophy hunter (although I don’t mind having a mount on my wall), and have no desire to spend days on end tracking my deer. I prefer I shoot them, they die, we take care of them and they’re in our freezer. Simple as that.

When we checked on my quarry, it became apparent that the meat on this deer was safe, as I had shot the buck in the head, eliminating on side of its rack. A pretty crazy shot from where we were, but the animal was dead, which was the point I was going for! (Sometimes, when an animal is shot in the body, it can ruin large portions of the meat. Had this been a trophy deer, my shot would have been a sad deal, but since this buck was nice, but definitely nothing special, my shot was in a great place…causing no damage to any edible part of the deer.)

The guy walking with me started to field dress my deer (take all the insides out), and I quickly told him that I could finish the job. I knew I wasn’t wearing appropriate clothing, but I’m perfectly capable of dressing out my deer. Any errors in judgment that I had in my dress code were my mistakes, not something he had to make up for! But he graciously insisted that he could finish the job, and actually enjoyed this part of the hunt! (And he did a great job!)

Here I am, with my buck (complete with my fan-tab-ulous outfit!

Not exactly what I "planned" to wear when hunting, but it works!

 

 

When my Dad and I took my deer to the local butcher shop to be processed, he commented on my unique attire. I guaranteed him that although I was dressed in truly my Sunday’s best, I had no qualms about helping unload the deer. I’m guessing it was a fresh change from some of the guys he sees! 🙂

I don’t have a recipe to share with you today…I’m too tired and and little run down from the craziness of today! But if you go over to my friend Katie’s blog, she has an awesome pheasant recipe (that I happened to supply her with!) and I’m linking up some past venison recipes she has shared…go ahead, check them out!