Iron Man

There's been some iron man stuff going on at the farm lately. Nope, Randy and Jake aren't training for an iron man triathlon. But they have been building up some muscle as they've cleared the farmstead of scrap iron.

Randy says he feels a bit like an archeologist as he's uncovered equipment from the past. They've taken six full loads of detritus to a scrap iron business in Great Bend and have at least one more load to go.

It's given the guys something to do this winter. It's cleaned up the farmstead. It's provided a little extra cash. And it's been a trip down memory lane for Randy.

The pile has been growing since 1976. His parents built their new home as America celebrated its bicentennial. They built it on the spot that had been the scrap iron pile, so Randy was in on the first cleanup 35 years ago.

This time around, he's found parts of old equipment that his Dad and Grandpa Fritzemeier owned together. He's found parts for an old Massey-Ferguson combine and remnants of an Allis-Chalmers model. There have been V-blades and disc blades and old sickles and old feeders.

Even on chilly winter days, he's remembered the heat of summer as he looked at the parts and pieces of equipment he had to help repair as the thermometer's mercury inched upwards.

He's still trying to figure out how to get this one-way unearthed from the tentacles of the trees that have grown through it. Any ideas?

Early Arrival

Early arrival seems to be a trend. Our first baby calf of 2012 arrived Monday. Mom and baby are doing well even though the little heifer calf is 2 weeks ahead of the due date.

Little girls coming early seems to be a theme for the County Line these days.

Babies are miraculous. When you're the parent, maybe you're too tired to truly appreciate the miracle. But a grandparent watching a sleeping baby has another perspective. It's hard to explain. Grandparents are enthralled by the little squeaks, the facial expressions that shift as subtly as a wheat field in the breeze and the grasp of a little finger.

After spending a week with Kinley, I have a new appreciation for the miracle of a baby calf, too. Yes, this little creature has a few moments when its four legs don't want to work together. But within hours, it's running after its mother. The subtle steps toward independence begin so much more quickly in the animal kingdom.

The mama and baby have joined the other heifers on a wheat pasture near the barn in awaiting the arrival of pen mates for little No. 2001, the first calf of 2012.

Now if only the rest of the babies would arrive on sunshine-filled winter days. That would be a miracle, too! One heifer down, 31 to go.

New Baby = New Recipes

New baby. New recipes. They just seemed to go together.

When I arrived to start my week in GrandmaLand, Jill and I went through three magazines and chose several new recipes to try. After working my way through an unfamiliar grocery store, it was time to experiment.

Jill married a guy like her Dad. Eric is willing to try almost anything. That's a good quality to have in a husband. And in a son-in-law.

BBQ Chicken Pizza Roll-Up is from Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine. Even though it was featured as an appetizer, I made it as a main dish. I served it with a green salad, and it was a hit for supper. And there was enough for Eric to take to work for lunch the next day. Bonus!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Roll-Up

From Taste of Home's
Healthy Cooking magazine
December 2011/January 2012 issue

1 tube (13.8 oz.) refrigerated pizza crust
1/4 cup honey barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. Italian seasoning (opt.)
1 egg white
1 tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

On a lightly floured surface, roll crust into a 12- by 9-inch rectangle. (I rolled the dough onto a piece of waxed paper and dusted it with flour. I then topped with another piece of waxed paper to roll out to the 12- by 9-inch shape. You can use the bottom waxed paper to make it easier to roll.) Brush with barbecue sauce. Layer with cheese, chicken, onion, cilantro and Italian seasoning (if desired).

Roll up jelly-roll style. Pinch seams to seal. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. (I used foil to ease clean-up.)

Beat egg white and water; brush over top. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly before cutting.

Notes:
The original recipe called for this to be served as an appetizer or snack, so it had you roll up from the long side. However, I was serving it as a main course, so I rolled it from the short side.

The original recipe said it made 2 dozen. I cut it into about 8 pieces, allowing 2 pieces per person.

I used about 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning. I might back it off to 1/4 teaspoon unless you're a huge fan of Italian seasoning. I didn't use the onion because I didn't want to use it raw. The next time I make this, I will either saute the onion to soften it before using or use green onion minced finely.

To make the shredded chicken, I put frozen chicken tenderloins in a glass 13- by 9-inch pan and drizzled with additional barbecue sauce. I topped it with plastic wrap. I microwaved it until the chicken was tender and then used two forks to shred it. So it had a little extra BBQ sauce than what was called for in the original recipe, but it was a tasty addition. You could use leftover chicken or part of a rotisserie chicken (if you live in a place that has that sort of thing)!

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I'm linked today to Two Maids a Milking's recipe blog hop.

