How a Farmer's Wife Feeds Her Family, Part 1

***Just want to welcome everyone coming over from Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life Large Families.  Glad you stopped by.  If you're new, a good place to start is the Favorite Posts section, down on the right!*****


People email and ask me all the time for advice on dealing with cooking.  They are usually curious if I do once a month cooking, or marathon freezer cooking sessions, or how I grocery shop, or if I use farmers' markets, etc.  The answer to those questions is kind of.  I do indeed cook ahead and freeze ingredients and parts of meals.  I also garden and freeze fruits and vegetables in season, and preserve through canning as well.

Several people have asked me about cooking before a new baby or how to save time in the kitchen with a bunch of kids.  I started to answer some of these emails, but then I realized that I'm not sure my advice on how I run my kitchen is going to be useful to you, if your food priorities are different than mine.

For example, I make a great deal of what we eat from scratch, like bread, hamburger buns, baked goods, yogurt, etc.  If you ask my advice on how I cook ahead, my way of doing things will not make sense for you if your priority is to spend less time in the kitchen, and you currently buy mostly premade food, AND you are happy with the status quo.

My method could save you time if you make the same food choices we do.  So if you do make those things from scratch and wish to continue doing so, my advice may work for you.  Similarly, if your priority is to save money on groceries without couponing like a crazy woman, I can probably give you ideas there.  If your goal is to eat all organic or vegan or gluten-free, I probably can't.  If your goal is to eat more seasonally, I can help you.  If you want to eat as cheaply as humanly possible, I'm not the one to ask.  Make sense?

There are so many things that go into choosing to eat the way that you do.  So before I bombard you with advice that won't be useful, here are three questions to help clarify things:

What are your food priorities?

I have a couple.  The first one is that my husband and I are a bit of food snobs (this is obnoxious, I know).  We don't love casseroles, in general.  We don't use cream-of-whatever soup.  We prefer fresh fruits and vegetables.  We eat things that some people around here consider unusual.  It is important to us that meals taste fresh (I know that seems obvious, but it is a reason why I don't do certain kinds of freezer cooking, etc.  Some things just don't freeze well).  We like to cook and experiment in the kitchen.  This being true, my grocery bill will never hit $40/week like the people who blog money-saving grocery budgets.  That's just not my first priority.  (Which is not to say that keeping the grocery budget reasonable isn't very important around here.  It is).

Next, I want to be prepared to feed my family and others at the last minute.  For me, this means that if my husband calls and says that he needs lunch or something baked for the farm, I can have something (good) ready quickly.  (For the record, Seth has never called and demanded that I cook for the farm.  Ever.  I tend to volunteer).

Similarly, if family or friends stop by, we can invite them to stay for dinner easily and without stress.  Or if someone from church needs a meal for whatever reason, I might be able to help.  I am not suggesting that I make gourmet meals at the last minute, just that I want to be ready and able.

This priority also means that I want to be able to feed my own family easily and quickly on busy days.  Because we live rurally, take-out is not an easy option for us. And delivery is not available at all.  (Seriously.  Nothing.  Coming from the city where we ate delivery about everyday, that little fact blew my mind when I met my husband).

My second food priority encompasses several different things, but in a nutshell, I want my family to eat seasonally as much as possible, for the best price, with as much variety as we can.

Lastly, I prefer to buy (or grow) whole foods and to make as many things from scratch as I can....if it is cost-effective, practical, and it tastes better.  For example, I make most of our bread products.  However, my kids can eat about a loaf of bread per day.  So even though I make bread just about everyday, I also buy bread. It is more expensive.  It doesn't taste as good.  It's not as healthy.  But I just can't keep up with their appetites!  Another example of this is yogurt, which I make off and on.  But it's not cheap enough to be worth making it all myself.  And oh yeah, the kids don't love it homemade.

How do you feed your family now?


In other words, do your actions match up with your priorities?  If not, why?

What changes do you want to make to bring those two things together?


If you are happy with how you eat now, awesome.  But if you would like to save time, eat more homemade meals, make more from scratch, save money on groceries, or what-have-you, pick a goal. My method of doing things may help.  On the other hand, based on your goals, my advice my not work for you.  You can decide.... next time! 

Linking up to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays at Tammy's Recipes

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

This is an awesome company dessert because it looks all fancy (but it's not difficult), and it has to be made ahead of time.  

We cut this recipe out of Saveur magazine so long ago I can't even remember the year.  It says that the recipe originally comes from Marlow & Sons.  We modified it very slightly for the ingredients that are available here.

(Sorry for the phone picture, it is prettier than this in real life.  We were in a hurry to get to a friend's.  To eat this, obviously.)

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Serves 8

Be aware: You MUST start this recipe the day before serving, or at least 12-ish hours ahead.  The tart has to cool for several hours between each step.  

