More Ham Balls Please...

 

After the holidays, I usually try to bust out these incredible Ham Balls. I was introduced to these delicacy afew years back by a friend of ours. Then a fabulous blog follower named Hilarie, was kind enough to share her family recipe with the Farmstead. They are simply superb! An ingenious way to use up that leftover ham from Thanksgiving; And you can freeze them for later use. I ground up the ham in a Food Grinder Attachment, that hooks right into my Stand Mixer (worth its weight in gold, I also will be using this attachment for home aid sausages that are soon to come). If this is not an option for you, you can always go visit your local butcher, and I am sure he/she will be happy to accommodate all your grinding needs.

 

Thank you again Hilarie and Family for sharing this excellent family recipe!

 

 

 

 

Ham Balls

.8 lb. ground ham

.67 lb. ground lean pork (not sausage)

.33 lb. ground lean beef

1 egg

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup milk

Combine these ingredients and shape into little miniature loaves. These can be put in the freezer unbaked and brought out just as you need them.

SAUCE:

(I would use half of this recipe for two or three people; I just used half of this recipe the other night when I fixed four little loaves for us)

1 can Tomato soup

1/4 + 2 T. cider vinegar

1 t. ground mustard

1 1/4 c. brown sugar

Heat sauce--pour over meatballs and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. It takes the full 60 minutes to get the meat done. You can spoon the sauce over the balls one time during the baking. (When I make half the sauce recipe, I freeze the remaining tomato soup and take it out the next time I make this sauce)

 

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

French Dip Cresents With An Easy Au Jus.....

After our "all-inclusive" (aka all you can eat, 24 hours a day) cruise, HH and I have unanimously decided that we need to shed afew pounds. So to begin our dieting journey, we are starting with portion control. Instead of the hearty French Dip sandwich that we are accustom to, we opted for a mini version (which just so happen to be a decedent delight that you could serve at your upcoming Super Bowl Party). And with only 4 ingredients, you can throw these beauties together in no time flat. The comforting flavors are still present, but just in a petite portion. Love this recipe.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Beef Pot Pie, With A Chive Crust.....

Now that the brisk weather has arrived, it is time to indulged in genuine comfort food. I was ecstatic to find this new and improved pot pie recipe. Having only made chicken pot pie in the past, this was a true diamond in the ruff entree for me. The crust alone was so incredibly flavorful with the chives, that you could simply eat that all by itself. Yet with the addition of all of the yummy meat and vegetables combined within the gravy mixture really made my taste buds merry. This twist on the "traditional" was an exceptional dinner to serve to our farmstead family.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls Madame....

When there is a uniting of two exceptional dishes it gives my heart great pleasure. An All-American Hamburger meets a staple in the Asian cuisine, the Egg Roll. Together you get a hearty finger food, that can be enjoyed by peeps of all ages, especially the kiddo's. Baby D just adored dipping his into some Ketcup and taking a big ol' bite. The best part about these Egg Rolls were that they were baked, not fried. This is not only a healthier alternative, but infact your clean up is next to nothing (no oil splatter). The crunch of the exterior made your first nibble that much more delightful after sinking your teeth into the cheeseburger mixture. Yummy!

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Roasted Beef Tenderloin, My Heart Be Still......

I almost referred to this recipe as "Win Your Man's Heart Beef Tenderloin", cause that is the exact reaction I received when I served HH this meal. After the first bite, the man was putty in my hands. After each chew, you could literally see his body begin to slouch over, and then him gaze merrily off into an intense food comma. He was so smitten by the entree that I really did debate on whether to bring up my recent infatuation with a certain Vince Camuto Wedge that I thought I really needed in my life.

This is a must make, hubby approved entree!

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

One 6 - 7 pound whole beef tenderloin or two 3 pound beef tenderloin butts

2 TBSP salt

3 tsp pepper

1 TBSP sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 TBSP EVOO

2 TBSP bacon greased ( fried up some bacon right on the stop, must have that grease)

1 TBSP butter

Preheat oven 450 degrees (or 375 and cook just alittle longer, your call). First trim the tough fat from the surface of the tenderloin (a good reference of how to do that is HERE). Now in a medium bowl, combine the salt and pepper and sugar and EVOO. Then grab your secret ingredient, the ingredient that no matter what you should never skip, your bacon grease and add it to your salt concoction. It adds a wonderful complex flavor to your beef, a flavor everyone should have to experience at least once in your life! Set mixture aside and heat skillet over very high heat, adding butter and remaining 1 TBSP EVOO. When pan is very hot, place in tenderloin searing both sides for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until a golden brown. Place meat on a baking pan fitted with a roasting rack and then put the seasoning/bacon mixture over the top. Then really get in there and coat liberally with your fingers. Roast meat for 15 - 20 minutes or until thermometer registers 120 -125 degrees. Then remove meat from oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing.

