Summer in Quarantine

Summer this year has been interesting. Different, for sure!  In May we welcomed or third little girl. She has fit in perfectly, and is the best little baby. 

She is now 8 weeks old and is sleeping thru the night. Her big sisters love her, and help with her so much. She enjoys going out to work in the garden with mommy in the evenings when it cools a bit. 

The gardens look the best they've ever looked, and the veggies are rolling in.

I've spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen this summer so far. I am learning new recipes with all of the garden goodies that were growing this year!! 

Even though there's been challenges being quarantined because of this Corona virus, it's given us opportunities we otherwise wouldn't have. My husband has been working from home until just recently which has given him way more time with the new baby than he normally would have had. Those first weeks are precious and he got to be here for it! He was here to help our older girls adjust to this new life with the baby, and a mommy who had to be consumed with nursing every two hours and getting extra sleep during the day. 

No commute time in the mornings or evenings meant there was more time to pick up a few farm projects. Actually, we've done quite a few projects but the two largest ones were finishing the barn paint. 

And staining our fence! Finally! This project is still in progress, but it's getting there! 

We've also finished up the landscaping and laid fresh mulch at the front of the house and it looks amazing! It made the house look complete! This was one of my favorite foggy mornings from a few weeks back. 

I loved sitting on the porch in the early morning with my coffee, watching the fog lift off the horse field. 

With less errands to run and places to be, there's been more days to ride the horses.

More time to roast s'mores.

Summer in quarantine wasn't too bad! 

Valentine's Day on the Farm

Happy Valentine's Day from the farm! 

A dozen roses and a bag of candy for these girls from their Valentine! 

As for me....he knows better than to bring me a dozen roses. I'd rather have a rose bush to put in the ground. This year I got two Eden bareroot roses to plant at the entrance of our new market Garden that is going in later this spring. They get 8-10 feet tall and have beautiful light pink blooms ALL over them! 

I hope your day was wonderful and you felt loved by many! 

Decorating for Valentine's Day on the Farm

It's almost the middle of February, and the farm still stays busy even in the "off season". Cold nights mean we're tossing cracked corn to the chickens to keep them warm, the horses get blanketed for extra warmth, hay needs to be put out and fire wood needs to be brought up to the house daily.

This is also the time of year when we get a head start on the upcoming gardening season. Plans are being made and the seedlings are starting to pop up indoors under the grow lights.

And, we're prepping for Valentine's day! We're putting benches together, baking cakes, and setting up our dining room for our Valentine's dinner at home. 

If you missed the post I did earlier this week with the recipe to my Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake with Maple Frosting you can read that HERE. 

This year I decided to snag some new Valentine's decor. I'm really lacking in that department, and with the kids getting older I figured I needed to make this the year I really make it special. 

For the dining room table I used a lot of what I had. I started with a gingham green and white table runner and layered some shimmery placemats that I already had. The table decor was gathered up from my basement stash of random decor. 

Then, I stacked up two different size plates of my wedding China - the Royal Albert Old Country Roses China, and placed a folded white cloth napkin. I do plan on adding to this set. The set of 5 place settings HERE. And, I'm loving this sandwich platter HERE. 

This light green water goblets, embossed with ferns were the perfect addition to my collection. They have been on my wish list for awhile so I figured I'd snatch up a set! They were packaged great and not a single one got broken during shipping. You can find them HERE. 

My entryway was in need of sprucing up and I was on the hunt for a new piece to add to our home.  This bench (HERE) fit perfectly against this wall and was the perfect addition to bring in the pop of black I needed in this space to stay cohesive with the rest of my home. 

Valentines decor was needed for in here too so I grabbed the THESE pillow covers, THIS blanket and this adorable wreath HERE. 

And, yes...in case you're wondering I do actually shop this much from Amazon. My mailman probably hates me. Come join us in our newest Youtube video as I do all of the decorating, and start a few seeds this week!  

And, yes.  Even my sweater is from amazon.  HERE you go.  You're welcome. 

Valentines Day 2021 is almost here. We're spending it here on the farm with our 3 girls. Steaks, salads, baked potatoes and homemade rolls are on our menu! 

So, what's your plans? Heading out or staying at home? 

Thank you so much for visiting! This post contains affiliate links. That means I may receive a small amount of compensation if you choose to purchase from my links. I only link to products that I know and love.

Cinnamon Swirl Pound Cake with a Maple Frosting

Thank you so much for visiting! This post contains affiliate links. That means I may receive a small amount of compensation if you choose to purchase from my links. I only link to products that I know and love.

