Wildhaven Ranch Farm Trip

After pushing this trip back a month due to lots of rains and flooding on the ranch, we were finally off and on our way.

We had all been looking forward to this particular farm outing and couldn't wait to get to our destination.  Located in St. Stephen, South Carolina, Wildhaven Ranch ethically & humanely raise KiBoer goats, Ossabaw/Duroc hogs, Katahdan Sheep, Angus beef, and Wildflower Honey.

Travelling south on a nice, mostly sunshiny day, we made it to our destination a little over an hour later when we pulled into a long and windy road leading to the house and where we would meet our hosts for the day, Karen and AJ Biddlecom.

What a great place! The first thing you notice is the chickens and a couple of turkeys just wandering around the yard, scratching in the grass and eating bugs.

After introductions were made all around, we were off to the goat pasture where there were some sleeping in the shade and others eating leaves off the trees. Karen invited us in to give the goats some treats, so the next thing you knew we were surrounded by the herd, all anxious for their turn.

Then we wandered over to another side of the yard where the pigs were in a wooded area, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Karen called them, and they all came running over, while the mama pig, aptly named Redneck Girl, enjoyed a quick splash in a mud hole.

Next thing I knew I was off on the golf cart with Karen to see the rest of her animals. We drove by some sheep, a few horses, a llama, bee hives and more.

It was a fun tour and then we were back where we were being treated to a lunch/brunch.

We ate out at a picnic table under the shade of a large tree and it included a nice Frittata, Zesty Italian Goat Sausage, some lemonade and a homemade pound cake topped with strawberries and raw milk whipped cream. It was all delicious, but I'll admit I'd never tasted such a great sausage. The blend of goat with beef and spices made it extremely unique and very tasty! So much so, we all bought some to bring home.

It was a fabulous day out and about learning all about another farm, and once again marveling at what they do every day. No confinement cage operation here, these animals are all raised ethically and humanely on pasture as they should be. They can splash in the mud, scratch in the grasses, and otherwise live a great life on Wildhaven Ranch. This is exactly what I love about our small local South Carolina family farms; they know how to do it right!

Wildhaven Ranch products may be purchased on the farm (please call ahead), or find them at the:

North Charleston Farmers Market
Sunday Brunch Farmers Market
Folly Beach Farmers Market

Visit their Facebook page: Wildhaven Ranch


Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Cold Pack Preserving - May Challenge

Bruschetta in a Jar - Tami Young (*see recipe at bottom of page)

A group of us are participating in a year long Food in Jars Mastery Challenge hosted by Marisa of Food in Jars, and May was Cold Pack Preserving.

What is cold pack preserving? Also known as raw pack, to cold pack something simply means something that it put into jars while cold and uncooked. If you’ve made dilly beans or garlic dill pickle spears, you’ve already tried your hand at a cold pack. Other things that get cold packed a lot are peaches, pears, and tomatoes that are peeled but uncooked, pickled vegetables where you’re trying to retain their crunch, and much of what goes into a pressure canner.

Why cold pack? The primary reason to choose this style of preservation is to retain texture. When fruits and vegetables go into the jars raw, they don’t spend as much time in contact with heat, which means that they don’t cook as much. That leads to a crisper, firmer texture. The secondary appeal of the cold pack is speed. Food gets peeled, pared, packed into the jars, topped with either water, brine, fruit juice, syrup, and goes into the canning pot. (Source: Food in Jars)

So off we set to begin our projects! It always amazes me the how totally different and unique they all are; everything from pears, to pearl onions, Bruschetta in a jar and crunchy dill pickles were submitted by the small group of us who are having fun with the monthly challenges, even though we are geographically separated.