This recipe came from: Recipes of an Accidental Country Girl, written by Ree. However, I could not find it posted anywhere on line?

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Beef With Snow Peas.....

Just gazing at this picture makes my mouth water. This entree was rich with flavor, you can see the wonderful glaze glisten off of the tenderized meat. I could have easily consumed this whole dish! No lie. Really no lie. But instead HH beat me too it (my thighs thank him), we were literally licking up our plates acting like pure scavenges, wanting just one more morsel of that descendant delight. Even while I am sitting here typing away, I am cautiously reliving that palate satisfying moment. It's like buying that wardrobe staple romper to add to your summer clothing collection good. And then finding the absolutely perfect pair of wedges to accompany that jumpsuit good. Yes, it is that good.

I only changed two minor things to the recipe; First: instead of browning the meat in the cast iron, I instead let it marinade and soften in the crockpot. Low for about 4-5 hours. Second: I choose not to use the recommended rice, but instead relied on my trusty rice noodles (I buy them in bulk now). Exquisite either way.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Blazy's Pepperoni--Studded Lasagna....

Betcha never had Lasagna with pepperoni in it? What an intriguing concept right? Packed full of lustrous, hearty flavor this entree was a complete delight to one FB's palate. I found this recipe in a Guy Fieri's new cookbook Cookin it, Livin it, Lovin it. Where he has a whole section on wonderful recipes that your kiddo's will enjoy. Baby D even helped me prepare this recipe with me, by breaking up the pepperoni (where he even nibbled on afew bites). This entree proved to be an exceptional meal, and was very appealing to the eye. So much so, that upon first glance HH asked to make sure I took a picture of it before he dug in. I made some slight changes to the recipe; first I broke up the pepperoni's into bite size pieces then sauteed them, I took them out with a slotted spoon and kept the juices in the pan to sear up the onions (I also added peppers), second I used oven ready lasagna sheets, that way I could cut down on one step and it would save me time, third I used the good'ol store bought marinara sauce instead of making my own. But I still very much stayed true to the whole persona of the recipe. It was excellent.


For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Big Fat Bacon Slidders My Friends.....

Good Golly Miss Molly, This Are Incredible! I fell in love with the whole concept of these burgers, as soon as I seen them. The fact that you wrap a piece of bacon around a hamburger, instead of just placing a full cooked piece of bacon on top is nothing short of sheer brilliance. The presentation is outstanding, you place a strip of bacon in the middle of the burger and the wrap it around forming a cross formation in the center (click on the recipe link below, it will go into more detail on the whole "bacon wrapping process"). Once you have the basic principles down on this burger, you can really let your imagination go mad.

Now I happened to adore the original recipe quite well, the tangy of the BBQ sauce made a great marriage with the salty, earthy flavors of the Parmesan.

But if you were wanting, say a slight twist on tradition. You instead of the BBQ, use ketchup, and instead of Parm, use sharp cheddar.

Or keep the BBQ and pair it with cheddar.

Or perhaps you prefer HH's "heartburn method", A1 and shaved Pepper Jack cheese. It is actually really good, just beware of the repercussions to follow.

Basically use the basic fundamentals of this bacon burger, then you can sass it up however you like.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

DET Burger, A Favorite Of HH.

It is burger season! Although this classic is made from the comfort of your humble-abode, it still provides you with that wonderful hamburger flavor. This is perhaps the best burger, you will ever have made with your cast iron skillet. A sassy flare of ingredients that really correspond fabulously together. The hamburger is a basic blend of traditional ingredients, while the toppings and the steaming preparation really boost this up to another level of excellence. Believe it or not, the toppings consist of green chili's, black olives (shhhh, don't tell HH, he does not care for olives, but loves this burger so I hide them; that's how I roll) sauteed mushrooms, cheddar cheese and a raw, yes raw, onion. The steaming method is a used with a favorite beer beverage of your choice, because after all, burgers and beer are just meant to be. It really is a exotic twist on your traditional burger. Infact, this recipe comes from restaurant in Michigan, it was considered one of their most requested dishes. And now I am sharing it with you.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Beef with Peppers and Addicting Rice Noodles

Every so often, I will cook a "wild card" meal for HH. Now a wild card meal is something that I think sounds incredible, but I am not sure how HH will respond to a recipe. I do this when our refrigerator is packed full of leftovers, so if the meal is not up to his standards he can just pick something else out to eat. This sounds like a fair comprise doesn't it? Well, with this entree, there was no rummaging for food in the refrigerator. HH, Baby D and I all gobbled up every morsel of this fantastic hidden treasure. The rice noodles added a unique texture with the beef, pepper, and onion mixture. Combining everything in a liquid sauce that is nothing short of sheer bliss in a bowl, made this farmstead family very happy.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE!

