Small Measures

I told Lou last months that I want to make things simpler. To me that is clear, but I think we have different ideas of what simple means. To me, it means keeping life on a slow pace and doing things for ourselves. Like making butter, having chickens, learning about the world around us and not wearing big sunglasses and prada bags. Its hard to do, if you havent tried, and each decision has to be thought over. I found some chicken books at the library and one was called keeping chickens, by Ashley English. Of course, Ashley has a blog or two  http://small-measure.blogspot.com/ http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/small-measures. She homesteads in Candler, NC and writes books for the Homemade Life Series. I think she has made her path to the simple life too (unfortunately I have to work and cant stay home writing books). Here is the recipe for butter we made this weekend:

There are two simple means of rendering butter at home-with a food processor, or shaken in a glass jar. I’ll provide details for both processes. The ingredients for either method are consistent, though: two cups of heavy cream. And that is all. Salt is entirely optional. If you’ve got cream, you’re almost there. Introduce a means of aeration and it’s go time.

Method #1: Homemade Butter, via food processor
Yield: Approximately 1 cup.
The Goods:
-2 cups heavy cream
-Cutting board
- ¼ tsp. salt (optional)
-Food processor

The Deal:
1) Let the cream first come to room temperature, or right around 72-74° F (22-23° C). Simply set the cream in a container on the kitchen counter, put a dairy thermometer into it, and check on it every 30 minutes or so until the temperature rises. This step lets the cream ripen a bit, raising its acidity, thereby making it easier to whip and full of flavor.
2) Put the cream inside of a food processor, secure the lid, and start running the machine.
3) The cream will begin to go through several butter-forming stages: first sloshy, then stiff, then finally dividing ranks and forming separately into butter and buttermilk. Machine times for achieving these stages will vary, but will generally take between 6-9 minutes (I average around 8).
4) Using a spatula, remove the butter from the machine. Place the buttery mass into a sieve put atop a medium-sized mixing bowl. Leave for a few minutes, allowing the liquid (which is real-deal buttermilk!) to drain off.
5) Transfer butter to a medium-sized bowl. Standing at the sink, start running cold water into the bowl. Empty the water out, repeating several times until the water is clear in the bowl. Strain off any remaining water.
6) If you want to include salt, stir it in now with a metal spoon. Otherwise, put the butter mass on a cutting board.
7) Using either clean hands, a rubber spatula, or a wooden spoon, begin pressing the butter repeatedly, allowing any liquid inside of it to drain off. Continue pressing until no liquid is visibly coming out when pressed.
8) Storage depends on when you plan on using your butter. You can either store it at room temperature in a butter crock, chill or freeze it in wax or parchment paper, or a store it in a container in the refrigerator or the freezer.

Along with the butter, Frannie got a taste of the simple life by watching her first crop come up-PEAS! oh she was so excited to see them emerge from the little container with earth we put them in weeks ago. Another small measure to make life simple and to teach her about the world around-take a peak:



Spring has sprung and there are activities all over the place. We took Frannie to the Migratory Bird Festival so she could see some birds and a rehabilitated juvenile Bald Eagle released. She had fun with the activities and being out at the lake. She was really excited to see an owl and she wanted to put a leash on it and ride it. Thankfully, there was an owl and she found out, not from us, that you cannot ride an owl.


Frannie and 'Shredder'



One...




Two...




Three!!!

I got a chance to use my new Tagine Lou gave me for my birthday. I have always wanted to try to cook this way and see how tender the food would be. It was great! and it looks nice too...

Spring is here and we are enjoying all the new life in the yard and around Helena. Our Forsythia finally opened and the rhubard is curling and starting to take over. We are getting rain for now, but we'll be up to 70 this week. Grow-Grow-Grow

The chicks are doing great and growing up so fast. We took Popcorn and Acorn outside to let them have a little dirt under their feet and to let them hunt for bugs. They are 3 weeks old and almost all feathered out. The little black silkies are still so tiny I dont know when they will start getting bigger...



Frannie could not wait to take the chick on a wheelbarrow ride.



"Olive"



Maybe we should name this one Bleu