January Cold!

Hello everyone!
January is just about over and the days are getting longer as we progress towards spring.
Things are quiet on the farm right now. Of course there are always things to fix and the guys try to cut wood when they can. They also work with the horses more in the winter and since we a have a nice covering of snow it's great for sleigh rides!!!

Winter is a good time for cooking up all those comfort foods like soups, stews and chilli, or maybe a good pot roast! We are well fixed for beef, pork and chickens and there are even some turkeys left if you missed getting one at Christmas. Following is a recipe for Minestrone Soup.

Come on over and try some of our meat. I think you'll find prices comparable or better than the store and the taste is definitely better. Watch for a special in February.
Also, if a sleigh ride is something you'd fancy, give us a call, e-mail, or leave a comment on this site. Happy sleighing!

Till next time,

Wendy for Knollbrook Farms

Minestrone Soup

4 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
2 cups celery, chopped
2 large onions
2- 156ml(5.5 oz.) cans tomato paste
2 Tbsp. beef soup base
10 cups water
4 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. oregano
1 cup uncooked macaroni
1 large or 2 med. sliced zucchini(I usually add a bag of frozen grated zucchini-4 cups approx.)
grated Parmesan cheese

Cook meats, drain off fat. Add water, soup base, celery, onion, paste, and seasonings.
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30-40 minutes or until celery and onions are almost cooked. Add macaroni and zucchini and simmer for 10 more minutes. Stir every few minutes to keep macaroni from sticking. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serves 12.

I often double this and freeze some or give some away!

Merry Christmas

Two postings in one month is probably a record for me but I thought I would use this posting as an opportunity to wish everyone who reads it a Merry Christmas. We are winding down for this year and look forward to what 2011 will bring. There are always changes.
Thank you to everyone who has bought meat and syrup from us and we hope to have the pleasure of serving you again next year.

We still have some turkeys available from 12lb -18 lb even if you don't need it for Christmas, they are good for New Years and beyond!

I'm not putting a recipe on this time but look for one in January!
Once again Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Blessings

Wendy and Bill, James and Nathan

Turkeys- Dec. 8, 2010

The snow has arrived and so have the TURKEYS!
Bill and James took the turkeys to be processed today and they arrived back tonight. They are $2.59 /lb and will be frozen. The sizes range from 12-18.5 lbs. and they look very nice. They go quickly, so if you need one you should call us soon.

Here's a couple of turkey tips in case you didn't know already!!!
When buying a turkey, allow about 1 lb /person for a generous serving and a few leftovers for sandwiches or casseroles.
Make sure you thaw the turkey completely before cooking.

Also,you can hardly serve turkey without dressing, and if your family is anything like ours, there is never enough. Here is a recipe for Crock Pot Dressing that makes a big amount and tastes wonderful!!

Crock Pot Dressing

1 cup butter or margarine.(I use less-actually I use 1/2 cup and add some water- just whatever)

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

12-13 cups dry bread cubes

1-1/2 tsp. salt(I omit this)

1-1/2 tsp. sage

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp marjoram

2 to 2-1/2 chicken broth

2 eggs, beaten

Melt the margarine in a skillet and saute' onion and celery. Pour over bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.

Add seasonings and mix together well. Pour in enough broth just to moisten.
Add eggs and mix well.

Pack into 5-6 quart slow cooker and cover. High 45 minutes and then turn to low for 4-8 hours. Stir half way through and check moistness. If it's too dry add some broth, too moist leave the lid ajar.
You can also add apples pieces, raisins or whatever other things you like in your dressing.

I hope to talk to you all again soon.
Thanks.

Wendy

Thursday,November 18, 2010

Hello from Knollbrook Farms.
October slipped through my fingers and now more than half of November is passed.
I'm not sure where the days have disappeared to, but just like the leaves, they're gone!
Soybean harvest was completed in fine form in October and the grain corn harvest was finished earlier this month. The discing and cultivating of the fields are done and they even spread all the manure-a necessary smell on a farm!!!
It is wonderful to have all the crops in and the field work done before December and snow! A nice change from the last couple of years.
The chickens made it into the freezer in October and now we're working on growing those turkeys for a yummy Christmas dinner!! They will be processed on December 8th. Order yours now as we have a limited supply.(thanks to govenment regulations!!) You'll be able to pick-up fresh on the evening of December 8th and frozen after that.