If you do not have rice noodles simply add in linguine.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Ham Balls, A Traditional Easter Fair....?

Right before Easter, we went to visit some friends of ours in Northern Mid-Mo. It is always a pleasure getting to mingle with this dear family. Not to mention, Baby D is infatuated with Mr. Brocks farming skills, and how he handles his beloved piggies. Thus, as we were all reminiscing (HH and Brocks dad, Mr D. or as I refer to him as Mr. Delightful, were fraternity brothers), the conversion some how switched gears and we began chatting about traditional Easter cuisine. Mr. D expressed to us that each year his mother makes an elegant dish that they call "Ham Balls", to serve as their staple entree. Now, I have never heard of "Ham Balls"! Meatballs, Turkey balls, even Tofu balls; But Ham Balls was a first. So needless to say I was quite intrigued by this new notion. So much so, that I had to get the recipe and try it for myself. Let me just say that not only was I impressed, by the outcome on this new twist of comfort food, but our whole family was blown away by how scrumptious these Ham balls actually were. You have what seems to be a "traditional" meatball recipe plus the ham, but then you dredged it in the sauce. The sauce my peeps is to die for! This sauce is pure culinary genius! We could not get enough of it, I would definitely recommend doubling, if not tripling it. The sweetness, the hint of the vinegar base, the whole savory combination is really quite tantalizing to your taste buds. This my friends is a must try, recipe!


Ham Balls

1 1/2 lbs of ground ham (ask your local butcher to do this for you, and yes you can get this done here in town)
1 lb ground hamburger
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Form into balls about half the size of your hand when making as fist. Place into a greased baking dish.

Sauce for Ham Balls

1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup vinegar (either one, I used apple cider)
1/2 cup H20
Pour over Ham Balls. I actually doubled this recipe, and saved half of the sauce for dipping into later. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Voila!

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Program Note: This recipe is courtesy of Mr. & Mrs D. Thank you for sharing this proven family recipe with us and all our blogging community.

French Dip Sandwiches...

It is an absolutely beautiful day here at the farm! The sun is shining, the horses grazing, the machines are running and our child wants to be outdoors. Today has been a day of catch up, after neglecting certain outside areas of our property during the winter season, it is now time to spruce up the farmstead. So Baby D and I have been hard at it.

You can't help but love the classic French Dip Sandwich! It has been a staple at eateries for years, always satisfying even the heartiest of appetites. A real crowd pleaser, this would be wonderful at your next smorgasbord. I chose to serve this family style, having each of the FB's determine their own portion control. It was an aray of dominate flavors that were extracted once all was combined and then dipped merrily into the jus. I may recommend not using as much garlic as previously requested, but a real winner winner beef dinner all in all.


For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE!

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Pizza Mac & Cheese

Please let me begin by saying that the name of this entree is really quite deceiving. When I think of Pizza Mac & Cheese, I envision Macaroni and Cheese on top of a thick crust pizza dough. Instead this casserole is a fiery (not literally) twist, combining two childhood favorites. The base of this entree is a glorified noodle classic, a 39 cent box of Macaroni and Cheese. Moving on to the much needed protein, we layered in some ground beef and even snuck in some green peppers for added vitamin C (even when cooked down you my receive at least 10% of the original nutritional value, did I mention this is not necessarily one of my leanest dishes), then topped with rich gooey cheeses and of coarse pepperoni slices. Serve this to a wild pack of 6 year olds and I am sure that you will be praised.



Pizza Mac & Cheese



1 package macaroni and cheese

6 cups water

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion chopped

1 small green pepper chopped

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 jar (14oz) pizza sauce

1/2 cup sliced pepperoni



Begin by cooking Mac & Cheese as per packaged directions, will cook approx 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, n a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is not longer pink, then drain.

Drain mac & cheese; stir in contents of cheese packet. Transfer to a greased round 2 1/2 qt baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Top with beef mixture, pizza sauce, pepperoni and remaining cheeses.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated throughout.



This recipe was provided by Taste Of Home Magazine.



Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Beef, Cheddar and Potato Pie.......

This savory meat filled pie was a delightful spin on your classic "Meat & Potatoes" recipe. Using the puff pastry dough (found in your freezer section) as a shell, I was able to fill it with just about every level on the food pyramid. A very well rounded (no pun intended), entree that can even be made up to a day ahead of time. I found this dish to be an ultimate comfort food, with a hint of fabulosity. Who wouldn't want to eat something that resembles desert first at the dinner table?

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Taco Meatball Ring....

I love the concept of this appetizer, or perhaps even a kiddo friendly entree. A spin on the traditional taco dip, with a taco salad twist; Are you still with me? A marvelous presentation, that even your tiny tots could help you with preparing, let them wrap the crescent rolls around each meatball and place it around your circle pizza pan. Huge sense of accomplishment on their behalf. Although dually noted: It hard not to devour just one taco meatball while putting this dish together, they are oh so yummy all by themselves. A very satisfying dish all the way around.



For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Tex-Mex Lasagna

Well Blizzard 2011 was quite the spectacle yesterday. I do not recall an instance were the cold whether had such an extreme impact on so many people and caused an utter lock down to basically all households in its trembling path. We have been home bound now for the last 3 days, only venturing out into the harsh winter whether to feed the animals in the barn. Thus, today is a new day and the FB's are attacking the Arctic temperatures full force by beginning to plow us out! So I thought it would be fitting to post a comfort food classic with a Tex-Mex twist. It was very easy to assemble ahead of time, and was able to please HH's palate. A hearty meal that is absolutely perfect for this cold blistery days.

I recently came Rachel's cooking blog www.4kowboys.blogspot.com and found many wonderful recipes that I plan on trying. Although she is a Steeler fan, I have enjoyed gazing through her blog, hence this is one of her recipes listed below.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

Meatballs With Peppers & Pineapple

If given the opportunity, I will always try mixing a hearty piece of meat with the sweetness of fruit. It is a win, win situation if you think about. You have a bountiful helping of protein with the amazing nutritional value of fruit, it really is hard to go wrong. But it is rare that you come across a beef recipe calling for a sweet pairing as one of its main ingredients. Hence, entrees such as this intrigue my palates lust for an exceptional cuisine. Besides one of my favorites, Mrs. Drummond concocted it, enough said.

Now I have tried this recipe 2 ways.
1. The right way, following step by step using all of the ingredients that were requested of me.
2. The wrong way, failing to purchase a succulent pineapple and instead opting for the can version. Big difference. Fresh is Best.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously

A Simplified Beef Wellington..

Beef meet Wellington! Whenever I see this listed on the menu, my mouth immediately begins to salivate. A buttery, flaky dough wrapped beautifully around a tender loin of meat. Yet I have never attempted to recreate this delicacy, always assuming that it was way out of my league. That is until, I was prompted with a challenge from HH to come up with a reconstructed version of a Wellington. I wanted it to be something I could make ahead of time and could be easily thrown together. I would say this recipe is equivalent to one beginning served at perhaps a fancy 4 star restaurant. So for this holiday season, if you are looking to impress some festive guests around your dinner table try serving a magnificent Beef Wellington.

I added finely diced pancetta and garlic to the mushroom sauce as well.

For more information regarding this recipe please click HERE.

Enjoy,
Farming Fabulously

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Can you tell it is beginning to get chilly in Mid-Mo? I have posted two crockpot recipes in one week, my hibernation mood must be strengthing. Or perhaps its the fact that Baby D is now taking diaper gym twice a week and I have grown accustom to using my old reliable crockpot. Whatever the case may be, I found this recipe to be an incredible one pot wonder. The pepper was so moist, yet it held up its shape perfectly by holding all of the delicious stuffing. The presentation itself made you salivate.  

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

4 whole peppers

15 oz tomato sauce

1/2 of a large onion diced

1/2 of a large pepper diced

1.5 lbs of hamburger

1 cup brown rice uncooked

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Salt & Pepper

1/2 cup Italian Bread crumbs

Spray cooker with oil. Brown meat, peppers, and onions. Turn off burner then drain fat from pan, then add Salt & Pepper to taste, 2 TBSP Sauce, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 3/4 cup cheese. Then in the same skillet add your uncooked rice. Pour some of the sauce mixture in the bottom of the crockpot, then place your peppers on top. Stuff your peppers with remaining beef mixture, if you have extra just add to the bottom of the crockpot. Top each of the peppers with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Cook 4 hours on high.

Enjoy,

Farming Fabulously