See

Lighthouses don't dot the landscape of central Kansas. My "skyscrapers" are windmills and grain elevators.

But I'm still thinking about the lighthouse we toured at Tybee Island, Ga., during the holidays. There's a mystery to lighthouses. We envision the beacon of light leading boats to safety.

We imagine the lighthouse keeper dutifully climbing the circular staircase to keep the light shining and protect sailors from crashing on rocky reefs.

Join me at Lovely Branches Ministries and my Food for Thought blog today for more photos and thoughts from a lighthouse. And while you're there, check out the other blogs at the Vine Press, including a new photography blog, Moments in Focus, from my friend, Adrienne.

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I'm linked today to Michelle DeRusha's Hear It on Sunday, Use It On Monday.

A Week of Ks

January 12, 2012

My week has been filled with Ks.

1. Kinley

2. Kitchen

3. Kale

Kale? How does a vegetable I've never even used before get thrown into a list with important things like Kinley?

Well, "kale" ended up being part of "kitchen" this week. Though my favorite "job" of the week was holding Kinley, I also spent some time in the kitchen making meals. I used several new recipes from Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking and from Simple and Delicious, two magazines I gave to Jill for Christmas.

Italian Sausage Bean Soup made its debut for dinner, but the leftovers have been great for lunch. And that's where the kale came in. If I'd been at home, I wouldn't have had easy assess to kale.

If you don't have a mammoth produce section a few blocks away, I think you could substitute spinach or cabbage leaves (or leave it out entirely). But don't leave this soup out of your winter time soup rotation. Kale isn't the only thing that makes it different. The Italian bulk sausage is a nice change of pace from my repertoire of hearty soup recipes that feature beef or chicken.

It was perfect timing for the return of winter temperatures this week. I served it with a cheese and herb focaccia bread and a Waldorf salad. Yum!

Italian Sausage Bean Soup
from the December/January Issue
of Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 cans (14.5 oz.) reduced sodium chicken broth

2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup medium pearl barley

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery rib, diced

1 tsp. minced fresh sage

1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary or 1/8 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

6 cups chopped fresh kale

Notes: I used about 4 cups of kale. I purchased fresh sage, but I think a sprinkle of dry sage would work just as well and would be much less expensive. I didn't use as much garlic as the recipe called for: I used about 1 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic.

In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minutes longer. Drain.

Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, barley, carrot, celery, sage and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Stir in kale; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and kale is wilted.

Makes 8 servings. (20 minutes prep time, 1.5 hours cook time).

Nutrition facts: 1 1/2 cups equals 339 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 1,100 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 11 g fiber, 19 g protein.

"Due" Tell, Kinley!

1-12-12. Today was Smalls' due date. The numbers would have been a memorable birth date, I suppose.

But Kinley Marie had other ideas. She decided on a 2011 arrival, so we've had the pleasure of her company for an extra two weeks.

We are already discovering the many faces of Kinley.

Hello, world! I'm ready for my 15 minutes of wakefulness. (Never heard of it? Me neither. But one of Jill's parenting books says to aim for 15 minutes of wakefulness after each feeding. Grandma is glad to do her part in trying to keep her awake.)

Her Daddy says she gives us the pirate eye (which is a little tough to capture).

She has her bathing beauty pose.

You think she's sleeping here? Nope, she's thinking. You've seen Rodin's "The Thinker," right?

She has on her "I'm going to listen to everything Mommy says" face here. Let's hope it lasts in junior high.

Some of her faces aren't suitable for company.

How does 6 pounds of person have such an impact?

Who knew that watching someone breathe could be so fascinating?

To become a grandparent is to enjoy one of the few pleasures in life for which the consequences have already been paid.

~Robert Brault

Being Stalked

Some girls in our area are being stalked.

But don't be alarmed. This kind of "stalking" is not a reason to call the police. Our cows have been on milo stalks during the fall and winter months. Last Friday, Randy & Jake moved a group of 37 cows across the road from our house. Since they were 8 miles away, the guys loaded them into trailers for the trip.

At least something good came from this year's milo crop. Even though our harvest was dismal because of the Drought of 2011, it has provided some nutrition for the mama cows who are awaiting the arrival of their offspring in February.

The drought also reduced the amount of alfalfa hay and silage we raised this year. So the milo stalks provide an economical solution for non-lactating cows and heifers.

Brent helped move another group while he was home. Since they were just moving down the road, he and Randy used 4-wheelers for that roundup.

Next stop for the expectant mamas will be the various "maternity wards" we'll set up closer to the barns and shelter, just in case the babies need an overnight stay out of the wintertime elements.

And the cows will be doing the stalking, looking for tasty leftovers. Don't you just love leftovers?