The Farm Chicks

Tips for Baking Fresh Peach Pies

With summer, come the most delicious tree-ripened peaches that make for heavenly pies. And it's true that tree-ripened peaches are the juiciest there are, so how do you avoid a pie that's runny or soupy? Here are my tips:

• A lot of pie recipes out there don't account for tree-ripened fruit, so you'll want to add a tiny bit more thickener. For example, If your peach pie recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of flour, increase the flour to 4 tablespoons.

• A juicy pie is bound to spill over once the juices begin to bubble. If that happens, the juices will burn on the bottom of the oven and get smoky, resulting in a smoky tasting pie (and a smoky kitchen). To avoid this, prior to heating the oven, line the oven shelf below the shelf your pie will be baking on with aluminum foil.

• No matter what the baking time for your recipe, make sure to bake the pie until the CENTER juices are bubbling. This can mean the pie will take A LOT longer to bake than the recipe calls for. (Make sure to cover the crust with foil once it's golden brown to avoid a burned crust with the extended baking time).

• Allow the pie to cool until lukewarm, so the thickener can do its work. If you cut the pie while it's hot, the thickener will not have time to set and the pie will be soupy.

• If you do end up with a soupy pie, serve the slices in bowls, along with scoops of vanilla ice-cream and it will be the most delicious soup you've ever had! :)

You can find my recipe for Peach Pie here and my Huckleberry Peach Pie recipe here.

My Pie Crust recipe can be found here.

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Quiltsaver!

I'll admit I have a soft spot for the underdogs. To me, worn-out quilts are just that - often passed over because of stains and wear, and no longer desirable to many. And that's a shame. If you have a tiny bit of patience, these quilts can be given new life.

The first thing I do when I bring home vintage quilts is to soak them in OxiClean (I promise this is not an advertisement). It takes out most old stains and and brightens the fabric too. I like to fill my big laundry room sink with burning hot water and then mix in several scoops of OxiClean, stirring with my hands to dissolve. (Rubber gloves work well to protect hands from the hot water). When I fill my sink, I usually add in 3-4 full scoops and after the OxiClean is dissolved, I submerge the quilts, 1-3 at a time, depending on the size of the quilts. The water usually becomes very filthy with the soaking. Eek! 

Notice the stains on this quilt top before soaking: 

 And after: 

Generally, I soak each batch for anywhere between 2 hours - overnight, depending on the severity of the stains. After soaking, I run them through the washer on warm, with a little laundry detergent and softener.

As for the wear, I like to restitch pieces that have become slightly detached, and to patch little holes when possible. Any repairs I do helps to strengthen the quilts and gives them a longer life span. To me, they're worth saving.

Tips:

In my experience, OxiClean is best for a long soak stain removal rather than adding it into a load of laundry in the washing machine.

Transferring a heavy, soaking wet quiltt from the sink to the washer can be sort of a pain. If your sink isn't near your washer, I recommend transferring the quilts in a big tub so they don't leave a wet soapy trail from the sink to the washer.

I've never had issues with color transfer on old quilts when I soak them this way.

**Post Edit** If I had a really delicate quilt I was too worried about harming in a soak or washing machine, I'd take it to a professional cleaner I trust.

I've found many of my quilts at The Farm Chicks Show, which is held the first full weekend in June each year in Spokane, Washington. You can read all about the show here.

Note: I was NOT paid to write about OxiClean, it just happens to be a favorite of mine.

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Living With Light/White Furniture

Whenever I post pictures showing our furniture, I'm asked about living with so much white and "how does that work with children?"

Actually, our furniture isn't white. It's more oatmeal colored and here's a little bit about the subject:

When our boys were pretty young, we bought a new sofa and loveseat. They were bright white and slipcovered. I loved how they looked and yes, they got dirty, but about once every week or two, I'd throw the slipcovers in the washer and they'd be good as new. The problem was when company would visit. They'd see those white slipcovers and be intimidated. It's like they'd stiffen up and never really relax. Who wants that? Guests that are uncomfortable. So when we built our new home, I changed the slipcovers to a warmer tone. Oatmeal. And it was a really good choice. I've washed the covers once or twice in four years (because they don't show dirt), and our guests don't feel intimidated.