Sometimes you just need a little sweetness with a cup of coffee!  This cinnamon swirl pound cake I've made for years, but I've changed it up with a simple maple frosting.  I make this in my Non Stick Bundt cake pan.  If you need one, HERE is the one I have. 

Cake Ingredients:

1 stick of butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups of sugar + 1/3 cup for cinnamon mixture

4 eggs

1 cup of whole milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Maple Frosting Ingredients:

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp of maple flavoring

1/4 cup of milk

2 tbsp melted SALTED butter

2 tbsp brewed strong coffee

Start by mixing 1 stick of butter, 1/2 cup of shortening with a mixer in a large bowl.  Add 2 cups of sugar and blend until light and fluffy.  Then, add the eggs - beating well after each addition.  Set this to the side. 

In a separate bowl, or glass measuring bowl combine 1 cup of milk and 2tsp of vanilla.  Set this to the side.  I love my glass measuring bowl, and use it daily!  If you need a good one, I've linked mine HERE.

Next, in a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk to the creamed butter mixture.  Beat well after each addition to keep the batter smooth and creamy.  

Combine cinnamon and remaining 1/3 cup of sugar.  Grease your bundt pan with shortening.  Sprinkle a little of your cinnamon mixture into the pan.  Pour 1/3 of the batter into the cake pan.  Then sprinkle the cake layer generously with cinnamon mixture.  Repeat batter and cinnamon layers.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.  A knife will come out clean with done!  Let the cake cool before turning over onto a cake plate - this will help it come out more cleanly!  I've been eyeballing this dreamy cake stand HERE. Or this similar one HERE.  Aren't they pretty?

Now, for the maple glazed frosting!  Oh my - this just makes the cake even more perfect!  

Combine all of the ingredients into a small bowl while your cake it baking.  Once the cake has cooled at least 20-30 minutes pour desired amount of frosting over the top of the cake with a spoon letting it fall over the edges.  You want the cake to be cool so the frosting remains in place on the top some and creates a nice thick glaze instead of melting completely down the sides.  

Enjoy!  I hope you love it as much as we do!  Let me know if you make it!  

Join me in the kitchen as I make this cake!

Oatmeal - the lactation superfood!

Cold mornings call for warm breakfasts. And when there's snow on the ground, the wind is blowing and you've got 22 animals needing breakfast you better buck up buttercup. 😜 

Honestly, I never was a huge oatmeal fan. But, I found out it was a lactation superfood! My milk starting going away at about 4 months after having Evie. I was so disappointed. I only made it three months with my other two girls and I was determined I was going to nurse Evie an entire year. So, I tried the oatmeal. And do you know what happened? My milk went NUTS. For those of you wanting to do the same, I also increased my water supply and for about 2-3 days I took the advice of my doctor and nursed every hour on the hour during the day. But, I will say I didn't do those things until I realized what the oatmeal did. Evie is 8 months and we're still going strong! 

So, how did I go from hating oatmeal, to actually loving it? Well, for one....consistency. I cannot have some watered down oatmeal. Here's how I make it.

1/4 cup quick oats

1/4 cup milk

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp honey

Heat on stovetop until cooked to desired consistency about two minutes for me. Then I too it with chocolate chips. It's delicious. It's like a cookie. In fact, I need to go make a bowl right now just thinking about it! Enjoy! 

Have you been struggling with your milk supply? Have you given this a try? Let me know! 

Snowy January Morning on the Farm

Finally! Some snow! It doesn't happen much here in southern Virginia so I'm always excited when it does.  

The farm is always so beautiful, and fresh looking with a blanket of snow. 

The girls couldn't wait to get out in it, so right after a warm breakfast we bundled up to play and take care of the morning farm chores. 

The garden is bare, but it won't be long until it starts waking up for spring. I have big garden plans for this year, but for now I'm enjoying the break. 

Cheyenne loves to eat the snow. 

Evie's first real snow. I don't think she could quite figure it out. 

And with each snow.....it reminds me how badly the orange dust sticks to the white house. The farmhouse needs to be pressure washed! 

The landscape here at the front of the house is heading into it's 3rd season. It should make leaps and bounds in size this summer. I had a vision, but the WAIT is the hardest when you start with smaller plants.

I always wait until after February to cut back my grasses, hydrangea and russian sage just so it looks like this for a snow. I love the winter interest it gives! 

Our newly stained fence (quarantine project) looks dreamy with a coating of white snow. 

The horses love it too! They take off running with excitement when we arrive for morning feeding time. 

Now, it's time to head back in and get warm by the fire! 

Happy snow day! I hope you got some too! 