We have a good supply of steaks and we have decided to have a "STEAK SPECIAL" from Nov.18 to Nov. 30,2010. They are best before April 30,2011, so they are still in great shape and will taste delicious!

Sirloin $4.99 (reg. $6.29)
T-Bone $5.29 (reg. $6.49)
Rib $ 6.29 (reg. $6.99)

A limited supply of wing, round and blade steaks are available at the regular price.

Following is a recipe for steak.

Hope to see some of you before Christmas!
Happy cooking and enjoy the rest of your November!

Wendy


Oven Steak

2 lbs. of steak (sirloin or round are good choices)
2 tbsp. onion soup mix
14 oz. can tomatoes drained, reserve the juice
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce

Cut the steak up into 1" cubes and place in 9"x 9" pan.
Sprinkle meat with onion soup mix and cut up drained tomatoes.
Mix reserved 1/2 cup of tomato juice with cornstarch, ketchup and worcestershire sauce.
Thicken over low heat or in microwave.
Pour over the meat. Cover and cook in 350 deg. oven for 2-1/2 hours. Stir once, part way through cooking.
OR...Forget the oven and place all this in a crock pot for 6-8 hours on low, 4-6 hours on high.
You can also make and cook this ahead and freeze some for later.

Autumn Colours

September arrived with a change of weather and it is cooler now, a welcome relief from the heat but also a reminder that winter is around the corner. The leaves are starting to change colour and we'll soon be starting the soybean harvest and the corn won't be far behind.
The chickens are getting close to there processing date of Oct. 6 and they will be tasty eating!
They've enjoyed beet tops, lettuce and zucchini along with their grain.
The turkeys are well on their way for December 8th and Christmas!
We will not have any geese or ducks this year, other than a few left in the freezer from last year. We were unable to get geese from our supplier and subsequently decided not to bother with the ducks this year either. Not many people want them.

I am going to put a new recipe on here today that can feature ham or chicken or turkey, depending on what you have leftover. There is no pasta in this which is a nice change.

Potato and Green Bean Casserole

6 cups cubed peeled & cooked potatoes
2 cups thawed green beans
2 cups of cooked cut up ham or chicken
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese or mozzarella, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 can 10 0z. condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

In a greased 9x13x2 baking dish layer the potatoes, beans, meat, 1 cup cheese and onion.
In a bowl, combine soup, milk, mayonnaise, and yogurt. Pour over top and gently stir to coat.
Cover and bake 350' F for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake 5-8 minutes more. Yield 8 servings.

Alternatively, mix everything together and place in a crock pot for 4-6 hours on low.
Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese shortly before serving. You could a bit less milk and mayo and yogurt in the crock pot as the liquid does not boil away.

Hope to see some of you this fall.
Take care.

Wendy for Knollbrook Farms

August is half way over and harvest is well under way! All the grain is in the bins ready to feed those pigs and cattle for your eating pleasure!!! We're baling straw and maybe cutting hay this week. The chickens are growing and and will go to be processed on October 6th. They will likely be the same price this year of $2.79/lb. We're aiming for 5-8 lb birds. We were unable to get geese to raise and we decided not to do ducks either. Turkeys are coming in early Sept. for Christmas dinner! We are well stocked with pork and beef so come and see us. We also still have some Maple Syrup.
That's all for now.
Wendy for Knollbrook Farms

Lazy Hazy Days

Lazy, hazy days are untrue for the farmer, at least the lazy part!!! Summer is our busiest time! The haying is partly done, grain will be ready soon and it's hot!!!!
One of our favourite summertime easy meals is a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.
Our bacon is $2.99/ lb. and is just perfect for the BLT. Of course it's good with eggs too! @$2.25/doz.
We still have some roasting chickens left@ $2.79/lb and we have plenty of steaks for the BBQ.

Need a good sauce for your meats. Here's one that we like and I brush it over meatloaf, ribs, chops and steaks. I cook my meats to almost done and then brush this sauce on to finish, either in the oven or on the BBQ.

Sweet Sauce

1/4 c. ketchup
1/8-1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. regular mustard

Mix all together and brush on your meat.

It's delicious.

Well, that's all for now!

Wendy