I pulled the cushions off, so you can see the slipcover base, and how much darker the actual covers are than traditional white:

Do I recommend white furniture? No, only because it's not welcoming. My recommendation: Just warm it up a bit and it's a perfect compromise.

Holiday Recycling

Once the holidays are over, I'm left with a bit of trash. But rather than throwing it all out, I've found a few alternate uses that apply to leftover packaging throughout the year.

Wrapping paper tubes are great for rolling table runners and tablecloths around. Rolling the cloths around the tubes prevents the creases caused by folding. The next time you need to use them, simply unroll and they're crease free! You can also wrap string lights around the tubes so they don't become a jumbled mess.

Leftover holiday packaging like these Tower of Treat boxes from Harry & David are great for sorting and storing ornament collections of varying colors and sizes, as well as holiday hangers, and various other essentials. They're useful and decorative at the same time. They also make handy craft supply storage vessels.

Rather than throwing out colorful tissue and wrapping paper, run it through your shredder for gift bag filler. I

Snipped ribbon makes great confetti and who doesn't need a stash of confetti on hand at all times?!

Do you re-use any of your holiday packaging?

Sonna's Closet Pantry Makeover

Right after the new year, our friend and all-around super organizer, Jill, began making plans to makeover our friend Sonna's pantry. Since I love pantries and organization, I wanted to join them and document the process to share with you. (We can all use a little organization inspiration sometimes!) When the rest of our friends heard about the project, they wanted to come over too, so we decided to make it a fun day, all together. What could have been a dreaded task was suddenly a fun little afternoon. Sonna's pantry is located in a hall closet just outside of the kitchen. I love that this little space can be so efficient for storing food items. But because the space is heavily used, it had gotten a little messy over time.

Before Jill got started, she talked with Sonna about what she wanted to achieve with the space. Once that was clear, she had Sonna purchase some storage containers of her own choosing, to store much of the bulk food items that were currently in loose bags. On the day of the makeover, Jill began by removing the door of the closet, for easy access. Next, starting at the top shelf and working her way down, she removed the contents and washed each shelf.

Folding tray tables were used to sort out the contents of each shelf. A trash can was kept within arm's reach to get rid of expired or stale items. Some items, like a juice pitcher, were relocated to the kitchen to be stored along with other dishes in the cupboards.

Some key points with Jill's organizational style:

• Sorting is a huge part of getting things organized properly.
• What foods are in loose bags? Since there wasn't an endless supply of storage containers, it was necessary to identify what foods are used the most. (The most used items would be placed in a container, making them easily accessible and refillable. Less often used items would be stored in sealed bags).
• Items should fit on shelves, and be easily pulled straight out, rather than having to tilt them to the side to remove.

• Make the most out of items you have on hand. Jill found some long forgotten shelf organizers in the back of the pantry that could be used to add height to items in the back, making shelf contents easy to spot.
• When you run out of storage vessels, various sized canning jars with lids work really well.

• Label bulk items and baskets full of items to easily identify at first glance. Jill uses this handy and inexpensive Dymo label maker.

Baking supplies and various seasonings were sorted out and corralled in their own baskets to easily grab and bring into the kitchen when needed.

Once the shelves were cleaned and the items all sorted and labelled, Jill added them back to the pantry shelves. And just like that, Sonna's little pantry was as clean as a whistle, organized, and ready for use.

Next, Jill took on the spices which had been stored in various drawers, shelves, and spice caddies in the kitchen.

Her goal was to get the spices sorted and condensed down to be able to fit in one drawer and a little spice shelf, which along with getting things organized, would free up some much needed counter space. Expired spices were discarded and the spices that remained were sorted out alphabetically and condensed into one container per spice.