Baked Chicken Sandwiches

These baked chicken sandwiches are a crowd pleaser in our house, and even better than that - they freeze really well! I bake them up completely, let them cool then place them into freezer bags. Perfect for future dinners, or leftover lunches! I usually grill or bake up a big batch of chicken, and when I have leftovers I use them for this. If you want to make this recipe even quicker, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store that's already cooked. 

Crescent rolls typically go on sale in the fall months so I always snag a few extra and make triple batches of these for easy freezer meals. Also check out my recipes for my Breakfast Casserole, which uses the crescent rolls as a bottom crust. And, the Cream Cheese Squares are like a sweet cream cheese danish that is perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning or as a dessert topped with fruit and chocolate syrup. We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!! 

Baked Chicken Sandwiches

(Serves 8)

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken

3oz of cream cheese, softened

3-4 tbsp. milk

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cans of crescent rolls

Half a stick of butter, melted 

Italian style bread crumbs

Combine cooked chicken, cream cheese milk, salt and pepper in a bowl. Start with 3tbsp of milk, it should be completely combined and be somewhat moist like a chicken salad. If you need to, add the last tbsp of milk. 

Lay out 8 triangles of crescent rolls from the first can on a greased baking sheet. Evenly spread the chicken mixture on top of each crescent triangle, making sure to get mixture into each corner. Then, top each one with a crescent triangle from the second can, pinching the edges to seal. 

Spread the bread crumbs onto a plate. Brush the top of each sandwich with melted butter, then place that side down into the Italian bread crumbs. Brush the top side of the sandwich and then flip into breadcrumbs to coat. I work one sandwich at a time, placing them back onto the baking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until golden brown. 

I always keep macaroni and cheese and a can of green beans on hand to serve with these for an easy comfort meal! 

Enjoy! 

Drunken Rice Noodles with Pork

This is one of my favorite cast iron skillet recipes from one of my favorite cookbooks The Lodge Cast Iron Classics.  Here is the video of how I tweak this recipe with ingredients I can easily find, and I make it less spicy with a jalapeno instead of a chili pepper so my kids still eat it!  

Ingredients

1, 7-ounce package dried medium rice noodles

¼ cup canola oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Thai chili peppers, chopped (optional)

2 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced and marinated in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce for 5 minutes

4 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon white pepper

½ cup water, as needed

1 red bell pepper, sliced into ¼" strips

1 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut in half

1 cup fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Directions

Cover noodles with warm water for 10 minutes, or according to package instructions, then drain water, and set aside.

Gradually heat Stir Fry Skillet to medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and chilies. Use a wide metal spatula to stir until the mixture is fragrant and the garlic starts to turn color, about 1 minute.

Add the pork and stir until cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add the drained noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and water. Cook, stirring constantly, until noodles are almost soft, 5-8 minutes.

Stir in the red pepper strips and snow peas. Cook 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil, and serve immediately.

This recipe and others can be found at:  https://www.lodgecastiron.com/recipe/drunken-rice-noodles-with-pork

Rain delays & Barn Stays

Pouring down rain and power outages at school means a “snow day” for the girls! This year we have seen only one snowflake fall from the sky, but we have had a TON of rain. 

All of this rain has put so many of our outdoor farm projects behind schedule.

 The two stall, one tack room run in barn we started last August for the horses still isn’t complete. We don’t try to get many outdoor projects done during the winter. We try to use that time to rest up for the following spring and summer. 

But, we were definitely hoping to have this barn completed before now. From here on out, we’re starting major projects in the spring! 

We’re close to being done- just one more stall door to build, paint and a little grading in the front and it will finally be complete! Having it definitely helps at feeding time, and I'm thankful that these two mares have shelter for all of this rain.  

This morning the girls got to help me, but they got a little distracted with all of the water and testing out items that would float! 

This muddy pony is ready for a spring bath and a field full of green grass. Mud on the farm is just how it goes, but one of our projects this coming year is to really work on the grass and field rotations so we see much less mud next year, both in the horse field and in the yard.

All of the horses will be put up in their barns this morning with some hay so they stay somewhat dry.

A quick stop by the chicken coop, which is also ready for its spring pressure washing and clean out, and we are headed back into the house to get dry and warm.

At least the Hellebores and Pansies are blooming to give us hope that the sun will again shine one day, we will pack up the muck boots and heavy clothing, the mud will dry up and everything will again turn green. 

Until then, we will stay warm by the fire, watching it rain and making plans for the yard work ahead, resting up for more fencing to install, and getting ready for the new baby girl to make her arrival in May!  I should probably use this time to get her nursery together, and start thinking about ordering a crib! 

xoxo, 

Jennifer