Tractors and a Dress

A few weeks ago, my fiancé and I had an engagement photo shoot. Our fantastic photographer, Tyson Baker, managed to take beautiful shots of the two most unphotogenic people in history. 

 

 

Of course I had to do the session on a tractor, in a dress, and in a walnut orchard. It was a blast! Here are a few of my favorite shots; even managed to find one with my fiancé smiling!

Nancy Jane

Cinnamon Apple Scones

Simple yet full of spices; Cinnamon Apple Scones are sure to be a pleasant addition to you Autumn afternoon tea time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 cup diced apples
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in food processor. Turn on machine and mix.

 

When finished, add cubed cold butter into mixer, then blend until butter turns into little balls.

 

 

Pour mixture into bowl, add apples and optional walnuts.

 

 

In a separate bowl, mix eggs and 1/2 and 1/2. Pour into the flour and butter mixture. Stir until completely combined.

 

 

Place a piece of parchment paper on cookie sheet. Lay out dough and press into a circle about a half an inch thick.

 







 Using a butcher knife or pizza cutter, cut eight triangles. Separate and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until top slightly browns.

 

 

Pull out of oven and let cool when fully baked.

 

To increase the sweetness, add frosting. Combine powder sugar, a little bit of water, and a bit of cinnamon to taste and stir. Once you achieve your desired consistency, drizzle frosting onto scone. The perfect sweet addition!

 





Nancy Jane

Pesto Winter Squash with Chicken Apple Sausage

 

Though it may still be one hundred degrees here in the Central Valley, it still doesn't mean we can't enjoy some early Fall luxuries. While we dream of rain, fog, and cooler weather, let us enjoy an Autumn dish!

Spaghetti Squash and Butternut Squash will grace the plate, yum yum! Feel free to add Acorn Squash as well; I'm not the biggest fan of that particular Winter Squash.

Recipe:

• One medium sized Spaghetti Squash
• 2 cups chopped Butternut Squash
• 2 cups chopped chicken apple sausages
• 1 clove chopped garlic
• 4 tablespoons pesto, find our recipe here
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive Oil for spreading and sautéing
• 1/2 cup water

Step One:
Baking the Spaghetti Squash. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut off the ends.

 

Cut in half long ways.

Scoop out seeds; be sure to save them for your chickens!

Brush the meat of the squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then lay face down on cookie sheet with parchment paper. Bake for about 40 minutes.

When 40 minutes are up, check to see if you can poke a fork into the squash with some ease. If you can, then it is done. Take out of oven and put aside to cool.

 

Step Two:
Cooking the Butternut Squash. Place chopped squash into a skillet, pour 1/2 cup of water and steam squash until soft.

Once you can stick a fork through the squash, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, sausage and a dash of salt. Sauté until sausage is fully cooked.

Step Three:
"Making spaghetti." When Spaghetti Squash is cool enough to handle, take a fork and scrape the inside of squash. You will see how it makes noodle like strands.

Scrape until the meat of the squash is gone, place in casserole dish. Repeat process with second half.

Combine ingredients from skillet into casserole dish. Add pesto, salt and pepper. Stir together; once fully combined serve and enjoy!

It's a very healthy dish, and you will enjoy all the flavors that mingle together. Super yummy!

Nancy Jane

Toasting Sesame Seeds

Toasting Sesame seeds is not a must, but adds a pack of flavor along with its already nutritional boost. We purchase them in bulk and keep toasted seeds on hand for salads, stir fries, breads and steamed vegetables.

To toast them, cover the bottom of a frying pan with seeds (we use cast iron), turn on the burner and stir the seeds until golden brown. You can always roast on a cookie sheet also, however, we prefer the skillet so we can keep our eyes posted on the little seeds; they burn quickly!

Be sure to add sesame seeds to your healthy kitchen's pantry.

Mother Judith

 

 

K.E.G.'s Love for Scones

There are only three things K.E.G. loves more than scones; Jesus, family, and pugs (specifically Poe).

With a nice cup of coffee, or tea, she exudes joy when the tasty pastry has found its way to a plate next to her.

But really, who can resist the temptation of the scone? It’s a sweet siren that beckons back to proper days of old. One can feel simply elegant in pajamas while eating the sophisticated pastry.

K.E.G. and I decided that today would be a lovely scone day, and per usual of this time of the year, we are still dealing with the ongoing quest of using up all the apples from the little orchard. So we started to bake!

 

Scooping out the ingredients.

Mixin'...

 

...and cuttin'.

 

The end result. She sure does know how to make a pretty (and delicious) scone!

Nancy Jane