Once each spice was labelled, the larger jars were placed in the drawer and smaller ones went on the shelf. A list was made of the spices that needed to be replaced, due to their expirations, and Sonna's kitchen was once again a tidy space.

Sources:

Sonna purchased her clear plastic square OXO storage containers at Macy's.

Jill's Dymo label maker was purchased from Amazon.com.

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Serve it Pretty

This time of year we take the time to make beautiful things and serve our favorite foods, so why not serve them in a pretty way? The best thing is, it doesn't have to be hard or complicated.

My friend, Jill, serves appetizers on a cutting board, simply topped with cedar. You can add a few cranberries here and there to make it even a bit more festive. I love this presentation. If you don't have extra greenery laying around, fresh herbs are a great substitute.

To serve my friend Sylvia's delicious olives, we simply filled a wooden bowl with eucalyptus and placed the vessel of olives inside. Just that little touch is all it takes to make the presentation beautiful. I picked up the fresh eucalyptus in the floral section of my local supermarket, but any greenery or herbs you like can be used.

Serving desserts? My friend Pam likes to cover her hot cocoa tray in gobs of teeny tiny marshmallows and serves brownies atop crushed peppermint candies.

Notes: This project was a collaboration with my friends, Sylvia, and Jill. Watch for Sylvia's fantastically delicious olive recipe on her website (Feasting at Home) soon.

Sylvia and Jill

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How to Make Merry Cakes

Oh what fun it is to make merry little cakes…. ♬♪♫

Today I started with basic cakes from the bakery and some simple essentials.

First step, sugar the cranberries. (I do the entire sugaring process over the sink. When I'm done, I can simply rinse the colander and the sink all clean). Place cranberries in a colander and rinse. Next, pour apple juice all over the cranberries.

Toss the berries around to coat each one, by shaking the colander, while getting rid of all the excess juice at the same time. Pour about 1/2 cup granulated sugar over the berries, shaking and tossing the colander to coat the berries in the sugar. (I use about 1/2 cup sugar for one bag of fresh cranberries. You can add more or less, depending on how frosty you'd like your berries to look). Once the berries are all coated, transfer them to a parchment paper-lined tray. Place in the refrigerator and let sit for at least an hour or overnight. (This allows the sugar to really stick to the berries quite nicely. If you're in a hurry, you can use them right away, you'll just need to be a little more careful that you don't smudge the sugar off while handling).

Now it's time to start festooning your cakes. Thyme makes a simple and beautiful wreath. Place little sprigs around until the wreath is just your style.

If you want to add a little color, a few sugared cranberries here and there are just the ticket. (You might need to gently press the berries into the frosting to make sure they stay in place).

And here's the cupcake version. Sweet and simple.

How about a holly inspired cake? Some mint leaves and cranberries are just right. Place the little arrangements symmetrically around the cake.

Or just one for a cupcake.

And rosemary makes for the best tree branches. How about a Christmas tree? ♫ O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree! Thy leaves are so unchanging… ♪ ♬

And a rosemary cupcake version. A winter flower. (You could also flip the tiny rosemary sprig around to look like a tree, with a little cranberry at the top).

For a beautiful cake that really makes a statement, mound lots of cranberries on top.

We did this for our Christmas shoot and it was so lovely, sitting there on the buffet.

You can even bedazzle a cupcake the same way. (Pretty, yes! But indestructible? No. These are more of a pretty display-way to decorate a cake. Some of the berries will fall off when cutting and eating).

Even just one little berry is as sweet as can be. If there were a sugarplum cupcake, this would be it!

Notes:

Cranberries are pretty sour. If you love sweet and sour things, you'll probably enjoy these sugared berries. But most of all, they're just meant to look darn cute.

Sources:

Cakes and cupcakes from Sweet Frostings Blissful Bakeshop in Spokane. The icing technique on the layer cake is called "Grandma Icing". Isn't that the best?!

Cranberries and herbs can be found at most supermarkets during the winter season.

