Hearth Side Cooking ... Corned Beef and Cabbage

There isn't much going on in the gardens right now (although I am starting to plan my spring planting : ) so I thought I'd share my latest adventure with hearth side cooking.  I put a corned beef brisket in a 4 quart Dutch oven and dry roasted it for an hour, turning the pot several times so that the side closest to the fire wouldn't burn (I use welder's gloves to handle the hot Dutch oven).

After an hour I added a cup of water, let the beef cook for another half hour and then added the vegetables.

I let it cook for another half hour, keeping the fire fairly small ...

One end of the meat did get a little overdone, but  all in all, I'd say this was a successful experiment ...

Enjoy!

Updated:

I thought I'd show you what the fireplace looks like in case you were thinking that you need some kind of massive open hearth to cook this way ... it's actually quite small ...

...and here's FitzGyver installing our "Green" fireplace insert ....

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... and More Hearth Side Cooking

Beef short ribs in the Dutch oven, potatoes and squash from the Hobbit Hole baking on top. Unfortunately there is no photo of the finished product (after smelling it cooking all afternoon it all disappeared pretty fast : )... everything turned out great!  I'm feeling pretty good now about my ability to keep us fed if the power goes out this winter ....

I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out!


Enjoy!

Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire ...

Score the chestnut shells using a serrated knife ...

Place in lightly salted water and bring to a boil ...

...remove from heat, drain and roast in a dutch oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes ... or ...

... in your hearth ....

... carefully remove pot from heat (wear welder's gloves if cooking on a hearth) ...cover pot and allow chestnuts to steam for 15 minutes ... allow them to cool enough so that you can handle them ...... peel and ...

Enjoy!

Motorized Drum Carder...

This post is for the Tuesday Spinning Group at Allyn Knit and Spin...here are a couple of photos of my FitzGyver'd Ashford drum carder...we have it mounted on an old television/vcr cart...

Enjoy!

Deb

Motorized Drum Carder...

This post is for the Tuesday Spinning Group at Allyn Knit and Spin...here are a couple of photos of my FitzGyver'd Ashford drum carder...we have it mounted on an old television/vcr cart...

Enjoy!

Deb

Frost on the Pumpkins ...

OK ... I confess ... I didn't grow this one ... I made it with my little felting needle ...

... and some romney locks, alpaca, tussah silk and a bit of merino : )

Enjoy!

Harvest Monday ... and a Hobbit Hole Update

I'm joining other bloggers over at Daphne's Dandelions as we share our weekly harvests...it's fun to see what others are harvesting and what they are cooking up with it...check it out!


I have a confession to make.  I have not been harvesting very much from my garden in the past few weeks.  Not that there isn't produce out there; my root vegetable beds are doing just fine.  I have plenty of carrots, parsnips, turnips and beets that can be pulled anytime, but I've put the covers on the beds and are just letting things "root cellar in the ground" for right now ... why?  Do you remember my post about the Hobbit Hole Root Cellar?  Well it's kind of busting at the seams right now ....

Squash, squash and more squash ...

Apples and onions and pears ... Oh, My!

And here's the confession part ... I didn't grow most of this.  I've mentioned my friends at the local produce stand, S & S Produce, many times over the last couple of years.  Well, back in July I was in there shopping and mentioned to the owners that they should think about having a Facebook Page (something I'd mentioned several times before).    They said they'd think about it, but they really didn't have time to mess with it.  I started to walk out to my car with my purchases, but this time I stopped and turned around ... "I'll do it."  I said.  "I'll build you a page and keep it updated; you just tell me what you want me to tell folks you have available."  They said "Great!" and offered to pay me for my time ... NO WAY!  This place is an asset to our community and I want to make sure they stay in business ... I knew making the page and keeping it going wouldn't take that much time and I spend way too much time on Facebook anyway.  So I made the page and they were happy with it ... and produce started appearing!  I'd stop in for a couple of limes and some tomatillos ... and a box of apples mysteriously found it's way to the back seat of my car ... or some peaches slightly past their prime but still good for jamming ... flats of blackberries that were getting just a bit soft ... and squash...and more squash...and still more squash ... often I wouldn't find it until I got home; some times not until the next day ... So I have a root cellar and a freezer full of local produce; easily enough to last the winter!  My friends at S & S are closing up until next spring ... but I have plans for that Facebook page come April!!  : )

Enjoy!

Irish Oats

I've been playing in my fiber studio!

Irish Oats colorway ... felted hat and scarf.

Enjoy!

Irish Oats

The garden is pretty much on it's own until I begin seed starting in January.  Canning, freezing and drying is done and except for Christmas goodies it's pretty much easy soups and stews from the kitchen right now ... so that means it's time to get to work in the studio!

Irish Oats colorway ... felted hat and scarf.

Enjoy!

I Am A Subversive Plotter!

Here's a really good video about reasons for growing our kitchen gardens ...



Enjoy!