RECIPES HERE:

Easy Carrot and Cauliflower Pickles - Sara De Leeuw - My Imperfect Kitchen
Easy Carrot and Cauliflower Pickles

Pickled Pearl Onions - Pamela Gram - The Pit Stop BBQ, LLC

Pickled Pearl Onions

Crunchy Dill Pickles - Mary Marshall - Cooking with Mary and Friends
Crunchy Dill Pickles

Pears in Apple Juice with a Cinnamon Stick - Nikki Carriere
Notes - I used apple juice instead of water; I peeled my pears; and I added a stick of cinnamon
Canning Pears

*Bruschetta in a Jar - Tami Young
From the magazine "Canning and Preserving" by the publishers of Harris Farmers Almanac

Yield 7 (8 oz) 1/2 pints (I got 10)
Skill Level: Medium
Method: Waterbath

WHAT YOU NEED:
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons dried basil
2 Tablespoons dried oregano
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
9 cups chopped, cores plum tomatoes (about 4 pounds)

WHAT YOU DO:
1. PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water. Set bands aside
2. COMBINE garlic, wine, wine vinegar, water, sugar, basil, oregano, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover , and simmer 5 minutes or until garlic is heated through. Remove from heat.
3. PACK tomatoes into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head-space. Ladle hot vinegar mixture over tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch head-space. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jay. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
4. PROCESS filled jars in a boiling water for 20 minutes, (I'm a mile high so I had to add 10 minutes) remove jars and cook. Check lids for seal after 24 hours.

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pineapple Barbecue Pork Tenderloin

Quick, easy and delicious, this recipe combines your favorite barbecue sauce and crushed pineapple, or pineapple chunks finely diced, in an amazing sauce to baste on pork tenderloin.

Since a pork tenderloin averages 1 1/2 pounds, it cooks in less than 30 minutes, making this a great dinner option any day of the week.

RECIPE
Ingredients
One pork tenderloin, 1-2 lbs.
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 small can Dole crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks, finely diced

Method
Combine barbecue sauce and 1/2 can drained crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks finely diced, stirring well to combine. Store remaining pineapple in a food safe container in your refrigerator for use another time.

Baste sauce on both sides of the pork tenderloin, and grill over medium direct heat for approximately 20-30 minutes, turning once part way through the grilling time. Baste sauce over pork tenderloin several times during grilling, making sure to cover pork well on both sides. Pork should be grilled until an internal temperature of 145 is reached.

Remove pork from grill, cover and let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve pork with any remaining sauce.

Minimum safe internal temperature

Also featured on Meal Plan Monday

Enjoy,
Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Strawberries 'n Cream Pie

Amazing creamy strawberry dessert, very light and full of fruity deliciousness!

I used fresh strawberries from a local family farm, Willard Farms, I purchased and froze, but you can use either fresh or frozen strawberries.

Be sure to use fresh whipped cream you make from heavy cream for best results. The pie is best kept frozen, so remove it from the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes for slicing to serve. It is a soft, creamy pie, with a melt in your mouth texture.

Grilled Lamb Kofta Kebabs

Every region of the Middle East has their favorite version of Kofta Kebabs. Mostly they are made with ground lamb, herbs and spices, but occasionally you'll find them made with ground beef or veal. 

When we were stationed in Berlin, Germany many years ago, there was a large Turkish population residing there that produced an abundance of street foods, from Doner Kebabs to these Kofta Kebabs. 

These are so quick and easy to make, and delicious to eat. They are the perfect "grill time" treat to make and enjoy, and I know my family and I will enjoy these many times over the hot summer here in South Carolina!

RECIPE

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb

1 small onion, finely diced or minced

1 tsp mint leaves

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp allspice

1 Tbls parsley

1/2 tsp course-ground black pepper

Wooden Skewers (soaked in cold water)

Method

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, combining thoroughly. Divide mixture into 6 balls and shape each into ovals. Insert a wooden skewer into each oval, and using your hands, continue to shape and press tightly around skewer.

Grill kebabs over medium-high heat turning often, 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately while hot.

Enjoy,

Mary

© Cooking with Mary and Friends. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Cooking with Mary and Friends with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.