Wooden cake stand: Herriot Grace.

Red and white cloth: Ikea

Red cloth: Pottery Barn

For information on items shown in the dining room, see the sources section in this post.

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Finding Barn Red

I get asked a lot for my recommendation for the perfect "Barn Red". The simple answer is that the classic American barn red is more brown than red. To find your perfect shade:

1. Go to the paint store and gather lots of paint chips. Any exterior line of paint will have shades of what they deem "Barn Red". When you gather the chips, you'll notice that they appear more brown than red, which can really make you second guess yourself with choosing the color. But trust me, you're on the right path.
2. Either take the paint chips to a barn you love and hold them up to the walls to find the best match, or do the same with pictures of barns that you love, chip by chip, until you find just the right one.

It's as simple as that. With a little footwork, you too can find the perfect shade for you!  

The Lemon Steamer Cleaner

The microwave really needs a washing.  This is what happens when children heat food until it explodes. I won't use cleaners that are full of chemicals because I don't want those fumes seeping into our food. Here's what I do instead.

I remove the tray and give it a wash in hot soapy water. (I love Mrs. Meyers dish soap!)

Sparkley!

Next, I slice a lemon in half and squeeze it into a little microwave safe bowl of water.

I place it into the microwave and cook it on high for 4 minutes. The lemony water boils and steams.

When it stops, I don't open the door for 10 minutes, allowing that citrusy steam to loosen up the grime.

When I open the door, I wipe everything down with a clean cloth, and just like that, it's lemony clean.

Hooray!

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Tomatoes and Harvest Prep

My tomatoes are going like gang-busters right now, and I'm obsessed with keeping up with the pickings. I can't stand the thought of any going to waste.

This weekend I did lots of harvesting and am slowly putting each garden bed to rest for the winter as each one is picked out. Good night, snap peas. Good night, edamame. Good night, corn.

While I was harvesting, Colin was doing manly things, like protecting our new trees from the deer. Did you know deer love to mash their antlers against tree bark in the fall? If you don't protect new trees, they'll surely die. Colin likes to use chicken wire to wrap the bark because it's not really noticeable, which just looks a bit nicer in the yard.

I think that canning tomatoes is kind of unnecessary, because freezing is just so much handier (and keeps the nutritional value much higher because it's not all cooked out during the canning process). To process, I simply chop up the tomatoes (not necessary to chop the cherry tomatoes) and blend them up in my cuisinart. Then I place the mixture in a freezer bag (about 2-3 cups in each) and freeze for use in fresh tomato sauce (or soups, etc.) throughout the winter.

For a very simple, yet fresh and summery tasting sauce, heat fresh garlic and olive oil in a saucepan just until the garlic is aromatic. Add in the frozen tomatoes (frozen or thawed is fine) and cook just until heated. Season with basil and salt and serve with pasta.

Tip: Skinning the tomatoes before processing is completely unnecessary here, as the skins are blended up and are not noticeable when eaten.

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Chocolate Dipped Anything

It's always good to have a back-up dessert option for those times friends stop by or you just want to create a wonderful treat in no time flat. Chocolate Dipped Anything is a favorite of mine. I know, I had you at chocolate, right? And to make it even better, why not sprinkle it up? With sprinkles, of course.

Here's all you need:

Chocolate Chips

Vegetable Oil

Fruit or cookies for dipping

Combine chocolate chips and oil together in a small vessel such as a small measuring cup or bowl. (Something that is a bit more narrow than a standard cereal bowl, yet large enough for you to dip into, as this makes the chocolate go further). I use about 1/2 teaspoon of oil to 1 cup of chocolate chips.

Microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until oil and chocolate are combined and the mixture is melted and smooth.

Dip fruit/cookies into the chocolate, followed by a dip into a bowl of sprinkles (you can skip the sprinkles if you'd prefer) and place onto a sheet of tin foil or waxed paper.

