by Farmer Melanie | Recipes
Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction
This recipe for lamb chops is a favorite on our homestead. The title sound fancy but it is an easy and quick recipe for two people (we eat two chops each). Rosemary, basil and thyme give it great flavor.
Prep Time18 mins
Cook Time12 mins
Course: Hot Entrée
Cuisine: American
Chops:
- 4 lamb chops 3/4” thick
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup minced shallots or onions
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup lamb broth or chicken broth
- 1 tbsp butter
In a small bowl or cup mix the rosemary, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub onto both sides of the chops. Cover on a plate for 15 minutes.
Heat cooking oil on medium high. Place chops in skillet, and cook for about 3 ½ minutes per side for medium rare. Remove from skillet and keep warm.
Add shallot (or onions) to skillet and cook until browned. Stir in balsamic vinegar, scraping pan drippings from the bottom of skillet.
Stir in broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until sauce has reduced by half.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter.
Pour sauce over chops and serve.
- Try substituting red wine or red wine vinegar for the balsamic vinegar.
- Doubling the recipe more than doubles the amount of time to reduce the sauce.
by Farmer Melanie | Recipes
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake
There are tons of protein shake recipes out there, but if you love that chocolate and peanut butter combo, a chocolate peanut butter protein shake is a great way to curb the craving without reaching for the cookies or peanut butter cups.
This chocolate peanut butter protein shake can be whipped up in your blender or smoothie maker in no time. It is packed with protein to keep you full, satisfied, and healthy.
Course: Beverage, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 banana
- 1 cup homemade whey protein
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon honey optional
Nutritional Facts
- Calories, 465
- Protein, 43 g
- Carbohydrates, 39 g
- Fats, 17 g
by Farmer Melanie | Recipes
Hot Buttered Rum
This is a rich and delicious beverage. It can be made with or without alcohol so everyone can enjoy it! This is as large recipe that makes 52 servings. No problem though. It is a mix that stores well in the freezer.
Course: Beverage
Cuisine: American
Servings: 52
- 2 cups butter softened
- 3 ¾ cups 10x powdered sugar
- 2 ¼ cups dark brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 quarts vanilla ice cream softened
What You Need to Make a Serving
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons rum or brandy optional
- Ground cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
- ¼ cup butter mixture
What to Do to Make a Serving
Place ¼ cup butter mixture in a 10 or 12-ounce mug.
Stir in boiling water and rum.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
by Farmer Melanie | Recipes
Quick and easy, this recipe serves 4. Give yourself 15 minutes to prep the ingredients and about 18 minutes for cooking. In just about 33 minutes you’ve created a masterpiece.
Skillet Chicken with Neufchatel Spinach Artichoke Sauce
You just can’t go wrong with skillet chicken and a good cheese sauce!
Perfectly golden brown, tender pan seared chicken breasts are topped with an easy to make, rich and flavorful spinach artichoke sauce. It might remind you of my crab and artichoke dip recipe but much lighter.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time18 mins
Total Time33 mins
Course: Hot Entrée
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
- 24 oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 Tbsp butter divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 3 ½ cups fresh baby spinach chopped
- 1 (14 ocan artichoke quarters drained and chopped
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 4 oz Neufchatel cheese diced into small cubes
- 1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup sour cream
Pound chicken to an even thickness using the flat side of a meat mallet. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 5 – 6 minutes.
Turn chicken to opposite side. Continue cooking until chicken is golden brown on bottom or center registers 165 on an instant read thermometer, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate, cover and keep warm.
Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and flour and cook 30 seconds then add in spinach and artichokes and sauté about 1 minute or until spinach has wilted.
Pour in milk and scrape up browned bits from bottom.
Add in Neufchatel cheese and parmesan, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook and stir until mixture has thickened slightly and cheeses have melted.
Stir in sour cream then return chicken to skillet.
by Farmer Melanie | Recipes
I make mine in my Corsori multi-function pressure cooker. It
has a yogurt setting. I believe it would be similar with the Instant Pot or any
other multi-function pressure cooker with a yogurt setting. You don’t have to
have one. I also have a rather inexpensive yogurt maker. The reason I no longer
use it has to do with how much yogurt I make in one batch. The small,
inexpensive yogurt maker works for a quart or two. But I make a gallon and a
half at a time now. Yogurt will last a very long time in the refrigerator.
So what do you need? Ultimately, what you need is a way to
keep the temperature constant between 110 and 115 degrees for anywhere from 4
to 8 hours. That’s why all the fancy equipment is sold. It makes it easy. You
don’t have to baby sit it while it ferments. Just set it and walk away.
Your Oven
You can use the pilot light in your oven. Better still would
be to preheat your oven to 120 or so, then turn it off. Wrap your milk with its
yogurt culture in towels and use the oven’s retained heat to keep the
temperature up. Placing a baking stone in there will also help hold the heat.
