Homemade Pork Sausage

Yes, You Can Make That! Sometimes people will ask me why I bother making things like homemade pork sausage instead of just buying it.  The two big reasons for me are taste and control of the ingredients. Sausages of all kinds tend to have ingredients that I choose not to feed my family: preservatives in particular. So, making sausage is a great way to assure that my family is eating healthier. And besides, homemade food always tastes better!

Homemade Pork Sausage

1 lb. ground pork

1 tsp. ground sage

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. raw or brown sugar

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well with a fork. Spoon out golf ball sized portions of the sausage and shape into patties.  In a skillet over medium heat, fry patties for 3-4 minutes per side until browned or until no longer pink in the center. Yield: About 14 patties.

Or, instead of shaping into patties, crumble the sausage into a skillet and brown loose to be added to eggs or a casserole.

Note: This sausage can be made up ahead of time, rolled into the shape of a log, wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for later. Or, form into patties and freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, place the patties in a freezer bag. (This is perfect for smaller families or for the occasional snack.) Thaw fully in the refrigerator before cooking.

This post has been linked to Mop It Up Mondays.

Folks, This Ain't Normal

Over the last several years, I have learned a lot about food and how it is farmed/raised and processed in our country.  As a result, our family has slowly made the move toward real food. It is an on-going effort that has benefited our family in many ways.  If you have read The Omnivore's Dilemma written by Michael Pollan, you will recognize this week’s author as the owner of Polyface Farm.

Folks, This Ain't Normal written by Joel Salatin

The Polyface Farm is family owned and operated in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It flourishes under the care of Joel Salatin, who is a man with a vision: a vision for responsible living and the belief that everyone can make a difference.  With big business having taken over our food production and the government with its hand tightly clenching the system, Joel is offering an alternative that is more environmentally friendly and healthier for people and animals alike. His approach to farming and to life may seem a bit outdated, but it is a system that works: a system that replenishes the land and nourishes bodies in a far superior way to that of current methodology.  Joel Salatin is a visionary for self sustainable farming and responsible living.

I enjoyed reading about Polyface Farm in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, so I was glad to see this book on the NEW shelf at my library. His writing is entertaining and a bit gruff making for an enjoyable read. Although a bit technical, it was worth the effort to push through it. The most beneficial part of the book is the list of ways to make a difference at the end of each chapter. The inclusion of these tips makes the book both practical and applicable. I would certainly recommend this to anyone concerned with the way food is farmed or raised; or, to anyone convicted enough to make a change for responsible living.

To learn more about this weekly reading report, click on the tab above.

A Special Snack

Every week while I take my son to piano lessons, my oldest stays at home and creates a special snack. The two younger ones truly look forward to this snack. Not all of her special snacks have been edible, but all have been a learning experience for her.

This week during the lesson I received a call from my daughter asking if she could use some “kitchen equipment.”  A little nervous, I asked what exactly she wanted to use. The answer: the mini muffin pan. I breathed a sigh of relief and asked what she was making. Jam Tarts. My daughter has never used the oven by herself before, so I started to get nervous again. But, she was ahead of me. She planned to have the tarts ready to bake when I got home to help her pre-heat the oven and bake them. No problem.

These Jam Tarts were the best special snack she has ever created. So, I asked her to write down the recipe. After reviewing the recipe below, I realized that she needed a lesson on standard units of measure!

Jam Tarts

A hunk of butter

7 cereal spoons of flour

2 sugar spoons of sugar

Jam

Mix butter and flour to bread crumb texture, then mix in sugar. Then mash in the pan. Then cook for 10 minutes. Then put in the jam of any kind and cook it for five more minutes. Yield: 9 mini tarts.

Do your kids like to create in the kitchen?

Today I Am...

... pleased that my daughter loves her "new" backpack. I had told my neighbor that my daughter needed a new one because of a broken zipper. Yesterday, she gave me the one below that her daughter had outgrown. When my little one came home from school and saw it she squealed with joy! She even thanked God for my neighbor and the backpack in her prayers last night. We are so blessed.

... excited to be thrifting today with two friends. I am specifically looking for nightgowns for my little one pictured above. 

... looking forward to testing out this recipe for Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup tonight. I'll let you know how it turns out.

What is going on in your world today?

Fruit Smoothies

Here in Texas, the warm weather has arrived. And, with the heat, I always dust off the blender for the season. Our favorite thing to make is Fruit Smoothies. Sometime we make them thick, more like soft serve ice cream and eat them with a spoon. Other times, we make them with lots of milk and drink them with a straw. Either way, smoothies are perfect for getting another serving of fruit into my kids every day. Many fruits work in a smoothie: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, cantaloupe, bananas, grapes, kiwi, etc.  And, when you combine several fruits, you can create signature concoctions. The one pictured above is made with a mixture of strawberries, peaches, grapes, and cantaloupe.

Fruit Smoothies

3 cups frozen fruit (or a 1lb. pkg. frozen fruit)

½ cup plain yogurt (or whatever you have on hand)

1/3-1/2 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Milk

Add fruit, yogurt, and sugar to blender. Pour in a splash of milk. Turn to the drink setting and blend, stopping the blender to stir if necessary until you have reached the desired consistency. With just a splash of milk you will have a soft serve ice cream consistency. Adding more milk will result in a drinkable smoothie consistency. Yield: 5 servings.

Frugal Tip: Although you can use purchased frozen fruit for these smoothies, you can also buy in-season fruit for rock bottom prices and freeze it yourself for the future. To do so, wash and slice (if necessary) and lay out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Freeze for several hours, and then store it in zippy bags for later.

This post has been linked to Frugal Tuesday Tip.

No Bake Cookie Bars

Every Sunday night, I bring a snack for the elementary school girls that I work with at church. Last week, I brought these No Bake Cookie Bars. The next day I got a phone call from a friend asking where on my blog she could find the recipe. She had searched all over and never found it. So, I am posting this recipe per her request.

These are perfect for school lunches. They will stay fresh for close to a week and pack well.

No Bake Cookie Bars

1 ½ cups sugar (white or raw)

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup butter

½ cup milk

4 ½ cusp oats

Measure sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk into a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in oats. Spread into a greased 9X13 pan, packing it down evenly. Cool completely. Cut into bars and serve.  Yield: 24 bars.

This post has been linked to Mop It Up Mondays.

My Life In France

Well, my local library provided me with another stellar book this week. Over the last six months, I have read a number of books about France, both fiction and non-fiction. And, I am fascinated by its romantic image, artistic fame, and food culture. This book certainly did not disappoint!

My Life in France written by Julia Child

Julia Child moved to France, as a new bride, in the late 1940’s. There, she fell in love with the food at the first meal she ate on French soil, and all other meals were forever measured by those first few bites. As she learned the language and how to negotiate the outdoor food markets, she became determined to learn how to create delicious French food in her own home. Eventually, Julia enrolled at the Cordon Bleu where she learned the techniques necessary to write Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Julia spent years testing and writing recipes that were easy to follow for the American home cook. This was a daunting task that she tackled with numerous obstacles. The tools needed to be easy for Americans to obtain. The food needed to be readily available and must be found for a reasonable price. And, finally the recipes needed to be written in a way that Americans could duplicate flawlessly.

Julia’s success led her to write multiple books and cookbooks and star in cooking shows. She found her passion in France and shared it with the world.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is one of the best books that I have read this year. Julia Child is an inspiration to home cooks like me. She was an average home cook who followed her passion and found tremendous success. The book was well written and exciting and fun to read. I would recommend it to anyone with a zeal for cooking, or to those who are enamored by all things French.

To learn more about this weekly Reading Report, click on the tab above.