  

  

Allow to sit and harden (you can speed this up by placing them in the fridge for about 15 minutes). Once chocolate has set, transfer to a serving platter and serve.

Ooh-la-la!

Tips:

I like to do serve a mixture of dipped, un-dipped, some sprinkled, and some not, so there are choices for everyone's tastes.

Tiny bunches of grapes are a favorite of mine for dipping, and are an unexpected twist to the traditional strawberry.

I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate and white chocolate are delicious too.

Make sure fruit is completely dry before dipping. Water and chocolate don't mix, and the water will make the chocolate become instantly lumpy and unusable.

I always keep large jars of different sprinkles on hand. I buy mine from Bake it Pretty.

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Serena's Rules for Packing

If there was any month in the year that I could choose to take a sunny vacation, it would always be February. Here in Spokane, it's the grayest of months and always feels like winter has gone on too long.

We were able to get away this year and the sun did us all some good. When we travel, I have one basic rule: Less is more. We never check suitcases, choosing to use carry-ons instead. It forces us to bring less and is just a lot more efficient. No waiting for checked or lost luggage and if there's a different flight we'd like to stand-by for (getting us to our destination earlier) it's possible since we don't have checked bags. (Airlines require that passengers travel on the same plane as their luggage).

Several years ago, I purchased a wheeled carry-on suitcase for each of the boys at Target. They were on clearance for $5 each and have been the best vacation purchase I've ever made. Now each person in the family has their own suitcase that they're responsible for.

When choosing what to pack, I make sure all of my clothing works well together. A few shirts, shorts, a couple of swimsuits, a cover-up, light sweater, and a little dress. (Pictured above top to bottom: Sundress, top, light sweater, swimsuits, cover-up, top).

Since I will be wearing sandals most of the time, they are what I wear on the plane. These neutral sandals work well with any of my outfits. (Funny story about these sandals: One time while accompanying Colin on a business trip, I decided to go to the hotel's salon for a blow-out while he was in a meeting. When I sat down in the chair, the stylist looked down at my feet with a horrified expression. Then after doing a double-take, he said, "Oh my gosh! I thought you had hair growing out the top of your feet!"

I also make sure to pack workout clothes (and shoes) and a pair of flip-flops for pool and beach.

And my favorite thing to pack? A little sample-sized perfume. It makes every outfit just a little more special. My favorite right now? French Lime Blossom from Jo Malone. And their samples even have a little sprayer. And once we return home, I like to use the sample for a while longer to remind me of vacation.

Sources:

Top image from top to bottom:

Green Cotton Sundress: Ann Taylor Loft

Pink Floral Top: Anthropologie

Striped Sweater: The Gap

Yellow Striped Swimsuit: Target

Floral Swimsuit: Boden

Ribbon Adorned Cover-Up: Boden

Yellow T-Shirt : Target

Second Image: Sandals: The Gap

Third Image:

Tennies: Nike

Silver Flip-Flops: Old Navy

Last Image: Perfume: Jo Malone

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Cracking the Curry Code

Let me begin by saying I'm a huge fan of Thai curry.  And I've scoured the face of the planet trying to gather just the right ingredients to duplicate the curry deliciousness we experience at every Thai restaurant we visit. And I've failed miserably.

My poor family. Pot after pot of "curry".  "This will be the one!", I'd exclaim excitedly, wildly waving my spoon from the kitchen. "I think this time it's going to be delicious!". And each time, after dragging each family member out from under the beds and inside the closets for sampling, it was not. Really really not.

"Maybe it's just a tiny bit too sweet?", Colin would ask. "Oh no", I'd reply. "Just swish it around in your mouth for about mmmmm five minutes and then you'll get a slight hint of the taste".  - OR -  "Mom, what was it like back when I still had tastebuds and could taste food before my tongue was burned up by your curry experiments?"

Imported curry paste from the Asian grocery store, special curry paste from the grocery store, curry powder, every coconut milk known to man, curry cookbooks that basically instruct me to fly to Thailand and harvest the ingredients myself, special recipes from friends, lemongrass, thai basil, fingers crossed, spin around touch the ground, make a wish ...      still bad.