Using a Thermos
Another method is to use a thermos. Some of the best cost as
much or more than a cheap yogurt maker but, of course, the thermos would have
more uses. And you may already have one on hand. No need to purchase anything
extra. Come to think of it, I have a thermal cup that I bought to keep my tea
hot over long periods of time. It’s one of those that you can buy at your local
gas/convenience store or truck stop. That cup holds nearly a quart of liquid
and will keep it hot, and I mean hot, for hours. That’s modern technology for
you. You might have one or two of those on hand and, again, no need to purchase
anything extra.
A Warm Corner
The last method I will mention is trying to use a warm part
of your kitchen or other place in your house during the summer. This would
require experimentation and keeping a consistent temperature would be dicey at
best.
Crock pots get too hot. Don’t try that. Even the lowest
setting is over 150 degrees. That will kill the yogurt bacteria. I’ve seen
people give recipes using a crock pot and maybe they have a special one, but
all of mine even on warm are heating way too hot for yogurt culture to survive.
Let’s get on to the basics of making yogurt.
Home Made Yogurt
Making your own yogurt is easy. It's an excellent way to ensure that you know what's in the food that you eat. Try it!! Use your yogurt maker, multi-function pressure cooker, your oven pilot light or a thermos to maintain the temperature.
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time8 hrs
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Greek
Servings: 8
- 2 quarts Full fat milk do no use ultra-pasteurized
- 2 tbsp yogurt with active cultures
Heat the milk to 180 degrees. This destabilizes the proteins in the milk which makes the yogurt thicken nicely.
Quickly cool the milk to about 118 degrees.
Stir in the yogurt with active cultures with a small amount of the milk to make sure it is incorporated well.
Add the active culture yogurt and milk to the rest of the milk, stir well.
Set it in your chosen place to keep it warm for 6 to 8 hours.
- If using the multi-function pressure cooker, use the slow cook setting to heat the milk. On my Corsori, I set it to 193 degrees for 1 hour. As soon as the hour is up, I check the temperature which is usually 180 something by then. I immediately take it to the kitchen sink and fill the sink with cold water. It only takes 5 minutes or less to cool it back down. Then once the cultures are stirred in it is a matter of putting the pot back in the device, closing and securing the lid and pressing the “yogurt” button. Mine is automatically set for 8 hours, though I could take it out sooner if desired. It’s so easy.
- Using a saucepan on the stove is also an option for heating the milk. In this case, stay nearby to stir often so the milk does not scorch on the bottom of the pan. This requires a little more attention, but it still quick and easy. Once 180 or more degrees is reached, put in the pot in the kitchen sink with cold water to quickly cool it down. Add the yogurt with active cultures and mix well. Now use your desired device or method.
- The longer your yogurt sits, the sharper it will be. It will also be thicker if it cultures longer.
- For thicker, Greek-style, yogurt strain it through butter muslin. Line a colander with the butter muslin and pour in the yogurt. Tie the ends together and hang your makeshift bag somewhere to drain. This will allow some of the whey to be filtered out and will make a much thicker yogurt. The longer it drains, the thicker it will be.
by Farmer Melanie | Recipes
The reason that I go for the Instant Pot Quail rather than oven roasted quail is the heat. It is really hot outside and to roast quail requires a 500-degree oven. That’s right 500 degrees. The roasting time is short but just the thought of preheating an oven to 500 degrees makes me sweat.
Instant Pot Quail
Without the Instant Pot, your oven would have to be hot, hot, hot. Not bad in the winter. But in the summer, go with the quick and easy Instant Pot method. Simple but luscious seasoning.
Prep Time12 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Course: Hot Entrée
Cuisine: French
Servings: 4
- 4 whole quails 4 to 5 oz each
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 3 Tablespoon cooking oil of your choice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 6 oz bacon chopped
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaf
Season quail with salt and pepper
Stuff cavity of quail with fresh thyme
Place oil in Instant Pot and select “Sauté”. Add the bacon, onion, dried herbs, bay leaf, and cook for about 3 minutes.
Place quail in the pot, breast-side down and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until browned, then flip breast-side up.
Select “Cancel” and add the broth to the pot.
Secure the lid and cook using “Manual” and “High Pressure” for about 7-9 minutes.
Select “Cancel” if needed and carefully do a “Quick Release”.
Remove the lid, transfer quail onto a plate. Remove the herb sprigs from cavity.
Strain liquid into a bowl.
Return broth to Instant Pot and select “Sauté”. Cook for about 3 – 4 minutes.
Add the quail back to the broth for about 2 minutes, basting with the broth/sauce.
Remove from Instant Pot and serve with the sauce.