Kitchen Equipment Needed: Mixer (handheld or stand), bowls, pans, 9" tart pan with removable bottom (although mine is 11" inches, and it works just fine.  I think you could also use a 9" pie pan here), candy thermometer (or other digital food thermometer that measures up to 365.  Mine is not a candy thermometer, and it works just fine), random spatulas

For the crust:

1 1/2 c flour

1/4 c plus 1 T dutch unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 t kosher salt (kosher salt and table salt are not the same thing, FYI)

10 T unsalted butter, cubed and softened

1/2 c plus 2 T confectioners' sugar

2 egg yolks, room temp

1/2 t vanilla

For the caramel:

1 1/2 c sugar

3 T light corn syrup

1/4 t kosher salt

6 T unsalted butter

6 T heavy cream

1 T sour cream

For the ganache:

1/2 c heavy cream

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (better chocolate is better here)

Sea salt, gray if you can find it, or just coarse flakes if you cannot

Step 1: Make the Crust

Heat oven to 350.  Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is pale and fluffy; mix in egg yolks and vanilla.  Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Mix dry ingredients into wet until a dough is formed.  Transfer dough to a 9" fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan.  Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Transfer the entire pan to a rack and let cool.

Step 2: Make the Caramel

In a saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 T water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  After it comes up to a boil, cook without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 365.  (Don't use a spoon, but you can swirl the pan during this time to mix gently).  Do not walk away, especially toward the end.  The difference between caramel and burnt sugar is about ten seconds.  Ask me how I know.

Remove the pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, and sour cream (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth.  Pour caramel into cooled tart shell and let cool slightly.  Refrigerate until firm, 4-5 hours.

Step 3: Make the Ganache

Bring cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the hot cream; let sit for 1 minute, and then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth.  Pour ganache evenly over tart and refrigerate until set, 4-5 hours.  Sprinkle sparsely with sea salt, slice, and serve chilled.

This isn't diet food, in case you were wondering.

The Best Day of the Year...Not.

Seriously though...if Valentine's Day is your favorite holiday and you are, right this very minute, getting yourself all cranked up about gifts and outfits and date night, go here and read. 

Everybody back?  Remember that post?  The same thing is true of Valentine's Day.  Even more true, probably.  When you are single, Valentine's Day is an easy day to get a little depressed.  And when you are married, it is an easy day to get a little depressed.  Is it fun for anyone, really?  No?! 

Seth and I haven't done V-Day since college (not that I dislike gifts and flowers or date night.  No.  Frankly, those are some of my favorite things.)  Around here, we decided that it's a kid's holiday.  And you know what?  I don't miss it.  At all.  The kids are naturally thrilled with all things hearts and pink and candy, so everybody wins.  We usually play a "heart attack" game where everybody writes one thing they love about each member of our family on a heart, and we hang them up all month.  This is my favorite part, truly.  I always save them after I take them down, because the things that the kids say about each other are hilarious.  Er, I mean...priceless and kind and loving, of course.

Heart Attack 2010 (mysteriously no pictures can be found of 2011):

Because, the thing is, this is the kind of love I want in my life anyway.  Not that there's anything wrong with roses and chocolate.  Just that there is something more genuine that I want to be focused on.  And I hope I see and show that kind of love in my life everyday, not just one day of the year....the same day that everybody else in the world is trying to get a sitter and go out for an overpriced dinner too.

I'm not saying that it is wrong to celebrate Valentine's Day, if that is what makes you both happy!  Have at it!  However, if it isn't making you both happy, maybe take a break this year.  The thing about Valentine's Day is that it always come back around the next year.

Fair warning, this is the ishy-squishy part of Valentine's for my farmer.  Look away now if you are squeamish.  Or my Daddy.  (I'm adding in totally gratuitous wedding pictures below.  Because I can).

Here is a list of ways that I see my husband loving me that have nothing to do with a holiday, and everything to do with everyday:

He puts our family first, always.  He puts his own needs second, always.  And I don't even see him struggle to do so, darn it.

He goes to work, everyday, and then comes home and gets on the floor with the kids.  Everyday.

That paycheck he brings home from work?  Most months, not even a dollar of it is spent on something for himself.

Similarly, in the same period of time during which I bought three random jackets/coats/fleeces/capes/etc for myself, he wore a ten year old winter coat, to the point of falling apart, literally.  And he protested that he didn't need a new one this year when I insisted.

He takes everything I say and do in the best possible light.  He sees my best self, even when I am not that person.  Let me tell you how often that is: every day.

He tells me how sexy I am every.single.day.  And let's be honest...I'm not exactly the girl I was pre-kids.  So he's either blind, or he sees me with love.  Probably both.

He brings my girls home flowers on special occasions, but always little-girl-appropriate flowers.  He saves grown-up flowers for me.

He thanks me for making dinner every single night.  Seriously, even though I told him to stop.  He says that he gets to eat it everyday, so he is going to thank me everyday.

When I get crabby, he suggests that I go upstairs and do something relaxing.  When he gets crabby...well....I'm not always so generous.

He always encourages me.  If he sees me doing something wrong, he brings me around to the idea gently instead of criticizing me.

He's totally on board for most of my crazy ideas.

He respects his mama and tries to do helpful things for her without being asked.  (If you're not married yet, trust me when I tell you that how he treats his mother, all things being equal, is very similar to how he will eventually treat you).

He cleans the kitchen after we have people over, even though I give up and go to bed.

He lets me pick out his clothes.

He makes sure we are on the same page about big decisions.  He takes my opinion as seriously as his own.

He gets up with our babies at night.

I've even convinced him to wear our babies in my pink silk sling.  He only did it a few times, but he didn't complain.

He makes me laugh.

My husband is my very favorite person.

I'll stop now because he is probably dying of embarrassment.  I love you honey!  Thanks for picking me!  I'm not kidding about that bacon.