And then .....

*WAIT*

Cue the choir!

♪ ♫ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ ♪ ♫ ♪ ♪

I present Mae Ploy. The answer to all of my curry hopes and dreams. (And restorer of tastebuds).

And yes, that is a 2 pound tub you see there.  Ahem. I uh.. well, I was *DESPERATE* and found Mae Ploy at a local restaurant supply store. The ends of the earth, I tell you. That's where I've traveled for this.

But before I let you in on my discovery, I wanted to make sure it was widely available (and that you wouldn't have to mortgage your right pinky to buy it) before I recommended it to you. And lo and behold, It is! You can find it here, here, here, and lots of other places online. (In Spokane, you can find it at Cash & Carry).

Oh, and here's the best part: It's just spices. And no preservatives. I just followed the simple recipe on the back which included adding some coconut milk, chicken, potatoes, etc.

I've found I like to use lowfat coconut milk best, but regular coconut milk is delicious too.  Just a lot more rich.

And just like that, I've cracked the curry code.

And none too soon. I think my family was about to rebel.

P.S. I'm not related to anyone with the names Mae or Ploy and was not paid to let you in on my little discovery.

P.P.S. If you're going to go to the trouble of making Thai curry, make sure to serve it with Jasmine rice. It's the yummiest. And nope, I don't have any relatives named Jasmine either.

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A Sprinkling Here, a Sprinkling There

A definite must for the holidays: cinnamon and powdered sugar for dusting.

A little dusting adds a special touch to many things, such as a stack of pancakes, french toast, berries, pie, cake, and

hot cocoa!

I like to keep little shakers on hand, just for when I need them.  Cute old cake sprinkles jars, such as the pair shown above, work really well and look especially festive for the holidays.

Images by the wonderful Samantha Cabrera.

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Serena's "Sweet" Centerpiece

Need a cute and colorful centerpiece in a hurry?  Simply fill a mixing bowl with your favorite drugstore candies, arrange candles in the candy, and you're all set!

Image by the super wonderful Samantha Cabrera.

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Let's Talk Turkey

I love this time of year. There's anticipation in the air as we prepare for family gathering together. Thatcher and Jill will be here with us this year from the east coast (along with grandma and grandpa, and Rick and Alison) and the cousins will all be reunited, which is something that is so special for us to see.

When it comes to roasting a turkey, I have a really simplistic approach. I have a huge old enamelware roaster that my mom found at Goodwill many years ago. I swear by roasting my turkey covered in the pan. To prepare it, I simply rub it with a little olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. That's it.  The covered roaster hold in all of the moisture, creating a very tender turkey. No dry turkeys here.

I prepare my stuffing separately to avoid it becoming mooshy. I'm not a fan of mooshy stuffing.  And since I don't stuff the turkey, it cuts down on the cooking time.  (Roasting it in a covered pan cuts down the time a bit as well.)

I baste it many times while cooking, and that's about it. And then I'm able to really focus on the side dishes and desserts, which make for an amazing feast.

Next week, I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving. In the meantime, here's an alternative to mashed potatoes:

Roasted baby potatoes, carrots, and onions are a tasty alternative to classic mashed potatoes, and less work. Simply line a baking sheet with parchment, line with some big sprigs of rosemary, and add baby potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees until softened and golden browned on the tops of the veggies. The rosemary flavor is infused into the veggies and they're delicious.

Images by the super amazing and wonderful Samantha Cabrera.

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Sifting

Do you know the importance of using sifted flour when a recipe calls for it?  The success of your recipe really depends on it.  Because baking is a lot like chemistry, and it's important to follow the recipe closely.

If a recipe calls for 2 cups flour, sifted .... that means measure out the flour and then sift it.

If a recipe calls for 2 cups sifted flour .... that means sift the flour first and then measure it.

Believe it or not, it makes a big difference.

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